Chapter 3: Want a Cure? Hand Over Half a Month's Wages!

Chen Mo watched He Yuzhu kneeling on the ground, a sense of grim satisfaction rising within him. The system’s silver needle was truly formidable; a single prick had reduced this "God of War of the Courtyard" to a spineless weakling.

"Chen Mo, tell me, what will it take for you to let Zhuzi go?" Yi Zhonghai asked, beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead. He Yuzhu was his most capable pawn; if he were permanently crippled, Yi's own authority in the residential compound would be severely diminished.

"You want me to save him?" Chen Mo paced slowly, savoring the feeling of having total control over the situation. "It’s not impossible. But I have conditions."

"What conditions? Just say it!" Yi Zhonghai urged.

"First, you must apologize publicly for what just happened," Chen Mo said, holding up one finger. "Admit that you were indeed trying to take my house and my pension."

"Second, He Yuzhu hit me, so he must pay for the medical expenses."

"Third, I charge for my medical treatments."

Yi Zhonghai’s face darkened, but for the sake of He Yuzhu, he had no choice but to swallow his pride. "How much do you want?"

"Not much. Half a month of He Yuzhu’s wages," Chen Mo said coolly.

"What? Half a month’s wages?" He Yuzhu exclaimed from the ground. His monthly salary was thirty-seven yuan and fifty cents; half that was eighteen yuan and seventy-five cents. In 1960, that was a staggering sum!

"Why don't you just rob me instead?" He Yuzhu roared in fury.

"Rob you?" Chen Mo sneered. "This is a clearly priced medical fee. If you’re not willing to pay, he can just stay kneeling. Kneeling won't kill anyone, after all."

He Yuzhu’s face turned purple with rage, but his legs simply would not obey him. The humiliation was driving him to the brink of insanity.

"Chen Mo, you’re taking advantage of a crisis!" Yi Zhonghai snapped.

"Taking advantage of a crisis?" Chen Mo retorted. "When you were trying to take my house and my pension earlier, why didn't you call it taking advantage of a crisis? Now that you’re the ones begging me, suddenly I’m the villain? Uncle Yi, you really have no shame."

The neighbors watching the scene nodded in agreement. Indeed, the actions of Jia Zhang and Qin Huairu just moments ago had been far more egregious than anything Chen Mo was doing now.

"Uncle Yi, I think Chen Mo makes a fair point," one neighbor said. "Yes, they were truly out of line earlier. It’s only right for Chen Mo to ask for medical fees."

Seeing the crowd’s reaction, Yi Zhonghai knew he had lost the moral high ground. Still, the figure of eighteen yuan and seventy-five cents made his heart ache. "Can you lower the price a little?" he asked tentatively.

"No."

Chen Mo’s tone was firm. "My medical skills are miraculous; the price is fair to all. If you think it’s too expensive, you’re welcome to try the hospital. See if they can cure his legs."

He Yuzhu felt a wave of panic. If the hospital couldn't fix him, would he be forced to kneel forever? "Uncle Yi, please, just agree to it!" He Yuzhu pleaded. "I can't stay kneeling like this for the rest of my life!"

Yi Zhonghai gritted his teeth and finally nodded. "Fine, I agree to your terms. But you must cure Zhuzi first."

"In your dreams," Chen Mo sneered. "Pay first, treat later. Those are the rules."

"You..." Yi Zhonghai was so angry he couldn't speak, but looking at He Yuzhu on the ground, he had to swallow his anger. "Fine, I’ll go get the money now."

As Yi Zhonghai turned to leave, Chen Mo called him back. "Wait, don't forget the apology. You must admit in front of everyone that you were indeed after my house and pension."

Yi Zhonghai’s face turned livid. Forcing him to apologize publicly was worse than death. "Chen Mo, don't push your luck!"

"Push my luck?" Chen Mo countered. "When you were trying to take my life, why didn't you say you were pushing your luck? Now that I’m making you apologize, suddenly it's too much? Uncle Yi, your logic is truly impressive."

The neighbors began to jeer. "Yeah, Uncle Yi, it’s just an apology. If you do something wrong, you should admit it. Chen Mo is right; you all were too much."

Seeing the public sentiment, Yi Zhonghai knew he was trapped. "Fine, I apologize," he gritted out. "I admit that I had designs on Chen Mo’s house and pension. But it was for the sake of the courtyard's harmony, not for personal gain."

"Harmony, my foot!" Chen Mo interrupted bluntly. "You just wanted the Jia family to seize my property! And as for harmony, why don't you just say you want to be the Emperor?"

The crowd couldn't help but laugh. Yi Zhonghai’s face grew even uglier, but he endured the humiliation for He Yuzhu’s sake.

"Alright, I accept your apology," Chen Mo waved his hand. "Now go get the money. Eighteen seventy-five, not a cent less."

Yi Zhonghai left, teeth clenched, and returned a moment later with the cash.

"Here’s the money, cure Zhuzi now!" Yi Zhonghai slammed the money onto the table.

Chen Mo counted it, confirmed it was correct, and walked over to He Yuzhu. "Remember, don't provoke me again." As he spoke, he pulled out another silver needle and tapped a few points on He Yuzhu’s body.

He Yuzhu immediately felt strength returning to his legs and slowly stood up. "I... I’m cured?" He Yuzhu flexed his legs in disbelief. They had been as limp as noodles moments ago, and now they were completely normal.

"This... how is this possible?" The onlookers were stunned. Chen Mo had merely pricked him a few times, and He Yuzhu was healed? It was like the work of an immortal!

"Chen Mo, what kind of skill is this?" someone asked curiously.

"Ancestral medicine," Chen Mo replied calmly. "If anyone in the courtyard falls ill in the future, you can come to me. But I’ll say this upfront: my medical services are not cheap. For a standard consultation, it starts at ten yuan. If you’ve offended me, like in this case, the price is ten times that."

The crowd gasped. Ten yuan was already expensive; ten times that was one hundred! In 1960, that was an astronomical price!

"Chen Mo, aren't you just robbing us?" someone complained.

"Robbing you?" Chen Mo sneered. "I’m earning a living based on my skills. If you think it’s too expensive, you don't have to come to me. I’m not exactly hurting for money." He patted the eighteen yuan and seventy-five cents on the table. "This will keep me fed for a while."

The crowd looked at the money in Chen Mo’s hand, their feelings complex. They had thought Chen Mo was at death's door, but in the blink of an eye, he had become one of the wealthiest people in the courtyard.

"Alright, if there’s nothing else, disperse. I need to rest." Chen Mo waved them off.

The crowd dispersed, leaving only Yi Zhonghai, Qin Huairu, Jia Zhang, and He Yuzhu behind.

"Chen Mo, is that really all for today?" Yi Zhonghai asked, clearly unwilling to let it go.

"Let it go?" Chen Mo scoffed. "Uncle Yi, you’re overthinking it. Today is just the beginning. From now on, in this courtyard, I am the one who makes the decisions!"

Yi Zhonghai’s expression shifted drastically. He realized this young man would not be so easily silenced.