The world of film and television begins with the God of Medicine.

Chapter 1613 Joys and Sorrows
After starting work, Erqiang grew rapidly.

As his family, Sanli noticed some unusual things about Erqiang.

“Sometimes my second brother just sits there in a daze, or he'll just smile to himself. I don’t know what’s wrong with him. Wang Yan, do you think he might have gotten into some kind of trouble?”

"After the founding of the People's Republic of China, no spirits or monsters are allowed. Don't get any wild ideas."

"So what's wrong with him?"

"Maybe he's just dreaming about a better life. I'll ask him when I get back."

Because Erqiang was staying with Wang Yan, things were fine during the summer vacation; he was rarely home and ate out most of the time. During the school year, Wang Yan basically cooked with the Qiao family. However, he didn't charge Erqiang, since Erqiang was also staying with him, so it was a mutual exchange. Of course, Erqiang was the one who exchanged more, since he loved meat. But they didn't eat it every day; they just bought some every few days.

Although Qiao Zuwang was shameless, he still bought meat to eat regularly. He just bought less, but it always tasted meaty. Qiao Yicheng was the same; he didn't want Wang Yan to spend so much, so he also bought some meat to cook at home every few days, which was a treat for him too. After all, he was quite frugal at school.

After dinner, Wang Yan and Er Qiang went back to his home together. The sun was setting, and the two were looking west. A large, round red sun seemed to hang at the end of the street, casting long shadows on the people.

"I heard you've been absent-minded lately, often spacing out and laughing to yourself."

"Who told you that? Do I need to hear it? We're living together, didn't you notice?"

Erqiang turned his head and saw Wang Yan, who had grown a few centimeters taller, with his hands in his pockets, his face sharp and angular, and quite resolute.

"I noticed it a long time ago. I could tell you were lovesick."

"Go away, stop talking nonsense." Erqiang waved his hands repeatedly. "Sanli told you, didn't she? She's very perceptive, but she overthinks things. Everyone daydreams sometimes, but in her mouth, it's like I'm the one who's in trouble?"

Wang Yan's clumsy attempt to change the subject backfired spectacularly: "There's nothing wrong with liking a girl, you don't need to be embarrassed. You should have seen, none of your classmates are dating, right?"

Early romantic relationships can happen at any age. As boys and girls develop, they naturally become curious about and attracted to each other.

"Oh dear, I really don't, it's hard to explain to you. But my older brother, he might really be in trouble..."

"What's up with him?"

"He was really spacing out and grinning like an idiot. I saw him just a couple of days ago. Do you think he has someone he likes? He's a college student, he meets a lot of people, and they're all educated. It's been so long, maybe he's already got someone he likes."

Wang Yan knew that right now, Qiao Yicheng was tutoring, and he and Wen Ju'an were exchanging flirtatious glances and engaging in ambiguous flirting...

"That's hard to say," Wang Yan affirmed. "But Brother Yicheng is graduating soon and is getting on in years."

"Don't you still need to take the postgraduate entrance exam?"

"Graduate students don't have to neglect other things."

"I need to work hard to earn more money."

"What?"

Erqiang breathed a sigh of relief: "If my older brother really gets married, he can't do it without money. We've already delayed my older brother enough, we can't let it affect his wedding too."

"Don't think of yourselves as a burden. That's just how it is, and nobody can do anything about it. You think you're a drag on Brother Yicheng, but he thinks you're making him strong and giving him the strength to fight. We're all brothers and sisters, so who's a burden to whom? Sometimes, I even envy your big family. Unlike me, I'm just one person in my family, which is really boring."

"is it?"

"Yes."

"But why do I feel like you're just trying to comfort me?" Erqiang said suspiciously. "We've known each other for years, and I've never seen you bored. During holidays, you go out and wander around the streets, and you can lie in the yard and look at the stars with a happy heart. When have you ever been bored?"

Do you find stargazing interesting?

"It's boring."

"That's it, isn't it?"

"Then what are you laughing at?"

"Just daydreaming," Wang Yan chuckled. "Why would I be happy if I had nothing better to do?"

"Then tell me what wonderful things are going on?"

"I'm rich! I'll be eating and drinking like a king! Just thinking about it makes me happy."

"You're teasing me again. It hasn't stopped you from living the high life, has it? I have no idea where your money comes from. It seems like you can never spend it all."

“I receive a regular salary, which is more than enough to cover my expenses. You may think I spend a lot, but I don’t actually spend much. In fact, I even get discounts from the vendors.”

Wang Yan said, "If you really like someone, hurry up and take the initiative. Don't be shy, young man."

"No, why are you bringing it up again? I really didn't." Erqiang looked utterly exasperated.

"You didn't fall for someone older, did you? Are you married?"

