Chapter 75 Landslide and Zihang's Illness
"Buy a few more to help Xiaohu recover," said the plump woman. "He fell again yesterday, so he needs some proper treatment, doesn't he?"
“Yes, we need to replenish our bodies,” Gao Xiuxiu said. “I’ll get you some good ones.”
Gao Xiuxiu is now hesitant to give away anything of questionable quality, especially not to her neighbor, Fatty Sister-in-law. She thinks about how her colleague was dismissed, mainly due to changes in policy and the way things were before. Add to that the reports from others, and it's no wonder her colleague was fired.
It was all caused by a series of small, accumulated issues that led to the major outburst.
Gao Xiuxiu was glad that she hadn't bullied anyone, hadn't deliberately shortchanged anyone when they bought things, and hadn't intentionally made things difficult for them because of their "bad class background." Even though they had been exonerated, she couldn't keep dwelling on the past, saying their "bad class background," that they were incompetent, or that they didn't deserve such good food.
Once or twice, people will remember this person's actions; it's impossible for them to remain unscathed forever.
"Okay, take the better ones," said the plump woman.
"Eggs are still pretty good in this weather," Gao Xiuxiu said. "But after a while, when it gets hot, they won't keep well. In the summer, some people buy eggs and take them home..."
They wouldn't eat it for days, and if it spoiled, they'd say we sold them bad stuff. Tell me, how could that be? Good stuff, if it doesn't keep, you still have to eat it.
"Yes, we have to eat." The plump woman paid the bill before leaving.
Gao Xiuxiu continued to observe the people behind her. Their supply and marketing cooperative was quite busy; many people from the neighborhood came to buy things. When it was crowded, people would have to queue, and the queues could be very long. Gao Xiuxiu did take some extra things home from the cooperative, some of which didn't look very good, but were still edible and usable. Many people at the cooperative did the same, and nobody really said anything.
The chubby boy's biological mother had a terrible service attitude, and along with other things, this led to the current situation.
When Gao Xiuxiu got home from get off work, she told Grandma Fang about this matter. Grandma Fang felt that as long as Gao Xiuxiu was still working, it was fine.
"Be careful with your stomach at work," Grandma Fang said. "I've prepared some medicine to help with the pregnancy; drink it quickly."
Grandma Fang firmly believed that Gao Xiuxiu was pregnant. The hospital said no and didn't prescribe any medication to prevent miscarriage, so Grandma Fang had to get it herself. Grandma Fang's attitude towards her two granddaughters was lukewarm; she favored the elder granddaughter more than the younger, who didn't receive much affection at home.
Although Grandma Fang's eldest granddaughter is still young, she has already experienced her mother and grandmother's favoritism, and now it's the second granddaughter's turn. The eldest granddaughter knows perfectly well that she will pull her younger sister aside, telling her not to upset the adults. Her sister is only a few months old and can't even crawl properly.
When Song Fenglan and the others got off the train, a special car picked them up to go to the research base. The air in the Northwest was drier than in the South City, and there was indeed more dust in the air.
Song Fenglan covered the lower half of her face with a scarf; as expected, she hadn't been here before and was still a little unaccustomed to it. Song Fenglan and the others had spent a long time on the train; after arriving, they went to rest first.
There are many coincidences in this world, and Shi Guilan's family just happened to live nearby.
However, Song Fenglan and Shi Guilan had no contact, as they lived in different places. Song Fenglan and the others stayed directly at the base and had no contact with Shi Guilan. Shi Guilan did not see Song Fenglan, and after arriving in the Northwest, she did not mention Song Fenglan to anyone, fearing trouble.
Old Mrs. Cao was still at Staff Officer Xu's house. After some events, Staff Officer Xu felt that Shi Guilan needed someone to keep her in check, and her two daughters also needed someone on their side to take care of them. Old Mrs. Cao was the most suitable candidate, so she stayed.
Shi Guilan also has to do housework. She can't let Old Lady Cao do it all. Old Lady Cao can't possibly do all the housework herself. Wouldn't that be like this old woman bowing down to Shi Guilan so that Shi Guilan can ride on her neck?
