Chapter 71: Midnight Visit To The Doctor
Su Sanlang himself was alarmed. He thought that after a few years, he might no longer be so lucky, but the facts told him otherwise.
As he looked at the small figure walking ahead of him, Su Sanlang silently told himself that he couldn't do this again. Two years ago, people had thought he was just lucky. If he was still the same now, everyone would notice the difference.
There was something strange about his fourth daughter. If someone with ulterior motives found out, they would not be able to tolerate her. Fortunately, it was almost dark.
There was enough land to feed his family. There was no need to hunt again.
Su Sanlang hid his thoughts and silently changed the topic. "Heng, have you ever eaten pheasants?"
Zhou Heng nodded and replied, "I've eaten it before, but I've already forgotten what it tastes like."
Last year, before his leg was injured, he had eaten pheasants, hares, wild boars, wild deer, bears, and so on. But ever since he was injured, he had not had the chance to eat those again.
Su Sanlang smiled and said, "When you go back today, I'll ask your aunt to stew it for you. Eat more later."
Zhou Heng smiled and agreed. "Okay, thank you, Uncle."
After returning home, Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao went to deal with the pheasant for dinner.
Su Xiaolu also began to administer the acupuncture that she had missed at noon.
When he was done with the needles and packed them up, dinner was ready.
They had pheasants for dinner. Old Wu happily drank his precious wine and generously poured a cup for Su Sanlang. "Come, don't hold back."
......
Su Sanlang smiled and nodded. "Okay."
Su Sanlang could drink, but he hadn't touched alcohol in years. Alcohol costs money. He couldn't bear to spend it, so he didn't drink.
However, recently, with Old Wu, he could often drink wine. Old Wu liked to drink, but he did not take out his precious wine every day.
The children ate their chicken obediently and quietly.
Madam Zhao gave the drumstick to Zhou Heng and said gently, "Heng, come, have a drumstick."
Zhou Heng smiled and thanked Madam Zhao. He looked at Su Xiaolu and her siblings and realized that they did not mind this at all. No one would stare at them. They were all happily eating from their bowls.
The Su family had very good table manners.
Zhou Heng quickly gave the drumstick to Su Xiaoling.
Su Xiaoling looked up and was about to return it to Zhou Heng when he turned around and focused on eating.
Su Xiaoling wanted to give it to Su Xiaolu.
Su Xiaolu's head was almost buried in her bowl.
Zhou Heng looked at Su Xiaoling and mouthed two words.
Su Xiaoling understood. Zhou Heng said, "You eat."
After saying that, Zhou Heng lowered his head and ate. Su Xiaoling looked at the drumstick in her bowl. In the end, she still ate it. For some reason, she felt that this drumstick was sweet.
Su Xiaolu secretly heaved a sigh of relief. She secretly looked at Zhou Heng and then at Su Xiaoling. She had a terrifying guess in her heart. Could it be that Zhou Heng likes her third sister?
Soon, Su Xiaoling denied this guess. How was that possible? Zhou Heng was only seven years old. What did a seven-year-old child know? He was probably just grateful to her third sister for treating him well.
A little boy who said little but knew how to be grateful. Well, not bad, not bad.
Old Wu liked to eat meat very much. The pheasant's meat was fragrant and fresh, so he naturally became greedy.
Since there was nothing for him to do, he went to sleep when he got drunk.
As for Su Sanlang's family, they went to bed as well after washing up.
In the middle of the night, Su Sanlang's family was woken by a knock on the door.
Madam Zhao rubbed her eyes and nudged Su Sanlang. "Sanlang, there's someone knocking on Dr. Wu's door."
Su Su Sanlang woke up to the sound of urgent banging and shouting, and it was a familiar voice.
He sobered up and said, "Why does that sound like Brother Hu's voice? Darling, sleep first. I'll go out and take a look."
With that, Su Sanlang got up, picked up the clothes by the bed, and put them on. Then he opened the door and went out.
Old Wu got drunk that night and was sleeping soundly, so no matter how much Chen Hu knocked on the door, there was no response. When Su Sanlang came out, he could clearly hear the trembling in Chen Hu's anxious voice.
"Doctor Wu, please open the door. Doctor Wu, get up and save a life."
Chen Hu knocked on the door anxiously, his voice trembling.
But no matter how he knocked, Old Wu's door remained tightly shut.
At this moment, the door next door opened and Su Sanlang came out. He asked Chen Hu with concern, "Brother Hu, what's wrong? What happened?"
It was cold, but Chen Hu was sweating.
Chen Hu looked at Su Sanlang and choked for a moment before saying, "Third Brother, my wife gave birth, but after the child was born, the bleeding couldn't be stopped. My mother said that it was a hemorrhage and whether she lived or died depended on her fate. How could I watch her die? It's the middle of the night, and I don't have anywhere to call a doctor, so I could only come here. Third Brother, I remember that when Sister-in-law gave birth to Simei, she also... hired Doctor Wu, right?"
Su Sanlang hadn't realized it was such a big deal. He nodded. "Yes. Your sister-in-law lost a lot of blood when she gave birth to Simei. Sigh... It's all my fault. Doctor Wu drank a lot tonight. He's drunk..."
When he was in trouble, Chen Hu would definitely help their family. After his life became stable, Chen Hu never asked for credit. In the past two years, when they occasionally met, they would exchange a few words with each other.
Su Sanlang knew about Madam Qian's pregnancy. At that time, Chen Hu had said that Madam Qian's pregnancy was different from the previous few times. It was very likely to be a boy this time. Su Sanlang was happy for him. He had thought that Madam Qian would have an easy time giving birth to a son for Chen Hu, but he did not expect her childbirth to be so difficult.
Su Sanlang was anxious now. He quickly moved a ladder and said to Chen Hu, "Brother Hu, Doctor Wu must be sleeping now. I'll climb over the wall and call him."
Su Sanlang was anxious. He regretted going into the mountains to set traps. If he hadn't gone, he wouldn't have been able to collect the pheasants. Naturally, Old Wu wouldn't have gotten drunk as well.
But the last thing to exist in this world was regret medicine.
Chen Hu nodded. He held onto the ladder and thanked him in a choked voice. "Third Brother, thank you."
When he was in trouble, his own brothers wouldn't help. They would just stand by and watch. But Su Sanlang was different. He wasn't his real brother, but he was closer than that. As long as he was there, he wouldn't stand by and do nothing.
When Madam Zhao heard the commotion, she felt uneasy.
She thought that if it was a small matter, Chen Hu would not be so anxious. Madam Zhao thought for a moment and calculated the date of Madam Qian's labor. She immediately understood. They were both women, so she was also worried.
She came out to help Chen Hu with the ladder.
Chen Hu thanked her gratefully and immediately climbed up the ladder and climbed over the wall.
The two of them went to knock on Old Wu's door.
However, Old Wu was sleeping very soundly. The two of them knocked for a while and only heard Old Wu snoring.
"What should I do? My wife is still waiting for me to go back and save her."
Chen Hu was burning with anxiety. He could no longer suppress his emotions and cried.
Chapter 72: Xiaolu's Visit??
Su Sanlang looked at Chen Hu, who was sobbing, and felt extremely guilty. He secretly blamed himself.
At this critical juncture, he could not help him at all. In fact, he seemed so powerless to even comfort him.
After venting his emotions for a while, Chen Hu stood up and wiped his face. "Third Brother, thank you. Go back to sleep. I'm going back too. I can't let her go without seeing me for the last time."
Chen Hu's heart was aching. He had waited ten months for his son to come. He did not even have the time to celebrate, but now he had to face the pain of losing his wife. His heart seemed to be torn in two.
He and Madam Qian supported each other through thick and thin. Their relationship was irreplaceable.
He wasn't willing to accept the bitter truth, but there was no escaping it. He had to go back. He had to be with her. He couldn't allow her not to see him one last time.
Chen Hu thanked him and turned around to open the door to Old Wu's courtyard to run home.
Su Sanlang hung his head and went out the door to go home.
He blamed himself and said to Madam Zhao, "Darling, if only I hadn't gone to the mountains. This way, if Brother Hu's wife was in danger, she could call Doctor Wu over to take a look. Unfortunately, we're not doctors."
Madam Zhao felt terrible when she saw Su Sanlang blaming himself. She held his hand and said to him, "Sanlang, this isn't your fault."
Life was unpredictable. After all, before entering the mountains, Su Sanlang did not know that Madam Qian would give birth the same night and even suffer a hemorrhage.
With such a big commotion in the house, Su Xiaolu and Su Xiaoling were woken up.
