Seeing her nephew in such a dispirited state, with all his fighting spirit gone and his will completely shattered,
Song Auntie’s heart ached terribly.
Her nephew’s life had been full of suffering.
That scoundrel of a younger brother had been their parents’ late-born son. After giving birth to several daughters, they had finally had a son, and he was their only one. Because of that, their parents had spoiled him rotten, and he had never amounted to anything respectable!
Before the two elders died, they had at least found that scoundrel of a younger brother a good wife. Yet even after marrying such a fine woman, he still had not given either his wife or child a good life!
In the dead of winter, he had stolen money from the house, run off to drink with others until he was drunk, and ended up freezing to death outside!
He had left behind his younger brother’s widow and their still-young son, a lonely mother and child.
Her younger brother’s widow had refused to remarry. She had firmly chosen to stay and raise her son.
Although she and her sisters had done their best to help, there had only been so much they could do. Their own families had not been well off either.
His mother had held everything together through sheer determination. After her nephew enlisted in the army, she had finally let herself relax, only to fall gravely ill. Her body had already been worn out beyond repair, and there had been no saving her.
Her nephew had lost his father first, then his mother. He had finally managed to establish himself in the army and marry a wife. Just when it had seemed that better days were within reach, both of his legs had been ruined, leaving him disabled.
Song Auntie wiped away her tears, her heart aching for him.
Still, it was a blessing amidst misfortune. As long as he was alive, that was enough. It was enough that he had made it home alive!
Song Auntie wiped her tears away, tucked the quilt around him, and said, “Your wife is capable. With her by your side from now on, you don’t need to worry! And it’s not just your wife. You’ve still got your Auntie. I’ll help her too. Together we’ll take care of you. We won’t let you suffer any hardship!”
What Song Qingfeng wanted to tell his aunt was exactly this. “Auntie, let her go. She’s still young. She can’t spend her whole life tied down because of me.”
Song Auntie’s face instantly turned pale. “Your wife wants to leave?”
Song Qingfeng shook his head. “No. I’m the one telling her to leave. You’ve seen what I’ve become. I can’t give her happiness anymore.”
Song Auntie became anxious as soon as she heard that. “How could that be? You still receive a fifteen-yuan monthly subsidy! Besides, your wife is very capable. During the two years you were away, she never missed a single day of work. She always earned full work points. She doesn’t even need you to support her!”
Song Qingfeng looked at his aunt. “My mother struggled her entire life too. She never dared rest for even a day, and in the end, Auntie, you know what happened. Let her go. She doesn’t need to waste her life on me. Otherwise, she’ll end up just like my mother.”
“You foolish child, why won’t you listen? If she leaves, who’ll take care of you? Auntie can help, but I’m already this old. Who knows what day I might lie down and never get back up again? Your wife has to be the main one looking after you!”
“Besides, you spent five hundred yuan to marry her in the first place. You also saved her life!”
“Now it’s her turn to repay you!”
Outside, Qiao Nianyao and her cousin-in-law Lin Xiaohong heard every word exchanged between the aunt and nephew inside the room. Those words were, in fact, deliberately spoken by Song Auntie for Qiao Nianyao to hear.
Lin Xiaohong looked toward Qiao Nianyao.
There was not the slightest ripple of emotion on Qiao Nianyao’s face. She gently stroked Da Huang. Da Huang comfortably narrowed its eyes as its master quietly channeled her supernatural ability into its body through her touch.
She did not care about what Song Auntie was saying to Song Qingfeng inside the room.
Not allowing her to leave was the normal selfishness of ordinary people. Everyone was human. No one was a saint. Her nephew had become disabled, and she herself was getting old. How could she possibly be willing to let Qiao Nianyao leave?
If their positions were reversed, she would not agree either. Others could call her selfish if they wanted. No matter what they said, the person had to stay.
Just then, Song Auntie’s eldest son, Zhou Dashan, along with her grandsons Zhou Dong and Zhou Liang,
her second son, Zhou Xiaoshan, and his sons Zhou Zuo, Zhou You, and Zhou Zhong, all arrived in a large group.
“Aunt-in-law, what’s wrong with Uncle?” Zhou Liang was the first to ask.
They had all gone with the production brigade to deliver the public grain. Who would have thought that as soon as they returned, they would hear the news that Song Qingfeng’s legs had been crippled and that the army had sent him home?
