Chapter 110: Thank You Gift
“Thank you, thank you everyone…”
The honest couple could only repeatedly express their thanks, unable to voice any more of the gratitude in their hearts due to their clumsy tongues.
Fu Jiaming and Yan Bei could only each hold one of them back, fearing that if they weren’t careful, the two as old as their own parents would really kneel down.
At this moment, no matter how much physical and mental fatigue there was, it all dissipated upon seeing this joyful reunion after the disaster, and they genuinely felt happy for them from the bottom of their hearts.
On the second day at dawn, after the ticket seller’s husband also received ample gratitude, the two didn’t rest much and drove nonstop back around to Baiyang Commune.
……
Baiyang Commune, Sixth Production Brigade.
After taking medicine and resting for a night, everyone’s condition and mental state visibly improved a lot.
What worried Su Ning a bit was the little girl among them who was well protected by her father and had almost no injuries, but had been greatly frightened.
From the moment she woke up until now, even upon seeing her own grandmother, she neither cried nor fussed and hadn’t spoken a single word.
“Ning Bao Gai, what are you standing here looking at?”
Following her gaze, Luo Shuangshuang looked over and, upon seeing the receding figures of one old and one young, understood why her friend had so much worry in her eyes.
This girl named Duoduo…
Having witnessed her dad’s death with her own eyes, without family patiently guiding and carefully accompanying her, it would be hard for her to come out of it.
She only hoped the old man could soon emerge from the pain of losing his son, pull himself together for his granddaughter, and that he would feel more pity than resentment toward Duoduo.
“Let’s go, Ning Bao Gai, don’t worry. I’m watching; the old man has a kind heart. After all, she’s his son’s only child, so he’ll definitely take good care of Duoduo.”
“Mm.”
Suppressing the emotions in her eyes, Su Ning walked back to the courtyard side by side with her.
In the small pharmacy, besides Yan Xi and the Luo Family people, Peng Dashu had asked Doctor Ge and was preparing to take his leg-injured old mother back to town.
There was a hospital in town for convenient treatment, and most importantly, it was close to home for better care.
“Comrade Xiao Su!”
“Uncle Peng, what’s wrong?”
The two had just entered the yard when he blocked them and, without explanation, led them both to the nearest kitchen.
After exchanging glances in bewilderment, Su Ning asked puzzledly, “Uncle Peng, is there something you need our help with?”
Waving his chubby big hand, Peng Dashu took out all the money and ration coupons from his pocket, leaving only the bus fare needed for him and his mother to get home, and stuffed the rest into her hand.
As if afraid of being refused, he took several large steps back before she could react.
Before hearing the news and rushing to Baiyang Commune, he had hastily brought all the cash and coupons he could from home.
Excluding coupons, the money totaled just over two hundred yuan.
He didn’t know how much that incredibly effective ancestral medicinal water cost and had even specially asked Doctor Ge.
He only heard that one of the ingredients, wild ginseng, was at least a century old, and having seen plenty, Peng Dashu knew this amount of money and coupons was probably far from enough.
But as he himself said, for his old mother to survive safely, he’d spare no amount of money and coupons.
Moreover, compared to those who lost family members, if given a choice, they’d empty their homes to bring back a living person.
“I know this isn’t enough, Comrade Xiao Su. Rest assured, once I’m back, I’ll figure out a way to make up the rest!”
Among their three brothers, the youngest had just started work and gotten married, so he probably had little savings. He and the second brother could scrape together; worst case, take on some famine external debts, but they’d manage somehow!
In any case, they absolutely couldn’t let the benefactor feel unappreciated and make her feel from the bottom of her heart that saving people was worthwhile.
Clutching the handful of money and coupons forcibly stuffed into her hand, Su Ning looked at the big black ten inside along with scattered small bills and suddenly felt a heat in her eyes for some reason.
She didn’t regret the act of saving people and even felt fortunate for abandoning reason on impulse with Fu Jiaming and the others, choosing to follow her heart with ‘say go and go’.
Even when taking out the spring water, she hadn’t thought too much; it was just that at that moment, her conscience and humanity wouldn’t allow her to weigh pros and cons.
And now, Peng Dashu’s actions, regardless of the amount of money and coupons, were enough to make her heart feel warm, even scorching hot.
“Uncle Peng, this is enough.”
“Ah? But…”
“I said, this is enough for the medicinal water.”
Smiling, Su Ning gripped the money and coupons tightly and, before he could continue, said in an extremely serious tone, “I’ll accept it, and you mustn’t mention making up more later.”
Her demeanor seemed to say: if he had even the slightest objection, she wouldn’t take the money and coupons.
Peng Dashu was both amused and exasperated, but deep down he couldn’t help sighing: this girl is a really good person, what a fine child.
So kind it’s adorable!
“Alright then, how about Uncle makes you all some good food in the future?”
“That can happen!”
Luo Shuangshuang nodded, her eyes lighting up at the mention of good food. “Uncle Peng, if we go to Yong County, we’ll definitely come eat!”
