Who is on your side?
The machine was running at high speed, and after several hours, the three of them worked together to finally finish printing 5,000 tape covers.
Because Xu Tangmian's house was closer, the car stopped here first. Originally, Song Weidong planned to turn around and leave immediately, but he seemed to hear Li Qingmang's voice calling him from inside.
It's almost midnight, and he's still not gone?
Just now, the group got out of the car. Warm yellow light bathed the living room, and upon opening the door, they saw a small stove, usually used for heating and boiling water, standing in front of the dining table, but nothing was burning on it at the moment.
The coal briquettes, half-burnt out of the top of the stove, were already white with embers, and the flames flickered on and off. Cold winds were hissing in through the window beside the bed.
Li Qingmang lay on the rocking chair with his eyes closed, covered with a small blanket. Hearing the door open, he sat up abruptly, but after seeing who it was, he lay back down.
"I'd fallen asleep if you didn't come back soon," he said, yawning.
At the same time, a head peeked out from under the bulging blanket; it was Zhi Meizi nestled in his arms.
The expressions on their faces varied, but they all opened their mouths without saying anything, none of them daring to speak first.
Zhi jumped down first, rubbed her sleepy eyes, and ran over to pull Li Youlan: "Auntie, I want to sleep."
Li Youlan had previously told Zhi Meizi that she wanted her to sleep with her at night, with Xiao Tao in one bed and the couple in another in the bedroom.
Everyone had returned, so Li Qingmang had no reason to stay. He glanced up at the wall clock; it was already 11:30.
At this hour, in this weather, he had just woken up. It would be too much to ask him to drive back to Xiao Tao's place alone, especially since Song Weidong had already taken his car.
Mentioning Song Weidong, Li Qingmang yawned again, her probing gaze sweeping over the group before asking Li Yutao, "Where did your old boyfriend Song Weidong go? How dare he drive my car away and not come to pick me up?"
Upon hearing the sound, Song Weidong got out of the car and went inside.
"Send me back." As soon as Li Qingmang saw him, she gave the order like an emperor.
Song Weidong looked at him like he was an idiot, without making any move. Li Yutao, who was next to him, was unhappy and blocked Song Weidong's way with a displeased look: "What time is it and you still let him drive? Just go to his house for the night."
Neither of them seemed very willing to bring it up, but in the end, Li Yutao said, "Or I can go to his house," which successfully shut them up.
After washing up, everyone returned to their places. Seeing that Zhi Mei was sleeping soundly in bed, and Li Yu Tao was about to fall asleep as well, Li Youlan, who was sleeping on the outer side in the darkness, turned over and whispered to Li Yu Tao:
"Xiao Tao, don't go to sleep yet."
Li Youlan was Song Weidong's aunt, and even though Li Yutao was usually quite mischievous, she always treated her with great respect. Hearing her say this, Li Yutao guessed that she had something to say, and immediately replied softly, "I'm not asleep yet, what is it?"
"Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. My wife and son will be coming over, and we'll be staying with you in Weidong. We won't be able to stay here with you then."
This is only natural. Li Yutao nodded in understanding and said, "I will call my brother away. It's too late today and I don't feel comfortable letting them drive out again."
"Hmm." Li Youlan chuckled softly. "Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. Xiao Xu wants us all to watch the Spring Festival Gala here, so your brother will be going home late again. You can let him sleep in your bed, but you'll have to make do with Zhi and me sleeping in my bed. Don't worry, I'll change the sheets."
"What's the big deal?" Li Yutao said dismissively. "We might just put the two beds together to make a big communal sleeping area, with Zhi Meizi in the middle and my brother and I on either side."
When this was brought up, Li Youlan hesitated for a moment before saying, "There's something I hope I'm just overthinking, but since you're Weidong's girlfriend, I'm only saying a few words out of concern. Zhi... you're already twelve years old. Aren't you and your brother being a little too close?"
In the darkness, Li Yutao frowned slightly, then chuckled twice as if trying to smooth things over for her brother, "It should be nothing. When Zhi was first in Beiping, she was very shy. It was my brother who took her out to play and gradually guided her. She's probably just a little dependent."
Since she had said that, Li Youlan didn't say anything more and changed the subject: "Weidong's parents have all passed away, and his affairs have always been decided by his uncle and me. According to the local custom, the New Year's Eve dinner is eaten in the evening, so I was thinking that the lunch dinner... should we have a separate meal between our two families?"
Li Yutao agreed. The next day, Song Weidong borrowed a car again to pick up his uncle and cousin from the train station and drove directly to the state-run restaurant that Li Qingmang had booked.
At this time, most people still choose to eat at home. Not many people have the money to book a New Year's Eve dinner outside, let alone just lunch.
Even if Li Qingmang usually made many demands of Song Weidong, it was just playful banter between juniors. Now that their parents weren't around, and he was his sister's only support, he naturally put on the airs of an older brother when he saw Song Weidong's elders.
While Li Yutao and Song Weidong's cousin were playing around on one side, the four of them were chatting happily on the other, and the atmosphere at the dinner table was quite harmonious.
As soon as Li Qingmang finished speaking, "I have never objected to their relationship," he felt two disdainful gazes shot at him at the same time. He ignored them indifferently, cleared his throat, and said, "It's just that marriage is different from dating. It's not child's play. Both parties need to think it through carefully."
