Cheng Zhiwen quickly brought over a white doctor.
The doctor gave Cheng Anzai a thorough examination.
Shen Qing lay on the bed in the room and watched as the doctor finished examining Cheng An. Then she and Cheng Zhiwen went to the window to talk.
Shen Qing couldn't hear what they were saying, but could tell from Cheng Zhiwen's expression that Cheng An should be alright.
Shen Qing felt a little relieved, but looked at her son lying on the sofa with heartache.
At this moment, Cheng Zhiwen and the doctor walked in.
"Qing'er, let the doctor examine you," Cheng Zhiwen said.
Shen Qing nodded and obediently allowed the doctor to examine her injured area.
The doctor asked her if she felt unwell, and she truthfully described her condition.
The doctor diagnosed her with weakened immunity and physical weakness due to overwork and lack of nutrition, and advised her to improve her nutrition and get more rest.
Shen Qing didn't say anything.
She has to earn money to support her two children, so it's almost impossible for her to get much rest.
Cheng Zhiwen saw the doctor out and then returned inside.
He went to another room to get a small blanket and covered Cheng An with it, then squatted down by the sofa and looked at Cheng An for a very long time.
"Uncle," Cheng Xi walked up behind him and asked softly, "Why did you save us?"
He snapped out of his daze, turned around, and smiled at Cheng Xi: "Because your uncle is your father's... and your parents' friend."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Xi smiled broadly: "That's great! We won't be bullied here anymore! Thank you, Uncle!"
Cheng Zhiwen gave a bitter smile: "By the way, where's your father?"
Cheng Xi lowered her face, pouted, and didn't say anything.
Cheng Zhiwen looked at Shen Qing inside the room.
He patted Cheng Xi on the shoulder: "It's okay, Uncle's here, you can go have fun without worry."
Cheng Xi nodded and sat back down on the sofa next to Cheng An to read.
Cheng Zhiwen got up, went into the room, pulled up a chair, and sat down next to Shen Qing.
Shen Qing looked at him with red eyes, not knowing what to say for a moment, and just stared at him blankly.
He was as thin as ever, dressed in a casual American-style suit, with his short hair neatly cut and not a speck of stubble on his cheeks.
He's still as energetic as ever; time seems to have left no trace on his face, even though so much time has passed...
"Where's Qi Zhenheng? Didn't he come with you?" His tone was angry.
Shen Qing snapped out of her reverie, lowered her gaze, and pursed her lips: "He contracted the disease on the ship and passed away. I buried him in Woodlawn Cemetery."
Her expression was exactly the same as Cheng Xi's.
Cheng Zhiwen was shocked: "How could this be..."
Shen Qing calmly said, "Bacterial infection, there is no cure, and it eventually develops to the point where you can't eat or drink, and you're completely exhausted."
Cheng Zhiwen turned her face away, pressing her lips tightly together to keep her tears from falling.
He and Qi Zhenheng were childhood friends. Although they later became irreconcilable enemies because they both fell in love with Shen Qing, their childhood friendship remained in their hearts. Even though Qi Zhenheng always knew that he was a revolutionary, he never reported him to the Qing government and even genuinely raised his children.
Qi Zhenheng was a kind and honest official who had always treated him well, and he was well aware of this.
He was deeply saddened to hear that Qi Zhenheng had died on the ship.
Did he leave any words before he left?
Shen Qing shook her head: "No. The person was delirious with fever, and just fell asleep and stopped breathing."
Cheng Zhiwen shed tears.
Shen Qing also cried.
Qi Zhenheng's death is a regret that she can never erase from her heart.
She regretted that in the past, she had not treated him well, had not fulfilled her responsibilities as a wife, and had not allowed Qi Zhenheng to have a few good days.
Thinking about the past, Shen Qing felt even more upset and covered her face, tears streaming down her face.
Cheng Zhiwen suddenly stood up, hugged her tightly, and kissed her temples with his palms tracing her soft hair.