The two of them were already dressed when they came out. Su Xiaolu and Su Xiaoling heard Su Sanlang's self-reproach.
While Su Xiaoling was still a little worried, Su Xiaolu walked to Su Sanlang's side and reached out to hold his hand. "Father, Mother, have you forgotten? I'm a doctor."
Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao were a little dazed for a moment. They looked at Su Xiaolu, who has been studying medicine under Old Wu. Old Wu always said that she was very smart, but how smart and how good she was at learning was something that Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao did not understand at all. In their eyes, Su Xiaolu was just their fourth daughter.
An obedient, cute, and sensible fourth daughter that they loved.
"Father, bring me over to take a look at the situation. In the past, when I met Big Sisters Erniu and Daniu, they gave me and my sister food. Let's go over and take a look. I promise I won't mess around."
Su Xiaolu said seriously.
Chen Hu's family was not close to their family, but there were genuine feelings between them.
Not to mention how well Chen Daniu and Chen Erniu treated her and her third sister, the few times Chen Hu had helped them after she was born were all kindness.
Besides, she was a doctor. It was just that she was still too young to be recognized by others.
Seeing that Su Sanlang was still hesitating, Su Xiaolu said, "Father, Mother, I've treated Big Brother and Second Brother and Master even let me do acupuncture for Big Brother Zhou Heng. Although I haven't finished learning Master's skills, I'm not useless."
Madam Zhao's heart softened. She looked at Su Sanlang and muttered, "Sanlang..."
Su Sanlang had already squatted down. He said, "Xiaolu, come up. Daddy is fast. Daddy will carry you."
"Okay, Father, wait for me. I'll get the master's medical kit."
Su Xiaolu ran into Old Wu's house as she spoke. Soon, she came out with Old Wu's medical kit.
Su Xiaolu climbed onto Su Sanlang's broad back.
Su Sanlang immediately carried Su Xiaolu and walked toward the village.
Madam Zhao stood by the door worriedly. Su Xiaoling reached out to hold her hand and said, "Mother, don't worry. It will definitely be fine."
Su Xiaoling had no friends. Chen Daniu and Chen Erniu were the only two girls in the village who were willing to talk to her. However, they had a lot of work to do. Even if they lived in the same village, they did not meet often.
But that didn't stop them from smiling at her every time they met. They would give her some whenever they collected wild fruits.
She hoped that Madam Qian would be safe. Thinking back to when Madam Zhao gave birth to Su Xiaolu three years ago, Su Xiaoling could not help but hold Madam Zhao's hand tightly.
Chen Daniu and Chen Erniu must be as afraid as she was back then.
Madam Zhao seemed to have noticed Su Xiaoling's abnormality. She sighed and gently stroked Su Xiaoling's hair. "Sanmei, don't worry. It's safe now. It's getting late. Go to sleep. I'm worried. I'll go over and take a look too."
Su Xiaoling knew that she shouldn't cause trouble for Madam Zhao. She nodded obediently.
Madam Zhao returned to her room and packed up before leaving.
Su Xiaoling walked her to the door. Madam Zhao instructed her to quickly go back and sleep before leaving.
Su Xiaoling closed the door and returned to her room. When she passed by Su Chong's room, she heard Zhou Heng calling her.
"Xiaoling, what happened?"
Zhou Heng was a light sleeper and was woken up by the noise. He could not hear clearly through the walls, but since the Su family was so concerned, it must be something big. He wanted to ask and see if he could help.
Su Xiaoling opened the door and entered. Su Chong was sleeping soundly.
Zhou Heng sat up.
Su Xiaoling walked over and said to Zhou Heng gently, "Little Brother Heng, we woke you up. It's nothing, go to sleep."
"Xiaoling, you've all been very kind to me. I want to know what it is. I can sense that you're a little upset. I want to help you."
Zhou Heng pursed his lips. He was stubborn.
Su Xiaoling sat down by the bed. Perhaps she was too depressed, so she told Zhou Heng her thoughts. Her voice was soft.
The night was very quiet. Her sleeping brother was breathing steadily and softly.
Zhou Heng, who was listening to her, was also quiet.
—-
When Su Sanlang rushed to Chen Hu's house with Su Xiaolu, Chen Hu's eldest brother and second brother were both sleeping quietly. Only the room where Chen Hu's family lived was illuminated by the dim light and faint cries could be heard.
Su Sanlang felt terrible. At this moment, Mother Chen's disdainful scolding could be heard from the main room.
"Cry, cry, cry. What's there to cry about? Who can stop the King of Hell if he wants her life? Which woman can't get through this? If she can't, she'll die. That's it. It's not like you can't live without her. Cry, cry, cry. If you keep crying, I'll get up and tear your mouths apart!"
Mother Chen didn't care about her two granddaughters at all. Now that she couldn't sleep well because of their cries, she naturally wouldn't be good-tempered.
Mother Chen roared a few times, and Chen Daniu and Chen Erniu's cries became much softer, but they still sobbed softly. Their mother's life was on the line, so it was impossible for them not to cry.
Su Sanlang carried Su Xiaolu and went to knock on Chen Hu's door. Su Sanlang whispered, "Brother Hu, open the door."
Chen Hu wiped away his tears and got up to open the door. Before he could speak, he saw a small figure slide down from Su Sanlang's back towards the bed.
Chapter 73: Can Be Saved 1
Chen Hu was a little confused. He was stunned for a moment before saying in a hoarse voice, "Third Brother, this..."
After catching his breath, Su Sanlang said, "Hu, my fourth daughter is studying medicine from Doctor Wu, so I brought her here to see if she can help."
Chen Hu choked for a moment, understanding what Su Sanlang meant.
He said, "Thank you, Brother."
Su Xiaolu reached the bed and reached out to take Madam Qian's pulse. She was very focused.
Chen Daniu and Chen Erniu stopped crying, afraid that they would disturb Su Xiaolu.
Su Xiaolu let go of Madam Qian's hand and turned to Chen Hu. "Uncle Hu, I can treat her, but can I ask you for a favor?"
Chen Hu did not have much hope at first. After all, Su Xiaolu was still so young. When he heard Su Xiaolu's request, he thought that he had heard wrongly and was a little stunned.
Su Sanlang reacted first. He went to Su Xiaolu's side and said, "Simei, what do you need help with?"
Su Xiaolu looked at Su Sanlang and said, "Father, you can't help me with this. Only Uncle Hu can."
Chen Hu had come back to his senses. He strode to the bed and asked Su Xiaolu, "Simei, what do you need help with?"
Chen Daniu and Chen Erniu looked at Su Xiaolu expectantly.
"Uncle Hu, please help take off Aunt's clothes. I'll use the needles and stop the bleeding."
......
Su Xiaolu said to Chen Hu. She opened the medicine box and took out several herbs. Without looking up, she said, "Father, help me brew the medicine."
Su Sanlang nodded. "Okay, I'll brew the medicine."
"Third Uncle, let me help you with the fire."
Chen Daniu wiped her tears and got out of bed.
Su Sanlang looked at the obedient and sensible Chen Daniu and nodded. "Okay, Daniu, come and help."
Chen Erniu wanted to go too, but she had the child in her arms.
Chen Daniu turned around and instructed her, "Erniu, take good care of your little brother."
Chen Erniu nodded with tears in her eyes.
Su Sanlang brought Chen Daniu out and went straight to the kitchen to prepare the medicine.
Su Xiaolu took out a piece of ginseng and sliced it into smaller pieces with a knife. She opened Madam Qian's mouth and stuffed it in.
She climbed onto the bed and Erniu carried her newborn brother to the corner to make way for Su Xiaolu.
Chen Hu took off Madam Qian's clothes.
Su Xiaolu opened the needle bag, took out a silver needle, and pressed it into Madam Qian's chest.
One, two, three... ten...
Chen Hu counted with his own eyes and she only stopped after 85 needles.
These needles were all over Qian's chest and limbs. It was terrifying.
Su Xiaolu inserted the needle and heaved a sigh of relief. She wiped her sweat with her sleeve.
She grabbed Madam Qian's hand and took her pulse again.
No one dared to disturb the quiet process.
Next, it was time to stitch. When a woman gave birth, she would most likely tear up if she encountered a difficult birth. If she did not get stitches, she would be sick for the rest of her life. In ancient times, private areas were mostly obscure. How could she let a doctor give her stitches?
Usually, when women gave birth, they would restrain their strength and take their time. There would not be any tearing. However, most of them would panic when they were giving birth and their strength would be exhausted. They would have to use external forces to push the child out. Furthermore, if the child weighed six to seven catties. Most of the time, it would make a big tear.
Madam Qian had a huge tear. Her wound would not stop bleeding if it was not stitched up.
