Chapter 45045 Blood Rock & Marriage & Qinghuang Powder
"Hey Jinyue, what are you doing?" Li Yulan saw her eyes shining, her cheeks flushed, and she was breathing heavily, so she waved her hands in front of her eyes.
Shu Jinyue came back to his senses, "You guys, wait, a moment."
She was suppressing her heartbeat and excitement, so much so that she felt a little out of breath, but it didn't matter anymore. She immediately ran to the next room, took out a wooden box from under the bed, opened it with the key hanging around her neck, and carefully took out the yellowed "Hu's Materia Medica Record".
Her extraordinary memory seemed particularly important at this moment. She recalled it in her mind, then found the catalog, the column for the treatment of carbuncle, and continued to flip down, and saw the word "realgar".
Realgar is a mineral medicine containing arsenic disulfide. In addition to saying that it should not be roasted with artillery, the book also summarizes its efficacy as "killing all kinds of insects and detoxifying all kinds of poisons." Although it may be suspected of exaggeration in ancient literature and art, an example is given in small print below, saying that the ancestor of the Hu family once used Qinghuang Powder to treat a woman with blood rock disease in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas.
The Hu ancestors really wrote this book very well. It is not boring at all. In addition to various theoretical things, they are also good at giving examples and facts. It records the interesting cases they encountered when they were away for many years, either running a herbal medicine shop or practicing medicine in the clinic.
As for Qinghuangsan, it is said that in the late Qing Dynasty, when the ancestor of the Hu family was traveling in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, he met a middle-aged woman with a belly as big as a drum, a pale face, thin body, and a dead heart. Upon asking, she was told that she was diagnosed with hemorrhagic stone disease at the Our Lady Mary Hospital in Haicheng. She could live for three months at most and could only go home to prepare for her funeral.
When the Hu ancestor saw that she was kind-hearted despite her serious illness and was dragging her sick body to show him the way, he was moved and told her that their ancestors had handed down a secret recipe called Qinghuangsan, which was specifically used to treat blood stasis and swelling in the body. In his opinion, the woman's "big belly" was essentially blood stasis and swelling. The woman agreed to try it with the mentality of giving it a try.
Half a month after taking the medicine, the woman's son, who was away taking the imperial examination, suddenly came home in mourning clothes and cried to attend the funeral. He said that he had received a letter from home and came back too late to attend the funeral, and was unable to see his mother for the last time. He was really unfilial, but this ended up making the whole family laugh.
Upon asking, he found out that not only was his mother not dead, but she was still alive and well. Her complexion was much rosier, and she spoke with more energy than before. Upon asking, he found out that it was because she had taken the secret recipe of Hu's ancestors.
Unfortunately, the family searched for this person for two years but couldn't find him. Five years later, when Hu's ancestor went to Haicheng Pharmaceutical Factory again to discuss cooperation, his car was suddenly stopped on the road. The woman who stopped the car looked quite familiar, so she knelt down and called him "benefactor."
Upon asking, I found out that this was the woman who had contracted the blood rock. Not only is she alive and well now, she has also come to Haicheng to take care of her son and grandchildren!
The Hu family's ancestors thought this case was quite interesting, so they recorded it in a booklet, which was then compiled into the Hu family's unique learning by later generations.
Shu Jinyue was extremely excited. This woman's "belly as big as a drum" was actually an enlarged liver and spleen, which was a manifestation of leukemia. Combined with the other symptoms described, they were all the same as modern leukemia. The recipe of Qinghuang Powder, which is used to treat diseases, is also recorded: a mixture of Indigo and Realgar in a ratio of four to one for oral administration.
The formula is actually very simple, but the problem is that the medicine in it - realgar is poisonous and is rarely taken internally. It is often used to make pesticides and herbicides. It also has a common name that is known to people all over the country - arsenic trioxide.
This thing is fine for killing people, but for ordinary people, using it to save people is tantamount to reversing the Heavenly Power. People will doubt their IQ if you mention it out loud.
But Shu Jinyue had read some reports on his mobile phone. Some people had indeed used this thing to treat leukemia since the 1980s, and the effectiveness was quite good. However, there was a lot of opposition from the outside world, who believed that medicine should first be harmless before it can cure diseases. Of course, there was also the factor of Western medicine capital fanning the flames, but later on, the opposition gradually faded.
Most doctors don’t dare to use it.
