Later, the child developed a high fever and started convulsing, so they took him to get an injection in his buttocks.
Mr. Xu's face darkened. "It would have been better if we hadn't given him the injection in his buttocks. After this injection, the child's left and right legs are now different sizes!"
He stubbornly believed that his grandson's illness was caused by the village doctor.
Because of this incident, Xu's father and Xu Sheng were furious. They went to the village clinic, beat up the doctor, and demanded compensation.
Who knew that someone could become a village doctor? They must have some connections.
The next day, they brought people to the Xu family's house, smashed all their belongings, and demanded compensation.
They said they wouldn't pay any compensation, making it impossible for them to stay in Xujia Village.
"So it was because of that family that our whole family ran away from the village?" Xu Ruantang asked the crucial question. "Will we ever be able to go back?"
If they can't go back, the purpose of the Xu family coming to Beijing will become obvious.
Just as Xu Sheng was about to nod, he heard his father roar angrily: "Ha, how could that be? Your father is afraid of them? The main reason I came out this time is to treat your nephew's illness."
Putting everything else aside, when you get home tonight, have my son-in-law find a hospital. Someone will definitely need to go with the child, and you should have him arrange accommodation and three meals a day as well!
Xu Ruantang laughed; everyone else was an irritable mother, a silent father, and a broken child.
Upon arriving at the Xu family home, one finds a short-tempered mother, an easily angered father, and a shameless family.
How could Mr. Xu have the audacity to say such shameless and self-righteous words?
Xu Ruantang looked troubled, lowered her eyelashes and said softly, "Father, I know it wasn't easy for you and Mother to raise me."
Especially after coming to Beijing and seeing the world, I felt even more strongly that you gave birth to me and raised me, so even if I had to eat meagerly, I should still treat you well.
After saying this, Xu Ruantang looked at the ground without raising her head, her shoulders trembling.
“But…” Xu Ruantang wiped away imaginary tears and didn’t continue.
Xu Sheng panicked, "Sister, this is your own nephew, you can't just stand by and watch him die!"
Mr. Xu's expression was serious. "Tangtang, I am your father. We are all family. There's no need for formalities. Just tell me what's on your mind."
"Hey, why didn't you just come to me?" Xu Ruantang asked, looking hesitant.
Xu Sheng, holding Xiao Qianqian, turned around and said anxiously, "Why haven't we been looking for you, sister? We've been here for almost half a month, but the people at the gate of your courtyard won't let us in. We haven't been able to find you, and we almost got arrested as bad guys!"
Xu Ruantang looked up at Xu Sheng with a surprised expression: "That's impossible, how did you find this place?"
“A woman said she knew you and gave us directions. She also said you were doing well at the Chen family's house, and that we’d come to the right place,” Xu Sheng said directly.
Mr. Xu initially wanted to intervene, but then thought it wouldn't be a big deal and stopped interfering.
Xu Ruantang asked, "Did that woman say her name? The women in the courtyard often go grocery shopping together, so it's normal that they know me. I'll go thank her later."
Xu Sheng shook his head. "They didn't say. We were in a hurry to find you, so we didn't ask."
Seeing that the conversation was getting further and further off track, Mr. Xu steered the conversation back on track: "Tangtang, let's not talk about those irrelevant things. You should hurry up and get your son-in-law to arrange the hospital."
“Dad, I was just about to bring this up. It would have been much easier to handle in the past. I would have spent money to buy things that my in-laws liked, and made them happy. If they were happy, my son-in-law would naturally be happy too. Back then, my words still carried some weight.”
Xu Ruantang paused for a moment, "I just angered them yesterday, and now I'm penniless. I have no way to please my in-laws."
Now it was Xu Sheng's turn to be surprised. "Sis, they have such a large family, and they won't even give you a little bit of money?!"
Xu Ruantang nodded, "Not only will they not give it to me, but this tailor shop, to put it nicely, is supposed to be under my management, but in reality, I'm just here to help out, and the money I earn will ultimately go to the Chen family."
Xu Sheng raised his voice a few decibels: "What?! How could their family be so outrageous!"
Xu's mother came out of the kitchen, pointed at Xu Ruantang's head and said, "How can you be so stupid? You can't even appease your husband's family!"
She had been listening intently inside for a long time, and this spineless daughter, married into such a family, was still as spineless as ever.
She waved her hand dismissively. "Here's what you'll do: have your husband come over tomorrow. He's the son-in-law of the Xu family, after all. If his mother-in-law and father-in-law come and he doesn't even show his face, isn't that unfilial?! Isn't he afraid of being gossiped about behind his back by the people in the neighborhood?"
Xu Ruantang was disgusted by her mother's attitude.
In all her life, she had never met anyone with such eccentric values, except for the Hao family. This was the second time.
"Mother, please don't be like this. Let's sit down and talk things over." Xu Ruantang said softly, "Father, Mother, you've been here for half a month now. You should know what kind of family I married into, right?"
Before anyone could answer, Xu Ruantang continued, "If he doesn't want me, he can write a book for the military anytime, and I'll have to get a divorce. Also, watch your mouths. With his status, if we insult him, it's an insult to soldiers, and we'll be jailed."
The courtyard fell silent for a moment, and Mr. and Mrs. Xu looked at each other in bewilderment.
Mr. Xu hadn't expected things to be so complicated. He calmed himself down and said, "We haven't said anything, so tell me, can't we ask him for help with your nephew's illness? After all, we're family now. He wouldn't just stand by and watch someone die, would he?"
Xu Ruantang was waiting for these words.
She pursed her lips, deliberately pretending to be embarrassed to speak.
Xu Sheng, who was closest to her, immediately asked, "Sis, stop keeping me in suspense! I'm getting impatient! Just tell me what's wrong!"
"I was thinking, didn't the Chen family give us three thousand yuan back then?" Xu Ruantang looked up at her father. "Dad, you've always been the one making the decisions at home. What do you think about taking some out so I can buy some nice things for my in-laws?"
Before Xu's father could speak, Xu's mother jumped up in a panic, "You brat! The bride price is our retirement money! You dare to even think about that? I think you're a traitor! What are you planning to do!"
Xu Ruantang was not afraid at all. Her clear eyes stared straight at her mother, her tone full of grievance: "Mother, what are you saying? I'm only doing this for a little money! If I had money, I wouldn't have asked you for this. Do you know how painful it is for me to say this?"
I would give up my life for you! But my life is worthless, it can't buy me any nice things for my in-laws, to please them, or to find a better hospital for my little money!
"You're my own mother! After all these years, do you still see me clearly? I was out of my mind when I jumped into the river, but now that I've come to my senses, I immediately agreed to marry into your family. Did I have any reluctance whatsoever?"
Xu Ruantang became more and more emotional as she spoke, and tears streamed down her face.
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