Chapter 31 Chapter 31 (Inverted v) [VIP]
Su Xingye
Someone who couldn't possibly be here.
There was a rare dazed look on Bai He's face. He straightened his back and squinted his eyes as he looked at the people surrounded by the crowd.
At that same moment, Su Xing, who was in the crowd, also turned his head, his eyes meeting Bai He's. A thin layer of ice formed beneath his dark eyes, and his slightly pale lips were pressed tightly together.
Bai He lowered his eyes, feeling a rare sense of guilt. After all, he had left without saying goodbye once again. He was never afraid of being owed anything, but rather of being indebted to others. And Su Xing was one of the people he owed the most in his life.
Su Xing stared at him for a few seconds before looking away and saying to the soldiers beside him, "Platoon Leader Zhang, I'll have to trouble you to take this patient to the military hospital later."
"good."
"Thank you so much. You are our family's saviors." The Zhao family's father and daughter had been in despair, but unexpectedly they found a way out of the desperate situation. At this moment, they kept bowing to the group of people with tears in their eyes to express their gratitude.
Platoon Leader Zhang quickly helped them up and told them to go home and pack their things first.
During this time, the village chief also hurried over. Everyone then realized that the purpose of this group of soldiers, doctors and nurses, despite the dangers of wind and snow, to come to Sheshui Village was to give pneumonia vaccines to the people.
At a time when traffic signals and traffic are collapsing and natural disasters and epidemics are rampant, these vaccines can cross countless provinces and reach all parts of the country. This is the result of the country's regardless of cost and the sweat and blood of countless people.
This is a catastrophe for all of humanity. In just over a month since the outbreak, according to incomplete statistics, the country's population has decreased by 70 million. The global population reduction is beyond statistic, having already reached nearly 1.1 billion before the signal was cut off.
The village head and village cadres notified the villagers in batches to go to the clinic for vaccination.
These soldiers, doctors, and nurses had a heavy workload; they also needed to administer vaccines to several neighboring villages. Not wanting to waste time, they took a sip of hot water and got to work.
Because of the horrific contagiousness of the epidemic, everyone except a few with special physical conditions must be vaccinated.
After carefully reading the precautions for the injection, Bai He nodded.
The one who gave Bai He the injection was a young nurse. She was skillful and quick in the injection. After the injection, the area on Bai He's arm was swollen and painful.
When he returned to his grandmother, she hurriedly went to find tissues and found that because the cotton swab was not placed in the right position, a stream of blood flowed from the needle hole down her arm to the back of her hand.
Seeing that more and more people were entering the clinic, it would be a bit of a nuisance for an unrelated person like him to stay here.
"Grandma, I'm leaving first. I'll pick you up later. Don't come back alone."
"I understand, go ahead!"
Grandma Bai waved her hands impatiently, her eyes fixed on Su Xingye in the crowd.
Grandma Bai excitedly said to the people around her, "Look at this Dr. Su, he's tall and good-looking. Doesn't your daughter Wenwen happen to be single? Why don't you introduce them to each other? Maybe fate will come."
"I'll call her over right now. Don't tell me, that girl in our family only cares about looks. You know, last time her aunt introduced her to a big boss who owned a factory. He had several houses and was so well-off, he wouldn't have to worry about getting married... but this girl actually despised him for being fat and short. Do you think looks can make a living..."
"Yes, yes, most young people nowadays have this problem, unlike us back then..."
Bai He returned home against the wind and snow. Hei Dou was already waiting at the door. The warm yellow light shone on his body. His bright eyes and reserved wagging tail made Bai He smile, and he felt a sense of security in his heart.
After checking the water and dog food in the dog bowl and finding some leftover, Bai He put on a raincoat and went out again.
The arrival of Grandpa Bai and Grandma Bai in the morning disrupted his plans, and he didn't have time to clean his yard.
There's a thick layer of snow piled up at the door; if we don't clear it, it'll be impossible to open. The garage and greenhouse roofs are made of aluminum alloy sheets, which are weak and need to be repaired immediately. Also, the tiles in the woodshed and utility room were broken last night; they need to be covered with waterproof sheeting immediately, otherwise the whole house will leak.