The happier Shu Jinyue was at that moment, she felt a little uneasy. She really wanted to give it a try on Xu Wenli, but she was afraid of what might happen.
What if it exacerbates the problem and accelerates the progression of the disease? This is more than just a matter of regret and guilt.
Shu Jinyue calmed himself down, put away the book, and then went to the next room. Several people were still sighing about Xu Wenli's matter. In the first month of the year, Zhao Wanqiu's eyes were red again.
"What a good child! He always smiles when he sees me. His face is just like an autumn apple. How could the old man be so blind? He didn't take away those evildoers. He insisted on, insisted on..."
She choked up, and Shu Jinyue saw a figure flash past the window, and quickly told her to stop crying, saying that her second brother was back.
Shu Wenming did not come back alone, he was holding Xu Wenli's hand. He had been unkempt like a savage for a long time, but today he shaved his beard and cut his hair for the first time in his life. He also wore a suit borrowed from Shu Wenyan, and of course the shirt underneath had a fake collar.
Everyone was stunned by his outfit. Looking at Xu Wenli behind him, her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were red and swollen, and there was a faint red on her lips. She was also wearing a red sweater today.
An idea suddenly flashed through Shu Jinyue's mind. Could it be that her second brother and she were...
Sure enough, Shu Wenming took her to Teacher Shu and Zhao Wanqiu and announced loudly: "Dad, Aunt Zhao, Wenli and I have obtained the marriage certificate."
"ah?"
"What?"
The two elders were shocked and exclaimed in unison, but the next second, they realized that this was actually expected. The second elder never played by the rules, and getting the certificate at this time was his "common sense".
"Good, good, congratulations on becoming a revolutionary couple!" Teacher Shu was the first to react. He patted his son's shoulder, then patted his new daughter-in-law's shoulder. "From now on, there will be one more person in our family. This is a good thing."
Xu Wenli's originally nervous expression disappeared, replaced by happiness and shyness.
Zhao Wanqiu also immediately said: "Okay, okay, our family hasn't had such a big wedding in a long time, we have to set up two tables."
"I agree. Second brother and sister-in-law, remember to give me a red envelope as the matchmaker!" Shu Jinyue's nose felt sour, and he thought to himself that Shu Wenming was really a talented guy.
No one would have thought that this foul-mouthed guy who used to curse and stay awake for three days if he lost a penny would actually spend money and effort to run around for Wen Li's illness. He even persisted when her parents had given up on her, accompanied her every day, brought her meals and soup, and even married her at this time... His small body of 1.73 meters seemed to have grown taller.
Shu Jinyue sniffed, "It's just right that Sister Yulan is here. She can stay at our house for dinner tonight and celebrate for my second brother and his wife."
Xu Wenli was nervous at first. Not long after she got up in the morning, he brought her food. After they finished eating, he asked her to put on some makeup and change into red clothes, and said he wanted to take her out. She was naturally very happy. She thought he was taking her to the park, but she found out when they went to the Civil Affairs Bureau. She was dumbfounded.
She even felt that he was playing a trick on her.
But when he asked her seriously if she was willing to marry him and become a revolutionary partner with him, she also answered seriously that she was willing, but... no buts. He covered her mouth, took the letter of introduction that had been issued a year ago, and walked into the Civil Affairs Bureau.
It had been his long-planned plan to pick her up today.
They became a legal couple from today, but she knew that she was a burden to him and the entire Shu family. Her illness and high medical expenses would drag them down. No normal person would like a daughter-in-law like her... But the attitude of the Shu family said it all.
They welcomed her into the big family; in health and in sickness, she was just Xu Wenli, Shu Wenming's lover.
Xu Wenli couldn't stop crying. Zhao Wanqiu was busy buying groceries, so several young people went over to help clean up the new house.
In fact, the house had been cleaned by Shu Wenming before the New Year. It was wiped clean and the kang was ready. They just needed to turn it on. Since there were no new beddings, Shu Wenming used his own. Shu Jinyue took down his and Shu Wenyun's bed curtains and used them as curtains for them. He also took his own unused prize and even considerately filled the kettle with water so that it would be easier for them to wash their faces at night.
The big house was empty. There was nothing in it except a kang, two basins and a kettle. But Shu Jinyue felt that the whole house was warm and cozy.
"By the way, second brother, there is something I need to remind you. Sister Wenli’s current condition is not suitable for sharing..." room.
"You don't need to tell me, I know." Shu Wenming was calm and collected as he was wiping the table. "What should you do if your feet are cold when you sleep? Do you want to buy something? I'll go out and buy it later."
