NOVPUBChapter 95: Chapter 95 Abuse
Chapter 95 -95 Abuse
In the county hospital, Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang heard the doctor say that this was probably as good as the old lady’s recovery was going to get: her mouth was crooked and her eyes askew. She’d have to go home and slowly seek out Traditional Chinese Medicine treatments, try acupuncture, and take some Chinese medicinal herbs. There was a chance she could gradually recover, even though the hospital intervention had come late.
But compared to before, at least the old lady wasn’t bedridden anymore. She could control her own bowel movements and, though trembling, she was able to take a few steps on the ground with the aid of a walking stick.
This was already considered the best outcome for a stroke.
Bai Jianguo was so angry. They had already spent two hundred yuan for just five days in the hospital, and that didn’t even include the family’s food and drink. The expense pained him deeply.
And yet, the old lady was still in such a state.
From now on, the old lady would just be a burden once she went home.
The old lady had been in good health before and counted as a laborer in the house, never one to rest, always following them to the fields to work.
Now, look, she had turned into an ancestor who could only be taken care of.
Before, with Bai Xiao managing all the household chores inside and out, and the old lady tending to the fields as well, the couple had not felt that life was too hard. But look at these recent times.
After Bai Xiao made a fuss, she went to live in their yard.
One laborer who had diligently worked for them was gone. Hao Fang had been busy all day long with the field work and the household chores, and she was already full of complaints. Now, to make matters worse, the old lady was bedridden too, reducing their labor in the fields and adding another person in need of care at home.
Although the old lady could now walk a few steps on the ground, her trembling gait made one’s heart skip with worry.
Feeding her water and food required someone’s assistance, otherwise she couldn’t manage to eat on her own. And beyond the cost of her treatment, Bai Jianguo was frustrated, and Hao Fang even more so.
The couple sat on a stone bench in the hospital’s garden, their expressions as somber as if they had lost their parents.
Hao Fang nudged Bai Jianguo with her elbow, “What do we do about his dad now? Say something, will you?”
Bai Jianguo had nowhere to vent his anger, “What do you want me to say?”
“Look at the old lady now; staying in the hospital is just wasting money. We might as well take her home. Otherwise, if we keep this up, we don’t have a mountain of gold or silver at home; all the money will be gone. What about Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang in the future?” Hao Fang was frantic, the sight of the bills burning a hole in her heart every day.
That was their son’s betrothal money.
Bai Jianguo sighed, “What can I do? Even if we talk about discharge now, the doctor has said to stay another week. If you have the nerve, go talk to the doctor yourself.” He was also anxious, watching money flowing out like water every day; it was odd not to be anxious.
Hao Fang’s eyes darted around, “Dad, how about this: send a telegram to Bai Song, tell him his grandma is hospitalized and urgently needs money, ask him to find a way to send five hundred yuan back.” She had already thought about how to address the issue of where the money spent was going to come from.
Bai Jianguo heard this, it was a plan.
“OK, I’ll send him a telegram right now. His grandma is in this state; how could he ignore it?” With the family’s deficit potentially covered, Bai Jianguo felt a hint of pride.
Bai Jianguo dusted off his pants and went to look for the telegraph office.
Hao Fang also went upstairs.
Upon entering the ward, she saw the old lady struggling and sobbing, saying something unintelligible while continuously hitting Bai Shan. Bai Shan wore an impatient expression. Hao Fang hurried over, grabbed the old lady’s wrist, and forcefully pulled her hand from Bai Shan. She couldn’t say anything in front of others since her strength was not small.
But in private, she had often been rough with the old lady. If Li Chunhua dared to wet the bed, Hao Fang would pinch her severely, always in places covered by clothing where no one could see. Anyway, the doctor had said that this was how the old lady would be for the rest of her life, and no one could understand what she was saying now.
So if Li Chunhua ever thought she could still throw her weight around at home like before, that was definitely impossible now.
Hao Fang had not forgotten how this mother-in-law had treated her when she first married into the family, how she had been scolded and bullied. If it hadn’t been for her placating the old lady all these years, and later outlasting the eldest son, the old lady wouldn’t be treating her so well now. This was all because there was only one son left in the house, and the old lady was counting on her and Bai Jianguo to look after her in her old age.
Li Chunhua trembled with pain from the pinching, muttering and pointing with her fingers, hoping that the patients on the other beds could see her daughter-in-law abusing her.
Unfortunately, her condition was due to a stroke.
The patients lying in the remaining beds also had similar conditions. The relatives of these patients could tell at a glance that the old lady had a bad temper after becoming ill. Everyone saw how Hao Fang treated the old lady with smiles and kindness, but who knew what really went on behind closed doors and how Hao Fang dealt with Li Chunhua.
“Mom, stop making trouble. The doctor said you need to recover slowly with medication at home and now you’re already doing well, at least you can walk. Don’t worry, we’ve been mother-in-law and daughter-in-law for so many years, I will definitely take good care of you. Jianguo has only one mother. Don’t worry, we won’t neglect you.” Her words were so eloquent that the patients around and the attendants all nodded and praised Hao Fang.
“Old sister, your daughter-in-law is really good! You are indeed fortunate.”
“That’s right, look how filial your son and daughter-in-law are, and not to mention your two grandsons, ah! You are really blessed.”
“It’s rare to see such filial children and daughters-in-law nowadays.”
Li Chunhua felt bitter inside, but couldn’t voice it. She had thought that she had been so good to her son Bai Jianguo all along, always putting his family first in everything at home. Even if it meant scrimping on Bai Xiao’s money, she was saving it all for her son, in the hope that her son and daughter-in-law would look after her in her old age.
But now, ever since she had been bedridden,
Hao Fang, who usually fawned over her mother-in-law, changed her tune when she heard that she couldn’t get better.
At first, it was just cold looks, but as the number of attendants in the ward increased, Hao Fang, for the sake of appearances, stopped giving her dirty looks. However, she would only feed her half a bowl of watery soup, leaving her starving and clutching at her stomach. If she lost her temper and made a fuss, Hao Fang would pinch her.
Li Chunhua wanted others to see how she was being abused by her daughter-in-law. But with a hand that couldn’t even bring a spoonful of rice to her mouth, let alone pull up her sleeve to show the bruises, she was helpless.
Her son and grandsons also looked displeased whenever they saw her.
Li Chunhua knew her retribution had come.
She never imagined that she would end up this way.
She had been wholeheartedly good to Bai Jianguo, never thinking she would end up with such an outcome. 𝔫𝖔𝔳𝖕𝖚𝔟.𝔠𝔬𝖒
She truly hated this.