"Please accept my condolences. We are both in America now, and I will take good care of you and the children. You should rest well for now, and I will go out to look after the children."
He finished speaking with restraint, released Shen Qing, closed the door, and left.
Cheng An was still asleep, while Cheng Xi sat to the side reading a book.
Cheng Zhiwen went over to observe Cheng An's condition for a moment, then said to Cheng Xi, "Uncle is going to make dinner. What would Cheng Xi like to eat?"
Cheng Xi looked up at him and smiled, "Cheng Xi wants to eat noodles."
Cheng Zhiwen patted her hair: "Okay, Uncle will go make noodles for Cheng Xi."
After saying that, she got up and went to the kitchen, found pasta in the cupboard, and started cooking dinner.
There wasn't a single piece of meat or vegetables in the kitchen, but thankfully there were eggs. Cheng Zhiwen turned to look at Shen Qing's door and added two more eggs to the pot.
The pasta was cooked quickly and served on the table.
Cheng Zhiwen wiped her hands as she went to call Cheng Xi for dinner, then carried Shen Qing's portion into the room.
Shen Qing was lying on the bed, asleep with her eyes closed. He walked to the bedside and tucked the blanket around her.
Shen Qing woke up with a start.
Suddenly meeting her large, bright eyes, Cheng Zhiwen's heart skipped a beat. She swallowed hard and said softly, "I cooked spaghetti and eggs. Would you like some?"
Shen Qing nodded: "Okay."
She tried to get up on her own, but she was too weak and couldn't muster any strength in her arms. Cheng Zhiwen helped her sit up against the headboard.
He sat down on the edge of the bed, placed the tray on his lap, twirled a piece of one side with his fork, and brought it to Shen Qing's lips.
Shen Qing glanced at him, a little embarrassed, and said softly, "I can do it myself." With that, she took the fork and began to eat in small bites.
She had been sick for several days. Although the children had learned to cook, they had only made simple porridge. She hadn't eaten anything other than porridge in a long time, and she quickly finished a whole plate of pasta and eggs.
After finishing the meal, he realized he had eaten too quickly, like a starving ghost, and looked at Cheng Zhiwen awkwardly.
Cheng Zhiwen was laughing, and she blushed, asking, "What are you laughing at?"
"I'm laughing at you for eating like a child..." Cheng Zhiwen suddenly raised her hand and pinched the corner of her lips with the pad of her thumb. She flinched and then realized that there was ketchup on the corner of her lips.
"Do you remember? In Jiangzhou, the first time we ate together, it was noodles, hot beef soup noodles, and you really liked the soup."
Shen Qing remembered and said excitedly, "Yes, that beef noodle soup place is near the inn where you usually stay. They cook their noodles with real beef broth, it's very sweet and refreshing, and they sprinkle a lot of chopped green onions on top, it's so fragrant..."
Her eyes lit up when she talked about her life in Jiangzhou.
But the thought of never being able to go back made her sad, and the light in her eyes dimmed again.
"Qing'er..." Cheng Zhiwen held her hand and said softly, "Don't worry, we will definitely be able to go back."
Shen Qing didn't dare tell him that when they could go back fifty years later, they would be in their eighties or nineties. They might be able to go back for a quick look, but they could never go back to the past.
But we cannot give up the revolution because of this. They can't go back, but fifty years later, Cheng An and Cheng Xi will only be in their fifties. They can still return to China and travel all over the beautiful land of their motherland.
Thinking of this, Shen Qing cheered up again, grasped Cheng Zhiwen's hand, and said, "Yes! We will definitely be able to go back! Once I recover, I will continue doing business and send the money I earn back to Sun Wen to support the revolution!"
As she spoke, the light in her eyes intensified. Cheng Zhiwen stared at her blankly for a moment, then suddenly leaned forward and cupped her face in his hands.
He kissed her lips.
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