Jiang Suchu sat in the car, resting his elbows on the window and covering his face with his hands, crying silently.
Grandma was a hard-working person. In that poor era, she lost her husband in middle age and had two children with her. She often didn’t have enough to eat or clothing to keep warm.
It was not easy for his two sons to get married and start a business, but the younger son died young.
The successive blows made grandma depressed, and she was already exhausted physically and mentally. As I get older over the years, my health becomes worse and worse.
Especially in winter, when the weather gets cold, I can’t stop coughing and wheezing. There have been several dangerous times in the past few years, but grandma survived them all. As long as spring begins and the weather warms up, grandma will slowly get better.
Jiang Suchu clenched his hands into fists and bit his index finger with his teeth, trying not to cry. She looked at the passing street trees outside the car window and said to herself over and over again.
"It'll be okay, grandma will be okay."
"It will be good if winter is over and the weather will warm up."
The driver noticed something was wrong with Jiang Suchu and raised his hand to silently turn up the music in the car.
Gradually, Jiang Suchu no longer suppressed himself, buried his head in his knees and cried.
There are private cars outside the station that go to the countryside, but they are only ten yuan more expensive than buses. In the past, Jiang Suichu would not consider it, but today she got off the taxi and went straight to the van on the roadside.
Jiang Suichu: "Master, can we leave Suyang County now?"
The driver was sitting in the car smoking a cigarette and looked at her, "We can't leave until everyone is here, little girl."
The vans soliciting passengers outside the station are all seven-seater. They usually park on the side of the road and leave when the bus is full. Today is neither a holiday nor a weekend, so there are few people and few cars at the station.
The bus didn't leave until three in the afternoon, and she couldn't wait.
Jiang Suchu was a little at a loss and looked for the car on the roadside blankly. She held the phone tightly in her hand, the shards of the broken screen stuck into her palm, and she seemed to be unconscious at all.
Just when she was about to tell the driver to charter a car, she heard someone calling her in the distance.
"Suibao."
She turned back to the source of the sound and saw Shu Yuan getting out of the car across the road. Jiang Suichu was stunned, wondering why Aunt Yuan suddenly appeared.
Shu Yuan didn't even have time to close the car door, so she hurried across the road and ran over.
Shu Yuan felt heartbroken when she saw Jiang Suichu with red and swollen eyes. She pulled her into her arms and said, "Suibao."
Jiang Suchu was still a little unresponsive, but when she felt the warmth in Shu Yuan's arms, the tip of her nose stung, and tears flowed out like broken threads.
"...Yuan...Aunt Yuan..." She choked and murmured to Shu Yuan in a low voice.
Shu Yuan touched her head and said to her softly: "Don't be afraid, Aunt Yuan is here."
Jiang Suichu seemed to suddenly have support. He hugged Shu Yuan and cried, "Aunt Yuan, I...my grandma...is sick and in the hospital. Can you...can you take me to find her."
She was crying so hard that she was out of breath, and her speech was choppy.
Shu Yuan couldn't bear to hear her cry, and her eyes became red.
While wiping her tears, she said to her, "Okay, Suibao, don't cry. Aunt Yuan will take you to grandma."
Jiang Suchu was already exhausted from crying, and Shu Yuan half-carried her into the car.
As soon as she got in the car, Shu Yuan immediately ordered the driver to rush to the Fifth People's Hospital of Suyang County.
In the car, Shu Yuan sat in the back seat with Jiang Suichu in her arms. Jiang Suchu leaned his head in Shu Yuan's arms, his eyes blank and he didn't know where he was looking. Not saying a word, just letting the tears flow silently.
Shu Yuan didn't know how many tissues were wet in her hand. She heartbrokenly stroked Jiang Suchu's head and kept comforting her, "Suibao, be good."
Jiang Suichu grabbed Shu Yuan's hand and looked at her with tears in his eyes, "Aunt Yuan, grandma is fine, right?"
"Yeah." Shu Yuan nodded and moved her hair away from her forehead, "It'll be fine."
Shu Yuan took her hand and saw that she had been holding the phone tightly in her hand, and the phone had been broken. There were several deep tooth marks on the index finger of her right hand, which were bloody and bloody. Shu Yuan was frightened to see them.
"Suibao, can you give your cell phone to Aunt Yuan?"
Shu Yuan gently opened Jiang Suichu's fingers and wanted to take the broken mobile phone over. But as soon as she pulled out the phone, Jiang Suchu suddenly squeezed the phone tightly as if she was frightened.
"No, grandma hasn't answered my call yet." She held the phone in her arms and kept mumbling, "Grandma hasn't answered my call yet, grandma will answer my call."
Shu Yuan felt sour in her heart. She turned away and looked out the car window, tears moistening the corners of her eyes.
When he arrived at the hospital, Jiang Suichu stumbled to the ward as soon as he got off the car. Shu Yuan watched from behind as she fell several times, but never caught up with her.
