The next day, Yu Li was still not awake, and Zhou Shi could not help but sigh.
What reassured her somewhat was that Yu Li’s complexion had improved a lot, no longer as pale as when she was sent back yesterday, without a trace of color, thin as paper, which had instinctively frightened people.
Zhou Shi carefully wiped Yu Li’s face and body, changed her into clean clothes, and even massaged her body to prevent stiffness and discomfort from lying down too long.
When she used to take care of Fu Wenxiao, she had been just as meticulous. Even though Fu Wenxiao had always been lying down, he still looked neat and fresh.
This had become second nature to her, so when it came to taking care of Yu Li, she handled it with ease.
Fu Wenxiao sat to the side and watched.
When Zhou Shi was wiping Yu Li’s body and changing her clothes, he would turn around to avoid suspicion. At other times, he would watch closely.
When Zhou Shi brought over the prepared medicine to feed Yu Li, Fu Wenxiao took the initiative to take on the task.
“Xiao Ge’er, do you know how to do this?” Zhou Shi looked at him with doubt. She had never seen him take care of anyone, and even when he had taken over… it made her uneasy.
Fu Wenxiao said, “I’ll give it a try.”
Zhou Shi was anxious, but after thinking for a moment, she handed him the bowl of medicine, sitting beside him, ready to take over if he couldn’t handle it.
Unexpectedly, Fu Wenxiao did a great job.
When he fed her the medicine, he was very careful and precise, not letting too much medicine spill and dirty Yu Li’s clothes.
However, the taste of the medicine was rather strange, and even in her deep sleep, Yu Li would furrow her brows and instinctively try to spit out what was in her mouth.
Zhou Shi couldn’t help but feel helpless.
This child really resisted taking medicine. Every time she saw Xiao Ge’er’s expression when drinking medicine, it was shocking, as if he were drinking something incomprehensible and terrifying.
After he finished feeding the medicine, Zhou Shi sighed, “Xiao Ge’er, no matter what you learn, it’s always fast and well-done. Even taking care of people is the same.”
There’s no such thing as men being clumsy and incapable of taking care of others, it all depends on whether they’re willing to learn.
Thinking this, Zhou Shi looked at Fu Wenxiao, wanting to say something but holding back.
Fu Wenxiao smiled and said, “Mother, I’m here taking care of Li Niang, you don’t need to worry, go take care of your own matters.”
Zhou Shi froze for a moment, then looked at him in shock, her mouth slightly open.
“Xiao Ge’er, you…”
Fu Wenxiao did not say anything. Seeing sweat beads forming on Yu Li’s forehead, he took a handkerchief and wiped them away.
He sat there, despite being sick, his posture still straight, like a bamboo standing proudly. The manners and cultivation of a young master from a prestigious family had already been etched into his bones. No matter the situation, he would never let his back bend.
Zhou Shi’s heart ached again.
As she left the room holding the bowl of medicine, she couldn’t help but lower her head to wipe her eyes.
She had taken the initiative to arrange for Xiao Ge’er to marry to bring him some joy. When Yu Li first entered the door, she hoped that Xiao Ge’er would keep this wife in his heart, thinking that someone would be with him, so that his illness wouldn’t be too difficult to endure, and that his life would have no regrets.
But when she realized that he truly cared for her, it made her heart ache unbearably.
If, in the future, he is destined to not survive, and the two of them are destined to have a fateful yet unfulfilled relationship, how much regret would he feel?
Even if it’s death, he would still go with a heart full of regrets…
**
Today, many people came to see Yu Li.
Not only was there Aunt Feng, but also the people from the Zhou family next door, and the people from the Yu family.
Yu Lao’er and his wife both came, while Yu Yin and Yu Jin, the two sisters, took turns coming, leaving one to stay at home to watch over the still-unconscious Yu Zhu.
The Zhou family and Zhou Shi were both relatives by blood and neighbors, so naturally, they also cared about Yu Li.
When they learned that she hadn’t woken up today, Aunt Zhou couldn’t help but offer some words of comfort to make Zhou Shi feel a little better.
When Zhou Shi saw Yu Lao’er and his wife come, she was surprised.
Since Yu Li married into the Fu family, this couple had never visited. Of course, there were many tasks to be done in the village, and since there was nothing particularly important, it was normal that they didn’t frequently visit their son-in-law’s home.
However, judging by their previous behavior in the Yu family, Zhou Shi always felt that they didn’t care much about their four daughters. If they really cared, how could they let them be bullied like that?
This was a pair of very unqualified and useless parents.
As their daughter, there was no doubt that it was unfortunate.
Parents cannot choose what kind of children they have, but similarly, how can children choose what kind of parents they have?
Zhou Shi politely received them.
No matter what, they were Yu Li’s parents, so she still had to give them some face.
Facing Zhou Shi, her daughter-in-law’s mother, Yu Lao’er and his wife were very awkward. When they saw Fu Wenxiao, they didn’t know where to put their hands.
