Famine-stricken cannon fodder tries to rewrite their lives - Part 2...
"Sister Chen, are you alright?"
"Are you feeling unwell? Should we go to the hospital to get it checked out?"
After receiving the memories, Chen Xia looked at her concerned colleagues and shook her head: "It's nothing, I just suddenly felt a little dizzy, I'll be fine after a rest, thank you everyone for your concern!"
Seeing that Chen Xia's expression was normal, her colleagues asked her a few words of concern before dispersing.
Chen Xia rubbed her forehead, turned on her computer, wrote a resignation letter, and then called her parents back home to tell them that she would be going back in a while.
Although Mr. and Mrs. Chen were overjoyed that their daughter could come back for a reunion, they couldn't help but worry that something might have happened to her at work, or that she might have had a fight with her son-in-law, Bai Yu.
Chen Xia smiled and reassured them, "Nothing's wrong, it's just a normal holiday. I couldn't go back to see you during the Spring Festival, but I wanted to go back and see you during the May Day holiday."
After hanging up the phone, Chen Xia took her resignation letter and went into her department head's office, handing it to him. Her supervisor and best friend, Liu Yue, took the letter with some surprise: "What's going on? Why are you suddenly resigning?"
Chen Xia rubbed her still slightly sore forehead: "My heart was a little painful just now, I almost fainted when I saw my great-grandmother."
Suddenly I missed my mom, so I decided to go back to my hometown in Northeast China. As you know, my older brother had an accident in the army a couple of years ago, and my sister-in-law remarried.
My parents are getting old, and my eldest nephew is their only child. If he were to fall ill or have a fever, I'd be too far away to help!
Liu Yue could empathize with Chen Xia's words, but she felt that Chen Xia was being a bit unrealistic. After all, she also had a family to support, and her husband, Bai Yu, would definitely not agree to her going back to her parents' home in Northeast China.
And then there's Chen Xia's eight-year-old daughter, whom she cherishes and protects dearly.
In response to Liu Yue's question, Chen Xia shrugged: "If he doesn't agree, I'll go back by myself. I've found that the more I back down, the more others take advantage of me."
As for Tian Tian, she truly lives up to her surname Bai; she's an ungrateful wretch. I don't know if it's because she has the blood of the Bai family flowing through her veins, but no matter how good I am to her, in her heart, the people who love her the most are always her father and her grandparents.
She's only eight years old, and she already calls her mother a stingy person all the time, complains that I hold grudges and treat her grandparents badly. What's the use of raising a daughter like that?
Liu Yue sighed: "I'm not much better than you. My husband is always siding with outsiders. Maybe to them, we'll always be outsiders."
Okay, I've approved your resignation. Take some time to rest. If you need any help later, just let me know. Hand over the paperwork to Xiao Li; I'll take care of it.
Chen Xia smiled and thanked her, then suddenly remembered something: "I'm going abroad for a while, I'll be leaving soon. If Bai Yu calls and asks, just say I'm on a business trip."
I remember Bai Yu has a classmate who works at our company. Did you tell the other colleagues that there's an urgent job and I need to go on a business trip to Hong Kong?
Liu Yue gave an OK sign: "Don't worry, I'll take care of it perfectly for you."
Chen Xia left the office and briefly handed over her work to Xiao Li at the next workstation, telling her that she would be going on a business trip for a few days.
I grabbed my laptop, put it in my bag, and left the office. I went home, packed a suitcase, took a taxi to the high-speed rail station, and bought a ticket for the next high-speed train to Shenzhen.
She plans to travel from Shenzhen to Hong Kong, and then take a trip to the United States and Thailand.
Compared to other types of apocalypse, famine-induced apocalypse is relatively mild, like boiling a frog in lukewarm water.
First, two or three consecutive years of drought and floods caused a significant reduction in grain production. When the true nature of the end times was fully revealed, an 80% reduction in grain production became a foregone conclusion.
With only the dry and rainy seasons remaining in the year, by the time countries around the world realize this and begin to study ways to increase food production under extreme weather conditions, it is too late.
Of course, this process didn't happen overnight. Chen Xia has plenty of time. She has plenty of food in her spatial storage, enough for her family to eat for ten lifetimes with some left over.
