A charming widow in her 70s married a factory manager and raised his children.

Zhuang Qingxiang knew that Lu Congyue had misunderstood, so she quickly said, "I'm fine."

"It's best to go to the infirmary to get checked out, otherwise it might infect the child," Lu Congyue said in a deep voice.

Zhuang Qingxiang knew he was worried about the child, so she paused for a moment and whispered, "Okay..."

When Lu Congyue saw that she agreed, he went to the kitchen to cook rice porridge.

While cooking porridge, I did some boxing in the yard and worked up a sweat. I didn't feel anything unusual and felt refreshed. It seems this cold came on and went quickly; I guess it was just from catching a chill.

Zhuang Qingxiang was not feeling well at the moment.

Last night, I was knocked down and subdued by Lu Congyue, and this morning I fell again, so breastfeeding is still a little painful.

She pressed it gently herself and hissed.

Is it broken?

Zhuang Qingxiang prayed silently that it wouldn't affect her breastfeeding.

Xiao Qianyue had already dressed herself and run out, but she ran back a little while later.

"Mother, Uncle has already cooked rice porridge."

Zhuang Qingxiang responded and decided not to leave the inner room this morning. She would only come out after Lu Congyue left.

She was afraid of embarrassment, awkwardness, and being kicked out.

Lu Congyue didn't see Zhuang Qingxiang come out after finishing breakfast, so he knew she was avoiding him, which relieved him.

Let's not even talk about her being sick last night; I don't know if she even saw it when she pressed it down this morning...

Lu Congyue wanted to punch himself a few times to suppress those inappropriate physiological reactions.

It's better for her to stay away; he doesn't know how to face her now.

Lu Congyue left in a hurry, then returned in a hurry: "I asked someone to buy two pig's trotters, they might be delivered this morning, you can cook them yourself."

Without waiting for Zhuang Qingxiang's response, he strode away.

I ran into Niu Jianzhong on my way to work.

"Director Lu, did anything happen last night?" Niu Jianzhong leaned over and asked in a low voice as soon as he saw him. "I heard from the comrades on duty last night that your nanny ran away last night... but they pretended not to know and didn't alert her."

Lu Congyue's face was ashen: "It's nothing. I had a cold and fever last night. She probably went to the infirmary, but we couldn't find her."

"Director Lu, are you sick? No wonder you don't look well. There's no one on duty at the factory clinic at night, why don't you go and get some medicine now?"

Lu Congyue paused, nodded, and turned to walk towards the infirmary.

Unless he's injured or sick, he never takes medicine for minor things like illness; he just toughs it out.

But now it seems that's not possible. There are three children and a woman in the family, and he has to ask if he will infect them.

When he arrived at the clinic, he explained the situation to the doctor, who gave him two pills and told him to take one if he had a fever, and to leave it alone if he didn't.

As for the nanny who breastfeeds at home, she doesn't need to take any medicine as long as she doesn't have a fever, so that breastfeeding the child won't affect the baby.

While waiting for the doctor to pack the pills, Lu Congyue glanced at the mirror on the wall.

Did he look bad? No, not really.

……

Zhuang Qingxiang was quite happy when she received the pig's trotters.

Pig's trotters help with lactation; as long as she nourishes herself properly, both children will be well-fed.

Happily roast the pig's trotters, scrape them clean and wash them thoroughly before stewing them in a pot.

Simmering over low heat until noon will make it tender and fall off the bone; adding a handful of soybeans will make it even more nutritious.

Zhuang Qingxiang didn't go out all morning, staying home cleaning and washing diapers. She was busy until lunchtime.

Only then did Zhuang Qingxiang begin to worry.

Is Factory Director Lu coming back for lunch? What should they say if they meet?

Zhuang Qingxiang felt that she could no longer look Director Lu in the eye.

I wonder if Director Lu thought the same way, because he sent someone to say he wouldn't be back for lunch.

The weight on Zhuang Qingxiang's heart was lifted instantly. She happily ladled a small bowl of pork trotters and soup for Xiao Qianyue, and ladled a large bowl for herself. The two of them ate with such delight that their eyes were practically slits.

Zhuang Qingxiang secretly prayed that the factory would be very busy, so busy that Director Lu would work overtime and not come home at night.

Perhaps God really heard her prayers, because Lu Congyue didn't come home for dinner either.

Zhuang Qingxiang cooked noodles in pig's trotter soup and ate a big bowl of it, including the meat and soup.

Even though she was eating good food, her milk supply was not as good as before, and the pain was even worse.

Zhuang Qingxiang guessed that she had fallen earlier. It was not easy to ask others for help when it hurt in such a place, so she could only endure it herself, thinking that it would be fine in a day or two. However, she did not expect that she would start to have a fever that night.

She was in a daze all night and didn't even know if Lu Congyue had returned.

She struggled to open her eyes only when she heard Xiao Qianyue crying in the morning.

"Mom, Mom, you're sick, waaaah..." Little Qian Yue cried in fear.

"Yueyue..." Zhuang Qingxiang wanted to comfort her, but her throat was so dry that she could barely speak.

Little Qian Yue jumped off the kang (a heated brick bed) and ran outside crying.

"Uncle, Uncle Lu, please save my mother, waaaaah..."

A moment later, Lu Congyue, still damp from the sweat, came in from outside.

"Comrade Zhuang, are you feeling unwell?"

"Uncle, touch my mom, she's so hot." Little Qian Yue tugged at Lu Congyue's trouser leg and shook it.

Lu Congyue frowned. It was already inappropriate for him to come into the inner room, let alone touch Zhuang Qingxiang.

He wasn't very willing.

But once he saw Zhuang Qingxiang's appearance, he couldn't care less about that. He quickly reached out and touched her forehead, which was burning hot.

Oh no, did I catch it from him?

"Yueyue, you stay here and stay with your mother. I'll go get the doctor."

Lu Congyue ran out to call the medical staff.

However, the doctor at their clinic was a man in his thirties, who was also troubled by Zhuang Qingxiang's condition.

"Director Lu, we do have fever reducers, but I'm not sure if they're safe for breastfeeding women. I think you should take her to the county hospital to ask, just in case something goes wrong."

Lu Congyue wanted to kick the person out.

There are three children at home, and two of the babies are crying loudly. How can we get them to the hospital?

inability!

"Director Lu, why don't you go and take her to the county hospital first? I'll go and call an auntie over here to help you take care of her."

It seems like this is the only way.

Lu Congyue bent down and touched Xiao Qianyue's red eyes: "Yueyue, you stay at home and take good care of your two younger brothers with your uncle. I'll take your mother to the hospital for treatment."

"Okay." Although Xiao Qianyue was scared, she still nodded obediently. "Uncle, you must save my mother. She's all I have left, sob sob sob..."

She had never seen her mother since she was a child. Later, her father brought a woman home. This woman treated her very well, even better than her father. She didn't want to lose this mother.

Lu Congyue drove the military jeep from the factory directly over, carried Zhuang Qingxiang into the car, and drove straight to the county hospital.

Zhuang Qingxiang, who was delirious from the fever, was miraculously jolted awake and even wanted to stick her head out to vomit.

She forced back her discomfort and stared at the man driving the car, her vision blurring.

"Director Lu?"

"Awake? Just bear with it, we'll be there soon." Lu Congyue glanced at her quickly, then looked ahead and stepped on the gas.

Zhuang Qingxiang felt as if half her soul had left her body, and weakly asked, "Where are we going? What happened to me?"

Lu Congyue: "You also have a fever. You should go to the county hospital to ask what medicine you can take."

He paused, then said sincerely, "I'm sorry, maybe I infected you."