It wasn't until he reached the door of the ward that Jiang Suchu stopped.
She suddenly didn't dare to move forward. She put her hand on the door handle of the ward and staggered back. She seemed to feel that the door weighed a thousand pounds. She could not push it open, and she did not dare to push it open.
"Sui Bao." Shu Yuan stood beside her and gently put his hand on her shoulder to give her strength.
Jiang Suchu looked back at Shu Yuan and took a slow breath. Just as she bit her lip and gathered up the courage to push open the door to the ward, a moderate quarrel came from inside.
It's the uncle and the aunt.
Qu Ping: "Jiang Zhiguo, the doctors have said that treatment is of little significance. Why don't you agree to take mom back?"
Jiang Zhiguo looked at his wife tiredly, "It's not meaningless, but you can see that mom's condition is obviously much better in the past two days."
Qu Ping snorted coldly, "Yes! But the intensive care unit costs thousands to tens of thousands per night. Tell me how many nights you can afford?"
I have spent tens of thousands in the past few days, and if this continues, my family will be depleted.
Originally, their family relied on Jiang Zhiguo to earn a little money by working on the construction site all year round. After excluding the tuition and living expenses for their two children, there was very little left.
Jiang Zhiguo paused for a moment, with a tangled look on his face, and finally squatted on the ground holding his head in pain: "Then what do you think we should do!?"
In fact, he knew in his heart that even if he was in the intensive care unit, it was just a matter of days. The doctor also told them today that the elderly's bodies are almost resigned to their fate at this stage.
Qu Ping looked at her husband and knew the pain in his heart, and also knew that he could not stop being so cruel. However, their family couldn't afford it, and if he didn't want to be such a bad person, she would have to do it.
"I'll be discharged from the hospital tomorrow and take mom back to recuperate."
As soon as Qu Ping finished speaking, the ward door was suddenly pushed open.
Jiang Suichu looked at Jiang Zhiguo and Qu Ping almost pleadingly, "Uncle and aunt, please don't send grandma back, okay? The doctor will cure grandma, he will."
Jiang Zhiguo was stunned for a moment when he saw Jiang Suichu at the door. He slowly stood up and said, "Sui Sui."
Qu Ping glanced at Jiang Suichu and said sternly: "Do you know how much it costs to stay in the hospital for a day? Treatment? Are you going to pay for it?"
Jiang Suchu nodded while crying. Just when she was about to speak out, Shu Yuan stopped her.
Shu Yuan held Jiang Suichu in her arms, looked at Jiang Zhiguo and Qu Ping, and said, "I'll pay for it."
Jiang Zhiguo was stunned and looked at Qu Ping, "Who are you?"
Shu Yuan is wearing a well-tailored black cashmere coat and exquisite makeup. At first glance, she looks like a respectable person.
"I am Zhiwei's friend and Suisui's godmother." Shu Yuan introduced herself briefly, and then said, "I will pay for Auntie's treatment, so you don't have to worry."
Qu Ping frowned, "Godmother?"
Why had she never heard that Jiang Suichu had a godmother?
Jiang Suichu was also stunned for a moment and looked at Shu Yuan.
Shu Yuan put her arm around her shoulders, patted her secretly, and then nodded to Qu Ping, "Yes."
She said this deliberately, wanting to give herself a more reasonable identity to stand on Jiang Suchu's side.
Jiang Zhiguo was still hesitant and rubbed his hands uncomfortably, "How can this be done?"
Even if she is Jiang Suichu's godmother, there is no reason for her to pay for it.
Shu Yuan smiled lightly and said: "Zhiwei and my husband were colleagues and friends before his death, and he was kind to us. This can be regarded as repaying Zhiwei's kindness."
Jiang Zhiguo wanted to say something else, but Qu Ping stopped him.
Qu Ping smiled flatteringly, "Thank you very much."
There is no reason to refuse someone who offers money. Qu Ping smiled and gave her a glass of water, "You drink water."
Shu Yuan glanced at her, and the snobbery in Qu Ping's eyes was clearly visible. It is conceivable that Jiang Suchu must have suffered a lot of grievances from her over the years.
Shu Yuan smiled almost imperceptibly, took the disposable water cup, "Thank you."
She took the water glass without taking a sip and put it on the table. "What time can we visit the intensive care unit?"
This was the question Jiang Suchu was most concerned about. She had never had the chance to ask it, but Shu Yuan asked it first.
Jiang Zhiguo glanced at the electronic wall clock on the wall of the ward and said, "It's half past two. You can go now."
Jiang Suichu also looked at the time, it was two fifteen.
Shu Yuan took Jiang Suichu's hand and walked out, "Suibao, go see grandma."
"Yes." Jiang Suichu nodded and held Aunt Shu Yuan's hand tightly.
Only one person can be allowed in the intensive care unit at a time. Jiang Suichu changed into protective clothing and entered the ward. When she saw her grandma on the hospital bed with tubes all over her body, her tears burst into tears again.
