Chapter 86: Bitter Regret
Basin after basin of blood was carried out from the room.
Wang Qiang’s mother saw this scene, slapped Wang Qiang’s face, and cursed angrily, "Such a good wife has been ruined by you like this, are you satisfied? You believe everything others say, without thinking for yourself; why isn’t it you that’s dead? For such a good daughter-in-law, you only married her because I and her mother were close friends. If I had known it would end like this, I wouldn’t have had the face to beg for her to marry into suffering."
"Yingniang, my poor Yingniang, when your mother passed, I promised over and over to take good care of you. I guarded against everything but couldn’t prevent this good-for-nothing from hurting you so deeply! I’m sorry to my dear sister..."
Su Yaoguang supported Wang Qiang’s mother and comforted her, "Auntie, don’t be sad. Fortunately, you came in time to at least save her life. If you had been any later, even she wouldn’t have been saved."
Doctor Lin stood nearby, full of guilt.
If it weren’t for his mix-up, a blameless child wouldn’t have suffered. In the end, he still had to bear half the responsibility for this misfortune.
Wang Qiang crouched on the ground with his head in his hands, feeling deep regret. He cried in a suppressed manner, like a caged beast enduring grievances.
When Jiang Jing emerged, Su Yaoguang queried about the situation inside.
Jiang Jing said, "Her body is severely weakened and needs proper care over the next three years. If treated well, she’ll be fine. If not cared for now, and her body deteriorates further, the worst result is she won’t bear children in this lifetime."
"How do we care for her?" Wang Qiang’s mother asked, "Whatever the doctor says, I’ll do. I must help her recover well. If not, I’d have no face left to meet my old friend in the afterlife."
Zhang Zhaodi came out and spoke to Doctor Lin, "I’ve done all I can, the prescription writing is up to you now. We’ll head back first."
"Yes, Doctor Lin, I trust your skill. Whatever you say for her care, I’ll follow it." Wang Qiang’s mother wiped her tears and said, "Don’t mind what my foolish son said."
"If you still trust me, I can write prescriptions. If not, go to the city and find another doctor. Anyway, your daughter-in-law’s condition has stabilized, and she’s not in mortal danger." Doctor Lin remarked, "In the end, it started with a misunderstanding. I never imagined such a misunderstanding would lead to this disaster."
Zhang Zhaodi took Jiang Jing and Su Yaoguang back home.
Luckily, the moonlight tonight was great, allowing them to drive the ox cart back without any trouble. As the ox cart neared home, the gate of the fenced yard opened, and Zhang Yingdi awaited their return.
"You’re finally back."
"I’m starving, make us some poached eggs." Zhang Zhaodi said tiredly, "Today, I did the work of a doctor rather than a midwife, and I indeed learned something. If I encounter today’s situation again, I’d know how to handle it. Learning gynecological skills isn’t bad. Jing’er, teach your foster mother some more medical knowledge when you have time. I feel like I can still learn."
Jiang Jing said, "Foster mother is impressive. Although I’ve seen countless patients with my parents, handling complications during childbirth personally for the first time was genuinely nerve-wracking. Having you beside me helped keep me composed and not fluster."
"You two are trueborn, I’m just adopted." Su Yaoguang said sourly, "Seeing such deep mother-daughter affection, I feel redundant. Guess I’ll go cook sugar egg soup."
"Little brat, spouting such sour words?" Zhang Zhaodi replied annoyed, "I’m going to lie down for a bit, call me when the eggs are ready."
Su Yaoguang went to the kitchen to make sugar egg soup, Jiang Jing wanted to help but was sent to rest by Su Yaoguang. Today Jiang Jing and Zhang Zhaodi worked tirelessly indoors, while she merely guarded the door, not putting in much effort.
Zhang Yingdi helped to kindle the flame.
"Has Uncle rested?"
"Yes, he’s resting at the workshop." Zhang Yingdi whispered, "I asked your second aunt and cousin to rest too. Many villagers were eavesdropping outside just now. Your second aunt created quite a commotion, tiring herself out. Your cousin coughed for so long, another cough and her throat would really have problems. These people are sickening, their curiosity is outrageous. If the doors opened, they’d surely rush in to see."
"It’s normal, don’t mind them." Su Yaoguang stirred the eggs, "Starting from tomorrow, speed up production, in a few days use rest as an excuse to send them to the city for placement, just enough to monitor the new shop renovation there. Anyway, second aunt and cousin have totally freed themselves from the Jia Family, let them gradually return to normal, Jia Family’s people showing up wouldn’t matter."
Su Yaoguang and Zhang Yingdi exchanged smiles.
Zhang Yingdi marveled, "In a blink, you’ve grown so much. When you were born, Second Sister and I rushed over to see you. So tiny, now you’re our pillar."
"We’ll only get better." Su Yaoguang expressed, "Though we’re women, we can still hold up half the sky. As long as we work in harmony, our lives will improve continuously."
Su Yaoguang and Zhang Yingdi took the sugar egg soup to Jiang Jing and Zhang Pandi. The two were truly exhausted, and were nudged several times before waking up. Su Yaoguang only ate two sugar eggs, leaving the other two for Zhang Yingdi. Zhang Yingdi felt embarrassed to eat, but Su Yaoguang forcibly handed them to her, saying she’s so thin she might faint anytime, then the cost of medicine would be more than two eggs.
Zhang Yingdi was amused and exasperated by her insistence, feeling bad as Zhang Pandi and Jia Chunni hadn’t eaten, making her solitary snack feel inappropriate.
Su Yaoguang understood her thoughts, equally amused, asking simply if Zhang Pandi and Jia Chunni were more pitied for their suffering days and if they’d get more good food after? Additionally, Wang Huanzhi’s perpetual frailness ensured prime sustenance. Only Zhang Yingdi overlooked herself.
In her close circles, concern was always about others not getting nourishment, while she forgot she was also a slim willow-like woman.
Like her past self, Zhang Yingdi forgot self-love. Her past self was always concerning others, never realizing she too needed people’s affection.
This time, she wouldn’t neglect herself anymore. She’d love herself the most. Naturally, she’d love her mother and those truly caring. Those indifferent would be discarded.
Zhang Yingdi ate the egg, gazing at Su Yaoguang’s sweet smile beneath candlelight, saying, "I finally understand why the traveling monk named you Yaoguang. Yaoguang, thank you."