Chapter 54: Before leaving, He Feng gave the clinic...

Before leaving, He Feng paid for the medicine and prescriptions, a total of two hundred and thirty-seven yuan. But he subconsciously felt that he had asked for too little, so he left a hundred yuan in his sleeping room.

On the train, Sun Jinglin and Sun Jingan once again slept in the upper bunk. No one knew what they had done the previous night, but as soon as they boarded the train today, they were clamoring to sleep.

This train wasn't an express line, so the journey would be several hours slower than before.

Song Qingshu had been lying down more than sitting these days and hadn't slept, but He Feng was exhausted, unable to stretch out even on the small berth. But he still pulled the person squatting next to him into his arms.

"Baby, stay with me for a while."

Just like when they arrived, Song Qingshu nestled in his arms, wrapped in his military coat, ready for sleep.

A thought struck Song Qingshu, pushing his military coat up closer. In the pitch darkness, he leaned down and kissed the corner of He Feng's mouth. "Brother, thank you."

Although He Feng didn't like hearing him say thank you, Song Qingshu still wanted to say it.

He Feng wrapped his arm around his waist, holding him tightly, and whispered, "Don't say thank you to me."

"Hmm!"

The train whined as it arrived at the station. The brakes were still loud, but He Feng didn't find it irritating. Song Qingshu, holding the stuffed bear, followed He Feng off the train.

"How are you going home?" Sun Jing'an asked, carrying the sleepy Sun Jinglin on his back, the bulging canvas bag slung across his body.

"Take a bus to town first, then find a motorcycle from there."

Sun Jing'an nodded. "Okay, see you later."

These days, cars and taxis were only available in the city, and they were few and far between. No one wanted to go to the countryside, so motorcycles were easier to find.

Besides, it is only easy to find a motorcycle from here to the town. If you go back to Hejia Village to refuel, no one may take you there unless you pay for the gas on the way back.

After finding a car, He Feng let Song Qingshu sit in his arms facing him, just like when he came, and then wrapped him up with the military coat, this time not even his head was exposed. As soon

as the car started, the wind whistling in his ears was blocked by the coat. Song Qingshu stuck his head out, and He Feng bent down and kissed him on the cheek, "Baby, it's windy outside."

Song Qingshu liked the way he coaxed her in such a calm voice. The corners of his mouth raised a little, and he smiled softly, "Yeah."

Afraid that He Feng would be cold, he reached out and covered He Feng's ears with his warm palms. Before he could warm them up, his hands got cold first.

He Feng quickly put the coat back in his hand and told him to be a good boy.

He Feng, knowing he was a bit bored, pulled his coat up further, cradling Song Qingshu like a swaddled little cub, his face exposed, still facing He Feng's chest. He knew

the wind wouldn't blow him away.

"Let's go back. First, we'll go to He Lishu's house. It was so cold when we left, I'm afraid his hands are frostbitten."

Song Qingshu nodded. "Give some of the shopping to Erqing, and give some to Sister Liu."

"Okay, have Sister Liu come over tonight for dinner. We'll have roast duck."

To carry the food back, He Feng also bought a yellow military satchel, the kind city students carry to school, and Song Qingshu could carry it to school in the future.

He Feng stuffed it with the roast duck, egg cakes, glutinous rice cakes, and peach cakes, each wrapped in double layers of wax paper, along with two new boxes of cream and a can of frostbite cream.

He Feng didn't buy the candy in the city, as he could already buy it at home.

When they arrived in town, Song Qingshu had already fallen asleep on He Feng's chest. He Feng woke him up and carried him out of the car.

On the road, someone was selling candied haws. They were not made of pure hawthorn, but also a few slices of orange.

He Feng went over and bought a bunch and handed it to Song Qingshu to eat. The first one on top was hawthorn, which was bright red and covered with a layer of sugar. When he bit it, the sweet and crispy sugar shell melted into his mouth with the sour taste of hawthorn.

He took a bite and put it to He Feng's lips, asking him to taste it too. He Feng lowered his head and put the remaining half into his mouth, frowning at the sour taste.

Song Qingshu stood nearby, his voice melodious and triumphant. He Feng just looked at him and smiled, his voice full of doting. "You've even learned to scheme against me, little bastard."

