The arrival of mulberries broke the silence in the ward, and Bu Ling breathed a sigh of relief: "I was just hungry."
Sangshen handed the lunchbox to Buling, "It's too late, and there's not much food left in the cafeteria. You'll have to make do with this."
Bling took the lunchbox and said with a smile, "I'm so hungry right now I could eat a whole cow, I wouldn't mind."
She opened the lunchbox and saw that it was sweet potato rice, mostly sweet potatoes. She was indeed hungry, so she didn't stand on ceremony, told Aunt Sang, and started eating her late dinner.
Sangshen then carefully inquired about how Aunt Sang was injured and how her health was.
Aunt Sang looked at the mulberry tree with great affection and answered all her questions. "Auntie is fine. She just fell and will be discharged from the hospital tomorrow."
In fact, she would have been discharged from the hospital long ago if it weren't for trying to stop Sang Zhang's marriage.
"Let's stay a couple more days, that way we'll feel more at ease," Sangshen strongly disagreed.
Aunt Sang waved her hand: "No need to stay anymore, I'm fine now, and it's not good to keep wasting the hospital's resources."
When Aunt Sang said that, Sang Shen couldn't insist anymore, but she still said, "I'll ask the doctor later. The doctor will only let me leave the hospital if he says I can be discharged."
Aunt Sang listened with a smile, showing no sign of the anger she had shown towards Brother Sang.
Buling quickly finished his dinner, then stood up with the empty lunchbox: "I'll go wash the lunchbox."
Sangshen immediately said, "I'll go, you've had a long day too."
Upon hearing this, Aunt Sang quickly said, "Xiao Qi is right. You two have been working hard all day. Don't stay here with me. Go home and rest. I've already asked your eldest brother to air out the quilts."
Bling looked at the mulberry.
Sangshen thought for a moment and said, "Alright, Auntie, we'll come see you again tomorrow."
Aunt Sang smiled kindly: "Alright, alright, then Auntie will be waiting for you."
After saying goodbye to their aunt, Sangshen and Buling left the ward. The two went to find their aunt's doctor first. They were relieved to hear from the doctor that their aunt was indeed fine.
Then he carried his suitcase out of the military hospital.
"Do you know where your aunt lives?" A gust of cold wind instantly banished any drowsiness from Buling's body.
Mulberry, holding Bling's hand, said, "I know, don't worry!"
Bu Ling scratched his palm, "Do you know why your aunt treated your older brother that way?"
In the darkness, his eyes burned with intensity: "I know, my older brother told me."
Buling asked curiously, "What did your older brother tell you?"
"My older brother said that his aunt is not satisfied with the marriage partner he found."
"Did your brother tell you how he found his marriage partner?" Bu Ling asked again.
Sangshen nodded: "Of course, my brother said that she is the widow of his comrade-in-arms who died with him. She was being tormented by her parents-in-law to the point that she couldn't go on living. He can't just ignore her."
"Moreover, my comrade's daughter is going to be sent by her grandparents to be a child bride. My comrade's wife was forced to turn to my older brother because she had no other choice. If my older brother doesn't take care of them, the four of them, mother and daughters, will not be able to survive."
Bling sensed the subtle agreement in his words: "Ha~ Men!"
Sangshen retorted, "What's wrong with men?"
Buling reasoned with him: "You and your older brother both think this is saving her from dire straits, but have you asked what she thinks? Does she really want to marry your older brother?"
Sangshen thought Buling's words made no sense: "She's almost starving, otherwise why would she go to my brother? What could she possibly be unwilling about? My brother is so outstanding!"
Bling thought to herself, "As expected, no matter the time, men are always so confident and love to be heroes." She sighed.
"Have you ever thought about this? My elder brother is the eldest grandson of the Sang family and will be the leader of the family in the future. If he marries a woman like this, how are women supposed to cope? What about the children she brings with her? Are they supposed to enjoy the same resources as our children in the future?"
She wasn't feudalistic, but in a large family like the Sang family, with so many people, one had to think things through carefully before getting married. Otherwise, if favoritism led to infighting among the brothers, it would be too late to regret it.
Did the older brother really ask that woman what she thought? Or did he just think that marrying her was the best outcome for her?
Sangshen argued with Buling: "Big brother is saving them!"
Bling was exhausted: "Yes, but is this the only way to save people?"
Sangshen was somewhat persuaded, but still stubbornly said, "My older brother is doing this so that it will be easier for him to take care of them in the future."
Bling: ...
Forget it, it doesn't make sense!
"Whatever makes you happy!"
Sangshen snorted twice: "My brother sacrificed so much, if that woman didn't want to come with my brother to see my aunt?"
For the first time, Buling found communicating with Sangshen so difficult. She was also exhausted and too lazy to argue with him: "What you said is all correct, right? How much longer until we get there? I'm exhausted!"
Sangshen felt that Buling's words sounded reluctant, but when she heard that Buling was tired, she immediately said, "It's just ahead, the first building."
Following the direction the mulberry was pointing, Bu Ling saw a two-story building standing not far away. It was not very clear in the darkness, but the warm yellow light inside looked particularly cozy.
She quickened her pace: "Hurry up, it's so cold."
She pulled Sangshen along, quickening her pace.
The small building was not closed. The two walked through the courtyard and pushed open the door. Inside, Uncle Sang and Brother Sang were sitting facing each other, playing chess.
Hearing the door open, the two turned their heads simultaneously.
"Xiao Qi, niece-in-law!" Uncle Sang
"Little Seven, Sister-in-law!" Brother Sang.
"Uncle, elder brother!" Bu Ling and Sang Shen greeted each other in unison.
Uncle Sang and Brother Sang are both serious and taciturn types. When facing the two of them, although their faces show gentleness, they cannot say anything sentimental.
Uncle Sang simply said, "Are you tired? Your rooms are all ready. Take a foot bath to relax, get a good night's sleep, and we can talk about it tomorrow."
When facing Uncle Sang, Sang was exceptionally obedient: "Okay, Uncle."
Buling followed suit obediently, saying, "Thank you, Uncle!"
Uncle Sang raised the corners of his lips, seemingly wanting to give the two a smile, but he was used to a serious face, and after trying for a long time, he finally gave up: "Get some rest, eldest brother, you should go and rest first too."
Brother Sang didn't refuse: "Okay!" After saying that, he greeted Sang and the other person, then turned and went upstairs.
Uncle Sang said, "Xiao Qi's room is still the same one, nothing has changed."
Mulberry: "I understand, Uncle."
Uncle Sang nodded solemnly: "Get some rest." He then went back to his room after saying that.
After soaking their feet and washing up briefly, Bu Ling and her companion went back to their room. It was already past eleven o'clock, and after all that time, they were so tired that their eyelids were drooping.
Back in their room, they lay down on the warm kang (heated brick bed), covered with a quilt that smelled of sunshine, and fell asleep almost immediately.
Soon, the room was filled with the sound of even breathing...
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