Bringing Good Luck to your Husband in the 70s - Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Getting better

The third daughter-in-law of the Han family had no food to eat at noon and grew hungry. Gu Ming (the third son’s wife) had originally waited for Han Lao-san to leave some food for her, but she hadn’t expected him to ignore her completely. After eating, he had simply gone back to work with a hoe on his shoulder, not even stepping into the room to check on her.

Realizing that her husband was ignoring her, she had been both angry and aggrieved. Everything she had done was for their little family. If all the money was spent on treating Han Aiguo’s leg, then their own family wouldn’t get a single penny. They still needed money. Even if she didn’t think of herself, she has to make plans for her children. Yet, instead of supporting her, her husband had taken his mother’s side and allowed her to be bullied.

The more she thought about it, the more wronged she felt. She didn’t even go to work that day but stayed shut up in her room, sulking. But after sulking half the afternoon, no one came to coax her, not even little Maomao. It seemed the whole family was ignoring her together.

She couldn’t help but feel sad. In this household, she had no status at all. Her mother-in-law didn’t take her seriously, and even her husband didn’t support her. Why should she stay? She might as well return to her parents’ home.

With that thought, she got up, bundled some clothes into a piece of cloth, slung it over her back, and headed out. In the yard, she spotted Maomao playing in the mud by the chicken coop. She strode over, grabbed him, and carried him toward the gate.

Maomao noticed the bundle on her back and asked curiously, “Mother, where are we going?”

She snapped, “Mother will take you back to her parents’ house for a few days.”

The moment Maomao heard this, he kicked and struggled. “Mother, I don’t want to go! I don’t like Grandma’s house. Grandma is biased. She never gives me good food, only gives Brother Dazhuang and the others!”

Gu Ming gave him a hard smack on the backside. “Shut up!”

Maomao burst into tears from the spanking.

Taohua, who had seen them leave, quickly ran to the kitchen to tell Old Lady Han, who was busy making pastries. “Grandma, Third Aunt carried Maomao away with some baggage!”

Old Lady Han didn’t even look up. She only said casually, “Don’t worry. Your third aunt just went back to her parents’ house for a visit.”

Remembering that Third Aunt often went to her parents’ place, Taohua didn’t think much of it and went back out to play.

Han’s third daughter-in-law’s maiden home was in Dahe Village, just half an hour’s walk from Hanjia Village. When her mother saw her come back carrying baggage, she immediately asked, “What’s wrong? Did you quarrel with your husband?”

As always, she poured everything out to her mother. The words tumbled like beans spilling from a pod.

When Madam Zhao heard her daughter’s complaints, she slapped her thigh and fumed. “What kind of mother-in-law is this, willing to spend three hundred yuan a month! Do you know how much that is?”

Her daughter agreed bitterly. “That’s right! Some families don’t even see three hundred yuan in a year, but my mother-in-law is spending that much in a month. And who knows if the prescription will even work? Even the big hospitals said my brother-in-law’s leg can’t be cured. Can some random prescription succeed? Isn’t it just a waste of money?”

Madam Zhao rolled her eyes and muttered, “That only proves your mother-in-law has a lot of money.”

Her daughter continued, “Back when my eldest brother-in-law was in the army, all his allowance was sent home to my mother-in-law. Now she also makes money from pastries. She must have plenty on hand. But if she keeps spending it on my eldest brother-in-law’s legs, it’ll all be gone in less than two months.”

The moment pastries were mentioned, Madam Zhao’s eyes lit up. “What about the pastries?”

Her daughter realized too late she had said too much.

Madam Zhao smacked her arm. “Why didn’t you tell your own mother earlier? Do you think I’d harm you?”

So, after a moment’s hesitation, she told her the truth.

When Madam Zhao learned that Old Lady Han had a successful pastry recipe, she slapped her thigh again, her eyes red with envy. “So your mother-in-law has struck it rich with pastries!”

Her daughter pouted. “But she won’t let us touch anything in the kitchen. I don’t even know how much she’s making, and I don’t dare to ask. And even if she makes money, how can it cover three hundred yuan a month? No family can keep up with that.”

