Chapter 71 The Lame Man Can Walk
Huiru's husband is called Chen Shuli. Chen Shuli has inherited the skill of bone pinching and bone setting from his ancestors. However, this skill is not very useful now, and he can't make a living from it. He can only treat people in the surrounding villages.
Now he saw that Gu Weidong had a broken leg, and he felt like taking a look at it.
Chen Shuli first carefully examined the fractured bones of Gu Weidong, asked a few questions, and then began to gently press on the fractured area. Gu Weidong endured it at first, but later beads of sweat began to fall, and he began to grimace in pain.
When Liu Guizhi saw this, her heart skipped a beat.
The foot doctor had told him to take care of it slowly, without moving or getting into any contact. That was why she was always so careful when changing his dressings and wiping him down. Why was Chen Shuli doing this now? Could his leg be getting worse?
In the east room, Chen Hongying, Liu Zhaodi and others also heard the noise. They knew that someone had come to see Fubao. They heard that it was the nun from the nunnery.
Liu Zhaodi curled her lips and said, "I heard it's unlucky to invite a nun into your home."
Shen Hongying hadn't heard of this, but she was very dissatisfied with the customers Fubao had attracted. She saw that the two people came over and seemed to be carrying something in their hands. The nylon bag contained a pile of small packages wrapped in brown paper, which were obviously fried fruits or other delicious things.
After all, Fubao was adopted before the family split up, and they had raised Fubao for a few days before. Why didn't they let them try it? Shen Hongying was very dissatisfied.
Who knew that at this moment, Gu Weidong's wailing voice came from the west room. Liu Zhaodi's eyes suddenly lit up: "Go listen, go listen, what's going on, is there a fight?"
Chen Hongying thought about it and nodded vigorously: "I remember that when two nuns went to the Nie family to see Fubao, the Nie family was busy for a long time just to deal with them. It shows that those nuns are not good-tempered!"
The more they thought about it, the more it made sense. They hurried over to take a look, but when they got close, the voice stopped. They quickly asked Gu Shengtian, who had just walked out, "What's wrong with your dad? Why is he crying like this?"
Gu Shengtian was puzzled: "My father didn't cry. The doctor was treating him."
Doctor? Treat illness?
Liu Zhaodi curled her lips and said, "What disease are you curing? How can a nun cure diseases?"
Gu Shengtian looked at the two aunts inexplicably. He had always disliked them, especially after the incident of wrongfully accusing them of stealing chickens. He disliked them even more, so he deliberately frowned and said, "Why can't you cure illnesses?"
Inside the house, Chen Shuli wiped the sweat from his forehead after massaging Gu Weidong's legs. "I'll prescribe a prescription. These are all common herbs found in the mountains. You can find them yourself. Give them to him three times a day. He should be almost cured in three days."
It will be fine in three days?
Gu Weidong and Liu Guizhi looked at each other, naturally they couldn't believe it, but since the words had been said, it was not appropriate to question them.
Huiru was already hugging Fubao at this time. She stroked Fubao's little head and asked about his experiences over the years. When she heard that Fubao was chosen by the entire production team by drawing lots, she cursed the Nie family again in anger.
As they were talking, Huiru suddenly asked, "By the way, where's your jade? Why is it gone?"
Fubao was slightly surprised when she heard this, but she quickly remembered the letter the nunnery abbess had left for her: "Jade? Sister Huiru, should I have a piece of jade?"
She had indeed wanted to ask Sister Huiru, but she was so excited to see Sister Huiru today that she forgot about it.
Huiru then realized something was wrong: "Have you never seen that piece of jade?"
Fu Bao hurriedly shook his head: "No! I didn't even know I had a piece of jade."
Huiru frowned, thought for a moment, and said hatefully, "It was the Nie family. The Nie family coveted your jade!"
Liu Guizhi and Gu Weidong were also a little confused. Huiru started to talk about it when she saw that no one knew.