"Hot water bottle." As soon as Shu Jinyue said this, she thought of the hot water bottle that Xu Duan bought last year. She hadn't used it this winter. She was angry at first, but later she got used to filling it with hot water using a recycled needle bottle. She forgot that she still had such a high-end product.
"Don't buy it. Sister Wenli should have it. Just ask her and go home with her to get it later." He also moved her personal belongings over.
In the past, a son-in-law like Shu Wenming wouldn't even have the chance to enter the Xu family's gate, but now, they are eager to get rid of this hot potato as soon as possible. What can they do if they feel sorry for their daughter? Everyone says that it is an incurable disease. Xu's father even witnessed his colleague's death... After spending so much money, he ended up losing both the money and the person.
Not only did they have Wenli as their only child, they also had to save some money and energy for their younger son. The hungry baby needed their attention even more.
Many adults cannot bear the mental pressure of having a seriously ill patient at home who cannot be cured, and they actually want to relax a little.
Everyone can understand this mentality, but Shu Jinyue still thinks that Xu's parents are too realistic. However, when he thinks that they were able to give birth to a brother who is more than 20 years younger than Wen Li without her knowledge, it seems normal for them to have this mentality when she is seriously ill.
There will be no filial son by the bedside of a patient who has been ill for a long time, and the same is true for some parents towards their children.
Sure enough, Shu Wenming also thought of this and immediately went to ask Wen Li for her opinion. As soon as she agreed, the couple immediately went back to Xu's house to move their things.
Although she said she wanted to treat two tables, the incident happened suddenly and she couldn't buy any good food. Zhao Wanqiu made up her mind to catch a hen that was laying eggs and killed it, then stewed some chicken soup to make a meat dish.
"Yulan and your second brother finally came here, so today we can only let you eat casually. We will officially set up two tables in a few days, and then your whole family will have to come."
Li Yulan said with a smile that it was okay. Fortunately, they brought a lot of vegetables, which came in handy today. Teacher Shu also quickly called the eldest couple over.
Liu Huifang's belly was so big that she couldn't even see her feet when she walked. She needed someone to support her. She wanted to help pick vegetables, but Zhao Wanqiu drove her away, "Go and have a rest. Don't make trouble."
Liu Huifang laughed heartily, "Okay, then I will just wait and eat the ready-made food with peace of mind."
The neighbors could hear the noise. Aunt Zhao had a good relationship with Zhao Wanqiu and knew that Wen Li was ill. She pulled the old sister aside and asked, "Has your Wenming...thought it through?"
"Oh, this is really... Oh!" She stamped her feet in anxiety.
Seeing that no one was around, she couldn't help herself after all. "Don't say that a son is not under the control of his mother, or that it's a good thing to have your own opinion. Is this a matter of having your own opinion? Has he ever thought about how much burden he has added to your family by making such a fuss? Medication, injections, and hospitalization are such huge expenses that ordinary people like us can't afford. Don't blame me for being a pessimist. If Wenli dies one day, he will go from being a good unmarried young man to a widower. If he wants to find another one in the future..."
"Aunt Zhao, thank you for your kindness." Zhao Wanqiu looked serious for a rare time and was obviously angry.
Aunt Zhao also knew that she had spoken out of turn. "I spoke too much. I just... Alas!"
She just remembered that in the past few years, when introducing young men to Wenming, they were all yellow. If he really turned out to be a widower with a history of marriage, then there would be no hope at all.
She was not cursing Wenli, because they had never heard of a cure for this disease. Her thoughts actually represent the thoughts of most normal people, but Zhao Wanqiu just doesn't want to hear it. "Auntie, don't ever mention this to Wenming again."
He would get angry and turn hostile, and maybe the friendship between the two families would be gone.
Inside the room, Shu Wenyan was whispering to Teacher Shu about this matter, "Has the second brother really thought it through?"
It was rare that he didn't say anything snobbish. Teacher Shu looked at him with a little surprise.
He touched the back of his head and said, "Huifang told me that he was not hot-headed and had thought it through. I...ah, Dad, what are you looking at me with? Am I such a bad person?"
Although he suspected that the second son was crazy at first, and he had the same concerns as Aunt Zhao, Huifang said it well: "I have been with you for so many years and we have no children. Others advised you to divorce me, why don't you do it?"
