Chapter 436: Chapter 406: Xu Dagui’s Mother Is Still Alive_3
She finished eating and went to sleep.
...
With an extra person at home, Song Qin naturally knew. Standing at the doorway, she glanced at the woman, then turned and asked Lin Qiao, "Qiao’er, who is it?"
"Aunt Xu, someone I knew before." Lin Qiao wasn’t hiding anything from her; she just didn’t know how to explain all this.
And honestly, it wasn’t anything good.
Upon hearing this, Song Qin didn’t ask further questions. Instead, she looked at the woman and said compassionately, "Girl, come out for a walk, it’s stuffy inside."
The woman didn’t respond but neither did she avoid her. Lin Qiao felt that she seemed much better today.
Lin Qiao brought in some water, wrung out a wet cloth, and wiped the woman’s face. Originally thinking the dirt was from something she touched, it turned out not to be. Her face itself was bruised, seemingly from being slapped over time.
It was hard to imagine the injuries on her body.
Initially, she wouldn’t let Lin Qiao wash her, but after much persuasion, she finally agreed.
If the injuries on her face were serious, those on her body were worse, covered in bruises and even several knife scars.
As Lin Qiao continued wiping her, she began to tremble. What kind of twisted mind could commit such vicious acts?
People say bad deeds bring bad karma, yet truly wicked people often live well, sometimes dragging down good people.
Soon after, the doctor came to see her, looking very grave, "She is pregnant, but her body is in terrible shape. This child is likely stillborn. It’s best to terminate it with medication while the fetus is still undeveloped."
The expressions on Lin Qiao and Song Tingfan’s faces soured; neither expected she was pregnant.
What was a blessing for Lin Qiao would only mean suffering for the woman.
After careful consideration, Lin Qiao still had the doctor prescribe abortion medication. Even if this child was healthy, it could not be kept.
Otherwise, what kind of scrutiny would they face in the future?
The medication was potent, causing the woman to writhe in pain on the floor. In the end, it was a narrow escape, and the child was aborted.
After the abortion, the woman’s spirits were noticeably low. She spent her days sleeping, with Lin Qiao sitting by her side, chatting occasionally.
The whole village knew by now that the Song Family had an extra person. Wang Zhigang and his friends would occasionally bring food from their homes. One middle-aged woman, Aunt Fu, had previously cared for a paralyzed person.
Lin Qiao asked her to help with care.
The woman, Xu Dagui’s mother, gradually improved.
During this time, it was apparent she avoided Aunt Xu, so Lin Qiao gave her the name Furen.
That day, Song Tingfan returned from hunting. Lin Qiao was about to pour her some water, but Furen had already done it, surprising her slightly.
She had never poured water before.
However, lately, Song Tingfan had indeed been attentive to Furen, from administering her medicine to washing her feet.
Song Tingfan handed over something he took from his pocket: small red wild berries, "They’re a bit sour."
Furen loved those berries, popping a few into her mouth, her brows furrowing from the sourness, but she continued eating them anyway.
"Daddy, why don’t I get any?" Song Ling whined, pursing his lips.
"You don’t even eat them, now hurry up and practice your writing." Lin Qiao tapped his forehead with her fingers.
Song Ling shifted on his stool, causing it to lose balance. Lin Qiao reached out to catch him, but there was no crash as expected.
Furen caught him, scattering the tiny berries all over the ground.
Lin Qiao quickly helped them up. Furen crouched down again, collecting the berries and brushing the dirt off before putting them back in her mouth.
"Aunt Fu, I’ll help you pick them up." Knowing he was at fault, Song Ling hurried to help pick up the scattered berries.
Song Tingfan pursed his lips and helped Furen up, "Leave them be, we can pick more later."
Furen looked at him, her eyes suddenly filling with tears, and she quickly crouched down again to pick them up, fearing they wouldn’t let her eat, not even wiping off the dirt before putting them in her mouth.
Lin Qiao saw this and felt uneasy, knowing that Furen had likely recalled something. She crouched down to help, "Aunt Fu, let’s wash them before eating."
Eventually, Song Tingfan joined in the gathering.
After checking thoroughly three times, they ensured all were picked up. Furen held them like treasures, eating them with relish. Soon after, she looked at Song Tingfan and murmured, "Mother ate..."
"Mother ate..."
"Mother ate..."
"Mother ate..."
She repeated it many times.
Silent for so long, her voice was hoarse.
This was the first time she spoke, and Lin Qiao sighed deeply; secretly hoping she would remain this way, otherwise, she might not survive.
At this moment, Song Tingfan softly said, "Mother, I saw."
Lin Qiao was startled.
Furen’s eyes widened with delight, she started eating faster, "Don’t be mad at Mother, Mother ate..."
