Bai Fumei in the 70’s

When He Songbai heard this, his worries about the eldest sister's widowhood diminished.

He said, "So what are you waiting for, take him to the hospital quickly."

Grandma looked at her grandson who is anxious like a monkey strangely, and she said, "What are you anxious for, you don't need to take care of this matter."

"You call back the mother-in-law, I have something to tell her."

He Songbai snorted and happily walked out.

His eldest sister's problem lingered in He Songbai's chest for a long time. His eldest sister was beautiful and worked carefully and well, except for her bad composition, that she is deaf and dumb, but only for these two points, her whole person was denied.

A family who had originally taken a fancy to his elder sister disliked that she has nothing to say and could not communicate. He Songbai deliberately took the eldest sister to their door to visit, and also enthusiastically taught the "prospective brother-in-law" to read sign language.1

As a result, he saw that his eldest sister secretly wiped her tears when he got up at night. The young He Songbai was upset, and he pulled his eldest sister home with a black face. Later, the words in the village became even more unpleasant, and his eldest sister also spent her years at home year after year. He Songbai has always been unable to pass this incident.

He wanted to find a man who will be good to his eldest sister. Li Dali did not dismiss their landlord's background, or even his elder sister's character. Eldest sister is good in everything. He Songbai is confident that Li Dali will definitely like his eldest sister.

He Songbai thought that his steps were easier, and he ran to Li's house faster.

Li Cuihua happily signed the agreement, wiped away her tears and went to her son's bedside.

She said, "Son, mother has found you a wife."

"You don't have to go alone. After a few days, the mother will give you a wedding wine and let you get married, and you won't come in this world in vain."1

Li Dali was anxious when he heard it, his eyes widened, and his eyes floated with twitching.

He wanted to tell his mother, don't waste family money begging for a wife, and don't delay others. But he couldn't even speak, he was short of breath, and couldn't catch his breath. His lungs were punctured, and every breath hurt like being pierced by a steel needle.

Li Cuihua seemed to know the thoughts hidden under her son's eyes, she hurriedly comforted, "Don't worry! Son!"

"This wife doesn't need money, saying that she fancies you and is willing to be your wife."

Li Dali's weak hands gradually grasped, his face is lifeless, blue veins faintly appeared on his forehead, and his head is sweating profusely.

Li Cuihua is so anxious that she says nothing at this time, when He Songbai came, he went straight to Li Dali's room.

"My grandma has something to say to her in-law. Let me talk to the captain."

Li Cuihua glanced at her son uncomfortably, glanced at He Songbai again, her lips squirmed for a moment, and finally she went to the He family without saying a word.

He Songbai said, "You probably know it too, my grandma wants to recruit you to be her grandson-in-law."

Li Dali reluctantly murmured, but his voice was exhausted.

"No discussion."

He Songbai said, "My grandma said that you still can be saved. This life can be taken from Lord Yama. But my family saved your life in a crisis. I hope you survived and moved to the He family's house and live together with my eldest sister."

"Do you want to?"

Li Dali is really reluctant to speak, he has already accepted his destiny that he would not living long.

"Died."

"No, delay."

He Songbai admired the captain from the bottom of his heart, even if he was lying on the bed dying, it made people feel respectful.

He said earnestly, "You can't die, Granny said that you will be sent to the provincial hospital, where the doctors can save you."

"It depends on you if you want this life."

...

Li Cuihua arrived on the He family again, and she was quite disturbed. She thought that this old landlord might regret it?

This will not work!

The promise were written in black and white and witnessed by the elders in the village.

Unexpectedly, when she came to Grandma Li's room, the old woman said, "If you want to keep your son's life, you have to follow my command."

"Whatever I ask you do, is what you do."

Grandma Li's indifferent voice is arrogant, and she said one word after another clearly and domineeringly.

Li Cuihua only stare as she listened, then nodded obediently.

At the end of Grandma's speech, she opened her mouth wide enough to swallow eggs.

"Remember! I remember, my son's life depends on grandmother! I will never say a word, not even to my man."

After the two elders reached an agreement, He Songbai took the captain to the provincial hospital overnight.

Li Cuihua and him ran around in a car, using a stretcher borrowed from the health clinic, and they carried the dying man together.

Late at night, they came to the hospital.

The nurse added an extra bed to Li Dali to sleep in the ward. Li Cuihua squeezed her hard waist pocket and paid for the hospitalization. The doctor came to see Li Dali after he came to work the next day.

The doctors and sanitary conditions of the provincial hospital are not comparable to those of a run-down small county. The doctor gave Li Dali a full set of examinations and said, "Not very optimistic."

"But if you don't give up and stick to the treatment, it will probably be better."

"Just... are the conditions in your family allowed?"

Li Cuihua squeezed the hard waist pocket again, clenched her teeth, and a courage arises.

He Songbai said without hesitation, "Although our families are poor, big brother's life is important."

The doctor raised Li Dali for a week. Only when his physical conditions allowed him to perform the operation, he released the congestion in his brain.

During this time Li Dali only felt dizzy and unconscious. After waking up one morning, he saw a young woman in front of the bed.

Her skin is not white because of the sun, but her eyes are beautiful. The ruddy lips are pursed shyly, and opened again, revealing her white teeth. It seemed like she was going to say something, but she was really speechless.

She held Li Dali's rough hand, and there was a warmth.

Li Dali glanced at her, and his gray and black face showed a trace of spirit.

The woman smiled shyly, and quietly showed him the medicine bottle hanging on the bed. From time to time, she wiped his dry and peeled lips with moist cotton, mashed a spoonful of rice porridge and fed him.