Chapter Thirteen did have the idea of remarrying.
Zhong Chengren slowly sat up, rubbed his eyes, and said dismissively, "What's wrong with a little girl crying a few times? Don't make a fuss!"
He paused, then muttered, "Zhou Mingli is a good-for-nothing; she can't even take care of a child! What's the point of marrying her!"
These words were like adding fuel to the fire, instantly igniting all of Zhang Chunxue's anger!
"I'll teach you to call her useless! I'll teach you to neglect your child!" Zhang Chunxue was trembling with anger. Without thinking, she took off her cloth shoes and slapped Zhong Chengren hard on the buttocks and back!
"Slap! Slap slap!"
The sound of the shoe sole hitting flesh was especially loud in the quiet night.
Zhong Chengren screamed as he was hit, "Mom! Why are you hitting me! Did I say something wrong?"
"You're not wrong?!" Zhang Chunxue's attack became even more brutal. "She's your wife! The child is your own daughter! Don't you have any sense of responsibility as a husband and father?!"
“She’s just a little girl, is it worth making such a fuss about?” Zhong Chengren retorted stubbornly.
"How dare you say that!" Zhang Chunxue slapped him again with the sole of her shoe. "Get out! Get out of here and go find a doctor right now! If you can't find Dr. Li, don't come back!"
Zhong Chengren was terrified of being beaten, and he knew that his mother was really angry this time. Although he was unwilling and felt that it was not worth the trouble for a girl and a useless woman, he had experienced his mother's tyranny since he was a child.
He slowly got up, rubbing his sore bottom as he grumbled as he walked out.
Back in Zhou Mingli's room, Zhang Chunxue took her granddaughter, who was crying so hard she could barely breathe, into her arms.
The child's face turned red, and his voice became hoarse.
"Mingli," Zhang Chunxue said in a softer voice to Zhou Mingli, who was delirious with fever on the bed, "You have such a high fever, you can't breastfeed anymore. What if you pass on your illness to the baby?"
Zhou Mingli nodded weakly, tears streaming down her face: "Mom...I...I'm so sorry to the child..."
“Silly child, why are you saying all this?” Zhang Chunxue sighed. “The baby will sleep with me for the next few days. Once Xiaoxiao has cooked the rice porridge, we’ll feed her some. Yuanyuan is over five months old now, so a little rice porridge will do the trick.”
Zhong Yuanyuan is the name of her granddaughter, and she named her that.
Hearing her mother-in-law's gentle arrangements, Zhou Mingli felt a surge of warmth in her heart, her eyes reddened, and she choked out, "Mom... thank you..."
In the years since she married into the family, Zhong Chengren has always beaten and scolded her. Her mother-in-law used to just stand by and watch, but she has never protected her like she does today.
This sudden warmth almost brought tears to her eyes.
Zhang Chunxue patted her hand: "Focus on getting better and don't think about anything."
Not long after, footsteps and faint voices came from outside the courtyard; it was Zhong Chengren returning.
Zhang Chunxue held her granddaughter, her eyes turning cold.
The door was pushed open, and Zhong Chengren, with a dark face, reluctantly entered the house, stepping aside to let others pass.
Following closely behind him was an elderly man in his fifties with graying hair, carrying a medicine box on his back; he was none other than Dr. Li, the village's barefoot doctor.
"Guosheng's wife, what's wrong with your second daughter-in-law?" Doctor Li asked as soon as he entered the door.
However, just as Dr. Li stepped across the threshold, another figure followed him in at a leisurely pace.
The man was wearing a clean white shirt and black trousers. He stood tall and straight, and in the dim light of the oil lamp, the profile of his face appeared exceptionally clear and handsome.
Zhang Chunxue's gaze fell on that person, and she froze instantly, as if struck by lightning.
The child in my arms seemed to have become lighter.
It's him!
Song Xingzhi!
How could he... how could he be here?!
Zhang Chunxue felt her heart skip a beat at that moment.
As soon as Song Xingzhi entered, his gaze lingered on Zhang Chunxue for a few seconds, as if it were a tangible object.
