Chapter 18 Mother-in-law Arrives
The warm morning sun shone into the ward, covering the sleeping Xie Shiyu and also falling on the tired but alert Gu Qiuyue beside the bed. She had just tucked in the corners of the quilt for him, and her eyes swept over the open old biscuit box, military medals, bullet shells, and the dark blue passbook on the bedside table. After thinking for a while, she closed the box and put it into the space.
Just as all this was done, "Comrade Gu," Nurse Xiao Liu tiptoed in, "Doctor Yang specifically instructed that Captain Xie must rest absolutely, pay attention to his temperature and wounds, and ring the bell immediately if anything unusual happens."
She paused, "By the way, there are some magazines in the reading room. Would you like to read some to relieve your boredom?"
At this moment, the door of the ward was suddenly pushed open with great force and a sense of anger as if to call for an explanation, without any warning!
Gu Qiuyue's heart tightened and she subconsciously protected the bed.
Standing at the door was a middle-aged woman wearing a dark blue woolen coat and with her hair neatly combed. Beside her stood a young woman with a gentle temperament and wearing an off-white cashmere sweater.
Wang Xiulan's eyes instantly fixed on her son's bandaged body. Her eyes flushed red, and her voice trembled sharply: "Shi Yu! My son! What...what happened?! You woman!" She almost poked her finger into Gu Qiuyue's face, and she was furious. "Did you use some shameful means to make Shi Yu marry you?
Why else would Shi Yu have kept such a big deal like getting married a secret from his family? As a mother, I only heard about my son's marriage from other people. Just get married, Shi Yu's not a kid anymore, but is this how you're taking care of him?! It's only been a few days? And you've made him look like this?! "Every word was heartbreaking, and Gu Qiuyue directed all her anger at her son's serious injury and her dissatisfaction with this secret marriage at him.
Xu Wanru covered her mouth in shock. It was the first time she saw Aunt Wang so angry. She hurried over to support Wang Xiulan, her worried eyes shifting between Xie Shiyu and Gu Qiuyue.
Gu Qiuyue's fingertips were cold, and her blood was boiling. She pinched her palm hard, forcing herself to calm down. She took a deep breath, straightened her back, and spoke in a clear and restrained voice, "Auntie, please speak softly. Shi Yu was injured while on a mission. The operation was successful, and he has just passed the critical period. Doctor Yang has given a strict order that he must rest absolutely and not be disturbed at all." She looked at the bed with a firm gaze, "If there is anything, let's talk outside. Don't disturb him."
Her calmness and her attitude of putting Xie Shiyu first were like cold water poured on Wang Xiulan's anger, making her choke. A hint of surprise flashed in Xu Wanru's eyes.
Wang Xiulan walked towards the corridor with a gloomy face and angrily. Gu Qiuyue followed silently. Xu Wanru said softly, "Auntie Wang, I'll look after Brother Xie."
The corridor was filled with a pungent smell of disinfectant.
Wang Xiulan aimed her gunfire at Gu Qiuyue again: "Carrying out the mission? Don't you know that he hasn't recovered from his last injury?! Is this how you act as a wife? You're completely useless! I think you're..."
"Comrade Xiao Gu, I finally found you." An anxious voice interrupted her.
Director Li from Xinhua Bookstore and a man in his forties ran over, sweating profusely, holding a thick German machinery manual and manuscript paper in their hands.
"Comrade Xiao Gu, I'm really sorry! I know your wife is in the hospital and needs help! But the equipment introduced in our factory has problems, and the instructions are in German. Director Li said that you have read German books in their bookstore. Can you help us translate it? Don't worry, we won't let you work too hard!" The middle-aged man spoke before Director Li.
Wang Xiulan's rebuke was stuck in her throat, and she looked at the German instruction manual that was like a heavenly book in surprise. She could understand Russian, but German...could this girl know it?
Gu Qiuyue subconsciously looked inside the ward door and saw Xu Wanru sitting quietly by the bed, flipping through the English book she had brought back.
She lowered her head and quickly flipped through the manual. Her brows frowned slightly and then relaxed. She nodded decisively: "Okay, I'll try." Her tone was full of quiet confidence.
A small table next to the nurses' station.
Gu Qiuyue sat down and spread out the manuscript paper. In an instant, she seemed to have entered another world. Her whole aura became different. Her eyes were focused, the tip of her pen rustled, and she moved smoothly on the manuscript paper. When she encountered extremely unfamiliar terms, she thought for a moment and translated them accurately.
The middle-aged man stood by and muttered, "Ah, so that's how it is... Oh... It has to be operated like that... No wonder..."
Wang Xiulan couldn't stand it any longer and walked over and said, "Comrade, could you please not disturb my daughter-in-law? Don't you know that translation requires quiet time?"
Deputy Director Liu smiled awkwardly and shut up. Xu Wanru walked out of the ward and stood not far away, looking at them. Her face had a complicated expression, especially when she heard Wang Xiulan say "my daughter-in-law", a trace of embarrassment flashed across her face.
Gu Qiuyue quickly translated the entire instruction manual and handed it to Deputy Director Liu, who thanked her profusely. She asked him to give the reward to Director Li and hurried back to the ward.
Director Li took out a certificate and said, "Comrade Xiao Gu, this is the translator certificate issued to you by our Xinhua Bookstore. Since you can speak German, you can also get some German-language assignments."
"Director Li, my main task now is to take care of my lover, and translation is just a by-product..." Gu Qiuyue refused without thinking.
"I know, we won't rush you." Director Li smiled.
After seeing Director Li off, Gu Qiuyue returned to the ward. Xie Shiyu was still asleep, but the atmosphere was a little subtle. Xu Wanru gave her a friendly smile. Wang Xiulan was silent for a long time, and finally stood up. Her voice was stiff but less sharp: "Wanru and I... will go find a guesthouse first. You..." She gave Gu Qiuyue a complicated look, "Take good care of Shiyu."
"Okay." Gu Qiuyue responded calmly.
Wang Xiulan walked to the door, put her hand on the doorknob, and without turning around, she just said, "He's awake, tell him... his family knows about it, take good care of him."
Gu Qiuyue nodded, watching the door close gently. Her tense nerves relaxed a little, and fatigue surged over her. She turned around and wanted to pour some water.
"Ugh..." A muffled groan of pain came from the hospital bed.
Gu Qiuyue's heart sank suddenly and she turned around suddenly.
Xie Shiyu's brows were furrowed, cold sweat was pouring down his face, and his body was slightly curled up in pain. What made her even more frightened was that the white bandage under his left ribs was rapidly spreading a glaring crimson, and the blood was spreading hideously on the snow-white bandage.
"Xie Shiyu!" Gu Qiuyue's voice changed, and she rushed to the bedside in fear, her fingers trembling and not daring to touch the wound, "Doctor! Come quickly! Doctor Yang!!" She screamed and pressed the emergency call bell fiercely.
The shrill ringing tore through the silence!
Outside the door, Wang Xiulan and Xu Wanru, who had not yet walked far, turned back in horror. Through the glass door, they only saw Gu Qiuyue's panicked back lying on the bed and Xie Shiyu's painful curled-up figure.
The bright sunshine was instantly swallowed up by the cold haze of fear.
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