Yes, he couldn’t explain why he didn’t leave, but he knew that if Jin Yue hadn’t cured her illness, he wouldn’t have left.
"Is it true that Wenli's illness cannot be cured?"
Teacher Shu was silent.
"So the money for the treatment depends entirely on the second son? His salary is not even enough to stay in the hospital once, and Xu's parents haven't said anything yet?" Shu Wenyan sighed, "I used to say that he was successful. He actually found a father-in-law and mother-in-law who are cadres. Maybe he will become an official before me in the future. Now it seems that he is not as good as me... Oh, Dad, why are you twisting my ears!"
"I'm warning you, if you dare to turn your back on Wen Li later, you won't have to come back. You're not welcome in this house."
"How could I?" Shu Wenyan felt so wronged. He was just complaining about Wenli's parents. He was not wrong. Now that they say they don't care after they get married, what about before?
"They paid for it, so don't talk nonsense in front of Wenli." Teacher Shu snorted. He really didn't like the eldest brother. "Shut your dog mouth, or else if the second brother gets angry and punches you in the face, I won't stop them. I'll even applaud!"
Wen Li was already hurt by her parents, and if he continued to bring up irrelevant issues, the second brother would beat him to death.
Teacher Shu cursed under his breath. Several women were cooking outside. Second Brother Li went back home first because he was afraid that his family would worry, and asked Li Yulan to stay here for two more days. Anyway, there was no farm work to do recently.
With their diligent hands, they prepared a table of food in no time, and the young couple also came back with their food. Xu Wenli had been an only child for more than 20 years, so she actually had quite a lot of stuff, including all kinds of utensils for eating, drinking, defecating and urinating, as well as several large boxes of books. Shu Wenming simply found a cart to pull them back.
Xu's parents felt guilty and asked her to take away all the things she had used.
When the neighbors in the compound saw this scene, someone finally couldn't help asking what was going on, "Wenming, who are you moving for?"
"My wife!"
"When did you get a wife?" Although everyone knew that he had a permanent job, they also knew that this relationship would not last long. Maybe the other person was just looking for novelty and would kick him out in the future. "Wenli, come here and say hello to everyone, neighbors. We have obtained the marriage certificate. This is my wife, Xu Wenli. You can call her Xiao Xu or Wenli." It was rare for him to speak so long in such a good mood, and the five words "I am happy today" were clearly written on his face.
"Oh, congratulations!"
"I didn't realize you were so fast."
"They say people are in high spirits when they are happy. I was wondering if your face looked strange when I saw you at the door this morning. It turns out you were trying hard to get the marriage certificate!"
Everybody started laughing and joking. How much more pessimistic they were at the beginning, how much more envious they were now. They thought that Shu Laoer was really getting to eat swan meat. Looking at Xu Wenli again, she is also pretty, but a little thin. She is not as blessed as Zhao Wanqiu said before. But it doesn’t matter. She will gain weight after she has a baby.
The aunts were whispering to each other, and fortunately Aunt Zhao kept her mouth shut. No one except her knew that Wenli was sick, otherwise there would be another storm. The Shu family had no intention of telling anyone, so they all said the same thing, saying that Xu Wenli had caught a cold and needed to rest for a few days.
Everyone sat together at the dinner table in a lively atmosphere. Before the meal, Zhao Wanqiu even went to buy a string of firecrackers, which were set off very loudly. Jin Yue hoped that this was the beginning of a better life for his second brother and his wife, and he didn't know when to say what he wanted to say.
She also wanted to let the young couple enjoy their sweetness for two days first, but she was afraid that the condition would worsen if they delayed too long. Even one day earlier would be better for treatment... So, after dinner, everyone went to the new house to sit and warm up, and Jin Yue called her second brother to the outside of the door.
"Brother, I want to talk to you about something, about my sister-in-law's condition..."
"It's okay. You don't need to persuade me. I volunteered. No matter how long we can be together, I hope that I can be the one to accompany her in the end."
If that day really came, he hoped that he would be with her as her husband and lover.
Shu Wenming's eyes have been red every day for the past two months, and sometimes they turn red when the wind blows.
Especially on the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month before the New Year, he accompanied her to see Dr. Wang for a follow-up examination. Dr. Wang told him the bad news that Wen Li's liver and spleen had increased to varying degrees, and the disease had progressed too rapidly, which meant that even changing three imported drugs was ineffective for her.
He was stunned at the time, as if his ears were blocked by cotton balls, and only that sentence was circling in his mind.