Song Qingshu shook his head, his bright eyes blinking. "I think it's delicious, not sour."

He Feng rubbed his head, not exposing his earlier forbearance. The town wasn't far from home, and someone would pick them up if they paid more than the gas fee. Soon, the two of them were on the final leg of their journey home.

When they got home, He Feng gave the person who brought them back two yuan and poured him a cup of hot tea to warm him up before they left.

Song Qingshu went straight to Mrs. Liu's house to find Xiaohua and Xiaohei. As soon as he entered, Xiaohei pounced on him, circling around him.

"Mrs. Liu," Song Qingshu called from the doorway, and a voice responded from inside. "I'm coming."

Xiaohua, hearing the voice, came out of the house, meowing. Song Qingshu squatted down to pet Xiaohua's head, and Xiaohei lay down on the ground.

It hadn't snowed in the past two days at home, except for the snow that had piled up before and hadn't melted yet. The ground was clean, and the soil was frozen hard, so stepping on it wouldn't dirty your shoes.

When Mrs. Liu saw it was Song Qingshu, she smiled, "Are you okay? I was almost scared to death after hearing what He Sheng said."

Song Qingshu handed over the egg cake he brought, "It's okay, it's just that I've had heart problems since I was a child, and it's scary when it's severe."

"This is the egg cake I bought from the provincial capital, it smells delicious. Sister-in-law, don't cook tonight, come to my house for dinner."

Mrs. Liu happened to have something to say to the two of them, so she nodded and said yes. She looked down at the egg cake in her hand, then looked up at the back of Song Qingshu calling Xiaohua and Xiaohei away. What good children.

When Song Qingshu returned home, He Feng came out pushing a bicycle, "Let's go to He Lishu's house."

"Brother, did you put some candy in your pocket?"

He Feng hadn't used up all the nine candies he had in his pocket when he went to the provincial capital, he still had six left. He had just gone upstairs to grab some more nougat, which would definitely be enough for Erqing.

He nodded, "I brought it, get in the car."

Song Qingshu sat in the back and hugged He Feng's waist. Because it was cold, he put his hands directly in He Feng's pockets to keep warm.

It was a little after four in the afternoon, and the sun was already hanging in the sky. The setting sun shone on the piled snow. A gust of wind blew over, and the holly tree at the door swayed.

"Lishu." He Feng shouted as soon as he got out of the car, but Erqing came out first. When he saw Song Qingshu and He Feng, he happily ran back to the house and shouted, "Dad, it's Teacher Song and the young master. "

He Lishu's wife was called Chen Yun. She was boiling a pot in the kitchen. When she heard it, she came out and wiped her hands on her apron.

"Are you cooking?"

"I'm making tea. Let Lishu get some boiling water to scald his hands later, otherwise he will have to do it again next year." She stopped talking halfway, and He Lishu came out of the house with gloves on his hands.

He Feng knew it at a glance, "Frostbite, right?"

"This is the medicine I bought from the provincial capital, and this is food, egg cake, for Erqing, and candy." He handed over the medicine and egg cake in his hand. Song Qingshu half squatted and handed the candy to Erqing.

Before He Lishu could say anything, Chen Yun spoke first, "Hey, you gave me so much money that time, and there's still a lot left. Don't want it, uncle, take it back."

She spoke in the tone of a country person. After staying in the city for the past few days, Song Qingshu actually missed this tone of voice. "If He Lishu hadn't sent us to the city back then, I might not be alive today. You have to take whatever you say." "

How can these things be compared with human life." He Lishu walked over, and Erqing went back to stand next to his father, staring at Song Qingshu.

Song Qingshu stood up, "Yeah, how can these things be compared with human life, so you just keep them. I can't eat this milk candy after taking medicine, and it would be a waste to throw it away."

"I bought a lot of this egg cake, so I can't put too much. It just so happens that we don't sell it on the street here. Take it and try it."

He Feng stood next to Song Qingshu, watching him smile and talk to He Lishu and his wife. His fair face seemed to be coated with a layer of soft halo by the setting sun, looking very warm.

He lowered his eyes and said softly: "Erqing, take it."

