Chapter 28 Memory
The woman extended her other hand to scratch the boy's face. Just as it neared his face, her arm went numb and lost all strength.
Ye Shenge had learned this move from her family doctor in her past life. The old doctor was skilled in both Chinese and Western medicine. He had taught Ye Shenge quite a bit of Chinese medicine knowledge and acupuncture points in his spare time. He was very knowledgeable about how to instantly drain someone's strength and cause pain, but she had little opportunity to practice.
Seeing another pauper, the woman immediately became contemptuous and started yelling. Though her hands were weak, her mouth was strong.
"Another busybody. Are you his mistress? You dare to lay a hand on me, all of you are going to die today."
"Your mouth is truly foul. So young, yet you spew filth from your mouth. No matter how powerful your family is, this brings shame to your lineage. If I were your family, I'd be embarrassed."
After scolding, Ye Shenge felt a bit stifled. She had never cursed at anyone before. She felt a surge of qi and blood, realizing she shouldn't get agitated.
Ye Shenge looked at the boy, wanting to know his intentions.
But the boy looked at Ye Shenge with gratitude and excitement in his eyes. This excitement was something Ye Shenge didn't understand.
The woman felt her wrist was being squeezed as if it would break. Her other hand was still numb. Tears of grievance immediately welled up in her eyes.
The boy understood Ye Shenge's meaning and let go of the woman's hand.
"Either you come with me to the police, or you pay us. We'll find a doctor ourselves."
The woman looked at the surrounding onlookers pointing fingers and the two people staring at her menacingly. She knew she was in for trouble today. She could only pay up. Otherwise, if this escalated to the police, her in-laws would be utterly disgusted with her.
Suppressing the numbness in her arm, she took out fifty cents from her pocket and threw it on the ground.
The boy straightened his back and grasped the woman's wrist again.
"Fifty cents isn't enough. It should be at least two yuan, and you need to hand it to me properly. Otherwise, we'll go to the police, and you'll spend a few days in jail."
The woman gritted her teeth from the pain.
"Let go, and I'll give you the money."
Unwillingly, the woman took out two one-yuan notes and handed them to the boy, her face contorted with pain. Before leaving, she didn't forget to pick up the fifty cents from the ground.
"What bad luck!"
The crowd gradually dispersed. The boy happily hugged the girl and walked towards Ye Shenge.
"Sister, do you remember me? You helped me again."
Ye Shenge was bewildered, searching through the original owner's memories.
Seeing that Ye Shenge couldn't remember, the boy looked a bit disappointed.
"Sister, you don't remember. Last time, when my home was ransacked, you helped me and my sister hide. You even gave me the steamed buns you had hidden."
Only then did Ye Shenge realize that there were gaps in the original owner's very limited memories. What could be the reason for this? Had something happened to cause the original owner to lose her memory?
"Cough, cough. I probably forgot. Do you need to take your sister to the hospital now?"
"No, my sister isn't injured. Do you want to come to our home as a guest?"
Ye Shenge wanted to learn more about the original owner, so she decided to go along.
The three arrived at a dilapidated ruin that was half collapsed. Only one room in the courtyard was still habitable, and even the courtyard gate was gone.
"You live here?"
"Grandpa passed away after being injured last time, and the house was almost completely torn down. We don't have any other relatives to turn to."
The boy lowered his head sadly, holding the girl who looked at Ye Shenge with wide eyes.
"Why did they come to your house and smash things? Did you offend someone?"
"They said my grandfather was an old Chinese doctor, a 'fengcan.' They even burned all of Grandpa's treasured medical books."