Chapter 19: Two Words: Awesome!
The dazed Jia Zhangshi seemed to hear Master Duo’s voice, her body trembled, and after seeing Master Duo, she stood up scrambling like she had grasped a lifesaver, grabbed Master Duo’s arm, her voice trembling, eyes filled with hope,
There was hope, yet also some fear,
“Master Duo, Master Duo, how about it, is there any news about my Old Jia?”
“There is news, don’t worry, your man is still alive, I’m here to tell you that, give me the money, I’ll take you to the Matsui Special Agency to pick him up.”
“Really?!” Jia Zhangshi, who had heard this news, instantly filled her originally dull eyes with vitality, completely different from moments ago.
“Of course it’s true, we’re all neighbors, how could I deceive you.” Master Duo was used to this; as long as someone was taken away by the little devils, almost none came back.
For a woman, with the pillar of the family suddenly taken away, it was certain she’d be at a loss.
Hers was still better; there were those who went mad too.
Sometimes he really wanted to point at the little devils’ noses and curse them, look at the evil you damn ones have done.
But did he dare?
He didn’t dare.
If he really dared to do that, the next one taken away would be him.
Originally desperate, now suddenly having hope again, it was normal to be excited.
“You, don’t get too excited now, hurry and get the money.”
“Although your man’s life is not in danger, you also know, once in the little devils’ place, he’s bound to suffer some physical torment.”
“I can help you contact the hospital, there’s a very skilled doctor in the alley next to my home who works at Beiping Hospital, once your man is out, I’ll personally take you to Beiping Hospital, so you’d better bring some extra money.”
“Good, good, I, I’ll go get it now. Thank heavens, thank heavens! Amitabha, Amitabha.” Jia Zhangshi was somewhat incoherent, with her disheveled hair, if one didn’t know, they’d really think she had gone daft.
She staggered into the room, and when she came out again, she had an extra item wrapped in a handkerchief in her hand.
“Master Duo, the gold bars are all here, please count them. Whether my family head lives or dies is all entrusted to you!” Although her eyes showed reluctance, Jia Zhangshi still unhesitatingly handed it to Master Duo.
Jia Zhangshi loved money, it hurt her more than cutting flesh to give it away.
But compared to money, her family head’s life was obviously far more important.
Master Duo passed it to Cao Weida, comforting Jia Zhangshi: “Don’t worry, since I’ve taken your money, your man will definitely be fine.”
“That’s good, that’s good.” Jia Zhangshi was somewhat at a loss, at this moment her mind was entirely on quickly picking up her family head, her restless hands simply grabbed Master Duo’s arm:
“Master Duo, the money is given, can we go pick up my family head now?”
“There’s still time, why don’t you tidy yourself up first?” Master Duo pointed at Jia Zhangshi’s appearance.
But Cao Weida said: “Master Duo, just go like this, I think it’s fine.”
Master Duo was stunned for a moment, then realized Cao Weida wanted Jia Guangzheng to know, after coming out, how anxious Jia Zhangshi had been these days while he was taken.
Once Jia Guangzheng came out and saw his wife’s disheveled image, and that she spared no expense to save him, their couple’s feelings would surely soar.
“Yes, yes, look at my brain. Alright, let’s go now then.”
“Wait a bit, I sent Xiangzi to see Little Ear, it’s not too late to go after he returns.”
He tucked away the gold bar, took out cigarettes and handed one over, “Smoke a cigarette first.”
Master Duo took it, and the two stood leisurely smoking in the courtyard, while Jia Zhangshi paced anxiously on the spot, not daring to urge them.
While smoking, a woman with a big belly came out of the main room, laboriously carrying a slop bucket preparing to dump it.
Suddenly seeing two patrolmen standing in the courtyard, she was startled, and the slop bucket in her hand spilled all over the ground with a clatter.
Master Duo and the other were also startled by the sudden noise, a chill hit their trousers, looking down, well, a bucket of swill, a small half absorbed by both their trouser legs.
Oh, including some on Jia Zhangshi’s trousers nearby.
“Ah, it’s Master Duo.”
“Sorry, Master Duo, I, I didn’t do it on purpose.” The pregnant woman hurriedly apologized repeatedly.
Master Duo shook his trouser leg, smiling wryly and waving: “It’s fine, it’s fine, just trousers wet, wash them later and it’ll be good.”
“I, I’ll wash them for you, my man has clean trousers, I’ll get some for this officer to change into right away.”
“No need, the sun is coming up, not cold.” Cao Weida quickly shook his head in refusal, stomped his feet on the spot, leaving wet shoe prints on the ground, a not-so-pleasant smell rushing into his nose.
Cao Weida’s nostrils twitched involuntarily twice, wishing he could immediately take off and throw away the trousers.
But if he really took them off, was he really going to make this pregnant woman about to give birth wash them?
Look at that belly, so big she could barely bend over.