The reason she went abroad was to buy some grain for free, which she planned to donate to the country later. She wouldn't be taking it for free, though, as the Empress Dowager had already paid for it years ago.
This time, she plans to travel to all those countries again and collect some interest.
Before entering the high-speed rail station, Chen Xia called Bai Yu: "Hey, can you pick up Tian Tian from school today?"
I have to go on a business trip to Hong Kong right away. If you can't take care of her, you can send her to Mom and Dad's. Sweetie's been saying she misses her grandparents, hasn't she?"
The original owner always called him "husband" affectionately on the phone, but Chen Xia never did. Bai Yu was busy chatting with Qin Shuang on WeChat. Feeling guilty, he didn't even notice the slightly harsh tone in Chen Xia's voice today.
Upon hearing that Chen Xia was going to Hong Kong on a business trip for a while, Bai Yu's heart skipped a beat.
He was having a pleasant chat with Qin Shuang. If Chen Xia weren't home, he could send his daughter to his parents' house for a few days and then have a candlelight dinner with Qin Shuang.
Bai Yu, who was already itching to leave Chen Xia, put on a serious face and expressed his reluctance to part with her, reminding her to be careful while on her business trip.
Chen Xia pretended to be in a hurry and replied, "Alright, the client over there is pressing me, I have to get on the high-speed train, just don't forget to pick up Tian Tian."
The original owner and her husband Bai Yu were just an ordinary working-class couple. They fell in love in college and got married after graduation.
The original owner gave birth to her daughter, Bai Tiantian, in the second year of her marriage. Over the years, although there have been occasional arguments, the original owner felt that the family of three still had a harmonious relationship.
But all her happiness came to an abrupt end when she was 32. Her father-in-law was in a car accident and became paralyzed on one side. Her mother-in-law couldn't bear the blow and suffered a stroke. Although they survived, both of them were bedridden and became the ones who needed to be cared for.
The original owner's parents-in-law had always lived with her brother-in-law and helped take care of their grandson. After the incident, the brother-in-law and his wife made excuses and refused to take responsibility.
To avoid burdening their youngest son, the elderly couple wanted their eldest son, Bai Yu, to take over their household. Bai Yu was a very filial son, and a few casual words of praise from his parents made him lose his head. He immediately took the elderly couple back to his own home.
After taking him home and caring for him for two days, Bai Yu couldn't stand it anymore and discussed with the original owner that the original owner should quit his job and go home to take care of his parents.
It would be a miracle if the original owner agreed. She and Bai Yu had a bare-bones wedding. Back then, she wasn't thinking clearly and believed that with love, she had everything.
Her in-laws didn't contribute a single penny to the wedding, and after she gave birth, they complained that she had a daughter. When she was in postpartum confinement, they made her eat instant noodles every day, saying that they were nutritious.
She's perfectly healthy, but she pretends to be sick all the time just so she won't have to take care of the baby.
The grudge from her postpartum period is irreconcilable; she will remember her mother-in-law's "take it or leave it" attitude for the rest of her life.
When it was the younger brother's wife's turn to be in postpartum confinement, the old lady rushed to make chicken soup and fish soup for her, but was still complained about by the younger brother's wife for not tasting good. Even so, she never dared to show her teeth to her younger daughter-in-law.
They were always absent when the original owner's daughter was young, but they suddenly became protective of her once she started elementary school.
The original owner was strict with his daughter's studies, and they secretly told her that the original owner favored boys over girls and didn't like her.
The original owner enrolled her daughter in piano, dance, and painting classes so that she would have more options in the future. The crickets said that the original owner loved to spend money and also loved to make things difficult for her child.
That idiot Bai Tiantian actually believed her grandparents' words, thinking that the original owner didn't love her, and went against the original owner all day long.
When the original owner refused to resign in order to take care of her paralyzed in-laws, she resisted to the death, insisting that the original owner resign.
For her daughter's sake, the original owner had no choice but to back down and return to her family, becoming a full-time nanny.
