Chapter 36: Encountering Kong Yizhang

Liu Chuxue looked around and spotted a bench not far away: "Mom, let me help you over there to sit for a while. We need to conserve our strength—Dad is still waiting for you to take care of him."

Now her second daughter was her mainstay, so she answered softly: "Alright, I'll do as you say."

The two had just sat down when a person came striding toward them in a great rush. But that person had only just walked past when they turned back: "Hey, Miss, is that you?"

Liu Chuxue looked up at the sound of the voice, and to her surprise it was Kong Yizhang. The words slipped out: "What are you doing here?"

After asking, she explained guiltily: "Sorry, something happened at home and I got so busy I forgot to call."

Kong Yizhang quickly waved his hand: "It's fine, as long as I know you're safe. What happened?"

She didn't hide it either: "My dad got his leg crushed at the construction site."

"Is it serious? Do you need any help?"

"The commune health clinic can't do the surgery, so they told us to come to the city for treatment. We just arrived, and the doctor said a few more tests are needed—we have to wait for the results before they can decide. We're still waiting."

"I see. What's your father's name? I'll find someone to ask around."

"Would that be too much trouble for you?"

"Not at all. It happens that I know a few people at the hospital here."

Liu Chuxue didn't stand on ceremony either—after all, they were strangers in a strange place, and if someone could help, that would be for the best.

She quickly relayed the information: "Sorry to trouble you."

"No problem. I'll go find someone right now. Wait here."

Just as he was about to leave, he looked toward Liu's mother: "And this is?"

Liu Chuxue hurried to introduce her: "This is my mom."

Kong Yizhang greeted Liu's mother, didn't linger on small talk, and hurried off to find someone.

Watching him walk away, Liu's mother asked, puzzled: "Who is that? How do you two know each other?"

Liu Chuxue hadn't wanted to mention what had happened in the mountain cave that day, but she hadn't expected to run into Kong Yizhang here. The soldier comrade from that day might also be staying at this hospital.

So she quietly told Liu's mother what had happened in the mountain cave: "That's how it was. I didn't expect to run into this person again."

Liu's mother hadn't expected her daughter to have run into so many things just yesterday, and the thought of it filled her with lingering fear: "Lucky it was a soldier you ran into, otherwise—"

She couldn't quite finish the sentence. In her heart she hated Ge Xiulan even more—under those circumstances, if the one who went in had been some lecher, her daughter's whole life would have been ruined.

Thinking of this, Liu's mother trembled all over with rage.

Liu Chuxue quickly hugged her: "Mom, I'm fine, aren't I? From now on I'll be more careful and won't let myself fall into danger again. Besides, I actually turned misfortune into a blessing."

To get Liu's mother to put the matter out of her mind as soon as possible, she said softly: "Didn't you see it at the station earlier? Ever since I woke up in the mountain cave, my strength has grown quite a bit. From now on no one will be able to bully our second branch—just treat me like a son."

Liu's mother knew her daughter was trying to comfort her, but thinking of that tigerish burst of strength at the station: "Where did all that strength come from? Why didn't Mom ever notice it before?"

Liu Chuxue patted Liu's mother's hand: "I always had decent strength before, I just never showed it. But ever since I was set up by your eldest aunt that day, I don't know if some danger brought it out, but I feel like my strength has grown even more."

As long as Liu's mother knew about her strength, that was enough. She didn't want to keep on this topic: "Mom, that's enough. Greater strength is a good thing—at least if we run into danger again, I'll have the ability to protect myself. Don't you think so?"

Liu's mother figured that was true too. Seeing her daughter didn't want to say more, she gave up the thought of asking further.

(End of this chapter)