Perhaps he couldn't bear it, and couldn't argue with Song Qingshu, so Chen Yun nodded, "Erqing, this is given to you by your grandfather, so just keep it."

When Song Qingshu heard this address, he turned his head and looked at Chen Yun with pursed lips.

"Everyone in the village has been talking about you two these days. Aren't you just living together? Men and women are all living together, there's nothing much to say. Although I haven't been to school, I know what it means to respect others."

"Lishu knew about this when he sent you to the city. I don't think it's a big deal. Erqing calls my uncle "little master", so I call you "little grandpa". It's not like I took these things in vain."

Song Qingshu was speechless for a moment after what she said, "We didn't come here for this."

Chen Yun waved his hand, "But you and my uncle are both good people. We are from the same family."

"Erqing'er, call someone."

Erqing, who was originally standing next to He Lishu, ran over in a flowered cotton jacket, "little master, little grandpa."

Song Qingshu stuffed the candy into Erqing's hand, and put the candy that he couldn't take into his pocket, and responded with He Feng, "Hey, hey."

He Feng didn't say much, and gave the ointment to He Lishu, "The teacher in the city said that you should scald your hands with hot water before going to bed at night and apply it, and apply it again in the morning."

"Okay." He Lishu took the frostbite cream wearing gloves, hiding his hands, which had turned purple, red, and swollen from the cold. For the past two days, his hands had itched relentlessly whenever they were warm, but he hadn't dared scratch them.

A farmer's hands were important, too; they were used to work. Frostbite was a thing he didn't want to get.

But the thought that he'd saved a life by freezing his hands made it worth it.

On his way back, Chen Yun praised him, saying he'd become a hero.

Riding home, he met villagers. Some looked down, pretending not to see him, while others, as usual, smiled and greeted He Feng.

He Sheng happened to be buying sesame oil from Lao Jiao's house on the street. He ran into the two and hurriedly asked how Song Qingshu was doing. He had been so anxious he hadn't slept well for the past two days.

Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Song Qingshu's distressed face, afraid he wouldn't be able to save him.

Song Qingshu told him he was much better, and thanked him for the first aid he'd given him, otherwise he didn't know if he would still be here.

Seeing that he was more spirited than before, He Sheng knew his trip to the provincial capital had been useful. Without further ado, he scratched his head and rode his bike back out to the street. Only

when he arrived home did Song Qingshu realize that the villagers seemed to be accepting their relationship.

He pinched his face blankly, feeling a little pain. He turned to He Feng and said, "Brother, I feel like I'm dreaming."

"Why don't they think it's a big deal?"

This was something difficult to achieve in the 21st century, yet how could people born in 1982 be so willing to accept and understand it?

And the respect Chen Yun had just mentioned—logically, she shouldn't have been able to say it.

Just then, Sister Liu came over with a bowl of fried meatballs for the New Year and addressed him directly.

"These past few days, Teacher Zhu and Jin Yan have been talking to everyone, saying they can't just stop you from teaching. They've also said that no one in the entire street and surrounding villages can teach as well as you."

"If you're really not allowed to attend school because of this, it's a loss for the students."

He Feng took the meatballs from his hand, and Song Qingshu moved a stool for Sister Liu to sit on.

"Jin Yan also said that we should respect others. Whether you like men or women, they are all human beings. There's no problem."

He Feng poured two glasses of water. "You should also help to say that."

Mrs. Liu shook her head and took a sip from her teacup. "What do I know? I just rambled on."

Song Qingshu's eyes were full of sincerity. "Mrs. Liu, thank you so much."

Before returning, Song Qingshu had been thinking about how to deal with the cold words and insults he received from others.

Unexpectedly, someone was helping him solve his problems, convincing the villagers on his behalf. Now, even those who couldn't accept it would just stay away from him and He Feng, at least not verbally abuse or spit on them.

He blinked to hold back the tears, and repeated with trembling lips, "Really, thank you."

Mrs. Liu patted Song Qingshu's hand, like Song Qingshu's grandmother, saying kindly and gently, "My son, as long as you two are fine, that's all that's fine."

He Feng extended his hand and shook Song Qingshu's hand, solemnly and earnestly assuring him, "Yes, I will be fine."