Chapter 49 Ji Xuening Returns to the Brigade to Raise Money

Wang Yuqing and Grandma Ji had just finished breakfast when the hospital director walked in with a doctor and a nurse.

Knowing that they were about to begin treating Grandma Ji, Wang Yuqing took Grandma Ji's change of clothes to the laundry room. When she returned, the hospital director was just coming out, smiling warmly: "Comrade, this Dr. Yang will be your grandmother's attending physician for the next few days. You can consult her if you have any questions."

Wang Yuqing looked at Dr. Yang, a female doctor who looked to be in her forties. She resembled the hospital director somewhat, but lacked his kindness and approachability.

She nodded and smiled, "Dr. Yang, I'll be troubling you in the future..."

Dr. Yang seemed a little lost in thought, with a hint of nervousness in his expression. He nodded casually and left in a hurry.

Wang Yuqing found this person really strange. When she entered the room, she found that Grandma Ji was also leaning against the bed in a daze, her left hand receiving an IV drip, but it was trembling along with her right hand.

She rushed forward and asked anxiously, "Grandma, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell? I'll call the doctor."

"I'm... I'm fine."

Grandma Ji's voice was hoarse. She looked at Wang Yuqing with mixed feelings, and tears streamed down her face again: "Yuqing, it's Grandma's fault for hurting you. Grandma is so sorry for making you suffer."

Wang Yuqing sat beside Grandma Ji and touched her cold right hand: "Grandma, don't feel guilty. You didn't hurt me. You meant well and wanted to save food for me."

Grandma Ji opened her mouth as if to say something, but then swallowed it back. She gripped Wang Yuqing's hand tightly with her right hand and forced a smile: "Child, you are so good. I will definitely make sure that Lao Si treats you well and doesn't mistreat you."

Wang Yuqing felt uneasy. What would Grandma Ji do if she knew that the person in front of her was not someone she truly loved?

She wondered if the original owner had fainted that day and she had slipped through the gap to enter her body. As for her lifespan being over fifty years old, if she didn't die, where did she go?

After Grandma Ji rested, Wang Yuqing went to the outhouse, but it took her a while to find it, and she was too embarrassed to ask.

The hospital's full name is Sui'an County People's Hospital. It has only two floors and, although it is simple, it is much better than the commune health center.

There weren't many medical staff, probably because there were very few patients. In those days, when people got sick, they would usually tough it out at home, or get some medicine from the barefoot doctor in their production team, or go to the brigade health station or commune health center. Only in critical situations or serious illnesses would they come to the county hospital.

And this hospital is the same hospital where the original owner was born, which is quite a coincidence.

Wang Yuqing felt the food coupons Tang Wan had given her in her pocket. There were four in total, of various sizes, weighing a pound and three ounces. She would eat sparingly and hope to get through the next few days.

As for Ji Xuening going to his second brother and sister-in-law for money, Wang Yuqing thought that the couple definitely wouldn't give him any.

On her way back to the ward, she overheard two nurses talking about Dr. Yang. The older nurse looked to be in her forties or fifties. She said to the younger nurse, "It's normal for Dr. Yang to become the head of the department. She's the daughter of our hospital director. She used to work at this hospital as an obstetrician. She was transferred to another city decades ago, and then she was transferred back a few days ago to become an internist."

She whispered a reminder: "She's not as nice as the director, so don't offend her in the future."

Wang Yuqing didn't take it to heart. She turned and went into the ward, wondering if Ji Xuening had gotten home yet. The three children must be worried sick.

As soon as Ji Xuening arrived home, she saw Ji Daming sitting at the door weaving bamboo baskets, Ji Xiaoming feeding pigs, and Ji Meimei changing the water for Wang Yuqing's snails.

The first thing he did when he got back was to tell the three children about Grandma Ji's situation. Then he packed some of Wang Yuqing's things and brought half a bag of sweet potatoes.

He also instructed Ji Xiaoming to take good care of Ji Meimei at home, and asked Ji Daming to go to the county hospital to help take care of Grandma Ji. He was worried that Wang Yuqing would be too tired by herself, and it just so happened that today and tomorrow were a double weekend.

