“Doctor, please take a look at my son.”
As soon as the family of three walked into the clinic, the woman pleaded with Qin Jiang.
Seeing the situation, Qin Jiang said, “No need to rush. Take your time and tell me what’s going on.”
With Qin Jiang’s reassurance, the woman gradually calmed down and began explaining her son’s condition.
The boy’s name was Zhao Rui. He was in high school, currently in his senior year—a critical moment as he prepared for the college entrance exams.
But lately, for some unknown reason, he’d been mentally absent, unable to focus. His grades had plummeted—from being in the top ten of his class to now ranking in the forties.
Zhao’s mother said tearfully, “Dr. Qin, my Zhao Rui has never fallen out of the top ten since he was little. For him to suddenly drop to the forties—there must be something wrong with his health!”
“Dr. Qin, please take a good look at my son. Whatever the illness is, we’re willing to spend whatever it takes to treat it.”
Qin Jiang could understand her anxiety.
After all, raising a child isn’t easy, especially when he’s at such a crucial stage—the final sprint before the college entrance exams.
If he choked at the finish line during the exams, then all those years of hard work would have been for nothing.
Qin Jiang turned to Zhao Rui and asked, “Young man, have you noticed anything off with your body?”
Zhao Rui stared at Qin Jiang for a moment, then said, “I’m hungry.”
Qin Jiang was taken aback.
“Hungry?”
What kind of symptom was that?
Hearing this, Zhao’s mother quickly pulled out eggs and milk from her bag. Right in front of Qin Jiang, she began peeling an egg for her son.
While peeling, she explained, “We were in such a rush when we left that we forgot to feed him. Dr. Qin, just wait a moment—we’ll be done here soon.”
Zhao Rui was clearly used to this. He didn’t find anything unusual about his mother peeling eggs for him. In fact, when she brought the egg to his mouth, he didn’t even think to reach out and take it himself.
This made Qin Jiang frown.
Normally, a grown person wouldn’t be comfortable being fed by someone else—their body would instinctively resist. Either they’d reach out to take it, or they’d lean back slightly.
But Zhao Rui did neither.
Qin Jiang pointed at another egg and said, “Let him try peeling it himself.”
Zhao’s mother paused mid-motion and quickly explained, “Dr. Qin, my Zhao Rui doesn’t know how to peel eggs. I always peel them for him.”
“That way, we save time. He can use that extra time for studying and reading.”
Hearing this, the netizens in the live stream found it utterly absurd.
“Seriously? A kid this old can’t peel an egg?”
“Isn’t that something even little kids can do? If he really can’t peel one, that’s just ridiculous.”
“Whoa, I suddenly feel so suffocated by this mom’s ‘love.’ She never taught her son to peel eggs—just to save him a little more time for studying?”
Qin Jiang ignored Zhao’s mother and continued, “I said, let him try peeling the egg himself.”
With no other choice, Zhao’s mother handed Zhao Rui a whole egg.
“Here, sweetie. Take it and peel it yourself.”
Zhao Rui took the egg, looking completely lost.
This was the first time Zhao Rui had ever held an egg with its shell on. He was at a total loss.
Qin Jiang didn’t rush him. He just quietly watched to see how Zhao Rui would react.
Zhao’s mother began giving gentle instructions.
“Sweetie, tap the egg on the table, then slowly peel off the shell.”
Zhao Rui held the egg in silence.
It was such a simple action, but he seemed completely unable to comprehend it—and naturally, he couldn’t carry it out.
Zhao’s father couldn’t stand watching anymore. He walked over and slapped Zhao Rui hard across the face.
“Are you an idiot? Can’t you hear what your mother said? She told you to tap it on the table!”
Startled by the slap, Zhao Rui grew nervous. He slammed the egg hard against the table.
The egg white and yolk splattered, mixing with the crushed shell—the egg was ruined.
Furious, Zhao’s father kicked Zhao Rui square in the body, sending him tumbling to the floor!
“How did I end up with such a useless piece of trash! Get up and eat that egg off the table!”
Zhao Rui was clearly terrified. He scrambled to his feet and, sure enough, started eating the egg—shell and all—right off the table.
Zou Moli couldn’t stand it anymore. She rushed over to stop Zhao Rui, then turned and snapped at his father, “How can you hit a child like that! Do you have any idea what kind of psychological damage you’re causing him!”
Zhao’s father let out a cold snort.
“How I discipline my kid is none of your business! You’re doctors—just cure my son’s illness. How we raise him is our own family matter!”
Zhao’s mother, meanwhile, had pulled out wet wipes and was now gently wiping the bits of eggshell off Zhao Rui’s hands.
She added, “Dr. Qin, we just wanted to bring our son in for a checkup. We’ll be out of your hair as soon as it’s done—we won’t cause any trouble.”
Earlier, Qin Jiang had assumed Zhao’s mother truly loved her son, given how anxious she seemed about him.
But when Zhao’s father hit and kicked Zhao Rui without her reacting at all, Qin Jiang realized that deep down, she actually approved of her husband’s behavior.
Qin Jiang asked, “Is this how you usually discipline him at home? One of you plays the bad cop, the other the good cop.”
Zhao’s mother looked a little awkward.
That was indeed their parenting arrangement.
The father was in charge of scolding and hitting, while the mother handled daily care and spoke the soothing words.
On paper, that division of roles made sense—but the father’s behavior was too extreme, and the mother’s reaction was far too indifferent.
Neither of them seemed to see Zhao Rui as a flesh-and-blood human being. To them, he was just a studying machine.
What normal person at this age can’t peel an egg? That’s just ridiculous.
Qin Jiang continued, “From what I’ve observed so far, your son currently has zero ability to take care of himself.”
“If he can’t even peel an egg, can he handle things like getting dressed on his own?”
Zhao’s mother said quietly, “He can put on his own coat, but things like undershirts—I help him with those, since they’re more complicated.”
The netizens once again called this absurd.
This was the first time they’d ever heard of putting on clothes being “complicated.”
Qin Jiang sighed and said, “With this kind of parenting, even if your child does get into college, how is he going to manage day-to-day life?”
Zhao’s mother quickly replied, “I can go to college with him! As long as he gets into a prestigious university, I don’t mind. I can take care of him full-time.”
