When Zhang Lingling came back, she wrung out a handkerchief and was about to wipe Shen Xianjun's body. Shen Xianjun was startled.
"Mom!"
A hoarse and frightened voice rang out.
Zhang Lingling was also taken aback, and then the handkerchief in her hand was snatched away.
"I'll do this. Nurse, go and attend to your own business."
Yang Yufen took the handkerchief and, in the process, gave Zhang Lingling quite a start.
"Right!"
Shen Xianjun quickly nodded, not even caring about the wound on his abdomen.
"Behave yourself."
Yang Yufen glared at Shen Xianjun crossly.
Seeing this, Zhang Lingling had no choice but to give up.
"All right then, Auntie Yang, be gentle. Comrade Shen's wound hasn't fully healed yet. If there's any problem, just come to me. I'm specifically assigned to take care of Comrade Shen, and I'm not busy."
Zhang Lingling still wanted to stay in the room, but Yang Yufen pushed her out.
"I'm his mother. Don't you think I know? I even cleaned up after him when he soiled his pants as a kid. There should be a proper distance between men and women. I'll do it."
With a click, Yang Yufen locked the door from the inside.
"Mom, if you want to get rid of her, that's fine, but why do you have to bring up my embarrassing childhood incidents?"
After drinking some water, Shen Xianjun's voice had improved a lot.
"Humph~"
Yang Yufen let out a cold snort and glanced at Shen Xianjun askance.
"You're a married man. Keep yourself in check, or I won't spare you. I'll break your wings."
Although Yang Yufen was speaking harshly, her hands were moving quickly. It was spring, and people didn't sweat easily. Yang Yufen was strong, and in just over ten minutes, she had wiped Shen Xianjun's body all over. Then she helped him to the toilet.
"Mom, I'm hungry."
After lying back in bed, Shen Xianjun finally felt comfortable all over, and the hunger pangs came over him.
"Wait if you're hungry. I'll go and ask the doctor what you can eat."
Yang Yufen got up, unlocked the door, and was about to go out. At the door, Zhang Lingling was already standing there with a meal.
"Auntie, I've brought Comrade Shen's meal. I'll also take his temperature and check his wound by the way."
Yang Yufen stepped back, making way for Zhang Lingling.
Zhang Lingling put the meal on the table and then took out a thermometer.
"I'll check if the wound bled during the cleaning. If it did, we'll need to change the dressing again."
Shen Xianjun lifted the quilt himself. The wound was on his abdomen, so it wasn't embarrassing.
Zhang Lingling only glanced at it and then looked away.
"There's no bleeding. I'll leave now. I'll come back later to get the thermometer."
Zhang Lingling gave a gentle smile to Shen Xianjun and Yang Yufen and then walked out.
"Since you have food to eat, I'll go back then. The kids are at school, and I still have to cook for them."
"Mom, what kids? By the way, Mom, why are you here and selling sweet potatoes?"
Only then did Shen Xianjun remember many questions.
"Your kids. Do you think I'd come all the way here to take care of other people's kids for no reason? You talk so much. Can't even your meal shut you up?"
Yang Yufen threw out a retort crossly, picked up her cloth bag, and left.
Shen Xianjun scratched his head and finally picked up the lunch box to eat. It was okay. His mother had been nagging at him for more than just one day. He was used to fending for himself.
But after taking just two bites, Shen Xianjun suddenly widened his eyes. His mother had just said she was taking care of his kids. Where did he get kids?
No, no. He was married. He'd been in a hurry to go on a mission, and as time passed, he'd forgotten. So, it was really possible that he had kids. Was he a father?
Shen Xianjun put the thermometer on the table. Not long after Yang Yufen left, Zhang Lingling came in.
"Comrade Shen, why are you eating by yourself? You might pull at your wound. Let me feed you."
Zhang Lingling approached with a worried look on her face, trying to take the things from Shen Xianjun's hands.
"No, I'm done eating."
Shen Xianjun quickly shoveled the food into his mouth and then put down the lunch box.
Come on. His mother had just warned him to be chaste and self - disciplined. Moreover, his wife had actually given birth to a baby. This was amazing! He even wanted to be discharged from the hospital to have a look. It was a pity that his mother had left so quickly that he hadn't had a chance to ask.
"Comrade Shen might not remember me. Zhang Zhiyuan is my elder brother. I'm his younger sister. We've actually met before. My name is Zhang Lingling."
Seeing Shen Xianjun's defensive look, Zhang Lingling took half a step back and then spoke.
"Zhang Zhiyuan?"
Shen Xianjun was puzzled for a moment and then remembered. They were in the same platoon before. But after he was promoted to platoon leader, Zhang Zhiyuan was no longer in his platoon. However, they were still comrades - in - arms and had a good relationship before.
"So you're Zhang Zhiyuan's sister. Thank you, Nurse Zhang."
"Yes, Big Brother Shen can call me Lingling, just like my brother does."
Zhang Lingling took a step forward. Shen Xianjun subconsciously moved. Zhang Lingling reached out and picked up the thermometer on the table to check.
"No fever. I'll take the lunch box away first. Big Brother Shen, you have a good rest."
Zhang Lingling tidied up the table and left with a smile.
"Little Zhou, can my son drink chicken soup now?"
After leaving the ward, Yang Yufen turned a corner and went to Zhou Ang's office.
"Yes, Auntie Yang. But it shouldn't be too greasy. He lost a lot of blood before, so he really should eat some good food to replenish his strength."
Zhou Ang was also happy for Yang Yufen and Qin Nian.
"Good, good, good. Auntie won't disturb your work. I'll go back first."
After getting a definite answer, Yang Yufen left happily.
Last year, because her waist was injured, she didn't preserve any chickens. She just killed a few for daily consumption, and there were still quite a few left.
Yang Yufen looked around and picked out a rooster.
She started making soup in a familiar clay pot, adding some red dates. Qin Nian got off work and brought the kids back by the way.
"Niannian is back. Xianjun is awake. Have dinner first. After dinner, let's go and see him."
"Okay."
Qin Nian responded and led the two kids to wash their hands.
"Come on, have chicken noodle soup tonight."
The rich aroma of chicken soup and red dates filled the air. As always, there was a chicken drumstick in Qin Nian's bowl, and the two kids had chicken wings.
"Mom, why don't we save the drumstick for Xianjun?"
Qin Nian thought for a moment and then said.
"You eat it. I've saved some for him. The doctor said he can't eat anything too greasy."
Qin Nian nodded upon hearing this.
"Then, Mom, you eat the drumstick."
Qin Nian picked up the drumstick in her bowl and wanted to put it into Yang Yufen's bowl.
"It's such a big chicken. There's meat in Mom's bowl. You eat it. You've lost weight since you started working. When it gets hot, you'll probably have a poor appetite again. You lost so much weight before, and it seems like you can't gain it back no matter how much you eat."
Yang Yufen not only didn't take it but also put a piece of meat into Qin Nian's bowl.
Looking at the extra meat in her bowl, Qin Nian had no choice but to eat obediently.
Yang Yufen finished eating quickly and went to the kitchen to cook another bowl of hand - made noodles. Qin Nian and the kids also finished eating.
"All right, let's go. Dabao and Erbao, let's go and see your dad. Be careful later. Your dad has a wound on his body. Don't jump on him. Just stand aside and watch, okay?"
Yang Yufen instructed her two well - behaved grandchildren, and the two kids nodded obediently.