As for the young soldier who took the medicine with them at the beginning, his body was very sensitive to the imported medicine. His white blood cell count had dropped, and his liver and spleen were no longer enlarged... People are afraid of comparison at any time, and this is no exception in this matter.
He wanted to ask the so-called stone expert why his white blood cell count wouldn't go down and why his liver and spleen were still growing even though he was already taking imported medicine! Why can others cure the same disease, but his Wen Li can’t?
But he also knew that it was useless to ask, as he would always get the same few words. He didn't want to listen, and he didn't dare tell Xu Wenli. At that time, Dr. Wang spoke to him in secret, hiding it from Wenli, fearing that she could not bear the blow.
Seeing his grief-stricken expression, Jin Yue quickly shook his head: "No, that's not what I'm talking about. What I want to say is, do you still remember the book that Grandma Hu gave me?"
Shu Wenming nodded blankly, and began to talk about her findings, adding, "Just now I went to Huaishu Hutong to ask Grandma Hu, the person who wrote down this travel experience was her grandfather's father, that is, her great-grandfather. She said that this person has a calm personality, is very pragmatic and modest, and the text he recorded should be objective facts without any exaggeration."
Shu Wenming held his breath, "So..."
Shu Jinyue nodded, "Yes, I want to try it on Sister Wenli."
While cooking just now, she mobilized her memory again. Qinghuangsan is not effective for treating all types of leukemia, but it is most effective for the chronic myeloid leukemia that Xu Wenli is currently suffering from!
Perhaps God wanted to give her a chance, so Shu Jinyue chose to tell it tonight.
"Please think about it carefully. I can't say how confident I am. I can only say that you should try a small dose first. If you are worried that the toxic arsenic will accumulate in her body, you can also combine it with Western medicine and inject drugs that promote metabolism."
"You, you wait a moment, let me calm down." Shu Wenming breathed in big gulps like a fish out of water.
At this moment, he was like a traveler who had been walking alone in the desert for ten days or half a month. All the water in his body had evaporated, and he had no more urine. But not far away, he seemed to be able to vaguely see a pool of clear spring. He didn't know if it was real water, or just a mirage, or maybe it was poisoned...
Shu Jinyue waited for him to calm down for three minutes before finally speaking: "Actually, I'm just saying this. You and Second Sister-in-law should think about it. If you choose Chinese medicine, I will definitely try my best. If you don't choose it, it's okay. I'll think about whether there are other non-toxic and harmless methods."
Shu Wenming nodded heavily, "Okay, let me think about it, I'll go in first, I need to take it slow."
He went in first, and Shu Jinyue didn't follow him. She leaned against the wall and looked up at the sky. She didn't know whether there were gods. If not, she was an ordinary person with no merits, so why would she be reborn? If so, then why do humans suffer from so many incurable diseases and why do lovers have to be separated forever.
In fact, Shu Jin was more than happy at the beginning. In the past two years, she had been wondering what caused her to be reborn. She claimed that she was not a great philanthropist with perfect merits, nor had she done many good deeds. She had a twisted personality and few friends. What was the reason, or who gave her this opportunity to be reborn?
She thought about it for a long time but couldn't figure it out.
In fact, in the past two months, she felt like she was possessed. She even thought that it would be great if she could figure out the reason for her rebirth. In that case, if Xu Wenli really died, she hoped to tell her the "secret weapon" of rebirth so that she could start over in the next life, avoid the disease early, be with Shu Wenming early, and not waste so many years... Now that she thought about it, she was really possessed.
Just as she was thinking, she suddenly heard a familiar sound of footsteps, but the rhythm was not as steady as before. She laughed at herself and thought she was really crazy and had time to think about these things at the critical moment.
She shook her head and opened her eyes, only to see a tall, straight man. He was wearing a black cashmere coat and military pants. His legs were still long, and he wore a pair of brown leather boots, like a model from a fashion show.
Xu Duan came here to try his luck today. Although she didn't want to see him, he would come here whenever he had free time. If he was lucky enough, he could see her from afar at the entrance of the alley. If not, he might wait for an hour or two and she might not come out.
It was freezing cold, and he had to hold back his toileting for as long as he could. Plus, due to Xu Wenli's condition, Shu Jinyue had no intention of going out during this period.
"Su Jinyue, can I talk to you?" His voice was a little hoarse, and it was unclear if it was because of a cold or because he hadn't spoken for a long time.
