Font Size:
Inside the house, Geng Lianhua was lying on the kang, her mouth full of blisters, her face waxen, and her eyes lacking the vitality they once had.
“Mom, what’s wrong with you?” Zhang Lan was taken aback when she saw her mother, who had become so thin.
Zhang Weiguo, who had returned with water, sighed and said, “Sis, Mom has an excessive internal heat. A few days ago, Mom went to Fourth Aunt’s house to deliver some seafood. Our Fourth Aunt is really something. She’s well-off, but why show off in front of Mom? Now, she’s made Mom sick.”
After inquiring further, Zhang Lan learned that her Fourth Aunt had shown off her stored items to Geng Lianhua. There were boxes of cloth, socks, gloves, autumn clothes, and grain and fabric coupons, all neatly stacked. Geng Lianhua had expected her sister to give her some, but her sister had packed everything away without giving her a single item. This had made her angry and caused her condition to worsen.
Seeing her mother in such a state, Zhang Lan felt sorry for her. “Mom, is it worth getting angry over this? If she doesn’t want to give, then so be it. We’ve been through tough times before, and we’ve made it through. Don’t get angry. When I have money in the future, I’ll buy whatever you want. You can wear whatever you like.”
Struggling to sit up on the kang, Geng Lianhua said, “Lan, I’m not angry about how much she has. I’m angry at her attitude. She knows our situation. I wouldn’t have argued if she hadn’t given me half. But she deliberately showed off in front of me, knowing our situation. Can I not get angry? We’re sisters, and she’s still so heartless. Sigh, it’s better to rely on oneself than to rely on others.”
Wang Qian, who was listening, understood the situation. Her grandmother was upset with her aunt. It made sense. In such a situation, her grandmother wouldn’t be herself if she didn’t get angry.
“Grandma, what are a few pieces of cloth? When I grow up, I’ll buy you a whole roll. But you need to take care of your health first. When the time comes, we’ll use money to get back at her. I’ll specifically change the money into five-cent coins for you to throw at that old lady. It’ll help you vent your anger. Please don’t get angry anymore. Our good days are ahead. You can look forward to your granddaughter earning money for you, buying you delicious food, and taking you out for a stroll. We can go to the streets with delicious food and tease those old folks.”
Afterwards, Wang Qian gently touched Geng Lianhua’s waxen face. “Grandma, you’ve become so thin. It’s really pitiful.”
It was quite strange to see a little girl comforting an elderly lady, and Zhang Lan found it odd. However, perhaps Wang Qian’s words had touched the old lady, or maybe seeing her granddaughter had allowed her to express her feelings, and she no longer felt upset. At this moment, Geng Lianhua felt relieved, and even her stomach, which had barely been eating for several days, began to protest.
“Daughter, please make some food. I’m hungry,” the old lady said.
Knowing that her mother’s hunger was a good sign, Zhang Lan happily went to cook, while Zhang Weiguo helped with the fire. Wang Qian stayed with the old lady on the kang.
Wang Qian was skilled at keeping the elderly company. Her grandmother used to keep her company in the past. “Grandma, today we brought some tender corn. You can taste it later. I also went to the river to catch some crabs. I’ll cook them for you tonight.”
As Wang Qian chattered away, the old lady smiled and listened.
In the kitchen, Zhang Weiguo found it amusing to hear his little niece chatting away on the kang. Despite her young age, she spoke like an adult. However, seeing his mother’s happy expression, he felt relieved that her mood had finally improved after being depressed for several days.
“Sis, if you had come earlier, it would have been better. Look at Qianqian. She’s managed to cheer up Mom. My niece is extraordinary. I don’t have that ability,” Zhang Weiguo said.
Zhang Lan smiled and replied, “Little brother, I didn’t know your niece was so good at talking. Look at her, she hasn’t stopped talking. But Mom’s recovery is more important. Let her talk. I think she’ll be tired soon.”
Wang Qian, still on the kang, said, “Grandma, I have something good for you to eat.”
After speaking, she climbed down from the kang and rummaged through the basket they had brought. In reality, she had taken out a few cucumbers and tomatoes from the space. Without washing them, she handed them to her grandmother. “Grandma, try these. They’re delicious. I promise you’ll like them.”
Geng Lianhua, seeing the fresh cucumbers and tomatoes her granddaughter had brought, took a tomato and took a bite. She couldn’t stop eating it. “Mmm, delicious. Sweet and not sour. Not bad. It’s really tasty. Did you grow these yourself?”
Wang Qian nodded and continued munching on the cucumber. Otherwise, her throat would have felt dry. After finishing the cucumber, she felt much better. The old lady also voraciously bit into the tomato, and the more she ate, the more flavorful it became. “Qianqian, stay with your grandma for two days. Let your mom go back by herself tomorrow.”
The old lady only realized today that she was happy being with her granddaughter. The seemingly casual words of the child were actually quite reasonable upon closer examination.
Wang Qian also had the same idea. Staying here for two days would allow her to sell more things and help calm her grandmother down.
The kitchen was filled with the unique fragrance of fresh corn. “Sis, I’m salivating just from the smell,” Zhang Weiguo couldn’t help but drool.
Zhang Lan smiled at her little brother. “Weiguo, you can have your fill of the corn today. We’ve got plenty. Speaking of eating corn, it reminds me of my childhood. Mom, do you remember how I got the scar on my chin?”
Zhang Lan asked from the kitchen, and Geng Lianhua certainly remembered.
She sighed in the room. “How could I forget? That year, we had nothing to eat. You were crying from hunger. I had no choice but to take you to the cornfield to eat raw corn. When someone came by, you got so scared that you fell and hit your chin. Looking back, it was really tough at that time, but things are much better now.”
Listening to her grandmother’s words, Wang Qian felt it must have been from that time.
“Grandma, compared to before, our lives are getting better, right? So, in the future, our lives can only get better, not worse than now. Don’t ruin your health for those worthless fabrics and socks. We’ll wear better clothes in the future. We’ve worn those floral fabrics so much that they might have rotted at the bottom of the chest by now.”
At this moment, Wang Qian couldn’t help but feel a bit of schadenfreude, thinking that in ten or eight years, those things would be worthless and no one would wear them, causing her grandmother to fall ill.
Geng Lianhua knew that the children were comforting her. In fact, she had come to realize that she had been making a mountain out of a molehill. Being poor was nothing to be ashamed of. Why should she be at odds with herself? It only made everyone in the family upset.
“Qianqian, Grandma has realized that with people like you around, my happy life is still ahead. We won’t bother with them. Tonight, we’ll go clamming,” she said.
Apart from the blisters in her mouth, the old lady’s heart was now clear. Once she had eaten, she would feel much better.
Zhang Wanyou hurried home from the boat. He was worried about his wife being ill and feared that his son wouldn’t be able to handle things alone. However, as he entered the yard, he caught a familiar fragrance and heard the sound of children inside. It was his daughter who had returned. He couldn’t help but sigh, feeling grateful for his dutiful daughter, who must have rushed back upon learning about her mother’s illness.
Seeing her father come in with a load on his back, Zhang Lan stood up. “Dad, we’re waiting for you to start the meal. Weiguo, let’s serve the dishes.”