Chapter 121

Yan Lei’s father and Yan Zhu are now silent.

It was expected that it would be difficult to see a doctor in a large hospital, and being looked down upon in the provincial capital was expected.

But the director of the provincial capital hospital personally came to pick them up, completely beyond expectations.

Before coming, the village head said something, saying that the director of the provincial hospital is at a higher level than the county party secretary.

The director of the provincial hospital held Yan Lei’s father’s hand very kindly: “Old comrade, rest assured, let the best experts perform the surgery for you. How old are you this year?”

Asked, Yan Lei’s father is two years younger than the director.

“Ah, hahaha.” The director could only laugh awkwardly, “The farmers have worked hard, and the country’s food security depends on you.”

What was he saying, Yan Lei’s father and Yan Zhu couldn’t understand, but they just followed along.

A single room was arranged for him, and there was a bed for someone to accompany. Various tests were done today, and surgery will be arranged tomorrow.

The director personally explained various matters.

Before the operation, it was explained that you cannot eat or drink anything. Qiao Wei added, “Not eating or drinking means absolutely nothing can be eaten or drunk. It’s not that you can eat cake if you can’t eat rice, or drink porridge if you can’t drink water. Not eating or drinking means nothing can enter your mouth, and there can be nothing in your stomach. Because if there’s something in your stomach, it might reflux into the esophagus and trachea. That’s what we call choking. When you’re awake and choking, you can beat your chest and clear your throat to survive. When you’re anesthetized, it’s like being drunk, if reflux occurs, you die on the operating table.”

With this explanation, Yan Lei’s father and Yan Zhu suddenly realized, “Oh, Director Li’s nephew, that year, he choked himself to death while lying drunk!”

“Yes, that’s what it means. So you can’t eat or drink anything.” Qiao Wei reassured.

Yan Lei’s father and Yan Zhu both nodded, “Rest assured.”

Director Zhang finally had some genuine appreciation, “Comrade Qiao’s supplementary explanation is very appropriate.”

Qiao Wei said, “I also hope that the hospital’s medical staff can consider the understanding of patients and their families on this matter, and explain it thoroughly. Otherwise, if you think the patient understands, but everyone has different interpretations, it’s like talking at cross purposes.”

The director was curious, “Comrade Qiao is the patient’s…?”

“This is my father-in-law.” Qiao Wei said.

The director suddenly realized. He said, this Comrade Qiao and this family are completely different. So that’s the relationship.

He said, “Comrade Qiao’s spouse must be an outstanding comrade.”

“He has been on the battlefield.” Qiao Wei said, “He is a regimental cadre.”

The director nodded, “Indeed.”

The hospital has everything arranged. Yan Zhu accompanies the bed, and there will be doctors and nurses for whatever needs to be done. Hospitalization procedures are also completed, and the food and money have been handed over. The hospital will manage Yan Lei’s father’s meals. He will have his last meal today, and after 10 p.m., he cannot eat anything.

Qiao Wei took Yan Lei’s mother, Yan Zhu, and Yan Xiang back to the guesthouse to eat.

Yan Lei’s mother tugged at her sleeve, “Otherwise, let’s buy two pancakes.”

Today they ate at the guesthouse for every meal, and every meal required money and food stamps. She felt sorry for it.

But Qiao Wei said, “When you’re away from home, you must eat well and rest well, otherwise you’ll collapse first and won’t be able to handle things well.”

She added, “Don’t worry about money, Yan Lei earns a salary, and I earn a salary too. When you’re with me, you can’t be treated unfairly in any way.”

Yan Lei’s mother hurriedly said, “We won’t be treated unfairly.”

Yan Zhu said, “Mom, listen to Qiao Wei.”

After dinner, Qiao Wei went to buy shower tickets and took everyone to take a bath.

Yan Lei’s mother hesitated, “I… I won’t go.”

It seems like everyone is naked in the bathhouse.

Qiao Wei said, “Mom, people in the city take baths frequently. If we don’t bathe for several days in the hot summer, we’ll smell, and people will dislike us.”

Yan Lei’s mother stopped saying anything more.

Yan Zhu had never been to a bathhouse in the city. In the countryside, they wash in basins heated by themselves.

Qiao Wei told him how to find a locker with a number, how to store clothes, and even broke off a piece of soap for him.

Yan Xiang said, “Uncle, if you don’t know, ask me. I know.”

Everyone laughed.

Yan Lei’s mother exclaimed, “City kids know so much.”

There were mostly men in the guesthouse, and hardly any women in the bathhouse.

Still, Yan Lei’s mother felt embarrassed.

Qiao Wei broke off a piece of soap for her too. She imitated Qiao Wei, lathering the towel with foam and washing her whole body. After rinsing, she felt very refreshed.

After showering, Yan Zhu went back to the hospital.

Qiao Wei prepared to take the dirty clothes for washing, but Yan Lei’s mother snatched them away: “Don’t worry, I’ll wash them for you.”

In the tug-of-war, Qiao Wei smelled the odor emanating from the dirty pants Yan Lei’s mother held.

It wasn’t pleasant, but it was this smell. She had noticed it when Yan Lei’s mother undressed to sleep last night.

After Yan Lei’s mother washed the clothes, Qiao Wei decided to talk to her when they were preparing to sleep at night.

“Mom, I have something to ask you, don’t be angry,” she said. “I see your hair and body are always clean and neat. But I always smell something on you. I wanted to ask, is it that your pants are always dirty, and you often have some secretion downstairs, like nasal mucus?”

Yan Lei’s mother’s face flushed instantly, she lowered her head, too embarrassed to look at anyone, murmuring: “I, I wash it very often… I really…”

“Mom, don’t be embarrassed.” Qiao Wei held her hand. “I’ve written articles promoting medical knowledge before. I’ve read a lot of materials. Let me tell you about some gynecological diseases that women might get.”