Just as Su Xiaolu was hesitating about how to tell Chen Hu, Madam Zhao's knocking sounded. Outside the house, Madam Zhao's gentle voice sounded, "Brother Hu, is there anything I can help you with?"
Chen Hu was about to say no when Su Xiaolu spoke first.
"Uncle Huzi, go out. I'll get my mother to help me next. Please prepare some hot water and strong alcohol for me."
The stitches had to be sterilized, of course. Water and alcohol would do.
Chen Hu nodded. He looked at Madam Qian, who had yet to wake up, reluctantly, before turning around and opening the door to leave.
As he opened the door, Chen Hu said gratefully to Madam Zhao, "Sister-in-law, sorry to trouble you."
Madam Zhao hurried into the room and said, "Not at all."
Madam Zhao had already heard what Su Xiaolu said. She closed the door after entering the house and walked towards Su Xiaolu. She said to Su Xiaolu, "Simei, what do you want me to do?"
Su Xiaolu said to Madam Zhao, "Mother, Auntie has a big wound on her body. I have to stitch it up. I want you to help me hold the lamp. It's too dark for me to see."
Madam Zhao was shocked. She didn't even dare to think about getting stitches down there. She looked at Su Xiaolu's serious eyes and then at the silver needles on Madam Qian's body. Madam Zhao suppressed the horror in her heart and said, "Okay, I'll help you hold the lamp."
No matter what, as long as she could save Madam Qian's life, it did not matter.
As a woman, Madam Zhao's heart ached when she saw Chen Erniu holding back her tears with anticipation. As long as there was a chance, how could she not want her mother to live?
Chen Hu quickly brought over hot water and strong alcohol. He wanted to come in and help, but with Madam Zhao around, he hesitated.
Madam Zhao said to Chen Hu, "Brother Hu, don't worry."
Chen Hu was grateful. He could only say thank you.
Chen Hu did not enter the room, but soon, he let Chen Daniu in to help.
Chen Daniu was shocked, but she suppressed her fear and asked what she could do.
Su Xiaolu was disinfecting the needle and thread. She said, "Big Sister Daniu, wipe the blood off Auntie. I'll disinfect it soon."
Chen Daniu nodded with tears in her eyes and went to help Madam Qian clean up.
Madam Qian had lost too much blood, and the bedding under her was soaked.
After cleaning, Madam Zhao used a lamp to light up the room. Su Xiaolu's hands were soaked in strong alcohol, and she used a needle and thread to begin stitching.
Madam Qian woke up in pain.
She looked at the trembling silver needles on her body and was in a trance. She seemed to understand that they were trying to save her, so she only let out a cry of pain before she gritted her teeth and stopped herself from making another sound.
When the last stitch was done, Su Xiaolu heaved a sigh of relief and said, "It's done."
Madam Zhao looked at the conscious Madam Qian and heaved a sigh of relief. She put the lamp back before saying, "Simei, these needles..."
Madam Qian was pierced with silver needles and could not be covered with a blanket even though it was cold.
Su Xiaolu said, "Mother, these needles can only be removed in another hour. I'll have to trouble Auntie. When the time comes, I'll just add some medicine to fight against the cold."
Madam Qian loosened her gritted teeth and took a few deep breaths before saying in a hoarse voice, "Sister-in-law, Xiaolu, thank you for saving my life."
Madam Zhao shook her head gently. "Let's not talk about this."
Madam Qian's face was very pale. After losing so much blood, her body suffered. Her life was not easy, to begin with. Thinking about that, Madam Zhao felt bitter for Madam Qian.
In this world, it was not easy to be a woman.
Chen Daniu carried the bloodied water out. Chen Hu was just outside the door and asked worriedly, "Daniu, how's your mother?"
Chapter 74: Can Be Saved 2
Chen Daniu sniffed and said, "Xiaolu saved Mom."
Tears rolled down Chen Hu's face. "That's great, that's great."
Chen Daniu also smiled and said, "Yes, I'll go get the water for Xiaolu and Third Auntie to wash their hands."
Chen Hu nodded.
He couldn't wait to enter the house to see Madam Qian, but because Madam Zhao was there, he could only wait outside.
Madam Zhao seemed to know what Chen Hu was thinking and had already come out of the room. She said gently, "Brother Hu, go and see Sister-in-law. I'll see if the medicine is ready."
After saying that, Madam Zhao walked toward the Chen family's kitchen.
Chen Hu was extremely grateful. He quickly went into the room and closed the door.
He came to the bed and looked at Madam Qian with a pained expression. "Dear, you've worked hard."
Madam Qian shook her head slightly.
Chen Daniu brought hot water and Su Xiaolu washed her hands carefully.
An hour passed quickly and Su Xiaolu took out the needles from Madam Qian.
Chen Hu quickly put on clothes for Madam Qian, changed the sheets under her, and covered her up with a blanket.
......
The sky outside slowly lit up.
Madam Zhao brought the medicine and knocked on the door. Su Xiaolu rubbed her eyes and went to open the door.
Chen Hu took the medicine and fed it to Madam Qian bit by bit.
Su Xiaolu yawned and said, "Uncle Hu, Auntie, come and get a few sets of medicine from my master during the day. You can help Auntie recuperate in the future. Auntie's body is too weak. Try to stay in confinement for as long as possible. Don't do any heavy work for the next six months.
Chen Hu nodded. "Okay, thank you, Simei. If not for you..."
Before Chen Hu could finish speaking, he was already sobbing. He pulled Chen Daniu and said in a choked voice, "Daniu, come and kowtow to Simei. Thank her for saving your mother's life."
Without a word, Chen Daniu immediately knelt down and kowtowed to Su Xiaolu.
Su Xiaolu immediately helped Chen Daniu up and said, "Big Sister Daniu, don't be like this. I'll be a doctor in the future. It's my duty to treat illnesses and save people."
Chen Daniu did not care about this. She only knew that if Su Xiaolu had not saved her mother, she would have lost her mother.
No one else in this world would dote on her as her mother did.
Su Xiaolu had saved her mother, so it was only right for her to kowtow.
Chen Daniu stubbornly kowtowed three times before getting up.
Chen Hu prepared to send Su Xiaolu and her family off.
At the door, Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao asked him to hurry back. Chen Hu turned around and went back into the house with red eyes.
Su Sanlang bent down and let Su Xiaolu climb onto his back.
Su Xiaolu was tired and sleepy. She climbed up and hugged Su Sanlang's shoulder before dozing off.
Madam Zhao carried the medical kit on her back and gently patted Su Xiaolu's back. "Simei, be good. Let's go home before sleeping. It's cold now. You can't sleep like this, understand?"
If she slept in this weather, she might catch a cold.
Su Xiaolu answered softly. She opened her eyes and looked at Su Sanlang's hair. "Dad has white hair now."
Su Sanlang's steps were steady. Hearing Su Xiaolu's words, he smiled gently and said, "Where is it? Pull it out for me to see."
Su Xiaolu suppressed her sleepiness and began to pull out Su Sanlang's white hair. However, because Su Sanlang kept moving around and she was sleepy, she could not grasp it accurately.
It wasn't until they reached home that Su Xiaolu finally plucked out a strand of white hair. She rubbed her eyes and showed it to Su Sanlang. "Father, look. There are still many strands left."
Su Sanlang did not care about the white hair. He carried Su Xiaolu from his back into his arms and said gently, "We're home. Go to sleep if you want."
Su Sanlang walked Su Xiaolu back to her room and put her to bed.
Just then, Su Xiaoling brought over a bowl of ginger soup and said, "Father, let Xiaolu drink some ginger soup before sleeping."
Su Sanlang nodded and fed Su Xiaolu ginger soup.
Su Xiaolu drank the ginger soup in a daze and fell asleep under the care of her family.
Su Sanlang tucked Su Xiaolu in and got up.
He gently stroked Su Xiaoling's hair and said, "Third Sister, it's been hard on you. Drink up and go to sleep. Your Uncle Hu is fine now. Don't worry. Daniu and Erniu have a brother now. Your Uncle Hu can finally live a good life."
Because Chen Hu did not have a son, his parents looked down on him. Now that Madam Qian had given birth to a son for Chen Hu, his life would definitely be better.
Su Xiaoling was also relieved. She nodded obediently and said to Su Sanlang, "Father, there's still ginger soup in the pot. I just brought a bowl for Mother. You should hurry up and drink it too."
Su Sanlang nodded and went to drink a bowl of ginger soup with Su Xiaoling before returning to his room to rest.
