Chapter 374: Chapter 373: The Heartless and Carefree Patient
Just yesterday, Li Xiaoshan lost the wood-chopping competition and didn’t say a word of acknowledgnt to Zhao Zhuangshi.
But today… he truly admired Zhao Zhuangshi.
Zhao Zhuangshi pinched his cigarette case and took a look, then paused, “You… what’s this about? Pitying ?”
Li Xiaoshan turned his head away and cleared his throat twice before saying, “No, the Cooperative Society was out of Big Economy, so, so… next ti we bet, if I lose, I won’t buy you cigarettes anymore.”
Zhao Zhuangshi, a straightforward guy, didn’t catch Li Xiaoshan’s discomfort and without much thought just nodded: “Ah, that’s fine, consider it on for three tis!”
Li Xiaoshan’s eyes were sowhat red as he nodded and grunted in a low voice.
Zhao Zhuangshi held his cigarettes, grinning foolishly, completely disregarding his injury and not even asking how the Yu Xiangqin he had saved was doing.
Others felt sorry for him but didn’t dare to say anything, rely forcing a smile in response.
The hospital room door creaked open again, and Lin Nianhe entered carrying several cans of yellow peach and two lunch boxes.
She patted the snow off her shoulders, walked to the bedside, placed the cans and lunch boxes on the table, and said as she held Widow Zhao’s shoulder, “Aunt Zhao, it’s past two o’clock; you all need to eat sothing. I bought so food, it’s a bit cold, get so hot water to warm it up, please.”
“I…” How could Widow Zhao have an appetite? But upon seeing her son’s pale face, she nodded, wiped her tears, and stood up, “Okay, I’ll take care of it.”
Her knees shook slightly as she stood up, her hand trembled as she held the lunch box.
In just a few hours, her back was noticeably more hunched than before.
Lin Nianhe pressed her lips together, her feelings complicated.
After arriving at the clinic, she had considered transferring Zhao Zhuangshi to the provincial city or even a military hospital if treatnt here wasn’t possible. However, after the doctor showed her the X-ray, Zhao Zhuangshi’s left foot was almost smashed to pieces; such an injury could not be delayed. If they insisted on taking him by train to the provincial city, there was a risk of infection and necrosis that could lead directly to amputation.
In an era where there were only one or two thousand ambulances in the whole country, inter-regional ergency transfer was nearly impossible.
Fortunately, the old director of the clinic was a forr army doctor skilled in orthopedic surgery. Hearing how badly Zhao Zhuangshi was injured, he personally perford the surgery and saved his leg.
As Widow Zhao’s figure disappeared at the door, Lin Nianhe ca back to reality and turned to Li Dahe, “Uncle Team Leader, I just called the team; Sister Xiangqin hit her head, she’s still confused and can’t get down from the kang. Everything else seems alright, no major issues.”
After being knocked down by Zhao Zhuangshi, Yu Xiangqin twisted her ankle again, and her head swelled up with a bump the size of an egg hitting a stone. Principal Wu said she kept feeling dizzy, and she vomited twice, which likely ant a concussion.
Li Dahe frowned, “Should we transfer her here, too? We can’t afford for anything to happen to her.”
“The Principal said she’s still conscious, should be fine.”
“Ah, well that’s good, then.”
Li Dahe sighed.
He was genuinely worried today. Such a serious accident, two people seriously injured, and on top of that, it started snowing, and the firewood still wasn’t finished.
One thing after another made the hundred or so yuan spent seem less important.
Money spent can be earned again, but being alive is more important than anything.
Lin Nianhe looked at their solemn faces, and after a mont of silence, she lifted the corners of her mouth and said to Zhao Zhuangshi, “You get well soon. Once you’ve recovered, I’ll teach you an extra phrase.”
Zhao Zhuangshi glared at her, complaining with a sense of grievance, “The phrase you owe , you haven’t taught yet!”
“Oh? I forgot,” Lin Nianhe chuckled dryly, “I didn’t have inspiration just then, let think about it.”