It turned out that when the abbot picked up Fubao in the mountains, he put away the small quilt that wrapped Fubao. Later, he accidentally found a piece of jade in the small quilt.
At that time, the abbess thought that this should be a token left by Fubao's biological parents, so she said that she would return it to her when Fubao grew up. Who knew that the nunnery would later encounter so many troubles and the abbess would become seriously ill.
When the abbess was dying, she entrusted the jade to Huiru, asking Huiru to give the jade to Fubao or to someone who adopted Fubao.
"After the Nie family adopted you, Huixin came here specifically to give the jade to Nie Lao San's wife. I didn't expect them to secretly covet it and never give it to you! I'm so angry!"
Huiru has a rather explosive temper. When she was a nun, she once quarreled with pilgrims who came to burn incense. Now that she has returned to secular life, she no longer has to endure it.
When Fubao heard this, he immediately understood.
At that time, Nie Laosan's wife secretly stroked the jade without showing it to her because the jade was hers.
The piece of jade that Shengyin had hanging around the piglet's neck when he caught it was that one.
Gu Weidong and Liu Guizhi looked at each other, and then Gu Weidong spoke up: "If that's the case, then we can ask Huixin to come forward and call the team leader to help us. Let Huixin confront Nie Laosan's family face to face, and then we can get the jade back."
Huiru lowered her head and thought about it. Yes, she regretted that she was not there when the jade was handed over to Nie Lao San's family. Otherwise, she would rush over to get the jade now.
So they immediately agreed that Huiru would go to find Huixin and ask her if she had time to come to the production brigade, while Gu Weidong and Liu Guizhi would go to the production brigade to find Chen Youfu and ask him to help find a way to persuade Nie Laosan's family to return the jade.
After both parties agreed on this, it was almost time for Huiru to leave. Liu Guizhi originally wanted to keep her, after all, she had come from far away and should at least have a hot meal before leaving. However, Huiru was impatient and had children at home, so she had to give up.
Before leaving, Huiru handed the nylon bag to Liu Guizhi: "This is some fried fruit I bought on the way. Fubao will take care of it here. Thank you for your hard work."
When Liu Guizhi saw it, she knew it was a good thing and was unwilling to accept it.
Huiru insisted on giving it, and in the end Liu Guizhi had no choice but to accept it.
After the people left, she opened the bag and saw five fruit packets wrapped in kraft paper in the nylon bag. Each of them had a red square paper with "Happiness and Good Luck" written on it. She recognized it at first glance. These were fried fruits sold in the district stores. Not only were they expensive, but they also required food coupons.
Her parents had bought this before, and a child at that time only tasted a few bites of it, and it was so delicious that it made his mouth drool.
Liu Guizhi looked up and saw Fubao and Gu Shengtian looking at them curiously. She took out one and gave it to them: "Each of you eat half. But don't let anyone see. This thing is precious and we can't afford to share it. You can only eat it secretly."
Gu Shengtian and Fubao quickly agreed, took it curiously, broke it into two halves, and each took half.
When I held it in my hand, my hand was already stained with oil. When I took a small bite, I felt that it was full of oil and had a sweet and sticky fragrance. I had never eaten anything so delicious.
Fubao is a girl after all, and she is considerate and thoughtful. She held the fried fruit in her hand and let Liu Guizhi taste it first, and then let Gu Weidong taste it.
Of course, the two adults were reluctant to eat it, and they both pretended to take a small bite, just to taste it.
Liu Guizhi smiled: "My daughter is really considerate and sensible."
It doesn’t matter which bite you take; what matters is the thought behind it.
Poor Gu Shengtian, when he heard this, he had already swallowed half of the fried fruit into his mouth. It was so fragrant and delicious that he couldn't help it.
He raised his head and licked the oil on his hands, scratching his head in shame: "Oh, I didn't even think about it, it already went into my stomach."
Everyone couldn't help laughing when they saw him like this.