Su Xiaoling returned to her room and slept next to Su Xiaolu. She kissed Su Xiaolu's cheek and whispered, "Xiaolu, you're awesome. I'm proud of you. Sleep well."
After a night of worry, Su Xiaoling fell asleep in peace, knowing that Madam Qian was safe.
It was great that Chen Daniu and Chen Erniu could still be doted on by their mother.
When Su Xiaolu woke up again, it was already noon. She yawned and stretched before getting out of bed.
Once outside, she smiled to see her family in the yard.
Su Xiaoling had already run to the kitchen to scoop rice for Su Xiaolu.
The warm rice, the chicken, and the soup were really fragrant.
Su Xiaolu asked as she ate, "Have the girls come to get the medicine?"
Su Xiaoling smiled and shook her head. "Not yet, but Uncle-Master has already packed the medicine and placed it here. Uncle-Master even praised you for doing well."
Su Xiaolu smiled. "My master is right."
"Where's my master?"
Su Xiaolu asked seriously.
Su Xiaoling smiled gently and said, "Uncle-Master went to pick herbs after breakfast. Dad went into town. Mom is outside in the vegetable field. Little Brother Heng is teaching us to write."
Last night, she had said many things to Zhou Heng. When she came back to her senses and regretted it, it was already too late. She should not have been so insensible. But today, Zhou Heng acted normal, as if nothing had happened.
Su Xiaoling heaved a sigh of relief. She could not help but think that perhaps Zhou Heng had already fallen asleep when he was listening to her. Therefore, he did not hear everything she said. Thinking about it this way, Su Xiaoling felt much better.
As she learned how to read from Zhou Heng, she forgot about what happened last night.
"Xiaolu, come and see what I've written."
Su Chong finished writing and waved at Su Xiaolu with a smile.
Su Xiaolu walked over with the bowl. Su Chong and Su Hua could write their own names now. After repeated practice, the words they wrote could be read.
Su Xiaolu praised with a smile, "Brother, you wrote it so well. You're awesome."
Su Xiaolu went to look at what Su Hua had written. She read, "Su-Xiao-Lu, Second Brother wrote my name! Second Brother is awesome."
Su Hua smiled and stroked Su Xiaolu's hair. "I know how to write Sanmei's name too. I'll write it for you."
Su Hua wrote Su Xiaoling's name. Su Chong looked at it seriously and said gloomily, "Hua, why do you know this before me?"
Chapter 75: Improvement 1
That's right, why did Su Hua know this before Su Chong did?
Su Xiaolu was also aware of the problem. Su Chong and Su Hua were about as intelligent as each other. Since the beginning of the treatment, they had improved about the same amount. Both of them were gradually learning to think, but some things were still different.
Su Hua seemed to learn faster and remember more.
When Su Chong asked this question, it got everyone thinking.
After a while, Su Hua said seriously, "Because I'm a little smarter than you, but you're much stronger than me."
Su Chong looked at Su Hua and seemed to be thinking seriously. He paused and said, "Hua is right. You are smarter than me. I am stronger than you. I will protect you all."
Su Chong pointed at Su Hua, Zhou Heng, Su Xiaoling, and Su Xiaolu.
Su Xiaolu ran to Su Chong with a smile and hugged his waist happily. "Brother, you're so awesome. I'm so happy."
Her big brother and second brother were finally not stupid.
Su Chong lowered his head and looked at his sister, who was hugging his waist with a sweet smile. He was also happy from the bottom of his heart. He bent down and picked up Su Xiaolu. He said gently, "Big Brother is happy too."
It was only recently that he'd begun to understand that he and his brother were a little different from the others, but he didn't mind because his sister always smiled at him with her pretty eyes.
A thought formed in his mind. He wanted to protect them.
Su Hua reached out and ruffled Su Xiaolu's hair.
......
Su Xiaoling smiled with tears in her eyes. She did not want anyone to see her tears, so she immediately turned around and wiped them away. She said to Zhou Heng gratefully, "Little Brother Heng, thank you."
Zhou Heng took a deep look at Su Xiaoling, shook his head, and said, "You don't have to thank me. Xiaolu cured them. If this continues, they can go to school after the new year."
Hearing this, Su Xiaoling was overjoyed. This was great. This way, her eldest and second brothers could also take the scholarly examination in the future.
Her parents would be thrilled.
In the afternoon, Su Sanlang returned with some green bean cakes.
He distributed them to the children and gave two pieces to Madam Zhao.
The children were learning to read, and Su Sanlang did not disturb them.
When they arrived at Madam Zhao's side, Su Sanlang asked, "Darling, did Hu and the others come to get the medicine?"
Madam Zhao ate her green bean cake and said, "I don't think so. I haven't seen anyone."
She was working in the vegetable patch. Maybe she hadn't been paying attention.
Su Sanlang thought for a moment and said, "Darling, can I send one of the pheasants over?"
Su Sanlang asked Madam Zhao for her opinion. Madam Zhao smiled gently and said, "Why not? Of course you can."
Su Sanlang smiled warmly. "You know me best."
Madam Zhao smiled gently. How could she not? This was her husband.
Su Sanlang took a break and prepared to deliver the pheasant.
Su Xiaolu went to get the medicine. She ran to Su Sanlang and said, "Father, take me there. I'll go see Auntie again."
Thinking that Su Xiaolu knew medicine, Su Sanlang agreed. Before he left, he even instructed Su Chong and Su Hua to study well from Heng.
Su Sanlang squatted down and said to Su Xiaolu, "Simei, come. I'll carry you on my back."
Su Xiaolu ran forward quickly and said mischievously, "I don't want Daddy to carry me. I want to walk by myself."
Su Sanlang usually had to do a lot of work and was already very tired. Su Xiaolu had let her parents carry her since she was young, but she was old enough to grow out of it.
She let Su Sanlang carry her last night only because it was dark then.
It was not yet dark. Of course, she wanted to walk on her own.
Su Sanlang had no choice but to let her be.
When they arrived at Chen Hu's house, they saw Chen Daniu working with some pig grass in the main room.
Chen Erniu was washing diapers in the yard.
The two sisters' eyes lit up when they saw Su Sanlang and Su Xiaolu.
"Third Uncle, Xiaolu."
Chen Daniu stood up and patted the dust off her body before walking out in embarrassment.
Su Sanlang asked, "Where's your father? Why didn't he come to get the medicine?"
Chen Daniu and Chen Erniu lowered their heads. Chen Daniu whispered, "Third Uncle, my grandmother refused to give us money... My father went into the mountains to find bird nests and bird eggs to nourish Mother's body."
That statement alone told Su Sanlang what was going on.
Mother Chen refused to use the money to get the medicine for Madam Qian. Chen Hu had no choice. He thought that he had already troubled Su Sanlang enough last night. Without money, how could he have the cheek to get the medicine?
Even if Su Sanlang's family was familiar with Doctor Wu, the medicine was not for nothing. It was not easy for Doctor Wu to go into the mountains to pick herbs every day, so Chen Hu did not get the medicine.
Su Sanlang sighed and handed the medicine and pheasant to Chen Daniu. "I've brought you the medicine. Tell your father that you don't need to pay and take care of your mother's body. When your father comes back, get him to stew this pheasant for your mother. Tell your father to look for me if he needs anything."
The hardest thing in the world was family matters. Even if he felt that it was unfair, he could only let it go.
He could not interfere in Chen Hu's family matters, but if Chen Hu needed help, he would definitely help.
"Okay, I'll tell Father. Thank you, Third Uncle."
Chen Daniu's eyes were red as she spoke gratefully.
Su Xiaolu went to see Madam Qian, who was breastfeeding the newborn child.
Seeing Su Xiaolu, Madam Qian smiled and said, "Xiaolu, you're here."
Su Xiaolu smiled and nodded. "Auntie, I'm here to see you. Give me your hand."
Madam Qian reached out her hand and watched Su Xiaolu take her pulse seriously. Madam Qian smiled and said, "Xiaolu, you're a good child. Your parents will live a good life in the future. I'm happy for them."
Su Xiaolu smiled and said, "Auntie, thank you for your blessing."
Just like Madam Zhao, Madam Qian was gentle and kind.
However, it was not easy for gentle and kind people in this world. Most people would not know how to be content and would only push their luck.
"Auntie, you're weak. Even if you're taking medicine, you have to eat something good to nourish your body. If you're always tired, your body will collapse quickly. If you're sick, Big Sister Erniu, Big Sister Daniu, and their little brother will be sad."
Su Xiaolu said to Madam Qian. Madam Qian's body was similar to that of Madam Zhao three years ago. She had suffered a huge loss. If she continued to work, she would not be able to last another two years.
