Chapter 106 Going Home
The day Wen Xiaoxiao was discharged from the hospital and returned home, the sky was overcast, as if it was about to rain.
Zhao Fei drove very slowly, carefully navigating around potholes.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Wen Xiaoxiao looked at the familiar street scene outside the window and felt as if she had been transported to another world.
I was only in Beijing for a few days, but it felt like years had passed.
The car was parked in front of the new house, and Zhou Lanying was already waiting at the door.
The old lady, leaning on her cane, saw the car approaching, took a few steps forward, and her eyes reddened.
"Auntie" Wen Xiaoxiao got out of the car and gently hugged Zhou Lanying.
"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back." Zhou Lanying wiped her eyes and looked her up and down. "You've lost weight and your complexion isn't good either. You need to eat some more nourishing food."
Yizhen, Yibao, and Xiaogai also ran out of the house and circled around Wen Xiaoxiao.
Yizhen carefully touched the bandage left from the IV drip on her hand: "Mom, does it hurt?"
"It doesn't hurt anymore." Wen Xiaoxiao patted her head.
After holding it in for a long time, Yi Bao finally managed to say, "Mom, don't work so hard in the future."
Wen Xiaogai immediately hugged her leg: "Mom, I missed you."
Wen Xiaoxiao felt a lump in her throat and gently patted each of the children's heads.
Once inside and seated, Zhao Fei laid out his points on the table.
"Xiaoxiao, from today onwards, you'll stay home and rest." His tone was firm, leaving no room for negotiation. "Wu Jia will manage the shop. Manjuan will be in charge of the wholesale business. You can go check on it whenever you want, but you're not allowed to keep an eye on things otherwise. If you're tired, go home and rest."
Wen Xiaoxiao opened her mouth, as if to say something, but Zhao Fei added, "You heard what the doctor said, you can't overwork yourself. If you overwork yourself and something bad happens to you, I..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but his eyes were a little red.
She looked at Zhao Fei, the man she had been with for over a decade, and this time she was truly terrified.
"I understand," she said softly. "I'll listen to you."
Zhou Lanying chimed in from the side, "Xiaofei, don't worry, I sit at the door every day and keep an eye on her. She won't be able to sneak out."
Wen Xiaoxiao was both amused and exasperated: "Auntie, are you watching over a prisoner?"
"It depends on the prisoner," Zhou Lanying said earnestly, leaning on her cane.
Ma Chunying came out of the kitchen carrying a bowl of chicken soup: "Xiaoxiao, drink it while it's hot. Boss Zhao instructed that for the next two weeks you should just eat and sleep and not worry about anything."
Wen Xiaoxiao took the chicken soup, and Zhao Fei said to Ma Chunying, "Sister Ma, starting this month, you'll get a raise. Before, you were in charge of Xiaogai, but now you're the family's housekeeper, and you'll take care of all the housework. My mother is getting old, and Xiaoxiao needs to recuperate, so please take good care of her."
Ma Chunying nodded repeatedly: "Of course, of course. Don't worry, Mr. Zhao, I will take good care of him."
And so began Wen Xiaoxiao's days of being "kept in captivity".
Every morning, Zhou Lanying would indeed move a small stool to sit at the gate of the courtyard, picking vegetables while "keeping watch".
Wen Xiaoxiao wanted to go out for some fresh air, but as soon as she reached the door, the old lady looked up and asked, "Where are you going?"
"Just stand at the door."
"Stay put, don't go too far."
Ma Chunying kept her home in perfect order.
When Wen Xiaoxiao wanted to help with cooking, laundry, and cleaning, Ma Chunying pressed her down on the sofa, saying, "Xiaoxiao, you rest. I can do these chores."
Every day when Zhao Fei comes home from the factory, the first thing he asks is, "How is Xiaoxiao today? Are you tired?"
