"My leg isn't healed! It takes a hundred days for bones and sinews to mend. At my age, it won't be fully healed for a year or two!"
Ma Daniu hung his head and said nothing.
He was thinking about getting a doctor to issue a medical certificate when he took his mother to the hospital one day.
However, before that day could come, Old Lady Ma started clamoring to go home herself.
Ma Daniu still tried to persuade her to go to the hospital for a follow-up check first.
Old Lady Ma firmly refused. "I'm leaving today. Remember to have your wife wire me the money every month."
This morning, Old Lady Ma had hobbled on her crutches to take a phone call from her youngest son.
He asked why this month's remittance slip hadn't arrived yet.
Anxious, Old Lady Ma went to the factory to find Liu Chunhua.
In front of everyone, Liu Chunhua repeated everything Lin Zhilan had taught her to say.
Furious, Old Lady Ma threatened to go find Ma Daniu, but Liu Chunhua told her that she was now collecting all of Ma Daniu's wages.
It was fine for Old Lady Ma to live here, but that meant no more money would be sent back to their hometown.
This completely struck a nerve with Old Lady Ma and her two younger brothers-in-law, but Liu Chunhua didn't care anymore. She let her make a scene, making it clear she wouldn't get a single cent anyway.
Trembling with anger, Old Lady Ma went back and started packing, demanding that Ma Daniu take her to the train.
Ma Daniu tried to hold his mother back. "If you don't want to go to the hospital, I'll go across the street and ask Dr. Lin to examine you."
"No need, no need, I'm completely healed." Old Lady Ma looked as if she could jump up just to prove it to her son.
Lin Zhilan happened to push the door open and come out. She smiled and said, "Commander Ma, don't worry. The old lady is so energetic, she must be fine."
Ma Daniu sighed helplessly. "She was crying in pain just last night, and today she's suddenly fine. Could there be something wrong? Dr. Lin, please don't joke with me, just take a look at my mother."
Although Ma Daniu was disappointed in his mother, he still cared for her well-being.
In the morning, Old Lady Ma had complained that her leg ached all night and even mentioned dreaming about his father.
Seeing her in such good shape now, Ma Daniu almost suspected she was experiencing a terminal burst of energy.
"Commander Ma, you just don't understand," Lin Zhilan said with a smile. "The old lady is a medical miracle. She gets better the moment she says so."
Hearing Lin Zhilan say this, and with Old Lady Ma continuously clamoring to leave, Ma Daniu had no choice but to escort her to the boat to leave the island.
When Liu Chunhua returned, Ma Daniu told her what had happened.
Liu Chunhua laughed until tears came to her eyes.
"Why do you think your mother was in such a rush to go back? It's simply because as long as she stayed here, I wouldn't send money to your two brothers. Her heart aches for her sons."
Of the couple, one laughed on the outside, while the other cried on the inside.
However, Ma Daniu's mind wasn't as muddled as before.
Liu Chunhua only sent eight yuan back.
In the end, no matter how much his mother and two brothers kicked up a fuss, Ma Daniu never gave in.
That is a story for later. As soon as Old Lady Ma left, Lin Zhilan received a slab of pork belly from Sister Chunhua.
Lin Zhilan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Unable to refuse, she said, "Sister Chunhua, I'm planning to make meat paste. Commander Ma is going on the ship with Su Lang again this time, how about I share some with you?"
"No need, keep it for yourselves," Liu Chunhua waved her hand. "I'll just get him some pickled vegetables to take along. I can't be bothered to wait on him."
Commander Ma listened anxiously from the other side of the wall, but he was afraid of Dr. Lin's sharp tongue and didn't dare to go out.
Forget it, forget it. When they get on the ship, he'd just go mooch some off Su Lang.
The day after Yan Yuan's grandfather was discharged from the hospital, it was time for Su Lang to board the ship.
This time, Lin Zhilan made several jars of crab roe paste. She sent one jar each to Chief Chen and her second sister-in-law in the capital, and let Su Lang take the rest.
There were also various pickled vegetable pastes and meat pastes, a whole bunch of bottles and jars.
Lin Zhilan knew that Su Lang couldn't possibly keep all the food to himself; he would definitely share it with his comrades.
She guessed wrong on that point.
When it came to the food she made, Su Lang was very protective. Only Bai Yang occasionally got to have a few bites.
Su Lang watched his wife chattering away, reminding him to eat the meat paste early and to keep his medicine pills close to his body...
Su Lang wrapped his arm around her waist and, with a gentle pull, scooped her into his arms.
The weather was getting hotter and hotter.
Through her thin spring blouse, Su Lang's palm stroked his wife's lower back.
Lin Zhilan didn't push him away; instead, she actively leaned into him.
"Can't bear to let me go?" Su Lang asked with a smile.
"Mhm..."
Su Lang's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. His palm pressed against her spine, gently pushing to bring them even closer together.
He gave a low chuckle, his large hand immediately cupping the back of his wife's head as he lowered his head and kissed her.
Lin Zhilan melted like a puddle of water, leaning into his embrace. Her fingers gripped the hem of his shirt tightly, a rosy flush spreading all over her body.
Su Lang gripped her waist and lifted her onto the desk.
Leaning over, he trailed kisses down her delicate neck.
After a long time, Su Lang lifted his head.
His gaze slid inch by inch from his wife's face to her lips.
They were already slightly swollen.
Like a soft, tender peach, just waiting for someone to gently suck on it, taking flesh and juice into their mouth to bite down.
Su Lang's breath hitched, and he unconsciously buried his head again.
He bit her on the shoulder and neck.
"That hurts!" Lin Zhilan frowned, pushing him grumpily.
Su Lang smiled. "It's good that it hurts, otherwise what if you forget?"
"Forget what?" Lin Zhilan looked up at him.
"Nothing."
Su Lang just felt a bit anxious, as if something was about to happen.
He narrowed his eyes and slowly pulled down her collar, revealing the red bite mark on her shoulder.
Like a red plum blossom in the snow, it stood out with a striking redness against her fair, smooth skin.
"I'm sorry," Su Lang said softly.
Yet his fingertips slipped through the gap of her wrist. His lightly callused finger pads slowly unfurled the softness of her palm, undeniably intertwining their fingers as he pressed Lin Zhilan against the desk.
Meeting his crimson eyes, Lin Zhilan's heart somehow softened, and she took the initiative to lean in and kiss him.
Su Lang's pupils shrank slightly. Looking somewhat dazed, he gazed at his wife with eyes as dark as a whirlpool.
The way he kissed her changed.
It was no longer as gentle as before.
It was as if he had lost all restraint, as if he wanted to knead her into his very bones and blood.
The items on the desk were swept aside. Lin Zhilan felt like a small boat being pushed by the ocean waves.
With neither oars nor sails, she could only rise and fall with the direction of the tide.
The waves were sometimes gentle, sometimes turbulent, tossing her up and catching her in an endless cycle.
Lin Zhilan closed her eyes, her eyelashes fluttering. Physiological tears slipped uncontrollably from the corners of her eyes, falling into the loose hair at her temples.
She only felt that Su Lang was exceptionally fierce tonight.
It inexplicably made her heart flutter with panic, which could only be soothed through this intimacy.
Early the next morning, Lin Zhilan woke up feeling dizzy and groggy.
The thin quilt slipped from her shoulders, and she was still a bit out of it.
Her lower back and abdomen still felt a bit sore and numb, as if something had been pressing against her, and her pajamas were a mess.
She glanced at the sunlight outside, hurriedly threw on her clothes, and rushed downstairs.
