23
Her Confidence
His father was truly timid. If he, Liu Quan, were his father, he wouldn’t be afraid of his mother at all.
He would definitely find a gentle wife in the future, one who wouldn’t dare disobey him in the slightest.
She must listen to him – if he said go west, she would go west.
“The doctor is here.”
Upon seeing the old woman, the doctor immediately had her carried into the house and helped onto the bed.
Liu Yao Zong carefully carried his grandmother into the room.
Grandpa Liu was still smoking his water pipe, appearing completely unaware of what had happened.
Grandpa Liu was shocked to see his wife injured – she had only been out for a short while and returned covered in wounds.
The doctor followed closely behind, waiting until they had settled Grandma Liu on the bed before beginning to check her pulse. He asked someone to fetch clean water to wipe away the blood on her head.
Yu Xiang went to get a basin of water and, following the doctor’s instructions, slowly cleaned the blood.
When the blood was cleaned away, the wound was about the size of a newborn baby’s clenched fist.
After Yu Xiang left, the doctor applied medicine to the wound and bandaged it.
“These are symptoms of anger affecting the heart. After all, she’s elderly and not in good health. Don’t anger her like this in the future. Apply this medicine three times daily. When the medicine runs out, come find me and I’ll examine her again.” The doctor left the medicine and departed.
This time it cost five hundred wen.
After the doctor left, it seemed no one remembered Liu Qing Yang.
Liu Qing Yang could hear voices, but whenever he tried to speak, he would cough. He had no idea what was happening.
Before Liu Quan could rest properly, he saw Liu Yao Zong carrying their grandmother from the kitchen to the room, her face covered in blood.
He listened from the doorway, feeling very strange.
Did Grandma have foresight?
Otherwise, how could she get injured right after he went to fetch the doctor? How miraculous.
After the doctor left, Grandpa Liu asked with a grim expression: “What exactly happened?”
No one dared to answer or say anything.
Should they say Song Xiao Lan pushed Grandma? That would surely anger Grandpa to death.
Seeing everyone’s silence, Liu Yao Zong had no choice but to speak up.
Liu Yao Zong went before his grandfather and knelt down. From his mother’s reaction, he already knew who was responsible.
He explained: “For some reason, Mother and Grandma had an argument, and accidentally…”
Even though Liu Yao Zong didn’t finish, Grandpa Liu understood the outcome. He glanced around but didn’t see Song Xiao Lan.
Looking at Liu Yao Zong kneeling on the ground, he asked in a deep voice: “Where’s your mother? Now that she’s caused trouble, she’s scared? Did she run back to her parents’ home?”
Liu Yao Zong didn’t know how to respond and could only remain silent.
Grandpa Liu waved his hand helplessly: “Go back to your room and prepare for the examination.”
“Yes.” Liu Yao Zong said nothing more and left.
“Second daughter-in-law, go summon her back. Tell her to consider whether she wants her son to properly take the Children’s Examination. If she doesn’t want to return, then don’t come back.” Then he shooed everyone out.
After such an incident, they didn’t even go to work in the fields.
Song Xiao Lan had fearfully returned to her parents’ home, having slipped out when no one was paying attention. She trembled the entire way.
Fortunately, there weren’t many people around, and no one asked where she was going.
When she reached her parents’ home, she didn’t dare enter.
It was her mother who eventually noticed her.
“Lan’er?” The old woman was pouring water when she accidentally spotted someone at the main gate who resembled her daughter.
She called out without thinking.
Song Xiao Lan cried: “Mother… wuwuwu, it’s me.” She ran over and hugged her mother.
Wu Wan looked at her crying daughter, thinking she had been wronged, and asked: “What’s this about? Tell your mother.” She had three sons but only this one daughter.
Therefore, she doted on this daughter greatly.
Song Xiao Lan’s face was deathly pale, her lower lip clenched tightly, her trembling voice unable to form words for a long time.
Seeing her daughter unable to speak and growing paler, Wu Wan had no choice but to first bring her inside.
Wu Wan held her daughter and comforted her: “It’s alright, it’s alright. Your mother is here. If not, your brothers are here too. We’re not afraid.”
Song Xiao Lan’s body still trembled involuntarily. She looked pitifully at Wu Wan and said: “Mother, can you hold me while I sleep like when I was little? Wuwuwu~”
Seeing her cry, Wu Wan had no choice but to agree, and didn’t ask what had happened.
Soon after, Yu Xiang arrived at Song Xiao Lan’s parents’ home.
“Sister-in-law, are you here? The family wants you to come back?”
As soon as Yu Xiang finished speaking, Song Xiao Lan in Wu Wan’s arms had calmed down somewhat from her mother’s comfort.
But she immediately began trembling reflexively again – she was truly terrified.
Wu Wan patted her back affectionately and asked: “We won’t go back, alright?” Don’t be afraid.”
“Mm.”
Yu Xiang knew she was in the room, just didn’t dare respond, much less go home with her.
Yu Xiang continued: “Father said, since Yao Zong needs to take the Children’s Examination soon, you should go take care of him. Otherwise, you needn’t bother.” Your son is going to take the Tongsheng examination.
He’s so knowledgeable, he’ll definitely pass. If you don’t return, he might not acknowledge you anymore.
See if the Liu Family doesn’t divorce you.
After saying this, Yu Xiang left. She had delivered the message – whether to return was Song Xiao Lan’s decision.
When Song Xiao Lan inside heard this, she couldn’t bear to abandon her son.
“Mother, I… I should go back now. Please pretend I never came.” Before her mother could react, Song Xiao Lan had already opened the door and left.
If… if Qing Yang recovered, would he divorce her? But she really didn’t mean to hit her mother-in-law.
What should she do?
When she reached her home’s entrance, she lingered for a long time before gathering the courage to open the main gate and quietly return to her room.
No one had been tending to Liu Qing Yang in the room – his waste had soiled the bed. She wanted to clean it up.
As soon as she touched Liu Qing Yang, he woke up, shouting: “Poisonous woman… get out… cough cough.” When he didn’t speak it was fine, but once he spoke he started coughing.
Song Xiao Lan explained quietly: “Let me help you clean up, alright?”
But Liu Qing Yang paid no attention, resisting vigorously, not letting Song Xiao Lan touch him.
Song Xiao Lan also grew angry and said indifferently: “Fine, I won’t care for you anymore.” Let whatever happens happen.
Her family had many people – she didn’t believe he would dare divorce her.
Song Xiao Lan made a bed on the floor to sleep.
Liu Qing Zhu was being well cared for and could speak normally, though he couldn’t talk for too long or his stomach would hurt.
“What happened today?” He had heard much noise in the house.
Yu Xiang couldn’t bear to trouble him further and explained: “Elder Brother and Sister-in-law had a disagreement. Don’t worry about it, just rest well.”
Hearing his wife say this, Liu Qing Zhu didn’t inquire further – this was Liu Qing Yang’s family matter.
He said gently: “Xiang’er, you’ve worked hard these past days.”
Yu Xiang smiled: “It’s no hardship at all. You’re my husband – I’m willing to care for you.”
The two presented a stark contrast to Liu Qing Yang’s situation.
As for Liu Shuhuai, he was like a transparent person, though he also knew what had happened today.
Auntie is truly brave.
If she dared lay hands on Grandma, that meant Grandma must have discovered what happened to Liu Qing Yang. Otherwise, how could such conflict arise?
What an excellent drama – he liked it.
If it were Brother He who was injured, he wouldn’t brush it off like Auntie did with Uncle.
He would take excellent care of Brother He, ensuring he remained fair and plump. ヾ(≧∪≦*)ノ〃