"We're running low on eggs, you should buy a few more later," said Grandma Cao. "Fried eggs are fine, everyone can eat a few. But if you only boil eggs for your son, won't the other two children get some?"
Grandma Cao doted on her own granddaughter and couldn't let Shi Guilan's son eat all of it.
"Yes, I want to buy it," Shi Guilan said. "I'll go buy it in a bit."
“You have your own son, but you also need to consider your stepdaughters,” said Old Mrs. Cao. “Although they will get married and leave the family, they are still your husband’s biological daughters. Even if they may not support you in your old age, they can still support your husband. Visit their father more often, give him some food, give him a few dollars, and it will ease the burden on your son. Don’t always think about those things; they are your son’s own sisters.”
Grandma Cao had said these things to Shi Guilan many times, though she didn't really want to repeat them, mainly because Shi Guilan was the type to easily forget them. If she didn't say them for a while, Shi Guilan might get arrogant. Grandma Cao didn't want to discourage Shi Guilan; she just wanted her to understand reality.
Shi Guilan spoils her son so much that he's practically ruined him. Will this kind of child be able to support Shi Guilan and Staff Officer Xu in their old age? If that boy doesn't support his parents, will Staff Officer Xu and Shi Guilan then seek out their two daughters from their first marriage?
Those are all things of the future. Just because we say they won't happen now doesn't mean they won't happen in the future.
Grandma Cao still hoped that Shi Guilan's son's condition would improve, and that the boy wouldn't be so selfish.
Under Grandma Cao's guidance, the boy's condition has improved significantly; he no longer tries to compete with his two older sisters for food. The family's food is divided among the three children, with the boy even receiving slightly more. Why would he fight over it?
“I know,” Shi Guilan said.
Shi Guilan was like a wilted vegetable; she didn't dare say much in front of Old Lady Cao and her husband.
Li Hui learned that Song Fenglan had gone on a business trip to the Northwest. Although Li Hui didn't know the exact location of Song Fenglan's trip, she still called Shi Guilan.
When Shi Guilan received the call, she quickly understood Li Hui's intention.
"Don't worry about where she goes on her business trip, just live your life well," Shi Guilan said.
“Cousin, you…you’ve changed a lot.” Li Hui had originally thought that Shi Guilan would try to make Song Fenglan suffer.
“The Northwest is so big, even if she really comes to the area, there will be no conflict between us,” Shi Guilan said. “I’ve already given up on making trouble, so you shouldn’t either.”
Life in the Northwest was not as good as life in the South City. Shi Guilan missed the South City, and she knew how inappropriate her past actions had been. Shi Guilan also faced mistreatment here; others were prejudiced against her, but life had to go on. Shi Guilan was a newcomer, and she didn't even dare to confront others and speak ill of them. Shi Guilan imitated Song Fenglan by speaking to the political commissar's husband, who said: "They just have louder voices, unlike the gentle voices of girls from the Jiangnan water towns. You'll get used to it."
No one was trying to stand up for Shi Guilan. Shi Guilan didn't have much ability, and people just considered these things minor conflicts, things people were used to. The political commissar's wife even suggested that Shi Guilan go out and interact with those people more to break down their stereotypes. But stereotypes aren't so easy to break. No matter how hard Shi Guilan tried, there were still people who criticized her.
On the contrary, Old Lady Cao was doing very well here. Everyone thought she was very straightforward and had a good temperament. They all knew that Old Lady Cao was the biological mother of Staff Officer Xu's first wife, and they also knew that she was related to Shi Guilan. Everyone said that Old Lady Cao was a good mother-in-law and a good grandmother. She was even willing to come and help take care of the children.
"After experiencing more things, you change and become more sensible," Shi Guilan said. "Li Hui, don't take yourself too seriously."