Jin Yue hesitated for a moment and finally nodded. In fact, she hadn't scolded him or anything during this period. She just suddenly realized that since he didn't respond to her, she didn't want to waste her time on him. From now on, she would just treat him as a friend who had taken care of her. When she had more money next year, she would convert the things he gave her into money and return them to him.
He stood upwind, "Is it cold?"
Shu Jinyue was still wearing the old cotton-padded jacket from last year. She was in a hurry to come out without wearing gloves. He took off his gloves and put them on her hands without saying a word.
Those were warm gloves, and they must be very comfortable to wear, but Shu Jinyue took his hand back and put it behind his back, "Just tell me what you want to say."
He sighed. He had actually been feeling bad recently. He felt like he had no interest in doing anything. "Okay, let's not talk about emotions. Is your second brother married?"
"Yes, how did you know?"
"I went to do some work today and saw them get their marriage certificate." He looked at her fair little face. After not seeing her for a long time, the girl became prettier and more mature.
He looked at her thin cotton shoes, which had several patches on them. He guessed that the cotton inside was no longer warm enough. "Okay, if you don't want my gloves, can you please sit in the car for a while? It's cold outside."
The colder Shu Jin felt, the more his toes started to itch. There was no need to be hard on his body.
He first turned on the air conditioner in the car, then opened the passenger door. Shu Jinyue sat in. He closed the door and then went around to the driver's seat.
The temperature in the car gradually rose, and Jin Yue felt comfortable. He moved his toes in his cotton shoes and they were not so itchy anymore. "Go ahead and I'll listen."
"Is your sister-in-law sick?" He asked tentatively, but he was not asking about her. As long as he didn't ask her why she was avoiding him, Shu Jinyue felt that all other questions were easy to answer. "Well, she is seriously ill."
"What's wrong?" As if afraid that she wouldn't want to tell him, he added, "I'm not trying to pry into her privacy. I know some people and wonder if there's anything I can do to help."
Shu Jinyue knew that he always meant well, but even Shi Xuehai, the most authoritative hematologist in the country, was helpless. All the imported drugs that could be used could not be controlled, and there was no point in looking for anyone else. But she had been holding it in for so long and needed to talk.
I don't have to say anything, as long as I can talk about it, the depression and pain I've been feeling for the past few months will probably be better...
"She has leukemia. At first she had a fever, but we mistook it for a cold, which delayed her treatment for a while. Later she had a nosebleed, but we thought it was caused by eating ginseng and getting a sore throat... It's all my fault. I should have noticed something was wrong earlier, but I couldn't find out after taking her pulse several times. I should have asked my second brother if her nosebleed had stopped, instead of assuming it had stopped without him telling me. I should have cared about her earlier..."
The girl's voice was low, as if she was mumbling, and her trembling shoulders showed how deeply guilty she felt at the moment.
She shouldn't feel so guilty, she didn't mean it.
These words flashed through Xu Duan's mind, and he wanted to pat her shoulder like he did before, but his outstretched hand froze in mid-air.
Finally, he handed her a handkerchief instead, "It's okay, you didn't mean it."
Shu Jinyue sniffed, "I really didn't mean it, but I was so busy with love affairs and sadness that I ignored the health of the people around me. I don't know what I'm doing. This isn't how I should live my life..."
She doesn't want to waste her life in vain. She wants to promote traditional Chinese medicine, to make a name for herself, to change her family's destiny, to take revenge, instead of being confused by a little love.
"It's my fault. I'm sorry."
"You're not bad, in fact you're very good. I complained about you at first, but then I thought about how you took care of me out of gratitude to my father, gave me care I'd never experienced before, and gave me food and clothes I'd never worn before. Your intentions were good, and I was the one who misinterpreted it."
She said that she was young and didn't want to fall in love, but how could she really not want to? At the age of eighteen or nineteen, she had read so many romance novels and watched so many sweet dramas that her heart was always a little fluctuating. So when a sufficiently excellent and mature person of the opposite sex showed her an extraordinary and unique care, she was moved.
She didn't think she was wrong, and there was nothing shameful about admitting that she was having sexual feelings.
"sorry."
"You don't have to say sorry to me, really." Jin Yue looked at him and said calmly.
The look in her eyes seemed to indicate that she had figured it all out, or too much so. He asked her to think clearly about why she liked him, and he had also been sorting out his own thoughts over the past few months.
