When He Lang saw the letter, he imdiately grew anxious and wanted to go back and check on him.
"What’s wrong with them? Why didn’t they take Dad to the hospital sooner?"
Xue Yue held him back. "The letter just didn’t ntion it. Maybe they’ve already been to the hospital. Didn’t Big Brother say he’s planning to bring Dad to a hospital in Beijing City? You should send him a telegram first and ask when they’re coming. Then we can take Dad for a thorough check-up."
He Lang finally cald down. He sat down, hunched over, with his hands clasped together.
Xue Yue placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"There, there. I’m sure it’ll be fine."
He Lang went to send a telegram that very day. He Nan had already taken ti off from work, and after receiving the telegram, he replied to He Lang with their departure ti.
When He Nan got ho, he saw his father lying on the kang, still smoking his long-stemd pipe. He snatched it away.
"Dad, didn’t the doctor tell you to smoke less? Why are you always so disobedient? Third Brother telegraphed back this morning. I’ve already requested leave. The hospitals in Beijing City are much better; they can definitely fix your leg."
Mrs. He chid in irritably, "I don’t even want to scold you anymore. That pipe stem has practically grown onto your lips. You’re not a young man anymore. Why can’t you give us a mont’s peace?"
Having had his pipe snatched by He Nan, Mr. He felt like sothing was off. After hearing what He Nan said, he sighed. "Third Brother and his wife are already so busy. We’d just be causing more trouble. Why don’t we just go to the provincial hospital? Let’s not bother Third Brother."
He Nan said, "There’s no need to say any more. I’ve already bought the tickets for tomorrow afternoon’s train. It’ll be a two-day journey. Mom, please pack us so dry rations and a few changes of clothes for Dad."
Mrs. He looked at him. "Why don’t I go too? Can you manage on your own?"
He Nan shook his head. "You should stay. We can’t leave the house empty. Xiao Nian still needs you to look after him. Besides, we have livestock to feed."
"Cuiyun could help feed them, and we could ask her to watch Xiao Nian. I’d just give her so grain. I’m just worried because your dad can’t walk. You’ll have to carry him on your back. Can you really manage all that by yourself?"
"It should be fine. I already told Third Brother when we’re arriving, so he’ll definitely co to the train station to pick us up. I bought sleeper tickets, so aside from going to the bathroom, it won’t be inconvenient. Tomorrow, I’ll have Uncle Lao Gen take us to the station in his cart. I’ll just need to carry Dad onto the train."
Mr. He also chid in, "You shouldn’t go. We don’t know how long this will take, and we can’t leave the house empty. Besides, if it’s nothing serious, we’ll be back right away."
Mrs. He shot him a look. "Aren’t I just worried about you?"
"What’s there to worry about? You can’t cure diseases. Third Brother and his family will be there. If it can be treated, great. If not, I’ll just co back early," Mr. He said.
Mrs. He glared at him. "You just shut your mouth! Of course it can be cured. If you hadn’t made hide this from the children, would it have dragged on this long? We’re still troubling them in the end. Once you’re in Beijing City, don’t be in a rush to co back. Get your leg treated first. You just lie on the kang all day, unable to do any work. It’s not just who’s frustrated watching you. Aren’t you anxious yourself?"
Mr. He was lectured into silence.
The autumn harvest was just around the corner. With him laid up like this, the family’s work points would be cut in half. Without work points, what would they eat next year? ’How could I not be anxious?’
Seeing his expression, Mrs. He sighed. She climbed onto the kang and started rummaging through the cabinet, gathering clothes one mont and looking for money the next.
"We only have a few hundred yuan left in the house. I don’t know if it’ll be enough."
He Nan said, "I have a little over a thousand. I’ll bring it all. Let’s make do with that for now. If it’s really not enough, we can borrow from Third Brother. He should have so. Curing Dad’s leg is the priority."
Mrs. He muttered to herself, ’You can do anything but get sick. One illness and the family is thrown right back to the famine years.’
The next afternoon, after seeing Mr. He and He Nan off on the ox cart, Mrs. He fussed over them for a long ti before watching the cart slowly disappear into the distance.
Mrs. He wiped her tears. "That stubborn old man... To think he’d get to go to Beijing City before I do."
On the day He Nan and Mr. He arrived in Beijing City, He Lang was waiting outside the train station early.
After waiting for about an hour, he finally saw He Nan erge from the exit, carrying Mr. He on his back with a luggage bag slung around his neck.
He Lang quickly ran over.
"Dad! Big Brother!"
Seeing He Lang, He Nan called out, "Third Brother."
He Lang took the luggage bag from around He Nan’s neck and looked down at Mr. He’s leg.
"Did you take Dad’s leg to the town hospital? What did the doctor say?"
He Nan told him, "The doctor said it might be so kind of osteoarthritis, but they weren’t sure. The hospital in town can’t do any scans. Dad’s knee is so swollen he can barely straighten it. We had to co."
Mr. He said to He Lang, "Let’s talk when we get back. Third Brother, how are we getting ho?"
"I rode my electric tricycle. You and Big Brother can sit in the back, so you can stretch your leg out."
Looking at the tricycle parked by the road, a glint appeared in He Nan’s eyes.
The tricycle took them all the way ho. He Lang opened the gate and helped Mr. He off, carrying him on his back.
"Dad, Big Brother, we’re here. This is the house I bought in Beijing City."
Mr. He and He Nan looked around and couldn’t help but nod in approval.
He Nan was even more impressed, saying with a smile, "Third Brother, this is a nice house! It’s even better than our house back ho."
Just then, Xue Yue ran out of the house with the children.
"Dad! Big Brother! Co in, quick! You’re finally here. Ever since He Lang found out Dad’s leg was hurting, he’s been so worried he couldn’t sleep at night. He’s been anxiously waiting for you."
Ruanruan and Shiyi also shouted, "Grandpa! First Uncle!"
Mr. He looked at the children, a smile finally appearing on his face.
"Yes, good children."
Once inside, He Lang placed Mr. He on the bed.
He Nan looked at the children and asked, "Where’s Daya?"
Xue Yue told him, "Daya went to school."
"School?" He Nan was a little surprised.
He Lang shot him a glance. "Stop playing dumb. Didn’t you know Daya was pretending? She couldn’t recognize a single character. Learning sothing will give her a way out in the future."
He Nan looked completely baffled. He’d only felt that sothing was off about his father’s and He Lang’s reactions at the ti, but he never would have guessed that Daya had been pretending to be ntally slow.
Mr. He, however, thought it was a good thing. "School is good. Putting everything else aside, at least she can learn to be sensible. It’s Daya’s good fortune to be with you all."
He Nan rubbed the back of his neck. ’I don’t really agree with that,’ he thought. ’He Yun went to school for a long ti, and she still did all those things. Goes to show that education doesn’t guarantee a person will be sensible.’
"With you all at ho, can the shop manage?" Mr. He asked.
He Lang said, "It’s fine. Besides Shitou and Little Chen, we hired two more girls at the shop. They can handle it. Once your leg is feeling a bit better, I’ll take you to see my shop."
Mr. He nodded. "I definitely want to see it."
Although Mr. He didn’t say it out loud, he was very proud that his son had bought a house and opened a shop in Beijing City. Now that he was here, he had to go see it no matter what.
He Lang rolled up Mr. He’s pant leg and saw his knee, which was swollen beyond recognition.
He Lang’s brow furrowed tightly. Xue Yue’s heart sank when she saw it, too. ’It’s that bad... no wonder it hurts too much for him to even get out of bed.’
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