Back in Nancheng, Shi Guilan took herself far too seriously, placing herself on a pedestal. Perhaps it was because she had lived there for so long, and because others knew she had originally gone to care for Staff Officer Xu's first wife, that Shi Guilan was so eager to prove herself. She desperately needed others' approval, and she was always thinking of trampling others underfoot, without considering whether they were innocent or not.
Shi Guilan's marriage to Staff Officer Xu gave her the wrong idea that second marriages were acceptable, as long as it allowed her to marry into a wealthier family. Initially, when Shi Guilan knew Qin Yizhou had a wife, she thought they were incompatible and that he would divorce her. These were all wishful thinking on her part, and they also influenced Li Hui.
“Cousin…” Li Hui pursed her lips.
“Now that you’re married, live your life well,” Shi Guilan said. “If you really can’t get pregnant, then adopt a child. See if your siblings can give you a child; at least that child will be related to you by blood. If you and your husband adopt a child from your husband’s family, that child won’t be related to you by blood, and that child might not be on your side in the future.”
"I...I don't have any ideas yet," Li Hui said. "I want to try drinking some traditional Chinese medicine to see if I can get pregnant. If I can get pregnant, who would want to raise someone else's child?"
“You’re still young, you can wait a few more years,” Shi Guilan said. “But you really should think about it. You have to start raising the child from a young age. If you bring the child over when the child has memories, the child will remember his or her biological parents and will only feel that you separated the child from his or her parents.”
Shi Guilan is not as arrogant now, and she thinks things through more clearly.
“Is raising a child really that difficult?” Li Hui said. “My mother-in-law is still here. She said she won’t leave for a few more days. She needs to go back… I need to buy her some things to take back with her.”
“She can’t carry much with her alone,” Shi Guilan said. “You didn’t go to your husband’s family in the countryside, so buying some things now will save face for everyone. Think about what I’m saying carefully, and you can also ask your family members what they say.”
Li Hui didn't want to ask her family too much, as they might not be willing to let her raise the child, and if they were, they would give it to their daughter.
"Are you afraid they'll give you a girl?" Shi Guilan said. "A girl is fine too, at least she's related to you by blood. Your man might be thinking of adopting a child from his brother. If he wants to adopt, let him. It's better than him divorcing you and going to find another woman to have a child with."
"This..." Li Hui felt heartbroken just thinking about it. If she could get pregnant, none of this would have happened.
At the research base, Song Fenglan rested for one night and then got busy. She first checked the equipment and found that one of the devices was missing a part, which was not installed.
Others either didn't check, they just didn't notice.
"How could this be?" The people following behind were incredulous. "We've all seen it."
"Do you have the blueprints for the machine?" Song Fenglan asked.
"No," Director Zhang said. "The machine came from abroad, and if it needs repair, it should be repaired by foreigners. Those people are very secretive and won't let us learn much. We took it apart and reassembled it ourselves, and that's how it is. No parts are missing."
“If the parts weren’t lost, they were probably missing when they were delivered,” Song Fenglan said.
"Damn it!" Director Zhang exclaimed angrily. In the end, it was because they didn't understand these things that they were deceived like this.
"Engineer Song, how did you figure that out?" someone asked Song Fenglan.
“Experience,” Song Fenglan said. “There are other machines like this in other parts of the country. Although it’s just a small part, it’s a sophisticated high-tech experiment. If we encounter this kind of problem, it can be very bad.”
It's not that others don't know; the machines are in different places, and no one has disassembled them all to draw blueprints. Even if blueprints were drawn, some parts might not be easy to draw.
Foreigners may have deliberately sold them this equipment to hinder their research.
“Such parts may not be produced domestically,” Song Fenglan said.
"Doesn't this mean the machine is useless?" Director Zhang frowned. Such good equipment is just wasted like this; how can we do any other experiments afterward?
“Try to get someone to buy the parts back,” Song Fenglan said.
"That's the only way," Director Zhang said. "You'll have to tell us where the part is from, and be as clear as possible."
“The professionals will know,” Song Fenglan said. “Just tell them what I said.”
