Chapter 3: Unquestioning Filial Piety 3
Author: 打字机N号
T /N: This is a MTL work. I tried to edit as best as I could, any mistake plz do put your comment and I will edit it ASAP. This is my first attempt on chinese novel so please cheer me up! I hope you will find this novel as interesting as I do.
The situation in the hospital this day was less crowded compared to the later generation. In general, people usually will not come to the hospital at all. Instead they will either endure it, take some remedies prepared by the elder generation or just drink some soup.
This may be related to the backward equipment available in the hospital as well as the shortage of drugs, while the more high-caliber veteran doctors had been sent to work at the countryside.
However, this had little to do with Jiang Liu. Even though the wound in his head looked scary, in fact, it did not hurt that much. As long as the wound was not infected, there will be no big problem. But when he was sent into the hospital, there wound was bleeding excessively that it scared the doctor in charge who was a fresh graduate from the university. Therefore in doctor judgement, Jiang Liu's wound was heavy therefore requiring him to stay at the hospital for a few days for observation.
After counting the days, the couple had been in the hospital for three days. Soon, the nurse came over to inform Xu Xiuxiu of the discharge process. Hence, the couple started to pack up and get ready to go back to the village.
"I'm going to see the doctor to ask something. You followed the nurse and complete the discharge procedure first."
After waking up that morning, Jiang Liu's had been a bit strange. Xu Xiuxiu looked at his eyes but he did not seemed want to divulge why he wanted to see the doctor. She could not help but have some doubts in her heart. What's more, the other party also obviously seemed to avoid her eyes.
“Okay.”
But Xu Xiuxiu decided not to ask much about it and just nodded. She then docilely followed the nurse to the accounting office. She first need to settle the hospitalization procedure as well as the payment method for the medical expenses. After this, both of them should sat down and have a detailed communication.
During the three days of hospitalization, they have spent a total of 123 coins. The team also had given them 60 yuan to pay for the medical fees. Therefore there was still a remaining of 63 coins that they needed to pay off. Usually this much of coins were not considered as small amount among the farmer.
Jiang Liu and Xu Xiuxiu earned the highest working points among the men and women on the team. Jiang Liu received 12 point for each working day while Xia Xiuxiu received 8 points. But since Jiang Liu got injured, it seemed that he might not be able to work for a while now. Therefore, their household income will suffer quite a bit from this. As a result of the discussion with the accounting department, the hospital will deducted 200 work points from the brigade where the couple are located each month until they managed to offset the balance of 63 coins.
In this way, the remaining work points were only enough to cover the couple’s basic expense which was already extremely humanized.
After Xu Xiuxiu finished with all procedure for discharge, Jiang Liu had already returned from seeing the doctor. Yet, his face looked even uglier than when he left her earlier on.
It was as if the soul had flown away from his body. He looked extremely muddle-headed in her eyes.
"Leader-uncle should be here soon to pick us up."
Xu Xiuxiu quickly sorted out their few belonging. After a little while, she couldn’t help but asked
“Liu-zi, didn't you go see the doctor just now? Hey, why did you look like losing a soul?”
Is there any additional problem in regard to the injury in his head? Would there be any sequelae after this?
“No, nothing.”
Jiang Liu looked flustered as he tried to avoid Xu Xiuxiu gaze.
“We are husband and wife, so you should not hide any big things from me okay."
However since he seemed that he didn’t want to say it and Xu Xiuxiu herself couldn't force him to do so. She could only pout and made up the bed, hiding the doubt in her heart.
*****
“Come back, Liu-zi is back.”
These days, many people on the squad were worried about Jiang Liu's situation. In addition to the filial piety, Jiang Liu was also diligent and honest, as well as a helpful hand in the team. His reputation was very good and he also had many friends. Therefore, when many people knew of his return, many people stopped working in the field and took their time of to visit him at Jiang's house.
All of sudden, the Jiang family's small courtyard was filled.
“Liu-zi, did the doctor said anything about your injury?”
Everyone asked him with concern.
“There should not be anything wrong.”
Jiang Liu answered the question slowly while looking reluctant. Even though he said so, yet in other people's eyes, his countenance seemed to indicate something else.
Seeing her husband behaved in such way, Xu Xiuxiu could not help but getting even more worried.
