Ye Qingqing was very surprised. She never expected that Tang Bao was not Grandma Gu's biological son, and that they had no blood relation at all. He was just a complete stranger.
Grandma Gu was willing to endure hardship to raise a stranger; she was truly a rare and kind-hearted person.
But what about Grandma Gu's relatives?
Where did they go? Why aren't they taking care of her?
"Has Uncle Tang Bao always been like this?" Ye Qingqing asked curiously.
Grandma Gu tilted her head slightly as she recalled, "In the first two years, he could still say a few words. He told me his name was Tang Bao and that he could cook. But in the last few years, he hasn't said a word. The doctor said that there was a blood clot in his brain that was pressing on his nerves. He had to have surgery to remove the blood clot, otherwise his life would be in danger."
She and Tang Bao came to Pingjiang last year. Before that, she had lived in a rural area in Northwest China. She had originally planned never to set foot in Pingjiang City again, but she came back for Tang Bao.
Pingjiang's medical standards are among the best in the country, comparable to those in Beijing. She wasn't familiar with Beijing and didn't dare go there, so she could only return to Pingjiang.
"When is the surgery? Has the date been set?" Ye Qingqing asked with concern.
Grandma Gu smiled shyly, feeling embarrassed. "I haven't saved enough money yet. The earliest I can save it is next year."
She's old, has no skills, and is physically weak, so she can only sell balut skewers at a stall every night and make some cardboard boxes during the day. After paying rent, utilities, and food and drink for herself and her son, she doesn't have much left. She doesn't know when she'll be able to save enough money for surgery.
well!
Ye Qingqing glanced at a stack of papers on the cabinet. They were all too familiar; they were the paper boxes that the old lady pasted every day. Her eyes welled up with tears. How could Granny Gu manage to paste paper boxes during the day and set up a stall at night?
At an age when she should be enjoying her retirement, Granny Gu is still struggling to make a living. Doesn't she have any children?
"Grandma, don't you have any relatives?" Ye Qingqing asked cautiously.
Grandma Gu had a mixed accent. She could speak Pingjiang dialect, but also had a bit of a Northwest accent. She seemed like a Pingjiang native who had lived in the Northwest for a long time, or perhaps a Northwest native who had lived in Pingjiang for a long time.
However, Ye Qingqing guessed it should be the former.
Although Granny Gu was old and haggard, she possessed the gentle grace of the Jiangnan water towns. She must have been a very exquisite beauty in her youth. More importantly, Granny Gu's eating habits clearly indicated that she was from the South.
The old woman's expression changed slightly, and she lowered her head as if trying to hide something. After a long while, she finally answered, "No... Some are dead, some are scattered... The family is gone!"
"Not a single one left?"
After a long silence, Grandma Gu sighed and said in a hoarse voice, "Yes, that's all... Let's eat!"
She used serving chopsticks to put food on Ye Qingqing's plate, which quickly became piled high. She then put food on Tang Bao's plate, but she didn't eat much herself.
"Grandma, you should eat too. You haven't eaten much."
Ye Qingqing wanted to serve food to Grandma Gu, but she didn't have any serving chopsticks, so she could only persuade Grandma Gu to eat.
"I'm getting old, so I don't eat much anymore. You're a little girl, you're growing, so eat more." Grandma Gu smiled, but there was a bitter taste in her mouth.
Ye Qingqing felt guilty. It was all because she had been too talkative and asked about Grandma Gu's relatives. Grandma Gu was initially quite happy, but after recalling the past, she became unhappy.
Perhaps the past was too painful, otherwise how could she have lost all her relatives?
Feeling guilty, Ye Qingqing forgot about eating and recounted the story of Tiedan reciting ancient poems that day. She told it so vividly that Grandma Gu was amused and laughed heartily, tears streaming down her face.
Ye Qingqing breathed a sigh of relief and chatted with the old woman while eating. Tang Bao ate quietly without making a sound, so Ye Qingqing didn't dare to talk about anything else and could only talk about the safest food.
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