Chapter 1492: Chapter 600: The Good and Evil in Human Nature, the Sinister Old Woman (2)
It’s also a form of courtesy and politeness.
"The young man looks quite handsome! Come inside and sit. Your aunt will be back soon, and she’ll cook for you all."
The man stared at Zhou Can carefully for a couple of seconds and couldn’t help but praise him.
Zhou Can is tall, sunny, and handsome, with a net worth of over a hundred million, a successful career, and an upright character, giving him an impressive presence. Not just in a rural area like this, even in the provincial capital, he stands out in the crowd.
The man retrieved a set of keys from the windowsill, opened the main door, and invited the two to sit down.
The furniture inside was extremely worn out, and the chairs were covered with a thick layer of black grime. Zhou Can, however, didn’t have any bad habits of being pampered and sat down directly.
If he were wearing expensive clothes, he’d definitely hesitate before sitting down.
If he ended up with stubborn stains that dry cleaning couldn’t remove, the clothes would be ruined.
"Uncle, how is your and aunt’s health?"
Su Qianqian was noticeably a bit nervous, lacking the natural ease one should have when visiting family.
In reality, there wasn’t a trace of her presence left in this home.
"Your aunt has a slipped disc; whenever she does heavy work, her back hurts. We’ve taken her to the county’s big hospitals several times, but it doesn’t seem to help much. As for me, my blood pressure’s a bit high, and my kidneys seem to have some issues. The doctor says it’s chronic nephritis, but I don’t really understand. As long as my body can still move, I’m not bothered to get treated."
Her uncle’s complexion looked somewhat dark and seemed a bit swollen.
With Zhou Can’s current medical skills, he could almost immediately tell that this man’s kidney problems were likely significant.
If nephritis is prolonged, it quickly progresses to kidney failure. The patient’s body will have trouble expelling metabolic waste and fluids, which can lead to damage in multiple systems. Symptoms like vomiting, loss of appetite, headaches, dizziness, coma, reduced urination, and severe cases could cause hyperkalemia or acute left heart failure, which are life-threatening.
Advanced nephritis is essentially uremia.
Once it progresses to stage three, obvious symptoms of severity will appear, requiring dialysis to maintain normal life needs.
Many rural people, due to poor economic conditions and limited income, don’t dare to visit the hospital when sick.
Because they believe that hospital treatments are expensive.
Additionally, most of the rural middle-aged and elderly have very low education levels and particularly outdated mindsets.
Telling them they can’t eat this or do that, they might think you’re out of your mind.
Moreover, those who do heavy labor tend to age faster.
Once they get older, they’re basically filled with ailments.
The debts accumulated in youth will be entirely settled in old age. The body has its own mechanism.
The idiom ’overworked and sick’ comes from this.
"If you’re not feeling well, you should go to the hospital! The county hospital may have limited capabilities, you and your aunt can go to the big hospitals in the province." While Su Qianqian was advising, she glanced at Zhou Can.
Her boyfriend is a doctor and a reputable one at Tuya Hospital.
Her uncle considers the county hospital to be a major hospital.
In Zhou Can’s view, county hospitals are at best primary-level hospitals. They’re much better than township clinics, but significantly behind provincial-level hospitals.
"I can’t be bothered to fuss over it; my aunt and I are already nearing sixty. How many more years can we live? Spending money that doesn’t heal us is better spent leaving some for your brother."
Her uncle shook his head and waved his hand repeatedly, clearly resigning to his fate.
Preparing for death.
This is the true thought of most rural elders.
They’d rather die than burden their children, and try to leave as much money as possible for their sons.
This mindset is completely different from Western developed countries.
In Western developed countries, parents focus on nurturing their children until they’re adults. After becoming adults, children live independently.
As for the notion of leaving parents’ wealth to children, they don’t have such thoughts.
As long as parents are alive, their property belongs only to them. They travel, shop, and there’s no culture like domestically where parents spend money to buy their children’s marriage houses, cars, and wives.
In foreign countries, these are the children’s responsibilities.
