Gong Mingxia was leaving on her bike when many kind-hearted people advised her to visit the hospital, but she rejected their offer with a smile.
"I’ll just go ho, take a hot shower, change clothes, and I’ll be fine, thanks for everyone’s concern."
Despite putting on a coat, her damp clothes clung to her, still making her feel cold. She quickly rode ho, didn’t even have ti to unload the stuff from her bike before she rushed upstairs.
Many people in the neighborhood saw her disheveled look and asked her what had happened. She simply replied with "Fell into the water."
When she got ho, she hastily took a hot shower, finally washing away the cold. After erging from the shower, she poured herself a cup of hot, herbal tea, drank it, and ward up before hiding under the blankets for a while until she felt sowhat better.
Only then did she change into dry clothes and went downstairs to tidy up the three-wheeled bike. Her adoptive mother had returned from outside and saw her washing dinner plates in the vegetable garden (she had specifically routed a hose there so that the water could be used for the plants, to avoid waste —she always washed dishes there). Her mother looked at her anxiously.
"People said you ca ho all wet, what happened that you fell into the water?"
Mingxia pulled up a stool for the Old Lady to sit down, "Mom, I’m fine. I just saved soone when I was crossing the bridge."
"My God, then why didn’t you go to the hospital to get checked?"
"Mom, I am quite healthy. After taking a bath and drinking hot water, I’m fine. Plus, I was riding my three-wheeler. If I had gone to the hospital, what would have happened to my things?"
"Oh, you money-grubber, you saved soone; you’re a hero. You should still get checked in case you catch a cold again. Don’t wash anymore, I’ll do it. You should go upstairs and lie down; this water is so cold, don’t get chilled again."
Under the Old Lady’s insistence, Gong Mingxia had no choice but to rest upstairs, but as she did, her head began to feel heavy and she lost consciousness.
When she woke up again, she wasn’t at ho anymore but in a hospital. As soon as her consciousness returned, she instinctively tried to get up, which startled the Old Lady beside her.
"Oh my dear, you’re finally awake," she said, and then reached out to touch her head. Feeling that Mingxia’s forehead was no longer hot, she let out a sigh of relief.
"Do you know, you were delirious with fever when we brought you here? Your body was so hot, I couldn’t handle you alone so I called several neighbors’ wives to dress you and lift you onto the three-wheeler, and we brought you here. Xiao Xiao is sleeping at your neighbor’s place, don’t worry."
Listening, Gong Mingxia’s eyes welled up with tears, "Mom, I owe you so much. If it weren’t for you, I—making you stay here with ,—"
"Ah, stop talking like that. It’s lucky I went upstairs to check on you. Otherwise, who knows what would have happened? You are so stubborn; the water was so cold, and you’re a girl, why prove your strength? You should have co to the hospital with the ambulance."
"Mom, what ti is it now?"
The Old Lady went out to check and ca back saying, "It’s eleven o’clock at night. I have so porridge for you in the thermos, not sure if it’s cold by now. Are you hungry? I’ll go find a place to warm it up; it can be done on the hot water heater, just wait here,"
"Mom, no need,"
"What do you an, no need? You haven’t eaten anything since the afternoon and you’ve used up so much energy, how can you not be hungry? Just wait!"
The hospital room was a triple, but the other two beds were empty, which is why the Old Lady’s voice sounded so robust.
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