Joyful Motherhood in a Rural Family - Chapter 117
Chapter 117: Chapter 115: Sisi Injured – Di Yelei’s Whereabouts
Liu Sisi’s face was deathly pale, and suddenly she felt her eyes unbelievably dry. She couldn’t help but squat down and stretch out her trembling hand to pick up the shattered tiles on the ground.
Unintentionally, a sharp tile cut through her tender palm, and fresh blood immediately dripped from her fingertips.
The vibrant red drops on the white tiles were so enchanting and dazzling!
Ye Lei, Ye Lei, where are you?
I don’t believe it, I absolutely won’t believe it! You couldn’t have done that, I know you’re not a murderer!
“Mom, mom, why are you crying? Does your wound hurt? Let YingEr blow on it for you, it won’t hurt if I blow on it.”
YingEr’s exclamation awakened Liu Sisi, and with her uninjured hand, she casually wiped her face, feeling a handful of wetness.
Had she truly cried?
“No! Mom didn’t cry, it’s just that mom’s hand hurts too much, and the tears couldn’t hold back, that’s why they’re flowing out. YingEr, why don’t you blow on mom’s hand so her hand won’t ache anymore.” Liu Sisi forced a smile, and with her uninjured hand she wiped her face, but she couldn’t stop the gushing tears.
Blood poured from her fingers, staining the ground. Whether it was blood or tears, she couldn’t tell through her blurry vision.
The pain in her fingers couldn’t compare to the heartache, so much that the tears in her eyes could no longer be restrained, and they uncontrollably rolled down her cheeks.
“There’s so much blood; what should we do, Mom?”
She tried to press down on it, but the blood still flowed through her fingers, gushing it onto the ground.
YingEr also came to help, but it was of no use.
Frightened, she cried out, “Mom! What should we do? So much blood… I don’t want mom to die!”
“Don’t worry! YingEr, don’t cry. Quickly go behind the door and find a few clean spider webs for mom. Xuan’er, you go help mom find a few cloth strips. Be careful, the tiles on the ground are sharp; don’t step on them!” Liu Sisi commanded the two children methodically.
Di Xuan’s face was also deadly pale!
In his eyes, the scene of his mother lying in a pool of blood and dying during his childhood emerged again…
Hearing Liu Sisi’s instructions at this moment, he didn’t say a word and ran out of the kitchen.
Although Di Ying was young, he immediately wiped away his tears and began searching for spider webs.
Dark corners of the adobe walls in rural areas were prone to spiders, which built their nets on the walls. The nets were no larger than the size of a thumb, filled with the spider’s eggs, and usually two layers.
Directly tearing it off the wall and peeling away the outer layer, the clean side should be placed on the wound.
The fine membrane not only effectively stops bleeding, but also prevents tetanus and wound infection. It’s an economical and practical material.
Liu Sisi applied seven or eight spider webs to the large, deep wound, then tightly wrapped it with cloth strips, layer upon layer, finally managing to stop the bleeding.
“Mom, you’ll be fine.”
YingEr said pitifully, tightly clutching Liu Sisi’s clothes, afraid that she would really leave because of this.
“YingEr, don’t be afraid, see mom’s fine now, isn’t she? Good, ah!”
With her uninjured right hand, she tightly hugged YingEr and gently patted Di Xuan, who was squatting beside her. Liu Sisi comforted the two children who were frightened.
Waiting until YingEr stopped crying, Liu Sisi picked up a broom and dustpan to clean up, only to be snatched away by Di Xuan.
“Mom, you should rest first. Xuan’er will clean up.”
Looking at Di Xuan carefully cleaning up, Liu Sisi’s heart warmed. This was the first time the child had spoken so warmly and kindly to her!
“Be careful, don’t get hurt.”
“I understand, Mom.”
Fortunately, it’s the right hand that was injured!
Di Xuan cleaned up, arranged the cooked dishes, and only then did the family start eating. After dinner, Liu Sisi picked up the brushing-pen to copy books, but she couldn’t calm down her thoughts.
Ye Lei, what are you doing right now? Why haven’t you returned after ten days?
The next day, early in the morning, Liu Sisi went to the Gan Mansion.
Xuan’er volunteered to stay behind: “Mom, when Dad used to go up to the mountain, he would often be gone an entire evening. Xuan’er is used to it. You can go with peace of mind; Xuan’er will take good care of YingEr.”
Little Ying beside them kept nodding as well: “Mom, YingEr will stay at home to look after the baby chicks and rabbits and won’t cause any trouble for brother. Ah-Huang and Ah-Hua are at home accompanying YingEr, YingEr is not afraid.”
Upon reflection, Liu Sisi thought that the journey was indeed far, and going back and forth would indeed take a toll on the two children.
“Alright, you two must be good and wait for me to come back.”
To enter Gan Mansion again was naturally easy. As soon as Elder Uncle saw her, he hurriedly greeted her with a broad smile.
Leading Liu Sisi to a small pavilion beside the back garden: “Teacher, the Miss hasn’t woken up yet. You can rest in the garden pavilion for a while, and the Miss will naturally come over when she wakes up.”
Liu Sisi raised an eyebrow in surprise, and then put it down, nodding in understanding: “In that case, I will have to trouble Elder Uncle. I don’t even know how to address you?”
Elder Uncle casually set out some pastries and said, “Just call me Uncle Ding. Please enjoy these pastries. I have something else to do, so I will take my leave first.”
Liu Sisi glanced casually at the stone table, which was filled with pastries and fruits. The Gan family was indeed generously wealthy.
“Thank you, Uncle Ding.”
But regrettably, as noontime approached with the end of 9 a.m to 11 a.m, the Miss of Gan Family still did not appear.
Was this a display of power to her?
Liu Sisi smiled and got up, not saying anything. She left Gan Mansion directly and hurried back home.
Everything was fine at home. The two children were behaving well, with Di Xuan reading and writing, and YingEr and Zhang Yun playing happily beside the baby chicks.
She let out a sigh of relief!
For the next two days, the situation remained the same. Every day when Liu Sisi arrived at Gan Mansion, she was brought to the pavilion and well fed. Starting the second day, Liu Sisi brought all her calligraphy tools with her. Upon arriving at Gan Mansion, she sat down in the pavilion and began copying books until noon, before leaving for home.
What seemed to have vanished, however, was the Miss of Gan Family, who had not been seen.
At the same time, Di Yelei was also missing!
Zhang Peng and Li Wu had returned a few days earlier, and the two made a joint visit.
“Brother Zhang, Brother Li Wu, so you two have returned? Is Ye Lei back as well?”
Liu Sisi’s heart leaped with joy, and she couldn’t help but run toward the two men. The two exchanged glances, and Zhang Peng hesitated before stepping forward.
“Here are 7 taels of silver. Ye Lei asked us to give it to you. He is doing fine and told us that you don’t need to worry. He also asked us to tell you that when he has earned enough money to repay his debts, he will come back.”
As Zhang Peng spoke, he placed the pouch of silver in Liu Sisi’s hands.
The smile on Liu Sisi’s face disappeared.
What did they mean? Where was Ye Lei? Why didn’t he come back, but instead send back this small amount of silver? Could it be…
Did something happen to Ye Lei?
Liu Sisi’s heart twisted into a knot, her mind racing, her eyes fixed on the pouch of silver. She stood there for a while, unable to say anything.
