Chapter 20: Better to Resolve Enmity Than to Foster It

"But I studied traditional medicine, so this is certainly not a problem." Hearing Zhang Shen say this, Zheng Tiande finally felt the weight in his heart lift. As always, Zhang Shen took out his silver needles from that old piece of cloth, but this time he drew out seven of them. Seeing so many needles about to pierce his daughter, Zheng Tiande couldn't bear to watch.

"Don't worry, Chairman Zheng, it won't hurt much," Zhang Shen reassured him, fully understanding the anxiety of a parent—what father could truly bear to see his daughter endure so many needles?

He held the needles in his hands, focused his energy, and then swiftly inserted them into the lymph nodes on Zheng Ke's body. Immediately, dark blood began to ooze from the punctured spots.

"Doctor, could it be that my daughter is also suffering from lovesickness?" Zheng Tiande, seeing the dark blood flowing, panicked, mistaking his daughter's illness for the same as Wei Xiaorong's.

Zhang Shen couldn't help but find this amusing. The two were completely unrelated—Wei Xiaorong suffered from lovesickness, but what flowed from Zheng Ke was poisoned blood.

He ignored Zheng Tiande’s anxious guesswork and waited quietly for Jiang Muyun. About ten minutes later, Jiang Muyun entered, carrying a freshly brewed bowl of medicinal soup.

"We were just waiting for you," Zhang Shen said as he walked over, took the bowl from Jiang Muyun, and moved to Zheng Ke's side. "Could someone help me lift her up? She needs to drink the medicine."

Just then, Zheng Ke's eyes fluttered open. Seeing his precious girl awake, Zheng Tiande instantly became alert and attentive.

"I'll help!" he volunteered.

"Then hurry up! The medicine is still hot," Zhang Shen urged.

Zheng Tiande nodded hurriedly. "Ke’er, how do you feel? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?" he fired off a string of questions, overwhelming the just-awakened Zheng Ke.

"Chairman Zheng, your daughter has just woken up. At least let her rest a bit," Zhang Shen reminded him.

Realizing his own impatience, Zheng Tiande calmed himself. "Come now, Ke’er, open your mouth and drink the medicine."

"I don't want to. I'm afraid it's bitter," Zheng Ke protested softly, her expression clearly resistant.

"Little one, if you don't take your medicine, you won't look pretty anymore, and you wouldn't want to spend your whole life in bed, would you? Don't you want to play with Sister Muyun again?" coaxed Jiang Muyun.

"That's right, Ke’er, listen to your sister and drink up," she added.

"This girl is rather clever at such a time," Zhang Shen silently praised Jiang Muyun.

Reluctantly, Zheng Ke opened her mouth. Seeing this, Zhang Shen took up the spoon and fed her the medicine, one spoonful at a time.

"I really can't drink anymore," Zheng Ke protested after finishing more than half.

"That's enough for now," Zhang Shen said, not forcing her further.

"Can she really get well this way?" Zheng Tiande asked, worried.

"Don't worry. I've already instructed Jiang Muyun about the medicine. Give her one dose a day, and in less than ten days, she’ll recover completely," Zhang Shen replied, full of confidence.

"If it’s truly as you say, Doctor, I would gladly give you half my estate," Zheng Tiande declared earnestly.

Zhang Shen had no desire for such a vast fortune. He was just a doctor, after all, with neither the energy nor interest to manage those affairs.

"Let’s not talk about that. Chairman Zheng, matters of inheritance are better left for those who wish to spend their lives with you. As for me, a man without even a license to practice, I’m content with simply having enough to eat," Zhang Shen replied.

Hearing this, Wei Xiaorong instantly understood that Zhang Shen was hinting at something about herself.

"Doctor, you mustn’t say that. I was too forward just now. Please don’t take offense," she said.

Zhang Shen simply busied himself with cleaning his needles, not responding.

"Since Ke’er’s illness is soon to be resolved, why don’t I host a gathering today? First, to celebrate the good news, and second, to offer you my apologies. Doctor, will you honor us?" Zheng Tiande proposed.

Just as Zhang Shen was considering whether to accept, Zheng Ke suddenly spoke up, "Tell that woman to leave. I don’t want to see her."

This scene took Zhang Shen by surprise—he hadn’t realized how deeply Zheng Ke resented Wei Xiaorong. Could there be unresolved issues between them?

While Zhang Shen pondered, Zheng Tiande stepped forward. "Xiaorong, you’d better go for now. We’ll talk in a few days."

Wei Xiaorong, understanding the situation, nodded, waved to Zhang Shen and Jiang Muyun, and before leaving, turned to Zheng Ke, "Ke’er, be good. Auntie—" But before she could finish, Zheng Ke interrupted, "Just go!"

Left with no choice, Wei Xiaorong departed from the Zheng household.

After she left, Zheng Tiande summoned the maids to take good care of his daughter.

"Doctor, may I speak with you outside?" he invited.

Zhang Shen asked Jiang Muyun to stay with Zheng Ke, just in case anything happened, so he could be informed immediately.

In the garden, Zheng Tiande spoke first. "Doctor, you must find it strange that my daughter is so hostile towards Wei Xiaorong, don’t you?"

As a physician, Zhang Shen generally preferred not to pry into family matters, but since Zheng Tiande had brought it up, it would be impolite to refuse.

"A little," he admitted.

"Ke’er’s mother passed away early. I raised her alone, both as father and mother, until I met Wei Xiaorong. We quickly rekindled old feelings. What I didn’t expect was that Xiaorong still held a place for me in her heart."

"So, you were moved," Zhang Shen observed.

"Yes. Over time, as we saw each other more often, my daughter seemed to notice something was amiss."

Zhang Shen could hardly believe it. At Zheng Ke’s age, he had only been reciting his textbooks, oblivious to affairs of the heart. How precocious children are these days!

"Since then, Ke’er has harbored a grudge against Xiaorong. So, what you witnessed just now is not surprising."

"But from what I’ve seen, Director Wei seems to care a lot about Ke’er."

"That’s true—even the maids in our home say so."

"In that case, perhaps you should try to reconcile them. After all, it’s better to resolve enmity than to let it fester, don’t you think, Chairman Zheng?"

Hearing this, Zheng Tiande felt as though Zhang Shen had spoken directly to his heart.

"But how should I go about it?"

"Let me think about it," Zhang Shen replied.

It seemed that even a masterful physician like Zhang Shen could find himself at a loss when it came to healing the wounds of the heart.