Madam Qian understood Su Xiaolu's words and looked a little dazed. She seemed to have thought of something and lowered her eyes. She nodded with a choked voice and said, "Okay, thank you, Xiaolu. I understand."
Su Xiaolu did not say anything else. She smiled and praised the newborn child. She said, "Auntie, Little Brother looks like Uncle Hu. He should be like Uncle Hu when he grows up. He's so cute. Auntie, take care of yourself. I won't disturb you anymore."
Chapter 76: Improvement 2
With that, Su Xiaolu turned around and left. She even closed the door carefully.
Madam Qian looked down at her son, her tears falling onto his clothes.
Madam Qian took a deep breath, but no matter how hard she tried to convince herself, she couldn't make herself not feel bad.
Her health was so poor that she could feel it herself. If she did not recuperate well, she would not live for more than a few years. She would not see her children grow up.
She thought about what would happen to these three children if she died. Chen Daniu and Chen Erniu were not liked. They would probably get married at the age of 14 or 15. Because they did not have a mother, anyone could arrange their marriage.
Her son was still young. Even if he was a son, her in-laws did not like him very much. In this family, he would probably be bullied by his cousins. Her husband was not well-liked, to begin with. When she was alive, he still had her to care for him and mend his clothes. If she was gone, how could he live this lonely life?
Madam Qian felt depressed. A thought that she did not dare to think about in the past gradually appeared in her heart. If their family also separated out...
...
Su Xiaolu came out of the house and went home with Su Sanlang.
No one knew what to do about Chen Hu's family. Although they were pedantic in ancient times, Su Xiaolu still felt that he should fight back.
There was no chance if he didn't fight back. Fighting was better than enduring in silence.
Therefore, the most important thing to survive in this world was not to be too kind.
Su Xiaolu quickly forgot about Chen Hu's family.
......
When she got home, she was either eating or reading medical books. She kept herself busy.
Su Sanlang was chopping wood, and Mrs. Zhao had to plow the ground. Since Su Chong and Su Hua were both studying, they could not bear to let them work in the fields. After all, it was a rare chance for Zhou Heng to be around, so the couple gritted their teeth and decided not to let the children work.
They would stay at home and tidy up the house. They would be treated for their illness and study well.
Soon, Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao could feel Su Chong and Su Hua's improvement.
On October 28th, Zhou Heng began to teach Su Chong and Su Hua how to memorize the Thousand Character Classic. Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao came back from work and happened to hear it. When they heard Su Chong and Su Hua memorizing it with Zhou Heng, their eyes turned red.
"Sanlang, I'm so happy."
Madam Zhao reached out to hold Su Sanlang's hand. She couldn't help but cry again. She still couldn't change her habit of crying.
Su Sanlang held Madam Zhao's hand tightly and gulped. "Darling, I'm happy too. Chong and Hua are finally starting to grow up again."
Su Sanlang sighed with relief.
The two of them stood outside the door and listened quietly. They could not bear to push the door open and interrupt Zhou Heng's teaching.
Zhou Heng's voice was as gentle as water. He said, "Winter comes and goes, autumn harvest and winter storage mean that as the seasons change, we have to harvest crops in autumn and store food in winter. It's like this every year. Ah Chong and Ah Hua, you have to remember it well, understand?"
"This Thousand Character Classic is also the first reading my teacher taught me. It's very important."
Zhou Heng looked at Su Chong and Su Hua and said earnestly. Seeing Su Chong and Su Hua studying seriously reminded him of how he looked when he first started studying. They were just like him back then, eager to know about the world.
"Okay, we'll study this part today. Memorize it for me."
Zhou Heng's expression softened.
Hence, Su Chong and Su Hua began to recite.
"Heaven and Earth are black and yellow, the universe is desolate.
The sun and moon filled the sky.
Winter and summer come and go, autumn harvest and winter storage."
The four siblings recited the words in unison.
Zhou Heng smiled and was very satisfied with this. He asked again, "Let me ask you now. What do these words mean?"
Zhou Heng had already explained it just now, but at this moment, Su Chong still scratched his head as if he was recalling it.
Su Xiaoling was about to speak when Su Hua spoke first.
Su Hua said in a clear voice, "Heng, it means that the sky is blue-black and the ground is yellow.
The universe was formed in a state of chaos.
The sun straightens and tilts, the moon becomes full and crescent.
The stars filled the endless space.
The seasons come and go.
Harvest crops in autumn and store food in winter."
Su Hua remembered it very clearly. Su Xiaoling silently swallowed the words that were about to come out of her mouth. Big Brother couldn't remember it, but Second Brother remembered it all. Su Xiaoling felt impressed just thinking about it.
Her second brother had a high fever when he was only four years old. Since then, his mind had stopped developing. Now that he was getting better from the treatment, he wouldn't be mature immediately. Therefore, her second brother now had the mind of a four-year-old. It was really impressive that he could remember the meaning of these words.
Zhou Heng was also a little surprised. He looked at Su Hua and smiled slightly. He clapped and said, "Ah Hua is right. Very good."
Su Chong was still a little depressed. "Why did Hua learn it faster than me?"
Zhou Heng looked at the depressed Su Chong and smiled. "You forgot that Ah Hua is a little smarter than you. Ah Chong, I'll teach you how to recite it again tonight."
Su Chong smiled and nodded. "Okay, thank you, Heng."
The sadness in his heart dissipated. He was not as smart as Hua, so he could not memorize it. However, when he thought about how smart his brother was, Su Chong was very happy.
Since his brother was smart, that means he was smart too.
Su Hua was very happy. He smiled at Su Xiaoling and Su Xiaolu. "Sanmei, Xiaolu, I'll teach you later."
Su Xiaolu clapped her hands happily. "Okay, okay. Thank you, Second Brother."
With that, Su Xiaolu ran over and gave Su Hua a big hug.
Su Xiaoling also nodded with a smile. "Alright, thank you, Second Brother."
She had actually memorized it too, but she didn't want to say it out loud and make Su Hua feel disappointed. After all these years, she had been playing the role of the older sister despite being the younger one. She was used to it, and she knew how to love and protect her two special brothers.
Zhou Heng glanced at Su Xiaoling and quickly looked away.
Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao were still reluctant to enter.
When Old Wu returned, he was extremely puzzled. "What are you doing? Why are you still standing at the door?"
Looking at Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao, who were struggling to calm down, Old Wu coughed lightly and said, "You'll get used to it."
After all, if they gradually got better, their minds would continue to grow. They would definitely begin to understand many things. Look at how inexperienced this couple was.
Seeing how inexperienced they were, he let them be.
Old Wu went in and asked Su Xiaolu, Su Chong, and Su Hua to help pack the herbs.
Madam Zhao and Su Sanlang also hurriedly calmed down and went home to prepare dinner.
For the rest of the day, they could hear Zhou Heng teaching Su Chong and Su Hua to memorize the Thousand Character Classic. Every time they heard them, Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao would still feel something. However, it was not like the first time they heard it. They would listen quietly before returning home.
In November, the weather became colder. Madam Zhao had made thick cotton clothes for the entire family. This winter was very different for Su Sanlang's family.
Chapter 77: Don't Repay
Su Chong and Su Hua were getting better every day, and so was Zhou Heng.
Su Xiaolu had also read half of the medical book. She recognized many herbs, some of which she had never seen in her previous life but were extremely precious here. Su Xiaolu remembered them.
Some of the medicines she had prescribed for Su Chong and Su Hua were taken from the Space, but some of the expensive herbs were taken from Old Wu. She did not understand what they were at first, so she thought they were just ordinary herbs. But as she read the medical book, she realized the value of these expensive herbs.
Old Wu never spoke of this great kindness.
Su Xiaolu knew, but she could not pretend that it did not exist. She remembered the kindness in her heart. She thought that when her two brothers completely recovered the next year and Zhou Heng recovered too, she would follow Old Wu to pick herbs. The Space was fertile, and the herbs planted in it were stained with spiritual energy. She could not waste it.
On the fifth of November, Su Xiaolu and her siblings recited the Thousand Character Classic with Zhou Heng as usual.
There was a loud knock on the courtyard door, followed by the sound of crying.
"Third Uncle, Third Aunt, please open the door and save my father."
Chen Daniu cried and banged on the door. Her tears rolled down like broken beads and she couldn't stop.
Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao were not at home. When they heard the knock on the door, Su Chong and Su Hua could not help but look at Su Xiaoling.
Su Xiaoling frowned and said, "It's Daniu. I'll open the door."
Su Xiaoling ran to open the door. When it opened, Chen Daniu, whose face was covered in tears, knelt down.
Su Xiaoling was shocked and quickly reached out to help her up.
