Overbearing Immortal Doctor Chapter 3 - 3 3 Forcing the Impossible

Having driven off the wolf, Wu Xiaoyu swiftly descended the mountain. He knew his parents would be terribly worried, as he had ventured up alone to gather herbs late into the night. By the time he arrived home, it was already past midnight. To his surprise, several electric scooters were parked outside his residence, even at this late hour. He wondered if debt collectors had returned. Clutching his medicine basket, Wu Xiaoyu entered with a surge of anger, only to find three women surrounding his mother and speaking incessantly. Upon seeing him, his mother, Wang Aifeng, visibly relaxed. She hurried over, relieved him of the medicine basket, asking, "Why are you so late? You had me worried sick!"

He couldn't possibly explain his encounter with the Jade Token, so he fabricated a story about getting lost. The women overheard this and chimed in, "Isn't this your eldest nephew? Aifeng, how could you let the child go up the mountain so late? Imagine if something happened; you'd be devastated!" Wu Xiaoyu, unsure of their motives and at a loss for words, offered a simple, sheepish grin before heading to the kitchen to prepare the herbs. As soon as he was out of earshot, the leading woman, a rather plump lady, inquired, "This child must be in his twenties, right?" "He's nineteen; he'll turn twenty after the New Year," Wang Aifeng replied. Another woman seized the opportunity, remarking, "Nineteen is hardly young. It's time he found a wife!" Wu Xiaoyu couldn't help but ponder if they were there to arrange a marriage for him. In their village, it was common for men his age to be married. However, given his family's extreme poverty, he doubted anyone would agree to marry him. Furthermore, he already had someone special in his heart, and he wouldn't agree to marry another, especially not under duress. As his thoughts drifted, he overheard the women in the living room discussing, "If you agree to marry your daughter to Wang Erma's son, not only will they help you clear your debts, but they'll also arrange a marriage for your son!" "Exactly! Your Little Yu'er is not getting any younger. You can't keep delaying. If you become in-laws with Wang Erma, wouldn't it be easier to find a wife for your son?" Wang Aifeng fell silent. She understood that given their current circumstances, finding a daughter-in-law within the next three to five years would be a monumental task. However, the thought of marrying her daughter to that scoundrel Wang Erma's son was unbearable. Her daughter was academically gifted and had a strong chance of entering a prestigious university. Torn between her son and her daughter, she felt a pang of guilt at the thought of disadvantaging either. "Um... let me consider it... I'll give it some thought!" Wang Aifeng said, attempting to placate them. Sensing a glimmer of hope, the three women persisted, "Aifeng, you must prioritize your son. You can't let him go up the mountain every day!" "If Little Wen marries into Wang Erma's family, your Xiaoyu might secure a decent job at the paper mill. Then, wouldn't finding a wife be simpler?" Faced with their relentless pressure, Wang Aifeng grew increasingly conflicted. She had never been one to make difficult decisions; typically, her husband managed all household matters, big and small. When had it fallen to her to handle such a daunting situation? However, her husband's cough had worsened considerably in recent days, and she couldn't bear to burden him with this. Thus, she remained in the living room, responding to them, though their words were starting to sway her. "This isn't something I can decide on my own. I'll discuss it with Youliang in a couple of days and give you an answer then!" Wang Aifeng stated. The three women refused to back down, pressing, "But isn't Youliang home? Bring him out to discuss it now!" "He's been coughing badly these days and has already gone to bed. I'll discuss it with him in a couple of days and get back to you!" One woman insisted, "What's the harm if he's asleep? Wake him up! It's not like he's afraid of us!" "We wouldn't have come this late if the matter weren't so urgent. Get him up, and let's discuss this together. You need to give us a definitive answer tonight!" Hearing this, Wu Xiaoyu could no longer restrain himself. He had initially intended to wait until the women left before discussing with his mother how to politely decline their offer. However, their sheer audacity pushed him over the edge. He stormed out of the kitchen and shouted at them, "There's no need to wake my dad! I'll tell you now, there's no need to think about it. My sister is going to college and will not marry Wang Erma's son. Get out now!"

Witnessing this scene, the three women, initially taken aback, quickly regained their composure. They turned to Wu Xiaoyu and said, "Nephew, there's no need for anger! Even if Little Wen pursues higher education, what real benefit would it bring? Wouldn't she ultimately end up working the land at home anyway?"

"If she were to marry into Wang Erma's family, at the very least, you would secure a stable job, wouldn't you?" the plump woman attempted to persuade him.

Wu Xiaoyu found their presence increasingly intolerable and demanded, "Are you leaving or not? If not, I will personally escort you out!"

The moment these words left his lips, the three women erupted in shrill cries, as if they had suffered grave injustice. "Oh, heavens! Wu Xiaoyu is resorting to violence against us! Help!"

'Damn it all!' Wu Xiaoyu thought, 'Did I even lay a hand on them?' The clamorous, almost animalistic wails from the living room stirred Wu Youliang from his brief slumber. He hastily donned a coat, his body wracked by a coughing fit as he emerged from the bedroom.

Upon entering the living room, he saw the three women clustered around his son, shouting indignantly. "What is all this commotion about?"

The women, noticing Wu Youliang's appearance, shifted their attention from Wu Xiaoyu and swarmed toward him. "Youliang," they began, "we came with marriage intentions for your daughter, but..."

Hearing that their visit concerned a marriage proposal for his daughter, Wu Youliang was immediately consumed by rage. His son had already sacrificed his education for the family's sake, a fact that still weighed heavily on his heart. The thought of his daughter facing a similar fate was unbearable. He bellowed, "Get out!"

Despite his persistent illness in recent years, Wu Youliang remained a figure of respect and strength within the village. His curt command, "Get out," was imbued with an undeniable authority and a veiled threat, causing the women to instinctively recoil, fearing he might actually resort to physical force.

"You will come to regret this decision, Wu Youliang..." the three women declared menacingly as they retreated.

"Such a significant matter..." Wu Youliang coughed, his voice strained. "...and you chose not to wake me?" His wife, looking guilt-ridden, quickly responded, "I simply didn't want to disturb you!"

Mere minutes later, an ominous development unfolded as three heavily built men forcefully entered the house. Wu Xiaoyu confronted them, demanding, "What do you want here?"

"What do we want?" one of the thugs, a bald man, sneered. "We're here to inform you that the high-interest loan you owe to Li Qiudong from Li Family Village has been acquired by our Prince. If you know what's best for you, marry your daughter to the Prince's son, or prepare to face the dire consequences!"