If we buy another piece of equipment separately, that equipment might not be without problems. Perhaps someone already remembers which part is missing, and when they sell it, they'll still sell it the same way.
A single part may seem simple, but it's anything but. You might need connections to actually get your hands on it.
However, there should be many places abroad that have that kind of equipment, and that equipment should be of good quality. With a little bit of connections, it's not impossible to get good parts.
"What about the other equipment?" Director Zhang asked.
“I don’t understand all the equipment,” Song Fenglan said. “I can only look at what I’m familiar with and what I understand.”
Song Fenglan had to make her point clear beforehand, lest she fail to discover the problem and someone else does, and it become her fault.
"It's alright, it's alright," Director Zhang said. "I understand."
That evening, Qin Zihang drew another little red flower in his notebook. He looked at the wall and stared at it for a long time.
"Do you want me to draw on the wall?" Zhang Xiaohu asked.
"We can't scribble on the walls, or Mom will be upset," Qin Zihang said. "Our drawings won't look good, they'll look ugly."
"It's ugly, it really doesn't look good." Zhang Xiaohu nodded. "We can stick a piece of paper on it."
“Even if we stick them on, we still have to tear them off,” Qin Zihang said. “There might be some marks. Grandma painted the walls, so they’re very clean.”
There are still some traces on it, left by people who lived here before.
Song's mother originally thought of finding something to repaint the walls, but Song Fenglan said no. They were still living there, and repainting would still leave some pollution, making it inconvenient to live there. Song's mother suggested using some nice paper to cover the walls, but Song Fenglan refused that as well.
The weather in the south is quite humid, and there's also the "return of the south" phenomenon. When that happens, the walls will be wet, and the papers will be wet too, making things even more difficult to deal with. It's better to leave them as they are. They are traces of time, traces of other people who lived there; if they remain, they remain.
"Wow, Zihang, are you really that well-behaved?" Zhang Xiaohu exclaimed in surprise. "I just drew it on the wall."
"And then what? Did your mother hit you?" Qin Zihang asked.
“Yes.” Zhang Xiaohu pouted. “My mom hit me. She said I ruined the walls that she had cleaned so thoroughly, so she hit me.”
Zhang Xiaohu felt wronged. It was just a wall; what was wrong with touching it? He felt he hadn't done anything wrong, so why couldn't he draw it? Many children drew like that; he'd seen it in other people's homes.
"Does it hurt?" Qin Zihang asked again.
"Ouch!" Zhang Xiaohu rubbed his little bottom. "My mom hits me hard, and when my dad comes back, he can hit me too."
In the mixed doubles match, Zhang Xiaohu felt that his little bottom was suffering terribly.
"So, you get beaten, but I don't want to get beaten," Qin Zihang said.
At home, Qin Zihang could sometimes hear his aunt talking about Zhang Xiaohu, and she even hit him. Qin Zihang felt that his own mother was much gentler and better than Zhang Xiaohu's mother.
"When is Auntie coming back?" Zhang Xiaohu missed Song Fenglan very much. He felt that his life wasn't as good as it was without Song Fenglan.
"When there are many little red flowers, Mom..."
"Mom's back soon," Qin Zihang said.
"When was that?" Zhang Xiaohu pressed.
"It's when you have lots of little red flowers," Qin Zihang said. "Little Tiger, you've grown up. Don't ask so many questions. Be mature. Mature, understand?"
"Oh, I'm mature, I'm mature." Zhang Xiaohu nodded repeatedly. He was even older than his younger brother Zihang, so how could he not be mature?
Qin Yizhou overheard Qin Zihang's conversation with Zhang Xiaohu and thought to himself that his son was really good at fooling people. What maturity? These were just two little kids; how could they understand so much? Qin Yizhou thought that Qin Zihang himself didn't even know how many little red flowers he had to draw; how could he possibly explain it to Zhang Xiaohu?
When Zhang Xiaohu returned home on crutches, Qin Zihang escorted him to the door to make sure he got back to his neighbor's house.
"Dad, you startled me." Qin Zihang turned around and saw his father.