“But as I was saying, this big sister, your belly looks ready to give birth any time, you can’t do heavy labor, where’s your man, how could he let you carry the slop bucket?”
“Hey, we’re poor folks, no such niceties, women in our village, many work in the fields with big bellies, when their belly hurts, some even give birth right in the field, this is nothing for me.”
“.” Two words appeared in Cao Weida’s mind: badass!
What kind of tough women are these, think of those little princesses in later generations, making a fuss over their period, then look at the women of this era.
If those so-called independent women of later generations saw this, who knows if they’d be ashamed enough to jump off a building.
“That’s true, but it’s still somewhat dangerous, a pregnant woman about to give birth should best reduce physical labor.”
The woman laboriously supported her lower back, shaking her head with a smile: “I’m just a woman of the house, can only do some odd jobs, my man works hard outside to make money, how can I let him come back tired.”
Cao Weida opened his mouth, thinking of the women in later generations, wanted to vent, but ultimately said nothing.
At that moment, the woman’s face suddenly changed, she staggered a few steps and leaned against the wall, cold sweat pouring down.
“What’s wrong?” Cao Weida was startled, wasn’t she just fine?
Also as a woman, Jia Zhangshi looked at the pregnant woman’s lower body and immediately saw: “Her water broke, she’s giving birth!”
“Quick, to the hospital!” Master Duo said immediately.
“No, no need, Aunt Jia, help, help call the midwife.”
Jia Zhangshi hesitated immediately, her family head was still waiting for her to pick him up!
Seeing Jia Zhangshi hesitate, Master Duo immediately said: “I’ll go!”
Just about to go out, but was held back by Cao Weida: “Better go to the hospital, safer.”
If he remembered correctly, the TV series said Silly Pillar’s mom died from difficult labor and massive bleeding giving birth to He Yushui.
Although whether He Daqing’s wife lived or died had nothing to do with him, for something this easy, he couldn’t just watch a fresh life die like that.
“Alright, I’ll call a cart right now!”
Cao Weida went forward to support He Daqing’s wife, whose name he still didn’t know, and shouted to the still hesitant Jia Zhangshi: “Come help, in a bit let Master Duo accompany her to the hospital, you come with me to pick up your family head, quick!”
“Oh, oh.” Jia Zhangshi finally came to her senses and hurried over to help.
Soon, notified Yan Bugui also came running over in a hurry to help.
Quickly, the three supported the pale-faced He Daqing’s wife in pain onto the cart, the cart puller was somewhat unwilling, He Daqing’s wife’s water had broken, her lower body was soaking wet, if he pulled her, how could he pull passengers next?
Don’t blame him for being cold-blooded, others living or dying had nothing to do with him, but if he couldn’t pull passengers and had no money to eat, who would sympathize with him?
Before the cart puller could refuse, Cao Weida said: “To the nearest hospital, if the cart pad gets dirty, double compensation to you!”
Well, since they said that, the cart puller naturally had no reason to refuse.
Cao Weida looked at Master Duo again, took out a few silver dollars and stuffed them over, “Master Duo, you accompany her and look after, take this money.”
“Don’t worry, quick, man, run, I’ll push, won’t short you in front!”
Watching this throughout, Yan Bugui sighed inwardly, indeed birds of a feather flock together, those who hang with Master Duo all have kind hearts, good people!
Still unaware he’d been given a good person card by Yan Bugui, Cao Weida saw the cart had gone far, then withdrew his gaze, thinking to himself: really everything happens at once, hope mother and child are safe.
The most he could do was this, the rest was up to fate.
Soon, Xiangzi pulled someone over and stopped.
“Master, I’m back, didn’t delay your business, right?” Xiangzi wiped his sweat with a towel.
“No, thanks for the hard work.” Cao Weida looked at Little Ear getting off the cart, carrying a cloth bag in hand, and smiled: “Brother, why’d you come personally?”
“Cao Ge wants something, of course I have to deliver it personally.” Little Ear grinned, lifted the bag in his hand: “Ten catties of rice, full weight.”
Ever since Cao Weida safely rescued his brother, Little Ear had decided to stick with Cao Weida.
After the transaction with Fujita Sosuke that night, this determination grew even firmer.
Finally latched onto a thick thigh, of course he had to climb it wholeheartedly.
Anything involving Cao Weida, no matter how small, he had to handle with all his heart.
Cao Weida naturally knew his intentions, and this didn’t disgust him, instead he quite appreciated it.
And he was quite satisfied with his ability to get things done.
Pointed at Yan Bugui, “Alright, give the stuff to him, right, these two days see if you can get some meat, best for lactation, like crucian carp, pigeon and such, best for milk in soup.”
Little Ear patted his chest, “This afternoon I’ll go around Shashahai, that place usually has folks secretly fishing, shouldn’t be hard.”
“Aiyo, my brain, how didn’t I think of fishing at Shashahai!” Yan Bugui annoyingly slapped himself hard, “No, after cooking the porridge later, I’ll go fish at Shashahai too!”