Zhou Lanying reported: "I watched TV for a while in the morning, ate a bowl of rice at noon, and slept for two hours in the afternoon. I'm not tired."
Wen Xiaoxiao sat on the sofa, watching the old man and the young man "monitor" her, feeling both annoyed and amused.
But my heart was warm.
She knew that these people cared about her.
Days passed by.
The wound slowly healed, the scab fell off, leaving a pink scar.
Sometimes when Wen Xiaoxiao looks at the scar in the mirror, a wave of fear washes over her.
What if the outcome hadn't been benign?
She dared not think about it.
During her time recuperating, she learned to relax and have some free time.
At first, I wasn't used to it and always felt like I should do something.
I gradually got used to it. I would watch TV in the morning, take a nap in the afternoon, and walk around the yard in the evening to see the flowers that Zhou Lanying planted.
Wu Jia and Han Manjuan would come every two days to report on the business.
"Boss Wen, the store's revenue this month is a bit higher than last month." Wu Jia showed her the ledger. "The new batch of shirts is selling particularly well."
Han Manjuan said, "On the wholesale side, I've secured two more clients from county towns. Mr. Zheng's products are of stable quality, so our goods sell quickly."
Wen Xiaoxiao listened, feeling itchy to speak, but looking at Zhao Fei sitting next to her, she swallowed her words.
Zhao Fei knew what she was thinking, so he said, "Just listen to it, let them handle the specifics. Getting better is more important than anything else."
Early summer has arrived, and the roses in the yard have started to bloom, some pink and some red, creating a vibrant and lively scene.
Wen Xiaoxiao's wound had long since healed. She had a follow-up examination, and the doctor said it was healing very well.
Zhao Fei then relented: "Go ahead and go out for a walk if you want, just don't tire yourself out."
Wen Xiaoxiao felt like she had been granted a pardon and went to the store the next day.
When Wu Jia saw her, she rubbed her hands together with joy: "Boss Wen, you've finally come! Take a look, is this arrangement okay?"
The store is still the same store, but there are some subtle changes: the shelves have been rearranged, the lights have been brightened, and a few potted plants have been placed in the corner.
Wen Xiaoxiao turned around and nodded: "It's good."
She didn't stay long; she left after sitting for a while.
Zhao Fei is right. With someone managing the business, she doesn't need to worry about everything.
In July, Zhao Yidi took the college entrance examination.
During those days, Wen Xiaoxiao was more nervous than anyone else.
Although Zhao Yidi has always had good grades, who can predict the outcome of the college entrance examination?
On the first day of the exam, Wen Xiaoxiao got up early and made breakfast for her daughter: a fried dough stick and two eggs, for good luck.
Zhao Yidi looked at the breakfast arranged in the number "100" and laughed: "Mom, where did you learn all this?"
"People say it's auspicious to eat this way." Wen Xiaoxiao served her porridge. "Don't be nervous, just do your best."
"I'm not nervous," Zhao Yidi said slowly and deliberately. "Mom, aren't you the one who's nervous?"
Wen Xiaoxiao retorted defiantly, "Why would I be nervous? My daughter will definitely do it."
After seeing Zhao Yidi off at the entrance of the examination hall, Wen Xiaoxiao watched her daughter walk into the school gate and suddenly wanted to follow her in.
She was startled by her own thought, but her feet wouldn't obey her and she took two steps forward.
“Mom,” Zhao Yidi turned to look at her, “you should go back. It’s hot, don’t stay here in the sun.”
"I...I'll wait for you."
"No need." Zhao Yidi walked back and gently hugged her. "Mom, come home and wait. I'm confident."
Looking into her daughter's calm eyes, Wen Xiaoxiao's anxiety gradually subsided.
She nodded: "Okay, Mom will wait at home."
During the three-day exam period, Wen Xiaoxiao did not wait outside the exam hall.
She was restless at home, constantly checking the clock and the phone.
Zhou Lanying laughed at her, saying, "You're even more nervous than when you're taking the exam yourself."
