Chapter 304: A Loving Wife Running Thousands of Miles to a Sick Husband
Tang Fengyuan was in a meeting at the Public Security Bureau and had no time to rush back to take care of his son, so he had no choice but to ask Ning Zhengrong to put down what he was doing and go back to see what was going on.
When Ning Zhengrong rushed to the courtyard, the Yao sisters had already called in doctors and nurses from the district clinic, who took the patient's temperature and gave him an IV drip.
There was still half a bottle of medicine left. The doctor had gone back, and the nurse who was giving the IV drip was sitting in the main room warming herself by the fire. When she saw Ning Zhengrong coming back, she quickly stood up and greeted him politely.
Ning Zhengrong knew her. Her uncle also worked at the museum, but her parents had a falling out with her uncle over the issue of elder care, and the two brothers no longer spoke to each other.
He nodded politely: "It's Xiao Tong, are your parents doing well recently?"
Tong Lili smiled and nodded. "Uncle Ning, my dad mentioned you a few days ago. He said you must be quite lonely because you don't have a child of your own. There have been several cases of abandoned babies at the clinic lately. If you want to adopt, I can help you pick out a fair and chubby one."
Her father had talked about this with Ning Zhengrong several times, but was rejected every time. Unexpectedly, he had to talk about it again when they met today.
It’s so annoying!
Ning Zhengrong asked back, "What do you mean? What do you mean I don't have children of my own? Changxiao isn't my son? Xingxing and Yueyue aren't my grandchildren?"
Tong Lili quickly apologized: "Uncle Ning, my parents are doing this for your own good. Director Tang is older than you, and if in the future..."
If Director Tang walks ahead of Ning Zhengrong in the future, won’t Ning Zhengrong become a lonely man?
After all, other people’s children are just other people’s children, and it is impossible for them to support them in their old age.
Her parents also meant well. After all, they had been friends for many years and couldn't bear to see Uncle Ning die alone.
Ning Zhengrong interrupted her directly, very rudely: "You people are always trying to create chaos in the world. I'm almost dying of anxiety. What are you thinking about when you tell me to adopt a child?"
Tong Lili was speechless. They were doing this for Uncle Ning's own good. She muttered, "Uncle Ning, Aunt Feng next door to me found a divorced man just to show off her style and never had a child of her own. Now her husband is gone, and her children have kicked her out. You have to plan for your future."
Ning Zhengrong was so angry that he didn't want to talk to her anymore. He said bluntly: "First of all, my child can't be so cold-hearted. Secondly, if that day really comes, it will be my own fault. I can't blame anyone else. When that happens, I won't be able to come to your house even if I beg for food. Don't worry."
Tong Lili rolled her eyes and said, "Okay, just be stubborn. Look at Aunt Feng. She has asked the neighborhood committee to mediate so many times but it was useless. She even drank pesticide a few days ago. If her parents hadn't found her in time, she would have died."
She seemed to be able to see Ning Zhengrong's bleak future in his later years, and she couldn't help but curl her lips and stop talking.
Ning Zhengrong was annoyed by her and asked, "The clinic is so idle? Aren't you afraid that someone will report you for skipping work?"
"I told the head nurse about this before I came out." Tong Lili knew he wanted to drive her away, but she refused. The clinic was so busy, it was nowhere near as good as this place. She could use the excuse of waiting for the needle to be removed to take a break.
Ning Zhengrong knew what she was up to and immediately ordered her to leave: "How much is the medical bill? Bring the money and you can go back. I can pull it out myself."
Tong Lili was angry. What kind of person was this? He took her kindness for granted and even wanted to drive her away.
Let’s go! She snorted coldly, picked up her medicine box, and walked out without looking back.
Ning Zhengrong had no choice but to look at Yao Taotao and asked, "Did you ask her how much the medical expenses were?"
Yao Taotao quickly brought a chair for him to sit on: "Uncle Ning, I've already paid you. Your fever is 39.8 degrees Celsius, which is pretty serious."
"Thanks to you guys this time." Ning Zhengrong sighed. The two young men had actually jumped into the freezing cold lake one after another in order to catch the murderer. Their courage was commendable, but also foolish. The lake water was so dirty, and their resistance was weak during a high fever. What if something happened...
