Chapter 36.1 

“Auntie, if you trust me and Xiaoxiao, we can take care of Zhuzi until adulthood. Nothing will change.”

Han Cheng understands the old woman’s concerns. Her son is gone. She is old, and her grandson is still so young. When she departs from this world, she doesn’t have anyone to whom she can entrust her grandson except her daughter-in-law, and she is also the mother of her grandson. She can’t control or stop her from remarrying, but she only has her to rely on.

The old woman thought so. In these years, there are many children in every household; if they can’t manage their own children, how could they have the energy to take care of Zhuzi? Grandma Zhang couldn’t find ease in entrusting her grandson to other people.

The most reassuring thing about Zhuzi’s mother is that she promised Grandma Zheng that, she would not change Zhuzi’s surname. 

At this time, the idea of inheriting the family name is still deeply rooted. As long as Zhuzi does not change his surname, wherever she goes, he will always be the person of their old Zhang family, and she will feel fulfilled for a hundred years more. During holidays, there would be someone who would take care of the ancestral tomb and offer a glass of wine to give honor to the ancestral tomb of the Zhang family. With this, she would not be regarded as the sinner of the old Zhang family.

Grandma Zhuzi looked at Han Cheng with her dim old eyes and then thought of the very kind Su Xiaoxiao. ‘This couple are good people.’

“My wife will go to work in the future. My family’s Xiao Doubao is less than two years old. It is not convenient to take Xiaoxiao to work. If he has to stay at home, he needs someone to take care of him at home. If you like, you can help take care of Xiao Doubao during the day. We will take care of your and Zhuzi’s meals. My family’s Fantuan and Zhuzi are about the same age. They can go to and from school together. After dinner, Zhuzi can stay at my house to study and go home after they are done with their homework.

Zhuzi’s mother won’t even give Zhuzi a bite of meat; do you really expect her to take good care of Zhuzi? Most probably, when Zhuzi becomes an adult, he will become a permanent worker for his mother’s new family. As long as he does the work, will Zhuzi’s mother care if he can go to school or if he has eaten enough food?

You don’t have to worry about us, managing your money. The amount of money the organization subsidies is very transparent, if you need the money, we will return it to you. We are just afraid that you might become softhearted and give the money to Zhuzi’s mother. If these funds were given to Zhuzi’s mother, they will never be returned, and Zhuzi will be the only one who suffers in the future. This move is not the worst choice in planning for Zhuzi’s future. You must think about it carefully.”

Han Cheng’s words can be said to reflect a sincere feeling of worry toward Zhuzi.

Zhuzi is a child who is worth extending your hand for; that’s why he had said so much. Besides, Xiaoxiao also wants to help Zhuzi. 

He and Su Xiaoxiao are not saints. Asking Grandma Zhang to take care of Xiao Doubao was not an excuse at all. Fantuan needs to go to school after the new year, and Xiao Doubai is too young to be left alone either. They can bring Xiao Doubao to work; nonetheless, asking Grandma Zhang for help still wasn’t a made-up excuse. Isn’t this just killing two birds with one stone? If they can ask for help, why not do it?

Grandma Zhuzi was actually excited inside. If it was somebody else and not the Han family, she might think that there might be a hidden motive. However, it was Han Cheng always had a good reputation in this area, and he was also the Head of the Military Hospital. Not to mention that his wife, Su Xiaoxiao, is also a kind-hearted young girl. Alas, her only worry and the main reason she didn’t want other people to take care of Zhuzi was that she was afraid that she would take advantage of her.

“Even if we exhaust all of the tickets and money in our family, we can’t afford to eat meat. Zhuzi and I will only take advantage of your family too much if this happens. Besides that, if I don’t give money to my daughter-in-law, she might make a fuss, and might bother your family too. In case she doesn’t recognize Zhuzi (as her son) in the future…..”

Grandma Zhang began to cry as she spoke: “Our family’s Zhuzi has no father, and his mother will not care about his well-being in the future. How pitiful he is, woo woo woo…”

In this era, people still value blood ties. Grandma Zhuzi felt that if she left and his mother didn’t care about him, Zhuzi would really become an orphan.

Chen Aimin handed Grandma Zhuzi a candy and asked her, “Grandma Zhuzi, what do you think of me?”

Grandma Zhuzi also couldn’t laugh or cry when she saw candy being handed down to her. She was not a child. Doctor Chen also coaxed her with sugar. 

Doctor Chen was very warm and helped her with her meals in the hospital. Other patients’ meals were delivered by the nurse attendants, but it was Doctor Chen who delivered her meals in person.

She nodded: “You are handsome and kind.”

Doctor Chen said: “Then you let Zhuzi recognize me as a godfather, and I will take care of Zhuzi in the future. What do you think?”

Grandma Zhuzi was even more puzzled: “Come on, Doctor Chen. Don’t join in the fun, you are not married yet, how can there be a single man who will be a godfather to other people’s child.”

Doctor Chen regretted: “That would be a pity. If I became Zhuzi’s godfather, surely I could go to Head Han’s house for a meal if I had this title. You don’t know how delicious their meal is. “

Grandma Zhuzi certainly knew that. She had smelled it several times when she passed by. Otherwise, why did she sell the stone snail to Han Cheng’s wife? Wasn’t it because she knew that they ate well?

But she can’t take advantage of others because of this. But if she helps take care of the children, it won’t be regarded as taking advantage of them too much. Didn’t Han Cheng’s wife say that the vegetable garden in their home is still empty? She can also help her plant and help with cleaning and serving the dishes. In short, she can Xiaoxiao with work and not shamelessly eat other people’s food for free.

After Grandma Zhuzi settled down and understood the setup, she had no more worries about accepting their offer. She knows that Zhuzi’s mother was unreliable, but no matter how unreliable she was, she was Zhuzi’s mother.

However, Han Cheng reminded her that, if she wanted to bring Zhuzi to live with her, why not do it now? Why in the future? Was she waiting for Zhuzi to grow up to make him become the permanent worker of their family? If so, won’t this be harming her grandson instead of paving the way for him to live a good life? 

Thinking of this, Grandma Zhuzi broke out in a cold sweat.

Han Cheng almost forgot what he was talking about when Dr. Chen interrupted him.

“Auntie, what do you think?” Han Cheng said all that should be said. If Grandma Zhuzi still doesn’t want to, he can’t force it anymore.

The old woman nodded: “OK, then this old woman will thicken her face to accept your kindness, and will trouble you later. But if Zhuzi’s mother comes to make trouble, it may trouble you even more.”

Han Cheng shook his head and said, “We are waiting for her to come back. You haven’t settled with her for the injury, and she shouldn’t have taken all the pension. At least half of it should be left for you and Zhuzi.”

It’s just that Grandma Zhuzi couldn’t get it back since she was the one who offered her the money in the first place.

Grandma Zhuzi sighed: “It’s not easy for her either. If she doesn’t marry with a little dowry, it won’t be so easy for others to accept her. Forget it, it’s my son’s poor life that made her a widow. She gave birth to Zhuzi for our old Zhang family anyway. After she left, I’ll count it as a blessing for Zhuzi.”

Han Cheng guessed that this would end like this. If she was not been such a kind-hearted old woman, she could not raise a child like Zhuzi. It was a blessing.

Now that it is finalized, Han Cheng has also completed the task assigned by Su Xiaoxiao.

Since Grandma Zhang has finally recovered, she can leave the hospital tomorrow morning. She had nothing to worry about, so she went through the discharge procedures directly, and went to the logistics department with the other soldiers. Under the witness of Zhao Xianfeng, she transferred the ownership of the food ticket to Han Cheng. Then, everything was settled.