The car sped along the highway, carrying the family's joy, anticipation, and anxieties towards the capital. Outside the window, the late autumn scenery was picturesque, golden leaves fluttering in the wind like dancing butterflies. In Shen Nianxi's heart, an important decision was slowly brewing. She knew this decision would affect her entire life, but she believed that with the support and encouragement of her parents and brother, she would be able to make the best choice for herself, going further and further on the path of dance, shining with her own unique brilliance.

Just as the car was about to enter Beijing, Lin Wanqiu's phone suddenly rang. She took it out and saw it was her neighbor, Aunt Zhang, calling from her hometown. A bad feeling washed over her, and she quickly answered.

"Late Autumn, something terrible has happened!" Aunt Zhang's anxious voice came from the other end of the phone, slightly out of breath. "Your mother-in-law, Old Lady Shen, has suddenly fainted and has been taken to the commune clinic. The doctor said her condition is not good. You need to come back and check on her quickly!"

"What?" Lin Wanqiu's face turned pale instantly, and her heart skipped a beat. "Aunt Zhang, how is my mother? Why did she suddenly faint?" Her voice trembled slightly, and her heart was filled with worry. Although Old Mrs. Shen had not treated her well before, being mean and selfish and often tormenting her, she was still Shen Tingzhou's mother and the children's grandmother. Now that she was unwell, Lin Wanqiu was still very worried.

“I don’t know the specifics, but this morning when Grandma Shen was chopping firewood in the yard, she suddenly collapsed. Luckily, a passerby saw her and took her to the clinic in time.” Aunt Zhang’s voice was still very anxious. “The doctor said it might be a stroke, and she can’t move half of her body. Please come back quickly!”

"Okay, okay, we'll head back right now!" Lin Wanqiu said hurriedly, her face still pale after hanging up the phone.

Seeing that Lin Wanqiu's expression was off, Shen Tingzhou quickly asked, "What's wrong? What happened?"

“Mother… Mother suddenly fainted. Aunt Zhang said it might be a stroke. She’s at the commune clinic now, and her condition isn’t good,” Lin Wanqiu said, her voice choked with emotion, her eyes filled with worry.

"What?" Shen Tingzhou's expression instantly turned serious. "Quick, Nian'an, speed things up, let's get to our hometown first!"

"Okay!" Shen Nian'an knew the situation was urgent, so he immediately stepped on the gas, and the car sped towards his hometown.

Seeing her parents' anxious expressions, Shen Nianxi's inner turmoil and hesitation were temporarily replaced by worry. She held Lin Wanqiu's hand and softly comforted her, "Mother, don't worry, Grandma will be alright."

Shen Tingzhou sat in the passenger seat, his usually composed figure slightly tense, his brows furrowed into a deep frown, and anxiety and unease swirling in his deep eyes. He glanced occasionally at the rapidly passing scenery outside the window, then turned to look at Lin Wanqiu beside him. His lips moved, but ultimately he let out a soft sigh. He knew Lin Wanqiu's feelings must be incredibly complex at this moment. She vividly remembered Old Madam Shen's harshness and torment, yet now that the old woman had suddenly fallen seriously ill, her worry hadn't diminished in the slightest. This kindness and magnanimity filled him with both heartache and admiration.

Chen Nianxi sat in the back seat, close to Lin Wanqiu, her small hand gently holding her arm, her tender face full of worry. She put aside her joy after winning the award and whispered to comfort her, "Mom, don't worry too much. Grandma is a lucky person, she'll be alright." Although she was young, she remembered that her grandmother had not been kind to her mother in the past, but blood is thicker than water, and at this moment, only pure worry remained in her heart.

Lin Wanqiu glanced at her daughter, forcing a smile, and stroked her hair. "Mother knows, Xixi is right, Grandma will be alright." Despite her words, her anxiety remained undiminished. A stroke was no small matter, especially in this era of relatively underdeveloped medical conditions. A slight mishap could result in lifelong disability or even death. She remembered that although Old Mrs. Shen was mean and selfish, she was still Shen Tingzhou's mother and Nian'an and Xixi's grandmother. Regardless of past grievances, this was a matter of life and death, and she couldn't stand idly by.

The car sped along, passing through the bustling city and crossing winding rivers, finally arriving at the Hongqi Production Brigade at dusk. In the distance, wisps of smoke rose from chimneys, and every household had its dim lights on. The air was filled with the aroma of food and the smell of firewood—a scene of tranquility and peace. But this tranquility did nothing to soothe the anxious hearts of Lin Wanqiu and the others.

As soon as the car stopped in front of the commune clinic, Lin Wanqiu eagerly pushed open the car door and rushed inside. The clinic's courtyard was small, with several single-story buildings standing side by side. Dim lights shone from the windows, and the air was filled with the smell of disinfectant and the bitterness of herbs, which made one feel depressed.

"Aunt Zhang, where is my mother? How is she?" Lin Wanqiu spotted Aunt Zhang pacing anxiously in the yard and quickly went up to ask, her voice trembling slightly.

When Aunt Zhang saw Lin Wanqiu and her group, a look of relief appeared on her face. She quickly said, "Wanqiu, you've finally arrived! Old Mrs. Shen is inside. The doctor just finished examining her and said she had an acute stroke. She can't move her right side and her speech is slurred, but she's not in immediate danger."

Lin Wanqiu felt a little relieved, but hearing about Old Lady Shen's condition still weighed heavily on her heart. She quickly followed Aunt Zhang into the ward, where she saw Old Lady Shen lying on the bed by the window, her face as pale as paper, her lips cracked, her right arm and leg hanging limply at her sides, her eyes cloudy. When she saw Lin Wanqiu and the others enter, her lips moved, but she could only utter some indistinct sounds.

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