Chapter 172: “the Hope Of The Newborn”
Seeing the doctor’s reaction, Lin Zhao’s eyes lit up, and she hurried into the hospital room.
Li Song sat stiffly by the bed, a long-lost sense of relief coming from his injured foot, leaving him a bit dazed.
He, he was better?!
It couldn’t be… a dream, right?! He instinctively raised his hand and pinched his thigh hard; the sharp pain felt exceptionally real.
Li Song’s soulless appearance stunned Lin Zhao.
She couldn’t help but speak up: “…How does it feel?”
But in her heart, she was muttering: Why do the doctors all look like they’ve lost their souls, and this one is just sitting there dumbly without a word? Did it work or not? It’s killing me!
Lin Zhao’s voice instantly woke the dreamer; Li Song jolted and suddenly came back to his senses.
He abruptly stood up, as if to confirm something, dazedly lifting his foot and carefully taking the first step.
The sensation from below was no longer soreness, nor the familiar numbness and weakness, but a long-lost, crystal-clear sense of support!
The heart hanging in his throat trembled fiercely.
He unconsciously quickened his pace…
The injury felt no hindrance or delay; a smooth and steady power rose from the sole of his foot!
Li Song’s steps went from tentative to smooth, each one stepping exceptionally firmly and powerfully!
At the door, Yuan Xiang, who was anxiously peering in, caught sight of the young man striding briskly in the hospital room; her eyes instantly widened round, her mouth slightly agape.
“Comrade Li?” Her voice trembled from extreme shock. “Your, your leg… is better?!”
This this this… how long had it been?!
Clearly that morning, he was limping even when walking a bit faster, and now just two or three hours later! He could stride like this?!!
Li Song smiled; it was a radiant, confident smile Yuan Xiang had never seen!
His eyes shone brightly, his mouth grinned wide, revealing a full set of neat white teeth.
This usually quiet young man was now burning with wild joy in his chest!
He took a bounding step toward Yuan Xiang first, stopping in front of her, his eyes slightly red at the corners, repeating over and over in excited incoherence: “It’s better! Completely better! Comrade Yuan Xiang! My leg… is better!!”
His voice boomed like a bell, making her eardrums buzz and piercing through the small hospital room straight into the corridor.
Who would willingly be a cripple for life when they could stand tall and stride freely?!
Li Song’s chest heaved dramatically with excitement; he wished he could howl at the sky.
Only those who had suffered the hardship of limping knew how exhilarating, how damn free it was to walk steadily like a normal person!
Yuan Xiang was also struck by this immense joy; it took her a good while to find her voice. “…That’s great, congratulations!”
Here they were jubilant and encouraged, and the others in the hospital room were ignited by this near-miraculous reality!
Someone couldn’t contain their excitement and shouted out on the spot.
Someone hugged their chronically powerless arm and wept with joy.
Even more, those with leg troubles for years stumbled out of the hospital room and down the stairs, cupping hands around their mouths and shouting into the sky: “I can run—! My leg, damn it, can run again aaaaaah!!”
Looking at these excited faces, Lin Zhao felt her eyes growing hot.
She gripped Gu Chenghuai’s hand tightly, saying repeatedly: “It works! The medicine really works! Third Brother doesn’t have to transfer out; he can stay in the troops!”
Gu Chenghuai’s heart also surged with waves; the stirring emotions lingered without settling.
His eyes suddenly deepened, his thoughts already racing through countless turns in an instant.
…This medicine carries too much weight; such a great merit is enough to clear the Meng Family’s name.
Several weighty names flashed through his mind.
He pursed his thin lips, already swiftly screening in his heart for that… most efficient, most reliable connection.
The opportunity must be seized!
Lin Zhao’s heart was surging; she tugged her husband’s sleeve urgently: “Gu Chenghuai, quick, let’s go back to Dongfeng Brigade. I want to tell Third Brother this good news so he can use the medicine as soon as possible!”
“Then… not going to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative?” Gu Chenghuai’s eyebrow arched slightly; seeing her so eager, a hint of amusement appeared in his eyes.
Lin Zhao paused at the question: “Uh…”
The excitement on her face hadn’t faded, but reason was slowly returning.
She paused. “Still go.”
She was already here.
After greeting Yuan Xiang, the husband and wife went to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative again.
The Supply and Marketing Cooperative was idle at the moment, with few customers.
The salespeople at the counters were each fiddling with their abacuses to check goods, chatting occasionally if they were close.
Only Li Fen had her heart already flown to the county hospital.
She was worried about her younger brother Li Song; her knitting needles for the wool sweater moved unevenly, absent-mindedly poking her own fingertips; she simply set the work aside, her brows knitted tightly, sighing nonstop.
Lin Zhao quietly strolled to her counter, hands behind her back, deliberately drawing out her tone: “Ahem…”
Gu Chan spotted her sister-in-law first: “Zhaozhao? How did you go out today?”
