Almost all the knowledge that Dr. Wu taught them came in handy at this moment.
Take the pulse, examine the patient, select the medicine, and then administer acupuncture.
A full half hour later, Wen Zhiyun finally came out of the room carrying a small medicine box.
His face looked rather pale, and his brows furrowed with exhaustion.
Jiang Sheng and Zheng Ruqian rushed over, anxiously asking, "Fourth Brother, are you alright?"
Wen Zhiyun shook his head and looked at the Wang siblings.
The tension shifted again, and Wang Xiaosong's palms were soaked with sweat. He stared intently at Wen Zhiyun and said, "Doctor, please speak frankly. My mother has been bedridden for years, and we were prepared for this."
Wang Xiaozhu covered her face and choked up again.
Before Wen Zhiyun could speak, a soft voice suddenly called out from inside the room, "Xiaosong, Xiaozhu."
It's my mother.
"Mother!" Wang Xiaozhu screamed and rushed into the house.
She tripped over her skirt while crossing the threshold, and scrambled to her feet, heading straight for the inner room.
"Xiaozhu, you've lost weight these past few days. Have you not been eating properly?" a gentle voice asked. "I'll make you something delicious later."
Wang Xiaozhu nodded tearfully, "I want to eat the cakes my mother makes."
There were sounds of rummaging inside, as if someone was actually kneading dough.
Wang Xiaosong's eyes were red outside.
Compared to Wang Xiaozhu's naivety, he was more mature and knew that his mother was already beyond saving and could not possibly wake up again, let alone make pancakes.
"Doctor, what's wrong with my mother?" His voice trembled. "Is she better, or...?"
A final burst of energy before death?
Wen Zhiyun nodded heavily, confirming the answer.
No matter how skilled the doctor, they cannot save someone who is on their last legs. At most, the person can only have a brief moment of lucidity before death, like the last gentle touch of the King of Hell before taking their life.
Wang Xiaosong's tears fell.
He thanked Wen Zhiyun, "I thought Mother's death would happen in the next day or two, but I didn't expect to be able to have a proper talk with her. I just won't be able to entertain you properly from now on, please forgive me."
After saying that, the boy rushed into the house to enjoy his last moments of tenderness with his mother.
Their family was poor and couldn't afford meat, so their mother would knead dough and make fragrant pancakes, frying them until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, seasoned with Sichuan peppercorn powder and scallions. Even without any other dishes, each person could eat two or three.
Now, Grandma is making them one last batch of pancakes.
I was more willing to use more oil than before, and I added more chopped green onions. I made seven or eight pancakes by myself.
"Mother is leaving soon. Xiaosong and Xiaozhu won't be able to eat Mother's pancakes anymore." The woman smiled weakly. "Eat more this meal, get a little fatter, and Mother will be at ease."
The brother and sister's eyes were red, but neither dared to cry. They took a bite of the pancake, but couldn't swallow it for a long time.
She glanced at the four children standing outside. "Xiaozhu said they want to ask for the recipe for sausages? I don't have the energy to make them, so you can relay it to me."
"The best meat is three parts fat and seven parts lean, with a mix of minced and chunky pieces for the best texture. Season with Sichuan peppercorn powder and black pepper, add sugar to enhance the flavor, and add wine to remove any fishy smell..."
Wang Xiaosong memorized every single word.
The woman, who had just been kneading dough and making pancakes, felt her eyelids getting sore. She lay slumped on the edge of the bed, panting, and said, "Mother is leaving. Xiaosong, take good care of your sister. Live well and make something of yourself."
As soon as he finished speaking, his hand fell.
Wang Xiaosong dropped the pancake and rushed over, and Wang Xiaozhu burst into a heart-wrenching cry.
They all knew that at this moment, they no longer had their mother.
In the courtyard.
Jiang Sheng was at a loss. She had never had a mother and did not know how painful it was to lose one.
But then she thought about it again. She had only known her brothers for two years. If she lost them, she would be in so much pain that she couldn't breathe and couldn't straighten her back.
Then you can understand the Wang siblings.
"Shouldn't we... not disturb them?" Jiang Sheng asked Zheng Ruqian.
Zheng Ruqian hadn't experienced it either, and hesitated before saying, "Probably."
They've lost their mothers, so why would they be eager to ask for recipes?
Jiang Sheng turned around, looking dejected, and prepared to leave.
Several strangers suddenly burst in from outside. They were taken aback when they saw Jiang Sheng and his sister, but quickly rushed into the inner room with a menacing air.
The middle-aged man at the head of the group shouted, "Wang Xiaosong, your father is gone and your mother is dead. The old house that belongs to the Wang family should be returned."
"Why should I?" Wang Xiaosong cried out, his voice trembling with sobs. "This is my parents' house, my family's residence. What does it have to do with you?"
The man said disdainfully, "This is the house your grandfather gave to your parents. Now that your parents are gone, but your grandfather is still alive, what's the point of taking it back?"
It's obvious they're bullying a pair of orphans who have no one to rely on.
What kind of house is this? It was clearly bought by my parents for ten taels of silver. Just because we are blood relatives, they only put their fingerprints on it and didn't go through the proper channels with the government. Now, the documents are torn up and invalidated, and the name on the land deed is still my grandfather's.
The true young master could only be forcibly driven out.
There wasn't even time to bury her mother.
"Damn it, we're too late. This woman died in the yard," Uncle Wang cursed.
Another person comforted him, "It's okay, it's going to be rebuilt anyway, and no one can live in such a dilapidated house."
Wang Xiaosong's eyes turned bloodshot with hatred. He went to the kitchen, grabbed a cleaver, and prepared to fight to the death.
Fortunately, Jiang Sheng appeared in time and stopped him.
With red eyes, Wang Xiaozhu murmured, "Uncles weren't like this before, why did they change, why?"
Because the poor are bullied.
True friendship is revealed in times of trouble.
The smiles during times of glory are often insincere; the hands extended during times of hardship are the most genuine.
Chang Yan, who had been silent all along, suddenly stood in front of Wang Xiaosong, looked up and said, "Instead of risking your life, you should live well, surpass them in the future, and trample them under your feet."
Better than him, stronger than him, mock him for being weak, ridicule him for being stupid.
Everyone harbors some degree of resentment. If anger takes hold and one vents recklessly, it will only lead to mutual destruction.
It's better to develop properly, so that one day you can stand in a position where he can't even see you when he looks up, making him look up to you in awe.
Only in this way can we live up to those hopes.
Wang Xiaosong loosened his grip, and the two kitchen knives clattered to the ground.
Chang Yan knew he had taken it to heart, so he said nothing more.
Zheng Ruqian sighed, "Let's bury them first."
The children worked together from noon until afternoon and finally managed to bury Wang.
Wang Xiaosong made a wooden monument and kowtowed three times.
"Mom, I will take good care of my sister. We will live well. You can rest assured, you can rest assured."
He turned around and looked at Jiang Sheng again, "I've memorized the sausage recipe you asked for. I'll write it down on a piece of paper later."
Jiang Sheng's eyes lit up.
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