After seeing the family off, Zhang Guoqing held onto Doctor Zhou, who was about to leave, and said, "Uncle Zhou, please don't go. Please check Jiaojiao's pulse for me. I want to make sure she's safe."
Doctor Zhou looked at Zhou Jiao's face and rolled his eyes at him. "You're still worried about her rosy face? My dear wife, Uncle Zhou, please take her pulse. Otherwise, Uncle Zhou won't be able to leave your house today."
"Very well. You've been taking good care of yourself during this confinement period. Are you okay? I'm leaving now."
Before he could finish, Zhang Guoqing grabbed him and said to Zhou Jiao, "Jiaojiao, open the door completely to let the air circulate. Wash your hands with soap, put on your coat and come to the main room." After that, he pulled the smirking Doctor Zhou into the main room.
"Xiao Wu, why are you pulling your Uncle Zhou? Stop pulling and tugging, just say it."
Zhang Guoqing let him go, glanced around furtively, and whispered, "My son is still young and has a weak immune system. Does he need to disinfect the room? What else should he pay attention to?"
Doctor Zhou laughed out loud, looked at him, but said nothing. He came into the main room and chatted with Father Zhang.
Zhang Guoqing pulled his mother to the table and said, "Uncle Zhou, please check my mother's pulse. How is my mother's health? Is there anything I need to pay attention to?"
And my dad, please take a look at him too. He must be in poor health from smoking so much. Please take his pulse. What should he pay attention to? And should he rest and not work in the fields? I think he really can't go out to work."
Doctor Zhou rolled his eyes at him and was too lazy to pay attention to him. Wasn't it just asking him to do what he said?
After a while, Doctor Zhou nodded. "Now he's as strong as an ox. Both of them are in good health. They can live for several decades. If they don't work, they can live to 200 years old. Are you satisfied?"
His words made everyone in the hall burst into laughter.
Everyone teased Zhang Guoqing, but he didn't mind. Knowing his parents were healthy was enough. He was just worried that if any problems weren't discovered early, their treatment would be delayed.
"Okay. Stop staring at me like an idiot. You've already taken precautions. Just wait until tonight before going in. Take the quilt off the bed, wash it, and expose it to the sun, and it'll be fine. It's just a cold. If anyone comes over saying they're feeling unwell, don't let them into your room. Just in case."
Adults and children alike, it's best not to enter the room. What if someone with a broken leg or arm comes in and refuses to leave? Who has medicine? If there's no medicine, there's nothing we can do. If you need to borrow money, go to the team; they have the money.
Okay, I really have to go. I have to go to the next village later, and I can't delay that person. If you hadn't held me tightly, I would have already reached his place. "
"Uncle Zhou, I'll take you there." Zhang Guoqing hurriedly followed behind him. This favor was too much. If they didn't love you, who would say these words to your face?
Zhou Jiao looked at Zhang's father and mother guiltily. "Mom and Dad, I was wrong. I didn't consider these issues when I heard the child had a high fever. What will happen if someone comes to our house in the future? It's over. If this gets out, everyone will come to our house asking for medicine or borrowing money, right?"
Father Zhang laughed heartily at her expression. "Are you scared now? It's okay. Leave it to your parents. But, Jiaojiao, I'm telling you, you'll have to make a living in the county town from now on. You absolutely must not be soft-hearted. I've noticed that you're very soft-hearted, especially towards children. You can't stand it when a smart child acts pitifully towards you. The child is innocent, but what about the adults behind the scenes?"
Zhou Jiao thought about it carefully. She did have an impulsive attitude towards children. She would always think of her childhood, when even a smile or a piece of candy from someone else would be remembered for the rest of her life. But no!
She had a persistent determination even then. When she grew up, she would be kind to all children, because children are the most grateful and pure-hearted; they wouldn't exploit you or harm you. A little kindness from you might change a child's outlook on life and the world. They wouldn't see the world as gray, as she did.
