After a long and tiring journey, Shen Fenghua quickly settled her grandmother in a guesthouse. Thinking that tomorrow was Monday, she was worried about letting her grandmother go to work so easily.
"Nianping, Nian'an, you two stay here and don't run around. Auntie is going out for a bit and will be back in a little while."
Both children were very well-behaved. Knowing that the adults were busy, they didn't cause any trouble and obediently responded.
"Auntie, don't worry."
Shen Fenghua patted the two children's heads and said, "Good girl, when Auntie comes back, I'll bring you two something delicious."
She left in a hurry, first rushing to the supply and marketing cooperative before it closed to buy a pound of peach shortbread, then taking the shortbread with her, hopping on her bicycle, and rushing to the factory manager's house without stopping.
The factory manager's wife naturally recognized Shen Fenghua. Seeing Shen Fenghua, who looked travel-worn and disheveled, she was taken aback. "You child, what happened to you?"
Shen Fenghua forced herself to cheer up, "It's nothing, Auntie. I just wanted to ask if the factory manager is home. I want to talk to him about something."
"Yes, yes, yes," the factory manager's wife welcomed Shen Fenghua inside. "Come in and sit down."
The factory manager was drinking tea in the room when he heard a faint noise outside. He put down his teacup and looked up to see Shen Fenghua's haggard figure.
"Feng Hua, you..."
After a bumpy journey and the heat, Shen Fenghua looks like a beggar.
"Factory manager, I'd like to ask for a day off tomorrow."
"What happened?" The factory manager asked, somewhat bewildered. "Sit down, let's talk about it slowly. Just a couple of days ago you were so happy, saying you wanted to go back to your hometown to see your grandmother, but..."
Shen Fenghua sat down. "Yes, something happened at my maternal grandparents' house."
Under the factory manager's persistent questioning, Shen Fenghua, though stammering and pitiful, recounted in a remarkably clear and organized manner what had happened in the countryside.
The factory manager was furious. "Nonsense! How can someone act like this as a child? They're worse than an animal!"
The factory manager's wife also listened with righteous indignation; being a woman herself, she felt an overwhelming sense of empathy.
"Exactly! Is it easy for a lonely old mother to raise a child? Oh, when they're young, they're invaluable, every household wants them, but now that they're old and should be enjoying their retirement, they're just kicked aside? Bah! You heartless bastard, you deserve to be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!!!"
Shen Fenghua cried, “Who can argue with that? I used to bring my grandma some good food and drinks back home, and she wouldn’t eat a single bite, saving them all for the children. Now that my grandma has suffered so much, they haven’t even said a word. It really breaks my heart.”
"Alright," the factory manager waved his hand, "I know what you mean. You're a good kid, and your grandma raised you for nothing. Here's what we'll do: the most troublesome time for your publicity department is over, so let your department head handle the wrap-up."
He pondered for a moment, then said, "I'll give you a seven-day holiday. Hurry up and get that house ready so you can move in with your grandma."
"Ah!" This time, Shen Fenghua truly cried out, "Thank you for taking care of me, otherwise, I..."
"Alright," the factory manager waved his hand, "You're just a young girl, it hasn't been easy for you to get to where you are now. It's not a big deal. Take care of yourself, trust your uncle, things will definitely get better and better from now on!"
After spending an hour at the factory manager's house, Shen Fenghua left empty-handed and free of debt.
When they reached a secluded spot, a hint of irony flashed in her lowered eyes.
Don't blame yourself for being so calculating; it's just that circumstances forced you to. Now, I've brought my grandmother here to live in a daze. If those shameless bastards and their whole family stick to me again and turn around and accuse me, it'll be a joke.
Let's just tear all of this apart, even though family scandals shouldn't be aired in public.
Can……
If this can avoid 90% of the problems, then let's just go for it.
She did this to prevent future troubles.
However, the thought of a week-long holiday still brought a smile to Shen Fenghua's eyes.
Not bad!
The basic infrastructure of the yard has been renovated, and only some small items have not yet been purchased.
These are not major problems; they can be solved by spending some money and putting in some effort.
Back at the guesthouse, Grandma had already woken up. After the ordeal on the train and her injury, Grandma was clearly not in good spirits. Shen Fenghua thought for a moment, then helped Grandma take a bath, and then went to the hospital to get some iodine and gauze.
I carefully changed my grandmother's dressing.
When Grandma was changing her dressing, the two boys watched from the side, chirping like little chicks, calling out "Great-Grandma" this and "Great-Grandma" that.
"Alright, alright, stop yelling!"
Shen Fenghua chuckled, "The dressing has already been changed."
The two children surrounded their maternal grandmother, asking, "Great-Grandma, does it hurt?"
Looking at the two skinny children, the grandmother shook her head, "It doesn't hurt anymore, they're much better."
Grandma's head wound wasn't deep, just a large scrape that looked rather gruesome. The deepest cut was a centimeter long, and the doctor stitched it up with three stitches. Shen Fenghua looked at the wound and felt both heartache and relief.
"It doesn't hurt yet, but you've had three stitches on perfectly good flesh. I don't know when it will heal," Shen Fenghua said, feeling quite distressed. Her grandmother looked at Shen Fenghua's pouting lips and chuckled, "Alright, alright, if you keep thinking about this, we won't be able to get by."
Grandma sighed, "I guess this has made me realize the truth."
Thinking of this, Grandma's gaze fell on Shen Fenghua, "From now on, let's live well together, mother and daughter."
"..."
night.
After a long day of running around, the mother and her children quickly fell into a sweet dream. Even though the place where she was sleeping was not her usual place, she still slept soundly because her grandmother was there.
The next morning.
Why are you up so early?
Qi Ye's eyes were slightly red. "They're alright. Are they all awake?"
"Yes, they're all awake."
“Come on, you eat something first and then go to work. I'll look after Grandma and the child today.”
Shen Fenghua shook her head, "No need, I already asked the factory manager for leave yesterday, and I can rest for seven days."
"real?"
Qi Ye immediately perked up, "Then let's pack up and go back?"
"Huh?" Shen Fenghua was a little stunned. "Go back now? Is that even possible?"
Qi Ye: "Why not? The kang (heated brick bed) at home has already been built, and I've used my connections to get the iron pot, cotton quilts, and everything else back. The house has everything we need for eating, drinking, and water. The only problem is that we haven't got electricity yet, but we can use candles for now without any problems."
"Wh-what?"
Shen Fenghua was a little confused. Before she left, there was nothing in the house except for the kang (a heated brick bed) and the well in the yard.
"I told you not to worry, leave everything at home to me, have you forgotten?"
Shen Fenghua lowered her eyes, and after a long while, she said softly in a slightly choked voice, "I am really grateful to you, Qi Ye, for appearing by my side at this time."
Looking at her small stature, and her usual energetic, generous, and cheerful demeanor, Qi Ye felt an incredible softening in his heart compared to how pitiful she looked now.
"This is what I should do."
"Hmm~"
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