“You had shed so much blood, so you should take some time off and rest. You do not lack any work points. Since you already spent so many work points to see the doctor, you should take care of yourself lest you wasted those points away."
Previously Jiang Liu had shed so much blood. He even had to stay at the hospital for a few days. Even after returning, his face was still looking pale like an anemic person. If he did not take a good rest, this old people knew how much suffering it will be later on in his life.
“Hey, who said that we don't lack work point? Don't just spew irrelevant stuff around."
Miao Caifeng was the first to stand up. She had already heard that her son owed lots of money to the hospital. For that expenses, every month, all the work point earned by the couple will be deducted by the hospital for nearly half of it. As for the rest of it, except for filling their stomach, they really couldn’t save much.
Under this circumstance, some of the visitor still dared to ask her son to rest. It was difficult to think they have to let go of the money earned by their eldest son.
“The body of our son is already good. If it is not good, the doctor wouldn't let him come back. Rest? Rest a fart, he should starts working in the afternoon.”
Miao Caifeng put her hands on her hips and then looked at Jiang Liu. With a helpless look, she said to the son who had always been filial.
“I'm not to boss you around, but the family situation is really difficult. As a big brother, we had always wronged you and aske you to bear for the family. Mom is feel helpless about this, but if the conditions in the family are better, Mom will never force you to do this."
Then, the old lady came forward to touch the head of this son who have been acting like a mature adult for so many years. She knew her son the most. This set of words and actions will make him follow her bidding.
“Mom, I want to take a break for a while. The doctor told me that I have to take a rest and recuperate. If possible, I also need to eat an egg a day to make up my body.”
But this time Jiang Liu did not heed the bidding of the old lady. He looked down at his toes and said in a low voice.
“Huh! Rest? Still need to eat an egg every day? Son, are you stupid?”
When Miao Caifeng heard that, the hand that had stretched out stopped in the air. She couldn't believe it. The old ox who had worked hard and never said anything before, dared to ask her such outrageous demands.
“The chicken in the house were all fed by Xu Xiuxiu. On usual day, you always make steamed egg for Jiang Jun and his two sons. But now it is a special circumstances. We just need to temporarily stop giving them the egg. When I am well, I will no longer eat those eggs. ”
The Jiang’s member all living in the same house. Now, the family kept five hens and a rooster. As for the egg, apart from sending it out to the acquisition station, only the old couple, Jiang Jun and his two sons can enjoy it.
In the past, the original body had felt that it was justified. His parents are the elders and need filial piety. His brothers and sisters were twin babies. When they were born, they were much thinner than ordinary babies. They needed more nutrition. As for the two sons of his younger brothers, they are currently the heir to their Jiang family. Therefore, the family need to give the best things to these male grandchildren.
If it was in other family, this original couple would have been treated as important, however in this family, they were the one who had enjoyed the worst treatment.
“Son, your heart is really dark. Why? Just because your head was wounded, you want to cross me and become a master in this house? I am telling you, I will not allowed it unless I dead. To think you have the nerve to grab the egg from your nephew. I don't want to think about how long you have been married and yet your wife had not given you a single son. If you have no children in your life, you could only rely on these two children to raise you in the future. Now you want to grab those child’s egg. You are really cold hearted. “
It was already ten years and in Miao Caifeng’s view, this son was destined not to give her any grandson at all. In the future, she can only wait for her second child to support her. The older generation also need to pay attention to the sacrifice after their death. It was because of this that the old couple showed blatant favoritism among their children.
Furthermore Miao Caifeng felt clearly in her heart that when she gave out this reason, many of the older generation in the team will surely stand on her side. Those people will agree that her approach was not wrong at all.
When Miao Caifeng declared as such Jiang Liu became even more silent. He seemed to be shrouded with dark aura and he looked indescribably gloomy and depressed.
"Isn't it just an egg? The child is still small and they do not need such good nutrition."
"That's right, Miao-shenzi, you statement is a bit too much for your own son."
The villagers around them tried to put some good words on behalf of Jiang Liu. Isn't this a special case? They had never seen Jing Liu rushing to eat eggs on normal day.
“Those two are the grandchildren of this family. In the future, when you do not even have an heir for yourself, don’t you need these two nephews to support you? Now, you wanted to cajole their things. Will they even respect you as an uncle in the future ah?'
