Shi Jingfang, smiling, pushed some dishes towards Yunyi. "It’s not much; let the three of us eat to our heart’s content." The most update n0vels are published on Nov3lFɪre.ɴet
As she spoke, she picked up her chopsticks and gave Yunyi and Ye Wenhui a helping of the sautéed pork. "Eat up. You need to nourish yourselves well."
Knowing Shi Jingfang still had to catch a ride later, the two exchanged glances and joined in, eating heartily.
Everything that needed to be said had been discussed the night before. Now, they listened to Shi Jingfang’s advice for them: "In the future, you two should discuss matters together. I’ll be able to rest easy knowing you’re looking out for each other when I return to the Capital."
After the meal, Shi Jingfang and her daughter Ye Wenhui went to fetch their luggage. Yunyi made a trip back to her small courtyard, bringing along the mushroom meat sauce and scallion pancakes she had made in her space the previous night, then headed over to meet them at the bus stop.
She hadn’t been waiting long before Shi Jingfang and her daughter arrived. Yunyi handed over the food, "Auntie Fang, I made this this morning. You can eat it on the road."
Shi Jingfang didn’t refuse. "Alright, Auntie Fang will take it. When I get back to Beijing, I’ll send some food over for you two."
Then, she looked at her own daughter. "From now on, I’ll just send it directly to Yunyi, and you can go get your share from her place."
Yunyi laughed. "Auntie Fang, my partner sends me things, and my grandfather’s old friends over in Beijing also regularly send me parcels. It’s enough for you to just prepare things for Sister Wenhui."
Shi Jingfang said with a look of disapproval, "Considering my relationship with your mother, it’s only right that I look after you. I’ll consider you another daughter from now on. You can’t refuse."
Yunyi found it hard to refuse directly. "Alright, then I’ll be your daughter from now on."
Seeing Yunyi agree, Shi Jingfang said cheerfully, "Then it’s settled!"
While they were talking, the public bus back to the county arrived. The conductor leaned by the door, yelling, "To the county seat! We’re leaving!"
Shi Jingfang looked at them. "Take good care of yourselves. I’m off."
Watching the bus drive away, Ye Wenhui planned to return to the dormitory to do laundry, while Yunyi needed to get back to the clinic for work. They agreed to get food from the cafeteria together that evening and eat at Yunyi’s small courtyard.
To avoid delaying the reservoir’s construction, the accident’s aftermath was quickly resolved. Those from the Agricultural Reclamation Group who were injured would be paid as if working normally during their recuperation. The cafeteria also provided meals for the sick until they fully recovered.
Of course, it wasn’t up to the injured to decide when they had recovered; that was determined by the doctors at the clinic.
The Group headquarters also prepared some comfort items.
The few from the clinic who weren’t seriously injured were directly issued certificates for a week’s rest. Taking the comfort items from the Group, they all returned to their dormitories to recuperate.
Near the end of the workday, news reached the clinic: Ye Wenjuan and another seriously injured person, Zheng Huaibing, would be brought back to the Agricultural Reclamation Group tomorrow.
Ye Wenjuan would go straight back to her dormitory to recuperate, and during this time, the Group would arrange for someone to take care of her. However, Zheng Huaibing would have to stay in the clinic upon his return as he still needed IV treatments.
When it was time to get off work, Ye Wenhui came over. "Yunyi, are you done with your work?"
Yunyi got up and started tidying. "All done."
After hanging up her white coat, she said, "Sister Wenhui, Ye Wenjuan is coming back tomorrow."
Ye Wenhui looked up and sighed. "I wonder how long my younger aunt will stay?"
Yunyi laughed when she saw her reaction. "During her recuperation, the Group will arrange for someone to take care of her. Given your relationship, I reckon the Group will definitely approach you first. You should be mentally prepared for that."
Ye Wenhui looked at Yunyi. "Who told you that?"
Yunyi, having changed her clothes, picked up her meal box. "Someone from the Group headquarters came this afternoon. They said we clinic staff need to go over regularly to do check-ups for them."
After hearing this, Ye Wenhui said, "If that’s the case, getting paid without having to do regular fieldwork... there will definitely be plenty of people fighting to take care of her. I can use that to my advantage and gracefully decline."
Yunyi found her attitude somewhat amusing.
Afraid Yunyi might misunderstand, Ye Wenhui quickly explained, "Actually, Ye Wenjuan and I don’t get along very well. I never wanted to be assigned to the same dormitory as her, but she had her mother—my younger aunt—pull strings to make it happen."
"I don’t quite know how to explain it to you... Anyway, I’d much rather go work at the reservoir construction site than stay in the dormitory to look after her."
Seeing that Ye Wenhui genuinely didn’t want to stay in the Group to look after Ye Wenjuan, Yunyi said, "I can help you with this."
Ye Wenhui’s eyes lit up. "Really?"
Yunyi nodded at her. "Don’t worry. Since you’re unwilling, we’ll find a way to have the Group skip over you when they’re assigning someone."