Chapter 6: To Treat or Not to Treat

Chapter 6: To Treat or Not to Treat

Tang Yuan was causing a commotion here, and the people eating in the main room couldn't eat peacefully.

Uncle Tang and his eldest son wanted to go over and check on her, but they were held back by Auntie.

She was afraid that the men and children would get scratched by Tang Yuan. The second couple was fiercely protective of their daughter and refused to tie her up.

Her mouth and nose still tasted of paper ash, and Tang Wu's arm had a large bruise from being hit.

When she heard Tang Yuan shout about not wanting to be traded, her blood pressure soared.

This girl is so selfish; she doesn't care about family at all. Why bother caring for her?

Because their daughter was uncomfortable, Dad Tang and Mother Tang lost their appetite.

Eldest Sister-in-law quietly brought food over and placed it in the outer room, asking Second Uncle and Second Aunt to eat with Tang Yuan inside.

In the evening, Tang Yuan naturally slept in her parents' room.

Their bed wasn't big enough to fit the whole family, so Mother Tang told Dad Tang to sleep in the outer room with his nephew.

Originally, Tang Yuan and the other girls slept in the west room of the main house with Grandma Tang.

Tang Wu didn't sleep with his parents in the east room but instead slept with Second Uncle and Second Aunt in the outer room of the east wing.

He always wanted to get married in the east wing, preferably having Second Uncle give him the entire space.

As for where Second Uncle would live, he didn't think much about it. Living with Grandma Tang in the same room would work too.

Anyway, Second Uncle and Second Aunt were old and couldn't have any more children. What was the point of doing that sort of thing?

How embarrassing.

Since they weren't doing that sort of thing, where they slept didn't matter.

Besides, there was no need to avoid each other.

Because Second Uncle whispered to him outside to keep quiet so as not to upset Yuan Yuan, he was unhappy and went to bed facing the wall.

Dad Tang worried about his daughter and couldn't fall asleep as easily as before. He tossed and turned, thinking.

His daughter said this place wasn't clean and that she saw her grandfather...

Dad Tang sat up abruptly. No, he needed to go to the gravesite with his elder brother to talk to his father.

At that moment, in the east room, Auntie was complaining to Uncle Tang.

"How could that girl, Yuan'er, be so angry? If she didn't have such a bad temper, ghosts wouldn't possess her so easily."

Uncle Tang scolded her, "Nonsense! Where did you hear about ghosts? I'm a government official. How many years has it been since we got rid of superstitions? Don't talk nonsense."

He always liked to brag about his status.

Auntie said, "She just got possessed by evil spirits."

She complained about being hit by Tang Yuan today, forced to drink a belly full of ash water, and feeling terrible.

Uncle Tang, concerned for his wife, quickly comforted her.

After a bit of comforting, the couple became affectionate again.

Dad Tang knocked on the door, "Brother, Brother!"

Uncle Tang cursed under his breath and quickly got off his wife. "Second brother, what's wrong?"

Dad Tang: "Brother, I've been thinking. Yuan Yuan said she saw our father. We should burn some paper money at his grave. Burning it at home won't do."

Uncle Tang wanted to refuse but couldn't ignore how his niece wailed like the wind.

Fine, let's treat a dead horse as if it might live.

He got dressed, went out, and discussed it with Dad Tang.

Grandma Tang heard and reminded them to bring the half bottle of liquor left over from the New Year and two pieces of pickled vegetables for the old man to enjoy with his drink.

Tang Yuan had napped in the afternoon and was now wide awake.

Once she was sure they had gone far enough, she quietly got up and continued singing operas.

Want to hide it and keep others from knowing?

No way!

She had to make everyone know she was driven mad by the prospect of being traded. Let's see who would dare trade her then.

A crazy niece who lost her value for marriage, needing medical treatment and causing a loss of labor and property.

Guess whether Auntie would be eager to split the household?

She picked up Auntie's enamel basin from the hall and found a long-handled aluminum ladle used for cooking, banging it loudly.

"Heavenly spirits, earthly spirits, Laojun come to show your power! Heavenly Emperor, Earthly Emperor, Black General, come to the altar..."