“Hahaha, good, it’s a deal then—no backing out!”
“Hehe~”
The two were amused by Luo Shuangshuang’s little gluttonous look and both laughed out loud.
Before they could say more, a group of people followed hurriedly behind the brigade leader into the yard.
With the kitchen door wide open, everything was clear to see.
Exchanging a glance, Su Ning stuffed the money and coupons into her bag and walked out of the kitchen with them.
“Brigade Leader…”
“Shuangshuang!”
“Uncle Wei? Why is it you?”
Following closely behind the brigade leader, Wei Zhong, with a face full of anxious worry, saw the safe and sound Luo Shuangshuang and spoke excitedly, “Shuangshuang, where’s Luo Fosen? How is he? Seriously injured?”
“My dad is inside, injured…”
Before she finished speaking, the person had already run off in the direction she pointed.
A crowd followed right after.
“Uncle Wei is my dad’s secretary.”
Explaining softly, Luo Shuangshuang couldn’t help furrowing her brow at the swarm squeezing into the room.
Her dad’s injuries were under control and not life-threatening, but he needed good rest and quiet recuperation for a while.
However, given Luo Fosen’s personality, it seemed unlikely he’d temporarily let go of work matters to rest properly.
“Xi You?”
“I’m fine, just worried about my dad.”
Nodding in understanding, on the Gu City side there were both bridge collapses and mudslides, and as the top city leader, there were many decisions needing him.
Sure enough, not long after, after discussing with them, Luo Fosen, with help from Wei Zhong and others, took his also injured wife and child back to Gu City first.
Luo Shuangshuang chose to stay and wait with Su Ning for Fu Jiaming and Yan Bei.
After seeing off Peng Dashu’s mother and son and Maternal Uncle Yan who rushed back to report the news, Doctor Ge’s small courtyard finally quieted down, leaving only the two of them.
Because of this car accident, one wanted to learn drug manufacturing to use spring water to make more life-saving pills, the other wanted to study first aid and nursing to have both heart and ability in future crises.
With different plans but the same goal, the two hit it off perfectly and took this free time to seek guidance from Doctor Ge.
Though Ge Laotou had no current plans to take apprentices, he didn’t refuse or stint on the two humbly seeking knowledge.
He even taught them his specialty acupoint pressure to stop bleeding.
Deeply moved, the two didn’t call him Master but unanimously changed to calling him teacher.
“Teacher, why be so old-fashioned? You’ve already taught us—taking us two as apprentices wouldn’t be a loss, right?”
“Heh, you kid, thinking I’m some vegetable to pick up home? I haven’t taught you my Ge family secret acupuncture medical skill, so I won’t recognize apprentices!”
“Fine, not vegetable then radish. Teacher, people need to be flexible!”
“Hahaha, you two with your sweet-talking mouths. Alright, alright, if this old man really took you two—one only knows to bury head in making pills, the other obsessed with first aid and nursing—wouldn’t I cry to death?”
Though the three were bantering, the atmosphere was filled with pure joy.
Knowing the teacher was unmarried with no children, lonely for most of his life—either on the way to see patients or gathering medicinal herbs.
Before leaving, the two did everything they could.
As night fell, Ge Laotou alone looked at the meal warming in the kitchen pot, the firewood piled in the wall corner, the full water jar, and the cleaned room…
His eyes reddening, he laughed and cursed, “So they coaxed me to rest while busying themselves with this. The kids aren’t that big yet, but fussing over nothing!”
But as he entered the room, his somewhat hunched back straightened silently, his steps light and brisk.
The person who saved lives probably didn’t consider at the moment of acting how they’d be treated or thanked afterward, but gratitude from the family’s heart was enough to make it all worthwhile.
In today’s society, who knows what’s wrong—when seeing someone die saving another, the beneficiary says ‘I didn’t ask him to save me’, it stirs an indescribable anger and sorrow deep down.
Are good people few? No, those with kindness and conscience never mind releasing their warmth to others; it’s just too many cold eyes and indifference in society make them cautious too.
I’m not great nor do I claim to be a good person, because the cost of being good is sometimes unbearable.
So in this fictional book world, I don’t mind letting the female lead be kind-hearted without nitpicking or stinginess, doing what I want but can’t or can’t do.
Drenched in rain myself, I still want others to have umbrellas. Since she has an umbrella, why not let others stay dry?
So, don’t comment that the female lead is a Saintly Mother. My book’s female leads are more or less like this, reflecting Pear’s worldview: don’t underestimate people’s malice, but don’t stint on inner kindness.
What truly is a Saintly Mother? Saving who shouldn’t be saved, seeking what shouldn’t be sought, forgiving for others and being generous with others’ grace. That’s what I consider a Saintly Mother.
Said too much nonsense, just complex mood at the moment. I can’t change others’ views or attitudes; if you don’t like it or it doesn’t match your worldview, feel free to leave without maliciously telling me and ruining my mood, thanks.
And again, thanks to everyone silently supporting with follows, votes, and updates. Taking tomorrow off to rest, feeling a bit tired.