The original owner's in-laws were the kind of people who didn't remember kindness but only resented grudges. They resented the original owner for not resigning to serve them at the beginning, and they found ways to nitpick and complained to their eldest son, Bai Yu, all day long about how badly the original owner served them.
Bai Yu and Bai Tiantian both ignored the original owner's efforts and instead resented her for not serving her in-laws well.
Soon, famine struck. The original owner wanted to return to her hometown to visit her parents, but was stopped by Bai Yu and Bai Tiantian.
Taking care of two paralyzed patients was a difficult task in itself. In addition, during the famine and the end of the world, not having enough to eat was the norm. The original owner was exhausted, frustrated, and constantly hungry, so she soon fell ill.
She was sick and lying in bed, feeling weak all over, but no one came to visit her.
Not only that, Bai Tiantian, that little ingrate, deliberately poked at her heart by telling her that her parents were probably starving to death and that she had received a distress call from her cousin in Northeast China, but deliberately didn't tell her.
Bai Tiantian also told her that she had obtained a planting space from her precious jade pendant. In this apocalyptic world of famine caused by drastic crop failure, she and her father could still have enough to eat.
She also told the original owner that Bai Yu had been cheating on her for a long time, and the person he was cheating on her with was Aunt Qin Shuang, who lived upstairs in their building.
The original owner was so angered to death by her heartless daughter, Bai Tiantian. After her death, both Bai Yu and Bai Tiantian cursed her for being unlucky and buried her body in Bai Tiantian's space.
To the outside world, they said that she couldn't stand being alone and ran off with another man. A few days later, she and her father moved upstairs to live with Qin Shuang.
As for the elderly couple who were paralyzed in bed, Bai Yu and Bai Tiantian hired their neighbor to help take care of them for 20 jin of grain per month.
The original owner's wish was to get a divorce before the famine and the end times began, and then return to his hometown to be with his parents.
As for Bai Yu and Bai Tiantian, without the original owner's hardworking and dutiful nature and that jade pendant, the father and daughter, who were ambitious but lacked practical skills, would not fare well.
Bai Yu was fantasizing about living happily ever after with Qin Shuang when he suddenly received a call from his younger brother.
He was in a routine meeting at work at that moment. In the conference room, the leader was getting into his speech when the shrill ring of his cell phone suddenly rang.
The leader glared at Bai Yu. Bai Yu snapped out of his daze, hurriedly turned off his phone, and bowed and apologized to the leader.
The leader, annoyed that his speech had been interrupted, waved his hand dismissively: "After you all go back, think carefully about what I just said, and see if there are any oversights in your work. If not, strive to improve; if so, correct them."
We have repeatedly reminded everyone before meetings that all mobile phones must be silenced or turned off. We hope some of you will not repeat this mistake. Alright, that concludes today's meeting. Meeting adjourned!
No sooner had the leader finished speaking than Bai Yu's phone rang again. Without even bothering to apologize to the leader, Bai Yu quickly answered the phone: "Xiao Feng, what's wrong with you? Can't you send a message if you need something? I was in a meeting just now."
Bai Feng shouted anxiously, "Oh dear brother, the situation is so urgent, I can't worry about anything else!"
Dad was in a car accident and has been taken to the hospital by ambulance.
I knew you were busy with work and didn't want to bother you, but as soon as Dad was wheeled into the operating room, Mom fainted. The doctor said it was a cerebral infarction.
They're in the operating room and the emergency room, respectively. I'm really stretched thin right now. Please come quickly.
Bai Yu was immediately at his wit's end and instinctively called Chen Xia: "Wife, where are you?"
Chen Xia glanced at the time and rolled her eyes: "I'm in Hong Kong. Didn't I tell you I was on a business trip? You haven't forgotten, have you?"
Bai Yu sighed, "How come everything keeps happening at once? Dad was in a car accident, Mom had a brain hemorrhage, can you...?"
Chen Xia said coldly, "I can't. I've already made an appointment with the client to go to their company tomorrow morning to revise the plan."
Also, I'm in the port city, not the provincial capital. Do you think I can just walk up and take a taxi home?
Frustrated, Bai Yu hung up the phone and rushed to the hospital. Arriving breathless, he was scolded by his younger brother, Bai Feng.
