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“However, among the nearby villages, only Dayangshu Village has a Doctor Yang. But with the strong winds and heavy snow at this hour, and with the sky completely dark, even if we were to call for him, he probably wouldn’t come,” Jiang Youcheng explained.
“In that case, rest assured and stay here. Tomorrow morning, I’ll go and fetch the doctor to have a proper look at your condition,” Jiang Youcheng assured him.
“Thank you, Uncle,” Zhu Yongwu expressed his gratitude once again.
Truly, they had encountered a kind-hearted family.
Zhu Yongwu felt a warm feeling in his heart.
Jiang Youcheng and Liu shi tidied up a room in the east wing for the father and son to stay in. The room was always kept clean, but since it was usually unoccupied, they hadn’t lit a fire in it. However, they had placed a brazier with charcoal inside, and the blankets were warm from being heated, so it wasn’t cold.
After settling in, Zhu Yongwu took out a purse of money from his clothes, intending to give it to Jiang Youcheng, saying, “Uncle, Auntie and your daughter have been here all this while. I feel bad about taking this. We’ve been a bit of a bother staying here, so please accept this.”
Zhu Yongwu handed a silver coin to Jiang Youcheng, urging him, “Please don’t be polite. It’s only right. My leg will need a few days here, and I’ll have to call for the doctor. This will cause you and Auntie some trouble. If you don’t take this, I’ll feel really uneasy about it.”
Jiang Youcheng and Liu shi, as kind as they were, didn’t expect to provide for their father and son without compensation. It was only fair to pay for their food and lodging.
Jiang Youcheng thought for a moment and then accepted the silver coin. “Alright, I’ll accept this for now. We can settle any difference later, once your leg has healed.”
They had taken good care of Zhu Yongwu and his son without shortchanging them. They considered it a simple landlord-tenant relationship, so accepting the silver coin was appropriate.
Observing Jiang Youcheng’s response, Zhu Yongwu chuckled.
After having a brief conversation with Zhu Yongwu, Jiang Youcheng prepared a pot of hot water for him, showed him the location of the chamber pot, and advised him to call for assistance if needed during the night. “Get some rest. If you need anything during the night, we’re in the eastern wing, so just call out. Don’t hesitate to ask if you need anything,” Jiang Youcheng insisted, adding a hint of humor to his last remark.
Zhu Yongwu was amused. “Don’t worry, Uncle. I’ll make myself at home here. It’s late; you should get some rest as well.”
“Okay,” Jiang Youcheng replied and went back to his own room.
Zhu Guangtai closed the door, secured the bolt, undressed, and obediently lay down next to Zhu Yongwu. The warm bed made him stretch out comfortably, feeling at ease.
“Father, is your ankle still hurting?” Zhu Guangtai asked.
“It’s much better now, not as painful as before,” Zhu Yongwu replied truthfully.
Walking through the snow and using the makeshift branch as a cane hadn’t been very effective. He had to exert more force on his injured foot, and with the icy conditions and the mud on his shoes and pants, the pain had been particularly intense.
At that time, the pain in his ankle had been excruciating.
But now, after warming up and being able to lie down comfortably in a warm bed, with his ankle cleaned, even if it still hurt, it wasn’t as intense.
“Uncle Jiang said he will fetch the doctor early tomorrow morning to examine you,” Zhu Guangtai said, looking up at his father.
“Yes, Uncle Jiang and his family are good people,” Zhu Yongwu said, smiling as he ruffled Zhu Guangtai’s head. “It’s late; time to sleep.”
After a long day of traveling, Zhu Yongwu could see the fatigue on Zhu Guangtai’s face.
Upon hearing the word “sleep,” Zhu Guangtai let out a big yawn, burrowed into the covers, clung tightly to his father’s arm, and closed his eyes.
After a moment, he lifted his head, “Father, will we be able to find our great-grandfather’s house?”
“We should be able to,” Zhu Yongwu replied, patting Zhu Guangtai’s head once again.
To be honest, Zhu Yongwu had no certainty about this matter. He only knew that his maternal grandfather’s family was in Anmi County, but he had no details about whether they resided in the county town or in a specific village within the county.
Since his birth, he had never visited his maternal grandfather’s house and had never met anyone from there. He’d only heard from a few aunts who were close to his mother, mentioning that his mother had two sisters and two brothers.
Over the years, he had no idea whether his maternal grandfather’s family was still there, who remained in the family, or whether they even knew of his existence.
Moreover, with the passing of so many years without contact, there wasn’t much emotional connection. After his mother’s death, no one from his maternal grandfather’s family had come to see him, indicating they likely didn’t hold him in high regard.
Zhu Yongwu understood that such a relationship might not lead to a harmonious reunion, but at the moment, he had no other place to go.
Most villages tended to be insular, especially towards those from outside, and settling in an ordinary village would likely involve cautious and guarded interactions. Zhu Guangtai might also face bullying from the local children.
If he were to settle in a town or the county seat, his limited funds would make it difficult to secure housing. Additionally, if he had to work outside to earn money, he would likely have to travel far, leaving Zhu Guangtai alone at home, a situation he was extremely uncomfortable with, considering how the neighbors might treat his son in his absence.
In short…
Zhu Yongwu was burdened with numerous concerns and was unsure of the best course of action.
However, presently, his worries seemed to have dissipated.
With his leg injured, he couldn’t go anywhere, which oddly brought a sense of stability to his wavering heart.
Moreover, the family he was staying with appeared extremely warm and sincere, exuding genuine kindness, which made him feel even more at ease.
Zhu Yongwu pulled the blanket up a little, “It’s okay if we can’t find it. As long as we’re together, anywhere is home with you, my son.”
“Okay!” Zhu Guangtai nodded vigorously, grinned, and said, “Anywhere is home as long as I’m with you, Father.”
“It’s time to sleep,” Zhu Yongwu urged.
After a while without a response from Zhu Guangtai, Zhu Yongwu looked down to find his son fast asleep, breathing steadily, with his arm still tightly wrapped around Zhu Yongwu’s.
Zhu Yongwu tried to move his own arm, but found that he couldn’t. Over the past two years, Zhu Guangtai had always slept this way, fearing they might be separated.
Having a father like him, the child had truly endured a lot.
The crease in Zhu Yongwu’s brow deepened as he made two attempts to gently remove Zhu Guangtai’s hand from his arm and place it back under the covers. Seeing that Zhu Guangtai remained undisturbed, he breathed a sigh of relief, blew out the oil lamp on the table, and closed his eyes.
The next morning, Jiang Youcheng set out early to Dayangshu Village to fetch the doctor.
Due to the heavy snow, it was difficult to travel, and by the time he brought Doctor Yang to the house, the sun had already risen high.
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