After getting off the long-distance bus and then taking the city bus, it took more than an hour to finally reach the destination — H Province First Hospital.
With the identity proof, introduction letter, and food coupons provided by the village and a few words from the quotations, it was quite smooth to get the little guy admitted and undergo professional-level examinations. His right thigh bone was broken into two pieces, and he had severe blood loss and some infection symptoms due to incomplete wound disinfection. He was rushed into the operating room overnight to undergo an internal fixation surgery, which is now common but was a novel technique back then, received an imported anti-inflammatory injection costing eighty bucks per shot, and two hundred milliliters of blood were d by the Lianshan brothers’ family.
Two hundred bucks went down the drain in just one night, leaving Lian Hai, this child’s father, feeling a tremendous pressure mixed with a profound sense of relief for escaping a major disaster. Blessed was he that Brother Liu saved Shuzhen, blessed was Shuzhen for her gratefulness. Otherwise, who knows, he might have already endured the heartbreak of a parent burying their child by now. After all, the doctor had said it clearly: the child was severely injured, showed signs of infection, and had lost too much blood. Fortunately, they were relatively timely in getting him to the hospital; any later, and it could have been too late!
This is far beyond just borrowing two hundred bucks and fifty kilos of food coupons from Shuzhen! Clearly, this was saving his son’s life, as well as the lifeline of him and the old lady in the family. Such gratitude, as high as the mountains and as deep as the ocean, he and his wife would gladly be her oxen or horses without a word!
Seeing her brother-in-law kneel down before her suddenly, Shuzhen was genuinely stunned: though in their past life, she hadn’t interacted much with her brother-in-law, he and her sister-in-law Lian Yue never concealed their discontent towards her, right? Orphaned at an early age, he was brought up by his older brother. In Lian Hai and Lian Yue’s hearts, Lianshan was like taking on multiple roles, both as a father and a mother.
The most revered, most admired big brother was victimized and married a woman notorious for bringing along a child from a previous relationship, not to mention having her heart set on her ex-husband without bringing any warmth or ease to him but subjecting him to more pressure, burden, ridicule, and even humiliation. Under such circumstances, if the brother-in-law and sister-in-law could appreciate her as his sister-in-law, that would be a miracle during broad daylight!
Of course, that is long gone, a matter from a past life, and Shuzhen shouldn’t view things with an outdated perspective.
Yet, deep-seated negative impressions are hard to shake; she was ready to work hard to clear her name and gain approval from her brother-in-law and sister-in-law. But before she even started trying, her brother-in-law’s favorability points had maxed out?
The shift was too abrupt and too intense for her to accept!
As Shuzhen was briefly distracted, the straightforward Lian Hai had already kowtowed thrice on the ground: "Shuzhen, thank you! If it weren’t for your kind heart, who knows, our Jiezi... Jiezi... he might have..."
Thinking of the prospect of being separated from his son forever, the seven-foot-tall Lian Hai couldn’t help but have tears welling up. He repeatedly thanked Shuzhen, saying that from then on, she would be the benefactor of their entire family. If she ever needed anything from them, they would do it without a second thought, even if it meant going through fire and water.
Getting patted on the shoulder by his older brother, the bewildered Shuzhen finally snapped back to reality. Quickly stepping aside to dodge the kowtow, she signaled her brother to pull this practical-minded man back up. Family should be forthright, so why kowtow? It’s not like she stepped up righteously for his sake, seriously! If gratitude is genuinely meant, being their ox or horse is unnecessary; just truly respect me as your sister-in-law in the future and don’t hold your brother back any further.
No, stop the kowtowing, I’m telling you!
Otherwise, if your brother comes back and starts having ill thoughts about me, do you believe I can render you incapable of shedding a tear in an instant?
Inwardly critiquing, Shuzhen smiled infinitely friendly on her face: "Brother Lianshan, get up quickly, it’s not worth you doing all this for such a small matter, is it? We all live in the same village, don’t we? And shouldn’t we emphasize mutual help? When it comes to vital matters like a child’s life, who could stand by and watch without intervening? I merely did what was within my capacity, not worth you, Brother Lian Hai, going this far..."
"For you, it might have just been lifting a finger, but for us, the Lian family, it’s life-saving grace. Shuzhen, we truly owe it to you this time. I won’t say more about it; please see our actions in the future!" Wiping away tears, Lian Hai earnestly declared after being forcefully pulled up by Liu Shouren.
"Alright, alright now, who doesn’t face difficulties or setbacks at times? It was just lending a hand; Brother Lian Hai, no need to dwell on it. Speaking of gratitude, actually, we siblings owe thanks to your brother. Without his righteous help, Shuzhen could have met with misfortune by now." The scene of the seven-foot man crying over gratitude was unbearably glaring, so Liu Shouren quickly comforted, determined not to let him further indulge in his emotions.
As for gratitude or whatever, can’t you keep it in your heart and show it through your actions?
Not necessary to kneel and kowtow, attracting public attention, let alone a grown man wailing. If you’re not mindful of your own dignity, please consider our eyes and ears!
It was a brain-rattling scene and excessively unpleasant to watch!
The straightforward Lian Hai couldn’t know what Liu Shouren was thinking!
He only thought he was being courteous and didn’t want to claim credit. He quickly rebutted with a dumb smirk: "Brother Liu, don’t say that; my brother coincidentally encountered the situation and acted on hand. Even if he wasn’t by the river that day, Shuzhen might have been fine. But my Xiao Jie’s injury and illness, without your siblings’ great help, it could have been disastrous..."
Thinking of the grim scenario of nearly losing his son, the seven-foot-tall Lian Hai couldn’t help but get teary-eyed. Seeing that the Liu siblings were not ones for empty gratitude, he opted not to say more about feeling thankful, merely inscribing this mountain- and sea-deep gratitude in his heart, planning to return the favor with his all should there be any opportunity. If they lacked the capability or chance, then let Jiezi and Jiajia pick up the baton.
Shuzhen didn’t care for Lian Hai’s foolish intent to pass down gratitude as a generational task; she was just concerned about her foolish husband being late in returning. Having left Liu village heading to the provincial capital, she hoped he wouldn’t get lost and fail to find his way back, which would be a disaster.
Watching as the wall clock moved from ten to eleven, the hospital room door was gently pushed open. Before Shuzhen could complain, she heard Lianshan speak with a foolish smile: "After a day’s work, Brother Liu and Shuzhen, you must be hungry? I ventured to the nearby state-run restaurant and got some food. Let’s have some to settle our stomachs. Then Hai Zi and I will stay and watch over Jiezi. Brother Liu and Shuzhen can rest at the nearby guesthouse. I’ve already arranged and paid, just take your introduction letters over to check in and rest."