After learning three hundred words, Zhao Zhuangshi was quite excited to find Lin Nianhe. But every ti he brought it up, it seed sothing more important interrupted them.
Afterward ca the autumn harvest and the affairs of the match factory, so much ti passed that he almost forgot about it.
Lin Nianhe observed his expression and was determined to repay the debt regardless. But disparaging it without the right emotional tone proved impossible, and as she pondered with furrowed brows, Widow Zhao ca back with heated food, yet she hadn’t figured it out.
The al was bought by Lin Nianhe at the State-Owned Restaurant: stewed pork ribs with radish and rice, along with two boiled eggs.
Zhao Zhuangshi chuckled while eating radish, “This injury is worth it, I’m eating better than during the New Year festival!”
Before, when he got injured from fighting, he had never received such treatnt. When injured, the best he could hope for upon returning ho was not getting another beating from his mother.
Widow Zhao clenched her teeth, tears falling into the lunchbox.
Li Dahe gave Lin Nianhe a look, then said to Widow Zhao, “Sister-in-law, you stay with Zhuangshi. I’ll head back and have your sister-in-law pack so things to bring over.” He paused before adding, “Don’t be too agitated. If you need money, just say the word.”
“Okay, okay,” Widow Zhao put down the lunchbox, sniffled, and said, “I’ll walk you out.”
“Don’t bother. He can’t be left alone here.” Li Dahe waved his hand, indicating she shouldn’t see them off.
Lin Nianhe was close and naturally took her arm, slipped the bicycle key into her hand, “Aunt Zhao, I won’t be riding the bike back, you can use it. It’ll be more convenient for you to co and go.”
“This… this…” Widow Zhao held the sparkling bike key in her palm, her eyes filled with tears as she looked at Lin Nianhe.
“Don’t see us off,” Lin Nianhe said, opening her arms and giving her a hug, “It’ll all be alright… The textile factory recently has work making Head Flower, if you can do it, I’ll ask them to reserve a spot for you.”
Widow Zhao had to care for Zhao Zhuangshi in the hospital, which ant she couldn’t work gluing matchboxes anymore. If her sewing skills were decent, she could take on this work.
Widow Zhao’s eyes, dim for so long, finally brightened a bit. She held Lin Nianhe’s hand and nodded tremulously, “Miss Lin… thank you. I don’t know what to say… From now on, you can count on for anything.”
“That’s good, don’t be too sad, everyone at ho is counting on you.”
“Okay, okay!”
Widow Zhao was resilient; otherwise, she wouldn’t have managed to raise two kids on her own.
When facing such a drastic change, she might feel as if she had swallowed two pounds of bitter herb, but she could still hold on. She had survived even harder tis than this, and she was determined to get through this one as well.
After seeing off the visitors, she took a deep breath, rubbed her face, and turned around with a smile.
Her eldest son was wolfing down his food, the sounds of him devouring the rice made it seem… as if nothing serious had happened to him.
Widow Zhao returned to her seat, intending to force so food into her mouth, when she noticed a little pile of ribs in her lunchbox.
Widow Zhao’s emotions, which had just stabilized, surged again. She picked up a rib and extended it towards Zhuangshi’s lunchbox, all the while saying, “You eat yours, I don’t like ribs.”
“You don’t like anything all day.” Zhao Zhuangshi twisted away from her, he shoveled another two mouthfuls of rice before turning to Widow Zhao, “Hey mom, since I broke my leg, will the clinic issue a ticket to buy ribs? Could you bring so to my little sis?”
Widow Zhao paused, then nodded, “Alright, I will go ask the Doctor.”
“And ask when I can be discharged? It’s just a broken leg, doesn’t stop from moving around.”
“Why the rush to leave the hospital? Just rest. Don’t worry about ho.”
“Aw, I had arranged to play cards with Erdun and them when I went up the mountain today.”
“Get lost! Did I smile too nicely at you?”
“Hey, don’t hit , I’m already injured… or let them co here, I can play from here.”
“…!”
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