When he returned to the hospital, Ding Qiunan had not yet returned from handing over supplies at the station.

Back in my office, I had just made myself a cup of tea and sat down when the phone on my desk rang again.

Li Chu sighed with a headache. Every time the phone rang, it meant something was wrong. He had been running around all day and couldn't even take a break.

He answered the phone and had barely said a few words when he suddenly stood up.

"Mr. Chen, what did you say?"

...

"How could that be? We saw him just last month, and he seemed to be in pretty good health then."

...

After a long while, he finally put down the phone, looking utterly dejected, and slumped into a chair.

The phone call I just received was from Dean Chen, whom I met this morning.

Old Chen told him some news: Old Liang had passed away.

That's the old man, Mr. Liang, who was reported by his own son. He was the director at Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

Li Chu felt a tightness in his chest. In the difficult years before, Old Liang had survived. Now that they were finally able to live a good life, he passed away due to a heart attack.

He stood up, ready to go out and take a look, but hesitated for a moment and sat down again.

Forget it, I'll wait until after get off work and take my wife to go see it.

Mr. Liang was reinstated to his job shortly after the Spring Festival last year, which was around 2007 or 2008.

Then in April of this year, the medical school reassigned him an apartment, and Li Chu even went over to help him move in during the May Day holiday.

After Mr. Liang was reinstated, his two sons also returned to their previous jobs; the elder son worked at a food factory, and the younger son worked at a supply and marketing cooperative.

Both daughters-in-law have also returned to their original workplaces.

Things at home have mostly returned to normal.

Except for his youngest son, who was imprisoned after being punished for embezzlement and bribery during a special period.

As for the two daughters who have severed ties with their family, well, how could they possibly be good?

At first, the husband's family was certainly happy, thinking that their daughter-in-law was thinking of them.

But after a while, the parents-in-law realized what was going on. Good heavens, you can cut ties with your own parents who gave you life and raised you. How can we expect you to take care of us when we get old?

Therefore, Liang's two daughters are now living a very difficult life. Not only do their in-laws dislike them, but their friends also keep their distance.

Who likes dealing with an ingrate?

The elderly couple were heartbroken by their two daughters and pretended they had never given birth to them.

Without the support of their families, their lives will become increasingly difficult.

I wonder if they regret their choices now.

Getting married now is different from what it will be decades later.

In this era, once a woman gets married, she is considered to be living with her husband's family. However, if her family is powerful, her husband's family will be more restrained and won't dare to bully her too much.

But if you have no family support on your own, or if you're like those two ungrateful daughters of Liang Lao, then you can expect to be treated like a slave in your husband's family.

The Fairy Tree Romance

Unlike decades later, when it's about two young people getting married or marrying off their daughters, it's about two young people leaving their respective families to form a new one.

Li Chu still remembers that before her rebirth, many people on the internet said things like, "I'm marrying into your family," and so on.

He was puzzled. What did it mean to "marry into the man's family"? Did you take your husband's surname?

Some people say things like, "Now that you've married into our family, you should do this and that."

Marrying a man means having food and clothing.

Can you earn enough to support that girl? Can you support her whole family?

In the future, marriage will mean living independently, and it will have nothing to do with marriage.

Li Chu still clearly remembers the day Ding Qiunan was promoted. He congratulated his wife, saying that she would be Director Ding from now on.

Ding Qiunan looked at him and said leisurely, "You know what? Whether people call me Director Ding or just call me by my name, I don't like it."

Li Chu asked naively, "So what do you like people to call you?"

Ding Qiunan's words at that time made him suddenly feel a surge of pressure.

"I like it best when people call me Mrs. Li."

Yes, to take my name and give you my surname, that is true marriage.

Li Chu slowly shook his head, putting these chaotic thoughts to the back of his mind, and picked up the cup to take a sip of tea.

With a "click," the closed office door was pushed open.

Ding Qiunan, whom I had just been thinking about, appeared at the door.

"Is the handover complete at the station?"

"Oh no, I just finished reporting to Dean Shan."

Ding Qiunan walked straight in, picked up the teacup on the table, and gulped down the tea.

"Oh dear, I'm so thirsty! There's not even a sip of water at the station."

Li Chu smiled as he took the jar from her and filled it with water.

Did you go to Peking Union Medical College Hospital today?

“I went there. I went to see him after you left. No, Professor Zhang’s dizziness and headaches are caused by deficiency of both liver and kidney, which is what Western medicine calls high blood pressure. He is not suitable for such a major operation at all.”

Ding Qiunan reached out and pulled her husband away. She plopped down in the chair behind the desk, leaned back, and stretched.

"What should we do then? Does this mean that Ye Zi can only..."

Li Chu shrugged: "There's nothing I can do. I've prescribed new medication for Ye Zi. This is the only conservative treatment she can receive for now. As for how long she can live, that's up to fate."

"Sigh," Ding Qiunan said with a hint of disappointment. She still liked that girl very much.

"By the way, honey, do we still have any black cloth left?"

"Yes, what do you need a black cloth for?"

"Old Liang isn't here this morning. Let's go check on him after get off work."

“Old Liang…” Ding Qiunan stared wide-eyed at her husband in shock: “What happened? How could he just suddenly be gone?”

"Sudden heart attack, could not be saved."

"Their third son and his two daughters are really awful."

Li Chu waved his hand, stopping his wife from continuing her tirade: "When we get back, bring the black cloth, and then give her a small gift as usual. Don't make it too special."

Ding Qiunan nodded silently.

She was always the one who prepared all the social obligations within the family.

Ding Qiunan sat there until almost the end of the workday before going back to her office to pack her things.

Back home, the two changed out of their military uniforms, put on dark civilian clothes, wrapped a piece of black cloth in straw paper, and then got into the car to go to the medical school's family compound.

On the way, I also bought a wreath.

As the special period has passed, these old customs are slowly beginning to revive.

Inside the family compound, Liang's two sons, with the help of others, had already set up the mourning hall.

Mr. Liang nurtured countless people throughout his life. Although not many people offered help when things were difficult, at least no one took advantage of his misfortune. Now that he has passed away, quite a few people have come to pay their respects.