“If you come out, I have to follow you, right?” Qin Yizhou said. “It’s so late, how can I let you come out alone? If your mother finds out, she’ll say I don’t care about you.”
"Dad, I miss Mom," Qin Zihang said. "I miss her during class, I miss her after class, and I miss her when I get home."
“It’s not just you who misses your mother, your father misses her too.” Qin Yizhou missed his wife very much. They hadn’t been separated for this long since his wife joined the army.
The Song family returned to the capital, and they called Qin Yizhou to tell him they had arrived home.
After Mr. and Mrs. Song returned home, Tang Shaotao brought some gifts to their door again.
Tang Shaotao was not allowed to enter; the Song family simply refused to let him in.
Song's father and mother did not come out, but Song's second brother did.
Looking at Tang Shaotao standing at the door, Song Erge felt only disgust.
"Where do you get the audacity to come to our home?" said Brother Song.
“Cousin,” Tang Shaotao said, “we’re all family, we’re all…”
“No, we’re not family, we’re not relatives,” said Brother Song. “Have you forgotten what you said back then? You don’t have any relatives like us!”
Brother Song didn't harbor much resentment towards the Tang family; there were far too many people like them. He simply didn't want the Tang family to get in his way. What were they anyway? What were they doing coming over so many times? Did they really think their actions could be forgiven?
"Don't say that," Tang Shaotao said. "I just..."
“You just want our family to help your family,” said Brother Song. “Give up. No matter how much stuff you bring, it won’t help. Even if you kneel down, it won’t work.”
The Song family had gone through so much in the countryside; they couldn't possibly be so soft-hearted.
"Do you see my leg?" Second Brother Song said. "I remember, Third Aunt wrote a letter asking you to find medicine, but you didn't. The letter was lost in the ocean, and no one answered the phone."
Brother Song's leg wasn't injured by the Tang family, but their actions were deeply hurtful. The Tang family wanted to draw a clear line between themselves and the Song family, to have no further involvement with them. So, the Song family would comply with the Tang family's wishes and cut off all contact between the two sides.
"My leg is beyond repair now; I've missed the best time for treatment," said Song Erge. Qin Yizhou's uncle later took a look at Song Erge's leg, and Dr. Lin just felt it was a pity.
Song Erge could only comfort himself that at least his limp wasn't too noticeable, and that his whole family had returned safely and peacefully.
“You’ve never helped us. In the past, we were always the ones helping you. Now, do you still have the nerve to ask us for help?” said Brother Song.
The matter was already settled; someone else had taken over. But the Tang family still couldn't give up and were still clinging to that slim chance.
“I…the situation at the time…” Tang Shaotao said, forcing himself to speak, “We had our reasons.”
“Oh, we have our own difficulties now,” said Brother Song. “Everyone has their own difficulties.”
"..." Seeing that Song Erge was unwilling to give in, Tang Shaotao peeked inside and asked, "Is Uncle here?"
"Yes, of course I am, it's just that my dad doesn't want to see you," said Song Erge. "You don't think you're so great, do you?"
"No," Tang Shaotao said.
"That settles it then. Who are you? Does my dad absolutely have to see you?" Second Brother Song said. "Isn't it enough that I've come to see you?"
"Just this one thing." Tang Shaotao took a deep breath. "As long as Uncle helps with this, we will be very grateful to him."
"Helping you once and then again?" Brother Song sneered. "That's how your family is. You're always thinking about how others help you, without ever considering how you treat others. If I were you, I wouldn't have the face to come here. The fact that our family hasn't retaliated against you is already a favor to you, considering that you are my father's nephews and nieces."
Song Erge believes that the Tang family doesn't appreciate the kindness of others at all, and that these people are always trying to take advantage of others.
"Get out!" Brother Song said coldly.
Then, Brother Song entered the room, but he didn't look at Tang Shaotao.
In the end, Tang Shaotao could only take his things back. When the Tang family saw him returning with the things, they knew there was no hope.
