He felt as if she could no longer walk, and it was only with Wang Qingshan’s support that she managed to make her way over and sit before the physician, trembling as she laid her hand upon the pulse cushion. Only then did she dare to look up cautiously at the doctor, only to find that he was already frowning. The sudden tension made He shi feel as if she couldn't breathe.

The physician at the clinic saw this and his brow furrowed even deeper. Was he some man-eating tiger that she should be this terrified? Still, the doctor restrained himself from saying anything, instead taking a silk cloth to cover He shi’s wrist before beginning to take her pulse.

The doctor held her pulse for quite some time but couldn't discern any specific ailment, so he finally spoke, asking, “Where is the discomfort?”

Wang Qingshan and He shi were both startled; in their tension, they had completely forgotten to state the reason for their visit.

He shi glanced at Wang Qingshan, who understood and replied, “Oh, it’s like this, Doctor. My wife and I have been married for several years now, but she hasn't been able to conceive. Today, we just wanted to see if there was some issue with my wife’s body.”

Upon hearing this, the physician took her pulse again, more carefully this time, but still found nothing amiss. He withdrew his hand from He shi’s wrist and said to Wang Qingshan, “There is nothing wrong with your wife’s health.”

He shi immediately grew agitated upon hearing this. “Doctor, how can my body be fine? If there were no issues, how is it that after all these years, I still haven't conceived?”

At this moment, He shi’s mind was in turmoil. Before coming, she had feared the doctor would declare her body flawed, perhaps rendering her childless forever. But now that he said her body was fine, she suddenly wished he had found a problem. After all, if her body was healthy and still couldn't conceive, didn't that mean even Heaven refused her a child? But if there was an underlying issue, at least she could beg the doctor for a solution, for a chance at a cure, which meant hope—once cured, there would be a child. But now? Did she have to return to that endless wait with no discernible end?

The physician was quite taken aback by He shi’s words. “What did you say? In all my years of practice, this is the first time I’ve heard someone wishing they had a problem with their body…”

Wang Qingshan knew He shi’s words were inappropriate and apologized profusely to the doctor. “Forgive my wife, Doctor. She hasn't been able to conceive for so many years, and in her anxiety, she spoke carelessly. Please bear with us.”

The doctor didn't take much offense. Hearing Wang Qingshan’s explanation, he felt a surge of sympathy for He shi, thinking this young couple was pitiful, childless after so long. If he could help, he should try.

So, the doctor turned to He shi and said, “I have examined your body; it is sound. Your failure to conceive thus far might not necessarily be due to your constitution.” The doctor then looked towards Wang Qingshan. “Let me take your pulse now as well!”

When Wang Qingshan and He shi grasped the possibility the doctor hinted at, they exchanged a glance, both unsure how they truly felt at that moment.

He shi rose from her stool, and Wang Qingshan stepped forward to take her seat. The doctor placed his fingers on his pulse, and the couple watched him anxiously.

Meanwhile, back at the Wang Youfu household, Yang shi and Zhang shi were chatting while working on embroidery, discussing He shi’s visit to the doctor.

“I wonder how their appointment went; why haven't they returned yet?” Yang shi fretted for the young couple.

“Don’t rush, they won’t be back so soon!” Zhang shi chuckled.

“That’s true, I suppose we’ll have to wait a bit longer then.” Yang shi looked a bit embarrassed.

“Tell me, the proper mother-in-law isn't worrying this much, yet here we are, agitated for so long. If others heard, wouldn't they say we are meddling busybodies?” Zhang shi teased.

“We can’t put it quite like that. We are just concerned for the younger generation, aren't we? Even if we aren't her mother-in-law, we are still her elders! What others think doesn't matter; we just hope she is alright,” Yang shi replied with a smile.

“Exactly. Regardless of what people say, we aren't doing anything wrong. It’s only the Old House that will feel uncomfortable, and they won't have a leg to stand on. It’ll be satisfying to needle them a bit then,” Zhang shi said with a mischievous grin.

“Well, you’re already thinking about how to annoy them. If their daughter-in-law conceives, they’ll be too overjoyed to have time to be irritated by you!” Yang shi shook her head.

“Ah, you got that wrong. With her small-mindedness, just wait and see if she’s annoyed. When that time comes, she’ll not only be vexed inwardly but will have to thank us publicly. Just thinking about it makes me happy,” Zhang shi burst into loud laughter as she spoke.

Yang shi looked at Zhang shi with a resigned shake of her head. Zhang shi had always disliked Tian shi; if she managed to annoy Tian shi this time, she would surely be ecstatic.

After chatting for a while longer, Granny Gui rushed in breathlessly. “Oh, you two are here! You must go look at your elder nephew and his wife immediately!”

“Sister-in-law, have they returned already?” Yang shi asked.