Bai Feng looked behind him: "Where's my sister-in-law? It's one thing that she's not filial to our parents usually, but why is she nowhere to be seen at this crucial time?"
Bai Yu waved his hand irritably: "Stop talking about those irrelevant things. Your sister-in-law went to Hong Kong on a business trip this morning."
She's blind, doesn't she know our parents were in a car accident this afternoon? How are our parents now? Where's your wife, Lili? Why isn't she here?
How did Dad get into the car accident? He's always been very careful crossing the street, so why was he in such a panic?
Bai Feng stammered, "Well, Xiao Bao wanted milk tea, and he kept crying when we didn't give it to him. Dad felt sorry for him and walked in a bit too fast, without looking at the traffic lights..."
Bai Yu's temples throbbed, and he couldn't help but recall his wife's words: Xiao Bao was the apple of his parents' eye, and his parents were biased towards his younger brother. Not only did they help take care of the child, but they also subsidized him with their retirement pensions.
But he quickly put that thought aside. The education he received from childhood told him that he was the eldest son who was the pillar of the family, and it was his responsibility to be filial to his parents and help his younger brother.
Just as he was about to speak, the operating room lights went out, and the doctor came out: "The patient's surgery was very successful, but he is old and injured his lumbar spine. The extent of his recovery will depend on his postoperative rehabilitation."
Bai Yu quickly asked, "Thank you, doctor. When can my father be moved to a ward?"
The doctor gave an approximate time and then left.
Bai Yu told Bai Feng to wait at the operating room door, and then rushed to see his mother, whose condition was very bad.
Although thrombolytic drugs were administered promptly, the effect was not obvious, and the condition showed signs of worsening.
Because the location of the infarction is not good, interventional surgery is not possible. At present, only conservative treatment can be performed, and the patient still needs to be observed in the intensive care unit.
Bai Yu was in a real bind, and just then he received a call from the teacher urging him to pick up his child immediately.
Unable to be in two places at once, Bai Yu could only call Qin Shuang: "Little Qin, it's your brother Bai. Can you do me a favor? Your sister-in-law is away on a business trip, and my parents have some things to take care of. I can't go to pick up the child. Can you do me a favor and pick up Tian Tian?"
Oh, thank you so much, Xiao Qin, you're a lifesaver! Thanks a lot, I'll treat you to a big meal when I get back today.
"Just take Tian Tian home, my daughter can unlock it with her fingerprint." "Oh, I can't possibly accept that. Okay, thank you for your help, see you tonight."
When Mr. Bai came out of the operating room, there was another flurry of activity. By the time the two elders were settled, it was already evening.
Bai Yu said to his younger brother Bai Feng, "Your sister-in-law is away on a business trip, and there's no one to take care of Tian Tian. I have to go back. You can stay at the hospital tonight."
Bai Feng was displeased upon hearing this: "How can that be? Lili is pregnant, and Xiao Hao is making a fuss. If I don't go back, the two of them won't even be able to eat."
Bai Yu angrily flung his hand away: "Then what do you suggest we do? I asked the neighbor to pick up Tian Tian, I can't just let her stay overnight at the neighbor's house, can I?"
Bai Feng sighed helplessly: "Alright then, hurry up and come to relieve me tomorrow morning, I still have to go to work."
Bai Yu was both amused and annoyed: "Don't I go to work? Do you think my workplace is a place where you can easily ask for leave or something?"
"Damn it, my sister-in-law had to go on a business trip. Hong Kong is so far away, she won't be back for at least ten days or two weeks. This is going to be a nightmare. Maybe we can take turns..."
Bai Feng quickly refused: "That won't do. If I take several days off, will I still have to work? Let my sister-in-law come back as soon as possible."
Bai Yu scratched his head: "Even if we call her back, it's too late to solve the immediate problem. Fine, if all else fails, we'll hire a caregiver for a few days, and I'll pay for it."
When Bai Feng heard that Bai Yu was willing to pay for a caregiver, he stopped talking. He would stay for one night, and the rest would be up to his older brother.
Anyway, given his older brother's temperament, he wouldn't just leave his parents in the hospital.
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