A day passed, two days passed, a week passed...
Qin Zihang got into a fight at school and his parents were called in. Qin Zihang rarely argues with people, but this time the fight was because a classmate's parents were divorced. That classmate said that Qin Zihang's parents were also divorced, but Qin Zihang's parents hadn't told him. His mother wasn't away on a business trip; she was abandoning him forever.
This is outrageous! Qin Zihang loves his mother the most. He wasn't that angry when his ping-pong ball was stepped on. People say his parents are divorced? That won't do. His parents aren't divorced, and even if they were, his mother would never abandon him.
When the parents were called in, Mrs. Su was there, while Qin Yizhou was in the army.
When Madam Su learned what had happened, she hugged Qin Zihang and felt sorry for him when she saw his aggrieved little face.
"Zihang's mother went on a business trip, not got a divorce," Mrs. Su said coldly, looking at the teacher. "How can these children talk so carelessly?"
"It's because one of the children's parents got divorced that caused the misunderstanding," the teacher explained. "They didn't mean any harm; they're still young and don't understand these things."
“Children may not understand, but do adults not understand?” Madam Su said. “Most likely, it’s adults who say these things in front of them.”
"..." The teacher was also in a dilemma, as they had no idea who had said these things to the child. "I will explain to them that Zihang's mother went on a business trip and will be back soon."
These days, divorces are rare. If a couple is considering divorce, everyone advises them to stay together and not divorce. No matter how big the problem is, the two people should sit down and discuss it together to find a solution. Even if they can't solve it, people around them still encourage them not to divorce, saying they should think about the children.
If a couple really gets divorced, it's usually because they simply can't live together anymore, or they've already completely fallen out, so no one's words matter anymore.
Coincidentally, the parents of that child in the class had completely broken up, and the child's mother had gone elsewhere and hadn't returned. The mother had initially told the child she was going out to run errands, but then never came back.
Children don't understand that their parents are divorced, but others do. Some people will tell the children: "Your mother isn't away on a business trip; your mother doesn't want you anymore."
The child took those words to heart. When Qin Zihang's mother didn't return for many days, the child said that Qin Zihang's parents had divorced and that Qin Zihang's mother didn't want Qin Zihang anymore.
Qin Zihang naturally said no, but the little boy insisted it was true, and then other children chimed in, making the argument increasingly heated. Fortunately, the teacher arrived quickly; if the teacher had been any later, they might have started fighting.
"It's alright, the kids don't understand. I'll explain it to them, and they'll understand. Besides, Zihang's mom will be back from her business trip. By the time she returns, they won't know or they won't know," the teacher said.
Mrs. Su knew that children often struggled to understand these things, so she didn't press the teacher too much. Mrs. Su reassured Qin Zihang, "Zihang, your mother is away on a business trip, not that she's not coming back. Your parents have a very good relationship; they're not divorced, you know?"
"They said that my grandparents came over because they wanted a divorce," Qin Zihang said, his eyes red.
The child whose parents divorced had grandparents who came to live with them, and then the parents divorced.
Qin Zihang couldn't help but take those words personally. Even though he felt his parents couldn't possibly divorce, hearing those words still...
It was impossible for him not to feel anything at all. Qin Zihang felt extremely sad; he hadn't seen his mother for many days.
"Auntie!" Qin Zihang burst into tears.
Qin Zihang was indeed more mature than his peers and even children older than him, but he was still a child after all, a child who wanted his mother's company. His mother hadn't been with him for several days, so naturally he was very sad, and those people still had to say those things.
"Good boy, Mom will be back soon," said Mrs. Su.
"I miss my mom," Qin Zihang said.
"Don't worry, didn't Mom tell you? Draw a little red flower, one a day, and Mom will be back soon," Mrs. Su said. "Mom would never lie to you. Zihang's mother loves Zihang the most, and she always wants to give Zihang the best."
"Will Mom and Dad get divorced?" Qin Zihang asked.