In those few seconds, Zhang Chunxue felt as if the air had frozen, and she could hear even the faint breathing of her little granddaughter in her arms.
Then, his gaze slowly shifted to Zhou Mingli, who looked sickly and haggard on the bed.
"How did it get so high?" Song Xingzhi frowned slightly, his voice low. "Why didn't you see a doctor sooner?"
Zhou Mingli felt a little embarrassed by his gaze. She weakly forced a smile, her voice barely audible: "I... I just felt a little unwell at first... I didn't want my family to worry, so I didn't say anything... I never expected my fever to get so high tonight..."
Zhong Xiaoxiao stared wide-eyed at Song Xingzhi, her little face full of surprise: "Teacher Song? You... how come you're here?"
Song Xingzhi turned his gaze to Zhong Xiaoxiao, his expression softening considerably, and a faint smile even appeared on his lips: "I was just about to discuss some matters with Doctor Li when I heard that someone here had fallen seriously ill, so I came to check on them."
He paused, looked at Zhong Xiaoxiao, and said with approval in his eyes, "Xiaoxiao, I heard that the county leaders came to commend you today. You did a great job!"
Zhong Xiaoxiao's face flushed red instantly, and she lowered her head shyly, but her voice was filled with undisguised excitement: "That...that's all thanks to Teacher Song for teaching me so well!"
Zhang Chunxue stood to the side, her eyes always lowered, not daring to even glance at Song Xingzhi out of the corner of her eye.
She feared that if she met those deep eyes, all her pretense would crumble.
"Dr. Li," she forced herself to speak, her voice dry and hoarse, "How...how is Mingli?"
Dr. Li had already given Zhou Mingli a quick check-up. Hearing this, he stroked his gray beard and said, "It's alright, just a high fever caused by a cold. I'll prescribe some medicine for her, and she'll be fine in a few days. But she can't breastfeed the baby for the next few days, as some of the medicine will dissolve into the breast milk, and it's not good for the baby's health if he drinks it."
Zhang Chunxue immediately replied, "I know that. Rice porridge is already cooking in the pot. I'll scoop some rice water to feed the child first, and give the thicker rice porridge to Mingli to help her recover."
She thought for a moment and then added, "Tomorrow I'll go to the mill, weigh out some good rice, and grind some rice porridge for the baby. Yuanyuan is over five months old now, so she can eat it too."
Dr. Li nodded approvingly: "Guosheng's family, your method is excellent!"
He looked at Zhou Mingli, his tone filled with more relief: "Chengren's family, you are so lucky to have such a good mother-in-law!"
Zhou Mingli's eyes reddened as she looked at Zhang Chunxue gratefully. Her lips moved, but she couldn't say anything.
Song Xingzhi remained silent, his gaze constantly drifting towards Zhang Chunxue.
Zhang Chunxue felt that Song Xingzhi's gaze was like two tangible searchlights, burning her back and making her feel uncomfortable all over.
She felt a tightness in her throat: "I'll go to the kitchen to see how the rice porridge is cooking, and I'll feed the child some rice water while I'm at it."
As she spoke, she picked up Zhong Yuanyuan and immediately went to the kitchen.
They looked almost like they were fleeing in panic.
Even so, she could clearly feel that burning gaze following her closely until she turned the corner and disappeared completely into the dim kitchen.
When they arrived at the kitchen, the flames in the stove crackled and popped, casting shimmering light and shadow on Zhang Chunxue's face.
Zhong Xiaoxiao had carefully ladled out a small bowl of the cooked rice porridge, and Zhang Chunxue took a spoon and stirred the rice porridge, trying to cool it down quickly.
Although her hands were moving, Zhang Chunxue's eyes were somewhat vacant, her thoughts already drifting far away.
In her past life, she had genuinely considered remarrying Song Xingzhi.
In those days, only she knew how difficult it was for a widow to raise three young boys.
Song Xingzhi was educated, had good character, and took good care of her.
She's not heartless, how could she not feel it?
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