When the villagers saw him return, they all asked him how Grandma Ji was doing and how the matter of being reported was going.

Ji Xuening replied expressionlessly, "It's nothing."

Liu Li snorted, "They're still saying they're alright? Neither of them has come back yet, so it must be very serious. That Grandma Ji is really something, having to dig for wild vegetables at her age."

After saying that, she went around telling everyone about how her younger brother, Liu Huo, had given her oil and money a few days earlier, and sighed, "My brother is just so stupid."

Chen E, Tang Wan, and Lei Yongxia all came to the Ji family to offer their concern and greetings. Only then did Ji Xuening's attitude soften, and he told them the truth.

Upon hearing this, Chen E noticed the half-bag of sweet potatoes he had prepared and said, "It's not good to eat sweet potatoes every day. Besides, your grandmother is so old, can she handle eating sweet potatoes? Wait for me, I steamed some cornbread this morning, I'll take some to the county hospital for you."

Lei Yongxia said, "Don't worry, Qing'er, I'll take care of the children for you."

Tang Wan said, "Wait for me a moment, I'll ride my old bicycle over to borrow it from you." After saying that, she turned around and went back home. She had only taken a few steps with her bicycle when she heard the sound of a ceramic jar breaking inside the house.

Then her mother-in-law's voice came from inside: "Old man, don't you do anything about it? All she does is think about being a good person, borrowing food coupons and bicycles. She might as well just lend out all the family's belongings."

The person on the bed didn't say anything after hearing this, but angrily grabbed the flashlight from the bedside table and smashed it towards the window.

Tang Wan was startled. Luckily, the window was glued on with plastic, otherwise the glass would definitely have been smashed.

She said to the window, "Dad, Mom, Grandma Ji is hospitalized in the county hospital. I'm lending my bicycle to Ji Xuening. I'll cook for you when I get back."

After saying that, she didn't listen to what was being said inside the house, and rode her bicycle to Ji Xuening's house.

The Cao family lived alone on a small hill. Lin Meili looked down from above and saw Tang Wan. She sneered, "Like attracts like."

After saying that, she nudged Cao Nongguo next to her with her elbow: "Your mother hasn't been to work for several days, go and talk to her."

Grandma Ji was hospitalized after eating wild vegetables she had dug up, and Wang Yuqing and Ji Xuening were reported. These two incidents quickly spread throughout the entire brigade. Shi Feng lowered her head and remained silent, afraid that someone would bring up the fact that she hadn't been given any grain yet.

Ji Xuening rode the bicycle Tang Wan had given him, taking Ji Daming to Liu Huo's house.

On the way, I passed by the house of a 70-year-old man. He was a "five-guarantee" elderly man in the brigade, meaning he was guaranteed food, clothing, medical care, housing, and burial.

He was a lonely man and also a cripple. Only one educated youth was staying at his home; the educated youth was the warehouse keeper of the production team.

Ji Xuening took care of the old man, taking care of his daily needs, carrying and boiling water, and even helping to collect supplies when the production team distributed them. Later, the educated youth took over his care.

When the old man heard about the Ji family's situation, he insisted on taking out a bag of wheat flour and a bag of potatoes and stuffing them into Ji Xuening's hands. He said, "You've been good to me and let me enjoy the warmth of socialism. Take these to the brigade to get a certificate explaining the situation, and then take the grain to the grain store in the county town to exchange for grain coupons. You'll need to eat and drink in the hospital, and you'll need some grain coupons on hand."

No matter how much Ji Xuening refused, the old man insisted on giving him the grain.

With tears welling up in her eyes, Ji Xuening thanked him, "Thank you, Old Man Li."

Ji Xiaoming thought he was going straight to the county hospital, but instead he stopped in front of Liu Huo's house. Ji Daming asked, "Dad, what are we doing at Uncle Liu's house?"

Ji Xuening looked at Liu Huo, who had just returned from the reservoir, and said, "I need grain."