country bumpkin

Li Daniu from the Li family hasn't been selling pork lately. His mother is sick; she used to be just lethargic and could still take care of herself, but now she can't.

A few days ago, I woke up one morning to find my mother's mouth and eyes were crooked. I took her to the hospital.

Because she was too heavy, it took two big men to lift her. They rented a wheelchair from a nearby medical equipment store and pushed her to the hospital.

Fortunately, it was nearby; otherwise, I would have had to be pulled in by donkey cart. After completing the hospitalization procedures and various tests, the diagnosis was stroke, also known as cerebrovascular accident.

The doctor explained, "It is a group of diseases caused by the sudden rupture or blockage of blood vessels in the brain, which prevents blood from flowing into the brain and causes damage to brain tissue."

It includes ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. Stroke patients may experience a variety of symptoms and signs, such as limb weakness, numbness, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, and altered consciousness.

After hearing the doctor's words, Li Daniu stood there dumbfounded.

It seems my mother will never get better! She'll have to be taken care of for the rest of her life.

He has to sell meat at his own stall, his wife is busy taking their two daughters to school, and his father has to take care of his son. What can he do?

After much deliberation, Li Daniu decided that his wife should take care of his mother, and that his two daughters should stop going to school.

My mother was hospitalized for five days and received treatment for five days, but there was no progress. She still doesn't recognize anyone and lies there like a vegetable.

The doctor advised that I be discharged from the hospital and go home to take good care of myself and recover.

Back home, Li Daniu told his wife, Gao Qingzhi, about his decision.

Gao Qingzhi's eyes widened upon hearing her husband's words, and she firmly disagreed.

She said, "Da Niu, no matter how hard things get, we can't let our children's education be delayed. Our daughters have such good grades; if they don't go to school, it will ruin their lives."

Li Daniu sighed, "I have no choice. My mother needs someone to take care of her all the time. My father can't keep an eye on his naughty son, and I have to go out to sell pork to earn money."

Gao Qingzhi was silent for a while before saying, "How about we ask a neighbor to help take care of Mom? We'll pay them, and I'll continue taking the kids to school and do some odd jobs to supplement our income."

Li Daniu shook his head and said, "How can a neighbor be so helpful? Besides, it will cost a lot in the long run."

At this moment, the eldest daughter, who had been listening silently, spoke up: "Dad, Mom, stop arguing. I'm not going to school anymore. My younger sister is smart, so let her continue her studies. I'll stay home and take care of Grandma."

Li Daniu was about to scold her, but when he saw his daughter's determined eyes, his throat felt like it was blocked.

Ultimately, after discussing it as a family, they decided to ask their neighbors for temporary help while they looked for a more suitable solution.

Gao Qingzhi was determined to ensure that her two daughters' studies would not be greatly affected, no matter what.

Li Daniu, however, felt that girls didn't need to go to school; they were useless and would only benefit others after marriage.

He felt that if his daughter, whom he had raised with his own money, married someone else, it would be like giving away someone else's child for nothing.

They even support their schooling, but no matter how well they study or how much money they earn in the future, they won't be able to give themselves a single penny.

His mindset is so deeply ingrained that it's impossible to change it.

The couple argued several times about their daughter's schooling, and each time the argument ended badly without reaching a resolution.

After making do like this for a week, Aunt Yu, the neighbor, had already gotten used to it.

She took great care of Gao Qingzhi's mother-in-law, feeding her, giving her water, and wiping her body every day. However, it was very difficult for her to turn over, because she was so fat that she couldn't turn over at all.

This is already very good; at least my mother-in-law didn't develop bedsores.

Sometimes when Li Daniu comes home a little early, he'll help turn over so the room is cleaner, otherwise it'll smell.

From the moment my mother-in-law started lying down and refusing to get up, my father-in-law stopped sleeping in the same bed with her.

The father-in-law always sleeps in his grandson's room; perhaps he also dislikes his mother-in-law!

The grandmother's doting grandson never once visited her, not even when he was bedridden and didn't like to move before his stroke.

This child has been spoiled rotten; he thinks it's his due to adults doting on him and spoiling him. Grandma once said that all the good things in the house should belong to him.

Because he's the family's treasure, their eldest grandson. He's the one who'll carry on the family line when he grows up. Girls, on the other hand, don't deserve good treatment; they're all a waste of money.

These are the words his grandmother always said. He heard them all the time when he was a child, and naturally, he was indoctrinated with this kind of "poisonous education."

Now my mother-in-law is lying in bed, unconscious. If she could wake up and realize that this is how I treated the precious child I cherish, maybe she would regret it!

Gao Qingzhi has seen through her son; she fears that when she gets old, he won't care about her anymore.

The saying "You can tell a person's future at three and their character at seven" is true. The ancients were right.

She should still place her hopes on her two daughters!

Aunt Yu did a good job. It was agreed that her salary would be paid weekly, but Aunt Yu found it troublesome and couldn't save any money, so she simply asked to be paid monthly.

Fifty yuan a month is already a lot. Aunt Yu is happy to do it.

Wealthy families in town hire caregivers to help look after their elderly relatives for only 40 yuan a month, with so many formalities involved. The pay is low, but the work is demanding, and the caregivers have to stay at the host's house at all times. It's not worth it at all.

Now, besides feeding her, giving her water, wiping her body, and washing her boils, she doesn't have to do anything else.

I can go home after finishing my chores in the morning. I feed him lunch at noon; it's easy to just suck up the liquid food with a syringe and then feed it into his mouth.

After feeding them lunch, we can go home and check on them again in the evening.

If Gao Qingzhi comes back, or if an adult comes home, Aunt Yu can go home from get off work.

The job has short hours, is easy, and pays well, so Aunt Yu is very content and especially willing to come.

With Aunt Yu's help, Gao Qingzhi finally breathed a sigh of relief. Her daughter's schooling wouldn't be delayed, and her husband's worries were put at ease. She was happy to spend the money.

Since it's her husband who earns the money, she doesn't care. She has no desire to serve that wicked mother-in-law.

She could never forget how her wicked mother-in-law had treated her and her daughter.

She was just pretending in front of her husband, using her daughter as an excuse. Because this wicked mother-in-law didn't deserve her service.

She thought to herself, "Karma has come! How satisfying!"

Gao Qingzhi will continue to hide money. Why should she stop?

She doesn't trust anyone now. Her husband used to listen to his mother, and she doesn't know how he will treat her and her daughter in the future. She still needs to make plans for her daughter and herself.

Besides, Li Daniu has always paid for his daughter's schooling himself. If he doesn't save money, how can he pay for tuition and books? He can't count on Li Daniu.

The excuse that her mother left her money for her granddaughter was just that—an excuse. She needed to find a suitable reason for the tuition fees.

Fortunately, Li Daniu didn't know the exact amount, so she could focus on supporting her daughter's education without worry.