Domestically, grandparents consider babysitting their grandchildren almost naturally obligatory. Abroad, leaving grandchildren with grandparents for more than two hours is considered unacceptable.
Because it affects grandparents’ lifestyles.
"Where’s Su Jun? Has he gone out to work?"
Su Qianqian asked this.
Clearly, Su Jun is the son of the uncle and aunt.
"Your brother used to go to work in developed coastal cities, but with no diploma, he could only work in factories or be a waiter in restaurants. He thought the pay was low and the work was tiring. These past two years, he’s been working in a car wash shop in the county. It’s rare for you to come back, so I’ll call him now to come home for a gathering."
While speaking, the uncle pulled out a worn-out, button-operated mobile phone.
These old-age phones have very few features, mostly just call and receive.
But many rural elders like such phones. They think they’re cheap, with long battery life. The simpler functions make them easier to use.
They’re indeed friendly to elderly people with low education levels.
At this moment, a rather short elderly woman carrying a large basket and holding a hoe walked in.
This elderly woman’s face was somewhat sinister, with eyes that seemed filled with calculative intent.
"Auntie!"
Su Qianqian hurriedly stood up, smiling to greet.
Zhou Can also stood up with her.
"This is Hu Niu’s boyfriend."
The uncle introduced him to his wife.
"Hello, Auntie!"
Zhou Can greeted with a smile.
"Hello! Please sit down, young man!"
The aunt looked Zhou Can up and down, her face showing a very enthusiastic smile.
"Is the car by the roadside yours?"
She was quite intriguing, immediately asking about the car instead of how Su Qianqian had been these years.
"I rented it with my money. After knowing Qianqian for several years, and both being of age for marriage, I came this time specifically to propose." Zhou Can responded.
The aunt’s enthusiasm immediately dampened.
"It’s rented, huh! That must cost quite a bit, right?"
She asked while staring intently at Zhou Can.
"Quite expensive, renting it for three days costs two thousand, fuel is extra. The driver’s wage is two hundred daily." Zhou Can answered meticulously.
This rural woman hoped to extract an anomaly from him—no chance.
"Wow, thousands, so expensive! Why waste money like that?" The aunt spoke as if it was her money being spent, genuinely showing a pained expression.
"Qianqian, it’s rare for you to come home, you must stay longer. Auntie will prepare a room for you right away."
She turned enthusiastically to Su Qianqian.
Uncle calls Su Qianqian by her nickname Hu Niu, while aunt calls her Qianqian.
"Auntie, don’t bother yourself; we plan to leave tomorrow. Both Zhou Can and I have taken leave from work, so we can’t stay long."
Su Qianqian isn’t foolish.
Her family’s old house was torn down by the uncle and aunt, and during the new construction, her family’s land was basically occupied by the new house. There’s no trace of her left upon entering this home.
In essence, she’s just an outsider.
With the aunt’s feigned enthusiasm, how could she be lured into it?
"What are you saying? You’re already preparing to discuss marriage. Your parents died early, and your uncle and I raised you from childhood, just hoping you would be happy in the future. You need to stay so we can see this young man’s character and whether he’s good to you, only then we can be at ease with marrying you off! Leave everything to Auntie’s arrangements."
The aunt was unusually forceful, pulling out a banner of elder caring for the young and leaving Su Qianqian behind.
Zhou Can listened beside, secretly sneering.
Raised Su Qianqian from childhood? If Su Qianqian hadn’t told him about her childhood, Zhou Can would surely have believed the aunt’s words.
Of course, this is a proposal visit, so Zhou Can certainly intends to play along.
After the marriage, if the uncle and aunt sincerely treat Su Qianqian as their own daughter, Zhou Can will think of ways to help them with their ailments, ensuring a good retirement.
If they treat her merely as a tool for benefits, schemes of conniving and calculating, then there’s no need for politeness.
He’d give some money to settle things.
And there’ll hardly be any further contact.
"Auntie, we truly can’t stay long. You don’t need to exhaust yourself. After a day’s work, you’re probably already worn out, have a seat and rest!" Su Qianqian said to her again.
