Chapter 2: Reborn in the Nineties: The Tyrant Flower Chapter 2: Saving Mother

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Chai Mi

Chai Mi's family didn't have much land, only about ten mu; fundamentally they lived by farming in the countryside, and being poor should have meant a light and easy life. But Chai Mi's family was exactly the opposite. Not only did they live hand-to-mouth, her mother was also damn exhausted...

The root cause of all this was that her father Chai Youqing wouldn't do his own family's work, yet insisted on helping Chai Zhongxiao do his work thoroughly — not only did he not get a bite to eat, he even dragged her mother along to suffer.

All just so Chai Zhongxiao and his wife could praise Chai Youqing with one line: "Our eldest son is still the filial one..."

Mother Su Wan had a good temper, and because she couldn't give birth to a son, she was looked down upon in this era, so she had always swallowed her grievances in silence. Chai Mi guessed today she must be carrying the child to the fields to work; Chai Mi sighed: What's the point?

Chai Mi didn't have that much "extra" filial piety; if Chai Zhongxiao and his wife were bad, at worst she'd oppose them head-on — no big deal.

They'd already split the household; why should her mother suffer and keep helping them work?!

Her own family couldn't go on like this! Besides, Mother was still in confinement; doing physical labor, could a person even survive?!

Chai Mi pondered in her heart; today she would make things clear with her father Chai Youqing: if this life could be lived they'd live it, if not they'd separate and leave with Mother.

As Chai Mi was thinking, she arrived at the village entrance. A group of people were cooling off under the big willow tree. At a glance Chai Mi saw the East Courtyard neighbors Song Chunren and his wife Ni Shi there too. This couple were in their fifties, upright in character, and kind-hearted. By the village's generational seniority, Chai Mi had to call them Second Aunt and Second Uncle.

Chai Mi walked over and called out "Second Aunt" blankly, then asked: "Second Aunt, have you seen my mom?"

Ni Shi wore a short thin shirt, holding a cattail fan fanning herself. Because her cataracts were severe, though only in her fifties her eyesight was already extremely poor, and she always wore sunglasses. Hearing Chai Mi speak, she reached out to touch; Chai Mi gave her hand to her.

"Second Aunt, it's me, Chai Mi."

"Chai Mi ah..." Ni Shi held Chai Mi's hand and replied: "Your mom seems to have gone to the fields behind the mountain. Sigh, at that time your mom was carrying the child, saying your dad working alone was too tiring, so she went to the fields to check. I advised her not to go; she's still in confinement, how can she go do labor?"

Chai Mi's heart sank further. The fields behind the mountain referred to the east side of Sanjiacun, where a big mountain stood named Wuhu Mountain. Wuhu Mountain got its name because there was a tiger cave on it and it had five peaks. Although there were no tigers on that mountain now, rumors said wolves still roamed inside. Most critically, the mountain was huge. Chai Mi's father Chai Youqing had helped Chai Zhongxiao seize a piece of ownerless wasteland behind the mountain.

Originally that piece had also been farmed, but later the production team had no one willing to work it properly; over many years it turned into cao kezi. (Cao Kang Mat refers to low-lying places with water; cao kezi refers to mountain land without water.) Chai Zhongxiao's father — Chai Mi's Lao Taye — felt the feng shui there was good, separate from the old ancestral graves, and buried there alone; that became Chai Youqing's reason for claiming that wasteland as his own.

But that wasteland was still all weeds now, needing reclamation. And Chai Zhongxiao once said whoever reclaimed it would get it. This was also the main reason Chai Youqing and Su Wan went. However Chai Mi knew clearly in her heart: in her previous life, after Father Chai Youqing and Mother Su Wan reclaimed that wasteland, Chai Zhongxiao turned around and gave it to the youngest son.

Chai Mi felt displeased: Believe Chai Zhongxiao's words? You wouldn't live to put on pants even if you died...

Chai Mi didn't chat idly with Ni Shi and the others. Because the road was a bit far, about seven or eight li of mountain path, Chai Mi ran off in a frantic hurry.

The people cooling off watched Chai Mi run so hurriedly and couldn't help but stare blankly.

"This girl Chai Mi, rushing off in such a panic — where's she going?"

"Heard she's going to find her mom. Sigh... their Old Chai Family really doesn't treat Chai Mi's mom as human; still in confinement, carrying a child to the fields to work..."

"Say a few words less, don't let Wang Huirong that Lao Diao Pozi pin it on you..."

Right now it was high noon; the sun was scorching. A few days ago a heavy rain had just fallen; the air humidity was high, the heat steaming.

By the time Chai Mi reached behind Wuhu Mountain, she was already sweating through her back, her clothes completely soaked with sweat, her whole body feeling like it had been scalded by boiling water.

Chai Mi fanned herself with her hand, trying to cool down a little. When she raised her head again, she discovered Mother Su Wan was ahead under the tree shade, holding the child, half-squatting and vomiting.

Su Wan wasn't tall, her body somewhat thin. Today she wore a deep red long-sleeved top, gray ankle-strap pants, a pair of small basket shoes. When Chai Mi looked over, she felt Su Wan's complexion was very bad; her whole face was a dark red, and tears glistened in her eyes.

Chai Mi hurriedly ran over, patting her mother's back: "Mom, why are you vomiting? Heatstroke or what?"

Su Wan closed her eyes and shook her head, expression extremely haggard: "Nothing, rest a bit and it'll be fine."

Although Su Wan said this, Chai Mi didn't believe a single word. Mother's current condition was probably not as simple as heatstroke. In her previous life, Mother Su Wan's health began deteriorating from now on. Seeing Mother's current symptoms, it was highly likely vertigo — anemia-induced vertigo. If not hospitalized to rest in time, it would definitely damage the brain.

"Mom, is your head dizzy now?"

"Still okay..."

Chai Mi sighed. Mother Su Wan's personality was just like this, same as most rural women — Mother was always worn out with ailments all over, yet always said she was fine. At the worst, she'd just take two Anainjie tablets to get by.

But this wasn't just exhaustion; combined with the scorching heat, lack of sleep, and malnutrition, it couldn't be delayed any longer. Delay a bit more and it'd likely be the previous life's ending again.

Chai Mi helped her mother up, held her newly born half-month-old younger sister Chai Xiu in her arms, and said: "Mom, don't force yourself; let's go to the hospital."

"I'm not in the way..."

Chai Mi ignored her mother's refusal, turned to find Father Chai Youqing. Chai Youqing had just put down his hoe and come over. Chai Mi said: "Dad, I have to take Mom to the hospital; her head's dizzy, not going to the hospital won't do."

Not waiting for Chai Youqing to say anything, Chai Mi continued: "Dad, it's scorching; you wait till it cools down before coming. Working from dawn to dusk, not even eating at noon — who can endure that?"

Chai Youqing was of medium height, skin tanned dark. He froze for a moment, but before he could say anything, Chai Mi had already pulled Su Wan away.

Su Wan walked swaying on the road, but they finally made it home.

Chai Mi couldn't be bothered with whether Chai Youqing would get heatstroke; right now she was more anxious. First she had younger sister Chai Xin watch little sister Chai Xiu, then went to find neighbor Second Aunt Ni Shi to help watch the house. Then she dragged Mother Su Wan along — regardless of Su Wan's resistance and refusal — to the highway at the west village entrance, hailed a three-wheeled bengzi, and went straight to the County Hospital.

Fortunately Su Wan was hospitalized in time; two bottles of mannitol and some nutritional drugs were administered, and the dizziness symptoms eased considerably; she also regained some spirit.