“Gynecological diseases are called that because they are diseases specific to women. Similarly, diseases that men get are called andrological diseases. Because our body organs are different, and genders are different, we have these terms. It’s important to understand that gynecological diseases aren’t dirty diseases, they’re just diseases that women may get.”

Qiao Wei explained some gynecological knowledge to her.

She said, “Tomorrow, I’ll make an appointment for you to see a doctor and get treatment.”

Yan Lei’s mother was too embarrassed: “How can I let others know about this?”

Qiao Wei said, “Not only should the doctor know, but the doctor also needs to see.”

Yan Lei’s mother couldn’t accept it.

Qiao Wei said, “I’ll find a female doctor for you. Mom, if you don’t treat it, do you want to be disliked for having a smell for the rest of your life?”

Yan Lei’s mother shed tears.

She had been disliked for a long time, not just for a day or two, and even her daughters-in-law talked behind her back.

She asked, “Can it really be treated?”

Qiao Wei said, “Of course.”

Yan Lei’s mother gritted her teeth and said, “Then treat it.”

The next day, Yan Lei’s father was wheeled into the operating room.

Qiao Wei asked Yan Zhu and Yan Xiang to wait outside. “Big brother, since we’re here at the provincial hospital, I’ll take Mom for a checkup too.”

Yan Zhu now obeyed whatever Qiao Wei said, nodding vigorously, “You go, you go.”

Qiao Wei made an appointment for Yan Lei’s mother to see a gynecologist, and indeed, the doctor was a woman.

When Yan Lei’s mother took off her pants, she was extremely embarrassed. Qiao Wei reached in from outside the curtain and held her hand: “Mom, don’t be afraid, the doctor is a professional.”

The female doctor was very nice and said, “Don’t be afraid, I’ve seen a lot. This is common.”

Neither of them looked down on her or disliked her. Yan Lei’s mother didn’t know why, but tears started flowing.

The village’s barefoot doctors were all men, and the women were too embarrassed to see a doctor about such issues.

In fact, Yan Lei’s mother wasn’t the only one in this situation. Many older women had odors on their bodies and were often disliked by their younger relatives.

In fact, it was just a common gynecological condition, just because it hadn’t been treated for many years, it seemed more severe.

“Come here every day for a wash, wash for five days in a row, one course of treatment. I’ll give you medicine afterward, and you can clean regularly at home. Take the oral medication on time too. Madam, don’t worry, after a few washes, the smell will be gone.”

The doctor performed the first wash for her. Treatment was so simple.

Tears flowed down Yan Lei’s mother’s face again.

After the medication treatment, Yan Lei’s mother felt clean and refreshed. Qiao Wei took her back to the operating room where the surgery hadn’t finished yet.

Qiao Wei took out some peach pastries from her bag for everyone to eat.

Yan Zhu said, “You even bought peach pastries.”

Yan Lei’s mother was a little surprised when she wondered when Qiao Wei went to buy snacks.

Only Yan Xiang knew that the peach pastries were brought from home in that luggage. But his mother had told him not to mention it. Yan Xiang never went against his mother’s wishes and quietly ate the pastries.

With the director arranging the surgery, everything went smoothly.

Yan Lei’s father came out with drainage and catheter tubes inserted and was taken back to the ward for monitoring.

He was also treated with medications for inflammation and complications.

With his own son taking care of him, Qiao Wei didn’t have to worry.

When Yan Lei’s father woke up and stabilized, Qiao Wei took Yan Lei’s mother back.

Yan Lei’s mother wanted to stay, but Qiao Wei said, “Having too many people affects other patients. People who stay in single rooms pay attention to this.”

So Yan Lei’s mother obediently went back.

Back at the guesthouse, Yan Lei’s mother made a decision.

She took out a small cloth bundle tied with a string from the deepest part of her luggage and said, “Qiao Wei, take this.”

Qiao Wei vaguely guessed what it was.

She took it and opened it, confirming it was money.

Qiao Wei was a bit surprised.

Because in reality, everyone, including Yan Lei and Qiao Wei themselves, as well as all the Yan family members, assumed that all expenses would be borne by Yan Lei and Qiao Wei.

Because that’s how it was in this era.

When a man succeeded, he not only had to take care of his parents, siblings, nephews, and nieces but also had to support his own relatives, his clan, his village, and even relatives from his mother’s side who had married out, their relatives, and their village…

At this time, relationships between people were completely different from the younger generation’s practice of cutting off ties with relatives and being independent.

At this time, the relationship that one could rely on for help might just be “I’m from your aunt’s (husband’s family) village”.

This would be inconceivable in later times.

But Qiao Wei had already adapted to this world and understood the rules of this era very well.

So she was a little surprised when Yan Lei’s mother brought out the money.

“Mom, what’s this for?” she pushed the money back.

Yan Lei’s mother insisted, “With hospitalization and surgery, it’s definitely going to cost a lot of money. We brought all the money out for this trip. It’s all here. Take it!”

Qiao Wei didn’t refuse. She was curious and counted the money. In total, it was 183 yuan. She shrugged off the small change.

“Mom, I can’t accept this money. The medical expenses are covered by Yan Lei, so you don’t have to worry,” Qiao Wei returned the money to her mother-in-law. “But I’m curious, how is the monthly 25 yuan sent by Yan Lei distributed?”

Twenty-five yuan per month, which amounted to 300 yuan per year. Rural folks were indeed very frugal with money, but Yan Lei’s mother said that this was all the money they had.

Qiao Wei knew that the money sent back home must undergo some distribution within the family. She was just curious now.

How was it distributed?