Chapter 35
Xu Man asked Li Yun to take a leave of absence from his teacher, and rode his bicycle back
It only took Xu an hour and a half to ride the thirty kilometers, pedaling so hard that her chest felt like it was on fire
She had never worked so hard in her two lives
On the cool fall night, she was soaked to the skin as if she had just taken a shower
For the first time in her life, she knew that her heart was burning with anxiety
This is the first time that this road, which has been traveled for a year, is so long and endless
Dongsheng mustn’t be alright Xu Man secretly prayed
Finally arriving at the health center, Xu Man threw his bicycle to the side of the road and ran inside without even catching his breath
The production team’s health center was small, with two connected rooms, one serving as a clinic, the other containing a few beds and two rows of chairs for patients to receive fluids and rest
Inside the clinic there was an argument
“It’s normal for children to have diarrhea during the change of season! Diarrhea can also defeat the fire! How big of a deal is it to go to the hospital?” The aunt protested to the doctor in dissatisfaction
“This child is dehydrated and still has fire! If we don’t send him to the hospital, he’ll die!” The clinic doctor suggested, frowning
“All of our rural children are so tough! How can they be so delicate? It’s already this time of the day and I still have to go back to cook! You can give him a shot first, and then send him to the hospital tomorrow when his mom comes back!”
“I told you, I can’t cure him here The child is already very serious ”
“Aiya! The child does not have a fever, just a diarrhea and no strength, how serious can it be?” The aunt interrupted the doctor with a look of impatience, “I still have a fire burning on the stove! How can I have time to go to the hospital?”
Xu Man pushed his aunt away and asked the clinic doctor, “Where is the nearest hospital?”
The doctor was stunned and asked him, “Who are you?”
“I’m the child’s mother Doctor, can we go to the communal hospital?”
The doctor shook his head, “The commune hospital is actually a big health center Your child’s dehydration is very serious, so I suggest you send him directly to the county hospital, for fear that he may have an accident if you are late”
Without saying a word, Xu Wen picked up Dongsheng, who was placed on the infusion chair with his eyes closed and bloodless lips, and turned around to leave
Dongsheng state is very bad, was picked up by her only barely opened his eyes to look at her, wilfully shouted “Ma Ma”
Xu Wen instantly burst into tears and hugged Dongsheng tightly, “Don’t be afraid! Mom is here”
There was no 120 in 77 years, so Xu Man could only rely on herself
But Dongsheng was already almost unconscious, and there was no way for him to sit in the backseat by himself
Xu Man took off the rope he usually used to hold things in place from the back seat and tied Dongsheng to his back to ride the bicycle
The bike was large, with a crossbar in front, and with a thirty-pound child on his back, Xu Man, who had already lost his strength, couldn’t get onto the bike without difficulty, and fell to the side with the bike
Xu Man turned on her side, preferring to face down rather than fall on Dongsheng
She closed her eyes and screamed, but the pain she expected didn’t come
Xu Man opened her eyes to see the doctor from the health center and another passerby holding her and the bike together, which prevented her from falling
Xu Man quickly thanked them and got off the bike
“I saw you look pale and shivering, and I didn’t feel comfortable chasing after you” The doctor said, “Besides, it’s too slow for you to ride a bicycle this far from the county town, and you’ll be delayed The commune’s health center has an emergency ambulance, I’ll take you to borrow it”
“Thank you! Thank you!” Xu Wen thanked him repeatedly
Taking Dongsheng off his back, he held him in his arms
The doctor drove Xu Man, and Xu Man carried Dongsheng
The production team was not far from the commune health center, and it took ten minutes to get there
With the help of the doctor, the commune quickly lent them a car
It was an old ambulance that had been outgrown by the hospital, and it was just too worn out and tattered
For Xu Man, this was already the best arrangement
Besides, it was still a car, much faster than a bicycle, and arrived at the hospital in half an hour
Xu Man thanked the driver, paid the fare, and took out an extra two dollars and slipped it to the driver: “Master, thank you! As you can see, I really can’t spare any money, so please buy a carton of cigarettes for yourself”
Finished Xu asked to hold the child to run to the emergency room
The doctor said that this car is not to go through the formal process of application, that is too slow The driver is his uncle
Xu Man can not be so ignorant
Xu held Dongsheng in his arms and hurriedly registered, lined up into the clinic
As soon as he saw Dongsheng, the doctor frowned, looked at Dongsheng’s eyelids, and then the stethoscope to listen to Dongsheng’s chest cavity and asked Xu, “Is this child diarrhea? Now this situation for a few days?”
“I don’t know” Xu Wen shook her head, remembering her aunt’s argument with the doctor, “It seems to be diarrhea for several days”
“How can you be a mother? You don’t even know this?” The doctor frowned
Xu Wen was at a disadvantage and didn’t say anything back
“This child should have severe dehydration caused by diarrhea, and now he’s in a coma because of electrolyte disorders caused by dehydration, and possibly respiratory weakness and death! You first do the hospitalization formalities! It needs to be given fluids quickly”
Xu Man was busy with the hospitalization formalities
It was only until Dongsheng was given fluids that she let out a slight sigh of relief
The well-behaved and cute Dongsheng, his lips were now pale and his eyes were tightly closed
Xu Wen gently held his infusion hand, warming the infusion place for him, her eyes showed self-reproach and some confusion
Lu Yuanzheng married her, gave money to the house to freedom, the only request is to let her take care of Dongsheng
She failed to do so
On the way here, Xu Wen was particularly annoyed with her aunt, hating to tear her apart
Now that Dongsheng has settled down, that irritation has dissipated quite a bit
Auntie and uncle and auntie all helped to bring Dongsheng, now Dongsheng is her obligation and not others
In any case, aunt’s responsibility is second to hers, she is the one who should be most responsible
You can’t usually get benefits and not say anything, and then put the blame on others when they make mistakes
As the old saying goes, “It’s a favor if people help, but it’s also a favor if they don’t”
One should only be grateful
Xu Man sniffled and whispered to the unconscious Dongsheng, “You must get well!”
