He handed the items to Xiong Mingxia: "I came to see Aunt Xie. How is she doing? I came back in a hurry and didn't bring anything nice. This box of pastries I brought back from the capital is easy to digest, so Aunt Xie can try some. And this packet of brown sugar is also for Aunt Xie to nourish her body."
Just as Tie Zhu had said, Xiong Mingxia looked haggard and aged more than ten years, with a blank expression in her eyes.
Xu Ningyan walked up to her without even realizing it.
After listening to Xu Ningyan's words, it took a while before a glimmer of light returned to his dull eyes.
Just as he was about to reach out and take it, he looked at his hands, quickly wiped them on his pants, and then carefully took the item, forcing a smile that was tinged with bitterness: "Siya, it's so kind of you to remember my mother! Please come in and sit down, I'll get you some water—"
As he spoke, he carried the things into Aunt Xie's house, then turned around and went to the kitchen to pour water.
The two women, having gained nothing, spat under their breath and moved aside.
The officers in green uniforms from the Northwest Military Region didn't dare to breathe. Only after the two sides had exchanged blows for a while did they signal, "Comrade Xu, please come in with us—"
These past few days, these young men have been driven almost crazy.
Who can understand this?! The way these country women bicker and fight is so suffocating to watch, it makes you want to run away as fast as you can.
Now, facing such power head-on, the young men were completely powerless to resist.
Their team leader was a seasoned veteran who frequently handled such matters, but unfortunately, he broke his leg while saving someone in the provincial capital and is currently receiving treatment in a provincial hospital.
The county armed forces department initially sent people to help coordinate, but Aunt Xie's crazy appearance scared them away.
The young men are now traumatized; the moment they brought Xu Ningyan in, they were prepared for the two women to make a scene.
I never expected things to go so smoothly today.
The group exchanged glances, all finding it unbelievable.
They all turned to look at Xu Ningyan.
One dim-witted, loose-lipped fellow muttered, "Why didn't they throw a tantrum today, crying, screaming, and threatening suicide, rolling on the ground and refusing to let go of our pants? Maybe they have some other trick up their sleeve?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Ningyan immediately understood why the people from the Northwest Military Region were in such a hurry.
I couldn't help but look at the two women.
The two women also heard what the people from the Northwest Military Region said, and they were about to roll their eyes and curse.
But when she met Xu Ningyan's ambiguous smile, she chickened out.
Forget it! They're not afraid of others, but Xu Siya is a ruthless girl.
Putting aside the fact that she showed no mercy to the Xu family before, and even sent Xu Zhenzhu to a Northwest farm for reform, it's clear that she has a hard heart.
Just because she works at the department store, the brigade is now benefiting from her connections. They can sell a lot of things to the supply and marketing cooperative in the name of the brigade headquarters, and everyone is getting the benefits. They don't dare to offend her, do they?
If you really anger this girl and she takes this benefit, not only will the people in the brigade be furious, but even her own family members will be heartbroken.
They dared not provoke this little ancestor, and reluctantly took a few steps back.
Xiong Mingxia had returned from the kitchen, carrying a bowl of brown sugar water, and gestured for Xu Ningyan to follow her into the main room.
As soon as Xu Ningyan entered the main room, she smelled an unpleasant odor.
Xiong Mingxia, having smelled it for a while, no longer noticed it. She placed the brown sugar water on the table, rubbed her hands together, and said, "We don't have much to offer you at home, so have some sugar water!"
Xu Ningyan waved her hand, saying the smell wasn't pleasant and she'd better finish her business quickly so she could leave.
"I'll go check on Aunt Xie first!"
Xiong Mingxia sighed, her eyes reddening, and pushed open the door next to her.
This person had been ill for a long time and was bedridden. In addition, the elders said that sick people should not be exposed to drafts to avoid catching a cold. The windows of the room where Aunt Xie slept were tightly closed, and the smell of medicine, as well as the stench of urine that could not be removed even after cleaning, wafted into the nostrils.
Even though Xu Ningyan was mentally prepared, she was still so overwhelmed by the fumes that she almost couldn't ejaculate.
Rubbing her nose, Xu Ningyan forced a normal tone and said, "Since you're so sick, why don't you open the windows to ventilate the room? Otherwise, the room will be full of germs, which will be even worse for your health!"
Upon hearing this, Xiong Mingxia asked in confusion, "But the elders all say you shouldn't be exposed to the wind—"
Xu Ningyan said with an upright and dignified expression, "That's what the doctors at the hospitals in Beijing told me when I went there this time!"
Although Xiong Mingxia didn't understand, the doctors at the Beijing hospital certainly knew more than the old woman, so she quickly opened the door and pushed open the window.
The mountain breeze swirled in and out of the window, bringing in fresh air.
The smell in the room immediately became much fainter.
Moreover, with the windows and doors open, the room became much brighter.
Xu Ningyan stood at the door and saw a person lying quietly on the bed in the middle. It was Aunt Xie.
His hair was completely white and disheveled, his face was sallow, his eyes were sunken and bluish-black, his lips were dry and bloodless, and his exposed hands were withered and thin like chicken claws that had been dried for ten years. If it weren't for the faint rise and fall of his chest, one would probably think he was dead.
Xiong Mingxia walked to the bedside and whispered, "Mother, Siya has come to see you!"
After calling her name several times, Aunt Xie finally let out a long breath, her throat gurgling, and after a long while, she coughed up a mouthful of thick phlegm mixed with blood.
He seemed a bit more energetic and whispered, "Help me up."
Xiong Mingxia wiped away her tears and helped Aunt Xie lie down, leaning against the blankets and pillows.
Aunt Xie's eyes were vacant but her gaze was fixed on the doorway: "Is it Siya who's back?"
For some reason, Xu Ningyan felt a chill run down her spine. She paused for a moment and then asked, "It's me! Aunt Xie, are you alright?"
After hesitating for a moment, he walked toward Aunt Xie's bedside.
As soon as she reached the bedside, Aunt Xie grabbed her wrist. Xu Ningyan instantly felt as if she had been grabbed by the Black Mountain Demon. The hand holding her wrist was withered and cold, making her feel uncomfortable.
Xu Ningyan tried to pull her wrist away, but Aunt Xie had a strange strength and held on tightly.
Xu Ningyan was dealing with a seriously ill elderly person, so she didn't dare to use excessive force and didn't pull her hand back.
Aunt Xie stared intently at Xu Ningyan for a long time, scrutinizing her so closely that the hairs on the back of Xu Ningyan's neck stood on end, before finally sighing, "It really is Siya! It's good that you're back! It's good that you're back—"
Xu Ningyan immediately understood what everyone meant when they said they felt uneasy seeing Aunt Xie.
Aunt Xie sighed and then started crying again: "Siya! I'm so sorry! I was blinded by greed! I'm so sorry! I'm a sinner! A sinner! I apologize to you, I'll kowtow to you!"
She cried and cried, then seemed to be going crazy.
Xiong Mingxia was already used to it and could only smile wryly from the side.
Xu Ningyan remained silent, watching Aunt Xie go mad.
After her outburst, Aunt Xie seemed to have all her strength drained away. Lying on the bed, even her breathing became much weaker.
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