Chapter 183: Grandma Tao's Story Part 2

But the person I feel most sorry for is myself.

As I was thinking, I lost consciousness. It felt like a long time had passed, yet it also felt like only a short while had gone by.

Hearing unfamiliar voices in her ears, Grandma Tao lost consciousness once again.

However, this time she received new memories.

"Doctor, how is Tao Ying?" A woman in her forties, wearing factory clothes and light makeup, asked the doctor anxiously.

"The preliminary assessment indicates 30% brain damage. The patient may experience loss of consciousness, confusion, or coma: mild cases may present with drowsiness and slow reaction, while severe cases may fall into a coma. It can also cause memory loss: such as inability to recall the incident or short-term memory impairment."

Changes in mental and behavioral states: significant mood swings (irritability, anxiety, depression), personality changes, or the emergence of aggressive behavior.

Movement disorders: limb weakness, paralysis, balance disorder or gait instability, which may lead to the inability to walk in severe cases.

Abnormal sensations: numbness or tingling in the limbs, or sensory problems such as blurred vision, hearing loss, or loss of smell.

Decreased coordination: such as difficulty with fine motor skills and unsteady grip. The doctor whispered to the middle-aged woman.

"So, can she recover? She's only thirty-three." The middle-aged woman looked at Tao Ying on the bed and sighed.

"There's still a good chance of recovery, but you can't be anxious anymore, overwork your brain, or get too tired," the doctor replied softly.

The middle-aged woman politely saw the doctor out.

Sitting by Tao Ying's hospital bed, looking at the pale-faced woman on the bed, he sighed helplessly.

Several hours later, Grandma Tao received all of Tao Ying's memories, and her mind was in a daze.

For a moment I couldn't quite process it all, what were these things?

Grandma Tao died in 2025. The area she lived in was quite developed and considered to be at the forefront of development.

Although Grandma Tao herself didn't have any children, she raised two grandsons and one granddaughter.

Before being diagnosed with breast cancer, Wang Baoshan's daughter often came to visit Tao Ying.

Aside from Li Caixia, who doesn't come over often, Wang Baojun, Zhao Shuangfeng, and Wang Baoshan and his wife also frequently come to eat at my place.

Although the demolition compensation was distributed, a portion was still retained.

Although it's not enough for the 300,000 yuan medical expenses, it's enough for retirement.

But Grandma Tao really couldn't get used to the child's memory.

Furthermore, after hearing what the doctor said, Grandma Tao experienced drowsiness, slow reaction, and in severe cases, she may fall into a coma. She may also be unable to recall the circumstances of her injury or experience short-term memory impairment, as well as significant mood swings: irritability, anxiety, depression, personality changes, or aggressive behavior.

Grandma Tao understood these things. Also, the young girl in this body was very outstanding. She was capable at work, owned a house, a car, and had savings.

I have 300,000 yuan in savings. Although it's not worth that much these days, I still own a house and a car.

She still had work to do, but the young woman collapsed at her workplace.

The company can't just ignore it, just like how my own father gave so much compensation back then.

This young lady is an engineer, so she shouldn't be short of money, right?

Moreover, the office director, Wang Jing, had a good relationship with the young woman.

Also, is that thin black piece in your hand a cell phone?

Although Grandma Tao didn't have a cell phone, she had seen Wang Baojun and the others use one.

It was called a "Little Smart" phone, and it could make calls, send messages, and read e-books.

Wang Jing turned her head and saw Tao Ying staring straight at her, or more accurately, at her phone, with a hint of unfamiliarity and a strange feeling.

"Tao Ying, you're awake? Do you feel unwell anywhere? I was just on the phone with General Manager Shi. He asked about your condition and said that no matter how much it costs, the factory will definitely take care of you," Wang Jing said with concern, holding Tao Ying's hand.

As Grandma Tao watched Wang Jing's mouth open and close, she felt a sharp pain in her head, like being pricked by needles.

The young girl remembered disliking this General Manager Shi because he was rude, lacked manners, changed his orders frequently, was emotionally unstable and irritable, always liked to verbally criticize employees, liked to use psychological manipulation, and liked to hold meetings.

People in the company don't really like him, and most of the young woman's negative emotions come from this leader.

"My head hurts, it hurts like it's being pricked with needles. Can you please stop talking about this person?" Tao Ying clutched her head and curled up on the bed in pain, her face covered in sweat.

"Let's not talk about him anymore, let's not talk about him anymore, let's rest and recover." Wang Jing was terrified.

"What do you want to eat? I'll go buy it for you." Wang Jing was so nervous that she was almost incoherent.

