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The night was a torment for Zhang Lan and her family. Wang Qian and Grandpa Chen had their suspicions, but they both remained silent, awaiting the doctor’s conclusion.
The next afternoon, the test results came out. The doctor requested a private meeting with Zhang Lan and her husband. Although Wang Qian wasn’t aware of the specifics discussed, she noticed their red, swollen eyes as they emerged from the office. She felt a sense of powerlessness – could it be true? Was there truly no hope for her grandmother?
Geng Lianhua could no longer eat, relying on glucose for nutrition. Zhang Lan, feeling lost, gazed at her sleeping mother, tears streaming down her face. Zhang Hua’s family hastily arrived upon hearing the news. When they saw Zhang Lan’s distraught state, Zhang Hua dropped the luggage he was carrying.
“Elder sister, come here. I need to talk to you,” Wang Zhenhe led his eldest sister to the corridor. Wang Qian followed and overheard the words “malignant tumor.” Tears welled up in her eyes – in this era, cancer was incurable, a difficult reality even in modern times.
Sitting in a daze on the corridor chair, the specter of death felt closer than ever to Wang Qian. Hearing the news, Zhang Hua burst into tears, and Qu Cungen rushed out to comfort his wife.
“Brother-in-law, elder sister, what should we do? The doctor suggested we take her home to prepare for the inevitable. The hospital has exhausted all treatment options,” Zhang Hua explained, at a loss for what to do. As the eldest sister, she was facing such a situation for the first time, feeling overwhelmed. She looked to Wang Zhenhe for his opinion, uncertain whether to bring their mother home or consider other options.
Wang Zhenhe glanced at Zhang Hua and said, “Elder sister, brother-in-law, if our mother goes back, Dad won’t be able to care for her alone. He’ll have to rely on Zhou Ping’s help every day. It’s inconvenient for your in-laws to stay at your place too. Let me take care of Mom at home, and we can figure out the rest later.”
Gratefully, Zhang Hua looked at Wang Zhenhe and said, “Brother-in-law, thank you. Elder sister is at a loss for words. As for Zhou Ping, I’ll deal with her later. Let’s complete the hospital discharge procedures today. I’ll go prepare some old clothes for Mom. It’s hard to believe it’s come to this. We were never prepared for this.”
Meanwhile, Zhang Lan quietly informed her father of the situation. Zhang Wanyou was overwhelmed with tears – his lifelong companion, who had endured so much with him, was now seriously ill and unable to undergo surgery. It was a heart-wrenching situation for him.
“Dad, Zhenhe and I have decided to bring Mom to our home. As for the future, we’ll figure it out as it comes. It’s only natural for a daughter to care for her mother. Why don’t you come live with us as well? Living in that house is uncomfortable, and enduring their frustrations every day isn’t worth it,” Zhang Lan suggested.
To everyone’s surprise, Geng Lianhua, who was thought to be asleep, opened her eyes. “Old man, don’t give that house to them. Even in death, I won’t rest if they take it. That house is for my youngest son. Don’t let anyone take it. Guard it for the children. When Guo comes back, he’ll have nowhere to stay.”
Moved to tears, the old man held his wife’s hand. “Alright, I’ll guard the house for our son. You stay with your daughters. I’ll visit you every few days. Once you’re better, our pigs will be ready for slaughter. I’ll prepare meals for you. I’ve watched you cook every day, so I’ve learned,” he promised.
As Wang Qian sat in the corridor, her emotions swirling, she eventually stood up and went inside. Seeing the somber expressions, she gently approached Geng Lianhua. “Grandma, when you come home, I’ll cook your favorite dishes for you. Just let me know what you’d like to eat.”
In the afternoon, Wang Mingshan’s car transported everyone back to the Wang household. Zhang Hua settled her mother at her sister’s home before taking her father back home.
Geng Lianhua was now settled in her daughter’s home. Since she couldn’t eat solid food, Wang Qian decided to blend the tomatoes from the storage space into juice and mix it with noodles to make a soup that her mother could easily swallow.
As bedtime approached, Wang Qian spoke up, “Mom, I want Grandma to sleep in the space. Regardless of whether it can cure her illness, we have to try. Even if we lose this treasure in the future, I won’t regret it. What do you both think?”
Wang Zhenhe had no objections, and after some consideration, Zhang Lan nodded. “Qianqian, Mom has no objections either. I believe Grandma won’t reveal anything. I know her character well. She’s perceptive; she knows who treats her well.”
After unanimously agreeing, the three of them went to the room where Geng Lianhua was staying.