Madam Zhao’s eyes darted shrewdly. “Gu Ming, you can’t let this slide. Since the family hasn’t split, that money belongs to everyone. If you don’t fight for it now, when the family finally divides, you’ll end up with nothing. Then how will you live?”

“But I was so angry. No one in that house tried to coax me, not even my husband. They didn’t even give me lunch!”

Madam Zhao cursed Han Lao-san a few times, then said sharply, “Don’t you see? If you just let this go, your mother-in-law will walk all over you!”

Her daughter sighed. “But what can I do? All the money is in my mother-in-law’s hands. I can’t interfere at all.”

Madam Zhao leaned in. “Then listen to me and get the family divided.”

Her daughter stared at her in shock. “What? Divide the family?”

“Yes!” Madam Zhao said firmly. “Do it while your mother-in-law still has money. Otherwise, when it’s all gone on medicine, you’ll be left with nothing. If you separate now, you’ll at least get your share.”

“But my eldest brother-in-law and youngest brother-in-law aren’t married yet. Mother would never agree to split the family.”

Madam Zhao pressed, “Think! Once the eldest brother-in-law’s leg treatment eats up all the money, there’ll be weddings to pay for. Do you think your mother-in-law will save anything for you? You’ll end up slaving away for your brothers-in-law without a single coin to your name. You must strike while there’s still money.”

The third daughter-in-law thought it over and admitted her mother made sense. If things went on, everything would be spent on her brothers-in-law anyway, and she would end up with nothing. At least if she forced a split now, she could secure something for herself and her child.

But she still wavered. Could she really pull it off?

Madam Zhao insisted, “Stay here for now. Don’t go back. If your husband still wants a wife and son, he’ll have to agree to separate the family. Otherwise, you won’t return.”

After some hesitation, she finally agreed and settled down at her parents’ house.

—

Han Lao-san came back after work and discovered that his wife had gone to her parents’ home. He said nothing. Old Lady Han didn’t mention the matter either. The family ate and drank as usual, just as if the third daughter-in-law were still at home.

Su Yue only learned of it a few days later. She had originally come to check on Han Aiguo’s leg, and Old Lady Han had invited her to stay for dinner. At the table, she noticed that the third daughter-in-law and Maomao were missing, but she sensed something was amiss and didn’t ask immediately.

After dinner, while helping Old Lady Han with pastries, she finally asked about it. At the mention of the third daughter-in-law, Old Lady Han’s face hardened with anger. “I spend my own money, not the money she earned. Who is she to object? And she still had the gall to run off to her parents’ home! If she wants to come back, let her come by her own initiative; we won’t beg her.”

Su Yue hadn’t expected Gu Ming to be the cause. In her heart, she thought that daughter-in-law was far too cold-blooded. She was afraid that all of Old Lady Han’s money would be spent, leaving her with nothing later. But they were a family, when one member fell ill, shouldn’t everyone do their best to help? Why only think of oneself?

Because of the treatment, the family was already under strain. How much worse must it have felt for Han Aiguo, the one injured?

Su Yue’s eyes turned toward him. Feeling her gaze, his expression softened. He shook his head slightly, silently assuring her that he was fine.

But Su Yue’s heart ached. If it were her, and her own siblings argued over whether she deserved treatment, she would be devastated.

It all boiled down to money.

She finally said to Old Lady Han, “Auntie, I still have money with me. Let me cover half of Brother Han’s treatment costs. That way you’ll have some left in hand.”

Old Lady Han was touched, but she waved it away. “Silly girl, this is not your burden to bear. I have enough saved for Han Aiguo’s treatment. Don’t worry about money, and don’t let our troubles weigh on you.”

Not wanting to dwell on unpleasant family matters, Old Lady Han quickly changed the subject. “Yueyue, this prescription you found really works. We’ve only been using it for a few days, and the redness and swelling in Han Aiguo’s leg has already lessened. The pain isn’t nearly as bad as before. At first, I was afraid the remedy might not work.”