Grandma has lost a lot of weight, her cheeks are completely sunken, and her cheekbones are bulging, making her look particularly scary.
"..Grandma.." Her voice trembled, and she held Grandma's skinny hand.
There seemed to be a wrinkled skin on the back of grandma's hand, and the blood vessels and veins were clearly visible like the veins of stems and leaves.
Grandma was wearing an oxygen mask, and her weak breathing sound was so clear in the ward with only the ticking instruments.
Jiang Suchu gently picked up grandma's hand and put it on his face, "Grandma, you said you would always stay with me."
"You won't break your promise, right?" she said, tears sliding down her cheeks and into her mouth.
Bitter and salty.
Outside the ward, Shu Yuan looked at Lu Zhinian and was stunned for a moment, "A Nian?"
Lu Zhinian gasped and ran over, "Mom."
Shu Yuan glanced at her son. His hair was messy and he was still wearing school uniform. She raised her wrist and looked at the time again. He should have just finished the exam at this point.
"You..." Shu Yuan wanted to ask him if he didn't have any exams, but she swallowed the words as they reached her lips. There was no point in asking them now.
Lu Zhinian looked at Shu Yuan and asked, "Mom, where is Suisui?"
Shu Yuan pointed to the door of the intensive care unit and said, "Just went in."
Lu Zhinian looked at the ward and frowned, "Suisui...are you okay?"
Shu Yuan sighed, shook her head and said, "I hope grandma will be okay."
Otherwise, she was really worried about whether Jiang Suchu could survive it.
Grandma is so important to her.
Shu Yuan glanced at the closed door of the ward and said to Lu Zhinian: "A-Nian. I'll pay the fee first, and you can wait here for years."
Lu Zhinian nodded, "Yeah."
After Shu Yuan went downstairs, Lu Zhinian leaned weakly against the wall of the hospital corridor. His lip lines were tight and he kept looking at the door of the intensive care unit.
……..
In the intensive care unit.
Jiang Suichu held grandma's hand and talked nonchalantly, but grandma kept her eyes closed and didn't respond at all.
Jiang Suichu looked at his grandma's face, which was so thin that she looked disfigured. After all, he couldn't help but lay on the hospital bed and cried loudly.
"Grandma, you must get better."
"Grandma, I beg you, please get better, okay?"
"Grandma, don't leave me."
"I...only have you, grandma."
She lay beside the hospital bed, resting her forehead on the back of her grandma's hand, calling her grandma over and over again. Tears were like broken beads, falling on the back of grandma's hand one by one.
"Sui Sui..."
Just when she was crying until she had a headache, she heard an extremely weak voice. She was stunned for a moment, then suddenly raised her head and looked at her grandma.
"Grandma!" Jiang Suchu lay down in front of her grandma in surprise and joy, crying and calling her, "Grandma, can you hear me?"
Grandma was still wearing an oxygen mask, and the mist in the mask gathered and dispersed as she breathed in and out.
Grandma was very weak, her eyes opened and closed. She slowly raised her hand. When Jiang Suchu saw it, he quickly grabbed her grandma's hand and put it to her face, "Grandma, I'm here."
Grandma bent her lower lip, and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes squeezed into gullies. Jiang Suchu saw her grandma's lips moving all the time. She leaned over and put her ear to her mouth.
"Sui...suisui, go back...to class." Grandma's voice was very low, and it took a long time to finish the few words.
After Jiang Suchu heard what his grandma said, the tip of his nose felt sore again.
She shook her head and said stubbornly: "No, I want to guard grandma. I want to see grandma get better."
Grandma closed her eyes and took a breath, "Be obedient and go back to school... study hard."
Jiang Suchu cried and shook his head, "Grandma, please don't drive me away."
She knew that grandma was worried about delaying her studies, but she couldn't study even if grandma was like this now, even if she went back to school.
Grandma's fingers trembled slightly, trying to wipe her tears. But she was so weak that she couldn't even use her fingers.
At this time, doctors and nurses came in.
The doctor said: "The visiting time is up, the family members should go out first."
Jiang Suchu had to leave the ward. Before leaving, she cried and said to the doctor: "Doctor, please cure my grandma. Please."
Doctor: "We will try our best, little girl."
When Lu Zhinian saw Jiang Suchu coming out, he immediately stood up straight and walked towards her.
Jiang Suchu lowered his head and walked out, when a pair of familiar sneakers suddenly appeared in his sight. She was stunned for a moment, then looked up and saw Lu Zhinian's worried face.
She looked at him, the tip of her nose was sour, "...Nian Nian."
"Yes." Lu Zhinian responded in a low voice, reaching out to hold her in his arms, "I'm here."
Jiang Suichu grabbed Lu Zhinian's clothes tightly with his hands, buried his face in his chest and sobbed softly. Lu Zhinian patted her back again and again, holding her quietly without saying a word.