“They certainly have, but from what they said, both of them seem quite off. Your elder nephew has lost all his vitality, and your elder niece-in-law is alternating between crying and laughing, as if she’s possessed!” Granny Gui said urgently.

“What? How could this be?” Both Yang shi and Zhang shi found this hard to believe. They had considered both good and bad outcomes, but they had never anticipated this sort of scenario!

“Sister-in-law, thank you for letting us know. We’ll head to the Old House right away,” Yang shi said gratefully.

“Oh, it’s no trouble at all. You two hurry over there; what if something has happened to the young couple,” Granny Gui urged.

“Ai...” Yang shi and Zhang shi agreed and hurried toward the Old House.

As they neared the residence, they could see people already gathered outside the courtyard gate—likely onlookers. Many villagers had witnessed the state of Wang Qingshan and He shi, which explained why such a crowd had already assembled so quickly.

They went straight to the Old Master’s room and found only the Old Master, the Old Mistress, Wang Youliang and Tian shi, Wang Qingshan and his wife, and Wang Guifang present. Wang Qingshan stood to the side with his head bowed. He shi’s expression, however, wasn't the crying-and-laughing state Granny Gui described; rather, there was a distinct air of vindication about her. When the two women entered, the others in the room merely glanced at them without a word.

“What is wrong with you two today? Say something!” the Old Mistress demanded angrily.

Wang Qingshan and He shi acted as if they hadn't heard, remaining silent.

The Old Mistress was displeased by their silence. Tian shi, unwilling to see her patron, the Old Mistress, slighted, immediately glared at Wang Qingshan. “Qingshan, you tell us what’s going on. You two are acting as if you’re possessed, attracting all these gawkers.” Tian shi then glanced at Yang shi and Zhang shi, assuming they were also there to rubberneck.

To Tian shi’s surprise, her eldest son, usually quite obedient, ignored her words entirely, leaving her without a good reply. Furious, Tian shi walked over and struck her son a few times. “You unfilial wretch! I’m talking to you, can’t you hear me? Are you deaf?”

“Hey, talk if you must, but why resort to touching?” Wang Youliang interjected from the side.

Zhang shi managed to suppress a laugh. If the setting were different, she would have been roaring with laughter already. Seeing Tian shi flustered truly brought her joy.

Seeing Wang Youliang undermine her, Tian shi snapped, “Fine, you ask them then! I can’t get a word out of them. The children are grown, and one by one, they’re becoming unfilial.”

Tian shi’s eyes flickered towards He shi as she spoke, only to find that He shi was completely ignoring her. This nearly made her collapse in anger. She inwardly seethed, resolving that once the pingqi (secondary wife) for her eldest son was married in, she would see how defiant He shi remained.

Wang Youliang looked at his eldest son and daughter-in-law. “Qingshan, Xiujuan, what exactly happened? Whatever it is, you two don't need to be afraid. Your grandfather, grandmother, father, and mother are all here!”

Though Wang Youliang’s character was questionable generally, this particular statement was well-phrased.

He shi, listening to Wang Youliang, let out a cold laugh. “This matter, I’m afraid, is one that neither Grandpa, Grandma, Father, nor Mother can help with!”

Wang Qingshan suddenly looked up sharply at He shi, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something, but seeing that He shi was clearly not going to pay him any attention, he lowered his head again, looking utterly drained of spirit.

“What kind of thing is it that we elders can’t help with? Qingshan’s wife, you tell us,” Wang Youliang said, clearly disbelieving.

“Yes, what is it that we can’t help with? Qingshan’s wife, do tell,” the Old Mistress barked angrily.

To everyone's surprise, He shi suddenly burst into loud laughter. “Hahahaha… You all kept criticizing me for not being able to bear children, didn't you? Well, today I’m telling you, it’s not that I can’t have children—it’s your precious son, your good grandson, Wang Qingshan, who is barren! He is fated to be without issue! And yet, because I couldn't give you a child, you were planning to arrange a pingqi for him! I’d like to see how his secondary wife is going to bear him a child! Hahahaha… It’s hilarious to me…”

Everyone in the room was stunned into silence by He shi’s words, turning in unison to look at Wang Qingshan. The Old Mistress looked particularly devastated, her finger trembling as she pointed at Wang Qingshan and demanded, “Qingshan, tell me the truth—is what your wife saying real? Is it really true?”

Wang Qingshan kept his head bowed lower, mumbling after a long pause, “Grandma, she is telling the truth. We just returned from the clinic in town.”

“You… you this…” The Old Mistress looked as if she might faint, but no one was paying attention to her now. Everyone was frozen by the shock of Wang Qingshan’s situation. Even Tian shi, who usually kept constant watch over the Old Mistress, was now staring blankly due to her son’s revelation.

Having finished her laughter, He shi suddenly dissolved into tears, as if trying to weep out every grievance she had suffered over the years due to her inability to conceive. This confirmed exactly what Granny Gui had described: alternating between crying and laughing.