Li Hongjuan also followed behind, with obvious curiosity and a hint of dissatisfaction on her face. It was obvious that she was also woken up.
Zhong Chengren's face turned red and white, burning with anger. He couldn't say that he had secretly eaten his wife's hospital meals and was beaten like an animal by his own mother with tongs, right?
How can he hold his head up high at home in the future?
His eyes flickered as he spoke vaguely, "No...it's okay, big brother, big sister-in-law. It's just...it's just that Mingli has a fever, and mother was a little worried, so she said a few words to me."
Li Hongjuan was still yelling at the door, "You two, mother and daughter, woke up the whole family in the middle of the night! Who will have the energy to work tomorrow?"
After she finished speaking, she slammed the door shut, causing the wall to tremble three times.
Zhong Chengren stood there, his face turning pale and blue. He could only sneak into his room in shame, not daring to say another word.
It was just daybreak and there was still a thin mist in the yard. An old hen jumped off the chicken coop and started digging for food in the yard.
Zhang Chunxue had gotten up early. She was wearing an old cotton-padded jacket and her steps were as light as if she was stepping on cotton. She carefully pushed open the door of the west room.
The soybean oil lamp at the bedside had gone out, leaving only a wisp of smoke floating in the air.
Zhou Mingli lay there, her face pale, but the sweat on her forehead had dried, and she had calmed down, no longer having a fever or convulsions.
Zhang Chunxue reached out and touched her forehead, then felt her pulse, and finally breathed a sigh of relief, "The fever is finally gone..."
She whispered to herself and looked at the worn little bowl in the corner - the bowl left for Zhou Mingli to drink porridge last night, but now it was empty, which made her heart tighten again.
"This child is too weak. How can we not get some supplements?" Zhang Chunxue frowned and pondered. "We have to find a way to get him some good food."
After much thought, she decided to go to the river to catch fish. At least she could make a pot of fish soup to nourish the sick man, which would be her best wish as a mother-in-law.
She cooked rice porridge again, fed Zhong Yuanyuan the rice soup, told Zhou Mingli to get up and drink some porridge, put Zhong Yuanyuan in the cradle on the side, and then Zhang Chunxue got busy.
She made breakfast and asked Zhong Yuanyuan to get up as she was late for breakfast.
As for her three sons and eldest daughter-in-law, she didn't care about them. After breakfast, she went to look for fishing tools.
After packing up the bamboo basket and net bag, Zhang Chunxue called out to Zhong Xiaoxiao, who was teasing Zhong Yuanyuan: "Xiaoxiao, I'm going out for a while. Please keep an eye on Yuanyuan."
"Xiaoxiao, are you up?" Zhang Chunxue said softly, "Please keep an eye on Yuanyuan. I'm going out for a while."
"Mom, where are you going? I'm coming with you!" Zhong Xiaoxiao tucked the swaddle closer to her chest and asked softly, "You're taking these things... to the river?"
Zhang Chunxue just smiled and said, "I'm going to catch two fish. You don't have to follow me."
"I'd better come with you! What if Mom needs my help?" Zhong Xiaoxiao picked up her niece, "I'll go with you!"
Seeing how determined she was, Zhang Chunxue had no choice but to let her follow.
The two walked out of the yard side by side and slowly walked along the ridge of the field towards the small river at the east end of the village.
The morning breeze blew through the straw stacks, and a damp, fresh smell penetrated into the nostrils, making people shiver.
When they were almost at the river, Zhang Chunxue suddenly stopped and glanced at her daughter. "By the way, last night...how did Secretary Song suddenly become 'Teacher Song'? When did he start teaching you?"
Zhong Xiaoxiao was stunned and subconsciously lowered her head. She twisted her two fingers together, wrinkling the swaddling clothes, but she still hesitated for a long time without saying a word.
Zhang Chunxue patiently said, "Is there anything you can't tell Mom? Hmm?"
"No..." Zhong Xiaoxiao gritted her teeth, her face flushed red. "Actually...actually, it was Teacher Song who had been tutoring me. He explained the questions in great detail, which is why my grades have improved. He, he told me not to tell you because he was afraid you'd be angry..."
Before she finished speaking, she secretly glanced at her mother. Her dark, thin but powerful hands were tightly gripping the handle of the bamboo basket, with the blue veins on them exposed, as if she was enduring something!
Could it be that my mother would really be angry if she knew about this, just like Teacher Song said?
Zhong Xiaoxiao thought about it and felt a little uneasy.
But strangely, Zhang Chunxue was silent for a moment, then sighed deeply: "Alas, Song... Secretary Song is also doing this for your own good..."
She paused, and without explaining why Song Xingzhi thought she would be angry, she changed the subject: "If you really catch some fish and make fish soup later, remember to serve a bowl to Teacher Song. He's doing such a big favor, you can't just pretend you didn't see it, right?"
"Ah?" Zhong Xiaoxiao opened her eyes wide, a little incredulous. "Mom, are you really not angry?"
"There's nothing to be angry about," Zhang Chunxue reached out and touched her head. "He tutored you, so you did so well on the test. We should be grateful to him... a bowl of fish soup is nothing."
After saying that, she quickened her pace and deliberately turned back to urge her daughter: "Hurry up, don't let us fail to catch fish or all the fish soup will be gone!"
As soon as the two of them turned around Willow Bay, they saw a figure squatting beside the stone slabs on the river beach from afar - it was Song Xingzhi.
He rolled up his sleeves and soaked a bucket of clothes in the freezing river water. His hands were frozen red, but he kept scrubbing the stains on his collar and cuffs. Each scrubbing made a sizzling sound, and he was a hundred times more careful and serious than a woman.
Zhong Xiaoxiao was about to shout hello when Zhang Chunxue suddenly grabbed her arm.
"Hey, don't shout," Zhang Chunxue said, pulling her up quickly. "If you shout, you'll have to exchange some polite words with him... and waste time."
Zhong Xiaoxiao didn't understand why, but nodded obediently: "I'll listen to my mother!"
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!
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