Tao Ying was in too much pain to answer Wang Jing.

Wang Jing rushed over to find a doctor, who examined Tao Ying.

"These are all normal phenomena. I'll prescribe some painkillers for her," the doctor said calmly.

"Tao Ying, I'll go buy you something to eat first," Wang Jing said to Tao Ying, her eyes red.

He didn't get a reply from Tao Ying, so he strode out and bought wontons, millet porridge, steamed egg custard, some fruit, milk, and other things.

Grandma Tao was in pain for a full half hour before she lay down on the bed, covered in sweat.

Looking at the pristine white roof, Grandma Tao's eyes reddened. This girl's life has been so hard.

I can't help but wonder what I should do in the future.

Grandma Tao used to work as a lab technician, but she didn't have any real skills or expertise.

This would involve an acid-base titration and a weighing.

Tao Ying's job is definitely not something she can do.

They have a master's degree, while Grandma Tao only has a junior high school education.

Although it contains Tao Ying's memories, this thing still can't replace the ability.

But the young woman is only thirty-three years old, and she will have to wait another twenty-five years to receive her pension.

I was already old enough to receive my pension at 45.

Why can't people with the same toxic and harmful working environment be allowed to retire early?

Mingming's living conditions are much better now, and he is much wealthier.

But why are people more tired? You can tell just by looking at how exhausted the children are.

Grandma Tao believed that Tao Ying had simply worked herself to death.

If I hadn't come, the little girl might never have woken up.

However, there's no way to tell this to others, because they wouldn't believe it.

Grandma Tao didn't delve into Tao Ying's memories because it would give her a headache.

As she was thinking, Wang Jing returned.

"Tao Ying, are you feeling better? I bought some wontons, millet porridge, and steamed egg custard. What would you like to eat? Can you eat by yourself? I'll feed you." Wang Jing opened the boxes one by one and asked Grandma Tao softly.

"I'll have wontons, I can eat by myself." Grandma Tao glanced at the two bowls of food, not really wanting to eat either.

I crave meat more now, especially since I haven't eaten much meat in a long time when I was still single.

It's not that I can't afford it, but it's hard to digest if I eat too much, and I also have a sensitive stomach, so I don't dare to eat too much oily food.

"Okay!" Wang Jing handed the spoon to Grandma Tao.

Grandma Tao didn't stand on ceremony with Wang Jing; she was genuinely hungry, having not eaten for four meals in her memory.

If it weren't for the nutritional injection, he probably would have fainted from hunger long ago.

Instead of picking up the bowl, I ate it right there on the table, afraid that I would suddenly have a headache and spill the food.

After finishing a bowl of wontons, Grandma Tao fell asleep again.

Wang Jing glanced at the time and finally asked someone to find her a caregiver.

Two hundred yuan a day, 24-hour care.

This is only because Tao Ying is physically healthy that she asked for so little.

When Tao Ying woke up, she saw a woman in her fifties sitting next to her bed.

"You're awake? I'm the caregiver your sister found for you. Just call me Aunt Liu. Are you hungry? I'll go buy you some food," Liu Yanli asked Tao Ying.

In fact, Liu Yanli thought this family was just throwing money away. This girl was perfectly capable, so why did she need to be taken care of?

However, Liu Yanli wouldn't say anything more about it; she was very serious about her work.

"No need, I ate lunch, I'm not hungry yet," Tao Ying shook her head and said softly.

Liu Yanli is really amazing. No matter how difficult the customer is, she can handle them very well.

But Tao Ying had nothing to say at all, and after finishing speaking, she closed her eyes and continued to stare blankly.

I don't know what to say, and I don't know how to say anything. My head also hurts.

I can't help but wonder how long it will take for my death to be discovered, whether my grandchildren will be heartbroken, and whether they will regret it.

Will Chun Tao know that her mother is gone? Will she come back to see her one last time?

She was worried about how she would face her husband in the afterlife.

And then there's his eldest daughter, Chunni; will she hate him?

I didn't realize it when I was young, but now that I'm older, I see other people's daughters bringing home loads of gifts for their mothers, buying them clothes and food, and even inviting them to stay at home.

He only has his son and daughter-in-law; he has nothing else besides himself.

Sometimes, Grandma Tao wondered if things would be different if she had brought Chunni back herself in person.

Why can others abandon their husbands and children to return to the city, but my daughter can't? My daughter threw her life away in the countryside.

He didn't even visit his daughter before she died. Did he hate himself before he died?

