Chapter 403: Chapter 403: Like a Younger Brother
"So, you decided to come out, huh?"
Seeing this, Liu Jiaxin hurriedly rushed forward, not knowing what she intended to do. Perhaps she really planned to grab his ear and drag him away from there, but Liu Zheng quickly grasped hold of him and then pulled him behind himself.
"What are you doing? Haven’t I told you? Right now, we need to have a proper talk. And by talking, I mean using our mouths, not hands or feet. Sit down. If you want to give me this much face, let’s sit down and have a proper discussion, alright?"
After Liu Zheng finished speaking, Liu Jiaxin did indeed calm down quite a bit. She just took a long sigh and eventually sat down on the bench over there.
"Speak up, what exactly do you want to do?"
"Sister, haven’t I told you? I’m unwilling to follow any of the paths you’ve all set out for me. I just want to stay rooted in the countryside and do my own research properly. Do you understand?"
"Research? What is there to research? All these years, every time you returned, you followed Grandpa into the village and then stayed for half a month. Mom and Dad never got to see you. What excuse do you have this time?"
"You know that our family has been practicing medicine for generations..."
"Hold on, wait a minute."
As he spoke, it seemed like he suddenly recalled something. Liu Zheng stood up and then turned to look back at the two siblings.
Liu Jiaxin was from the same village as him, and he knew a thing or two about her family’s affairs in the village over the years. Although he hadn’t inquired recently, he had never heard that their family practiced medicine.
"No, he said he has always been with his grandfather, who is a medical practitioner, with this tradition passed down through the generations. But to my knowledge, wasn’t your grandpa a worker?"
"He was talking about a different person. The grandfather he’s referring to is actually, strictly speaking, my maternal grandfather. So, he is my cousin, not my biological brother. Got it?"
"Your cousin? But then, where is your biological brother? I remember there was another little boy in the village back then. He was very young and thin and always followed you around."
"You’re talking about him. Back in the day, to avoid scrutiny, because he was an unauthorized birth, to save his parents’ jobs, he was raised in our house since he was little. In plain terms, he was basically treated just like our own child, and over the years, I’ve come to consider him my own brother."
"My goodness, so all these years your family never had a son, and all that we villagers saw was just a façade, wasn’t it?"
"That’s correct, indeed. So, even my parents never talked about this issue, but the truth is exactly that. His so-called grandfather is actually my maternal grandfather, yes, my grandfather was the one who studied medicine and passed it down through the generations, because my uncle didn’t carry on with it, my grandfather always valued this profession."
"Alright, put your family issues aside for now, but I can only tell you that he truly is talented. And if you just throw him into those hospitals, then his life is probably going to be over."
"Don’t you scare me. What do you mean his life will be over? Are you suggesting that staying here in the village by your side, being a humble village doctor, he sees the light of dawn, the hope? I refuse to let my brother walk that path again, so he must leave."
"Sister, I’ve already told you, I’m grown up, and during these past years, everything from studying medicine abroad to choosing my major, I did it all according to your guidance. Now, you’ve got to give me some space of my own, right?"
"Liu Yang, do you realize how much effort I put into these things for you over the years? And since you’re the only male in the family, I don’t want you to walk a path with no prospects. So, the hospital has already arranged everything for you. If you go there, after graduation, you could naturally remain there and be a respected doctor, okay?"
"Why can’t I understand what you’re saying? How does being a doctor there mean being respected? Am I not a respected doctor here? I don’t see any difference. I can be respected right here too."
"In this godforsaken place? Do you really still remember this village? Plus, when I took you away, you were just 7 years old."
"Yes, just 7 years old. Since then, I’ve never returned to this village. But I remember everything that happened here very clearly. So, this time, when I encountered Master by chance and he brought me back to this village, I felt like it was destiny guiding me all along."
"You little imp, what do you know about destiny guiding? Let me tell you, no need for these useless reasons. I only know one thing, and that is you must come back with me right now. I’ll take you back to the city overnight, then you’d better report to the hospital as expected, heard me?"
"If that’s really the case, then I’m afraid there’s no need for us to continue this conversation. Sister, I’ve made up my mind. From now on, I won’t leave this village."
"Liu Yang, are you trying to defy heaven?"
Upon hearing this, Liu Jiaxin suddenly stood up very angrily and glared at him fiercely.
However, Liu Zheng seemed to notice that at this moment, the fear on the boy’s face was gradually fading away and now, as he stood before them, he seemed to have gained some confidence.
"Enough, Jiaxin. Although I don’t fully understand the situation between you two, I only came to learn about this today, about this family connection between you two."
"What, if you didn’t know, would none of this have happened? If that’s the case, then please let him go. Don’t make him stay in this remote place, okay? I don’t want his life to be like this forever."
"Firstly, Liu Jiaxin, I need to correct you on something. This isn’t some ’godforsaken place.’ This is the land that gave birth to and raised me, and likewise, he too grew up in this village. Besides, if one day he achieves great success or returns after completing his studies, then I won’t forcibly keep him here unless it’s his own choice."