He felt heartbroken just thinking about it. He touched Qi Changxiao's forehead, then went to the next door to check on Yang Shuming. After thinking it over, he decided to call Tang Fengyuan, to put it in a positive light and comfort her.
Tang Fengyuan was not available, so Xiao Meng answered the phone and promised to help convey the message to Director Tang after the meeting.
After hanging up the phone, Ning Zhengrong returned to his room and sat down. He looked at the family standing by and asked, "Don't you need to buy New Year's goods? Go ahead and do it. I'll take care of it."
"Let me stay too." Yao Taotao was worried. Zhizhi was not at home, and her brother-in-law must not get into any trouble, so others could leave, but she couldn't.
She told her sisters to go back quickly to prepare for the New Year, then she grabbed a small stool and sat at the door. Her hands were not idle either, she held the knitting needles and knitted sweaters for her sisters' children.
Seeing how much she loved children, Ning Zhengrong couldn't help but be curious: "You and Cao Guangyi have been divorced for so long, why haven't you found another one?"
"I haven't found the right one." Yao Taotao smiled and started a new line, continuing to weave warm little shells for the children.
Ning Zhengrong asked, "Do you have any requirements? Tell me, and if there's someone suitable, I can introduce you to one."
"I don't know, it depends on fate. My first marriage was just to escape from that family, I had no choice. Now that I'm getting married for the second time, I have to keep my eyes open and choose someone who satisfies me." Otherwise, if she divorces again, others will definitely think she is crazy.
Something can happen once, but not twice. That's the truth.
Ning Zhengrong smiled and said, "That's fine. School is about to start. There will be many new opportunities in college. Since you don't have children, it will be easier to find one."
"That's not the case. I just didn't give birth to the child myself, but I still have to raise Jingjing's child." Yao Taotao never thought of abandoning the child. After all, Yao Jingjing was dead, and among the sisters, she was the least burdened and the most able to earn money. If she didn't raise the child, who would?
It is my duty.
Ning Zhengrong was quite emotional: "Child, you have a very strong sense of responsibility. It's a good thing, but it's also hard work. If you feel wronged in the future, just tell Zhizhi directly. We have seen it all these years. She has you in her heart."
"Yes, uncle, I know." Yao Taotao smiled and raised her eyes. "So you see, you don't have to worry about no one taking care of you in your old age. Anyone who has been with them will know that they are not the kind of heartless and ungrateful people."
"That's right. Xiao Tong's family is just worrying about nothing." Ning Zhengrong really likes to hear people praise his son and daughter-in-law.
In life, blood ties are important, but they are definitely not the only important ones. Many times, the feelings gained from living together day and night far outweigh the so-called blood ties.
So he probably understood why Yao Taotao was not in a hurry to find a partner for a second marriage.
Firstly, she is now in a better condition and can take her time to choose; secondly, she has been raising the child. People are all kind-hearted. If she treats the child well, the child will definitely regard her as the closest elder. As long as she doesn't raise her in the wrong way, the child will definitely take care of her when she is old.
So many times, it really doesn’t matter whether the child is your own or not. What matters is how you get along with each other and how you respond to each other’s needs.
It's not just the need for food and clothing, but also the need for emotions.
As long as Yao Taotao trains the child well, he will really become a good bamboo shoot in the future.
Yao Taotao really thought so and couldn't help but mutter, "I also think she's meddling in other people's business. She really doesn't consider herself an outsider. As soon as she comes in, she starts nagging about you being old and having no one to rely on. She's really just bored."
"Haha, you didn't scold her, did you?" Ning Zhengrong smiled and picked up a magazine, flipping through it to pass the time.
Yao Taotao laughed and said, "She did. It would be strange if she didn't scold me, but she's thick-skinned and she kept her mouth shut even after being scolded."
"The whole family is like that." Ning Zhengrong often mediated conflicts between the Tong brothers.
In short, the parent who favors the younger one is Tong Lili's father.
When the eldest son got married, nothing was prepared. Even the wedding banquet was hosted by the son and daughter-in-law who borrowed money themselves. When the youngest son got married, he begged everyone for help and borrowed money from everywhere to buy furniture for the youngest son. He even bought two bicycles, one for each of the young couple.
At that time, the eldest brother's family could only shamelessly hitchhike on their neighbor's car to go to and from get off work.
