Grandma Su held the kerosene lamp and moved closer to Su Jiu.
"Ah, Old Man, come here quickly!" Suddenly, Grandma Su let out a sharp scream, startling Su Youtian.
"What's going on? What happened to Jiu'er?" Su Youtian didn't even have time to put on his clothes. He threw off the covers and looked toward Xiao Jiu'er, who was lying against the wall at the foot of the kang.
In the dim light, Su Jiu's little face was completely covered in a layer of black, mud-like substance.
The closer she got, the stronger the foul stench became.
Without a doubt, the overwhelming stench was coming from little Jiu.
Grandma Su's hand holding the kerosene lamp trembled uncontrollably…
Their Jiu'er, how could she have turned into this state out of nowhere?
"First, get some water to wash Jiu'er." Su Youtian, being more composed, instructed in a low voice.
"Alright, I'll go right now." Grandma Su hurried to the kitchen to boil water.
It was already the fifth watch of the night.
Ever since Su Xiangdong went into the mountains to hunt, Mrs. Zhang had been sleeping restlessly. Hearing the commotion, she quickly dressed and came out.
"Mother, why are you busy in the kitchen so early?" Zhang Wanning walked into the kitchen, her face full of curiosity.
"It's good that Oldest Brother's wife is here. Help me watch the fire. I'll mix some warm water to wash Jiu'er!" Grandma Su immediately instructed.
Mrs. Zhang was confused. Bathing Jiu'er before dawn?
Did she have an accident?
Grandma Su didn't have time to explain too much. Carrying the warm water, she hurried toward the room.
It was the middle of winter.
At this moment, Grandma Su couldn't care too much. She stripped Su Jiu completely naked and placed her in the bathtub.
As soon as she was put in the tub, the water turned murky.
The little girl wasn't just covered in mud on her face; her entire body was covered.
Stripped naked and lying bare in the bathtub, Su Jiu felt so ashamed she could dig a hole in the wall with her toes.
In the end, Grandma Su and Mrs. Zhang worked together, making a total of five trips, before finally washing Su Jiu completely clean.
Outside, the sky was bright.
The washed Su Jiu looked clean and fair-skinned, her entire body as white as a steamed bun.
Mrs. Zhang stared at the little girl, her gaze somewhat dazed: "Mother, look, isn't our Jiu'er much fairer? And she's also gained some weight?"
In just over ten days, could the change be this big?
The Jiu'er before her eyes seemed like a different person.
Although she still didn't have much flesh, she no longer looked as skinny and bony as before.
Most importantly, her entire body was glowing white.
Her little face was fair with a rosy tint, as lovely as jade and snow.
Mrs. Zhang was completely captivated.
She had never seen such an exquisitely beautiful little girl.
Their Jiu'er was truly very pretty!
Once she gains a bit more weight, she'll surely be even more adorable.
"Of course! Before, she was just neglected by her mother. From now on, as long as I'm here, no one will dare mistreat my Jiu'er!"
Grandma Su declared confidently.
Their Jiu'er was a Fortune Doll, how could she not be pretty?
You couldn't find anyone prettier than their Jiu'er in the entire village.
"With Mother protecting her, our Jiu'er will definitely grow up healthy and strong." Mrs. Zhang lovingly stroked the little girl's face.
Feeling the goodwill Mrs. Zhang showed, Su Jiu cooperatively rubbed her little face against her hand.
Mrs. Zhang let out a soft exclamation, her eyes sparkling with joy: "Mother, look, does Jiu'er like me?"
"If you treat her well, she'll naturally be close to you." Grandma Su nodded.
The smell in the room was so strong, yet Mrs. Zhang squatted inside bathing Guai Nan without even frowning once.
You know, even Jiu'er's own biological mother didn't care or ask about her.
In this regard, Grandma Su was quite satisfied with Mrs. Zhang.
"Mother, it's been seven days already. Do you think Xiangdong and the others might have run into trouble in the mountains?" Tucking the blanket around Su Jiu, Mrs. Zhang couldn't help but voice her worry.
Her heart was in turmoil; she wouldn't feel at ease for a single day until her husband returned.
"What trouble could there be? Just keep your heart in your stomach. They'll be back in no more than two days," Grandma Su scolded verbally.
May the Bodhisattva bless them—her oldest son would surely be safe.
Just as Grandma Su finished speaking, the courtyard gate outside was slapped loudly.
Su Youtian, who was tending to the sheep's needs in the yard, jolted and looked up in alarm: "Who is it?"
"Old Mr. Su, open the door quickly! Your Xiangxi is injured!"
Clatter!
The pipe Su Youtian had been holding between his lips fell to the ground.
Th-Third Brother is injured?
Su Youtian stumbled toward the courtyard gate.
The commotion outside roused the entire household.
Even Feng Qiulian, who usually stayed holed up in her room and never stepped outside, hurried out at this moment, holding Jinyu in her arms.
Su Xiangdong hadn't returned, but Su Laosan, who had been working on the reservoir outside, was carried back.
On a worn-out wooden plank, Su Xiangxi's leg was heavily bandaged, with white gauze faintly stained with blood. He had passed out from the pain.
Carrying him back were Wang Meng, the youngest son of the village party secretary, and Zhao Dazhi from the same village.
"Husband, what happened to you? Wuwuwu… If anything were to happen to you, what would become of us, the orphaned mother and child?"
Feng Qiulian, holding Su Jinyu in her arms, knelt on the ground with a thud, crying uncontrollably.
By then, Grandma Su and Mrs. Zhang had also rushed out.
Hearing the cries, Grandma Su stumbled and nearly fell forward.
"Mother, are you all right?" Mrs. Zhang, quick-eyed and swift-handed, steadied her just in time.
"Mengzi, what happened? What's wrong with my Xiangxi?" Su Youtian suppressed his inner panic and confusion, turning to Wang Meng.
"Old Mr. Su, Brother Xiangxi volunteered to move the blasted rocks at the reservoir to earn more work points, but yesterday afternoon, he accidentally stepped on a leftover detonator on the ground…"
"The doctor said his tendons and bones were injured, and he needs to rest in bed. As for whether he can recover to how he was before, it all depends on his own fate…"
Wang Meng lowered his head and spoke gravely.
The scene had been too gruesome, leaving him still shaken.
Su Xiangxi's leg was essentially crippled.
He spoke with such restraint only because he couldn't bear to reveal the truth outright.
After Wang Meng finished speaking, the entire courtyard fell silent. Even the boys who had come out of the rooms dared not make a sound.
"Oh, right. The person in charge over there compensated some money coupons and grain coupons. After deducting the medical expenses, here's what's left. Old Mr. Su, please take it!" Wang Meng suddenly pulled out a stack of money coupons from his pocket and pressed them into Old Mr. Su's hand.
Su Youtian trembled, clutching the roll of coupons, feeling them burn in his grasp.
No amount of money could buy back his son's leg.
He knew that his third son's leg might very well be ruined.
Feng Qiulian's suppressed sobs erupted once more.
What if her husband could never stand up again? Her Jinyu was still young, and Jinyan and Jinrui hadn't grown up yet.
"Old Mr. Su, what do you think about moving Brother Xiangxi inside first? It's quite cold out here, not good for his leg recovery. It wouldn't be good if he got frostbite on top of everything."
Wang Meng broke the suffocating atmosphere on the scene and reminded him.