Seeing that she had listened, Father Zhang said with relief, "I'm glad that you have a kind heart, but we must protect ourselves first. How will you handle these situations in the future? I believe you will know what to do. Jiaojiao, children are not all naive and simple-minded. I'll tell you a few things and you'll understand."
Zhang Dad began to recount his first experience with his father in the provincial capital, his subsequent encounters with children, and the betrayal of some adopted children. They had names, newborns, and babbling toddlers.
After hearing this, Zhou Jiao fell into deep thought. Perhaps she was wrong. Now she understood that her previous plan to give the child eggs and rice was ridiculous. No one had taught her the ways of the world in two lifetimes. She had learned to grow up on her own in two lives, so what she lacked was more than just the affection of family.
No wonder her father said she lacked experience. She wanted to talk to him about her feelings right now. Zhang Guoqing doted on her, and only her father could teach her these principles. If her parents-in-law said it again, she would be too embarrassed to face them.
Zhang Guoqing sent Dr. Zhou home and went straight into his room. He smelled the faint scent of disinfectant in the air and nodded with satisfaction.
Thinking about the follow-up of this matter, he frowned slightly and paced around the room.
Given Zhou Jiao's personality, she'd definitely be thinking about the consequences. He could imagine she was blaming herself for her actions. Perhaps she'd become more rational and mature, but would she be happy? She was so wary of adults, if she could even treat children with indifference and inaction, did she still have any feelings?
If only his father-in-law were here. He could talk to him. Zhou Jiao's psychological problems were extremely serious and extreme. She usually hid them well, but when the time came, her weaknesses were exposed. She had unconditional trust in children, something he had discovered in his previous life. No matter how much she disliked her brother, she would always grant her nephew's requests until he was five. In her eyes, once a child turned five, they were already past the age of five, and she had drawn a line in her heart.
It didn't matter before, what era was that? He protected her, but it just cost a little more money. But when he returned to Beijing in the future, the situation he faced would be even more tense. He was afraid that he couldn't protect his wife, and even more afraid that she would get hurt. At this moment, he suddenly didn't want to go back to Beijing anymore. It would be nice to spend his life in peace in the county.
Zhang Guoqing leaned weakly on the kang, repeatedly pondering how far he could go to protect the woman he loved. How could he equip her with a safe armor?
He could hear footsteps outside. Zhang Guoqing wiped his face, smiled at the mirror, and turned to walk out. He had to cheer up, comfort that silly woman, and deal with the aftermath of this matter. He couldn't let anyone ask for help when they saw her, which would only make her regret and feel guilty. He, Zhang Guoqing, had no other skills, but he could protect his woman.
Zhang Guoqing came out to see his mother pulling him along. She told him what Zhou Jiao had said and how she had reacted. He had expected all of this. He nodded, said a few words of comfort to her, and then, smiling, led her back to the main room.
When Zhou Jiao saw him appear, joy flashed in her eyes and she looked at him anxiously.
Zhang Guoqing felt a pang of pain in his heart when he saw her looking at him anxiously like a child who had made a mistake.
Why did his Jiaojiao need to be like this? He quickly gave her a thumbs-up and said with an exaggerated smile: "As expected of my wife, you are amazing! Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. Well done! I saw the room, it's all disinfected. Well done."
Zhou Jiao smiled excitedly, but then her expression darkened. She said dejectedly, "But I still didn't think it through. I was afraid it would cause a lot of trouble later. I should have asked my mother for help. But I acted impulsively when I heard that she was only two years old."
Zhang Guoqing smiled at his family in the main hall. "I've always felt that our family has a good life, all thanks to our ancestors. I've always wanted to do something for my family, but I can't figure out what to do. Jiaojiao's behavior this time was a bit rash, but it gave me an inspiration. Mom and Dad, brother and sister-in-law, I have an idea that I want to share with you."