“He’s inside. Go in and see him,” Qiao Nianyao said.
The brothers Zhou Dashan and Zhou Xiaoshan then led their respective sons into the room.
Since her husband Zhou Dong was there, Lin Xiaohong followed them inside as well.
As soon as they entered the room, they saw Song Qingfeng’s condition.
“Qingfeng, how are you?” Zhou Dashan asked.
“Brother Dashan, Brother Xiaoshan, I’m fine,” Song Qingfeng replied, looking at them, then at Zhou Dong, Zhou Liang, Zhou Zuo, Zhou You, and Zhou Zhong. “You brothers don’t need to worry either.”
“As long as you’re back safe, Uncle, we aren’t worried about anything else. Everything else is a small matter!” Zhou Liang said.
“That’s right. The most important thing is that you came back alive. Nothing else is a problem!” Zhou Dong nodded as well.
“Exactly. It’s enough that Uncle came home.”
“That’s right, that’s right. Everything else is a small matter.”
Zhou Zuo, Zhou You, and Zhou Zhong all nodded repeatedly in agreement.
The brothers Zhou Dashan and Zhou Xiaoshan, however, remained silent.
Neither of them had ever imagined that the spirited younger cousin they had once known would become like this.
Song Auntie then said to her nephew, “Did you hear that? You still have all your nephews. They can all help you!”
“That’s right. Whatever happens, you’ve got us!” Zhou Dong and Zhou Liang quickly nodded.
Song Qingfeng said nothing more.
At that moment, Lin Xiaohong spoke up. “Aunt-in-law made this bowl of noodles, didn’t she? They’re about to get soggy. Uncle, you should eat them first.”
Only then did Song Auntie notice the bowl of noodles on the kang table. “Your wife made these for you?”
“Mm.”
Song Auntie was very pleased. “Then why are they still sitting there? Eat them first, or they’ll get cold.”
Song Qingfeng had no appetite, but not wanting his aunt to worry, he still ate the noodles.
Lin Xiaohong came outside and asked Qiao Nianyao, “Aunt-in-law, which towel should I use for wiping Uncle’s hands and mouth?”
Qiao Nianyao went inside, took out a clean towel, dampened it with water, and then brought it over to Song Qingfeng.
Everyone’s eyes turned toward her.
Zhou Dashan spoke first. “Cousin-in-law, don’t worry. Our family lives right here in the village. Whatever happens with Qingfeng, you won’t have to bear it alone. We’ll all lend a hand.”
“That’s right, Aunt-in-law. If you need anything, just call for us!” Zhou Dong and Zhou Liang both said.
Seeing that they had all expressed their support, Zhou Xiaoshan also said, “The whole family is here. Just put your mind at ease!”
The three brothers, Zhou Zuo, Zhou You, and Zhou Zhong, all nodded as well.
Qiao Nianyao shook her head. “I can take good care of Qingfeng. You don’t need to worry.”
Song Qingfeng glanced at her and was just about to say something when voices came from outside.
The Old Branch Secretary had arrived together with Brigade Leader Song.
“Old Branch Secretary, Old Fourteen, you’ve come,” Song Auntie said.
“Old Branch Secretary, Brigade Leader,” Zhou Dashan and Zhou Xiaoshan greeted them as well.
Qiao Nianyao, Lin Xiaohong, Zhou Dong, Zhou Liang, Zhou Zuo, Zhou You, and Zhou Zhong also greeted the Old Branch Secretary and the Brigade Leader.
“Uncle, Fourteenth Uncle,” Song Qingfeng greeted them, forcing himself to appear energetic as he leaned against the wall.
The predecessor of Hongqi Brigade had been Song Family Village. Song Family Village had earned its name because more than half of its residents bore the surname Song. Nearly everyone in the village was related by blood to some degree, all descending from the same ancestral line.
The clan traditions here were especially strong. According to the family hierarchy, both the Old Branch Secretary and Brigade Leader Song belonged to the generation of Song Qingfeng’s father’s elder brothers. Song Qingfeng’s father himself had been a late-born son.
He had been one of those people who were young in age but belonged to a senior generation within the family hierarchy.
As the only son in his father’s branch of the family, Song Qingfeng had suffered such a tragedy. As respected elders of the clan, they naturally had to come and see him.