......
Chen Daniu refused to get up. She cried and said, "Xiaoling, my father was hit in the head and lost a lot of blood..."
Su Xiaoling had mixed feelings when she heard this. She helped Chen Daniu up and said, "Daniu, come in first."
Chen Daniu couldn't stop crying. She held Su Xiaoling's hand tightly and said, "I want to find Third Uncle. I want to ask him to help find a doctor to save my father. I-I'm willing to do anything for your family to repay you."
Chen Dainiu looked at Su Xiaoling firmly. Su Xiaoling could not bear it, but she still said, "Daniu, my parents are not at home, and Doctor Wu went out to pick herbs."
Chen Daniu looked at Su Xiaolu in the courtyard and pleaded, "Can you let Xiaolu go? She saved my mother before. She... can definitely do it too. As long as she can save my father, I'm willing to marry your big brother, okay?"
Chen Daniu's heart was filled with despair, but she had nothing to give. If she had anything valuable, it was probably her life.
She knew that the Su brothers were mentally unsound. She wanted to repay them with herself. This was undoubtedly painful for her because it meant that she would have to spend the rest of her life with a child who would never grow up. He would never understand her worries.
Su Xiaoling was stunned. She did not know how to answer.
Su Xiaolu had already walked out. She said, "Big Sister Daniu, I can go with you to take a look. I don't want you to repay my brother like this. Good friends have to help each other. Uncle Hu and Dad are good friends."
Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao were not at home, but if they were, they would definitely not decline.
In order to save her father, Chen Daniu did not hesitate to use herself as repayment because she knew that Su Sanlang's family did not owe her family anything. She could not let others help them for free.
But marriage could not be settled so casually.
Did Chen Daniu like her big brother? Judging from her pained expression, she definitely did not. Su Xiaolu also knew that it was impossible for anyone in the world to like a fool who knew nothing.
Chen Daniu didn't mean to look down on him. She just didn't like him.
Su Xiaolu did not mean anything else. She did not like Chen Daniu saying that she would repay them with her life under such circumstances.
With that, Su Xiaolu went to get the medical kit. She called Su Hua to help her carry it.
"Big Sister Daniu, let's go."
When Su Xiaolu came out to leave with Chen Daniu, she finally came back to her senses.
She wiped away her tears, said, "Thank you," in a choked voice, and went ahead.
Su Xiaoling watched them leave. After thinking about it for a while, she was still worried. She turned around and said to Su Chong and Zhou Heng, "Big Brother, Little Brother Heng, I'm going to tell Father and Mother about this. Let my brother help you if you need anything, Little Brother Heng."
Su Chong patted his chest and promised solemnly, "Sister, don't worry. Leave it to me. I'll take good care of Heng."
Zhou Heng nodded gently and said gently, "Be careful."
Su Xiaoling nodded and turned to leave.
—-
On the way, Su Xiaolu asked, "Big Sister Daniu, who hit Uncle Hu?"
Chen Daniu was very sad. She choked and said, "My grandma did."
As she spoke, her tears began to fall again.
Su Xiaolu asked in confusion, "Why?"
Su Xiaolu also had some understanding of Chen Hu. He was not liked by his parents and was ostracized by his siblings. His situation was very similar to Su Sanlang's in the past. They both had a hard life.
However, the main reason why Su Sanlang was not given up by Old Master Su and Madam Wang was that Su Chong and Su Hua were mentally unsound and Madam Zhao could not give birth anymore.
Madam Qian was different. She had given birth to a healthy boy. Even if Father and Mother Chen did not want to give face, they had to.
Chen Daniu cried even harder. She wiped her tears and took a deep breath before saying, "Because my mother still had to go through confinement, my grandmother insisted that she worked in the fields. My father was disobedient, so my grandmother was very angry and hit him."
"Father said that he wanted Mother to be in confinement for forty-five days. We even did all the work that Mother was supposed to do, but even so, Grandma was still not satisfied. She said that she went to work the day after giving birth to Father..."
As she spoke, tears streamed down her face. She was a girl. Seeing her mother's plight was like seeing herself in the future. She didn't think it was worth it and felt wronged. Most of all, she couldn't understand it.
Su Xiaolu understood what Chen Daniu meant.
She fell silent.
Mother Chen deliberately made things difficult for Madam Qian because she was angry that Madam Qian had a husband to protect her during her confinement period. When she thought about how she had to work the next day after giving birth, she felt hatred in her heart. Therefore, the more Chen Hu protected Madam Qian, the more Mother Chen made things difficult for her.
In ancient times, families seldom lived separately, so women also became crazy under all kinds of pressure. When they were wives, they suffered a lot. When they finally became mothers-in-law, they naturally had to abuse the rights that they once yearned for.
Furthermore, this was still a family matter. If outsiders interfered, they would be meddling in other people's business. Even comforting them would be useless.
When they arrived at Chen Hu's house, they saw Madam Qian washing clothes.
From the main room, curses were heard from time to time.
Madam Qian cried as she washed. Chen Erniu helped, her eyes red as well.
Seeing Su Xiaolu, Madam Qian sniffled and wiped the tears off her face. She clasped her hands together and pleaded to Su Xiaolu, "Xiaolu, please save your Uncle Hu. He hasn't woken up yet."
Chapter 78: A Show
Madam Qian's tears kept flowing. Looking at her, Su Xiaolu thought of Madam Zhao.
Su Xiaolu did not feel good. She nodded and said, "Auntie, don't cry. I'll go take a look at Uncle Hu."
Su Xiaolu walked toward Chen Hu and his family's room. When she passed by Madam Qian, she saw that her hands were cold and red. Her clothes were very thin.
On the other hand, Chen Daniu and Chen Erniu were also wearing thin clothes. It was already November and it was really cold.
Su Xiaolu looked away and walked towards the house.
Even after two lifetimes, she could not understand this question.
Why give birth to them if you don't like them?
She clearly enjoyed being served by the "child" that she did not like, but she still had to torture her like this. She was born the same way, so why did she have to be treated differently?
Su Xiaolu pushed open the door and went in. Chen Hu was lying on the bed, motionless under the blanket. His son, who wasn't even a month old, was sleeping beside him.
Su Xiaolu walked over and took Chen Hu's pulse. His pulse was not good.
Su Xiaolu opened the needle bag and administered acupuncture to Chen Hu.
Madam Qian, Chen, and Chen Erniu followed her into the room and looked at Su Xiaolu nervously.
After a while, Chen Hu's face was filled with needles.
......
After that, Su Xiaolu cleaned the wound on Chen Hu's head. She did not know what had hit him, but his flesh was broken and it was swollen.
Su Xiaolu applied medicine for him. At this moment, Chen Hu woke up.
He moved his lips and managed to speak. "Xiaolu."
After saying that, Chen Hu looked at the Qian mother and daughter and said, "Dear, I was incompetent. I've let you down and made you suffer."
As he spoke, Chen Hu's nostrils flared violently. He was crying.
Madam Qian also cried. She went forward and held Chen Hu's hand. "It's fine. I'm not afraid of hardship. Rest well and recuperate. I'll do whatever Mother wants me to do. I've already recovered. I can take it."
Madam Qian was already very satisfied with what Chen Hu had done for her. She did not blame him for anything. This was her fate.
If she suffered a little, she could still endure for a few more years. If Chen Hu insisted on going against his parents, he would be beaten to death.
Chen Daniu and Chen Erniu lowered their heads and sobbed softly.
Outside the house, there was the sound of footsteps, accompanied by Mother Chen's cursing. "Madam Qian, you piece of trash. I told you to wash the clothes, but you didn't even do it. You don't want to listen to me anymore, right? You piece of trash, feeding my son with bewitching soup every day. See if I don't beat you to death."
When Chen Hu heard Mother Chen's curses, he looked like he was in pain and wanted to sit up.
However, Madam Qian wiped her tears and turned to leave. Before she left, she told Chen Daniu and Chen Erniu not to come out.
As soon as Madam Qian went out, they heard a loud slap.
There was also Madam Qian's choked and hoarse voice. "Mother, I was wrong. I'll go wash the clothes now."
Mother Chen went to watch Madam Qian do her chores and did not come into the room to take a look.
"Sniff..."
Chen Hu cried even harder. He clenched his fists tightly and looked at the black and yellow pillar above his head. He was in so much pain that he wanted to die.
Chen Daniu and Chen Erniu were also crying, their eyes filled with fear and confusion.
Su Xiaolu pursed her lips. She said nothing.
After taking out the needles for Chen Hu, she went home silently.
When Su Xiaolu returned home, only Zhou Heng and Su Hua were at home.