She recited all the spells she had heard from her grandparents in her past life and learned from chatting with elderly villagers during her rural poverty alleviation work.

Late at night, the clanging sounds created an eerie atmosphere.

Not only was Grandma Tang's heart pounding, but Auntie, being closest, jumped up in fright.

The couple in the western room of the Tang family were scared awake, but only the two little kids slept soundly, completely unaffected.

Mother Tang and Tang Wu ran over together.

Mother Tang was watching Tang Wu, afraid he might hurt her daughter.

There were no neighbors to the west of the Tang family, but the neighbor to the east climbed onto the wall to ask what was going on.

If you want to watch the commotion, just do it quietly; why bother asking what's happening?

Could Grandma Tang not be annoyed by this?

She hated losing face!

Everyone in the family woke up, and Grandma Tang hurried to light the kerosene lamp.

But her hands were shaking so much that she couldn't light it after several attempts.

"Smash!" Outside, Tang Yuan broke a bowl on the kitchen counter.

It was the one Uncle Tang had left there when he got up for water.

"I am the General of Bowls from the Southern Heavenly Gate. Why don't you, mere mortal bowl, come and pay your respects quickly?" She pointed at the cupboard with a spoon. "And you, you, all of you bowls and pots, why aren't you kneeling and bowing? Hurry up!"

Grandma Tang became anxious: "Zhonghe, hurry up!"

Don't let her break anything else.

The family wasn't wealthy, and if she kept breaking things, they'd have nothing left.

Just then, Auntie struck a match, and Mother Tang, using the faint light, went to hug Tang Yuan.

Tang Yuan hit the cupboard door with her spoon but nimbly darted eastward, dodging Mother Tang's attempt to grab her.

"Bang!" She smashed the spoon against the door frame next to Auntie. "You demon, with green ghost fire on your head, you're clearly not a good thing. You must be a little ghost from the underworld!"

Auntie exclaimed, "Oh my goodness..."

She didn't even bother to refute it, turning to run back into the house. "Wen'er, Wu'er, hurry up and tie her down."

Tang Yuan dipped her spoon into the water jar and splashed water at Auntie.

She jumped and laughed, spouting nonsense. Seeing Tang Wu coming to grab her, she dove into Mother Tang's arms.

Mother Tang hugged her daughter, naturally not letting her nephews touch her.

Men were strong; what if they accidentally hurt her daughter?

Tang Yuan obediently returned to the eastern room.

Of course, she continued to mutter words that everyone found impressive yet had never heard before.

Especially since Grandma Tang knew two spells, and now hearing Tang Yuan say more than she did, she believed even more that Tang Yuan was possessed.

"Old man, what should we do?"

She sat on the bed, slapping her thigh, thinking about how Tang Yuan said her grandfather chased an old woman and suddenly felt very angry. "You dead old man, not protecting your own family but scaring your granddaughter. What old woman are you chasing? This year, I won't offer sacrifices at your grave. Let her children do it!"

With Tang Yuan causing such a commotion, not only did the neighbors to the east know, but people in the surrounding houses also woke up.

Many came to the Tang family's door in the dark to ask what was happening.

However, they feared Grandma Tang's sharp tongue and didn't dare knock or enter.

If someone needed help, they would come out and ask. If they didn't, it meant they didn't want anyone to intrude, which could lead to resentment.

People thought you were eager to see their misfortune.

Tang Zhonghe, who lived a bit further away, was also awakened.

He got dressed and went outside.

His wife mumbled, "Being a barefoot doctor doesn't earn us any money, and I can't even get a full night's sleep."

Tang Zhonghe patted her gently and whispered, "It might be Yuan Yuan. I'll go check."

His wife didn't say anything else.

Tang Zhonghe left the house, and his mother opened the door, wrapped in clothes.

"Zhonghe, is Yuan Yuan really crazy?"

Tang Zhonghe hurriedly pushed her back inside. "Mother, it's none of your business. Go back to sleep."

His mother was a few years younger than Grandma Tang and a generation apart, but that didn't stop them from secretly feuding.

