nucmednet Chapter 113 The Thin Rope Breaks
Chapter 113 The Thin Rope Breaks
"Sister Qiaohui, thank you for telling us so much. It's getting late, let us take you home." Cheng Yuntao walked forward and gently took Dou Qiaohui's hand, her eyes full of sincerity and concern.
Because they were in a hurry, the items on the stall were scattered. It would probably take Dou Qiaohui a long time to pack them all up by herself.
As the saying goes, do your best to help others, and see the Buddha to the west. Since I have already helped Dou Qiaohui out of trouble, it doesn't matter if I give her a little more help now. It can be regarded as the friendship of a friend.
"Oh, thank you so much.
Dou Qiaohui was just worried about this matter, but when she saw that Cheng Yuntao was willing to take the initiative to help her, the sadness on her face was instantly alleviated.
The night was as dark as ink. Cheng Yuntao and Jiang Yu accompanied Dou Qiaohui, walking slowly through the winding alleys.
Soon, a low and dilapidated courtyard appeared in front of them. A dim light leaked through the crack of the door. Dou Qiaohui gently pushed open the door, and Cheng Yuntao and Jiang Yu followed behind with things in their hands.
A slightly thin and gaunt man was half lying on a simple bamboo chair in the yard, his legs hanging limply, and he had obviously lost the ability to walk.
His face was gaunt and his complexion was a little sallow. Although his eyes were no longer bright and lively, they still showed gentleness and friendliness.
The old clothes he was wearing were patched up with patches, but they were clean and tidy. It was not difficult to see that even though he was in dire straits, he still maintained respect and decency for life.
"Qiaohui, you're back. Who are these two...?"
The man's voice was gentle and hoarse, revealing a bit of fatigue, but he still tried to force a smile, and his eyes were full of pampering and concern when he looked at his wife.
Only then did Cheng Yuntao and Jiang Yu realize that the paralyzed man in front of them was actually Dou Qiaohui's husband.
Dou Qiaohui quickly walked to her husband, squatted down, gently held his hand, and explained softly: "I encountered something at the night market today. Thanks to these two friends for their help, otherwise I don't know what to do." As she spoke, she turned her head and cast a grateful look at Cheng Yuntao and Jiang Yu.
Taking advantage of the gap between Dou Qiaohui and Feng Yuanshan's conversation, Jiang Yu approached Cheng Yuntao and said with regret: "This big brother looks kind, how could he have suffered such a hardship..."
Cheng Yuntao nodded slightly, her eyes also full of confusion.
Perhaps she had seen through their thoughts, Dou Qiaohui stood up, her eyes slightly red, and introduced them, "This is my husband, Feng Yuanshan."
"He was originally a soldier responsible for patrolling the city. He was an honest and hardworking man who worked diligently every day, hoping to save more money so that his family could live a better life."
"One time, while he was on duty, a child was playing with his friends on the street and ran into the middle of the road. He was about to be hit by a nobleman riding a horse in the street. Without thinking, he jumped over and saved the child, but his own leg was... broken by the stepping stone."
Dou Qiaohui's voice choked and tears welled up in her eyes.
"The rescued child disappeared in the blink of an eye, and the man riding the horse turned the tables and insulted my husband, saying that the distant mountains were blind and had frightened his mount, so he deserved it to be crippled."
"In their eyes, poor people like us are just ants, dust, not worth mentioning at all, and they forget us completely in the blink of an eye. But Yuanshan is the pillar of our family. If he falls, the sky will fall!"
"The injury was so severe that even if we spent all our family savings, there was no hope of recovery. I was pregnant at the time, and Yuanshan refused to continue treatment, saying he wanted to save the money for the child."
Perhaps it was because the daily pressure was too great that Dou Qiaohui was almost breathless, or perhaps the help from the two people just now made her feel the warmth she had not felt for a long time. Dou Qiaohui could not control her emotions and poured out all the sad things in her heart.
Cheng Yuntao was rarely speechless. She opened her mouth and tried to squeeze out a few words of comfort from between her teeth, but her throat seemed to be choked by something and she couldn't make any sound. Any words of comfort seemed particularly pale at this moment.
Just as a hemp rope breaks at its thinnest point, misfortune often finds its way to the unfortunate. Life for Dou Qiaohui's family is like a storm with no end in sight, with one wave after another rising.
Dou Qiaohui raised her hand and wiped away her tears. The more she spoke, the sadder she became. Her tears flowed like a flood that could not be stopped.
Feng Yuanshan saw it and felt pain in his heart. He was extremely anxious and wanted to get up immediately, hold his wife in his arms and comfort her, but his disabled legs made him anxious in vain.
"Qiaohui, Qiaohui, stop crying. Your crying makes my heart... feel like it's being cut by a knife."
Feng Yuanshan's voice was a little hoarse, full of heartache and powerlessness. He leaned forward and stretched out his arms to reach his wife.
Dou Qiaohui sobbed and raised her tear-stained face, looking at her husband through tearful eyes.
Feng Yuanshan forced a smile, a smile that, though slightly bitter due to the hardships of life, was filled with deep affection: "Our lives are hard, but look, we met two kind people today. This is a chance God has given us. Maybe the road ahead will be easier."
Dou Qiaohui's emotions gradually calmed down. She wiped her face with her sleeve, walked to Feng Yuanshan and held his hand.
"I know crying is useless. We have to go on with our lives."
"My child is still young and can't leave me alone. When he grows up, I'll be able to do more. Then my life will definitely be better than it is now."
Watching the couple pick themselves up again, Cheng Yuntao couldn't help but sigh in her heart: In this world, those who indulge in pleasure are ultimately only a minority. There are more ordinary people like Dou Qiaohui's family who are constantly knocked down and struggle to stand up again.
"Sister Qiaohui, the days ahead will definitely get better and better."
"Just by making such good soy milk, I can tell you're passionate about life. Even when life gets tough, you never give up."
"I get up before dawn every day, carefully select beans, and patiently grind and brew them. This kind of dedication is not something everyone has."
Dou Qiaohui's lips curled up slightly when she received the compliment, but she subconsciously began to belittle herself: "What's so great about this? I just want to make a living and don't want my family to starve."
"Making soy milk involves a very complex process, from the soaking time and water temperature to the grinding process, and then to the precise control of the heat when boiling the soy milk. Even the slightest mistake can make a world of difference in the taste."
"You're able to handle every detail with perfect precision, which demonstrates your meticulousness, patience, and willingness to delve into your work."
Dou Qiaohui was slightly stunned when she heard Cheng Yuntao's words, as if it was the first time she was looking at herself from this perspective.
"I...turns out I have so many advantages."