Chapter 43 Don't Dwell on the Past; Life Isn't Just Black and White, Even...

The reputation of Luxi Medical Clinic grew day by day, and people came in an endless stream seeking medical treatment and medicine.

What delighted Cui Pingchun even more was that more and more people were coming to learn the craft, and they were of all ages, no longer just the young girls in the school. There were even a few older women who had been ashamed to enter the academy because of their age, but in order to understand the medical courses, they took the initiative to go to the academy to find Ning Shengan to learn to read.

Most of these elderly women had been cured of their stubborn illnesses at the clinic and had personally experienced the pain of illness. Therefore, they were particularly reluctant to see others suffer the same torment and had the idea of ​​studying medicine.

Seeing their eagerness to learn, Cui Pingchun and Chen Miaozhi patiently taught them to identify herbs and how to decoct and prepare medicines.

An elderly woman once asked nervously, "Doctor, we're old and not as quick-witted as young people. Can we still learn it?"

Cui Pingchun scrutinized the woman before him.

At just over fifty years old, in a wealthy family, one would still be in a vigorous age, and their hands shouldn't have so many calluses and wrinkles.

But in the countryside, such women, having weathered half a lifetime of hardships, appear much older than the old noble ladies of aristocratic families, even though they are the same age.

Instead of answering directly, she first tested her on the uses of several medicinal herbs.

The old lady answered fluently, remembering every detail clearly.

Cui Pingchun's eyes showed approval, and he then stretched out his hand and said, "Try this acupoint using the technique I just taught you."

The old woman stretched out her hand, looked at her rough palms, and hesitated.

But under Cui Pingchun's encouraging gaze, she still pressed it, though she didn't dare to use force.

"Put in a little more force," Cui Pingchun said gently.

The old woman finally stopped holding back her strength.

Although those hands were rough, they were exceptionally steady and powerful. When they pressed on acupoints, they gave a feeling of smoothing out muscles and promoting blood circulation.

As Cui Pingchun felt the just-right force, a smile finally appeared on his lips.

This is exactly the talent she has been searching for!

When she previously ran her clinic, she had hired several young women to provide massages for female customers, but their strength was always insufficient, and the treatment effect was not particularly good.

The hands of this elderly woman in front of me are clearly the most suitable.

"What is your name, ma'am?" Cui Pingchun took out his small notebook, picked up a pen, and asked.

"Li Zhen," the old woman answered softly.

Cui Pingchun noted down the name and then asked, "How did you develop such strength?"

Li Zhen thought back for a moment.

“I started helping my family farm when I was ten years old, and after I got married, I continued to help my husband farm.”

"He always complained that my hands were too rough and ugly, and said that even though I'm a woman, I have a lot of strength and am stronger than a man..."

Thinking of the hurtful things she had heard over the years, she still felt a little embarrassed and turned her head away.

Cui Pingchun remained silent.

She held those rough hands and said softly, "Aunt Li, please come and help out at the clinic from now on. We need someone like you."

“Having strength is never shameful, nor is age. It is through years of hard work that I have developed this skill, which many young people cannot match.”

"As for those who criticize," she said firmly, "they are simply blind!"

----

As the courses offered by the clinic and school gradually spread, Chen Miaozhi and Cui Pingchun gained increasing fame. When villagers mentioned them, they would respectfully address them as "Dr. Cui" and "Teacher Chen."

Wen Yu's letter received some replies. Soon, a group of new students arrived in Luxi Village with their luggage. They were all girls, including several daughters of officials from wealthy families. Clearly, their families were both enlightened and valued their daughters' education.

Unlike in the past, most of these new students have a basic level of literacy and have clear goals.

Some wanted to specialize in poetry and literature, while others aspired to study medicine...

After thinking for a while, Chen Miaozhi decided to adopt the study group format proposed by Wen Yu, mixing freshmen and seniors into groups so that the advanced students could lead the less advanced students.

At this point, the dormitory rewarded by the system came in handy. The new students moved into the school's dormitory, which was a quiet and elegant single room. Everyone was mindful of their own space, making it quite peaceful.

The students were amazed by the environment of Luxi Academy, and were even more surprised when they discovered that the academy even had a canteen.

They thought they would have to provide their own food and were considering bringing extra rations.

Other students had already experienced it for a while, and unsurprisingly, they even sincerely recommended the delicious dishes to them.

Although the ingredients used were quite ordinary, they were of good quality and inexpensive, and the dishes were fresh, so they were very satisfied with their meal.

For Wen Yu, the arrival of these students was just in time. The tuition and room and board they paid not only covered her advance costs but also left a slight surplus. If things continued this way, the school would surely become more and more prosperous.

Chen Miaozhi's condition also improved day by day. The depression she felt when she first returned to the village gradually dissipated, and she became more and more radiant.

Finally free from the troubles of family matters, she was able to focus on her beloved career, and she seemed to be shining brightly.

Unexpectedly, all of this stung Liu Haoyan's eyes.

When they divorced, he was not entitled to any of the Chen family's land and property, so he had to live with his son Peichuan in a dilapidated thatched hut at the edge of the village that no one wanted.