Of course, the eldest son's family couldn't stand such a comparison and wanted to split up the family, not wanting either of his parents. They believed that the second son's family would take care of them in the future.
As a result, the second child's family was spoiled by their parents and became extremely selfish. They wanted to take all the benefits, but insisted on sharing the responsibility of supporting their parents in their old age.
Because of this, the two brothers fought a lot. Last year, Grandpa Tong fell seriously ill and the hospitalization expenses cost seven or eight hundred yuan.
The second son's family was reluctant to pay, so they went to the eldest son's house to make a scene. The eldest son's family finally had no choice but to give him fifty yuan. The second son's family refused to give in and continued to make a scene, almost causing the eldest son to lose his job.
It was Ning Zhengrong who stepped forward and found the leader to clarify the feud between the two families. Finally, the leader came forward personally and persuaded Tong Duoduo to pay fifty yuan, which calmed the situation.
It's no surprise that such a family raised a daughter as shameless as Tong Lili.
Yao Taotao had heard about these things, but she still found them unbelievable. "I've never met anyone more shameless than them. I also heard that Tong Lili was originally engaged, but after he went to the countryside to work in the fields, she found someone else and didn't even break up with him. It was only when her sister-in-law in the city caught her on a date that the story surfaced. Don't listen to people who play two-timing like this; they're probably jealous and jealous."
Ning Zhengrong smiled: "You know about that too?"
"It's all spread." Yao Taotao sighed regretfully, "What a pity her boyfriend didn't even kick her out. He probably wanted her parents and her to have a good job, so that her in-laws could get medical treatment more easily."
That’s true. Tong Lili’s parents both work in the hospital. One is the head of the orthopedics department, and the other is the deputy director of the internal medicine department.
A man who is only interested in getting benefits from a woman will definitely not want to give up when he sees such conditions.
It’s just a pity for that boy who went to the countryside to work in the fields.
Ning Zhengrong lamented, "Now that the policy has been relaxed, I don't know if the educated youth can come back."
"I guess so. Zhizhi mentioned it. It seems that starting next year, a large number of educated youth will return to the city. It will be difficult to find a job in the city then, so President Chao invited me to be an editor, and I accepted. But he recommended the position of editor-in-chief, and I don't think I am qualified for it, so I only became an intern editor." Yao Taotao told Ning Zhengrong about her choice, so that if Yao Zhizhi called back, she would know the result of her meeting with President Chao.
Ning Zhengrong couldn't help but give a thumbs-up. "Good, this is a very good decision. Although you've been helping with manuscript collection and review over the past few years, it's definitely unbalanced since they have serious college graduates in the editorial department. Zhizhi is different. After all, she's brought them here to achieve tangible results, so they're willing to listen to her. You might not be able to convince them if you were there. Besides, nine out of ten people in this society are biased towards people. Your family background is not good enough, so if others want to bully you, they don't have to worry about any consequences. It's better to wait until you graduate and have a proper university degree before making a decision."
"I think so too." Yao Taotao was very happy. It was great that her decision was recognized by her elders.
It's also pitiful for these sisters. Born in such a family, their parents can only exploit them and can't provide any guidance or reference for their lives.
You have to figure everything out on your own.
So even though she made the decision herself, she felt far less reassured than if she had received approval from her elders.
At this moment, Ning Zhengrong saw four big words from this stubborn and capable female comrade: a promising future.
People cannot change their birth, but they can change the path they take.
Whether to rush forward mindlessly or make a calm and rational choice and find another way depends entirely on whether you have the understanding.
The child Yao Taotao obviously possesses this trait.
No wonder Zhizhi is willing to associate with her. Who doesn’t want to deal with smart people?
Seeking benefits and avoiding harm is the instinct of all animals, and humans are no exception.
Ning Zhengrong asked her another question: "During Qingming and Zhongyuan Festivals, will you go to worship them?"
"No," Yao Taotao put down her knitting needles and said seriously, "My eldest sister is afraid of being criticized and wants to go over to pay her respects, but she doesn't approve of what my parents did, so she'll listen to my advice."
"How did you persuade him?" Ning Zhengrong had nothing to do anyway, so he just chatted more.
