Chapter 149: Pitiful
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Sister He seemed to be quite familiar with the situation in the pharmacy, as she knew that the pharmacy was still in need of a doctor.
Sister He and Yun Jie appeared to have a good relationship, probably because Yun Jie had informed her about the situation.
Yun Jie explained, “No, her name is Ye Ling, and like me, she is also a pharmacy administrator.”
“I see,” Sister He replied with a cautious and accommodating smile. Then, she patted Da Ya’s shoulder and said, “Go say hello to Sister Ye Ling.” Da Ya, appearing nervous, looked at Ye Ling and greeted, “Hello, Sister Ye
Ling. ”
Ye Ling could sense the excessive caution and humility in the mother and daughter’s attitude, indicating that their current living situation might not be good, leading to their sensitivity and cautious behavior.
Sister He then placed the bamboo basket from her back on the table and carefully emptied the herbs it contained.
During this process, Ye Ling noticed that Sister He’s hands had numerous wounds, some old and some still seeping blood, most likely sustained while harvesting herbs. Additionally, Sister He’s hands had rough skin, resembling those of an elderly person, covered in calluses and wrinkles.
After all the herbs were laid out, Sister He nervously rubbed her hands and asked, “Miss Yun Jie, do you need any more herbs?”
It appeared that Sister He was concerned that the pharmacy might not require the herbs she had gathered. Hence, she inquired caution.
Yun Jie counted the herbs that Sister He had brought and replied, “It’s okay, Sister He. We won’t go to other places to purchase the herbs that we can find locally. You haven’t collected many herbs yourself, so whatever you’ve gathered, we’ll buy.”
Upon hearing Yun Jie’s words, Sister He expressed her surprise with a smile, and the wrinkles on her face relaxed. She bowed repeatedly and thanked both Yun Jie and Ye Ling, then left with Da Ya.
As the bamboo basket was emptied, Sister He stood a bit straighter while leaving. Nonetheless, her figure still appeared somewhat hunched, as if life’s burdens could crush her at any moment.
Ye Ling watched Sister He’s retreating figure, feeling somewhat lost in thought.
Yun Jie suddenly asked, “Guess how old Sister He is?”
“Over forty?” Ye Ling ventured.
Yun Jie smiled wryly. “I initially thought the same, but in reality, Sister He is only 32 years old this year.”
Ye Ling was taken aback. Yun Jie continued, “Sister He is a pitiable person. She has three older sisters and a younger brother. Her parents received three dowries and married off all three of her older sisters. Fearing that her marriage would leave no one at home to work and care for their youngest son, they kept postponing her marriage.”
Yun Jie sat down and gently touched the leaves of the fresh herbs. Her tone carried a hint of anger as she said, “Later on when they saw that Sister He was already in her twenties and wouldn’t get married if she didn’t do so soon, they casually married her off to a well-known drunkard and gambler in the village. After their marriage, Sister He was frequently subjected to beatings by her husband. When she was pregnant with her second daughter, she was beaten so badly that she almost had a miscarriage.”
Ye Ling listened quietly. The image of Sister He’s aged face and humble expression weighed heavily on her heart.
“Because Sister He gave birth to two daughters in succession, her husband and mother-in-law were deeply dissatisfied. They subjected her to constant physical abuse and even struck the elder daughter. One day, Sister He woke up to find the elder daughter missing.”
“Missing?” Ye Ling asked in astonishment.
Yun Jie nodded. “Sister He went mad in her search for Da Ya. After inquiring with several neighbors, a kind-hearted person finally told her that her mother-in-law and husband had accepted money from a human trafficker to sell Da Ya as a child bride outside the village. When Sister He heard this, she was furious, nearly going insane. She set out to chase down the human trafficker overnight.”
Though Ye Ling knew that Sister He had ultimately found Da Ya, her heart raced as she listened to Yun Jie’s account.
“Fortunately, the human trafficker hadn’t gotten far. Sister He, in her frenzied state, managed to snatch Da Ya back from the trafficker. Frightened by Sister
He’s appearance, the human trafficker dared not confront her. In this way, Da
Ya was saved from being sold.”
Yun Jie sighed and said, “After that incident, Sister He made up her mind. She moved out of her husband’s home and built a run-down wooden house at the foot of the mountain, where she now lives alone with her two children. This was something Ji Mei told me, and both of us feel that Sister He has had it tough. So, we’ll pay her a slightly higher purchase price..”
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