Chapter 235: Recovery

During dinner, Geng Lianhua could only watch as everyone enjoyed dumplings, sipping on her fruit juice.

Seeing her grandmother watching longingly, Wang Qian felt a pang of guilt. “Grandma, why don’t you smell the aroma? We can’t eat, but smelling the delicious scent might help.”

She brought a dumpling to Geng Lianhua’s mouth for her to savor the aroma. “Hmm, the filling in these dumplings smells amazing. You’ve added plenty of meat,” Geng Lianhua remarked.

After swallowing his food, Chen Xu teased, “Qianqian, you’re tempting Grandma. She’s getting hungrier by the moment. Grandma, should I mash the meat for you to eat?”

Although tempted, Geng Lianhua refrained from eating, as she feared the repercussions of vomiting. She settled for just smelling the food, content with that for the time being.

“I dare not eat. It’s fine like this. I’ll just enjoy the aroma. Once I’m better, you can mash the meat for me to eat,” she replied.

After dinner, the family gathered on the kang, chatting with Geng Lianhua. Wang Qian brewed a pot of tea brought from the city, adding a pleasant touch to their conversation.

Chen Xu voiced a lingering question, “Grandpa, we were sent to undergo labor reeducation in the countryside, but we’ve been here for a while now without any educational guidance. Why is that?”

Wang Xuan chimed in, “Yes, Chen Xu, why did they send you here if there’s no education or guidance?”

Chen Xu shook his head, “We had to come. Even though we responded to the call, without work or food, what else could we do? We have to be here.”

The elderly Chen pondered their questions, realizing he hadn’t considered this issue before.

Wang Qian chimed in, “Chen Xu, it’s quite simple. Think about it – there are numerous graduates in your city, but only a few factories. How could they accommodate so many people like you? This approach aims to alleviate urban employment pressures by sending you to the vast countryside for training. It also reduces urban unemployment and social tensions. What do you think?”

The elderly Chen’s eyes lit up upon hearing her words. “Qianqian, you’re absolutely right. Why didn’t I think of that? You have a clearer perspective than I do,” he acknowledged.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Wang Qian admitted that the idea wasn’t hers; she had come across it online in a previous life and didn’t have the insight to see it that way.

That night, Zhang Wanyou was assigned to sleep in the room with the elderly Chen, while Geng Lianhua continued to be accompanied by Wang Qian in the space.

As Geng Lianhua watched her sweet granddaughter, she couldn’t help but feel sentimental. “Qianqian, bring me some grapes to enjoy. They’re sweet and delicious,” she requested.

Quickly, Wang Qian fetched a bunch for her grandmother. “Grandma, I also have some ginseng here. I’m not sure if you can have it now, but I’ll ask my dad to consult Uncle Ye. If it’s suitable, we can have ginseng soup daily. It’s very nourishing.”

Although Wang Qian’s idea was thoughtful, Geng Lianhua, being older, knew better. “Silly girl, I’m currently frail and can’t handle such supplements. Ginseng is indeed beneficial, but we don’t have access to it here. Where did you get it from?” she inquired.

Wang Qian then recounted how she had discovered these items, leaving Geng Lianhua to marvel at her granddaughter’s fortunate encounters. Ginseng was a rarity in their region, and even if they had seen it, they might not have recognized it, mistaking it for a wild plant.

“You’re lucky to have come across such things. Locals here are unfamiliar with yam. I only heard about it from a traveling healer. Yam is scarce in our area. The good fortune seems to be on your side. Thankfully, otherwise, that period would have been even more challenging,” Geng Lianhua remarked.

Thinking back to when her daughter first started a new life after the separation, Geng Lianhua couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sadness at the past poverty. However, things had improved now, and leaving that household was ultimately a positive change for the couple—suffering first, then tasting the sweetness.

Feeling the gentle warmth around her, Geng Lianhua found it quite comfortable. “Qianqian, help me get up and take a walk. If I keep lying down like this, my body will deteriorate,” she suggested.

Eager to see her grandmother active, Wang Qian happily assisted her to get out of bed, and the two explored the space together, strolling around.

After breaking a sweat, Geng Lianhua felt much better. Feeling a bit tired, she allowed Wang Qian to help her back to bed.

Relaxing, Geng Lianhua rested with her eyes closed while Wang Qian, with free time on her hands, began tinkering with her antique items. This time, she took a sickle and carefully removed the rust and grime, revealing a hint of gold underneath. Surprised, she wondered if the incense burner was made of gold. If so, she could potentially strike it rich. However, upon further inspection, the burner seemed small, weighing about one or two pounds. Uncertain of its value, she decided to leave the other incense burners untouched, preserving their original state. For now, they were not needed, and selling them would likely fetch only scrap metal prices.