“Even if your parents divorce, your mother will still take you with her. Your parents are not divorced, they really are not divorced.” Mrs. Su was afraid that Qin Zihang would get stuck on this, that there was no such thing as divorce. “Come on, let’s go home.”
Qin Zihang was crying and sniffling, and Madam Su was wiping away his tears. Madam Su had never seen Qin Zihang cry so sadly before, and it pained her to see him like this.
"Don't cry. If you cry for too long, you'll catch a cold and get sick. Your mother will be very sad if you do," Mrs. Su said.
Upon hearing this, Qin Zihang's crying subsided and he gradually stopped. He wanted to wait for his mother to return, not wanting to upset her.
When Qin Yizhou returned, Madam Su told him what had happened during the day and asked him to take good care of Qin Zihang.
That evening, Qin Zihang developed a fever, so Qin Yizhou quickly took him to the hospital. It turned out that Qin Zihang had some tonsillitis, and the doctor gave him an IV drip. Qin Yizhou stayed with him.
Looking at the weak Qin Zihang, Qin Yizhou couldn't help but wonder if Song Fenglan had taken such good care of Qin Zihang when he was with her in the capital. Qin Yizhou didn't dare close his eyes; he needed to keep a close eye on Qin Zihang, afraid that the IV drip might cause problems. The doctor said that if anything seemed wrong, the IV would have to be removed; otherwise, they would need to call a doctor.
Only after the IV drip was finished and Qin Yizhou was certain that Qin Zihang was alright did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Qin Yizhou noticed there were other children around, and each child needed adult supervision; it couldn't just be doctors and nurses watching over them. Qin Yizhou looked down at Qin Zihang; Qin Zihang was asleep, and his fever had subsided.
The next day, the doctor told Qin Yizhou to take Qin Zihang home and prescribed some medicine.
Qin Yizhou took leave from the military base; he needed to take good care of the child. When Madam Su learned that Qin Zihang was ill, she specially cooked porridge for him.
"Let him eat something light. Lean meat porridge is fine, with some vegetables too," Madam Su said. "His body can't handle not eating any meat at all. The child just had a fever, so take extra care of him these next few days. If you need to go, go ahead, I'll keep an eye on things."
"It's alright, I've been keeping a closer eye on things these past few days," Qin Yizhou said. "I didn't notice any of this when Fenglan was around."
“That’s because Zihang loves his mother. Although Fenglan goes to work, she takes good care of Hangbao when she’s home,” Mrs. Su said. “The child is dependent on his mother.”
“I’ve been covering him with a blanket these past few days, making sure he doesn’t get cold.” Qin Yizhou had no idea how Qin Zihang had gotten sick; he thought Qin Zihang would always be full of energy. He imagined that when his wife came home, he could tell her, “Look how well I’ve taken care of our child.”
But now, Qin Yizhou can't say that anymore; he still hasn't taken good care of the child.
“It’s not your fault,” Mrs. Su said. “Children are just hard to take care of. Don’t worry too much. Let Zihang stay at home for the next few days. Many children at school have caught colds, and Zihang just got sick and isn’t feeling well either. If he goes to school, he’s more likely to catch something.”
"Okay, sure." Qin Yizhou remembered it all. He couldn't let his son risk getting infected to go to school, at least not when his son was weak.
When Zhang Xiaohu learned that Qin Zihang was sick, he came over on crutches. He still had to wait a while before he could go without crutches. He estimated that he would be able to go without crutches when Song Fenglan returned.
"Brother Zihang, Brother Zihang." Zhang Xiaohu went to see Qin Zihang.
"Shh, he's sleeping." Madam Su stopped Zhang Xiaohu. "You can play together after he wakes up."
“My little brother Zihang is sleeping, so I’ll come over later,” Zhang Xiaohu said.
“Okay.” Madam Su nodded.
Zhang Xiaohu returned home quickly. When his wife saw that he was back so soon, she asked him a question.
“Zihang is sleeping,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “He must be very tired.”
"I'm sick, all I want to do is sleep," said the plump woman.
