Gao Erzhu was truly ruthless. Not only did he steal their things, but he actually kicked them down the mountain. What a vicious child.
"This... this... this..." Old Man Gao looked completely at a loss. He looked from one person to the next, desperate for someone to speak up on his behalf.
Unfortunately for him, since they were all from the same village, Gouwa’s mother knew the Gao family far too well and had witnessed their dirty tricks plenty of times.
"Leave. You aren’t welcome here, so stop putting on an act," Bai Jiu demanded, driving him away. "I know exactly why you’re here. Let me tell you right now—it’s impossible."
Seeing her reaction, Old Man Gao realized his trip had been in vain. He had braced himself for this outcome, however. Though his face showed disappointment, in his heart, he was already forming a new plan for his eldest grandson. Bai Jiu, of course, was completely unaware of his thoughts.
Although a fight between children wouldn’t typically warrant a police report, it depended on the individuals involved. As a surviving dependent with special status, she certainly had the right to press charges.
With that, Old Man Gao returned from the hospital looking dejected. He hadn’t even bothered to ask a single question about Gouwa, which absolutely infuriated Gouwa’s mother. Once the old man was gone, she turned to comfort Bai Jiu.
"Don’t worry. Xiuxiu and Zhengyang will definitely be alright. Didn’t the doctor say their condition is somewhat stable?" she said. After her own son had fallen asleep, she had gone to check on Xiuxiu and Zhengyang’s condition herself. The nurse had mentioned that while the two children suffered head injuries, examinations showed no blood clots in their brains. They just needed to wake up. However, they were diagnosed with concussions. Although she didn’t fully understand what a concussion was, the grim look on the nurse’s face suggested it was a serious condition. Being a simple village woman, she didn’t grasp the medical details and chose to focus only on the positive news. Still, it was enough to offer some comfort right now. Deep down, she knew the two children were going to suffer terribly this time.
"I’m alright. Is Gouwa feeling any better?" Bai Jiu asked apologetically, looking at the boy on the hospital bed. If he hadn’t tried to help Xiuxiu and Zhengyang, Gouwa wouldn’t have had to suffer like this. He was a good child, and she would definitely repay his kindness in the future.
"Gouwa is a tough kid. He’s been running all over the mountains with his father since he was little. He just caught a chill, but his fever has broken now," Gouwa’s mother replied. "The doctor said it’s nothing serious, just to keep an eye out for a cough. If he doesn’t develop one, he can be discharged the day after tomorrow."
Her son had practically walked up to death’s door and back; of course, her heart ached for him. But compared to Xiuxiu and Zhengyang, Gouwa had been incredibly lucky.
"Alas, it’s my children’s fault for dragging Gouwa into this. I’m so sorry," Bai Jiu apologized, looking at Gouwa’s pale face.
"How could you possibly blame Zhengyang and Xiuxiu? If anyone is to blame, it’s that Erzhu. That boy is far too vicious. To be so ruthless at such a young age... I’m afraid when he grows up—" Gouwa’s mother cut herself off, realizing she might have spoken out of turn. Even though Bai Jiu’s conflict with the Gao family had blown up, she was still afraid that Bai Jiu might hold onto some lingering affection for her blood relatives.
"Don’t worry. I saw through that family a long time ago. There’s not a single good person among them," Bai Jiu reassured her, understanding Gouwa’s mother’s hesitation. The original owner of this body might have had some reservations, but she was not the original owner. Her own children were hovering between life and death; why would she care about those outsiders? "I won’t let Erzhu off the hook. Once the children wake up, I have my own ways of dealing with him."
She had already made up her mind. Even if it made the production captain and the village chief dislike her, she was going to raise hell over this. The worst-case scenario was simply selling the goods from her spatial inventory, taking the children, and moving to the county town to buy a small house. Transferring their household registrations would be even simpler. Given her current status, the village wouldn’t dare make things difficult for her.
Seeing her firm resolve, Gouwa’s mother didn’t try to persuade her otherwise. After all, one doesn’t know true pain until it strikes their own flesh and blood. Besides, she wasn’t going to just let the matter with her own son drop, either.