This was their first time meeting their son-in-law.
They hadn’t expected their son-in-law to look like this, nothing like the ugly rumors circulating in the village.
The two of them went into the room to see the unconscious Yu Li, and their hearts were filled with pain.
Their little daughter was still unconscious, but they never expected their eldest daughter would also have an accident. When they heard about their eldest daughter’s situation, they could hardly believe it.
She had seemed fine when she left yesterday morning, so how had she suddenly collapsed?
Liu Shi couldn’t help but cover her face and cry.
Even after leaving the Fu family, she was still crying.
Yu Lao’er clumsily tried to comfort her, “Don’t cry, didn’t the family matron say? Li Niang’s complexion is much better today than yesterday. The doctor said she’s just too tired. Once she rests, she’ll wake up…”
Liu Shi wiped her tears. “I’m not crying because of that…”
She spoke very quietly, so quietly that even Yu Lao’er, who was standing beside her, couldn’t quite hear her clearly.
She finally lifted her head, staring blankly ahead, and said, “These past few days, I’ve been thinking, did I do something wrong? Because I couldn’t give birth to a son, my mother always scolded me as a chicken that doesn’t lay eggs. The villagers also said I couldn’t give you a son, that you would have no son to take over after you… I’ve always felt guilty, like I’m inferior, and I’ve made my daughters feel inferior too. In the Yu family, they have to endure everything, suffer every grievance…”
“They didn’t do anything wrong.”
“They didn’t do anything wrong, they’re just unfortunate to have us as useless parents who can’t protect them and still brought them into this world to suffer…”
Yu Lao’er stood there in a daze.
He stared blankly at Liu Shi’s dark, thin, and painful face. Although she was no longer young, one could still see the delicate beauty she once had from the lines of her eyebrows and eyes. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life.
When the old matron suggested he marry Liu Shi, he didn’t hesitate to agree.
He had wanted to marry her.
Over the years, although they had only four daughters, he had never blamed her. He only blamed himself for not being capable enough, for not daring to defy his parents, for not being able to let her and their daughters live a good life.
Hearing her words now, a sudden panic rose in his heart.
Yu Lao’er hurriedly said, “No, no, it’s not your fault, it’s me, it’s me who am useless, who couldn’t protect you and the girls…”
Liu Shi didn’t look at him. She stared blankly ahead, tasting the bitterness and regret in her heart.
Perhaps she couldn’t go on like this anymore.
—
Yu Yin and Yu Jin came to the Fu family today to visit Yu Li. They found that her complexion was better than yesterday, and the two sisters were very happy.
Around noon, Zhou Shi heard a knock on the door.
She went to open it and was startled when she saw a tall, burly man standing outside, with a big beard, looking like a bandit. Zhou Shi’s face turned pale in an instant.
Realizing she had frightened him, the man quickly introduced himself at the door: “Are you Li Niang’s mother-in-law, Aunt Zhou? I’m a hunter from the mountain, my surname is Tu. I heard that Li Niang had an accident, so I came to check on her.”
When Zhou Shi learned his identity, the fear on her face visibly diminished.
She naturally knew who Tu Laoda was. It was he who had introduced Yu Li to slaughter pigs. She had heard that he often looked out for her.
Although he looked like a bandit, he was a good person.
Zhou Shi hurriedly invited him inside, noticing that he was carrying a lot of things.
Tu Laoda didn’t enter; he stayed at the door and asked, “Aunt Zhou, how is Li Niang? Has she woken up?”
When Yu Li didn’t go to the county town yesterday morning, he had suspected something was wrong. Otherwise, with her serious work ethic, she would never skip work without a reason.
By the time he returned to the village, it was too late to visit the Fu family, and he didn’t want to scare anyone, so he went to the Li Zheng’s house to inquire and found out about Yu Li and Yu Zhu’s situation.
Tu Laoda was immediately anxious.
Yu Li was Young Master Xuan’s lifesaver. If anything happened to her, Young Master Xuan would surely blame him for not taking better care of his benefactor.
Zhou Shi said, “She hasn’t woken up yet. Maybe she’s just too tired and needs more rest.”
She truly didn’t want to believe that Yu Li would remain unconscious for long. She firmly believed that once she had enough sleep, she would wake up.
Even though she was worried inside, she had to say it this way.
Tu Laoda sighed in relief. Although it was worrying that Yu Li hadn’t woken up, since the doctor said it was just from exhaustion, there shouldn’t be any major issue, right?
Though he wanted to go inside to check on Yu Li, he was, after all, a big man, and his relationship with the Fu family wasn’t close enough for him to intrude into their private room.
After learning about Yu Li’s condition, Tu Laoda handed the items he brought to Zhou Shi, preparing to leave.
Before leaving, he said, “Aunt Zhou, if anything happens to Li Niang, just send someone to the mountains to tell me. I’ll come right away. Also, I brought some tonics for Li Niang to help her recover. She must have been weak for a long time and needs to nourish her body well.”