“Right, right, let’s carry him inside first!” Old Mr. Su jolted in alarm and hurriedly said.
Wang Meng and Zhao Dazhi helped carry Su Xiangxi into Feng Qiulian’s room and settled him onto the kang.
From start to finish, Su Xiangxi never woke up.
“Old Mr. Su, Brother Xiangxi still has a bit of a fever. The doctor prescribed some medicine—just follow the instructions on the label…”
Wang Meng gave a few more instructions and offered some words of comfort before finally leaving with Zhao Dazhi.
Old Mr. Su swayed unsteadily on his feet, looking as though he had aged considerably in an instant.
With no outsiders around, Feng Qiulian hugged her young son and collapsed onto the floor, weeping until her face was streaked with tears.
Su Jinyan and Su Jinrui stood frozen by the kang, watching their once tall and imposing father lying unconscious on the bed. It felt as if the sky had fallen—they were panicked and at a loss.
“What are you crying for? Your man only injured his leg in an explosion—it’s not like he’s dead. Instead of wasting energy on tears, why don’t you put that effort into taking good care of him?” Grandma Su snapped at Feng Qiulian with disdain.
“The doctor already said my son needs rest and quiet. If you keep wailing and disturb him, be careful—this old woman will throw you out of this house!”
“And you two little ones, it’s time you learned to grow up. Even if your father really ends up paralyzed, as long as the two of you can stand strong, your little family won’t fall apart.”
…
Lying on the bed, Su Jiu extended her Divine Sense, taking in everything clearly.
In critical moments, it was still Grandma Su who kept a clear head.
Sadness was one thing, but life had to go on.
It could be said that Grandma Su was the most clear-headed and rational person in the entire family.
“Alright, Oldest Brother’s wife, go make dinner. Everyone else, do what you need to do. Don’t crowd this room—disperse now…”
At Grandma Su’s command, everyone retreated from the room.
Grandma Su looked at Feng Qiulian, who was still sitting by the kang weeping, and felt so angry her chest ached. “Go fetch some hot water and wipe your man down. Jinyan and Jinrui, help look after Jinyu a bit…”
After giving her orders, Grandma Su also left the room.
To avoid impropriety, Old Mr. Su had been standing outside his daughter-in-law’s room the whole time. Seeing his wife come out, he approached her.
“Alright, take good care of the goat. Now that Third Brother is injured and needs nourishment, our family may not have much else, but we can still spare some goat milk.” Grandma Su glanced at him and comforted.
Remembering that Jiu’er still hadn’t eaten, Grandma Su hurriedly grabbed a wooden ladle and bowl and went into the inner room.
During this time, the goat had been eating well every day, so the milk supply was still sufficient. She had boiled a pot of goat milk and kept it warm in a thermos.
From now on, the goat milk would have to be shared with Third Brother.
Grandma Su poured a bowl of goat milk and set it aside to cool.
Xiao Jiu’er, lying on the kang, neither cried nor fussed. Seeing her come in, she stared with round, bright eyes—her little appearance was indescribably adorable.
“Our Jiu’er is still the most well-behaved. Grandma loves you the most!” Grandma Su picked up her little granddaughter and planted a kiss on her fair, tender cheek.
For some reason, the moment she saw her Jiu’er, the restlessness and unease in her heart instantly melted away.
Caught off guard by the kiss, Su Jiu stiffened in Grandma Su’s arms.
Saliva and such… so dirty…
But, considering how much Grandma Su doted on her, she reluctantly endured it…
“Your father’s fate is unfortunate. Whether he’ll be able to stand again in the future is still unknown. As for your mother… never mind, let’s not talk about her. No matter what, Grandma will raise you…”
Grandma Su chattered away as she fed Su Jiu, one word after another.
Without caring whether she could understand, she poured out all the thoughts in her heart like spilling beans and sesame seeds.
Feng Qiulian was beautiful, a famously pretty young woman known throughout the surrounding villages.
Grandma Su had never thought highly of her from the start, but Su Xiangxi was as if possessed, threatening to die if he couldn't marry her, insisting on having her as his wife.
To bring Feng Qiulian into their home, the Old Su Family had spent quite a few valuable things.
Over all these years, even during the family's most difficult times, Feng Qiulian had never set foot in the fields.
To prevent the family from holding any grudges against Feng Qiulian, Su Xiangxi did the work of two people himself, eagerly taking on all the dirty and tiring tasks.
Now Third Brother had fallen ill.
If Third Brother's wife remembered how well her husband had treated her over the years and was willing to live peacefully with him, patiently taking care of him, that would be fine.
But she was afraid her foolish son might not have that kind of fortune…
"Ee-ah-ah~" Su Jiu waved her hands.
Pop!
A bubble popped out of her mouth.
"Pfft, my Jiu'er is still the smartest, knowing how to make Grandma happy at such a young age!"
Grandma Su couldn't help but laugh, amused by her little granddaughter's antics.
Oh well, oh well.
Children and grandchildren have their own fortunes.