“It’s all those people’s fault. They said that Zihang’s parents are getting a divorce.” Zhang Xiaohu clenched his little fist. “They said that when Grandpa and Grandma came, it meant they were getting a divorce, that something big was going to happen.”
"Don't listen to their nonsense, there's no such thing." The fat woman said speechlessly, "Your aunt is just away on a business trip, she'll be back in a while. People with jobs inevitably have to go on business trips."
“They said the job doesn’t require going out,” Zhang Xiaohu said.
"That's because their jobs are very simple; they just need to stay in one place," said the plump woman. "Their jobs aren't that important, not as important as others', that's why. Don't listen to their nonsense. They're just going on business trips for a while; they're not going to be gone forever. Kids don't understand, so they talk nonsense."
“I didn’t go around saying things like that,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “They’re all bad people, so I didn’t say anything.”
“That’s right,” said the plump woman. “It’ll be soon. More than a week has passed. Your aunt will be back in a little while.”
Qin Zihang dreams about his mother even when he sleeps; he misses his mother.
That evening, Song Fenglan took a break to call home and learned that Qin Zihang was sick.
"Did you go to the hospital?" Song Fenglan asked, fearing that Qin Yizhou was simply having Qin Zihang take his medicine at home. Some minor illnesses can be treated at home, but the key is that people might not realize it's a minor ailment; serious illnesses often develop from minor ones.
Song Fenglan gripped the phone receiver tightly, fearing that Qin Zihang's condition was getting worse.
“He’s gone, don’t worry,” Qin Yizhou said. “His fever has gone down. Many children at school have colds and runny noses, so we didn’t let Zihang go to school now. We’ll let him go in a few days.”
"Dad, Dad, is that Mom?" Qin Zihang woke up and came out of his room. He saw his father on the phone and rushed over.
“Yes, it’s your mother. Talk to her,” Qin Yizhou said.
"Mommy, Mommy." Qin Zihang gripped the phone receiver with both hands. "Mommy, I've been a good boy. I draw a little red flower every day and wait for you to come home."
“Mom will be back soon,” Song Fenglan said. “Mom and Dad are not divorced; Mom is just on a business trip.”
Song Fenglan already knew those things from Qin Yizhou, and she hadn't expected the children to say such things. Song Fenglan had no intention of divorcing Qin Yizhou; their life together was just right, peaceful and uneventful, without many conflicts, and she felt quite content.
No passionate, dramatic, or tumultuous love was what Song Fenglan wanted. And given her personality, she couldn't possibly be constantly thinking about love.
“Don’t listen to those kids. They’re still young. Didn’t you say they were naive and stupid?” Song Fenglan said. “That’s precisely because they know so little.”
"Yes." Qin Zihang nodded vigorously. "Mom, I'll wait for you to come back. Dad and I will wait for you to come back together."
"Okay." Song Fenglan chuckled, "Soon, Mom will be back soon."
"Mom, I... I miss you so much," Qin Zihang said. "I think about you every day. I've been good, I've eaten well, and when you come back, I've grown a little taller. Mom, you won't not recognize me, will you?"
"No, Mom will recognize Hangbao no matter what he looks like," Song Fenglan said. "Hangbao has grown taller and will definitely be even more handsome."
Song Fenglan comforted Qin Zihang, telling him to rest assured and not to worry, assuring him that she definitely wanted a son and there was no way she wouldn't have one.
According to the plan, Song Fenglan was supposed to return in a week. However, a landslide occurred above a section of the railway. Fortunately, no trains were passing by at the time, and there were no casualties. However, if trains were to pass, the collapsed soil would have to be cleared manually first to ensure there was no risk of another landslide.
When Song Fenglan learned that a landslide had occurred on the railway section, she was not happy, but there was nothing she could do; it was a natural disaster, and they could only wait.
She had agreed to return at a certain time, but she didn't. Song Fenglan could only call back, and thankfully the call went through.
"We'll have to wait a few more days. There's a landslide ahead, and we can't get through," Song Fenglan said. "We only found out about this right before we set off."
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