The day Chen Xiulan came out of confinement was also the full moon of Liu Yusheng.
The whole family got together, but the atmosphere was somewhat depressed.
"Dad, mom, I think I can't bear to drink Nanna's full moon wine. The family can simply eat a meal and save some money. After that, I will go to town to find a few more part-time jobs. When I have enough silver, I want to take my daughter to the county medical center for eye treatment. " Liu Dalin lowered his head, his face fraught with melancholy.
Chen Xiulan was sitting with reddish eyes on one side, gazing down at the well-behaved and quiet baby in her arms.
A newborn baby usually opens her eyes a few days after birth at most, but her daughter hasn't opened her eyes for a whole month.
For this reason, everyone in the family was worried.
"Okay!" With no hesitation, Grandpa Liu nodded. "I have already discussed this with your mother. While Nannan is still young, it's better to find if her eyes really have any problems, the sooner the better. There's some silver at home, let your mother get it for you in a while. Take your daughter to the county hospital tomorrow!"
Grandma Liu said nothing, turned around and went to the room, and came out holding an old small wooden box in her hand.
She opened the box and first counted out two hundred copper coins from it, and pushed the rest together with the box to Liu Dalin. "This is what I've saved all these years, I'll leave 200 coins for our daily reserve. Take the rest of it. There are 166 taels. I originally planned on saving for two more years before sending the two boys to school to go learn how to read some characters so the two won't be smeared in the future. But our we can't delay our little baby any longer, let's treat her first. If it's not enough, sell the two pigs in the pen by then. We can raise some again…"
With shaking hands, Liu Dalin's eyes reddened as his voice choked, "Mother …"
Chen Xiulan has already dissolved into tears.
"It's alright!" Grandma Liu glared. "What kind of piss does this grandma have! She is also my granddaughter!"
After a pause, she added, "Lao Er, daughter-in-law, don't blame your mother for being partial. My heart isn't at all biased to your elder brother and sister, I haven't' treated you unfairly all these years. I regard both the two boys in our family in the same way. If you're unhappy about it in your heart, suck it up. If you're unable to bear it, we can separate the family, but this is not up for discussion!"
"Mother, what are you talking about? My elder brother and I have always been close brothers, and I am an uncle, she is also my niece. Am I that narrow-minded in your eyes?" Another man in the house retorted with an aggrieved booming voice, then this Uncle Liu added, "I also have two or three pieces of silver in my hand from working part-time jobs for many years as well as some savings from selling embroidery. Big brother can use them for this emergency first. There's no shortage of food and drinks at home. As for future needs, we won't go hungry with our hands and feet."
"Brother, I'll give you the silver later. Don't worry about it that much. Little baby is blessed. It would be a joy to see her open her eyes." Liu Erlin's wife comforted him.
"Sister-in-law, brother …" Liu Dalin was choked up with gratitude.
"Look at your appalling behavior, it's not like the sky is falling, hold those tears back! It's so weird and embarrassing." Liu Erlin mumbled to himself.
Then there was a burst of laughter, dispelling the gloom that clouded the room earlier.
Liu Yusheng has been lying quietly in Chen Xiulan's arms, listening to everything clearly.
Her mood was raging with complexity, and was almost overwhelmed.
The feeling of sincerity and purity in their voices, and the true love between kin, are simply battering her doubt and confusion, and her perception of human nature.
So there is actually such sentiments between family members? Mutual support, keeping watch and defending each other?
It turned out that not all loved ones are proficient at treachery. So not all loved ones hunger in gnawing at your bones till nothing's left? Not all loved ones would easily betray you for the benefit of the family? Not all loved ones, when you are of no value, they wouldn't abandon you immediately?
A warm current flowing around her heart poured in continuously, surrounding her, warm and scorching, making her want to cry.
Not that she's blind, nor does she have problems with her eyes.
She's just afraid.
With her eyes closed, the warmth she feels and the tenderness, are something she yearns to last.
A yearning that bred fear, that once she opens her eyes, what sees would be the ugliness hidden beneath those gentleness.
Chen Xiulan wiped away her tears, and the sorrow in her eyes were dispersed. With the support of her family, these sufferings wouldn't crush her spine. "Dad, mother, I'll also return to my parental home tomorrow. I'll go and borrow some silver from my parents, brother and sister-in-law. I can't bring Zhixia with me because it would be inconvenient on the road. Mother and father, please take care of him for a day."
"Okay, I'll watch over the kids at home. Don't worry about them."
"Mother, don't worry, I'll be obedient!" Liu Zhixia, a five-year-old standing on the side, patted his small chest. "In the future, I will work hard to make a lot of money and honor my grandmother and my second uncle and second aunt!"
"Oh, not only will you honor your grandparents and parents, but you will also honor your second uncle and second aunt?" Liu Erlin teased.
"Grandma is as good as the second uncle and second aunt. Whoever is kind to my sister, I'm going to be filial! This is called … This is called reaping what you sow!"
"Oh, reaping what you sow, where did you hear that?"
"Me too! I want to make a lot of money and pay you back!" Liu Zhiqiu, a four-year-old from Liu Erlin's family, also jumped in and danced with his short hands to pay back.
The childish vows slayed the grown-ups.
Pure warmth dispelled the haze of the home.
Liu Yusheng still closed her eyes, but the corners of her mouth arched slightly.
After dinner was Liu Yusheng's bath time.
Liu Zhixia dragged a wooden tub while Liu Zhiqiu carried her clothes. And then they set up three small stools around the tub, waiting for the old lady to add hot water, and the two of them would just sit there looking at the side of the tub.
This routine has been going on for the past month.
As for being watched taking a bath, Liu Yusheng's initial inability to resist, has now developed into numbness, which already simmered down from wanting to curse.
In any case, she's still a baby. Anyway, just close her eyes, what shame and outrage and so on, she can't see anything.
She was soaked into warm water, then rubbed gently with a warm towel, which is truly relaxing.
The two boys' eyes were brimming with wonder and curiosity.
"Sister is so slippery, it feels fun!" A piglet's hand touched her lotus-like arm, followed by a second hand and the third hand …
There was another hesitant finger, poking her fluffy white tender cheek, "So cute, all chubby, so soft!"
"Grandma, when will my sister smile at us?"
"Will sister be able to see us once she comes back from the county?"
Granma Liu said earnestly, "Yes, definitely, our Nannan is so good, as long as there is cure, grandma will smash the pot and sell the iron to cure your sister."
"After that, I don't need new clothes, and I don't eat meat buns. I leave all the money for my sister's medical treatment!"
"Me too! Me too! Cure my sister!"
Liu Yusheng felt no dislike at all to those four little pig hands, who treat her as a novel toy.
*Nannan – an endearment for little darlings, baby girls usually