Chapter 430: Chapter 430: Seeking Help
At that time, there weren’t many people on the bus, and the lighting wasn’t very good either. Even if someone saw them holding hands, they didn’t say anything; it was quite normal for some women who had just come from the countryside to have family members help them on a bus for the first time.
Yiguang and Peimin found a seat and were soon chatting away until they reached their doorstep.
Occasionally, there would be a dim streetlight on the roadside, and the road was nearly empty. Yiguang still held her hand as they got off the bus, then extended his arm in front of her, the gesture clear.
Peimin turned her head to look at him, puzzled. He had been so serious before; was it because now there was no one around?
Peimin linked her arm with Yiguang’s.
The main road wasn’t far from their home; just a walk down the alley and past a few houses.
Although the town had electricity before the countryside, many people were still reluctant to use it: people went to bed early after dinner, having no interest in installing streetlights at their doors. Therefore, by this time, aside from the faint lights in some homes, the alley was shrouded in pitch-dark night.
However, Yiguang had brought a flashlight, and Peimin clung tightly to his arm, her whole body pressed against him, head down, watching her steps for fear of tripping over small stones or sticks.
"Look how careful you are! What would you do if I hadn’t come to pick you up?" Yiguang said, somewhat irritated.
Peimin pouted her lips, "But you did come! And still you complain. Otherwise, carry me on your back!"
Yiguang laughed helplessly, turned his face towards her, kissed her on the cheek, stopped walking, and crouched down slightly, resembling a posture to carry her, "I’m still young and strong. Get on."
Peimin slapped his shoulder, laughing coquettishly, "Just kidding. It’s only a few more steps to the doorstep. Let’s not bother."
Yiguang held her hand tightly, and they quickly reached their doorstep.
"I wonder if Lele is asleep. It feels like a long time since I’ve seen him today, and I really miss him."
"You little heartless one!"
Peimin blinked, "Of course, and I missed you too!"
Yiguang finally laughed, unable to keep the beaming smile from spreading across his face.
Little rascal, you always fall for that trick.
"Who’s there?"
Yiguang’s flashlight shone on someone.
"It’s me, Brother Shen," standing beside their house’s door was Lu Hailing, who quickly explained upon seeing Yiguang’s light.
"What are you doing here so late?"
"No, I just got here and was about to go in, but... I didn’t come to take advantage, it’s my mother, I don’t know what happened to her today, she started vomiting and having diarrhea after dinner, and I didn’t know what to do, so I, I came to ask if Sister-in-law has any medicine for diarrhea..." Lu Hailing said, observing their expressions. Seeing Yang PeiMin holding Shen Yiguang’s arm with an undeniable look of surprise on her face, she quickly lowered her head, perhaps realizing her own realization.
She wondered if city folks were always like this. But she had been here a while herself and hadn’t seen such behavior. She remembered hearing about someone who had a public incident and got reprimanded by company leaders for it, saying it was bad for public morals! Brother Shen, being from the military, would definitely be aware and concerned about such impacts, but Sister-in-law Shen might not; she was still in school, probably learning some bad things there, like when kids in elementary school loved to compare themselves to feel more superior.
When she looked up again, the surprise had vanished from her face, replaced by a look of urgency.
Yang PeiMin did have some medicine. With many people at home, she liked to stock up on common traditional medicines, especially after giving birth, when she went back to the small town near the military base to meet Quan and picked up a bunch of ’gateway’ medicines.
Seeing Lu Hailing, she didn’t seem to be lying, so she nodded, "A while back, a family member had similar symptoms, so we have some leftover." Of course, this was just some cover-up excuse, otherwise who would keep so much medicine at home for no reason.
"That’s really great, thank you, Sister-in-law." Lu Hailing briefly stepped forward excitedly, seeing more clearly now; Yang PeiMin and Shen Yiguang stood side by side, speaking in the same tone and with similar expressions, as if they were snow lotuses atop Yun Mountain, looking down at the ants below, Lu Hailing didn’t understand why she felt this way, but for a moment, that’s how she felt.
Especially since she had been talking to them for so long and Yang PeiMin hadn’t removed her hand from Shen Yiguang’s arm. Shen Yiguang, on his part, displayed a nonchalant demeanor in front of her, an outsider.
What were the norms back in her hometown? Wasn’t Yang PeiMin’s behavior bringing disgrace to her man? If it were a hot-tempered man, he would’ve intervened without her having a chance to speak, let alone shamelessly holding a man’s hand like this.
Yang PeiMin casually nodded, signaling Shen Yiguang to open the door.
Peijun heard someone talking outside as he came to the door, "You’re back, why don’t you come in?"
"We were just about to open the door."
Peijun stepped aside and then he saw Lu Hailing behind them, raising his eyebrows high, "It’s so late, why did you come over?"
"Sorry, Brother Yang, my mother is sick, and I came to ask if there are any herbal remedies. I will pay for the medicine; I definitely won’t take advantage," whispered Lu Hailing as she entered and stood close in front of Peijun.
Peijun sized her up and clucked his tongue twice but said nothing further.
Lu Hailing visibly sighed in relief, sticking close behind Yang PeiMin.
Thinking they hadn’t yet returned, a lamp had been lit in the courtyard; Chen Guizhi came out from the house, looked at their faces, and smiled, "Minmin is back, come in, your food is still warm. And Hailing is here too?"
Lu Hailing gave another detailed explanation.
Chen Guizhi showed more concern than the others, "What happened tonight to cause this? We do have some medicine, but I need to look for it."
"That’s okay, Auntie, I’ll wait here," Lu Hailing relaxed.
Shen Yiguang said to Yang PeiMin, "You go eat first, don’t starve; just tell me where those things are."
Yang PeiMin nodded, not declining, as she was really hungry at that time.
Hearing this, Peijun became enthusiastic, "Let me handle it, you both go eat."
With that, everyone entered the house.