Seeing that everyone was waiting for him, Zhang Guoqing sat down and took Zhou Jiao's hand and squeezed it.
He slowly put forward his thoughts, "Except for a few families in Zhangjia Village, everyone's ancestors came here from other places and developed together. We are closer than relatives who live thousands of miles away. Our family is doing well now, and many people must be jealous.
In the future, when it comes to ancestor worship, road construction, or any other problems in the clan, everyone will look to our family. Instead of letting them come to us, we might as well take the initiative to do something for everyone.
The village hadn't had a doctor for years. Everyone had to endure any discomfort, and if they went to the hospital, it was too late. If someone had a severe hemorrhage while hunting in the mountains, the township or county was too far away to get help. In the middle of winter, if anyone in the family had a fever or a headache, they had no choice but to wait and go to the hospital.
I'd like to donate some medicine so that my third grandfather's grandson, Zhang Qingmu, can open a small clinic in the village. Zhang Qingmu has always been in poor health, but he learned some medical skills in his early years and has some skills. This way, the village will have a doctor, and the villagers will give him work points, and people from other villages will give him money, so he won't have to carry a hoe all the time. Do you think this is feasible?"
Father Zhang nodded repeatedly. As soon as he finished, he asked Zhang Guoqing how much the medicine would cost. He learned that he could buy common medicine from Aunt Ye at the county hospital, and that Zhou Jiao would have to prepare the traditional Chinese medicine. Seeing that it wasn't expensive, he agreed without hesitation.
Finally, after the family had discussed it, it was Zhang's father who proposed, with Zhang Dabo taking the lead, that the donation of medicine be put on hold until the clinic was established. First, they had to see whether Zhang Qingmu was making the donation based on work points or personal income.
Zhou Jiao listened silently, knowing full well that this was a plan he had come up with specifically to avoid future trouble. This way, the impact of today's incident would be minimized, and even if someone came to her for help in the future, she would be able to refuse.
Lying on the kang at night, Zhang Guoqing and his wife talked quietly, from Zhang Guofu's harvest to the vacant courtyard in the county town and then to what happened today.
Zhou Jiao discussed her insights, starting with her childhood and recounting her experiences before meeting Zhang Guoqing. This was the only time she truly understood herself.
From the stories Zhang's father told her, she realized she had a lot to learn. She was terrified by the interpersonal relationships she couldn't learn from books.
Since arriving here, she's discovered that she hadn't noticed many things, and her methods of dealing with many situations were crude and crude. She even often forgets where she is, judging people by her usual perspective and experience.
The most terrifying thing was that she actually planned to give the child a bag of rice, a basket of eggs, and several kilograms of sugar tonight, and she didn't think it was a big gift at all.
Zhang Guoqing felt the same way. He thought about how he'd been laughing under the covers. After being beaten out by her, he told her about a time when he bought something and was given a bamboo basket filled with stuff. He asked how much it cost, and she said one dollar. He looked at her suspiciously, even asking if it was enough. Someone nearby looked at him like he was a fool, and only then did he realize it. This dollar wasn't the same dollar as before. He'd been keeping an eye on it ever since, but he'd still often forgotten it in his shopping spree.
Last time, when Zhang Meili hosted a wedding banquet, he got so carried away with shopping that he forgot the cabbage was only a few cents and casually asked for five yuan. When the other party shook their head and said they didn't have that much, he pointed at the cabbage on the ground and angrily blamed them for not selling it to him. Everyone looked at him like he was crazy, and it scared him back to his senses.
I often forget what year it is. The couple has only just begun their lives, and the days ahead are long. They will experience many more things and meet all kinds of people.
Now an elderly man with many children and grandchildren, Zhang Guoqing often sighs about the fear they once faced, holding his gray-haired wife's hand. Recalling their conversation that night, it was from that day on that he took her with him wherever he went, fearing he would lose her if he wasn't careful.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
