Chapter 41: Doctor Wen Should Go Study Medicine
Wen Xiuyi nodded toward the kitchen. “Have you noticed something off about Doctor Wen?”
“Hm? My brother? What about him?” Wen Yao came over and sat next to him. Even Da Tou, hearing this, stopped writing and scooted over, all three of them now staring toward the kitchen where Wen Jun was quietly working.
Even though Da Tou didn’t understand why their father and sister were calling his brother “Doctor Wen,” that didn’t stop him from caring.
Wen Xiuyi said, “These past few days, your brother hasn’t seemed right. Sometimes he just sits by himself, quiet and gloomy, like he’s got something on his mind. But when I ask him, he always brushes it off like everything’s fine. But come on—who am I? I’m his… dad. No one knows a son better than his father. He’s definitely got something going on.”
He nearly slipped and said too much, but managed to redirect just in time.
Wen Yao frowned. “But things are going well lately—our livelihood is stable, the stall’s doing great, we haven’t run into any big trouble. What would he have on his mind?”
“If I knew, would I be sitting here guessing?” Wen Xiuyi huffed and turned to her. “Why don’t you talk to him? Find a good moment and ask?”
Wen Yao rolled her eyes. “Why don’t you go?”
“I tried, didn’t I? He won’t tell me.”
…
Wen Yao and Da Tou both went silent. That… that was him trying?
“Fine, I’ll go ask.” Wen Yao finished her pumpkin seeds, clapped her hands clean, and stood up to head toward the kitchen.
Wen Xiuyi nearly fell off his stool. “I didn’t mean right now! Don’t you understand the concept of timing?”
Without turning her head, Wen Yao called back, “No better time than the present!”
…
She walked into the kitchen and called, “Brother.”
A simple, everyday greeting—but it startled Wen Jun, and in that moment, Wen Yao finally believed her dad. Her brother really was off.
“Brother, something bothering you?” Wen Yao got closer and asked directly.
Wen Jun paused slightly, then smiled. “No. Did Dad say something to you? Don’t listen to his nonsense, I’m fine.”
Wen Yao leaned against the counter. “Oh, come on. You might be able to fool Dad, but not me. Spill it. What’s wrong? I’m your most beloved little sister.”
Wen Jun chuckled, put the clean dishes away in the cupboard, then looked down at his hands. “Yao Yao, don’t you think I’m kind of useless? Since coming here, you and Dad have both found your paths. And me? I’m still scrubbing dishes.”
These hands of his had once held scalpels, saved lives—but now, they were pale and wrinkled from being constantly soaked in water.
Wen Yao froze, her posture straightening. She looked at her brother with a pang of sadness.
“Brother…”
She had never imagined that this was what had been weighing on him. She’d thought their current life was a steady climb upward—that everyone was happy. She’d forgotten: her brother’s dream had always been to be a healer, to help others. That had been his only goal since their mother died.
Wen Jun stayed silent for a long moment, then let out a deep sigh. When he turned back to her, his smile had returned. He reached out and patted her head gently, voice full of affection. “Alright, I’m fine. Just got a little moody. I’ll be back to normal tomorrow, don’t worry.”
…
How could she not worry?
Wen Jun finished cleaning up and left the kitchen first. Wen Yao stood there for a while, staring blankly. She watched her brother crouch down in front of Da Tou, helping him with his writing. She saw her father watching from the side with worry in his eyes, clearly unsure how to ask what was wrong.
Suddenly, Wen Yao bit her lip, dashed over to them, and said, “Dad, let’s let my brother go study medicine.”
If what he’d learned before couldn’t be applied here, then let him start again. Her brother had a solid foundation, rich clinical experience—studying traditional Chinese medicine would be nothing for him.
Wen Xiuyi paused, looking at her, then at Wen Jun—and finally understood.
So that was it.
He, as a father, had overlooked something so important.
Da Tou looked around blankly. But upon hearing what Wen Yao said, he suddenly understood: his dad and sister wanted Big Brother to study medicine. That’s why they’d been calling him Doctor Wen.
He looked at his brother, still stunned, then took his stick and carefully wrote three characters on the ground: 文大夫 (Doctor Wen). Then he tugged on his brother’s sleeve to get him to look.
When Wen Jun saw what Da Tou had written, his eyes stung with emotion.
But he was the eldest. He knew his duty—to take care of his siblings. The food stall needed people. Their father couldn’t manage it alone.
“I can’t leave the stall. Dad can’t handle it by himself. Let’s just forget it,” Wen Jun said.
But Wen Xiuyi slapped his thigh. “Forget it? No way. Your sister’s right. You should be studying medicine. Don’t worry about the stall. I’ll figure it out. You just get ready to find a teacher.”
Wen Yao added, “Exactly, brother. If you don’t study medicine, that’s a waste of talent. Your hands were made to save lives—not scrub pots. Did you forget that boy we helped? If not for you, he might’ve died.”
Wen Xiuyi froze. “What boy? What did you two do?”
Wen Yao looked at him. “I didn’t tell you?”
“You tell me—do you think you did?”
Wen Yao scratched her head. “Oops, my bad. Forgot. So here’s what happened. That day when we were coming back from shopping…”
She recounted the incident in detail—how they had saved a boy’s life. At the end, she concluded, “I think it was a sign from the heavens, telling my brother not to give up on this path. Don’t you think so, Dad?”
She nudged Wen Xiuyi, who quickly nodded. “Yes, yes, Yao Yao’s right. Jun, this is your path.”
Even if Da Tou didn’t fully understand, he could tell this was something important.
As the three of them continued to go back and forth, Da Tou suddenly tugged their sleeves and let out a few “ah ah ah” sounds, then raised his hand high.
Wen Yao instantly caught on. “Da Tou says we should vote! Whoever agrees that my brother should go study medicine—raise your hand!”
Da Tou raised his hand high and proud. Wen Yao followed without hesitation. Wen Xiuyi’s hand went up too. Only Wen Jun hesitated.
Looking at the three of them, all supporting him, Wen Jun felt himself waver. But he still asked, “What about the stall?”
Wen Yao snapped her fingers. “Simple—hire someone! If you don’t trust outsiders, hire from the family. Wen Nong’s at home, right? He’s the same age as you, smart and capable. Let him go with Dad. Dad can teach him the skills. That way, even if we give it up later, someone in the family can keep the business going.”
After all, the earnings from the dockside stall were no joke. In fact, it made more than some people earned working full-time in the city.