“Came out to handle something.” Answering her elder sister-in-law, Lin Zhao looked at Li Fen and said with a grin: “Sister Fen, Comrade Gu and I just came from the county hospital and heard some great news. Sister Fen, do you want to…”
She hadn’t even gotten out the words “know what it is”…
Li Fen shot up like she was spring-loaded, her abdomen banging into the hard wooden counter with a thud, making her wince in pain.
She paid it no mind and grabbed Lin Zhao’s hand. “…Zhaozhao, you mean…?”
Li Fen stared at her with burning eyes, her expression full of hope. “My brother… is fine?! Right?”
“You said good news, good news means… he’s fine, safe and sound, right?”
Lin Zhao nodded solemnly.
Her laughter rang clear.
“Comrade Li is doing great! Not only is he fine, he can run and jump like a normal person!”
With the confirmation, Li Fen seemed to have all her strength drain away; her body went soft and she slumped heavily back onto the bench.
She was a strong person and didn’t want anyone to see her cry; she turned away, tears gushing out, big drops smashing onto the cement floor, blooming dark stains.
Not even half a minute passed.
Li Fen wiped her face fiercely, whipped back around, her eyes slightly red, but shining like two lamps, her mouth corners refusing to stop curving up.
“Good! Great! As long as he’s fine! That brat kept me up all night without sleep; I was distracted doing work this morning. If not for your elder sister-in-law helping, I almost made a fool of myself.” She grumbled on her lips.
Gu Chan comforted warmly: “Everyone gets anxious and upset sometimes.”
After speaking, she looked at Lin Zhao and Gu Chenghuai one by one, asking her sister-in-law: “Zhaozhao, what did you two go to the hospital for? Not feeling well?”
“We’re all fine.” Lin Zhao said. “Heard the county hospital was doing a drug trial today, so we went to check out the excitement.”
She said nothing about the medicine being Fourth Brother’s achievement.
“Good as long as you’re not unwell.” Gu Chan had just thought Zhaozhao might be pregnant again.
She didn’t hope her sister-in-law would have more; Chenghuai’s family had four kids, boys and girls, enough! They could have more; she and Mom could help raise them, but even if they didn’t let her sister-in-law touch anything, she would still be exhausted—those ten months of pregnancy and the ordeal of childbirth through the gates of hell, only those who endured knew!
Gu Chan secretly resolved to find an opportunity to remind her younger brother properly.
At this moment, Li Fen pulled out a package from under the counter and slapped it in front of Lin Zhao.
“Zhaozhao, your Dragon Boat Festival gift from the Supply and Marketing Cooperative; you never came.”
The robustness in her voice was worlds apart from before.
Lin Zhao was a bit surprised and took it, weighing it.
Opening it: one bottle of oil, about two jin, two bars of printed soap, a tight bundle of raw zongzi（ six）, five salted duck eggs.
Such a heavy gift!!
“So generous?!”
Li Fen’s eyebrows shot up high, her face full of irrepressible pride.
“Of course! Our Supply and Marketing Cooperative has good efficiency; this welfare is top in the whole county!” She proudly stuck up her thumb.
“There aren’t few factories and mines around, but only our one Supply and Marketing Cooperative! The purchasing agents ran their legs off to bring back rare stuff; the shelves aren’t even full yet, and the well-informed snatch it all up! Efficiency bubbling over, so festival gifts naturally rise with the tide!”
Lin Zhao separated out two zongzi and two salted duck eggs, “thudding” them onto Gu Chan’s counter. Before she could refuse, she grabbed Gu Chenghuai’s arm. “Let’s go, Eldest Sister, see you later.”
She dragged her husband slipping out.
“Hey! Zhaozhao! You…” Gu Chan picked up the things and hurried after, wanting to give them back.
She had just chased to the door when she saw a bicycle zoom far away.
From the back seat, Lin Zhao waved to her elder sister-in-law.
Her crisp voice carried through the street.
“Eldest Sister, this is our family’s supplementary festival gift for the two stones to eat.”
Gu Chan hugged the things tight, her chest burning hot.
She carried the heavy intention back to her counter.
Seeing Gu Chan hadn’t returned the things, Li Fen and the others weren’t surprised at all.
“Hahaha, I guessed you wouldn’t take it back.” Li Fen laughed heartily. “I said it! What Zhaozhao gives you… how could you return it? That girl… I haven’t dealt with her much, but I can tell, whatever she sets her mind to, she gets done!”
After laughing, she comforted Gu Chan. “You’re family; helping each other is only right. Don’t be too polite. Her willingness to give to you shows she’s close to you, her elder sister-in-law.”
Li Fen had seen all sorts of people at this Supply and Marketing Cooperative; sisters-in-law not getting along, sisters-in-law bickering—that was everyday fare, but ones like them who were genuinely affectionate…
Tsk tsk, rare! Truly rare!
Gu Chan chewed on Li Fen’s words “close to you, her elder sister-in-law,” her mouth corners lifting.
Was Zhaozhao close to her?
It really made her happy!
In the afternoon, Da Shitou and Xiao Shitou saw the things Mom brought back and guessed they were goodies; their eyes lit up instantly.