Whatever happens to Third Son in the future is his fate!
Right now, she just wanted to raise her little granddaughter well.
In her heart now, no one carried as much weight as Xiao Jiu'er.
By evening, Su Xiangxi's fever had broken, and he finally regained consciousness.
Thirsty~
Su Xiangxi's throat moved, parched and unbearable.
Feng Qiulian, holding Su Jinyu, was lost in thought and didn't notice her husband's movements.
But Su Jinyan, who was keeping watch nearby, noticed.
"Dad, you're awake!" Su Jinyan was overjoyed.
Su Xiangxi looked at his eldest son before him. Just as he tried to get up, he suddenly realized he couldn't move. An unbearable pain shot through his legs, instantly reminding him of the moment the detonator exploded.
Su Xiangxi stiffened all over: "Yan'er, what's wrong with my legs?"
Seven-year-old Su Jinyan pressed his lips together tightly, unsure how to answer.
Feng Qiulian snapped out of her daze, her eyes red and swollen from crying. She placed Jinyu on the kang, got up, and threw herself into her husband's arms: "I knew you wouldn't abandon us, a widow and orphans. You'll definitely get better. My man, Feng Qiulian's husband, can't possibly be a useless cripple!"
"Feng Qiulian, believe it or not, I'll tear that rotten mouth of yours apart!"
Grandma Su, who had just entered from outside carrying goat milk, heard the word "useless" and immediately flew into a rage. She put down the bowl in her hands and charged toward Feng Qiulian.
Grabbing Feng Qiulian by the hair, she yanked her up from the kang.
"Ah, it hurts, it hurts, let go, let go quickly…" Feng Qiulian screamed in pain, feeling as if her entire scalp was being torn off. Instinctively, she tried to push Grandma Su away with her hands.
"Mother, Qiulian, stop fighting…" Su Xiangxi, seeing this, grew frantic with worry. Without a thought for his own injuries, he lunged toward the two of them.
"Dad, be careful!" Su Jinyan shouted.
Grandma Su, seeing this, felt her heart tremble. She almost immediately released Feng Qiulian and rushed to catch her son.
Thud!
Su Xiangxi still ended up falling to the ground, trembling all over in pain, his face twisted into a grimace.
"Third Son, are you alright? Are you hurt? Why are you so foolish? How could you move when you're injured?"
The pain was in her son's body, but the hurt was in the mother's heart.
Grandma Su was heartbroken, blaming her son for being too reckless while also blaming herself for not catching him.
"Mother, both of you calm down. Whatever needs to be said, say it properly. Fighting within the family only hurts harmony…"
Su Xiangxi ignored the pain in his body and tried to reason with the two of them.
Both were dear to him—he didn’t want his mother to get hurt, nor did he want his wife to suffer.
He always believed that a wife should be cherished, not beaten or scolded like some of the men in the village did.
So as long as it wasn’t a matter of principle, he would turn a blind eye and let her have her way.
As for chores, he was a rough man himself, and helping his wife do a bit more wasn’t a big deal.
After all, she had to take care of the children, and looking after them at night was no easier than doing physical labor.
"Mother, Qiulian is my wife. If she has done anything to displease you, I apologize on her behalf. Please don’t lay a hand on Qiulian…" Su Xiangxi emphasized.
Over the years, he had spoiled his wife a bit too much.
She couldn’t carry heavy loads or do hard labor—she was no match for his mother at all.
Upon hearing this, Grandma Su immediately exploded!
"In your eyes, I’m just a wicked mother-in-law who torments her daughter-in-law, aren’t I?"
"Have you even seen what a black-hearted, rotten creature your wife is? In the dead of winter, to protect her youngest son’s milk, she callously threw my Xiao Jiu'er into the snow to freeze to death!"
"Is this the kind of person you’re protecting?"
"This heartless, unworthy mother—does she even deserve you pleading for her?"
…
Old grudges mixed with new, and Grandma Su could no longer hold back, shouting at Su Xiangxi.
The moment she remembered her Xiao Jiu'er lying in the snow, blue and purple from the cold, barely breathing, tears flooded Grandma Su’s eyes.
Such a tiny child, almost frozen to death.
Was this woman even human?
Boom!
Su Xiangxi, still on the ground, was completely stunned.
He stared incredulously at Feng Qiulian, and meeting her evasive gaze, he understood everything.
"How could you dare?" Su Xiangxi, known as an honest man, instantly flushed with rage. He picked up a wooden toy gun his sons played with and hurled it at her.
"Ah…" Feng Qiulian couldn’t dodge in time, and the gun struck her face.
The sharp end of the barrel pierced her skin, and blood streamed down her cheek.
Feng Qiulian screamed in pain.
Normally, even if Su Xiangxi raised his voice at her, she would definitely hit back.
But now she cowered in place like a quail, not daring to move an inch.
Su Xiangxi at this moment was terrifying, like an enraged lion, radiating a fierce and destructive aura that seemed capable of killing her at any moment.
This was a husband she had never seen before.
Unfamiliar and horrifying!