She neatly rearranged the stamps sent by Zuoxiang City and placed them in the box made by Wang Zhenhe.

Seeing Geng Lianhua lying on the bed, gasping for breath, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow. Reflecting on her grandmother’s life of poverty, she wondered if the illness could be cured, feeling a sense of melancholy.

Recalling the jewelry box buried in the ground, she quickly dug it up with a shovel. From it, she retrieved two pieces of sheep fat jade pendants—one for her mother and one for her grandmother. Believing that jade had health benefits, she decided to gift them these pendants. She left the jade aside for now, not ready to reveal it yet.

“Grandma, I have a gift for you. Do you like it?” she asked.

Geng Lianhua opened her eyes to see her granddaughter holding a flawlessly white, exquisite, and lustrous stone, resembling condensed fat, without any flaws. It exuded a warm luster as if it had life, captivating her. Though unfamiliar with jade pendants, she had heard of them before. Could this be the jade pendant her granddaughter was holding?

“Qianqian, is this a jade pendant? Where did you get it from?” she inquired.

Wang Qian helped Geng Lianhua put on the jade pendant. “Grandma, I found this. I’ve been lucky. This jade pendant is valuable, so keep it. It’s top-quality sheep fat jade. Keep it for the future and pass it down to your son’s children as a family heirloom,” she advised.

Geng Lianhua chuckled softly, “You lucky girl, finding all the good things. I’ve never come across such fortune. Well, I won’t ask any further. I’ll wear it as you suggest. But when I pass away, you should take it back. It’s better not to cause any trouble.”

Geng Lianhua understood better than anyone that it wasn’t wise to leave such valuable items to anyone else but her granddaughter.

Later, when both were asleep, the three round balls at the top of the space suddenly emitted a strong light directed at the jade stone on Geng Lianhua’s neck. The warm glow of the jade merged with this light, but soon the jade lost its shine, appearing lifeless, like an ordinary stone.

The two sleeping individuals were unaware of the events that had transpired. However, when Geng Lianhua woke up in the morning, she felt less congested in her chest, and the pain was less pronounced. She had a feeling that her illness was progressing towards recovery.

In the morning, Geng Lianhua was brought out of the space, and the jade pendant was also put on Zhang Lan. She explained to her mother how the jade pendant came to be but didn’t delve into further details. Zhang Lan was unaware that her daughter had hidden quite a few personal items.

Feeling that the jade pendant looked quite nice, Zhang Lan graciously accepted her daughter’s New Year gift.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, there were many visitors coming to offer New Year greetings. Zhang Lan had her parents sit in another room to avoid dealing with the visitors, saving them from unnecessary stress.

In the evening, when Wang Qian entered the space, she noticed that the light from the three round balls above seemed different. The light was brighter than before, and she suspected it had something to do with the jade pendant she had brought out the previous night. Confirming her suspicion by observing the now lackluster sheep fat jade on Geng Lianhua’s neck, she wondered about the implications of the increased brightness, unsure of what it meant.

“Grandma, how are you feeling today? Are you still uncomfortable?” she inquired.

Shaking her head, Geng Lianhua replied, “I feel much better today than yesterday. It seems to be improving. I feel a cool sensation in my chest, which is quite comforting.”

Whether it was due to Geng Lianhua’s mindset or the jade pendant, Wang Qian was content as long as her grandmother felt better.

On the third day of the Lunar New Year, Zhang Hua brought his family to visit their mother. However, upon seeing his Aunt’s radiant complexion, Wang Qian couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Auntie, what’s with the injury during the New Year celebrations?” she teasingly remarked.

Zhang Hua plopped down next to the old lady, saying, “Don’t even get me started. I had to take revenge for your Grandma. Look at the trouble that troublemaker caused. Even our Qu Kai got scratched on the arm by her. The kid was just trying to break up a fight, but she turned into a mad dog, biting anyone in sight. I didn’t let her off easy either; her face isn’t any better than mine. Your family has quite the troublemaker. I don’t think many can handle her.”

Feeling sympathetic, Geng Lianhua gently touched her daughter’s face. “Silly girl, can you afford to confront her like that? She’s tough, and you can’t match her strength. You’re practically offering yourself up to be scratched. You shouldn’t do this again in the future.”

Zhang Hua, looking somewhat ashamed, gazed at his mother. “Mom, you know my temper. Usually, you don’t have to worry about me much. Seeing you like this now, I can’t stand idly by. I can’t let this slide.”