Liu Guizhi packed up the fried fruit, pinched out two more pieces, wrapped them in brown paper, and sent them back to Miao Xiuju and Gu Dayong. The family was divided, but the elderly were always elderly, and they still had to be respected. Of course, if there was anything delicious, they would remember to send it to the elderly.
Miao Xiuju knew that the nun had come to see Fubao. After hearing Liu Guizhi's half-familiar voice talk about Fubao's jade, she frowned and thought for a moment, "Don't worry about this matter. I'll go to Youfu and talk to him. We must get Fubao's jade back."
When Liu Guizhi heard this, she felt relieved. With Miao Xiujiu stepping in, this matter would most likely be accomplished.
Shen Hongying and Liu Zhaodi were naturally unhappy with the sight of people eating fried fruits and massaging their legs. Especially when they saw Liu Guizhi holding a small bag of things and going to Miao Xiujiu and Gu Dayong without even thinking of giving it to them, they were unhappy.
But think about it, what else can I do? They have separated from me, there is nothing I can do.
If the family hasn't split up, then it should be divided equally among everyone, right?
It makes me angry just thinking about it. Why didn’t this nun come earlier?
At this moment, Gu Shengtian and Fubao were talking about something, and someone unexpectedly said, "Dad's leg may be healed in a few days!"
Chen Hongying burst out laughing: "What are you dreaming about? It will be fine in a few days? That nun's husband thinks he is a god?"
She really couldn't stand this, so that day, she shouted it out on the well platform so that everyone in the production team knew about it.
"That nun actually married a man. Marrying a man is fine, but the man can actually treat illnesses. He said he could cure the fourth child's leg and that it would be healed in two or three days. Don't you think he's a liar?"
"It will be fine in two or three days?"
"Why does it sound so weird?"
Shen Hongying found it even funnier and spoke more excitedly.
Ever since her reputation of "stealing sticks from dumb people and forcing them to speak" spread, people in the production team ignored her. Now that she revealed this story, everyone seemed very interested and surrounded her to ask questions. Of course, she started talking excitedly.
"I'm saying this: my fourth child's condition doesn't look good, and it won't heal easily. How can he possibly be able to walk in a few days?"
Shen Hongying was talking to others with a smile on her face. When she was feeling proud, Chen Youliang beside her suddenly pointed at a person over there and said, "That, that's Gu Laosi!"
When Shen Hongying heard this, her smile froze on her face.
She slowly looked towards the entrance of her alley and saw Gu Weidong holding a stick and practicing walking slowly in the alley.
This, this, is really going to leave? ?
——
Gu Weidong was skeptical about Chen Shuli's medical skills. Although he couldn't believe that he hadn't recovered after so many days of treatment, Chen Shuli could cure him by pinching him for a few days and prescribing herbs that could be found in the mountains. However, he believed in Fubao.
Yes, he believed in Fubao.
Fubao said something a few days ago, saying that there would be a good doctor to treat his father, and then the doctor came.
Moreover, he is a master in bone treatment who has inherited the skills from his ancestors.
Is there anything more coincidental than this?
With this belief, Gu Weidong began to try to get off the kang and walk. It was really painful to walk on the first day, and it still hurt on the second day, but he could walk. On the third day, he found that it didn't hurt much, and he could walk from home to the entrance of the alley with a cane.
This is a big event.
Liu Guizhi was so happy that she cried, and the children in the family surrounded Gu Weidong and cheered.
These days, some kids on the street joke and say Gu Weidong is a cripple, your dad is a cripple. Who would be happy to hear such words?
While clenching his fists to tell others that his father was not crippled, he was secretly afraid in his heart. What if his leg really could not be healed?
Younger children like Fubao and Gu Shengtian think less, but older children have to consider whether they can still go to school or whether they should drop out to earn work points for the family.
At this moment, they saw that their father could walk!
Although they need crutches and can only walk from their home to the entrance of the alley, this is still a great progress for them. At least they see hope.
Gu Yuejin and Gu Yuehua didn't say anything, but they were relieved in their hearts.
