I was married off to a disabled hero in lieu of marriage; my in-laws doted on me and I aspired to gr

After lunch, everyone went to take a nap. Qiaoqiao, her mother, and her grandmother were talking on the kang (heated brick bed) in the east room.

"Your brother wrote back saying he won't be coming home for summer vacation because he needs to get a prosthetic leg done and says he has a lot of work to do. He also sent back two hundred yuan. You know, we're at home, we don't spend much money, but he's out there, doesn't he know how to save some for himself?"

Qiaoqiao's mother kept repeating this, her heart and eyes filled with concern for Yang Zheng.

"Mom, just spend it. Your brother earned his money from making prosthetics. He also has a salary of over thirty yuan." Qiaoqiao advised.

"Going to school and getting a prosthetic leg must be so tough. Shanghai is too far away, otherwise I could visit him during the off-season. I wonder if he's gained or lost weight."

A mother worries when her son travels far away. Qiaoqiao's mother used to worry about Qiaoqiao, but now she only worries about her son who is away from home.

"Before I came back, I talked to my brother on the phone. I don't know if he's gained weight, but he's in great spirits. We talked about Shanghai and there was so much to say."

"Then tell me, does your brother have a girlfriend in Shanghai?"

"He didn't mention that. Oh, by the way, Mother, my brother has a mentor in Shanghai, a university professor who makes prostheses. He's very kind to my brother."

"You've all met good people."

"Yes, Mother, there are many good people in the world, don't worry about my brother."

"Mother knows that educated people understand reason and respect others. As a mother, my heart is always with my children, so you can rest assured. Our in-laws are so kind; they respect our rural community."

So, you don't need to worry about it.

"Don't worry about it, but your brother should settle down and start a family soon."

"mother……"

"Okay, okay, I won't say anymore. Qiaoqiao, go and see Fenglin tonight. Jintao is a good boy, but his mother, Fenglin, has suffered a lot of grievances."

"Yeah, I'm going tonight. Is Brother Jintao back yet?"

"No, he should be back in the next few days."

Qiaoqiao opened the military-style bag she had brought back; inside were gifts for her family.

"Mom, do you think this color is pretty? Make a dress for me. Grandma, this fabric is for you."

Qiaoqiao took them out one by one, and Qiaoqiao's mother held up a piece of floral fabric and said, "It's so floral, how can I wear it?"

"You can wear it, it's not like it has a red flower on it."

"This fabric is so comfortable, it feels so soft. Grandma, feel it."

Grandma Qiaoqiao touched the clothes and said, "You're so old, yet you're still wearing such nice clothes."

"That's right. Ever since Qiaoqiao got married, our family has been getting better every day. Things we never dared to dream of before, we now have."

"Mom, look, these two little outfits are for baby Fenglin. They're pure cotton and can be worn by both boys and girls."

"That's right. Judging from Fenglin's belly, it's most likely a boy. A boy is good; Jintao's mother keeps saying she wants a grandson. Actually, a girl is good too; you and Fenglin are so good together."

Qiaoqiao's mother always felt worried when Fenglin was mentioned.

"Fenglin won't suffer for many more years. Father-in-law values ​​Jintao highly. After he graduates, he'll probably work at the county agricultural bureau, and maybe even become the county magistrate. Then, Fenglin can go to the county town with Jintao and won't have to put up with Jintao's mother's attitude anymore."

"That's good. Jin Tao is cultured and capable."

Qiaoqiao took some more cookies, some for her family and some for Fenglin.

There are still many dishes to prepare. I fried two large boxes of ribbonfish; we'll eat some tonight and the rest slowly.

Qiaoqiao's dad killed a chicken, soaked some kelp, and made a delicious chicken soup.

Busy here and busy there, it's time for dinner again.

Qiaoqiao took a lunchbox, filled it with seaweed and chicken, and was going to take it to Fenglin later.

Zhou Wenhui had planned to go to the fields in the afternoon, but when he woke up, it was already time for dinner.

Dinner was plentiful, with ribbonfish, chicken soup, small fish that Qiaoqiao's grandfather caught in the ditch, eggplants and green beans from the field, and dishes cooked over a wood fire. It was delicious.