She guessed that her third sister had gone to tell her parents.
Su Xiaolu sat beside Zhou Heng gloomily.
"Xiaolu."
Su Hua walked to Su Xiaolu's side and squatted down. He stroked Su Xiaolu's hair and pulled her head over to lean on his shoulder.
Su Xiaolu sniffed. "Second Brother, I'm so sad."
Su Hua was also sad. He hugged Su Xiaolu tightly and said, "Second Brother will always be with you."
Zhou Heng also reached out and touched Su Xiaolu's hair. After a while, Zhou Heng asked, "Xiaolu, what happened at Uncle Hu's house?"
Su Xiaolu said, dejected, "Erniu's Grandma wanted Auntie to work, so Uncle Hu argued with his parents for Auntie, so his head was hit. Auntie was washing clothes and her hands even turned red from the cold. Daniu said that they were not forgiven even if they did a lot of work. I was very sad when I saw it... I don't want to grow up if I have to suffer so much when I grew up."
This was the first time Su Xiaolu felt down. She was born in this era and was destined to be a layman.
No matter how high she climbed, she couldn't avoid these things.
A person who did not fit in with the rest of the world would only become an anomaly hated by all the women in the world.
By then, the world would be so big but there would be no place for her. As she thought about it, sorrow welled up in her heart.
"Don't be sad. Second Brother will always protect you."
Su Hua looked at Su Xiaolu seriously. He knew that Su Xiaolu was very sad. The light in her beautiful eyes had faded. She was unhappy, but he did not know how to comfort her.
Zhou Heng stroked Su Xiaolu's hair and said, "Don't be afraid, Xiaolu. There's actually a way."
Su Xiaolu looked at Zhou Heng.
Zhou Heng said gently, "Xiao, roads are made by people. Don't you have a good example around you? Look at your father and mother. They are a good example. When Third Uncle comes back later, I'll talk to him."
Su Xiaolu nodded. She felt better, but she needed to mediate her low mood.
Zhou Heng stroked her hair gently again, silently comforting her.
Not long after, Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao returned.
When she returned home, Madam Zhao also looked worried.
Su Sanlang was about to put down the farming tools and go over to take a look when Zhou Heng said, "Third Uncle, I have something to say."
Su Sanlang knew that Zhou Heng was knowledgeable. He stopped in his tracks and looked at Zhou Heng with respect. Zhou Heng was still a child, but his eyes were very deep. He was not a child from an ordinary family. Su Sanlang looked at Zhou Heng gently and said, "Heng, tell me. I'm listening."
Zhou Heng's expression was calm as he said, "Third Uncle, if Uncle Hu's family wants peace, there's only one way. That is to become a second you."
Su Sanlang was shocked when he heard that. Just as he was about to say no, he heard Zhou Heng continue, "Even if Uncle Hu Zi puts up with it for a while, he won't be able to gain peace. If his parents cared about him at all, they wouldn't have ended up like this. They can bear with it for a while, but in a few years, Auntie's body won't be able to take it anymore. The children she leaves behind won't have it easy. The two sisters might be married off casually like doing business. As for the boy, he's not well-liked, to begin with. Perhaps he'll die of illness before he grows up. Uncle Hu is their biological son. They don't even care if he's sick, let alone his children."
"My teacher once warned me that in this world, there is no reason for love. There is also no reason for hate. If one hates someone to the extreme, they will trample on them regardless. However, if people don't love us, we should love ourselves. Filial piety only applies when the parents have worked hard to raise the children. The children should repay them in that case. However, if the parents have never been loving to the children, the children are not obliged to be filial to repay them. Foolish filial piety has always been an irreparable tragedy."
Zhou Heng finished speaking calmly and looked at Su Sanlang without saying anything else.
Chapter 79: Heart to Heart
"I never knew there was such a great truth."
Su Sanlang did not know what to feel. He only felt a little bitter. He looked at the calm Zhou Heng and could not help but feel respect for him.
Su Sanlang swallowed and said, "Heng, you're right. I know what to do."
Su Sanlang looked deeply at Zhou Heng and turned to leave.
This time, Zhou Heng did not stop him.
Madam Zhao took a meaningful look at Zhou Heng. There were indescribable emotions in her eyes. She smiled and said, "I'll go cook."
When they were removed from the family tree that year, no one said that they had done the right thing. Now, what Zhou Heng said undoubtedly told them that they had done the right thing.
Madam Zhao swallowed and resisted the urge to cry. She tried her best to smile.
"Thank you, Little Brother Heng."
Su Xiaoling spoke softly. She looked at Zhou Heng gratefully.
Zhou Heng smiled faintly and said nothing.
His gaze went to the distant sky as his thoughts raced.
Although it was difficult to change, someone had to make this change. After the first one, there would be a second and third...
......
—-
When Su Sanlang arrived at Chen Hu's house, voices could be heard coming from the main room from time to time. Su Sanlang ignored them and went straight to knock on the door of the room where Chen Hu and his family lived.
Chen Hu, who was lying on the bed, seemed to be in a daze. His eyes were empty and lifeless. When Chen Erniu heard the knock on the door, she nudged Chen Hu and said softly, "Dad, someone is knocking on the door."
Only then did Chen Hu come back to his senses. He said to Chen Erniu in a hoarse voice, "Erniu, go and see who it is."
Chen Er Niu climbed out of bed to open the door. When she saw Su Sanlang, she smiled faintly. "Third Uncle, you're here to see my father."
Su Sanlang nodded gently and reached out to touch Chen Erniu's hair as he entered. Chen Erniu closed the door behind him.
"Where are your mother and Daniu?"
Su Sanlang did not see Madam Qian and Chen Daniu and could not help but ask.
Chen Erniu pursed her lips and whispered, "Grandma asked Sister and Mother to work in the fields."
Su Sanlang walked to Chen Hu's bedside and sat down. Looking at the lifeless Chen Hu, he felt terrible. He had experienced it before, so he understood the pain that was worse than dying. He said in a low voice, "Hu, you have to pull yourself together."
Chen Hu sniffed. He felt sick inside and found it difficult to breathe. He turned his head toward the inside of the bed, refusing to look at Su Sanlang or speak to him.
He was a useless man. He couldn't do anything. He had a million things on his mind. He might as well die.
Su Sanlang sighed. He said, "Hu, have you ever thought about leaving the Chen family to live on your own, just like me?"
Chen Hu's body stiffened. He turned around to look at Su Sanlang and said in an interfering voice, "Third Brother, what did you say?"
Chen Hu thought he had misheard.
Su Sanlang's expression didn't change as he slowly said, "I'm here to advise you to set up on your own. I know you're hardworking and have done a lot of hard work at home, but your family has had the worst time here. In the past, they always said it was because you didn't have a son, but now that you do, that hasn't changed, has it?"
"Sister-in-law's health isn't good, and she's severely injured. How many more years can she suffer? If she goes, what will happen to your girls? Have you thought about what their marriage will be like? Hu, I don't want to see you end up like this. Think about my words carefully. If you want to start afresh, I'll help you. When the time comes, build a house beside mine and buy a few acres of land for farming. When we're free, we can go to town to find work together. I still have some money left from the tiger I sold that year. It's enough for you to build a house and buy land."
Su Sanlang looked at Chen Hu seriously. He meant every word.
Chen Hu also looked at Su Sanlang. He couldn't stop the tears welling up in his eyes. He gripped Su Sanlang's hand tightly as if there were so many things he wanted to say, but none of them came out. He couldn't stop himself from whimpering.
"Hu, pull yourself together. Let's live well and beautifully. Let those people see how well we live. If people don't love me, I still love myself. You're not the one at fault. They're the ones at fault."
Su Sanlang spoke firmly. His voice was powerful, and every word was branded into Chen Hu's heart.
Chen Hu thought of Madam Qian. He thought of Chen Daniu and Chen Erniu, as well as his infant son. He looked up and wiped away his tears. "Alright, I'll listen to you."
"Third Brother, thank you for coming. Otherwise, I..."
Chen Hu looked at Su Sanlang gratefully. It was Su Sanlang who had saved him again, pulling him out of his predicament.
No one knew it, but he really couldn't go on.
But Su Sanlang had come to him and told him to be brave and break out of it all, to seek another way out. Chen Hu, who had fallen into a dead-end, saw hope again. He decided to follow in Su Sanlang's footsteps.
"Third Brother, wait for me for a few days. I'll come to you with my entire family. I'll borrow money from you to buy my house and land. I'll definitely return them to you."
Chen Hu swallowed and said, as if he had thought through everything after listening to Su Sanlang's advice.
He didn't need a nice house. He just needed a shack to live in.
