Chapter 1: Dependence on each other
In the north at the end of October, the temperature is already very low.
It was evening now, and the sky was mostly covered by dark clouds.
The late autumn rain is coming, and this may be the last rain before the real winter.
The howling cold wind and the dark clouds gradually covered up the last ray of light...
It was the rush hour after get off work and there were many pedestrians on the street. As a heavy rain was approaching, everyone tightened their collars and walked in a hurry.
Among the crowd, a boy in school uniform trotted to the gate of an upscale residential area.
After wandering at the gate of the community for a while, the boy looked at his watch, looked hesitant, but still stepped into the gate of the community.
The security guard at the door seemed to recognize him. He did not stop him when he walked in, but just shook his head slightly.
Song Jing opened the door and saw the half-grown child standing at the door, and her brows frowned slightly.
"Aunt Song, is my dad home?"
"He is on a business trip. What do you want ?" Song Jing's tone was not very good. The child in front of her was the son of her husband He Zhicheng and his ex-wife, named He Shu.
Song Jing has been married to He Zhicheng for more than three years. He Zhicheng has been giving money to his son behind his back and thought that Song Jing didn't know.
Now it has become even worse. This child comes every three or two days, and no matter how good-tempered I am, I can't stand it.
He Shu was stunned for a moment, as if he didn't expect Song Jing to say his father wasn't home. Song Jing was blocking the door, so He Shu couldn't force his way in, nor could he say he didn't believe it. A 13 or 14-year-old boy just stood there at the door.
After a long while, he finally said, "Aunt Song, I want to borrow some money."
"Borrow money? What are you going to pay back?" Song Jing laughed angrily: "Your father gives you a lot of living expenses every month. Aren't you two too ungrateful?"
Song Jing took a breath, touched her slightly bulging belly, calmed down her emotions, and continued in a slow voice: "He Shu, you are not a child anymore. Auntie thinks you are also a sensible child. Don't always come here to embarrass your father, okay? He is just a small civil servant, not a big boss!"
He Shu walked out of the community with his head down. The wind was getting stronger, and a few drops of cold rain were blowing on people's faces, causing pain.
He Shu tightened his thin school uniform and felt the chill run from the soles of his feet to his heart.
The rain gradually got heavier, and He Shu, who was running all the way home, was soaked all over.
He changed out of his dripping school uniform, put on a large vest and shorts, and without even taking a shower, he started picking vegetables and cooking.
The thick millet porridge in the rice cooker exuded an aroma, and a plate of emerald green vegetables and shredded pork was also fried. Taking out the stainless steel insulated lunch box, He Shu carefully put the food in it.
There was a little vegetable soup left, which he poured into his bowl and mixed with the remaining millet porridge in the pot and ate it all.
After putting on his raincoat, He Shu rushed into the pouring rain carrying his lunch box.
Qi Yue lay on the hospital bed, looking at the wind and rain outside the window, and became more and more worried about her son.
"I should buy a cell phone for my child." Qi Yue blamed herself. He Shu had never asked her for these things, but she knew that all her son's classmates had them.
Just as I was worried, I saw my son enter the ward with a lunch box in one hand and a neatly folded raincoat in the other.
"Mom, are you feeling better today? I cooked your favorite millet porridge." The boy, with a hint of childishness on his face, walked up to his mother with a happy smile on his face when he saw her.
"Why are you bringing food to your son when it's raining so hard?" Qi Yue felt so distressed that she took a towel and wiped the rain off her son's face.
Since his diagnosis, the child seemed to have grown up overnight.
"It's okay, I run fast and the rain can't catch up with me." He Shu giggled and set the table on the bed. He opened the lunch box and put a bowl of fragrant and thick millet porridge and green vegetables on the table.
"Mom, today's vegetables are very fresh, and the vegetable seller even gave me two green onions."
He Shu said something inappropriate for his age while slowly helping Qi Yue up.
"Have you eaten? There's so much, even Mom can't finish it. You should eat some with Mom." She knew how much money there was at home, and now she was afraid that there was not much money left even for buying groceries.
"I only come here after I've eaten my fill at home." He Shu handed the spoon to his mother and sat quietly aside.
Staring at her son, Qi Yue lost her appetite but still forced herself to eat a few more bites.
After clearing the table, He Shu sat next to his mother, massaging her legs while talking about what happened at school.
In addition to He Shu's mother, there was also a 70-year-old Grandma Su in the same ward. Seeing He Shu being so filial, she really liked him from the bottom of her heart.
"Little Tree~Come~"
He Shu stood up and walked to the old woman's bedside: "Grandma Su, is there anything wrong?"
"Here, take this and eat it." Grandma Su took out two big tangerines from the cabinet next to her.
"Grandma, I don't want it. You can keep it for yourself." He Shu quickly put his hands behind his back.
"Child, take what grandma gives you. If my grandson was half as filial as you, grandma's illness would have been cured long ago."
Unable to persuade Grandma Su, He Shu took one: "Then I'll take one, thank you Grandma Su."
"Good boy, go, stay with your mother." Grandma Su has a kind face. She looks at this child every day. This child is so heartwarming. He Shu's mother is so blessed.
"Mom, please eat." He Shu peeled the tangerine, carefully picked out the white fibers on the segments, and handed them to Qi Yue's mouth.
"Mom just had dinner and can't eat anymore. You eat it."
"Then leave it there. You take so many medicines every day, your mouth must have a bad taste. I'll keep this for you." He Shu put the orange on the bedside cabinet.
"Mom, it's time to get some hot water. I'll go get you some hot water." He Shu looked at the time, picked up the thermos on the cabinet, and looked over at Grandma Su. There was not much water left in Grandma Su's thermos either, so he took both away.
"Xiao Qi, you are so lucky. Shu is such a filial child. He will definitely have a bright future." Grandma Su sat on the bed, watched He Shu walk out, and said to Qi Yue.
"Hey, he's a good kid . It's just me, as his mother, who is a burden to him."
"Don't say that. You are still young. Treat your illness well. You will enjoy a happy life in the future."
Qi Yue shook her head, her eyes reddened. She knew her own body best and was afraid that she would not have the blessing to see her son grow up.
She was not afraid of death, but she was afraid that after she died, her son would be left alone and helpless. How would he live?
When He Shu came back from fetching water, he saw Qi Yue's eyes were red: "Mom, are you feeling unwell? Should I call a doctor?"
Qi Yue grabbed her son's hand and shook her head: "Mom is fine, I just feel that you have been too hard these days."
"I'm not afraid of hard work. I'm already grown up. As long as you get better soon, mom, I'm not afraid of anything."
"Okay, Mom will get better soon," Qi Yue hugged her son in her arms, touched He Shu's head, her face full of tears.