“Mom, food?” The zongzi were wrapped in leaves and still hard; Xiao Shitou couldn’t tell they were food, but he recognized eggs, touching those few salted duck eggs with an expectant look.
“Yes, your Third Aunt sent them.” Gu Chan smiled.
She waved the raw zongzi in her hand. “This is food too, zongzi.”
Da Shitou asked: “Dragon Boat Festival zongzi?”
Glutinous rice was hard to get; the two stones hadn’t eaten much zongzi.
“Right. These zongzi are the Supply and Marketing Cooperative’s Dragon Boat Festival welfare; only a few in total. Your Third Aunt was willing to give them to you; remember her kindness and be filial to her when you grow up, got it?” Gu Chan knew gratitude and taught her sons the same.
The two stones nodded solemnly.
Xiao Shitou was curious about the taste of zongzi and asked: “Mom, can we eat zongzi today?”
Gu Chan said: “Sure, I’ll wash my face and cook them for you.”
“No need, I’ll cook them myself; Mom go rest.” Da Shitou felt sorry for his mom’s hardship and took the raw zongzi to head to the kitchen.
Almost at the kitchen door, he stopped and turned to Gu Chan. “Mom, do I need to peel off the outer shell?”
“No need, just cook them like that.” Gu Chan said. “Cook for two hours, then steam a bit more; that’s how they’re tasty.”
“So long!” Da Shitou said he’d learned something new.
Then he grabbed his younger brother’s neck nape to the kitchen. “You stoke the fire…”
…
When Gu Chan brought the things back, Wei Dasao saw them.
Knowing Wei Xiangdong was not to be trifled with, she didn’t dare go directly to the door but ran to stir up Wei Laotai.
She originally wanted to get some good stuff for her son, but ended up getting sprayed with a tirade.
“You’ve split households, and still eyeing the oil splatters on people’s stove! Have some shame! Whatever the second branch has, it’s theirs; if you keep poking around greedily, don’t say you’re my old Wei family’s daughter-in-law when you’re out; I feel ashamed…”
The old lady had it all clear in her heart.
Even after splitting, the second son’s couple never forgot to show filial piety with good eats, whereas the eldest’s—forget meat, they were even stingy with an egg for their mother-in-law.
The old lady was half in the grave; did she think she could use her as a tool?
Wei Dasao’s face fell bitterly.
–
Lin Zhao and Lin family’s son-in-law arrived at Dongfeng Brigade’s Lin family.
Lin Shichang was held back by his parents and couldn’t do anything, just sitting like a wooden post, with a “foreman” Xi Bao glaring at him watchfully; he really was…
“Younger Aunt!” Xi Bao’s eyes were sharp like radar, spotting her first.
She bounced up happily like a little sparrow, da-da-da rushing over.
She plunged headfirst into Lin Zhao’s bosom.
“Younger Aunt, you’re here! I missed you; why haven’t you come for so long?”
Lin Zhao caught the little cannonball and rubbed the little girl’s hair top. “Had things before; now that I’m free, I came right away.”
Half-holding the clingy Xi Bao into the yard.
She plopped down, snatched the fan from Lin Shichang’s hand, and fanned vigorously whoosh whoosh.
Da Dan and Er Dan poured water and got praised by Lin Zhao; the brothers grinned happily.
She was already a close aunt, and after getting his aunt a job for his dad, even closer!
“Third Brother, your brother-in-law and I just came back from the county hospital with good news; guess what?” After fanning cool breeze along the way, Lin Zhao’s excitement had settled; now she appeared very calm.
Lin Shichang’s gaze suddenly sharpened.
He instinctively pursed his thin lips; when he spoke again, his voice was hoarse with a trace of barely detectable expectation. “…Yuan Xiang’s partner’s leg is cured?!”
“Right!” Lin Zhao said emphatically.
She pulled out a tube of ointment from her bag. “Here! Third Brother, I saved this specially for you; try it? If you’re not assured, we can go to Fourth Brother’s tonight and try it in front of him.”
Lin Shichang only asked: “…Of those doing the drug trial at the county hospital, were there any not cured… but got even worse?”
“No.” Lin Zhao shook her head, her tone resolute.
Every one, every single person was completely healed!!
This was a living miracle!
Lin Shichang said nothing more, grabbed the ointment and went into the room.
The scars on his leg were hideous and terrifying; he feared scaring his niece and nephew, and didn’t want to make Zhaozhao cry.
Lin Zhao called from behind: “Third Brother, apply the ointment to the injury; the ointment will dry into a shell and fall off by itself; don’t pick at it.”
Lin Shichang didn’t turn back, just casually waved a hand backward, then closed the door.
He rolled up his trouser leg, revealing the shocking wound.
He opened the ointment box and applied it to the scar.
Cool!
Bone-piercing coolness!
In an instant, the scar burned with fiery pain.
The pain was no less than slicing skin and flesh with a knife.
Even a ironclad man like him broke out in cold sweat, teeth grinding, lips turning white.
Lin Shichang endured without a sound.
This was… newborn hope.
He could endure.
The leg burned more and more.
Lin Shichang: …Damn, such a domineering medicine!
