【Mom, don’t cry… Nono is a good girl… Nono doesn’t hurt anymore…】
The little girl was actually comforting her, so sensible that it broke Li Wanqing’s heart. It only made her want to cry even more.
“Nono is a good girl. Mommy isn’t crying. Mommy just…”
Li Wanqing waved the alcohol swab in her hand and smiled. “It’s just because the alcohol made my eyes water.”
Although Li Wanqing didn’t know how old Nono had been in her previous life, she believed the little girl would understand her.
The little girl froze for a moment before gently blowing on Li Wanqing’s eyes.
【Mommy doesn’t hurt… Nono will blow on it…】
Li Wanqing was stunned for a moment before leaning down and planting a kiss on her daughter’s forehead.
“Nono is such a good girl. Mommy doesn’t hurt anymore.”
The little girl smiled weakly, then closed her eyes to rest.
As Li Wanqing stroked her daughter’s thin, pale cheek, she secretly vowed that she would make sure the little girl grew up healthy, plump, and well-nourished.
After the skin test, Doctor Meng came over and started the IV drip for the child.
“Keep a close eye on her. If the fever goes down, she should be fine.”
“But if the fever hasn’t gone down after half an hour, take her to the county hospital immediately.”
Li Wanqing was incredibly grateful. Seeing her reaction, Meng Renjie became even more gentle.
“The injection and medicine come to two yuan and sixty-eight cents altogether.”
“Also, you should try to buy some nutritional supplements for the child. She was born prematurely, so she needs to be properly nourished.”
Li Wanqing’s heart tightened, and she nodded.
“Thank you, Doctor Meng. I understand.”
After paying, Li Wanqing stayed by her daughter’s side, keeping a constant watch on her condition.
Only after the fever finally subsided did she breathe a sigh of relief.
She had been terrified that if she had been even a moment too late, she might have lost the daughter she had finally been given a chance to have.
Once the fever was gone, the little girl regained some of her energy and gave her a sweet smile.
Li Wanqing gently tapped the tip of her nose, her heart melting completely.
“My little darling is just too adorable.”
But the moment she said that, the little girl pouted, looking as though she was about to cry.
Li Wanqing panicked and quickly tried to comfort her.
“Sweetheart, did Mommy hurt you?”
“Mommy will be more careful next time. Don’t cry, sweetheart.”
Cheng Nuo suddenly threw herself into her arms.
Her mother’s embrace was so warm.
She hadn’t felt it for such a long, long time.
【Mommy… Mommy smells so good!】
Li Wanqing’s expression softened as she gently patted her daughter’s back.
“Good girl. Get some more sleep.”
A child who had just recovered from a fever needed plenty of rest to recover quickly.
Sure enough, the little girl soon couldn’t stay awake any longer and fell asleep in her arms.
In her half-conscious state, she seemed to mumble something about “Daddy”…
Li Wanqing froze slightly.
The child had never even met her father, so why had she suddenly called out for him?
Could it be that the child had met her father in her previous life?
Li Wanqing had no way of knowing whether her daughter had met Cheng Baichuan in her previous life.
But as for that cheap husband of hers, whose face was already a blur in her memory, she had absolutely no affection for him.
A military uniform represented honor and responsibility. The moment one put it on, protecting the country and its people became one’s duty.
From the standpoint of duty and righteousness, she could understand and even admire him.
But when it came to personal feelings, how could she possibly understand a man who had ignored his wife and daughter for two whole years?
She couldn’t understand it at all.
Once her daughter had completely recovered, she would take the child to the army base to find her father.
If they couldn’t make this marriage work, then they would get a divorce!
Thousands of miles away, in a military hospital, a patient who had been unconscious for nearly two years suddenly moved his finger…
Although her daughter’s fever had gone down, the IV drip hadn’t finished yet.
After all that fuss, the little girl had fallen asleep again.
Li Wanqing looked around the health clinic.
Unlike the uniform white walls of a hospital, this place consisted of only three mud-brick rooms.
One was the pharmacy, another was the examination room and ward, and the last was where Doctor Meng lived.
Cracks like spiderwebs could be seen everywhere. Some of the largest were wide enough to fit an entire fist.
Quotes from revolutionary leaders were written on the walls to the left and right.
And in the most conspicuous place in the center were the words:
“Serve the People.”