Zhou Xiaowei simply picked up the little yellow dog and put it on the bed, where it slept all afternoon. It wasn't until dinner time that it groggily woke up.

"Eat quickly, then we'll go to Fenglin's house," Qiaoqiao urged Zhou Wenhui.

"Is Jin Tao on vacation?" Zhou Wenhui quickened his pace.

"Will Jin Tao come back during his vacation? Isn't he working with Director Xia on research into new wheat varieties?" Zhou Zhonghai asked.

"Not coming back? Fenglin has been gone for over seven months, isn't he coming back?" Qiaoqiao asked in confusion.

"I'm not quite sure either. I'll call the commune tomorrow and ask."

Zhou Zhonghai hurriedly said that it is right for a man to be busy with his career, but his wife is about to give birth, so he should prioritize his family.

"Fenglin raises two pigs and thirty Angora rabbits. Jintao's mother has a sharp tongue. That child has it tough. It's pitiful that Jintao isn't around," Qiaoqiao's mother couldn't help but interject.

"Then I'll call tomorrow and tell Jin Tao to come back as soon as possible," Zhou Zhonghai promised.

After quickly eating a few bites of food, Qiaoqiao packed a small bag with clothes, cookies, and brown sugar for Fenglin, along with a box of chicken and seaweed, and went to see Fenglin with Zhou Wenhui.

The Zhao family home was quiet. The sun was about to set, so why was no one home?

"Feng Lin, Feng Lin..."

Qiaoqiao called out, but no one answered. She went to the kitchen, but the stove and pots were cold; no food had been cooked yet.

"Aren't you done work yet, so late?" Qiaoqiao asked, puzzled.

"We ate early, so they should still be in the fields and haven't returned yet."

"But Fenglin is so pregnant, she should go home."

Qiaoqiao put the lunchbox and gift on the stool and said, "Let's wait a bit, so she can have chicken soup when she gets home."

Just as they were about to sit down, a long-haired rabbit ran out of the side room. Qiaoqiao shouted, "Hey, a rabbit ran out! They're worth a lot of money! Wenhui, quick, catch it!"

The Angora rabbit had fur on one side and none on the other. Upon seeing this, Zhou Wenhui exclaimed, "Oh no! Go check the rabbit hutch!"

Zhou Wenhui couldn't walk fast, and he didn't care about his prosthetic leg. He reached the rabbit hutch in a few steps, with Qiaoqiao following behind.

"Oh, Fenglin, what's wrong? Wenhui, what should we do...?"

Feng Lin collapsed in the rabbit hutch, with blood at his feet.

"Go quickly and call my dad to get a car and take us to the hospital!"

Zhou Wenhui couldn't run fast, so he grabbed Fenglin and gave instructions to Qiaoqiao.

Qiaoqiao, ignoring her fear, took off running.

Zhou Wenhui's driver went back, and Zhou Zhonghai's driver also went back; there were no cars available.

Handcart, handcart...

Jin Tao's mother returned from the fields carrying a bundle of grass. Seeing Zhou Zhonghai carrying Feng Lin onto the cart, she cried out in alarm, "What happened to Feng Lin? What happened to my grandson?"

"Auntie, Fenglin has fainted. We need to get him to the hospital right away," Zhou Wenhui hurriedly explained.

"Oh my god, what do we do, Jintao... the baby is gone..."

Jin Tao's mother's cries quickly attracted the attention of the neighbors, who all came to help.

Zhou Zhonghai dragged a cart, Qiaoqiao grabbed a few clothes haphazardly, and several villagers pushed hard from behind as they hurriedly ran towards the hospital.

When they arrived at the hospital, it was already dark, and the doctors had all gone home. Zhou Zhonghai made one phone call, and the obstetricians and gynecologists and nurses all arrived at the hospital in less than half an hour.

Outside the operating room, Zhou Zhonghai was panting heavily. Even such a short distance had left him breathless; he was getting old after all.

Qiaoqiao's hands trembled uncontrollably as she muttered to herself, "How could this happen? How could this happen?"

"Don't worry, Qiaoqiao, I'll call Gu Quan and ask him to bring Jin Tao back tonight."