Miao Caifeng put her hand on her hips, looking confident.
More and more people can’t stand seeing Miao Caifeng’s acted so arrogantly, and the voice of the argument is getting bigger and bigger. Jiang Liu was at the center of the racket with his head down, the fist that he was holding was getting tighter and tighter. When the argument got even louder, Jiang Liu suddenly pushed the crowd away as he rushed into the kitchen and rushed out again with a kitchen knife. He ran straight into the chicken coop, grabbed the cock, and directly lifted the knife to the struggling cock's neck as he cut its throat.
"What are you doing with that knife? This old lady looking at you like someone with brain damaged."
Miao Caifeng was miffed. They had raised that cock for a year at home. If they sent it to the acquisition station, the can get at least a few dozen coins for it. But without saying a word, Jiang Liu decided to slaughter it.
“Yes, I am crazy, I only wish for a few eggs. I have paid so much for this family and yet I can’t even eat a few eggs!”
Jiang Liu erupted after being silent all this time.
"Mom, I'm going to ask you. Am I even your son? Before, when I hurt my head, even though I am losing my consciousness, but in fact, I was still awake. I even heard that you are not willing to pay for my treatment. I comfort myself, thinking that there is really no money at home. But now I wanted to eat a few eggs to make up the body, I wanted to rest for a while. But for this little request, you don’t agree. Is it in this home, the second child is your only son and the little girl is your only daughter? Or is this Jiang Liu was the garbage that you pick up from outside?"
His questioning did not let Miao Caifeng calm down. Instead, because he randomly started killing the cock at home, Miao Caifeng's anger was rushing to her head and her words were also getting meaner.
“You do not have any qualifications to compare yourself with your younger brother. Your younger brother gave us two grandchildren to Jiang's house. You and your wife could not even give us half a girl. Since you are without conscience, you deserve to die without a son."
For the first time, her son who had always shown filial piety rebelled against her. This made Miao Caifeng feel that her authority was being provoked by him.
"Yes. I will die without a son."
Jiang Liu showed a smile that was uglier than crying
"The doctor also said that in my life, there is a great chance that there will be no child. I am a waste, I am not a man. The fact that I have no children with Xu Xiuxiu was not her problem. It was me, it was me. It was because that during the first half of my life, I lived like a cow. I have been ill-treated. Now I can't be a father and I could not even live a good life. I even got cursed by my own mother.”
Jiang Liu words was like a thunder in the air, and the people in the yard was stunned silent by it.
He told me that he was looking for a doctor in the hospital. So in the end, the doctor told him he cannot have a children?
“Xu Xiuxiu, hurry up and boil the water. I want to eat meat. I also want to eat eggs and white rice. I still have to make up my body.”
Jiang Liu’s lips were tight.
“I want to have a child, regardless if it was a girl or a boy. From today, I will not be treating myself badly, nor will I be treating you badly. We are still young. Let's raise our body and work hard for our children."
He holds the knife in one hand. While carrying the cock he declared those words to Xu Xiuxiu with pleasing eyes.
Since he admitted publically that he might be infertile, this matter was largely a big challenge to one self-esteem, for either the men or the women. Jiang Liu was afraid that Xu Xiuxiu will divorce him. After all, he is a man who had been sentenced to death by the doctor. As for Xu Xiuxiu, she may not have a problem. If she were remarried, maybe she could become a mother.
“Okay.”
At this moment, Xu Xiuxiu finally understood why her husband had been looking so wrong all day. She nodded, wiped her eyes with her sleeves and went straight to the kitchen.
There were no children in these years, and all the pressure had been force on her body. In fact, if Jiang Liu is willing, he can completely keep this thing under the blanket, and then let everyone accused her of being a hen who could not lay an egg. Since he gave back her innocence, Xu Xiuxiu felt that she still wanted to continue this marriage life with Jiang Liu.
“Mom, if you can’t stand that this son of your who will never give you a grandson, then let’s separate. I won’t be so stupid to dedicate my life helping my younger brother in the future. I want to live my own day.”
Jiang Liu left the stunned Miao Caifeng and followed Xu Xiuxiu into the kitchen. The instant he turned his head, his face relaxed with a touch of cunningness.
These days, it really not easy to eat a chicken justifiably.