"How can I not be nervous?" Wen Xiaoxiao said, "Yidi only gets this one chance in her life."
“The child knows what she’s doing.” Zhou Lanying patted her hand. “You can relax.”
When Zhao Yidi returned home after the last exam, Wen Xiaoxiao had already prepared a table full of dishes.
These are all foods my daughter loves to eat.
"How did you do on the exam?" Wen Xiaoxiao asked cautiously.
"Not bad," Zhao Yidi said. "Just my usual performance."
With just these four words, Wen Xiaoxiao's heart, which had been hanging in suspense for several days, finally settled down.
The days of waiting for the results were even more agonizing.
Finally, the results are out.
After checking her scores, Zhao Yidi called home.
Wen Xiaoxiao answered the call, her hands trembling.
"Mom, I scored 628 points." Zhao Yidi's voice was calm. "That's enough to get into a teachers' college."
Wen Xiaoxiao covered her mouth, tears welling up instantly. All she could say into the microphone was, "Good, good, so good..."
After hanging up the phone, she sat on the sofa, laughing and crying at the same time.
Zhou Lanying also wiped away her tears: "Yidi is promising, very promising."
Zhao Fei rushed back from the factory, and upon hearing the results, he patted his daughter's shoulder hard: "My daughter is amazing!"
When filling out her college application, Zhao Yidi did not hesitate to choose the provincial capital normal university and major in teacher training.
Wen Xiaoxiao asked her, "Don't you want to go to more distant cities to see the world?"
“I just want to be a teacher,” Zhao Yidi said. “Living in the provincial capital is close to home, so I can come back anytime I miss home.”
Wen Xiaoxiao felt a warm glow in her heart.
The afternoon the acceptance letter arrived, Zhao Fei said to Zhao Yidi, "Come on, let's go tell your mom."
Zhao Yidi was stunned for a moment, then understood.
She nodded: "Okay."
The father and daughter drove to a cemetery in the suburbs.
Li Rui's grave was very clean, surrounded by pine and cypress trees.
The photo on the tombstone has yellowed, but the young woman's smile remains gentle.
Zhao Fei took out a photocopy of the admission notice and placed it in front of the tomb.
He squatted down and lit three incense sticks.
“Li Rui,” he said softly, “Yidi got into university. A teachers’ college, she’ll be a teacher. She’s a promising girl, don’t worry.”
Zhao Yidi also squatted down and looked at the woman in the photo.
Her memories of her birth mother are vague, consisting of only a few scattered images.
"Mom," she said softly, "I got into university. I will study hard and become a good teacher in the future."
The wind blows, and the pine trees rustle in the breeze, as if in response.
Zhao Fei stood up and patted his daughter on the shoulder: "Your mother would be so happy if she knew."
"Mm." Zhao Yidi nodded, her eyes a little red.
The father and daughter stood in front of the grave for a while.
As the sun set, their shadows stretched long.
On the way back, Zhao Fei was driving when he suddenly said, "Yidi, the person I've been most worthy of in my life is your mother. She left us early, but I raised her children to adulthood and made them successful."
Looking at the gray hair at his temples, Zhao Yidi said softly, "Dad, thank you."
"No need to thank me," Zhao Fei laughed. "You're like my daughter."
As the car entered the city, the streetlights came on.
This summer is a season of harvest for the Zhao family.
Wen Xiaoxiao recovered from her illness, her daughter was admitted to university, her business was thriving, and the whole family was safe and sound.
Life seems to have returned to normal, but it's also a little different. Having gone through a life-or-death ordeal, I understand even more what is most precious in the present moment.
Watching children grow up makes one understand the importance of passing on traditions.
When he got home, Wen Xiaoxiao had already prepared dinner. There was a table full of dishes, with a cake in the middle that read "Congratulations to Yidi on passing the exam."
The family sat together and raised their glasses in celebration.
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