Yao Taotao spoke frankly, "Uncle, you should know that I have a bad temper. I scolded her first, and then I warned her, 'You're still going to worship your parents like this? Aren't you afraid that your two daughters will be curious about what kind of people their grandparents are, and it will leave a psychological trauma on them? My sister loves children, and she listened to me as soon as I said it.'"
"Your sister is so easy to talk to. I guess your parents know that she is easy to manipulate, so they treat her pretty well?" Ning Zhengrong knows a little about behavioral psychology. He can infer what kind of situation Yao Yingying was in her previous family based on her behavior.
Yao Taotao nodded in surprise. "Uncle, you can see that? It's like this. My parents like to use filial piety to brainwash my eldest sister. My eldest sister used to be very obedient, so they are naturally willing to be nice to her. So my eldest sister's hatred for them is not as deep as ours."
"You are quite rebellious, so your parents don't treat you well, right?" Ning Zhengrong could even deduce the situations of the other children. Now he was purely seeking verification to see if his deduction was correct. After all, his daughter-in-law usually didn't mention the past.
Yao Taotao smiled: "Yes, I am the most disobedient one. As for the third child... the third child is a coward. She was beaten by my parents since she was a child and was scared. So when they died, she could breathe a sigh of relief and didn't want to go to see them at all. Who would miss someone who hurt them? The fourth child, she is stubborn. She was beaten before, so she just wanted to please my parents and be my parents' good dog, helping them bite people so that my parents would treat her better. Later, she was dealt with by Zhizhi, and she became Zhizhi's lackey. She listens to everything Zhizhi says. In fact, she hates evil and hates evil. That day, when Ma Xiangqin went to bully my eldest sister, she was beaten away by the fourth child."
"It's so comforting to see you sisters love each other so much," Ning Zhengrong said with heartfelt emotion. "So you see, your lives are getting better and better now. Even though your eldest sister is divorced and has two children, at least she has freedom. God will not let down anyone who works hard in the right direction."
"Uncle Ning is really cultured. This sentence is very rigorous. After all, if the direction is wrong, all efforts will be in vain." Yao Taotao liked this sentence very much and prepared to write it down when she got back.
Ning Zhengrong praised him generously: "You sisters have grown and become a sizable flock, and you are the leader who is working hard in the right direction. Run boldly and confidently, you have a bright future ahead of you."
Yao Taotao was very happy, even happier than when she got the admission letter. She was about to talk more about the philosophy of life when the phone rang.
Ning Zhengrong stood up to answer the phone. It was Yao Zhizhi herself calling. She asked nervously, "Dad, how's Changxiao? I've booked a flight for tonight. I'll fly to the provincial capital and then take the train back. I should arrive around 10 a.m. tomorrow at the earliest."
Ning Zhengrong advised, "Don't force it. The de-icing system on the plane might not work in this weather in Northeast China. Safety comes first. You should take the train back. I don't think it's that serious. I just touched Changxiao's forehead and his fever has subsided a little. It's a rare opportunity for you to get together with your eldest brother. If you leave halfway, he'll be sad too."
Yao Zhizhi didn't care about that anymore. Her eldest brother would understand. She asked, "Where's my mom? Is she here too?"
"No, she's still in a meeting. Don't worry. I was probably the one who took care of Changxiao when he was sick before. I'm used to it, really." Ning Zhengrong knew that she was anxious, not that she didn't believe him, but he still had to emphasize it again and again to reassure her.
Yao Zhizhi was worried. Qi Changxiao was sick when they were together at the beginning, but he got better in the past few years. She was used to his lively appearance and she never wanted to go back to the days when he was immersed in the smell of Chinese medicine.
She had to go back, rush to his side, feed him medicine, take care of him personally, and make him get better.
Ning Zhengrong couldn't persuade her, so he had to remind her, "Okay then, you must pay attention to safety. If it snows in the Northeast, immediately give up the plane and take the train instead."
Yao Zhizhi didn't want to make the elders anxious, so she had to agree and asked, "How is my brother-in-law?"
"The two are in similar conditions. Although Changxiao spent a little longer in the water, he came back and covered his head as soon as he got ashore. Your brother-in-law had to force himself to go to the Public Security Bureau to report the progress of the case to the director, which was quite delayed." So the two had a temperature of 39.8 degrees and 40 degrees, which was about the same.