Sitting on the kang, Zhang Lan looked at Geng Lianhua earnestly. “Mom, I have something to tell you. We are going to take you to a special place. Please don’t be afraid. Once you get there, you’ll understand.”
Geng Lianhua looked at her daughter with confusion and then at her son-in-law. Seeing everyone nod in agreement, she felt some doubt but ultimately nodded firmly.
Before Geng Lianhua could comprehend, she suddenly found herself in an indescribable place with fields, trees, and vegetable plots. Surprised by the sight, she squinted her eyes, taking in the scene. The area wasn’t large, but it was enough to astonish her.
“Dear, where are we? Don’t tell me you’ve been growing all those beans for me here?” Geng Lianhua asked in amazement.
The wise old lady quickly connected the dots and realized how her daughter’s living conditions had improved so rapidly.
“Mom, this is Qianqian’s special space. It’s like another world inside, separate from the outside. We are currently inside the space. These crops are grown by Zhenhe and me. When the corn is ready, I’ll cook some for you to enjoy. You can have as much as you like. When I was unwell in the past, Qianqian brought me here. It’s strange, but I feel comfortable here. I haven’t needed medication in these past two years, and my health has been stable. We plan for you to sleep here at night and spend the day outside to avoid raising suspicions,” Zhang Lan explained.
Geng Lianhua was impressed by this new discovery. To think her granddaughter possessed such a treasure! This explained why she hadn’t heard about her daughter falling ill in the past few years.
However, realizing she was inside this extraordinary space now, she grew serious and looked at the three of them sternly. “Lan, once I know about this, that’s enough. We can’t tell anyone else. This space is a tremendous blessing for Qianqian. However, as the saying goes, ‘a man may be innocent but be suspected of theft merely by having a valuable gem.’ From now on, this matter stops with me. We mustn’t let more people know about it. It’s in everyone’s best interest, do you understand?”
Wang Qian noticed Geng Lianhua’s renewed vigor and smiled, nodding approvingly. “Grandma, we’re doing this to help you recover. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have let you know. Here, have some grapes. Just suck the juice; you don’t need to eat the flesh. Grapes taste delicious, and I’ve been growing them for many years.”
After giving these instructions, Geng Lianhua, feeling tired, sat on the ground and eagerly sucked on the grapes Wang Qian offered, hoping it would alleviate her condition.
“Mom, there’s a bed over there. You’ll sleep there tonight. Beddings are ready, and Qianqian will keep you company inside,” Wang Qian instructed.
Geng Lianhua nodded, and Wang Zhenhe gently lifted his mother-in-law onto the wooden bed. “Mom, don’t worry about the household matters. Zhou Ping and my brother are persistent in their ways. Just focus on recovering. When you’re better and Weiguo gets married, you’ll have a grandchild to look forward to.”
Geng Lianhua sighed. “I know this anger isn’t good for my health, but I can’t help it. Seeing my eldest son and his wife behaving that way makes me furious. I can’t win arguments with them, and they overpower us physically. If I were younger, I wouldn’t fear them. The reason I get so angry is that Zhou Ping, that wretched woman, even threw filth into our yard. How could I not be furious? My eldest son always hides behind his wife, nodding along with her. Even if I caught him, he’d just agree with us, only to side with his wife later. I’ve lived a life of sin, raising such a disobedient son and marrying a disastrous daughter-in-law.”
As Geng Lianhua spoke about family matters, her emotions intensified, and her chest heaved with emotion. Wang Qian quickly reached out to comfort her. “Grandma, please don’t be angry. Zhou Ping wants you to react this way. Focus on recuperating at our home. When you’re better, we’ll address the issue. Gather those few relatives in the village and declare that Zhang Wei’s family is no longer related to you. Remove him from the family records. Summon the team leader and the village head as witnesses. Let Zhou Ping dream about your house.”
The elderly lady hesitated, “Wouldn’t this be somewhat embarrassing? I’ve always maintained my dignity. Is it appropriate to reveal this now?”
Wang Qian shook her head in disagreement. “Grandma, your son is indeed your own, but at this point, expecting anything from him is futile. Do you think he’ll suddenly change after all these years? Will he come and bow down to you with offerings after you’ve passed away? Why bother with someone who still causes trouble even after death? If your nephew won’t handle these matters, and neither will your sons, then we, your three grandchildren, will step in. Show them who’s in charge. Let them understand your strength.”
Zhang Lan gently touched her daughter’s head, expressing her disagreement. “Sweetie, you should teach Grandma a better way. Even if she cut ties with her eldest son, what difference will it make? They still live next door to them. Your approach won’t solve the fundamental issue. They can continue causing trouble for Grandma.”