Su Yue immediately turned to look at Han Aiguo’s leg, her eyes bright with surprise. “Really?”

Han Aiguo nodded, a smile in his eyes. “It’s really getting better.”

Su Yue had believed in the remedy’s effect, but she hadn’t known whether the results would come quickly. To see such visible improvement in only a few days reassured her. With continued use, he might truly be cured.

Old Lady Han beamed. “Now there’s hope. Once the medicine runs out, Han Aiguo, you should go back to the hospital for a checkup. Let’s see how the leg is doing.”

—-

Ten more days passed, and Han Aiguo’s recovery became visible to all. The redness and swelling had gone down by a third. The pain no longer kept him awake at night. For the first time in months, he could rest peacefully.

Old Lady Han was overjoyed. Each night, she secretly prayed in her room, thanking all the gods and Bodhisattvas for their blessings.

One day, Han Aimin needed to deliver pastries to town, so Old Lady Han borrowed the brigade’s mule cart for Han Aiguo to go to the commune hospital for a checkup and to buy more medicine. Su Yue, still worried for him, took leave from work to accompany them.

At the hospital, Doctor Wang’s eyes lit up when he saw them. “How’s the prescription? Did it work?” he asked urgently.

Han Aiguo rolled up his trouser leg. “Doctor Wang, please take a look.”

Doctor Wang’s eyes widened the moment he saw. “How has the swelling gone down so much? The remedy actually worked?”

Han Aiguo nodded.

Unable to contain himself, Doctor Wang had him lie down and examined the leg thoroughly for half an hour. Finally, he sighed in amazement. “It’s a miracle. The muscles and bones are beginning to heal. If this continues, you’ll recover fully.”

Su Yue and Han Aiguo exchanged a look, unable to hide the joy in their eyes.

Doctor Wang, equally delighted, rubbed his hands together. “Boy Han, could you lend me the prescription to study?”

Han Aiguo glanced at Su Yue, leaving the decision to her.

Su Yue understood its value. But she didn’t want to hoard it for profit, she wanted it to save more people. That, too, was a blessing.

So she said, “Doctor Wang, please study it. I hope it can help more patients.”

Doctor Wang nodded eagerly. “Good, good! With this, no one will have to lose a leg unnecessarily again.”

After buying another month’s worth of herbs, they left the hospital and met up with Han Aimin, who had finished selling pastries. The three returned together.

Not long after they set off, a middle-aged woman hailed them. “Hey, Han Aiguo, Aimin! Take me with you to the village.”

It was Aunt Qian from next door. Aimin stopped the mule cart, and she climbed aboard.

Recognizing Su Yue, she looked a little surprised. “Su Yue, what are you doing here?”

Su Yue smiled. “I came to town to buy things and just caught a ride.”

Aunt Qian nodded, then turned to Han Aiguo. “Is this medicine for your leg? How’s it going?”

“Much better,” Han Aiguo replied.

Aunt Qian peered at him. “I heard from your mother that it’s improved a lot. Is that true?”

Han Aimin, always bitter about the gossip that his brother would be crippled, couldn’t resist answering with excitement. “Auntie, my eldest brother found a wonderful remedy! His leg has improved so much. The doctor said the muscles and bones are healing already. He’ll be fully cured soon!”

Aunt Qian gasped. “Really? Then that’s a blessing indeed.”

When she got home, she told her family. Within days, the whole brigade knew. Whenever villagers saw Old Lady Han, they asked her directly.

She made no secret of it, smiling as she declared that her eldest son would soon recover. She wanted everyone to know, her eldest son was not crippled, and his future was still bright.

Naturally, the news spread to Dahe Village as well. When the Zhao family heard, they could no longer sit still. Han Lao-san’s wife had been staying there for half a month already, and her husband still hadn’t come to fetch her. Did that mean he didn’t want a wife anymore and didn’t want his son either?

The third daughter-in-law herself became restless. She had believed the leg treatment was a waste of money and bound to fail. But now that his condition was truly improving, would the Han family blame her for opposing it? And if her husband never came to fetch her back, what to do then?