Their father is not a cripple, he will not become a cripple, he can walk!
Gu Weidong was lying on the kang a few days ago, but he was suddenly able to walk these days. This shocked a group of people in the Pingxi Production Brigade. Everyone came to inquire about what happened. They found out that a young nun who had returned to secular life came to see Fubao, and the man who came with her happened to be a doctor, who massaged Gu Weidong.
For a moment, everyone found it novel, and some people started asking, "My waist and legs are always painful. Can I see a doctor? My elbows are sore when it's windy or rainy. Can I see a doctor?"
In addition to those who inquired about these things, some people also began to express their feelings about this matter.
For example, Grandma Hu started to say, "Fubao is a lucky child. Look how Gu Weidong got a good doctor this time. It was brought by a nun. The nun came to see Fubao. So this time, Fubao got into trouble and caused her father to break his leg, so she called another doctor to see her father. This child is really smart!"
Grandma Hu was a knowledgeable person. Everyone followed her line of thought and slapped their thighs: "Oh my God, that's exactly what happened. This Fubao is really spiritual!"
Seeing that everyone agreed, Grandma Hu was smug in her heart, but she wore a calm smile on her face: "Just wait and see. The first and third branches of the Gu family threw out the fourth son of the Gu family because they were afraid that he would bring trouble to them. But this time, they were wrong. They will regret it very soon!"
This is what it means to push away the good days that have come.
Fubao is in the Gu family, and the Gu family is full of good things. Even her grandmother Hu got to eat fish. Last time they made pheasant soup, they also served her half a bowl of chicken soup to satisfy her craving.
From now on, the eldest and third families will have to watch the fourth family eat meat, and they won’t even have soup to drink!
Miao Xiujiu naturally heard the rumors outside, and she asked Gu Weidong in detail how the nun treated his leg.
Gu Weidong hesitated for a moment, but still told her mother what Fubao had said that day.
"Mom, I think Fubao is really a lucky star. Everything she says is accurate and reliable. She says a doctor is coming, and then a doctor really comes to see us. So I think... Fubao is not an ordinary child!"
Miao Xiuju frowned and thought for a long time after hearing this. Finally, she said with a serious face, "Fourth Brother, you know this matter in your heart, but you must not tell anyone else. If anyone asks about your leg, just say it was a coincidence."
Gu Weidong nodded: "Yes, I think so too. We can't let anyone know. If people know, I'm afraid it won't be good for Fubao."
If others knew that Fubao was such a powerful child, what if someone came to snatch Fubao away, or had bad intentions towards him? After all, this was no ordinary matter. If it got out, it would be a big deal, and might even be reported to the commune.
Miao Xiuju said solemnly, "Fubao is a good child and will bring blessings to our family. We should be kind to her, but don't say outside that she is a spiritualist."
As she spoke, she suddenly said, "I now understand more or less what the eldest brother's wife did. This is fate. Fubao was originally caught by her, but she couldn't bear this blessing, so she was smart and pushed it away, so she pushed Fubao to your fourth wife. As for the Nie family, they are even more stupid, idiots. I don't want to bother with them. But these idiots are greedy ghosts. If the news gets out one day, your life will be in turmoil, and Fubao's life will be in turmoil too."
Gu Weidong was shocked when he heard this. He knew his mother always had ideas, but he didn't expect that his mother could even think this through.
In fact, the meaning of those words was clearly biased towards himself and Fubao.
Miao Xiuju understood what he meant: "Fubao is a good child, and I love her too. You and Guizhi should take good care of her and live a good life."
Gu Weidong nodded repeatedly.
——
Gu Weidong knew what was going on, but he was determined to keep it a secret, so he only mentioned it to Liu Guizhi. Apart from that, he didn't dare to tell anyone else, not even to his own son.
He knew in his heart that Fubao was a child who could bring blessings to others, and he wanted to take advantage of this good fortune to quickly do the business he had in mind. By then, he could earn some money and food coupons to make his family's life better, and repay Fubao for the good fortune he brought to his family.
