Chapter 45: Getting Better After washing the herbs, Madam Zhao’s porridge was ready. Old Wu said to Su Chong and Su Hua, “Alright, you weren’t full just now, right? Coincidentally, your mother has also finished cooking the porridge. Go and have another bowl.”
With that, Old Wu carried the basket of herbs into the main room.
Su Chong and Su Hua thought about it and went to the kitchen.
They told Madam Zhao what Old Wu had told them.
Madam Zhao smiled gently and said, “Since Grandpa Wu says so, go have some more. You guys take your time to eat. Mother will take care of your father.”
Su Chong and Su Hua nodded.
Su Sanmei also had a small bowl.
Madam Zhao brought the porridge to Su Sanlang.
Su Sanmei watched her brothers eat their meat porridge contentedly. She looked at her bowl and brought it out.
When Su Sanmei arrived outside the main house, she knocked lightly on the door and asked softly, “Grandpa Wu, I brought you a bowl of porridge. Have some.”
Su Sanmei stood nervously outside the door. The changes in her family had forced her to be more sensible. She knew that everything was different now. She no longer had a home.
Old Wu lived alone in the village and had no children. If only they could stay here.
It was getting colder. Being homeless and having nowhere to hide from the cold meant death for their family. She didn’t want to die yet.
Su Sanmei stood outside the door but did not dare to knock again.
After a long while, Old Wu got up and opened the door. When the door opened, he looked at the obedient girl outside the door. Old Wu said calmly, “You eat. I’m old. If I eat too much at night, I won’t be able to digest it.”
“Go back.”
Old Wu could not bear to flare up at such a child. He did not need to look at Su Sanmei to understand what she was thinking. After all, this was what any normal person would think in this situation. If they could live, who would want to die?
However, letting this family stay meant that it would be troublesome in the future.
There were many sad things in the world. He couldn’t possibly interfere with everything he saw. If he did, his days would be numbered. The more people there were, the troubles there would be.
Old Wu would not let himself become approachable.
Su Sanmei only nodded obediently and smiled sweetly at Old Wu. “Okay, thank you, Grandpa Wu.”
With that, Su Sanmei carried the bowl back to the kitchen.
Seeing that Su Sanmei was so obedient, Old Wu closed the door and returned to the inner room. He smiled, sighed and muttered to himself, “Smart and likable. But I have a heart of stone. No matter what, they would still have to leave.”
Even though Old Wu was not friendly, Su Sanlang’s family still expressed their gratitude with their actions.
Su Sanlang rested in bed, and Su Xiaolu was placed beside him. Madam Zhao led the three children to clean up Old Wu’s house.
Su Chong, Su Hua, and Su Sanmei went to feed the chickens and ducks. They pulled grass and caught insects all day long.
Knowing that Old Wu would wake up early every day to go out, Madam Zhao woke up early to steam buns.
Even though Old Wu was not short of rice and grains, Su Sanlang’s family did not gorge themselves.
The house did not become troublesome and noisy since the family had moved in. Instead, it was clean and quiet. The three children were quiet. When they saw Old Wu, they would smile and call him “Grandpa Wu.” Unless Old Wu called for them, they would not disturb him.
His life was not disturbed, and Madam Zhao’s culinary skills were not bad. It would be fine to let them stay for a few more days, Old Wu thought.
One day, Old Wu came back early. He put down the herbs and saw Su Sanmei and her siblings feeding the chickens and ducks. Old Wu walked over.
When Su Chong, Su Hua, and Su Sanmei saw Old Wu, they smiled and called out to him, “Grandpa Wu, you’re back.”
Old Wu nodded gently and looked at Su Chong and Su Hua. He could not help but smile and touch the heads of the two children. “Good children.”
He looked at Su Sanmei and saw that the little girl seemed to be a little uneasy. He smiled. “You’re all good children. You’ve taken good care of your two brothers. Go and call your mother over. Catch a duck and kill it to eat. The chickens and ducks have been fed to fat by you three, but your mother hasn’t killed them to eat. I’m already drooling just by looking at them.”
Su Sanmei’s eyes lit up when she heard that. She replied happily, “Okay.”
With that, the little girl ran happily to the side room.
Old Wu looked at Su Chong and Su Hua. The two brothers were obviously very happy.
This family was all diligent. These children were so sensible that it was impossible not to like them.
Old Master Su, who was the head of the Su family, was probably muddle-headed.
Although, he was not muddle-headed at all. At the end of the day, he just did not care. That was why Su Sanlang’s family ended up here.
As he thought about it, Old Wu shook his head. This was none of his business. Looking at the fat chickens and ducks in the chicken coop, he nodded involuntarily. They gained weight in just a few days, so they should taste good.
Madam Zhao arrived very quickly.
“Doctor Wu, which should we catch?”
Madam Zhao asked Old Man Wu for his opinion. Although Old Man Wu had said a few days ago that he would kill one every two days, Madam Zhao could not bear to do so. She thought that it was enough to have cured meat to eat. These chickens and ducks could lay eggs.
Wouldn’t it be nice to keep the eggs??She thought.
However, now that Old Wu had spoken, Madam Zhao definitely had to listen.
Old Wu looked at Madam Zhao and said calmly, “Choose the fattest one. Don’t be stingy. Stew it in a pot.”
One duck weighed at least seven to eight catties. Madam Zhao’s heart ached at the thought of stewing the entire thing, even if it wasn’t hers.
“O-okay.”
Madam Zhao replied softly.
Old Wu got angry at her. This woman was troublesome and stingy. He was afraid that once he left, she might just catch the smallest one.
“Go catch it. I’ll point it out to you.”
Old Wu felt that he had to watch with his own eyes so that he could eat the fattest duck.
As expected, Madam Zhao looked hesitant, but she still went to catch it. After catching it, she still looked worried.
As expected, she was petty. Old Wu stroked Su Chong and Su Hua’s hair and said, “Chong, Hua, Grandpa Wu will let you eat duck legs later. Are you happy?”
Su Chong and Su Hua immediately clapped their hands and smiled loudly. “I’m happy. Thank you, Grandpa Wu.”
This was so simple. Old Wu liked Su Chong and Su Hua even more. He smiled and said, “Let’s go and help Grandpa Wu grind the medicine.”
With that, Old Wu brought Su Chong and Su Hua to the front yard.
As Madam Zhao watched, her heart ached. At the same time, she had a thought that she shouldn’t have.
She grabbed the duck and went to the kitchen. Su Sanlang came to help too.
Su Sanmei played with Su Xiaolu.
Madam Zhao said to Su Sanlang, “Sanlang, Doctor Wu treats Chong and Hua quite well.”
Su Sanlang paused. “Doctor Wu is a good man,” he said.
Madam Zhao’s eyes turned red. She looked at Su Sanlang and said, “Sanlang, when you’re better, let’s ask Doctor Wu if he’s willing to take the children in. Sanmei knows how to wash clothes and cook. Chong and Hua are also obedient and hardworking.”