A Good Country Wife
Chapter 304 - 298: Didn’t Wake Up_1

Chapter 304: Chapter 298: Didn’t Wake Up_1

Though the brothers were obedient in front of Lin Yue, behind her back, they were still quite mischievous and troublesome. What’s more, with the addition of the novelty of a horse-drawn cart to the household, they soon wanted to try their hand at it. Sanlang and Silang were too young to manage it, but Dalang and Erhu had some experience driving ox carts. After some practice, they managed to drive the horse-drawn cart around the village with some semblance of skill, even though they had only ever taken it around the village and never to farther places. However, at this time, their hearts were set on going to the city to see Lin Yue, not caring about anything else, and besides, Dalang and Erhu were quite confident.

Even so, how could Wu Qiang feel at ease letting the children drive the horse-drawn cart to the city? Moreover, hearing about Lin Yue’s situation had him worried. He decided to accompany Dalang and the others to the city, especially since the day’s deliveries were already done, and there were no pressing matters. Wu Qiang entrusted the affairs of Zhao Family to Liu Aniu, asking him to help keep an eye on things. Liu Aniu was a good lad, reliable, and smart; entrusting matters to him was reassuring.

When Wu Qiang and Dalang arrived at Jimin Hall, Zhao Dahuo and his wife were just leaving. Learning that Lin Yue was not in any great danger, Wu Qiang and Dalang were very pleased. If it were not for Zhao Erhu administering medicine to Lin Yue, the children would have rushed in to see her.

When Zhao Erhu finally opened the door, Dalang and the others could no longer contain themselves. Without waiting for Zhao Erhu’s permission, they rushed into the room. Seeing how worried Dalang and the others were about Lin Yue, Zhao Erhu’s heart felt somewhat comforted, and he did not blame them.

"Dad, why hasn’t Mom woken up yet? Didn’t the doctor say that Mom is not in danger?" Erhu, always full of ideas and quick-witted, did not entirely trust the doctor’s words relayed by Zhao Dahuo and his wife. Seeing Lin Yue lying in the bed with injuries all over, he asked anxiously.

"Rest assured, Doctor Zheng is skilled; he won’t be wrong. Your mom, although she is not in danger, is indeed injured and needs to rest and heal properly. She won’t wake up so quickly," Zhao Erhu said, still very trusting in Doctor Zheng’s medical skills. If the treatment was unmanageable, Doctor Zheng would have been straightforward about it, and Zhao Erhu seemed confident now.

Erhu stopped being suspicious after hearing Zhao Erhu say this. Sanlang and Silang had by now approached Lin Yue’s side. Silang reached out to take Lin Yue’s hand but was swiftly stopped by Zhao Erhu, "Your mom is injured all over; don’t touch her."

Hearing Zhao Erhu say this, Silang hurriedly withdrew his hand, as if being slower might hurt Lin Yue, "Dad, I understand."

The place was, after all, not as convenient as home. In the afternoon, Zhao Erhu sent Dalang and the others back home, since there wasn’t enough space to accommodate them for the night, and the next day was Zhao Jingen’s funeral. Zhao Erhu definitely couldn’t go, as he needed to be with his wife. Even though Doctor Zheng had said Lin Yue wasn’t in much danger, Zhao Erhu couldn’t rest easy until she woke up, so he had Dalang and the others replace him.

Dalang and his younger brothers were all sensible enough to understand such principles, and although he still worried that Lin Yue would be reluctant to leave, Dalang took his brothers back home.

Wu Qiang had previously returned with Zhao Dahuo by driving the horse carriage, so when Dalang and his brothers wanted to go back, they had to drive the carriage themselves. Zhao Erhu was confident in his sons and knew that Dalang and Erlang were capable. He wanted to train them, so he let them drive back on their own without any worry. Sister Chunhua, on the other hand, was uneasy and advised them a few times, but seeing that Zhao Erhu and his sons had made up their minds, she did not say much. After all, even though they were familiar, they were still someone else’s children, and how their real father decided to teach them was not something she, an outsider, should interfere with.

On their way back, the brothers discussed in the carriage that since their mother had been injured and needed to recuperate, she had to eat something nourishing. The wild things grown in the mountains were the best for recovery. Dalang decided to leave Sanlang and Silang at home to keep watch while he and Erlang would go into the mountains to hunt some small game. They planned to check the traps set up in the mountains to see if they had caught any wild animals and prepare them. They intended to stew the meat into a soup that night and send it to their mother right after their grandfather’s funeral the next day.

The brothers from the Zhao Family had grown up enduring hardships and had often been bullied by the grandsons of the Wei Family in the old house. They had never received the slightest concern from Zhao Jingen, so they did not feel a shred of sadness over the death of their grandfather. They couldn’t bring themselves to mourn someone who was almost a stranger to them. Their hearts were focused on their mother, Lin Yue. They even felt a tinge of resentment, for it delayed their visit to see their mother. However, they knew such thoughts were not right, so they did not voice them.

Wu Qiang was worried about Dalang and his brothers and, having been entrusted by his wife Zhang Chunhua, decided to come over and sleep with them. Although their bed was large, it already held the four brothers, and with Wu Qiang, there was no more room. Seeing that Wu Qiang insisted on staying with them, Dalang found the boards and stools used by their aunt and uncle when they stayed over to make a bed for Wu Qiang.

Wu Qiang was impressed by how sensible Dalang and his brothers were, and he admired Zhao Erhu and his wife for raising such children. He wondered which family’s children could be as sensible as Dalang and his brothers. When he came over, he had been concerned that the kids might not have had dinner and was ready to cook for them. To his surprise, they had already prepared and eaten their meal and had even tidied up the kitchen, with chicken soup simmering on the stove, claiming it was to be sent to Lin Yue the next day.

Wu Qiang felt envious, wishing they were his children. Unfortunately, he did not have Zhao Erhu’s fortune. So far, he only had a daughter, Xixi, and longed for Zhang Chunhua to give him a son, which would be wonderful. But there had been no news for several years, despite many attempts and various remedies from itinerant doctors, none of which had led to pregnancy. Wu Qiang had always been particularly fond of Dalang and his brothers, whom he had desired yet could not have.

Zhao Erhu spent that night by Lin Yue’s side without real rest, his mind filled with worry for his wife. He feared that she might wake up and he wouldn’t know, so he maintained a state of half-sleep to be aware of any changes in his young wife’s condition. However, by the next morning, Lin Yue was still deep in an unconscious state, showing no signs of waking up, which increased Zhao Erhu’s concern.

Doctor Zheng had said that his wife should have awoken the previous evening, so why hadn’t she come to by this time? Could something have gone wrong? Zhao Erhu had trusted Doctor Zheng’s medical skills, but his wife indeed had not awakened. As daylight broke and Lin Yue still had not woken, Zhao Erhu could no longer contain his unease and summoned the freshly awoken Doctor Zheng, who had yet to wash up, to come and assess what was wrong with his wife.