It was already autumn, the season for picking cotton.
Rural schools only have two holidays a year, the wheat harvest holiday and the autumn holiday. Now is the autumn harvest season, and the children are on autumn holiday. The four children of the Gu family all carry their bags to pick cotton. After picking for a day, they go to the production team to weigh the weight and calculate the work points based on the weight.
Gu Weidong's legs and feet were almost healed. While picking cotton, he discussed the cotton in each family's private plot with everyone.
Every family must grow some cotton in their private plots, the only question is how much. Gu Weidong wants to buy it and then make it into cotton covers to sell in the city.
When everyone heard this, they were a little bit unconvinced. Gu Weidong, you haven't worked for two months. Your family must be so poor that they can't even afford to buy our cotton.
Gu Weidong smiled deliberately and said, "Actually, this matter is still related to my mother-in-law. My wife went to her parents' house and asked for some savings. But this matter cannot be spread outside, otherwise my wife's brother and sister-in-law will definitely feel uncomfortable if they find out."
Naturally, everyone believed what he said.
After believing it, everyone felt relieved. However, everyone secretly looked around and whispered, "Is this kind of thing even possible?"
After all, people usually have some cotton and take it to the market to exchange for some food or something, and sell it for money in a big way. This kind of thing has never been done.
I don't know if it's possible or if it's allowed by the higher-ups?
Gu Weidong knew everyone's concerns, so he talked to them: "I asked the team leader. Anyway, if we do it secretly, no one will know about it. There are still people selling sesame cakes in the city. As long as they don't stand there every day and attract attention, no one will care. After all, our lives are hard. If we don't think of a solution, our children will have nothing to eat!"
When others think about it, it seems to be the same.
I thought about it and realized that I didn't need the cotton myself, so I could just exchange it for food. It would be great if I could exchange it for money. I was immediately tempted.
Gu Weidong made some preparations here and there, and gradually persuaded some people. Calculating the money he had on hand, he thought he could probably get dozens of cotton wools. When the time comes, he would find a way to get them to the city, and it should be possible.
At this point, Gu Weidong finally breathed a sigh of relief. The next step was to see how much cotton he could harvest. He would then go to Chen Youfu to sound out the situation. He had to do this deal no matter what, and he couldn't expect him to suddenly say that the wind was tightening and that he couldn't do it anymore.
While Gu Weidong was busy planning this secret business, Fubao and his three brothers were busy picking cotton in the cotton fields every day.
Although picking cotton seems simple, it is a technical job. You have to pick the four petals of cotton firmly in your hand and be careful not to leave any cotton wool on the cotton knots. Otherwise, if there is a little left here and a little there, it will be a lot of waste.
After work, Chen Youfu would send people to check one by one to see if the cotton fields were clean. If they were clean, they would be calculated based on the weight of the cotton picked. If they were not clean, they would have to redo the work, which would be a big trouble.
Fubao has been careful and meticulous in her work since she was young. Her small hands are very skillful and clean in picking cotton. She pinches the cotton and pulls it gently, and the whole cotton falls off without leaving any white fluff on the cotton knots.
Seeing this, Gu Shengtian, who was standing next to him, was a little worried: "Fubao, how did you do this? Teach me."
He felt so miserable. Why was there always some cotton wool left on every knot after he picked them? He had to pick out the cotton wool again, which not only hurt his hands but was also time-consuming and laborious.
It’s the same process of picking cotton, the same pinching, why is there such a big difference?
Fubao looked at her brother's frowning face, smiled, and began to teach him step by step: "Brother Shengtian, look at me, pinching like this, you have to be gentle, don't use too much force..."
Who knew that at this moment, a voice snorted: "He is stupid, no matter how you teach him, he won't learn!"
When the brother and sister looked up, they saw Nie Dashan standing in front of them.
Nie Dashan had a small bag slung around his waist and a large bag on his back. The bag was bulging, and it seemed that he had picked a lot of cotton.
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