"I'm not rejecting you. I just hope you can think clearly about your heart. I, Xu Duan, will never look back. Once you choose to be with me, you will have no chance to regret it."
"You are young, and sometimes you can't tell what you really want in your heart. You only know what you don't want, right?"
Shu Jinyue didn't say anything. After venting, the cotton ball in his heart seemed to be half removed.
"I need you to think clearly, do you really like me, or is it just because of the insignificant kindness I have shown you? You have to remember, being nice to you is the cheapest and most fleeting thing." He sighed and looked into her eyes quietly.
After a few seconds of silence, he smiled bitterly and said, "It seems that you really don't like me anymore. What should I do?"
Shu Jinyue sneered and thought to herself, you bastard, when I liked you, you asked me to think it over clearly, and now that I have thought it over clearly, why should I beg you for help? There are many men waiting to get promoted!
"What should I do? I really..." like you.
He added in his heart that it was impossible to say such corny words in broad daylight.
Shu Jinyue really didn't want to pay attention to him, "You haven't been raising fish all this time, have you? After walking around the fish pond, you found that I am the easiest fish to catch, so you come to coax me again. Who do you think I am? Do you think I am still the silly Shu Jinyue from last year?"
Xu Duan's chest shook a few times, and he laughed muffledly, "Yes, you are now the 21-year-old Su Jinyue."
"Get out of here. I'm leaving. If you keep talking nonsense like this in the future, don't come to me." She didn't want to listen.
"Wait a moment." Xu Duan got out of the car first, went around to the trunk and took something out, then opened the door for her, "Take it back."
Shu Jinyue put his hands behind his back, making it clear that he refused.
"It's not for you, it's for your second brother. I know him well, and I want to congratulate him on his wedding."
Shu Jinyue remembered that his second brother had a very high opinion of him. The last time they hunted wild boars together, they had a very pleasant conversation... Oh, forget it, should he let his second brother make the decision himself?
The young couple's new house was full of people. In addition to those who had dinner together tonight, there were many more neighbors from the compound. Everyone squeezed in and talked about the decoration of their new house, praising this and that.
In fact, there were only two pieces of furniture, but these days every family starts off with nothing when getting married. Fortunately, they still had a house that belonged to Shu Wenming, so they didn't have to rent one to get married.
"Life will get better and better."
Zhao Wanqiu didn't expect everyone to be so enthusiastic. She was unprepared, so she quickly went to Aunt Zhao to borrow two pounds of roasted melon seeds and leftover candies from the New Year, put them on a red tray, and invited everyone to eat.
Shu Jinyue found out after entering the house that the neighbors were right in their praise. It turned out that they had moved back a lot of things from Xu's house. In addition to several large boxes of books, there was also a dressing table with a mirror, several benches, a pile of bottles and jars of cosmetics, and a large number of clothes... Especially after the clothes were taken out, there were no hangers to hang them on, so they were just stacked outside, making them look particularly heavy.
"Wenli's family really has an easy life. I've only seen this kind of braid on the lover of the neighborhood committee director. It's red and very beautiful."
"And these leather shoes, these white lace socks, the white circle is so beautiful."
"Look, there are three bottles of vanishing cream alone. No wonder her face is so white. She applies it every day."
Everyone was talking about it, and suddenly someone asked what the bride's family gave as a dowry, and the atmosphere suddenly became quiet.
Yes, it was obvious that the things they moved in were all used and belonged to Xu Wenli herself. There was not a single "new item" that truly belonged to the newlyweds.
Xu Wenli was a little embarrassed. She glanced at the Shu family nervously. Just as she was about to speak, Shu Wenming held her hand and said, "My Wenli, the biggest and best dowry is herself. I am happy to have such a good wife. How dare I ask for anything else?"
When everyone realized what was happening, they all laughed and scolded him for being so smooth-talking and asked how he could make his wife happy.
A normal person would have followed the topic, but someone wanted to spoil the fun: "Oh, so I guess there really is no dowry?"
Shu Wenming looked over and saw Aunt Li again as expected. He laughed sinisterly twice, "I'm different from Aunt Li. I don't rely on marrying a wife to get rich. Aunt Li's family did make a fortune when they married Sister Li. But, what do you call this? If something isn't yours, you can't keep it even if it comes. So, Brother Li is marrying into your family to lighten your burden... Others lose their wives and their soldiers, but you lose your son and a grandson."
Everyone burst into laughter.
Aunt Li was stared at with such sarcastic eyes and mercilessly bullied by Shu Wenming. She was twisted into a knot, "You you you!"
