It was already dark outside. After Xiao Yunying finished her porridge, Mu Lianrong chased everyone out. For the first time, Luo Xin disobeyed and insisted on sleeping with her.
The little girl didn't cry or make a fuss, but just stared at Xiao Yunying with teary eyes, as if she knew that Xiao Yunying would respond better to gentle persuasion than force.
Xiao Yunying persuaded her mother to let Luo Xin stay and let her sleep on the other side of the kang (a heated brick bed) to avoid catching a cold from her.
Xiao Yunying recalled what happened in her dream. Her fever had not subsided, and she drifted off to sleep in a daze.
She woke up early the next day. Perhaps because she had slept all day the day before, she felt much better. She touched her forehead and found it wasn't as hot as it had been the day before.
The little girl was still asleep, her body covered in sweat from the fever, feeling sticky. She took a clean set of underwear into the supermarket, intending to take a shower.
Fearing someone might come in, and also worried that Luo Xin might suddenly wake up, Xiao Yunying quickly washed up, brushed her teeth, and dried her hair before coming out.
After putting on her coat and cloth shoes, Xiao Yunying took her dirty clothes and went out. The Xiao family members were already up and busy with various things in the yard.
As dawn broke, Xiao Yunying thought to herself, "Why are you up so early? Do you think I get up early enough and never sleep in?"
Wang came out of the kitchen carrying a wooden basin and saw her standing in the yard with her undergarments. She went over and said, "What are you doing out here? Your fever hasn't gone down yet. Go back inside quickly."
Then they pulled away her undergarment.
"That's the one I just changed, it needs to be washed."
Wang put the clothes in the wooden basin and urged Xiao Yunying to go back to the room: "I know, I'll wash them for you. Go back and lie down."
"No need, I can wash it myself."
"Why are you washing yourself? You're wobbling as you walk, and now you're going to plunge headfirst into the river..."
Realizing she had said something wrong, Wang paused for a moment and said, "Knowing you're a clean person, I'll wash you separately, using that soap you brought."
Xiao Yunying was gently pushed into the room by Madam Wang, who then closed the door behind her.
The door slammed shut a bit loudly, waking Luo Xin. Xiao Yunying leaned down and whispered, "Awake? Do you want to sleep a little longer?"
Luo Xin opened her arms and hugged Xiao Yunying's neck: "I'm not going to sleep anymore, Mother. Are you feeling better?"
"Mom feels much better, can you touch her?"
Xiao Yunying took Luo Xin's small hand to her forehead, and the little girl said seriously, "It's not as hot as last night, but it's still a bit hot."
"I feel better after taking the medicine today."
Luo Xin said anxiously, "Mother, Third Brother has been crying these past few days. Second Brother said he did something wrong and that Third Brother made you sick. Can you please not be angry with Third Brother?"
"Did your second brother ask you to tell me this?"
It turned out that Luo Yang saw that she couldn't be ruthless towards the little girl, so he sent the little girl to act as a mediator.
Luo Xin nodded: "Second brother also said that eldest brother said something wrong and made mother angry. Third brother also said something wrong yesterday and was slapped by grandma. They know they were wrong. Mother, please don't be angry with your two brothers anymore."
"Luo Li was beaten by my mother? What did she say?"
Luo Xin has a good memory. She recalled, "Third brother said that when Mother got sick, she was like a different person. He asked eldest brother if Mother would become bad this time. He hadn't apologized yet and hadn't received Mother's forgiveness. Second brother said that Mother wouldn't become bad in the future. Third brother said that it didn't matter if Mother became bad, he could send Mother to the gates of hell again. When Grandma heard this, she hit Third Brother."
Luo Xin finished speaking in one breath, and said uneasily, "Grandma said that the Gates of Hell is not a good place, but Third Brother didn't know what that meant. He didn't mean it on purpose. Mother, please forgive Third Brother."
Xiao Yunying did not answer, but took the coat and gave it to Luo Xin to wear.
She didn't know if it was intentional or not, but she knew that Luo Li deserved the slap.
She was indeed seriously ill yesterday. Even though her mother wouldn't admit it, she could see that her eyes were red. Mu Lianrong is such a strong-willed person, how worried must she have been to want to cry, but she kept holding it in.
Hearing Luo Li say that, it would be a miracle if her mother, with her fiery temper, could hold back and not take action.
Luo Xin dared not speak, and obediently let Xiao Yunying dress her and comb her hair.
She wanted to go out for some fresh air while she was washing up for Luo Xin, but as soon as she stepped out, her sister-in-law Zhang pushed her back, saying that she was going to wash up for Luo Xin.
"Sister-in-law, I'm fine now. I want to go outside for some fresh air."
"No, Mother said you can't leave the house until your cold is better. If you don't listen to me, I'll call Mother."
"No, I'll go back, okay? Why did you call your mother here for no reason?"
Xiao Yunying resigned herself to her fate and went back to her room, sitting on the bed.
As usual, Mu Lianrong brought breakfast into the room. After Xiao Yunying finished eating, she said she wanted to go out for a walk, but her mother's words made her feel ashamed, so she obediently went to lie down on the bed.
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