Erqiang's pupils shrank sharply, and he forced a smile while waving his hand: "How could that be? Don't talk nonsense."

"Well, you never know. A new female teacher came to our school, and quite a few male students have a crush on her. They can't take their eyes off her. If you ask me, being older isn't a big deal. You just need to figure it out yourself. Of course, she also has to be willing, right?"

"Alright, stop talking nonsense. You've ruined my reputation. How am I supposed to get married now?"

Erqiang was being hypocritical; the power of love at first sight was too great, he couldn't sleep at all...

That evening, Wang Yan was still reading in the study on the west side when he heard the creaking sound of the bed in the side room as he turned over. Every now and then, it would creak, fully demonstrating the burning anxiety in Er Qiang's heart after Wang Yan 'unintentionally' revealed his secret.

He thought a lot, about the happy moments they shared, and even about growing old together.

People are always like this; as soon as something starts, they unconsciously start thinking about what will happen after they succeed.

For example, someone who's just taken the civil service exam might already be dreaming of becoming a high-ranking official, calmly telling others that someone of their level can't judge them. Or, for instance, someone who's barely started writing might already be dreaming of becoming a literary genius and achieving financial freedom...

This is the dilemma facing the two powerhouses...

The following day is a holiday, and there is no need to go to school.

Erqiang was awakened by the voices of Sanli and Simei. He yawned, got dressed, and went outside to see the three of them sitting around a small square table eating breakfast.

"Second Brother, what's wrong? Your dark circles are so bad?" Si Mei asked, muttering as she ate a big steamed bun.

"Dark circles under the eyes?"

Erqiang picked at his eye boogers and looked in the mirror. "Is everything alright? Do I have really dark circles under my eyes?" He looked at Sanli.

"It's alright, but it's darker than normal, and the bags under your eyes are much bigger. Right, Wang Yan?"

Wang Yan raised an eyebrow at Er Qiang: "I guess you haven't had enough rest."

Seeing Wang Yan's teasing, Erqiang changed the subject: "What are you two doing here?" "Are you still half asleep, Second Brother? Wang Yan is going to Second Aunt's house today to see Uncle, so we're going along to check on him." Simei sighed, "You know, Second Aunt's husband is such a good person, how could he get cancer?"

Sanli also sighed, and Erqiang stood there motionless.

"Birth, aging, sickness, and death are inevitable in life; who can say for sure?" Wang Yan waved his hand. "When you're still alive and well, just make the most of each day. Alright, don't be so serious so early in the morning; you're still alive. Brother Qiang, if you stay in this daze any longer, you'll be late for work."

Erqiang realized what was happening, quickly ate breakfast, washed up, and went to work.

"Did you ask?" Sanli asked Wang Yan.

"I asked, and they said it was nothing."

Wang Yan sipped tofu pudding with one hand while demonstrating his skill at peeling eggs with one hand with the other. Si Mei, pouting, tried to peel eggs with one hand as well. Clearly, Si Mei couldn't eat while peeling eggs, and her eggs were poorly peeled, cracking open.

"Oh dear, look at you, stop ruining it, hurry up and peel it and eat it." Sanli said to Simei, then turned to Wang Yan and said, "Is it over?"

"Oh, no matter how I ask, they all say they're fine. What else can I do?"

Si Mei, with a whole egg stuffed in her mouth, muttered, "There must be something wrong. Look at his dark circles. It's because you asked him something yesterday that he couldn't sleep."

"Hurry up and eat yours, it's all leaking out." Wang Yan said with a look of disgust.

The four beauties glared at her, then immediately shut their mouths and swallowed hard...

Sanli was still persistent: "So what do you think it is?"

"I can't estimate it. Anyway, nothing's wrong, and he seems fine. It's not a big problem. If he couldn't handle it, he would have told me already. Don't bother researching it. Let him save his energy. Making things up is exhausting."

"They're all so secretive. I found out yesterday that my older brother is one of them too..."

"What is it?" Si Mei interrupted, wanting to know everything.

"Hurry up and eat, can't you see we're waiting for you?"

This was breakfast Wang Yan bought from a street vendor after returning from his morning exercise. These days, individual businesses are springing up everywhere, and shops on the streets offer a complete range of goods. The hardworking and intelligent Chinese people have found their place in this mighty historical tide and are all making money. Opening a shop now, as long as it's decent, is almost guaranteed to be profitable.

The Qiao family had long since stopped being so formal with Wang Yan; they'd practically integrated themselves into the group, and they got along quite well. Of course, the Qiao family members were all nice people; even Qiao Zuwang got along well with Wang Yan, laughing and joking around without a care in the world…

After dinner, the virtuous Sanli cleaned up the kitchen waste, and Wang Yan and Si Mei finished their card game of drawing turtles. The three of them then went to the Qi family's house together.