He could rent land. If he couldn't rent it from the same village, he could rent it from another village and farm in it. One day, he would build the house.
Seeing that Chen Hu had already thought things through and that his eyes were no longer lifeless, Su Sanlang was relieved. He nodded and said, "Okay, then I'll wait for you."
Chen Hu nodded. He had gained a lot of energy.
Su Sanlang remembered that he had gone through a lot of trouble when he left the Su family. He was a little worried about Chen Hu. He frowned and asked, "Hu, how are you going to mention this to them?"
"I know what to do. Don't worry. Just wait a few days. It won't take long."
Chen Hu had no intention of telling Su Sanlang what he was going to do. Su Sanlang had helped him enough. He didn't have to worry about such a small matter.
Chen Hu looked at Su Sanlang and could not help but clench his fists. He mustered his courage and said the words that he had been hesitating for many years. "Third Brother, when I come, can I become sworn brothers with you?"
Chen Hu was a little nervous. He had been thinking about this for a long time, but he didn't dare to say it out loud.
Su Sanlang was not his biological brother, but he was like one. From then on, he did not want to acknowledge anyone but Su Sanlang as his brother.
Su Sanlang looked at Chen Hu and nodded heavily. "Of course."
If he didn't treat Chen Hu as a brother, he wouldn't have come here.
After getting his answer, Chen Hu smiled. "Okay, Third Brother. Wait for me."
Su Sanlang nodded.
"Go home. Don't worry about me. I can handle it."
Chen Hu sat up and saw Su Sanlang out.
After Su Sanlang left, Chen Hu said to Chen Erniu, "Erniu, go to the field and call your mother and sister back for dinner."
Chapter 80: Lesson 1
Chen Erniu was puzzled. She pursed her lips and ran out.
Chen Hu went straight to the kitchen to cut the meat and boil water to cook.
From the moment he decided to follow Su Sanlang, he had decided not to be the son of the Chen family. His family had worked hard for the food at home. Why should his family starve and freeze?
Chen Hu was cooking while Mother Chen was sewing clothes with her two daughters-in-law in the main room.
When her eldest daughter-in-law, Madam Yang, smelled the fragrance, she sniffed and said, "Mom, why do I smell rice? Who's cooking?"
Her second daughter-in-law, Madam Wu, also smelled it and said gloomily, "I smell it too. Could it be that Chen Hu is secretly cooking?"
Mother Chen slapped the bed angrily. "How dare he!"
With that, Mother Chen got out of bed and went out to check.
When she came to the kitchen and saw that Chen Hu had already cut half a pot of meat and was cooking, Mother Chen was furious. She rushed towards Chen Hu and was about to hit him.
However, it was different this time. Chen Hu did not let Mother Chen hit him. Instead, he grabbed Mother Chen's hand and said coldly, "Mother, you'd better not attack me again. Otherwise, I don't know what I'll do."
Chen Hu's grip was quite strong. Mother Chen only felt pain in her wrist. She was frightened and did not dare to speak for a moment.
Chen Hu let go of Mother Chen's hand and looked coldly at Madam Yang and Madam Wu, who had followed Mother Chen here.
Madam Yang and Madam Wu were both shocked. In the past, Chen Hu was just a cripple in their eyes. Who would have thought that he would have such a ruthless and terrifying side to him?
......
The two of them did not dare to speak.
Mother Chen, who had come back to her senses, wailed loudly, "Heavens! This unfilial son even dares to hit his own mother. What are you all waiting for? Do you want to see him beat me to death? Hurry up and go to the fields to call you men back."
Mother Chen pointed at Chen Hu angrily. "You unfilial son. Just you wait. When your father and brothers come home, they'll beat you to death."
Chen Hu did not say anything and only glanced coldly at Mother Chen.
Mother Chen was shocked. This gaze was terrifying. She was scared. She looked at the stove and gritted her teeth before leaving.
After they left, Chen Hu continued cooking and preparing the washed vegetables. When the meat was almost done, he would pour the vegetables in and stew them together. This way, he would have both meat and food.
He sharpened a stick with a scythe. His expression was very, very cold in the fiery light.
He knew he had a tough fight ahead of him. Maybe everyone would scold him later. But so what? He didn't care.
Father Chen, Chen Qiang, and Chen Long were called back by Madam Wu and Madam Yang. On the way back, they heard about what had happened and they returned with anger.
As soon as they reached home, Father Chen roared, "Chen Hu, come out and face your death!"
Chen Hu slowly came out of the kitchen with a stick as thick as a child's wrist.
Chen Qiang and Chen Long were surprised.
"Are you crazy? How dare you hit your father and brothers with a stick?"
Chen Qiang said angrily. He felt that Chen Hu must be crazy. Otherwise, how would he dare to do such a thing? Who gave him the courage?
Mother Chen came out of the main room and said fiercely, "Qiang, Long, hurry up and teach this disobedient unfilial son a lesson. It doesn't matter if you beat him to death. I'll pretend that I never gave birth to him in the future."
Chen Long immediately swung his hoe and said, "Dad, Mom, I'll beat him to death."
With that, Chen Long smashed his hoe at Chen Hu.
Chen Hu did not retreat. He dodged and swept his stick across Chen Long's waist.
There was a muffled sound of a stick hitting Chen Long's waist, followed by Chen Long's cry of pain.
"Oh my God, I'm going to die..."
Chen Long felt a sharp pain in his waist and his body seemed to have gone numb. When he landed, he cried out in pain. His hoe had long fallen to the ground.
Chen Hu was ruthless and vicious. No one had expected this.
Father Chen was stunned on the spot, and the anger in his heart increased greatly.
Chen Qiang frowned. Thinking of how ruthless Chen Hu was just now, he did not dare to rashly attack.
In the past, when they fought Chen Hu, Chen Hu had never fought back. No one knew that he would be so strong.
Only Madam Wu cried out in surprise and rushed to Chen Long's side. "Dear, are you alright? Are you alright?"
"Third Brother, how could you be so ruthless? He's your second brother."
Madam Wu's heart ached as she accused Chen Hu angrily.
Chen Hu looked at Madam Wu coldly. "When he wanted to poach me with a hoe, he didn't treat me as his younger brother."
After Chen Hu finished speaking, he looked at Father Chen and Mother Chen coldly and said coldly, "If you don't treat me as your son, I won't treat you as my parents or brothers in the future. As long as I'm still in this family, I'll do whatever I want. If you want to teach me a lesson, don't blame me for being ruthless."
Chen Hu held his stick and looked straight at Father Chen.
Father Chen clenched his fists, frightened by Chen Hu's ruthlessness. In the past, Chen Hu had never dared to look at him like this, much less speak to him like this.
Now, not only did he dare, he fought back and cursed, unlike before. If he dared to hit him again, he wouldn't let him. He would fight back.
Father Chen was trembling with anger. He gritted his teeth and said angrily, "Are you crazy? Aren't you afraid that I'll chase your family out? Do you even care about your child's life?"
Hearing Father Chen's threat, not only did Chen Hu not show any fear, but his eyes were even more ruthless. He said coldly, "If I can't live, then no one can. If you dare to hit Daniu and Erniu again, I won't hesitate to beat you up. At most, the Chen family will die together."
Hearing Chen Hu's ruthless words, Father Chen's heart sank. He gritted his teeth and looked at Chen Hu's sinister expression. In the end, he did not dare to attack again. He only waved his hand and glared at Chen Hu angrily. Then, he said fiercely, "Let's see how long you can stay crazy."
With that, Father Chen left for the main house.
"Damn it, why don't the heavens strike this animal with lightning?"
Mother Chen also cursed angrily before following Father Chen back to the main house.
Chen Qiang looked at Chen Hu. Madam Yang was afraid that he would be in the limelight, so she hurriedly pulled him back into the house.
Chen Long, who could not get up from the pain, roared angrily at Madam Wu. Madam Wu trembled in fear and hurriedly carried Chen Long back to the house.
Chen Hu's cold expression softened. At this moment, he saw Madam Qian and his two daughters not far away. He walked toward Madam Qian and said gently, "Dear, the food is ready. Let's eat."
Madam Qian and Chen Daniu were hurriedly called back from the field by Chen Erniu. When they saw the scene of Chen Hu beating Chen Long, they were frightened. Madam Qian did not dare to show her face and only pulled her two daughters back a little. Madam Qian only dared to come out after everyone in the family had gone back to the house.
She felt that Chen Hu had changed. Madam Qian lowered his eyes. Her second daughter had told her that Su Sanlang had come by. Chen Hu had changed now. Perhaps Su Sanlang had said something to him.