Xu Man didn’t dare to close his eyes for the night, fearing the eventuality that the doctor said
Fortunately, Dongsheng this child has such a pair of great parents, flowing is strong blood
The next day, the doctor told Xu Man that Dongsheng temporarily out of danger, but severe dehydration treatment will be very slow, the follow-up will not have other consequences is not easy to say, so Xu Man to be mentally prepared
Xu Man has not even had time to because Dongsheng out of life-threatening joy is again a white face
Xu Man buried his head in the hospital bed, whimpering in a small voice: “Dongsheng, I’m sorry!”
“Ma Ma!”
Xu Man raised his head, Dongsheng had already opened his eyes, a lot more spirited than yesterday
“You’re awake? Does your stomach still hurt? Is it still uncomfortable?”
“Still a bit Ma Ma, why are you crying?” Dongsheng’s voice was still a bit weak
Xu Wen shook his head and wiped away his tears, “I’m fine I’m sorry that Ma Ma came late!”
“How is Dongsheng doing?”
Xu Man turned his head to see his eldest uncle and his youngest uncle enter the hospital room, and it was the eldest uncle who asked the question
He should have rushed here in a hurry, his clothes hadn’t even been changed, he was wearing the clothes he used to work in the farm, and his hair still had some corn whiskers mixed in
Junior uncle, on the other hand, followed behind the eldest uncle with his head down
“The doctor said it’s severe dehydration, it’s temporarily out of life-threatening condition!” Xu Wen spoke in a calm tone
Upon hearing this, the eldest uncle turned around and pointed at the youngest uncle, admonishing, “Look at what you’ve done! If anything happens to Dongsheng, I’ll see how you’ll explain it to Lao Er!”
Uncle Junior lowered his head and rubbed his hands, “It’s my fault! Two days ago, the boy had diarrhea We thought he had a cold We also boiled him an egg, thinking it would cure his diarrhea It’s the change of season! Is it normal for a child to have diarrhea? Kindergarten teachers let him rest at home, but these two days busy fall, we did not much control on his alas! It’s all our fault! Xu Man, uncle to apologize to you”
“Uncle, don’t say that! It was Dongsheng and I who caused you trouble” Xu Man’s voice was calm
Uncle frowned, “You’re talking out of turn We’re all family, so there’s no such thing as trouble”
Xu Man tugged at the corner of his mouth and didn’t say anything
“Don’t be angry Your aunt and uncle didn’t mean it They’ve been busy in the fall, and they’ve been neglecting their children Mainly, the children in our village are not as delicate as Dongsheng, and a diarrhea would be so serious!”
“Dongsheng is not delicate!” Xu Wen retorted, “He’s never been a delicate child! You guys always say he’s delicate, do you think he’s really giving you trouble? Did he cry when his father left him? Did he make trouble at any of your houses? Did he say no when you locked him up at work? Did he cry when he had diarrhea and you didn’t take him to the doctor? Is that still being delicate? Then what do you mean by not being delicate?”
Uncle opened his mouth and couldn’t say a word in rebuttal
Dongsheng has lived in both of their homes, and is indeed a very well-behaved child who eats what he is given and listens to what he is told
Such a child really can’t be said to be petulant
“He’s not petulant!” Xu Wen lightly chortled, “He just doesn’t have a mom and dad to love him Before, it was us who caused you trouble! It won’t happen again!”
“What do you mean by that?”
“It means that in the future, I will bring Dongsheng up by myself and won’t trouble you anymore I appreciate your help in bringing him up before Now that Autumn is busy, you guys can go!”
“The child getting sick was just an accident, why are you holding a grudge?” Little Uncle protested
“It’s not holding a grudge Uncle, I said I’m grateful for your help in bringing up the child But this child he is my responsibility not yours So I won’t trouble you guys anymore in the future”
Junior Uncle was still about to open his mouth when he was stopped by Eldest Uncle’s tugging and eyes
“Xu Man, Dongsheng is also our grandson and we don’t want him to get sick either I know you’re angry right now, but you’re too tired to take care of the child yourself, why don’t you go back and rest for a while, and let your uncle fill in for a day here?”
Xu Man shook his head, “No, I can do it myself Thank you, Eldest Uncle”
Big uncle tried to persuade Xu Man, but he wouldn’t let go, there were still a lot of things waiting for him in the team, so he could only leave, and on his way out, he said, “I’ll ask your big mom to come and take over for you in the evening”
Xu Man didn’t say anything
After sending off the eldest uncle, Dongsheng called out to Xu Man: “Ma Ma I want to pee”
Xu Man: “”
Luckily, it was easier for little boys to go to the toilet, a bottle would do the trick
When Xu Wen lifted Dongsheng’s pants, Dongsheng asked her, “Ma Ma, will I not have to go to my grandparents’ house anymore?”
He had heard Xu Wen say that she was taking him herself
Xu Wen hmmmed, “We won’t even be separated from each other in the future”
“Really?” Dongsheng happily sat up in a flash and tried to clap his hands, only to tear the needle and hiss again
Xu Wen hurriedly checked his needle’s eye, fortunately there was no bulging needle, “Be careful What if you hurt yourself?”
“Hehehe” Dongsheng smiled happily, “Ma Ma, I’m so happy!”
Xu Wen touched his head, “Good boy Dongsheng, I’m also very happy to be with you!”