Li Youlan and Liu Xingyao naturally agreed with this. Just as they were about to add something, they suddenly heard a terrified scream from the corridor outside: "Xiaobao! What did you eat, Xiaobao! Throw it out!"
Almost instinctively, Song Weidong pushed back his chair and rushed out. Seeing this, the others stopped chatting and followed with serious expressions.
At the door of the next private room, a well-dressed woman was helplessly shaking a child of about five years old. The child's face was bluish-purple, and his legs were kicking wildly, but gradually, his legs seemed to lose strength and stopped kicking.
Chaos erupted all around, even the chefs rushed over from the kitchen to see what was going on. Li Qingmang spotted a familiar face in the crowd and stepped forward to ask, "What happened, Uncle Yang?"
Yang Ning is the deputy director of the Municipal Health Bureau. Because his wife and daughter-in-law are both from the north and are not good at cooking, the family specially booked a table for lunch today. However, halfway through the meal, his grandson suddenly started coughing incessantly.
He looked anxious and had no time to exchange pleasantries with his old friend's child. He only glanced at the child before looking at his grandson and replying, "My grandson choked on something!"
Song Weidong strode up to the woman and said, "I'm a doctor, give me the child!"
The woman, who was Director Wang's daughter-in-law, seemed to have seen a savior and quickly handed the child to him, her eyes filled with panic and helplessness.
Song Weidong hugged the child from behind, made a fist with one hand and placed it above the child's navel, while the other hand covered the fist and pressed rapidly upward and inward, trying several times.
The child's legs were no longer moving, and his eyelids were slowly closing. The woman screamed in anguish, "You owe me my child! You owe me my child!"
Li Yutao couldn't help but purse her lips, worrying about the child and Song Weidong. However, she remained calm on the surface, only revealing a hint of panic in her eyes when she looked at her brother.
Just as a few sighs were heard from the crowd, the child suddenly shot out a date pit like a slingshot, which hit the wall and rolled to the ground. Then the child burst into tears.
"Alright, it's all over." Song Weidong breathed a sigh of relief and handed the child back.
Overjoyed, the woman wept tears of joy. She quickly took the child, wishing she could hold him in her belly. Her loud cries turned into soft sobs, and large streams of tears flowed from her eyes, yet she could not utter a single word.
Yang Ning finally couldn't hold back any longer. She turned to the corner, raised her eyes to wipe away her tears, then turned back and tightly grasped Song Weidong's hands, choking back sobs as she said, "Thank you! Thank you! You are a great benefactor to our Yang family."
Song Weidong simply smiled and nodded, saying, "You're too kind. This is what we doctors should do."
"My daughter-in-law was a bit rude to you just now, and I apologize on her behalf."
He hadn't let go of her hand yet, so Song Weidong could only shake his head helplessly. "It's okay, I understand."
Yang Ning released his grip and said gratefully, "Your skills are top-notch even in the city hospital. May I ask... which hospital do you work at, young comrade?"
Song Weidong frowned, seemingly unwilling to answer the question, while Li Qingmang stepped forward.
"Uncle Yang, what a scare! Let me introduce you. This is my sister's boyfriend, Xiao Song. He's a professionally trained doctor and has been working at the Meixiang Village Health Clinic in Huaifeng Town for over ten years. His abilities and character are beyond reproach."
"So he's your brother-in-law?" Yang Ning's eyes showed even more admiration. "Great! It's a good thing that a talented young man is rooted in the grassroots. That shows his character! I'll talk to Old Zhou at the city hospital after the New Year. We can't let such talent go to waste."
Song Weidong withdrew his hand without making a sound and said calmly, "I just did what I was supposed to do," before returning to the private room.
Li Qingmang glared at his retreating figure with an unfriendly expression, then looked at his younger sister following behind him, who was gesturing towards him with her lips. She smiled helplessly and then chatted with Yang Ning for a few words.
The couple in the private room, Li Youlan and his wife, didn't look too good either. In front of Li Yutao, they couldn't be too direct, so they said tactfully, "Today's events are an opportunity. You're not living alone anymore, so you should think about the future."
"Uncle, I understand what you mean." When facing his elders, Song Weidong was much more obedient, unlike when he was at odds with Li Qingmang.
He took Li Yutao's hand and said calmly, "Don't worry, Xiaotao and I are of one mind. We will dedicate our lives to rural development. I will heal their bodies, and she will educate their minds. The people on this land will get better and better in the future."
Mr. and Mrs. Li Youlan exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with helplessness. Before they could say anything, the door to the private room was suddenly pushed open.
Li Qingmang entered with a cold expression, closed the door, and slowly returned to her seat.
“Brother…” Li Yutao was feeling guilty because of Song Weidong’s words earlier. Suddenly seeing her brother come in, she was afraid that he would say something irreparable in front of Song Weidong’s family. Just as she was about to take the initiative to change the subject, she heard him say with a disdainful look:
"One heart? Who's one heart with you?"
He nodded, his eyes fixed on Li Yutao sitting opposite him, but his words were colder than the outdoor temperature.
"The principal personally greeted my sister on the day she joined Hongxing Elementary School. The family had planned for her to go through the education system and then directly to the provincial education department. Her future was bright. Who wants to stay in this rural area with you for the rest of your life?"
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