The moment a child feels special probably starts when he or she receives extra favor from his or her elders.
Niu Niu also felt a little guilty because of her grandmother's behavior. She thought it was unfair that she had the disease but her brothers and sisters didn't.
But Grandma Gu gave her a very powerful explanation: "Grandma's things, I give them to whoever she likes, there is no fairness or unfairness in it."
Of course, although Mrs. Gu said this, she still knew how to hide her partiality. She was partial to little insignificant things like this, and she treated all the children equally in big matters.
Niuniu pulled her grandmother to the backyard and said, "I miss Grandpa, too."
Mrs. Gu immediately said, "Your grandfather is not at home. The old man went out to find food for the chickens."
Niuniu was a little disappointed when she heard that, but she quickly cheered up and asked, "You haven't been back for so long, have the chicks grown up?"
Mrs. Gu immediately perked up and said, "Your chicks are growing well, dear. I'll take you to see them right away!"
This group of chickens were raised by Old Man Gu from sick chicks that he had begged for when Niu Niu first came to this family. According to common sense, none of them should be able to grow big, but now each of them is growing very energetic, and you can't tell at all that they were once sick chicks.
"Xiaohua, do you remember me? I'm Niu Niu!" Niu Niu said to one of the hens with bright feathers.
The hen Xiaohua seemed to have really understood what was said. She turned around and clucked at Niu Niu, then sat down where she was. When she stood up again, there was a freshly baked egg on the ground.
Mrs. Gu said excitedly, "It's winter and the weather is cold. The chickens don't like to lay eggs anymore. But they started laying eggs as soon as you came back. They really like you!"
Niu Niu's face turned red with joy when she heard this.
Gu's wife Chen Chunhua carried a basin of pig feed and poured it directly into the trough in the pigpen next to the chicken coop. She smiled and said, "Mom, my dad is the best at raising chickens. Many families in the village followed our example and raised sick and weak chickens, but none of them survived."
Old Lady Gu glanced at her and said, "You still have the nerve to laugh at others. Didn't you do the same stupid thing yourself?"
Chen Chunhua smiled flatteringly at Old Lady Gu, and then said, "Mom, my second brother passed the exam to become a scholar. Our family's status is different now than before. We have to celebrate the New Year in a more lavish way, and show off when visiting relatives and friends, otherwise outsiders will laugh at us."
Old Mrs. Gu and Chen Chunhua have been mother-in-law and daughter-in-law for more than ten years. As soon as her eldest daughter-in-law sticks out her butt, she knows what's going to happen. She talks a lot of nonsense, but in fact her eyes are staring at the chickens.
Old Mrs. Gu immediately frowned and said, "Don't think about these chickens. I raised them for Niuniu. I didn't use a single grain of corn or a single leaf of vegetable from this family. From beginning to end, they have nothing to do with you!"
What Chen Chunhua saw were not lively chickens, but pieces of fragrant chicken. She had watched Old Man Gu raise a group of sick and weak chicks to their current state. How could she let such a huge profit slip away when it was right in front of her?
"Mother, you are too partial to the second wife. The wild boar that was brought back from the mountains was randomly divided among the second brother just to save face. We, the first wife, had to endure this loss, but now how come these chickens raised by father have become Niuniu's alone? The eldest and second daughters in our family are your biological granddaughters, and they are much closer to us than this found lost money!"
Hearing Chen Chunhua say this, Old Mrs. Gu felt that all the blood in her body was rushing to her head. She was so angry that her lips were shaking and her old body couldn't help but start to shiver.
Niu Niu was the first to notice what happened to Grandma Gu. She burst into tears and said, "Grandma! Grandma, what's wrong with you? Don't scare Niu Niu! Niu Niu doesn't want these chickens anymore. Niu Niu just wants Grandma to be well!"
A child's loud crying is always particularly sensitive to parents.
The moment they heard the sound, Gu Mingda and Zhang Yuniang rushed to the backyard and hurriedly supported the staggering old lady Gu on the left and right.
Gu Mingda had always been gentle, but now that he saw Old Lady Gu become like this, he couldn't help but question Chen Chunhua: "Sister-in-law, what did you say to make Mother so angry!"
Chen Chunhua huddled aside, looking guilty, and still denying, "I... I didn't say anything... I don't know why Mom suddenly felt unwell..."
Seeing that she didn't answer the question, Gu Mingda could only stamp his feet, looked at Zhang Yuniang, and asked, "Go and stop the driver, and take mother to the town to see a doctor first."
After they got off the carriage, they did not immediately ask the driver to return, but instead, out of rural hospitality, they invited the driver to their home for tea.
The driver stayed for a while to exchange pleasantries and just left.
Zhang Yunniang always remembered her mother-in-law's kindness, so she quickly chased after her upon hearing that. Fortunately, the driver was stopped at the entrance of the village and questioned. When the driver learned of the sudden change in the Gu family, he turned the carriage around and came back without saying a word.
It was almost dusk when Old Mrs. Gu was sent to the town.
The same old doctor from last time was still in the town. He still remembered Zhang Yuniang. After taking Mrs. Gu's pulse, he gave her a few injections on the spot and considered for a long time before prescribing a prescription.
Seeing the old doctor's serious face, Gu Mingda's heart felt like it was being fried in a frying pan. He asked, "Doctor, how is my mother?"
The old doctor sighed and said, "Fortunately you guys got her there in time. If you were a little later, the old lady would probably have had a stroke."
When Gu Mingda heard this, he was still in disbelief. He remembered that his mother had always been in good health. She was fine before he left home for the exam. How could she suddenly become like this?
Zhang Yunniang gently held Gu Mingda's hand. Her husband had always been caring and supportive of her, and she rarely saw him so vulnerable.
"Doctor, please prescribe the best medicine for my mother-in-law. We will find a way to get the money. Please make sure to cure my mother-in-law." Zhang Yunniang repeatedly requested the old doctor.
Gu Mingda also kept nodding his head with pleading eyes.
The old doctor confirmed that the couple were sincere, so he said a few more words: "Your mother doesn't need any special expensive herbs. She is old and can't stand being bullied. She has been sulking a lot recently. You should persuade her to relax and not be hard on her body even if she is unhappy."
Gu Mingda heard this. This was not the first time that Old Lady Gu was angry recently. He immediately turned to look at the pale Old Lady Gu and asked, "Mom, what happened during the time I was away from home? Who made you angry?"
Upon hearing this, a bitter look appeared on Old Lady Gu's lips.
Gu Mingda looked at Niuniu, whose eyes were red and swollen from crying, but who was still clinging to Old Lady Gu with a worried look on her face, and asked, "Niuniu, you are a good child. Tell Daddy, what did your aunt do in the backyard earlier?"
Second update
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