Bai Jiu took full financial responsibility for Gouwa’s meals and expenses while he was in the hospital. Fortunately, the very next day, Xiuxiu and Zhengyang finally woke up in the intensive care ward. However, as soon as they regained consciousness, they began vomiting severely. Bai Jiu knew exactly what this meant—a concussion—and the doctor quickly confirmed the diagnosis. The only cure was rest. In this era, there was no specific medication available to treat it.
Gouwa was discharged the day after Xiuxiu and Zhengyang woke up. Bai Jiu paid for all his medical bills. During their stay, Gouwa’s mother had also helped take care of Xiuxiu and Zhengyang. Bai Jiu silently committed this favor to memory.
"Mom... SOB... I feel sick." No matter how sensible they were, they were still just four years old. Crying when they felt unwell was pure instinct.
"Don’t cry, sweetheart. Just stay still. You’ll feel better after lying down for a few days," Bai Jiu coaxed softly. Seeing them in such a state made her heart ache. Yet, there was nothing she could do to ease their pain. All she could do was try to nourish them, but unfortunately, they couldn’t keep any food down. The doctor advised feeding them a liquid diet, adding that if it didn’t work, they would have to administer IV nutrition. They struggled like this in the hospital for over half a month before the two children could finally eat normally again.
"Zhengyang, keep an eye on Xiuxiu for a bit. I’m going out to buy a chicken to make some nourishing soup for you two." She had been cooped up in the hospital for half a month, not daring to step away for even a second. Now that they were finally on the mend, it was time for her to start making preparations.
"Okay, I’ll watch over my sister. When you bring it back, we can eat it together." Zhengyang noticed how much thinner his mother had gotten over the past few weeks, and it broke his heart. It filled him with regret—had he known this would happen, he would have just let Erzhu take the rabbit. Not only had they spent so much money on the hospital stay, but they had also caused their mother endless worry.
"Good boy." Bai Jiu planted a kiss on Zhengyang’s gaunt little cheek. She then looked over at Xiuxiu, who was fast asleep, and gently kissed her face as well.
After leaving the ward, she greeted the nurses at the station and asked them to keep an eye on the children, promising to return soon. The nurses had a wonderful impression of Bai Jiu. Over the past couple of weeks, she had frequently given them snacks. Sometimes it was fruit, and other times, creamy milk candies. Setting the milk candies aside, fresh fruit was incredibly rare. Getting one’s hands on any fruit in the dead of winter was practically impossible.
So, upon hearing her request, they all readily agreed. "Don’t worry, Sister Bai. We’ll make sure to watch over Zhengyang and Xiuxiu for you." Though they had their own duties to attend to, popping in to check on the children occasionally wouldn’t be a problem at all.
"Thank you all so much," Bai Jiu said gratefully.
"No need to thank us. We’ve enjoyed plenty of your treats lately. It’s just watching the kids for a few hours. Rest assured, Bai Jiu," said a slightly plump nurse who had grown somewhat close to Bai Jiu, beaming brightly. She was in charge of this floor anyway, so looking after patients was her job. Plus, Sister Bai had frequently slipped her extra goodies on the side. Even if Bai Jiu hadn’t explicitly asked, she would have kept a closer eye on them regardless.
After leaving the hospital, Bai Jiu hopped on a bus headed for the county town. Upon arriving, the first thing she did was find a secluded spot to retrieve her woven basket and grain from her spatial inventory.
Her very first stop was Granny Wu’s house. The scheduled time for her delivery to Granny Wu had already passed.
Her arrival absolutely delighted Granny Wu. "I’ve been anxiously waiting for you!" Granny Wu said, her face lighting up with immense joy upon seeing her. Without another word, she immediately ushered Bai Jiu inside.
Today, her daughter-in-law was also at home. The recent improvements in their household’s living conditions certainly couldn’t be hidden from her. Besides, Granny Wu had never intended to keep it a secret. If a family wanted to prosper, everyone had to pull together and work as one. Although her daughter-in-law had a few minor flaws, her heart was still entirely devoted to the family.