There were many things to do, especially working in the snow and wind, which increased the risk. Even though Bai He was quite skilled, he still tied a safety rope to himself before going up to the roof.
The snow on the roof was piled up quite thickly. You couldn't see your feet when you stepped on them. There was also a thin layer of ice at the bottom. As he walked, the snow kept sliding to the side, which made Bai He move more cautiously.
The wind blew the snow into every crevice on his body. After standing outside for a while, his eyes were irritated and kept tearing up, so he had to wear goggles.
Winter nights come quickly. On such a long snowy day, it was already dark at five o'clock. The sky above was covered by the wind and snow, and there was no moon or starlight. The whole sky and earth were so dark that it was a little scary.
Bai He had barely managed to clean the roofs of the building and garage today. He would need to find someone to help with the construction of the utility room and firewood shed tomorrow.
Bai He slowly descended the triangular staircase, his ears numb from the cold, his lips purple. The first thing he did upon returning to the house was pour a cup of hot water from the thermos. The scalding water felt strange as it entered his stomach, a rumbling sound like water pouring into an empty bucket. The hot water opened up his tight, clenched intestines, and the hunger in his stomach grew more pronounced. His heart raced with hunger, and even his hands began to tremble.
He relit the firewood and after warming himself up by the fire, he put the hard fish in the warehouse by the fire to thaw. He also took out some potatoes, cabbage and sweet potato flour. Bai He cut and soaked the ingredients and started cooking as soon as he brought his grandmother back.
After putting on his raincoat, woolen boots, and hat again, Bai He went out again with a flashlight. Walking in the thick snow was like walking in a swamp. Every time he stepped on it, the snow flooded him to his knees. The moment he lifted his legs, he could feel the ground pulling tightly. The roads and paddy fields were now completely covered with snow, and the boundaries between them were indistinguishable. The scattered buildings on the roadside stood silently in the darkness, their closed windows and doors like black mouths. The barking of dogs that usually echoed in the village had also disappeared. The whole village seemed to have suddenly become deserted. This place that Bai He had lived in for more than ten years and was so familiar with it that it felt unfamiliar to him.
After walking for a few minutes, they arrived at their uncle's house. Bai He knocked hard on the door, and a dog barking sound came from inside the house. Da Huang and Niu Niu saw that it was Bai He, and the ferocious "woof woof" sound of warning suddenly turned into a humming "whimper" sound.
Bai Yu walked out of the house with a flashlight and saw two dogs circling around him and acting coquettishly. He couldn't help but laugh.
"These two dogs are really attached to you. Their tails are twirling when they see you."
"Maybe it's because I always give them food." Bai He rubbed the two dogs' heads. They laughed happily, sticking out their tongues, and even lay on the ground sideways, asking Bai He to rub their bellies. The snow on the ground was so icy white, He didn't dare let them lie down. Although rural dogs are known for their strong survival and adaptability, the two dogs had never experienced such cold weather since they were born.
Bai He pulled out two finger-long pieces of dried meat from his pocket. The two dogs froze in their tracks, staring eagerly at the meat. Bai He didn't tease them, but stuffed the meat directly into their mouths.
"Give me some too." Seeing the two dogs eating so happily, Bai Yu also felt greedy. Although the food at home was good, it always felt like something was missing without snacks.
Bai He simply gave her the entire bag in his pocket.
Bai Yu chewed with difficulty while mumbling, "I was just about to go to your house, but I didn't expect you to come early. Are your grandparents still with you since they haven't come back yet?"
"Grandma is at the health center, and Grandpa is still at Uncle Lixin's house. I'm going to call them for dinner now. Sisters, you haven't eaten yet, right?"
"No, I'm waiting for grandpa and grandma to come back and eat together."
"Grandpa and grandma are coming to my place for dinner today. You guys should come over to my house for dinner too! I'll cook fish and grill meat."