She shook off his hand and shoved something into his palm. "Who do you think I am? Am I the kind of person who enjoys others' misfortunes? Go and check on the girl properly. Don't let anything happen to her."

She was superstitious too, sharing the same thoughts as Grandma Tang.

Tang Zhonghe held the small peachwood sword his mother had given him, feeling speechless.

This was the same peachwood sword his grandfather had carved for him when he was scared as a child, inscribed with charms mixed with his grandfather's blood.

He didn't believe it worked, but rural grandmothers loved these things.

He didn't refuse and put it in his pocket before heading to Tang Yuan's house.

Well, if Tang Yuan wanted to pretend to be crazy to avoid swapping brides with Tang Wu, he supported her.

Last night, his mother was still laughing at Grandma Tang, saying the old lady was getting more and more confused. Zhang Lianhua pretended to be kind and gentle all day long, but she had selfish schemes in her heart.

You want to change your son's wife, why don't you use Xiang'er instead?

She is your own daughter.

No matter how nice words sound, it's what someone does that shows their true intentions.

Auntie says she treats Tang Yuan like her own daughter, but when trouble comes, she pushes her niece out to protect her own daughter. Is that love?

Tang Zhonghe pushed past the crowd gathered at the door.

These people were really something, huddled in the dark, no one willing to light a lamp, just lurking here to watch.

What can you see in this darkness?

Do you think you're a night spirit?

Just then, Dad Tang and Uncle Tang returned.

Uncle Tang spoke kindly, telling the neighbors not to worry and to go back to sleep since they had work tomorrow.

Regardless of their motives, everyone naturally said they were concerned.

One suggested using rooster blood, another black dog blood. Someone mentioned having a century-old ginseng root, another an old garlic mortar, both said to ward off evil spirits.

Uncle Tang declined all offers and told Tang Zhonghe to go inside before quickly closing the door.

Inside, Tang Zhonghe saw Tang Yuan lying in her mother's arms, slightly turning her face to look outside.

Though her hair was messy, her eyes shone like stars in water.

Tang Zhonghe inwardly scoffed, "Whoever says she's crazy, I'll cut off their head and use it as a chamber pot."

Grandma Tang whispered from behind, "Zhonghe, what do you think?"

Tang Zhonghe glanced at Tang Yuan. The oil lamp cast a dim light, yet the little girl's eyes were clear and bright.

He immediately put on a worried expression, "Hmm, this is tricky."

Dad Tang and Mother Tang hurriedly asked him to check on their daughter.

Grandma Tang grumbled behind Tang Zhonghe, "Isn't it supposed to get better after the fever breaks? Why is it worse now?"

Before, even when she went crazy, she didn't smash pots or break bowls!

Grandma Tang felt the pain deeply.

But scolding or hitting her granddaughter wouldn't help; she could only blame Tang Zhonghe for not curing her.

Tang Zhonghe understood her complaint, "Grandma, Yuan Yuan was fine earlier. What happened to make her worse? Did she get another shock?"

Grandma Tang fiercely ordered her son to tie up Tang Yuan.

Absolutely no more breaking household items; they cost money!

Dad Tang reflexively thought this would upset his daughter and immediately turned to look at Tang Yuan in her mother's arms. He saw his daughter cowering, looking terrified.

How could he bear it?

Tang Yuan knew exactly what he was thinking. When he wasn't home, she acted crazier, but when he came back, she looked weak and helpless, perhaps babbling out of fear.

Tang Zhonghe was already certain Tang Yuan was faking it and gave her a knowing look, "Let's check first."

He used a flashlight to examine her eyelids, throat, and ears, making a thorough show of it. Finally, he gestured for Dad Tang and Grandma Tang to discuss details in the other room.

"She's under too much stress, causing her brain's neural waves to malfunction."

Grandma Tang and Dad Tang panicked, "What does that mean?"

Tang Zhonghe: "Simply put, it's mental disorder, yeah, she's... a bit crazy."

Dad Tang, a simple man, never considered his daughter faking it and believed it without doubt.

He was anxious, "Zhonghe, she was fine earlier."

Tang Zhonghe: "It's episodic, like epilepsy."

