Chapter 2327

Chapter 2327: Severed Sibling Bond

Zhu Yanyi raised an eyebrow slightly. "Grandpa Zhan’s reminder is good. But I think we don’t necessarily need free buses. There are other ways to solve this."

"Tell us," Taishu Yuanxiang said, taking out a notebook to record all suggestions.

Zhu Yanyi paused to organize her thoughts. "It’s actually very simple. First, we can offer free bus rides for seniors over sixty with their senior cards. We can buy ten buses just for this route. Others can ride too, but they must pay. We’ll set a stop or terminal near our entertainment center. Those under sixty pay; those over sixty ride free. It’s not fully free, but for seniors, it’s almost the same."

"What’s the second idea?" Taishu Yuanxiang asked.

"The second idea," Zhu Yanyi replied, "is to open a restaurant in the entertainment center. Let’s call it the 'One-Yuan Restaurant.' It’s not free, but seniors can eat two meat dishes, one vegetable, and soup for just one yuan. Outside, this meal costs six yuan. Our price will stay at one yuan forever, no matter how much incomes rise. Even if average income reaches ten thousand or twenty thousand, it stays one yuan for seniors."

She paused. "Only seniors over sixty with cards can join. One card per month. They pay one yuan each time, and staff mark the card. To prevent cheating, we could use electronic cards later to track usage."

Taishu Yuanxiang wrote quickly, then nodded. "Good idea. So our free senior center will include food, fun, and entertainment."

She sighed. "Simple operations won’t work anymore."

"It’s like your club," Zhu Yanyi said. "Just different customers."

Grandpa Zhan spoke up. "Great idea! We won’t worry about having nowhere to play."

"Exactly," Grandpa Chun smiled. "We old folks can manage daily life, but it gets boring. With a free place, I can teach Tai Chi and practice boxing."

Zhu Yanyi said, "I don’t know the details. Brother-in-law should handle this."

Taishu Yuanxiang was excited. "No problem. Leave it to us."

She liked having things to do. Otherwise, she might retire early. Though she came here to vacation with her wife and son, having work was nice.

Zhu Yanyi nodded. "Then you stay here while I go to Yong City. In a month, Aohan and I will come get you."

Taishu Yuanxiang agreed. "Sure. Yong City is only an hour and a half away. We’ll stay here temporarily."

"Xiao Xi Bei stays too," Xie Xinlian decided. "You two go have fun. Tonight, Xiao Xi Bei sleeps with us. Don’t disturb us."

She missed Xiao Xi Bei. Her tone was fierce with Zhu Yanyi and Yan Aohan, but soft with the child. "Xiao Xi Bei, sleep with Grandma tonight, okay?"

"Okay," Xiao Xi Bei said. He remembered Grandma was kind to him.

"Ungrateful child," Zhu Yanyi complained playfully. "We took care of you for a month, and you abandon us for Grandma."

Yan Aohan bowed to Xie Xinlian. "Thank you, Mother."

"Stop causing trouble," Zhu Yanyi laughed, but said no more.

That night, everyone settled in.

Next day, Zhu Yanyi went to the hospital. Nurse Wang was helping a woman sit down. Zhu Yanyi guessed this was Nurse Wang’s future mother-in-law.

"Divine Doctor, you’re here," Nurse Wang said hurriedly.

Zhu Yanyi smiled. "Sit down."

After checking the woman’s pulse, Zhu Yanyi smiled. "No big problem. Just slight stomach discomfort. No acupuncture needed. I’ll give you a herbal diet prescription."

The woman asked anxiously, "Divine Doctor, am I really okay? I ate half a worm."

Zhu Yanyi laughed. "Many worms are healthy. Traditional medicine uses insects like earthworms, cicada shells, centipedes, and snake skins. If you didn’t eat it raw, it’s fine. Some coastal people even eat raw sandworms. But cooked is safer."

The woman looked relieved. "I ate it cooked."

"Then it’s definitely fine," Zhu Yanyi said, handing over the prescription. "This diet strengthens the body and soothes the stomach. Eat it once a week."

"Thank you, Divine Doctor." The woman stood up, looking instantly healthy. Nurse Wang found it amusing.