Yao Zhizhi was so anxious that she warned him, "Dad, if my brother-in-law wakes up, remember to tell him that my second sister came back with me."
"Is the child coming back too?"
"My second sister doesn't take care of the child, so I will."
"Okay." Ning Zhengrong understood. Yao Miaomiao had four children and was too busy to take care of them all. She would definitely have to bring Xie Chunxing back when the time came. Their eldest brother would definitely feel bad then.
It’s better not to bring him. The child should meet his uncle.
Yao Zhizhi was about to hang up the phone, but after thinking about it, she added, "Dad, please tell Yao Taotao and the others thank you for me."
"She's next to us. Do you want her to answer the phone?" Ning Zhengrong glanced at Yao Taotao and had already put down her knitting needles.
Yao Zhizhi nodded: "Okay."
Yao Taotao was so happy that she walked over and picked up the microphone. Before she could open her mouth, the voice of "Second sister" came into No. 2 Middle School.
Yao Taotao's eyes became hot and she almost shed tears. It had been seven years since she heard the name "Second Sister".
It’s great that Zhizhi finally calls her second sister again.
She smiled and wiped away her tears: "I'm here, don't worry, I've been given an IV drip and the fever is showing signs of going down. You must be careful. It's New Year's Day, don't let Uncle Ning and my brother-in-law worry."
"I understand." Yao Zhizhi hesitated for a long time, but still didn't mention the three words Yao Ningning, and hung up the phone directly.
Yao Taotao is already content. Take it slow. There is still a long time left in life. With sincerity, even metal and stone can be moved.
Even if you can't open it in the end, at least you have tried your best and you won't regret it.
*
Qi Changxiao had a dream, a long dream.
He was being chased by a gangster and in desperation, he had to jump into the reed marsh.
It was midsummer and everyone was wearing cool clothes, so the reeds that he broke rudely scratched his skin.
The bright red blood swirls in the water, quickly attracting a large number of leeches. One, two, three...
Soon, he turned into a human-shaped blood bag, but he didn't dare to breathe and just hid carefully in the reeds.
The midsummer river breeze swept past, making a rustling sound. Amidst the sound, a snake darted past him, scaring him so much that he almost screamed.
Even though it was just a harmless water snake, he was still panicked and nervous, his whole body tense.
He breathed a sigh of relief only when the snake disappeared, but he did not dare to be careless. He quickly pricked up his ears and listened to the movements on the shore.
Is the criminal gone? It's been so long, he should be gone, right?
It’s been so long. If we don’t leave now, won’t the criminals be hungry?
He himself was hungry, very hungry and very cold.
My body felt numb, and the leeches crawling on me drank until their stomachs were full, but they were still reluctant to get off.
Suddenly, I heard a crying woman's voice on the shore. Who was it? It seemed to be one of the Yao sisters.
He hesitated and stuck half of his head out, but before he could see who the person was, the person was pulled back by the ear by a tigress.
He cursed, "You dead girl, you still haven't cooked yet. Do you want to starve me and your father to death? What? Looking for Lao Wu? She's a living person with hands and feet, how could she disappear? She must have gone out to slack off somewhere. Okay, stop talking nonsense and go back to cook. If you dare to slack off again next time, I'll ask your dad to break your legs!"
The crying woman's voice gradually faded away, and he finally crawled out of the reed marsh. He swatted the leeches off his legs, arms, and waist one by one, and walked home dizzy.
It was only when he lay down that he realized something was wrong.
This is not his home, this is where Zhizhi has lived since childhood!
His poor Zhizhi had suffered such inhuman torture. No wonder he always felt inexplicably panicked and scared in his dreams.
He is not a timid person. Does it mean that he thinks he is Zhizhi?
But why did he dream about what happened to Zhizhi?
He didn't understand, and in a trance, he seemed to hear someone calling him to take medicine.
When he opened his eyes drowsily, he saw that familiar face.
It was Zhizhi who came back. Even though she was thousands of miles away in the Northeast, she still came back in a hurry.
In ancient times, Guan Yu rode alone for thousands of miles, and today, a beloved wife runs thousands of miles to run to her sick husband.
Qi Changxiao struggled to get up, took the medicine bowl from Yao Zhizhi's hand, and suddenly held her in his arms.
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