Grandma Tang nodded vigorously, "Right, Old Liu's crazy person isn't always crazy either, just every few days."

Dad Tang was upset, not wanting to hear about his daughter being crazy, "Yuan Yuan is different, she's not like that."

His daughter wasn't crazy.

Tang Zhonghe looked at Dad Tang and sighed, "Second Uncle, it's episodic, she can't be stressed."

Inside, Tang Yuan whispered instructions to Mother Tang on how to escalate things.

She knew Tang Zhonghe wouldn't expose her, but she didn't expect him to actively help, which was unexpected.

With a doctor's assistance, her plan would proceed more smoothly.

Mother Tang immediately asked with a crying tone, "Zhonghe, how can we treat this? Can it be cured?"

Tang Zhonghe replied, "This kind of illness can't be treated in our village. There's a psychiatric hospital in the provincial city where patients can receive professional treatment."

Tang Zhonghe thought that since Tang Yuan was faking madness to avoid marriage, he should make it sound scarier.

However, by doing this, she was also blocking her own future. Good young men wouldn't consider her due to fears of her condition.

When the time comes, he'll have to help out a bit. At worst, we can go to the County Hospital and spend a few dollars for an examination, saying it's completely cured and won't recur.

It shouldn't affect her marriage prospects.

At the mention of spending money, Grandma Tang's ears perked up.

Her heart trembled, "That would... be quite expensive, right?"

Her heart, liver, spleen, and lungs all ached.

Tang Zhonghe: "Of course, with hospitalization fees, medical fees, meal fees, and supervision fees, it adds up to about ten yuan a day."

"Ah?" Grandma Tang's face turned pale, "That expensive?"

She thought one yuan a day was already a lot.

Ten yuan?

Are they robbing us?

Who would spend that much on a madwoman?

No wonder people in the countryside just let their mad relatives be; no one treats them.

Tang Zhonghe sighed, "She'll only get crazier. Breaking pots and dishes is minor; hitting people is common. She's already experiencing hallucinations and needs constant supervision. Otherwise, she might run away, jump into a river, or start a fire. It could happen."

This wasn't him exaggerating; truly mad people do act like this.

They experience auditory and visual hallucinations. Sometimes they see enemies, sometimes floods or fires. In their attempt to save themselves, they engage in destructive behavior that normal people can't understand.

In the neighboring village, there was a fool who tried to drown his brother in a water tank and set fire to his own straw stack, claiming there were ghosts inside that needed to be burned by divine fire.

Tang Yuan's reactions match this perfectly. And since Grandma Tang and Auntie don't understand the principles of mental illness, seeing Tang Yuan behave like other mad people, plus the doctor's words, they naturally believe it.

Grandma Tang started wiping her tears, "How unlucky can we be? How did we end up with such a disease? This dead girl, stubborn and disobedient since childhood. I always said her stubbornness and temper weren't good signs. Now look what happened?"

Dad Tang was anxious, "Mother, mother, what should we do?"

He wanted to treat his daughter and hoped his mother would provide the money.

Grandma Tang asked Tang Zhonghe, "Zhonghe, do you know anyone at the hospital? Can you use your connections to give us a discount? Ten yuan a day is too much. Can we stay outside and just buy medicine? Can the doctor give her injections? If not, can we buy the medicine and you give her the injections? Would two fen a day be enough?"

Tang Zhonghe didn't expect Grandma Tang, who had always favored boys over girls and disliked Tang Yuan, to think first about treating her granddaughter rather than abandoning her.

Though her final plea was to squeeze him, it still surprised him.

Tang Zhonghe turned to Grandma Tang, "Grandma, two fen a day isn't enough. Even if it's just injections and medicine, it would cost at least two yuan a day. The main issue is that it may not be curable because the condition is recurrent. Sometimes, even while taking medicine, it gets worse."

Grandma Tang showed a pained and conflicted expression, feeling like someone was slicing her flesh with a small knife, and nodded reluctantly.

Auntie rushed in, pushing the door open, "Mother, you mustn't lose sight of what's important."

If Yuan'er is beyond help, we can't waste money. That money should be saved for Tang Wu's marriage.