Chapter Twelve: You still have the nerve to sleep!
Zhang Chunxue was completely terrified!
She never dreamed that Song Xingzhi, the handsome young man whom all the aunts in the surrounding villages had their eyes on, would actually like a... widow like her.
She refused without even thinking.
"Clerk Song... Clerk Song, you must be joking! I... I'm so old!" She was so flustered that she couldn't even speak coherently. "Besides, you're a whole five years younger than me! How can this be!"
She remembers her face turning bright red and her heart pounding as if it were going to jump out of her throat.
However, to Zhang Chunxue's utter surprise, after being rejected so decisively, Song Xingzhi still did not return to the city. He remained in the village and continued to serve as the brigade secretary.
He stopped pursuing Zhang Chunxue and never mentioned his feelings for her again. Just like before he confessed his love, he still addressed her politely as "Sister-in-law Chunxue" whenever they met.
However, both openly and secretly, he showed even more concern for Zhang Chunxue and Xiaoxiao than before.
Sometimes it was a few kilograms of grain coupons, sometimes a piece of polyester fabric, and sometimes a handful of candy secretly slipped to Xiaoxiao.
He did it so naturally, so effortlessly, as if it were just an ordinary neighbor taking care of an orphan and widow.
It would be impossible for Zhang Chunxue to have no feelings for Song Xingzhi at all.
What woman doesn't want to be genuinely loved and cared for?
However, at that time, she was thinking more about her three sons. With Zhong Guosheng gone, she was their only support.
She had also tentatively mentioned to Zhong Chengyi and the others that she might... consider finding someone else.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she started speaking, her three sons, especially her eldest son Zhong Chengyi and second son Zhong Chengren, expressed strong opposition.
They said they had already lost their father and couldn't let someone else become their stepfather. If she remarried, people would gossip about them.
Therefore, Zhang Chunxue had no choice but to forcibly extinguish the tiny spark that had just begun to ignite in her heart.
Thinking of this, Zhang Chunxue felt as if an invisible hand had clenched her heart.
In my past life...
When did Song Xingzhi return to the city in his previous life?
She vaguely remembered that it seemed... it seemed to be after Xiaoxiao's accident.
Her Xiaoxiao, her poor daughter, was beaten to death by that damned Wang Laowu. When the body was brought back, she was only sad for a short while before letting it go.
She didn't even prepare a decent coffin for Xiaoxiao; she just wrapped her in a tattered mat and had her carried to the back mountain for a hasty burial.
She remembered that Song Xingzhi had come to see her.
For the first time, the usually gentle and refined man showed her such a stern and pained expression.
"Sister-in-law Chunxue!" His voice was hoarse. "Where's Xiaoxiao? Didn't Xiaoxiao go to school in the county? How could she... how could she marry that scoundrel from the Wang family?!"
He always thought that she had sent Xiaoxiao to school and had even asked someone to send Xiaoxiao stationery and money several times.
Zhang Chunxue wanted to explain, but found herself unable to do so.
Yes, that's how she was in her past life. Because of the hundred yuan dowry and her inherent preference for sons over daughters, she didn't care about her life or death at all...
She still remembers the look in Song Xingzhi's eyes back then—the disappointment, the heartache—like two icy knives piercing deep into her heart.
Looking back now, he was probably completely disappointed in her at that time.
So, a few days later, Song Xingzhi submitted his application to return to the city and left without looking back.
From then on, they never crossed paths again.
Zhang Chunxue was lost in thought. Since her rebirth, it seemed... it seemed she really hadn't seen Song Xingzhi before!
It's been almost thirty years since I last saw him. I wonder if Song Xingzhi is still the same handsome and refined man I remember.
Just as I was lost in thought, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from the courtyard.
"Mom! Mom! Something terrible has happened!" It was Zhong Xiaoxiao's voice, trembling with tears and in a panic.
Zhang Chunxue's heart skipped a beat. Forgetting all about sleep, she quickly threw on a coat and rushed outside. "What's wrong, Xiaoxiao? What happened?"
Zhong Xiaoxiao's face turned deathly pale. Pointing at Zhong Chengren's room, her voice trembled, "Mom! Second sister-in-law... second sister-in-law seems to have a fever! She's burning up!"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Chunxue immediately frowned.
She walked quickly to Zhong Chengren's door. The room was dark, and she could only vaguely hear suppressed breathing and the faint cries of a baby.
"Chengren's family? Chengren's family?" Zhang Chunxue called out twice.
No one answered.
Her heart tightened, and she pushed open the slightly ajar door and went inside.
Zhang Chunxue indeed saw Zhou Mingli lying on the bed, her forehead covered in sweat, her cheeks flushed red, holding a crying baby in her arms, struggling to breastfeed.
But for some reason, the child refused to eat and kept crying and wailing until his voice became hoarse.
"Mom..." Zhong Xiaoxiao followed in and whispered, "I just heard my niece crying so hard, so I came to check on her. But my second sister-in-law was burning up like a furnace and couldn't even speak properly! So I rushed to find you!"
Zhang Chunxue touched Zhou Mingli's forehead and found it burning hot.
"Mingli? Mingli? How are you?"
Zhou Mingli opened her eyes groggily, her gaze unfocused. Seeing Zhang Chunxue, she moved her lips, her voice barely a whisper: "Mom...I...I'm fine...it's just...I feel feverish..."
Her face was full of worry as she glanced at the crying baby in her arms, her voice tinged with despair: "I...I don't have much milk, the baby can't get any, that's why he's crying..."
Zhang Chunxue's mind went blank for a moment. This was terrible!
"Xiaoxiao, hurry, go to the kitchen, scoop out more than half a bowl of rice, add plenty of water, and cook a pot of thick rice porridge. Go quickly!" she ordered urgently.
Zhong Xiaoxiao exclaimed "Hey!" and her small figure immediately ran towards the kitchen.
After sending Xiaoxiao away, Zhang Chunxue turned around and rushed into Zhong Chengyi's room.
This second son, Zhong Chengren, his wife and children are in such a state, and he doesn't even take care of them!
She knew perfectly well that Zhong Chengren disliked Zhou Mingli's daughter and complained that the child cried at night and disturbed his sleep, so he was probably hiding away with Zhong Chengyi!
Sure enough, Zhang Chunxue kicked open Zhong Chengyi's door and saw Zhong Chengren lying sprawled on Zhong Chengyi's bed, fast asleep and snoring loudly!
"Zhong Chengren! How dare you sleep like that!" Zhang Chunxue shouted.
Zhong Chengyi was also woken up by the noise and sat up groggily: "Mom, what's wrong?"
Zhang Chunxue's anger flared up instantly, and she didn't bother to explain to her son.
She rushed forward and yanked the blanket off, yelling, "Zhong Chengren! You bastard!"
The icy air rushed in instantly, and Zhong Chengren jolted awake, his eyes snapping open.
"What's all the noise about! It's the middle of the night!" he said, still half asleep, his tone impatient.
"Your wife has a high fever and is almost dying, your daughter is crying so hard from hunger that she can't breathe, and you, on the other hand, are hiding here sleeping soundly!" Zhang Chunxue pointed at his nose, her voice trembling with anger!
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