Wang Shuo suddenly received a phone call. He was completely stunned and walked back home from school in a daze. His old mother was not at home. Just as he was about to go out to look for someone, he heard the sound of a tricycle.
"The New Year gifts have been distributed. We can have a peaceful New Year now."
Aunt Wang was still happily chatting with Yang Yufen.
"Yes. Tomorrow we'll buy meat to make dumplings and prepare the New Year goods."
As the two were discussing, Wang Shuo walked out of the house with red - rimmed eyes.
"Mom."
"What's wrong?"
Seeing her son's appearance, Aunt Wang was startled at first, and then her heart suddenly sank for no reason.
"Mom, Dad has passed away."
Aunt Wang felt a blackout before her eyes. Yang Yufen quickly supported her old friend who was about to fall.
"Mom."
Wang Shuo was also shocked. He quickly stepped forward. Aunt Wang had opened her eyes from the darkness. Her body was leaning on Yang Yufen, and her hand was held by her son.
Yang Yufen helped to support Aunt Wang back into the house.
"Mom, don't scare me."
Wang Shuo was extremely nervous.
"When did it happen?"
Aunt Wang sat on the stool and grabbed her son's hand.
"I received the call today. Dad passed away suddenly. It was a heart attack. He got sick last night and couldn't be saved. Dad's ashes will be sent back in three days."
Aunt Wang endured the dizziness before her eyes.
"You old fool. You promised to come back soon, but you've been gone for more than a decade without a single message. Why couldn't you be the same as before?"
Facing such a sudden change, Yang Yufen didn't know how to comfort her and could only silently accompany her on the side.
In three days, Aunt Wang lost a lot of weight. Wearing a black cotton - padded jacket, she stood in the cold wind. Wang Shuo and Fang Fen stood on either side to support her.
The military vehicle stopped at the entrance of the research institute. A person in military green was holding the urn containing the ashes with both hands, and there were many others in the same uniform behind him. They saluted Aunt Wang's family.
"Old Mr. Wang sacrificed himself for the country and devoted his entire life. It's our fault that we didn't take good care of him. Please accept our condolences."
In the face of the grief - stricken family members with tears streaming down their faces, no more words could be spoken. Aunt Wang hugged the small urn. It was so light yet so heavy.
On the day when the ashes were sent back and buried, the snow that had stopped for several days began to fall heavily again. Yang Yufen accompanied Aunt Wang all the time and noticed that her old friend was not feeling well at the first moment. After the deceased was laid to rest, Aunt Wang was hospitalized.
"I'm really sorry to trouble you to take care of me."
When Aunt Wang woke up and saw Yang Yufen there, she felt a little embarrassed.
"Wang Shuo was called away by the doctor. Fang Fen went back to cook for you and will be here soon."
While pouring water from the thermos, Yang Yufen told her old friend the situation.
"You have to take good care of yourself. The kids are very worried about you."
Aunt Wang drank some water and felt much better in her throat.
"Okay."
Aunt Wang responded. In fact, at her age, she knew that such a day would come, but it was just too sudden. When she was raising the children alone, she had resented her husband for not being at home, but she also understood that he was doing something important.
As the children grew up and got married, she had actually let it go. She thought that when her husband got old, he would definitely come back, and then she would scold him well.
But now, she could no longer scold him. There was a void in her heart.
They were childhood sweethearts and had gone through so many hardships. They had been married for decades, but the time they spent together was very short.
"Get well soon. The orchard is waiting for us to make arrangements next spring."
Seeing her old friend's state, Yang Yufen simply found something to say to divert her attention.
"Mom, you're awake. How do you feel?"
Wang Shuo came in from the outside.
"I'm not seriously ill. Where are the two kids?"
"The kids were taken home by Fang Fen. It's quite cold with the snow."
Wang Shuo didn't dare to say that Miaomiao was also sick. Miaomiao was too young. The atmosphere at home had been very gloomy these days, and it snowed today. The child couldn't bear it. After sending the old woman to the hospital, going through the admission procedures and finishing the examination, the couple only noticed something was wrong with their little daughter under the reminder of their eldest daughter.
"It's cold. Tell the kids and Fang Fen to take care. I'll stay in the hospital for a couple of days and then go back. You don't have to take care of me. I can call the nurse if I need anything."
"Okay. I'll accompany you these days. You kids can go about your business as usual."
Yang Yufen knew that the child was sick. Just like Wang Shuo, she didn't mention it just now out of concern.
"I've taken a leave of absence. Mom is not in good health. I can't feel at ease either. But I really need to trouble god - mom to accompany my mom more."
Wang Shuo said gratefully.
Fang Fen cooked the meal and rushed over in a hurry. She first sent the meal to her daughter.
"Yaoyao, take good care of your sister. Mom is going to see your grandma."
Yaoyao nodded obediently, took out the food and fed her sister. Fang Fen walked away in a hurry with another lunch box in her hand.
"Mom, I've cooked some porridge and also made some noodles. See if it suits your taste."
"Good. Don't go to so much trouble next time. There's a canteen in the hospital. You can just buy food there. You still have to take care of the two kids. Wang Shuo is here."
"Okay. I'll take care of Mom here. You haven't eaten yet, right? Go back and have a meal with the kids."
Wang Shuo stepped forward to help. Fang Fen nodded understandingly.
Fang Fen was truly concerned about the children. After a brief conversation, she left. Watching her daughter-in-law's back, Aunt Wang suddenly spoke up.
"Is there something wrong with the kids?"
"Oh, no, Mom. Don't think too much about it," Wang Shuo replied, with a slight tremble in his hand.
"I'm an old woman. Fang Fen was in such a hurry just now. Usually, the two kids are fine when they're at home alone. There must be something wrong with them. Did they catch a cold?"
Hearing this, Wang Shuo met his mother's gaze. Knowing he couldn't hide it anymore, he nodded.
"Alright. I'm still in good health. Go and help Fang Fen take care of the kids. Otherwise, she'll be so exhausted alone."
Aunt Wang took the lunch box from Wang Shuo's hand and waved him away.
"Go, go. I'll take care of your mother here."
Yang Yufen also joined in urging him to leave. After Wang Shuo left, Yang Yufen sat down beside the hospital bed.
"I can't finish all this. I'll have the porridge. The noodles will get mushy if I don't eat them. You have them quickly."
"Okay."
Yang Yufen didn't stand on ceremony. She ate the noodles and then helped her old friend to the restroom. Not long after they came out, Aunt Wang fell asleep again. When Wang Shuo came back, Aunt Wang had just fallen asleep.
"Take the lunch box back. I'll keep an eye on the drip. You two haven't had a good rest these days while taking care of the kids. You can't get sick from overwork."
Yang Yufen handed the cleaned lunch box to Wang Shuo.
"Thank you, Godmother."
Wang Shuo picked up the lunch box, glanced at his sleeping mother, and quietly left the room, closing the door gently behind him.
When one child gets sick, the other one often catches it too. They're both girls. Yaoyao had a cold, and Miaomiao had a fever. Fang Fen didn't dare to leave their side for a moment.
For three consecutive days, Yang Yufen came to keep them company every day, talking about the arrangements for the orchard in the coming spring.
"We'll plant herbs in the orchard for a year. As for the greenhouse, when it gets warmer, we can try growing mushrooms and fungus. We don't need that much space for seedling cultivation."