Bai Yu was a little greedy, but still shook her head. "No, my mom and mother-in-law have prepared the dishes. Let's go to your house to eat next time."
"Okay." Bai He agreed immediately.
Rejecting Bai Yu's invitation to sit at his house for a while, Bai He continued to walk forward along the snowy road.
Halfway, Bai He met his grandparents and Su Xingye who were holding flashlights.
The three of them were talking about something with smiles on their faces. Su Xing didn't say much either, but his serious and focused expression when he was listening made people feel comfortable.
When she met Bai He in the snow, Grandma Bai couldn't help but scold him, "You kid, Doctor Su is your friend, why didn't you tell us?"
Grandpa Bai said, "They have come all the way here, so we have to treat them well. Xiao Su, you can sleep with Baihe today, and you two friends can have a good chat."
Grandma Bai and Grandpa Bai looked at Su Xingye with eyes full of love and admiration. The identity of a doctor was an extra bonus for Grandma Bai and Grandpa Bai.
Bai He didn't say anything, his eyes fell on Su Xingye. Su Xingye also looked at him, his face full of weariness, the dark circles under his eyes looked very glaring against his cold white skin.
Bai He said in a hoarse voice, "Let's go home first." Then he turned around and walked ahead.
"Yes, let's go home first. Xiao Su must be hungry after a busy day. I'll cook later..."
When they got home, Grandma Bai was holding the spatula tightly, while Grandpa Bai was squatting behind the stove and making a fire.
Bai He and Su Xing, who were forced by Grandpa Bai and Grandma Bai to receive the guests, also sat on the sofa. There were various snacks and dried fruits on the table, but neither of them took a look at them.
"How did you get here?" Bai He hesitated for a moment and couldn't help asking.
"You don't want to see me." Su Xing also laughed at himself.
"No." Bai He answered seriously. He never didn't want to see him, he was just afraid of seeing him.
"Then why did you leave without saying goodbye again?" Su Xing also pursed his lips and unconsciously moved closer to Bai He.
Bai He's pupils were completely occupied by Su Xingye. He opened his mouth, but when he saw the figures of Grandpa Bai and Grandma Bai not far away, he closed his mouth again.
Su Xingye, who had waited for a long time but still received no answer, bent his tense back slightly, with a hint of disappointment and sadness in his eyes.
The dining table was placed next to the brazier, and the dim flames flickered on the faces and bodies of several people, giving a warmth like that of an old movie.
Bai He's stomach had been sore from hunger for so long that he grabbed his bowl and shoveled it down with big mouthfuls. Grandma Bai's cooking was impeccable. She'd just grab a handful of pickled cabbage from the jar, cook it into a fish broth that was intoxicating, and then add all sorts of meatballs and side dishes, cooking it over the fire. It was so delicious! After days of gorging on stir-fries and stews made with all sorts of hot pot bases, this home-cooked meal refreshed his palate.
At the dinner table, Grandma Bai and Grandpa Bai curiously asked how the two knew each other.
"We were high school classmates."
"High school classmate." Grandma Bai's eyes suddenly lit up, and she remembered something. "I was wondering why your name always seemed so familiar to me. So you are Su Xingye, the one Bai He kept mentioning. He even showed me your photo. At that time, Bai He..."
Su Xing also looked at Bai He.
Bai He lowered his head to eat, and only his lowered eyes showed that he was not so naturally calm.
It was a rare occasion for Grandpa Bai and Grandma Bai to meet Bai He's friends, so they were in high spirits, talking non-stop without the two of them needing to respond. "He has an album full of your pictures, and his brother once stole it, and he got really mad. He's probably still hiding it now."
"Haha, when we were in high school, Bai He would always be texting on his phone whenever he got home. We thought he was secretly in a relationship, but it turned out he was texting you, Xiao Su."
"Bai He is quite solitary. I've never seen him get along so well with anyone."
"You are a very important friend to him." Grandpa Bai said to Su Xing cautiously.
"Xiao Su, it's rare for you to come to our place, you must stay for a while."
The author has something to say:
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