…The atmosphere was unmistakably from another era…
“Oh! Isn’t this Educated Youth Li? Back then, you were so desperate to marry into the Cheng family that you threatened to kill yourself over it. And now you’ve come all the way to the health clinic to enjoy your good fortune?”
Wang Guiying’s old knee pain had flared up again that morning. The moment she arrived at the health clinic, she spotted Li Wanqing giving her child an IV drip.
What a surprise!
That miser Liu Yufen was actually willing to spend money?
The woman’s shrill, sarcastic voice made the little girl, who had just fallen asleep, frown.
Li Wanqing gently smoothed the wrinkles from her daughter’s brow before looking at the woman who had spoken.
“You can’t enjoy life as well as Auntie Wang. You’ll probably become a regular here at the health clinic someday.”
“You…” Wang Guiying was so furious that she wanted to hit her.
This wretched woman was clearly cursing her!
Li Wanqing raised an eyebrow and looked at her, certain that Wang Guiying wouldn’t dare lay a hand on her.
Wang Guiying secretly glanced at Meng Renjie. Seeing him looking in their direction, she immediately abandoned the thought of hitting Li Wanqing.
This was a health clinic, after all, and that old man Meng had a notoriously stubborn temper.
If she caused trouble here, no one would treat her chronic leg pain in the future.
“You’ve got quite a sharp tongue! Thank goodness my son didn’t marry you back then. Otherwise, maybe he’d be the one who hadn’t come home for two years!”
What was that supposed to mean?
Back then, it had been her son’s good fortune that he wanted to marry Li Wanqing.
But that wretched woman had turned around and married Cheng San instead, infuriating her son so much that he had thrown a huge fit.
Li Wanqing hadn’t thought about it until Wang Guiying brought it up.
Wang Guiying’s son, Zhang Yong, was notorious in the village for being a good-for-nothing.
Back then, he had taken a fancy to the original owner’s beauty. When he failed to seduce her, he tried to force her into marrying him.
The original owner had been timid. While trying to escape, she fell into the river and was rescued by Cheng Baichuan.
In this era, anything involving relations between men and women was extremely sensitive. Wanting to escape Zhang Yong, the original owner had taken advantage of the situation and decided to marry Cheng Baichuan instead.
Wang Guiying and Liu Yufen had always been bitter enemies.
When the original owner married Liu Yufen’s son instead of Wang Guiying’s, her mother-in-law had been secretly delighted.
Unfortunately, Cheng Baichuan left the very next day after their wedding. Then Wang Guiying and her son began stirring up trouble and spreading rumors throughout the village and commune.
The Cheng family became convinced that the original owner was an immoral woman who had forced and threatened Cheng Baichuan into marrying her just to climb the social ladder.
With Nono being born prematurely and all the malicious gossip surrounding her, the Cheng family gradually grew to despise the original owner even more.
It could be said that Wang Guiying and her son were responsible for more than half of the misery the original owner had suffered.
“Then I wish Auntie Wang will soon get to drink tea from her daughter-in-law and hold a grandson in her arms.”
Wang Guiying’s face turned red with anger.
She thought her son was wonderful in every possible way, but for some reason, he simply couldn’t find a wife.
Either the women he liked weren’t interested in him, or the women who were interested in him weren’t good enough for him.
Li Wanqing was obviously mocking her, yet she wore such a sincere expression that Wang Guiying couldn’t find an excuse to pick a fight.
“I’m too lazy to argue with you. I’m going to get my medicine.”
With that, she hurried away.
The corners of Li Wanqing’s lips curled upward.
Who in the entire commune didn’t know that Zhang Yong was a complete scumbag?
Want a wife?
Maybe in his next life!
Looking at her sleeping daughter in her arms, Li Wanqing sighed softly.
After the scene she had caused, that old woman Liu Yufen definitely wouldn’t let things go.
Who knew what kind of trouble she was stirring up right now?
Whatever came her way, she would deal with it.
She, Li Wanqing, had already dealt with one scumbag husband. Why would she be afraid of a vicious mother-in-law making things difficult for her?
Just then, a woman in green clothing hurried into the health clinic.
After looking around and spotting Li Wanqing, she immediately ran over.
“Wanqing, hurry and go to the brigade headquarters!”
“Your mother-in-law is making another huge scene over there. She’s crying and screaming, saying she’s going to have the police arrest you!”