Zhu Yanyi smiled. It was just a psychological issue.

Later, Nurse Wang brought in another patient. Zhu Yanyi looked up from her files, surprised but silent. "Why is it you?"

It was Dong Baicao.

She sat down. "I felt uncomfortable, so I came to check."

Zhu Yanyi pointed to the pulse pillow. "Check your pulse."

Dong Baicao placed her hand on it. Zhu Yanyi checked her pulse. "Your qi and blood are strong, but your kidney energy is drained. You’ve been living freely lately."

Dong Baicao smiled at her blunt honesty. "You and your husband never give face."

"Face is given by others," Zhu Yanyi said calmly. She turned to Nurse Wang. "Bring ten packs of disposable needles. I only have five left."

"Okay." Nurse Wang left.

Zhu Yanyi faced Dong Baicao. "Why are you here?"

"Does a senior brother need a reason to see his junior sister?" Dong Baicao asked with a charming smile.

"Really? After Grandpa Yao died, you became the Masked Man. Our sibling bond is gone," Zhu Yanyi said seriously. "I don’t like sand in my eyes. Let’s leave it at that."

Dong Baicao sighed. "Zhang Yanhong’s child cannot be kept."

"Not my business," Zhu Yanyi sneered. "Neither you nor Zhang Yanhong matters to me. Whether she keeps the child is irrelevant. I’m only protecting the pregnancy to prove in three months that the child belongs to Broken Zhang. She likes to blame others."

Dong Baicao said directly, "I can make her admit she killed Broken Zhang and that the child isn’t her. I just want you to make her abort."

"Every child is a life with meaning. I am a doctor. I save lives, I don’t kill them. If you want to kill, do it yourself. You are a doctor too. You should know this." Zhu Yanyi looked at her coldly, ignoring her request.

"Even if you don’t care about our bond, Lu Ying is innocent. She sees you as a sister. Can you bear to see her sad?" Dong Baicao asked.

Zhu Yanyi scoffed. "I valued her because she was my senior sister-in-law. Now you’re not my brother, so why should I care? I am cold-hearted. She is your wife. If you don’t care if she’s sad, why should I?"

Her eyes were clear, as if shining light on the dirt in his heart. "I never do harmful things. Besides, you don’t care about your wife and daughter. Why should I? Do you think I’m a saint? You think too much."

She wrote a prescription. "Kidney tonic. Drink it if you want."

Dong Baicao took it. "Must we really end like this?"

"When you chose your path, it was decided. It has nothing to do with me," Zhu Yanyi answered coldly. She admitted she was cold. If a bond was broken, it was better to cut it early.

Her voice and gaze were cold. Dong Baicao felt cold inside. He wanted to speak but didn’t. "Be careful. He won’t let you go."

"I never expected her to let me go," Zhu Yanyi said calmly. "When I knew the truth, I was sad for a moment. Then I understood. People make choices. No matter what others think, the choice exists. I don’t need to overthink. I just need to be myself. Those who treat me poorly, I distance myself from. Then I calm down. When we meet again, we are just familiar strangers."

"Familiar strangers. I didn’t expect those words for me," Dong Baicao said. He didn’t argue further. "Since you’ve decided, so be it. I’ll handle Zhang Yanhong myself."

She left gracefully. Some decisions cannot be undone. It was better to pretend not to know.

Dong Baicao knew he couldn’t turn back. He had to walk this path. But he felt lost. He hadn’t imagined today when he chose this road.

Outside the hospital, he looked back, sighed, and got into a car.

"Let’s go. To the old place, as planned." He swallowed the bitter fruit. He never regretted his choices.

She folded the prescription carefully and put it in her pocket. This might be the last thing she gave her.

Dong Baicao’s visit didn’t affect Zhu Yanyi. Focusing on patients was the best way to clear her mind.

In the evening, the Dean came. "Divine Doctor, get ready. We’re going to Sicheng Hotel. Everyone is waiting for you."

Zhu Yanyi smiled. "Okay. Go ahead. I’ll tidy up and join you."

It was the last day. Zhu Yanyi worked until the last patient left. She packed her things, looked around the place with some reluctance, but left anyway. Parting and meeting are common. No matter how reluctant, one must leave when the time comes.