But it's too late to think about all this now. My daughter doesn't have her own destiny; she can't go back…

Right, I clearly went back, so why didn't I go and pick up Chunni first?

Thinking of this, Grandma Tao couldn't stop her tears from flowing.

She fell asleep again soon after.

Seeing that Tao Ying had fallen asleep again, Liu Yanli went out to buy some things Tao Ying needed. There was nothing here, not even toiletries.

After buying toiletries, I went to buy some other household items.

He went to eat first, and then started buying food for Tao Ying.

I bought a boxed lunch. The doctor told me that Tao Ying can eat anything and doesn't need any special care.

Because Liu Yanli would basically come back to check on Tao Ying's situation after each shopping trip.

So by the time the food was all bought back, it was already more than two hours later.

"Awake? Do you want to eat? I bought you a boxed lunch," Liu Yanli asked softly.

Because Tao Ying's brain was injured, Liu Yanli dared not raise her voice.

"Have a little, thank you," Grandma Tao said politely.

No one has ever treated me like this in the second half of my life.

"No need to thank me. You paid me to take care of you, so it's only right that I do this. If you want anything to eat, just tell me and I'll go buy it for you. Your sister told me the standard rate is 100 yuan a day, and you can pay for anything more yourself. I'll pay for everything with WeChat Pay, and I have screenshots. I'll show them to you later. Don't worry, I absolutely..."

"My head hurts, stop talking." As Grandma Tao listened, she felt as if someone was hitting her head with a small hammer.

Liu Yanli immediately shut up, afraid that she might have made the patient's condition worse.

It took a full half hour for Grandma Tao to recover.

“From now on, if you speak more than two sentences, and someone comes to visit me, only let your sister come in,” said the pale-faced old lady Tao.

"I'll feed you." Liu Yanli looked at Grandma Tao with some trepidation.

Now I finally know why they hired me.

Grandma Tao didn't say anything, but put the boxed lunch on the table and opened the lid herself.

The rice was snow-white, but Grandma Tao rarely ate it.

The dishes were braised chicken pieces, stir-fried potatoes, eggplant, green peppers, and green beans, all of which were dishes that Grandma Tao had never eaten before.

I first took a bite of rice and found it wasn't very tasty. I didn't know if it was old rice or if too much water was added when cooking it; it was bloated and particularly unpalatable.

I picked up another piece of chicken, but it wasn't good either. The meat was very dry and tasted mostly of seasoning.

The stir-fried potatoes, eggplant, and green peppers had a strange taste, I don't know if it was because they were fried too much or what, and it had been sitting for a long time, so it was sticky and clumpy.

The last dish of stir-fried green beans was entirely seasoned with cumin; there was no other flavor at all.

Grandma Tao ate half of it without expression, but couldn't eat anymore.

I felt a little upset after putting down my chopsticks; I had wasted so much food.

That's meat, yet I still can't eat it.

It was only later that I realized I was no longer myself.

Perhaps this little girl's body simply doesn't lack anyone.

It was the little girl's mouth that made her think the food was unpalatable.

But even the worst-tasting food isn't as bad as whole-grain steamed buns.

I searched the girl's memory again and took out her phone from the cabinet.

I mimicked the little girl's actions and turned on my phone.

I didn't explore many of the features; I just opened the app with the little bubbles.

The main issue was the abundance of red dots on the screen. Instead of looking at those red dots, I opened WeChat Pay.

I glanced at my wallet, which showed 1.08, and I was a little confused.

Just as I was about to think about it again, my head started to hurt again, so I simply stopped thinking about anything and went back to sleep.

When I woke up again, it was already five o'clock the next morning.

Liu Yanli lay down on the cot next to her and slept.

Grandma Tao got up on her own to go to the toilet.

My room is a double room, and the other patient hasn't arrived yet.

So only Mrs. Tao was in the ward.

It's also possible that because this is a neurology department, everyone is afraid of noise, and there aren't that many patients, so they assign one person to each department.

There is a toilet in the ward.

As soon as Grandma Tao got up, Liu Yanli opened her eyes and quickly sat up. "Do you need to go to the toilet? I'll help you there."

After becoming a caregiver, Liu Yanli became very alert; she would wake up almost immediately if the patient moved.

Speaking of which, last night was the most sleep Liu Yanli had had in the past six months.

Tao Ying is really easy to take care of.

"No need," Grandma Tao refused, and slowly walked into the bathroom with a towel, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, and toothbrush.

When Liu Yanli saw Tao Ying enter the toilet, she didn't lie down and continue sleeping. Instead, she waited outside the toilet for Tao Ying, fearing that something might happen to her.