Ah, everyone in the Shu family is so annoying. None of them is a good person. He deserves that he can’t find a wife, he deserves that he doesn’t have a formal job, he deserves that he can’t afford his own house… However, after she fled in panic, everyone praised Shu Wenming, saying that he had married a good wife and had a house…
Aunt Li was completely mad.
She felt that the old man was really blind. Why did the Shu family have all the good days? The more she thought about it, the more upset she felt. She lay on the kang and kicked the wall hard, wishing she could kick two big holes in it.
The room next to her was rented to Shang Guangming. Little Chicken Popcorn was reading a book with his head tilted. Suddenly, his eyes widened and he said, "Dad, there's a mouse! It's digging holes in the wall!"
Shang Guangming patted his head and said, "Don't look at it anymore. Go play with your uncle and sister next door. Remember to say congratulations to them."
The two brothers immediately ran over hand in hand. What kid doesn't like to be in the crowd, especially when there is the Shu family who are so kind to them.
***
When the crowd dispersed, the room was left with melon seed shells all over the floor. Xu Wenli just stood up when Shu Wenming held her down, "Lie down, I'll sweep."
"Can you sweep? I remember when you first started working at the grocery store, you couldn't even sweep the floor, and you were always scolded by Sister Liu."
"That was in the past. I can do everything now. If you don't know how to do something, just teach me. If you can't learn it, don't be angry. Teach me a few more times. There will be plenty of opportunities to teach me in the future."
Xu Wenli turned her back and quietly wiped her tears, "Okay."
Shu Wenming swept the floor clean and fetched a basin of warm water. "Wash your face and hands first. They are so dirty."
He picked up something that Shu Jinyue had placed on the table on the kang, saying it was a wedding gift from Xu Duan. He opened it curiously and found that it was actually a brand new bottle of Moutai liquor that had never been opened!
"This gift is too expensive. This old man is really, is he trying to bribe me and follow the mass line of surrounding the cities from the countryside?"
"Puchi... Can you please stop using the wrong words? You make me look like an illiterate." Xu Wenli laughed at him as she washed. "How did Jin Yue tolerate you for so many years? I tolerated you for two years at most, oh no, one year, maybe a few months..."
Seeing that she was beginning to think wildly again, Shu Wenming put his things aside and said, "I have something to discuss with you."
…
Shu Jinyue actually hadn't fallen asleep yet. She usually found Shu Wenming's snoring annoying, but at this moment, when it was just her and Shu Wenyun together, the room was quiet, yet she felt empty in her heart.
His bed was empty and was originally intended for Li Yulan to sleep in, but it was cold and Li Yulan wanted to share the same quilt with him.
"Jin Yue, what's going on between you and Comrade Xu? Why haven't you mentioned him for a long time?" Li Yulan came over and hugged her like an octopus. The two of them felt a lot warmer when they were huddled together.
"It's nothing, he's just a friend."
"A friend who would drive hundreds of kilometers to find you overnight just because you called him, just to chat with you through the door? A friend who would prepare everything from menstrual socks to hot water bottles for you? A friend who would even prepare the living expenses for you to live in our house, fearing that we would abuse you?"
Li Yulan sneered, "You little lesbian, you are not honest."
Shu Jinyue smiled. She was moved by his actions at that time, so she did not regret liking him. She really felt his warmth, and that was enough.
But now, she is standing on a higher platform and seeing a wider world. The resources and connections are things she has never had access to in her two lifetimes.
What is the platform of life? She, a person who had never even attended high school, could sit at the same table with professionals who had graduated from college and had worked in clinical practice for decades, and talk about their experiences and future prospects on an equal and bold basis... Half a year ago, she felt that even novels would not dare to be written like this.
"Right now, we are not suitable for each other. I have too many things I want to do right now and I don't have the extra energy to argue with him."
Just when she was about to say that it was pretty good for her to concentrate on her career, Shu Wenming's voice suddenly came from the door: "Is Jin Yue asleep? Wen Li and I want to talk to you."
Shu Jinyue quickly got out of bed and let the two in. Fortunately, Xu Wenli was wearing Shu Wenming's big cotton-padded coat and his old Lei Feng hat. She was wrapped up like a fat dumpling.
"I want to try the method your brother suggested." Xu Wenli grabbed Jin Yue's hand and smiled. There were two tiny spots of light in her eyes, twinkling like flames or stars.
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