In order to make money, he managed to clear a piece of wasteland near his home, but because he was lazy and neglected to take care of it, the weeds had long since overgrown the seedlings, and it was clear that nothing good would grow there.

Pei Chuan often clamored for better food, but Liu Haoyan's savings were almost gone, so he had to live frugally, subsisting on mixed vegetables and cornbread every day.

Peichuan was spoiled and couldn't get used to eating coarse grain bread. After eating it once or twice, he started crying and making a fuss, rolling around on the ground and wailing that he didn't like it.

In the past, these inferior foods were always given to his older sister; he never wanted to eat them.

Liu Haoyan finally couldn't hold back and scolded his precious son for the first time: "You spendthrift! Do you know how hard it is for your dad to earn money!"

Peichuan stared blankly at him, then suddenly burst out: "Dad's bad! If you can't afford to raise me, then don't raise me! Send me back to my mother!"

These were not words that Pei Chuan should have said; he had always looked down on his mother and sister.

But that morning, while he was wandering around the village, he suddenly smelled the aroma of food.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be the place where my mother and sister now live.

He stood on tiptoe and looked through the window of the Chen family mansion. He saw Qianshan sitting at the table eating heartily. Her mother and another unfamiliar woman were talking and laughing, constantly putting food into Qianshan's bowl, as if afraid that she wouldn't have enough to eat.

Peichuan's stomach started growling uncontrollably.

He suddenly felt a lump in his throat, turned around and ran away.

After I came to live with my father, I didn't even have breakfast anymore. My father always said that two meals a day were enough, and that eating more was just wasting money.

But the older sister, who was with her mother, not only had breakfast, but also wore new clothes and moved into a bright house.

He even saw his sister walk into that beautiful school with a group of girls. They were so spirited and unrestrained, as if they were from a completely different world from him.

He also wanted to go to school, but his father wouldn't let him, saying that his mother worked there and the two had long since stopped seeing each other, and that if Peichuan went, it would be a disgrace to him.

Feeling increasingly aggrieved, Peichuan blurted out, "Dad's a good-for-nothing! Mom can earn money, but you can't!"

Liu Haoyan's pitiful dignity was shattered by his own son, and he was immediately enraged and slapped him: "She shows her face in public and does that kind of shameless business, don't you feel ashamed?"

Peichuan was so stunned by the beating that tears welled up in his eyes first.

Being able to eat well is the most important thing; what does saving face matter? Can it feed you?

He regretted following his father.

With tears streaming down his face, Peichuan turned and ran, shouting as he ran, "I want to recognize my mother again! I don't want you anymore!"

Seeing this, Liu Haoyan hurriedly chased after him, shouting, "You brat! Stop right there!"

Peichuan ran wildly, rushing straight into the school and bursting into the classroom where a lesson was in progress. He immediately saw his mother standing at the podium and wailed as he threw himself at her, trying to hug her legs: "Mother, I was wrong... I don't want to follow Father anymore..."

Chen Miaozhi took a step back.

After just one month apart, the mother and son had become so estranged.

She didn't look down at Pei Chuan, but instead glanced at Liu Haoyan, who was panting as he chased after her from the doorway. Her tone was calm, almost indifferent: "Liu Haoyan, keep your child in check. Don't disrupt the class."

Liu Haoyan's face turned red and then pale. In the end, he had no choice but to swallow his anger, pick up his crying son, and grit his teeth, saying, "I won't let him come again."

Chen Miaozhi nodded slightly, turned around, picked up the chalk, and continued writing on the blackboard without looking back at the departing father and son.

The students below felt they had stumbled upon some gossip, and afterwards, some asked what had happened.

Those in the know, including Fan Yizhen, recounted the whole story, explaining how Teacher Chen bravely resisted her ex-husband.

Fan Yizhen gestured animatedly, "She gave him a good beating! She's so effeminate, she's like a female eagle!"

The girls' eyes lit up when they heard this, and from then on, they looked at Chen Miaozhi with even more respect.

Chen Miaozhi suddenly noticed that the children looked at her with even more intense gaze the second time she came to class after that.

She didn't know what had happened, but she took the appreciation for granted.

After all, in this era, it is already a remarkable thing for a woman to stand on the podium and become a teacher.

Later, Liu Haoyan disappeared from the village. It was said that he used up all his savings to take his son to the prefectural city, claiming that he would support his son's education.

However, given his abilities and remaining wealth, it remains to be seen whether all of this will come to fruition.

When she learned of this, Chen Miaozhi's expression remained unchanged.

She simply glanced down at her daughter's neat homework, gently stroked Qianshan's hair, and said softly, "Our Qianshan is still the most promising."

Yes, studying hard will help you understand principles and people, giving you the confidence to stand firm in the world.

Life is not just black and white. Even if you have a terrible past, you can get through it and start a new life.

She recalled a sentence she had seen while browsing through books in the library some time ago: "Do not dwell on the passing of time, but realize the cause of your good fortune early."

The afternoon sun shone through the window and onto the pages of the book, making each word shine.

Chen Miaozhi suddenly realized that she had already done this long before she understood the meaning of the sentence.

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The author's note: "Do not dwell on the past, but awaken to the true meaning of life" is from the Peking Opera "The Story of the Jade Bracelet".