country bumpkin

Kong Xiujuan didn't know how to answer her daughter's question, so she thought for a moment and coaxed, "The mother rabbit was injured, and she probably hid the baby rabbits in the grass because she was afraid of hurting them." Her daughter blinked and nodded as if she understood.

Kong Xiujuan turned and went into the house, her face full of worry. She knew that Mother Rabbit was badly injured and probably wouldn't be able to come back.

In the afternoon, she took the baby bottle her son used when he was little, filled it with some rice water, and fed it to the little rabbit.

The little rabbit didn't drink much, so she went to the store and bought a bag of milk powder to feed the little rabbit.

Kong Xiujuan was relieved when the little rabbits ate until their bellies were bulging.

That night, after tossing and turning, Kong Xiujuan made a decision. The next morning, she took some anti-inflammatory medicine and some simple tools and went out, finding the rabbit hutch according to her memory.

Seeing the mother rabbit on the verge of death, she carefully treated her wounds, applied anti-inflammatory medicine, and bandaged them up.

The mother rabbit looked at her weakly, as if she could feel the kindness of the human, and her eyes were full of gratitude.

In the days that followed, Kong Xiujuan would secretly visit Mother Rabbit every day, bringing her some food and water.

Gradually, the rabbit mother's injuries began to heal. Kong Xiujuan kept all of this a secret from her daughter.

One day, Yunya accidentally discovered a healthy mother rabbit playing with her baby rabbits. She looked at her mother with surprise, and Kong Xiujuan smiled and nodded, saying, "Look, the mother rabbit has come to visit us. The family is reunited."

Yunya asked, both happy and disappointed, "What about the rabbit daddy?"

Kong Xiujuan said, "The rabbit father must have gone to find food and got lost. He hasn't come back even once in the past few days, so he must have gone far away."

Yun Ya said "Oh" and then stopped talking.

The little rabbit has grown a lot after being fed for a few days. Now it can drink rice water and eat some grass.

Sun Limei asked Kong Xiujuan, "Mom, should we release the rabbit family back home, or keep raising them?"

Kong Xiujuan said, "Let's just let them be! Let them make their own decisions. Anyway, we won't tie them up or confine them; let them go if they want to!"

The two girls nodded, thinking it was a good idea. After the rabbit-raising incident, the relationship between the two sisters improved considerably.

It's been two Sundays since Grandma passed away. Every night before going to bed, Yunya asks her mother, "When is Grandma coming back? Is she coming back soon?"

Kong Xiujuan could only lie and say, "It'll be back soon. I'll be back after I finish sewing the quilt for your third aunt's house."

At this time, Yunya would always mutter, "Why does Auntie's house have so many quilts? When will they finish sewing them? I miss Grandma."

Sun Limei covered her mouth and chuckled foolishly, thinking to herself, "Just you wait! By the end of the year, Grandma won't have finished sewing the quilts and will still be here. It was all a lie from Mom."

She only complained in her heart, but dared not say it out loud. Her mother had warned her that if she told her sister the truth, she would be beaten.

Yunya slowly endured each day, longing to see her grandmother.

…………

Zhang Pozi from Xingfu Village was carried by her son to Du Da Niang's house once again.

As luck would have it, Zhang Qingjiao returned. Her baby was already two months old; she had given birth in a city hospital and then returned to Xingfu Village to recuperate after childbirth.

She spent a few months in the city with Xiao Zhe, but now that Xiao Zhe is away on a business trip, she has returned to Xingfu Village.

Granny Zhang went up to the door and knocked, calling out, "Is anyone home? Is my eldest sister home?"

Aunt Du heard someone knocking at the door and came out of the house. Seeing that it was them again, she didn't know whether she should tell them that Qingjiao was at home.

Qingjiao had said that if they came looking for her again, she should tell them that she hadn't returned and had gone on a long trip.

Just as Aunt Du was hesitating whether to tell them, she heard a baby crying from inside the house.

Granny Zhang knew immediately that her daughter had returned. Aunt Du could no longer hide it from her and could only let Granny Zhang enter the house.

As soon as Granny Zhang entered the door, she saw her daughter, whom she hadn't seen in a long time, holding a baby and coaxing him to sleep.

The child cried incessantly and couldn't fall asleep. Zhang Qingjiao felt heartbroken listening to the child's cries.

At this moment, Granny Zhang excitedly exclaimed, "Jiaojiao, my good daughter. I've missed you so much!"

Zhang Qingjiao looked over and saw her mother and older brother. She paused for a moment and then remained silent.

Her red eyes betrayed her true feelings. She felt a mix of joy, excitement, and a touch of resentment.

Even the usually taciturn eldest brother, Zhang Qingguo, excitedly exclaimed, "Jiaojiao... are you... alright?"

Zhang Qingjiao pretended not to see or say anything, and continued to comfort the child in her arms.

Granny Zhang wasn't angry. She knew she had harmed her daughter, and she had no face to be angry.

It's understandable that her daughter complained. But she came here specifically to reunite with her daughter, so how could she not express her opinion?

With tears in her eyes, Granny Zhang said, "Jiaojiao, I'm sorry. I was confused for a moment. I did something wrong. I don't ask for your forgiveness. I just hope that, for the sake of the ten months I carried you and gave birth to you, you can say something to me."

Zhang Qingjiao remained silent and did not look at her. She was still trying to soothe the child, but strangely enough, the child kept crying and couldn't be calmed down.

A little embarrassed, Granny Zhang said, "Jiaojiao, can I hold the baby? I want to see my little grandson."

Zhang Qingjiao hesitated for a moment, but still handed the child to her. The moment she took the child, the baby immediately stopped crying.

Granny Zhang gently rocked the baby while holding him, patting the infant's bottom lightly with one hand. The baby fell asleep in no time.

Once the child was gently placed on the bed, the room fell silent.

Everyone looked embarrassed and didn't know what to say.

Granny Zhang pulled Zhang Qingjiao outside, her finger still on her lips as a gesture of silencing.

Zhang Qingjiao realized that her mother wanted her to go outside to talk, as she didn't want to disturb the child's sleep.

Aunt Du stood in the courtyard and, seeing that they had all come out, went inside and gently moved a few stools for them to sit down and talk.

Everyone sat down, and Granny Zhang took her daughter's hand and said, "Jiaojiao, do you see? The child still knows that I am her maternal grandmother. Blood is thicker than water, and the child can feel the closeness, so she stopped crying."

Zhang Qingjiao remained silent. She didn't even lift her eyelids.

Looking at her gently, Granny Zhang continued, "Jiaojiao, I know it's because of my decision that you've suffered in Zhujia Village. I'm so sorry. What can I do to make you forgive me? Just say the word, and I'll do anything. I'd even kneel down and kowtow to you to apologize."

As she spoke, Granny Zhang was about to get up and kneel down to kowtow to Zhang Qingjiao.

Zhang Qingjiao cried out in unbearable pain, "Mother, what are you doing? Are you trying to shorten my lifespan? Do you want to force me to my death before you're satisfied?"

Granny Zhang stopped what she was doing, looked at her daughter and cried, "No, why would I force you? I did something wrong and I have to apologize to you. I don't know how to bridge the gap between us, so this is all I can do."

Zhang Qingjiao held onto her mother, preventing her from kneeling. She feared that if her mother really knelt down, she would lose her lifespan, and the spittle from the outside world would drown her.

Zhang Qingjiao was held by her mother, and the two of them cried their eyes out.

Aunt Du watched from the side and thought it was good for them to cry it out. Only by crying out their grievances and complaints could the mother and daughter resolve their differences.