While still on the road, they met Qi Weimin who was coming.

"Brother Min, where are you going?" Si Mei skipped over to greet him.

"I came here to see Wang Yan. What brings you two here?" Qi Weimin asked.

Sanli said, "I haven't visited my uncle in a while, so I'm going to see him today."

"That's you, sis. I go there all the time."

After exchanging a few jokes, Qi Weimin said to Wang Yan, "Your time today is different from usual. I thought you had forgotten something, so I came to find you as soon as possible."

Before Wang Yan could speak, Sanli condemned, "It's all Si Mei's fault, she dawdles while eating."

The group talked as they arrived at Qi Weimin's house.

"Second Aunt".

Wang Yan joined Sanli and Simei in greeting them, following the lead of the Qiao family.

"You're here, thank you so much." Second Aunt held Wang Yan's hand.

“It’s nothing troublesome. I can’t cure this disease either, but I can help my uncle suffer less pain.”

"Oh dear, this illness can't be cured. The best thing is to suffer less pain and pain. You've really had a hard time these past few years."

Wang Yan patted his second aunt's hand and said a few words of comfort before going into the bedroom: "Uncle."

Qi Zhiqiang is the number one good guy in this drama. He's always busy helping out with anything the Qiao family needs, and he's incredibly kind to the Qiao family children. When Qiqi had no one to care for her, her second aunt took her in without a single complaint; she was truly devoted, contributing both money and effort. It was only after Qi Weimin went to university that he fell ill and was diagnosed with liver cancer…

"I'm here." Qi Zhiqiang sat on the bed, speaking weakly.

"You've been feeling pretty good lately, haven't you?"

"It's alright, it's just that this area hurts..."

Wang Yan communicated with Qi Zhiqiang, understanding his subjective feelings, and conducted various physical examinations and pulse checks. Ultimately, based on the situation, the medication for the new phase was adjusted. The condition was changing, so the medication naturally needed to be adjusted as well. He came once a week, receiving one prescription per week, a routine he had maintained for several years.

After undergoing examinations at the hospital for a period of time and learning more about the illness, Qi Zhiqiang realized that there was no cure and he could only wait to die. He then returned home to wait. One day, his second aunt came to Wang Yan to have Qi Qi's stomach upset checked. She lamented the family's misfortunes. Wang Yan said he could relieve the pain, so after examining her, he prescribed a remedy that worked, and Qi Qi's condition has continued ever since.

The torment and suffering of many diseases lies in the pain. When it flares up, it feels like the veins are bursting, as if every nerve is tied in hundreds or thousands of knots, causing excruciating pain that feels like torture every day.

After prescribing the medicine, Wang Yan didn't ask for money. They were all acquaintances, and if we only consider the Qiao family, he wasn't far from Qi Weimin. Besides, he had a good chat with Qi Weimin.

Seeing Wang Yan's seemingly displeased expression, Qi Weimin took back the money: "You may not want it, but I still have to give it to you. I know you love meat, so I'll get you some beef bones in a couple of days. Your beef noodles are so delicious, I'm craving them just thinking about them. I'll take Qiqi to eat them then."

His second uncle works at the slaughterhouse, so he can get some bones with meat and tendons. This isn't the first time he's given them away. As for whether he actually got them from his second uncle, that's another matter.

Even if it costs money, it's worth it. Painkillers are expensive, addictive, and hard to find. But the prescriptions Wang Yan gave weren't costly; they were perfectly affordable.

More importantly, the affordable medication alleviated his pain, which also eased the suffering of the Qi family. Otherwise, if Qi Zhiqiang had pretended not to be in pain and had simply endured the agony while waiting to die, it would have been even more unbearable for his family to watch.

This mutual ease is the greatest favor Wang Yan has done for the Qi family...

"How is my dad?" he asked.

Wang Yan shook his head: "The disease progressed quickly. It's already far beyond the hospital's expectations that you've survived this long. Didn't we tell you before that it would only be one or two years? It's been more than three years now."

"So how much longer do you think my dad has?"

“You always ask me how I can be sure about this. You’ve already prepared yourself mentally. Now it’s just a matter of seeing each other more often and spending more time with each other, so you don’t have any regrets.”

Qi Weimin sighed and gave Wang Yan a forced smile...

"Brother Yan, what were you whispering about with Brother Min just now?" Si Mei asked curiously.

He said he would give me some more beef so I could make beef broth noodles, and he would bring Qiqi along to eat with me.

"Yay! I haven't had this in ages!" The four beauties cheered excitedly.

People's joys and sorrows are not shared...

I want to express my sincere gratitude to all the kind readers who have given me generous support through tips, monthly tickets, recommendation tickets, and those who have been reading quietly!