Chapter 57: His Heart Was Slanted

Shen Chuning quickly grabbed Father Shen’s sleeve, “Dad, Second Brother is a grown man, if he doesn’t want to tell us, there must be a reason. Let’s not ask him when we go in later, and don’t be angry with him because of this, okay?”

Seeing his daughter’s pleading eyes, Father Shen didn’t want to worry her.

He sighed, “Sigh, if Second Brother was half as sensible as my good girl, I wouldn’t be so worried.”

Shen Chuning: …

Even though she was the favored one, she felt that her father’s heart was really slanted.

Before her third brother went to the army, her second brother was actually the one who earned the most money in their family.

When her second brother was ten years old, he would go up the mountain to pick chestnuts, mushrooms, and other mountain goods. Besides eating them himself, he would also exchange them for supplies.

Later, her second brother often worked for the old hunter in the neighboring village, and the old hunter taught him all his skills.

After her second brother learned to hunt, he also taught their father, eldest brother, and third brother. They couldn’t eat all the game they hunted, so her second brother took it to the black market to sell.

But over the years, all the money her second brother had earned at great risk had been used by their father to support her, a lazy and gluttonous sister.

She knew that her second brother had long been resentful of her, but he had been considerate of their father and had always spoiled her, so he hadn’t erupted.

This time, she ruined her second brother’s chance to be with the woman he loved, and their father scolded her second brother for her minor injury.

Naturally, it triggered all the suppressed dissatisfaction in her second brother’s heart.

Shen Chuning couldn’t help but think of the dream again, where all her brothers were implicated and died because of her.

She pulled her father’s clothes and whispered, “Dad, my brothers are all good, it’s me who’s not good…”

“Nonsense!”

As soon as she finished speaking, Father Shen deliberately put on a stern face and scolded her before coaxing her, “My good girl is the best, whoever says my good girl is not good, I’ll fight them!”

Shen Chuning’s heart was full of warmth, she showed a sweet smile, “Dad is the best too.”

The father and daughter walked into the ward.

“Big Brother, Second Brother, eat buns.” Shen Chuning distributed the buns she had bought to her brother and second brother.

Shen Zhengxu didn’t hesitate, taking the bun and eating it.

Shen Zhengliang glanced at them, angrily turning his head to the side, looking like he didn’t want to pay attention to them.

Shen Chuning handed a bun to Shen Zhengliang, “Second Brother, even if you’re angry, you can’t joke with your body.

Are you planning to starve yourself to death in bed?”

Father Shen also said angrily, “Brat, eat the bun your sister gave you! If you make your sister cry, I’ll beat you!”

Shen Zhengxu pursed his lips, silent for a while before finally taking the bun from Shen Chuning.

He probably hadn’t eaten for two days outside, taking the bun and devouring it.

After two large bites of the bun, he choked.

Shen Chuning quickly poured him a glass of water, “Second Brother, eat slowly, there are more!”

Shen Chuning bought ten buns, planning to eat one herself, and her father and two brothers would each eat three.

But Father Shen and Shen Zhengxu probably saw that Shen Zhengliang was too hungry, each only ate two, leaving five for Shen Zhengliang.

After eating the buns, Shen Chuning discussed with Father Shen and Shen Zhengxu, “Dad, Big Brother, you go back, I’ll pack some clothes and daily necessities and come to take care of Second Brother.”

The doctor said that Shen Zhengliang would have to stay in the hospital for at least half a month before deciding whether he could be discharged.

There was nothing in the hospital now, only a thermos bottle, which was rented from the hospital for two kuai, one fen a day, and the money would be deducted from the deposit when the thermos bottle was returned.

Although Shen Qingsong was worried about tiring his daughter, he couldn’t argue with Shen Chuning at this time.

Second Brother was in the hospital, someone had to take care of him.

He and the eldest son had to go back to the production team to work, otherwise, at the end of the year, if their work points were low, they wouldn’t get much money and grain.

He was still hoping to get some money at the end of the year to buy some good cloth for his daughter and make her two beautiful new cotton-padded jackets.

“Okay, then we’ll go back first, I’ll pack Second Brother’s things. Little sister, you’ll take care of your second brother for a while. I’ll come every other day to wipe him down,” Shen Zhengxu said.

Second Brother couldn’t move now, and it was inconvenient for his little sister, a girl, to wipe him down.

Shen Zhengliang listened to their words, his lips pressed into a straight line.

He wanted to stubbornly say that he didn’t need their care.

But reality didn’t allow him to be stubborn, he was like this now, if no one took care of him, he couldn’t even drink water.

Shen Zhengxu instructed Shen Zhengliang a few more words, Shen Chuning asked the nurse to help look after him for a while, and then the father, brothers, and sister hurried back to the village.

At the place where Shen’s and Zhou’s families parted ways, Shen Chuning magically took out a pair of yellow rubber shoes wrapped in yellow rough paper and handed them to Shen Zhengxu, “Big Brother, here, size 37 yellow rubber shoes.”

After Shen Zhengxu told Shen Chuning that he would ask her to help buy shoes and return them to He Hui, Shen Chuning fell into the stream and injured her ankle.

He thought that after these two days, Shen Chuning had forgotten about it.

He himself was relieved, it was better if she forgot, if she really bought them, he would be embarrassed to give the shoes to He Hui.

Unexpectedly, Shen Chuning actually remembered.

And she even found time to buy the shoes in such a busy situation.

Shen Zhengxu’s ears were slightly flushed, “Ningning, I… it’s not good for me, a grown man, to give shoes to Xiaohui. Or you…”

Before Shen Zhengxu finished speaking, Shen Chuning interrupted, “Okay, I’ll be your and Sister He Hui’s messenger, I’ll deliver the shoes to Sister He Hui.”

Hearing Shen Chuning’s words, Shen Zhengxu breathed a sigh of relief, but he was still a little uneasy.

Shen Chuning returned to her house to pack her things first.

Lin Shulan, seeing her return next door, quickly ran over and asked, “Ningning, how is your second brother?”

Shen Chuning told Lin Shulan about Shen Zhengliang’s situation.

Lin Shulan patted her thigh with heartbreak, “This child is really something! Even if he’s angry with his father, he shouldn’t have run away from home, the world is so chaotic now!”

“Mother, I’ll be going to the hospital to take care of Second Brother these days, I might not be able to take care of the house, I’ll have to trouble you to keep an eye on the house.” Shen Chuning said apologetically to Lin Shulan.

Some unreasonable mothers-in-law would think that a daughter-in-law who had married into their family shouldn’t take care of her own family, and helping her own family was even more wrong.

“Ningning, don’t worry, Mother will watch over the house. Go and take care of your second brother with peace of mind.” Lin Shulan immediately promised.

“Thank you, Mother.” Shen Chuning said gratefully, also glad that she had met a reasonable mother-in-law.

“Don’t thank me, we’re family, it’s only right to help each other when we’re in trouble.”