Chapter 257 – Tiger-head Shoes
Lu Xia had a good plan, but Jiang Junmo wasn’t quite willing when he heard about it.
After putting Kang Kang to sleep at night, Jiang Junmo cuddled up to Lu Xia, his arm around her, as he touched her plump belly and discussed, “How about not losing weight? This way is pretty good, isn’t it? Others want to gain weight but can’t.”
Lu Xia was speechless. “That’s others. Besides, my exercise isn’t just for losing weight. It’s also about improving my overall fitness. I feel like my body has deteriorated over this year of not exercising.”
Hearing her reasoning, Jiang Junmo had no valid reason to object.
He secretly pouted, using his chin to nuzzle her neck, making Lu Xia incredibly ticklish.
“Go away, give me some space, it’s hot.”
Rather than moving away, Jiang Junmo held her even tighter. “Kang Kang is already asleep. He shouldn’t wake up within the next two hours.”
“And?”
Jiang Junmo sighed and decided to be direct, “Wife, it’s been a while since we’ve been together. I was thinking…”
Lu Xia sighed. Well, since Kang Kang was born, their physical intimacy had decreased significantly, primarily to avoid waking him up.
But this time, when she saw Jiang Junmo’s pitiful look, she didn’t refuse.
Seeing her agree, Jiang Junmo was delighted and immediately took the initiative.
Before things escalated, Lu Xia interjected with the last bit of sanity she had left, “Use protection…”
“I know,” Jiang Junmo had been prepared for this, having bought a supply from the hospital before. It should last them more than a year.
Lu Xia knew his intentions from the start…
…
As the weather grew colder, before winter set in, Jiang Junmo and Lu Xia discreetly took Kang Kang to see Senior Brother Xu and the others.
During the summer, Senior Brother Xu and the others were busier, so Lu Xia’s family tried to avoid visiting. In the winter, there were fewer people, so they probably wouldn’t be noticed.
Senior Brother Xu and his wife were thrilled to see Kang Kang and praised him repeatedly. Even Xu Ruitian seemed fond of his little brother.
“He’s really nice. This child is well taken care of!”
Seeing Jiang Junmo holding the chubby and fair Kang Kang, compared to her own thin and weak son, Senior Brother Xu couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pity.
But he also knew that their life was much better now compared to a few years ago. At least they could eat and dress warmly; they didn’t ask for much more.
Then, Senior Brother Xu’s wife brought out a pair of tiger-head cloth shoes and handed them to Lu Xia. “We made these a while ago. Our conditions are limited, and we didn’t know what to give you. So we made a pair of shoes ourselves. Please don’t mind.”
Lu Xia accepted them and took a look. Although they were made from scrap fabric, the stitching was fine, and they looked quite appealing. She immediately liked them.
“They’re really nice. Thank you, sister-in-law. You’re so skillful. I can’t even sew clothes.”
Seeing her genuine enthusiasm, Senior Brother Xu’s wife knew she truly liked them and felt relieved.
“As long as you like them. If you want to learn, I can teach you sometime in the future.”
She paused for a moment, clearly remembering their identities, and probably realizing that teaching might not be suitable.
Upon hearing this, Lu Xia immediately replied, “I’ll remember that. If I get the chance, I’ll definitely learn from you, sister-in-law.”
Senior Brother Xu’s wife smiled, and this time her smile was even warmer.
…
As the weather continued to cool down, work came to a halt.
Lu Xia and Jiang Junmo resumed their studying routine. By now, Lu Xia had progressed to the textbooks of the third year of high school. Of course, high school only lasted two years in this era, but there were three sets of textbooks, still the ones used before the college entrance exam changes.
However, because they now had Kang Kang, studying wasn’t as convenient. They mostly studied when he was asleep, or they took turns, which significantly reduced their efficiency.
But luckily, they still had nearly two years left. It should be enough.
*
Chapter 258 – Buying Medicine at Night
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On this particular day, Kang Kang seemed unusually happy for some reason. No matter how they tried to lull him, he wouldn’t sleep at night. Lu Xia and Jiang Junmo had no choice but to stay up with him.
Then, Lu Xia suddenly heard what seemed like a knocking sound from outside. Unsure if it was real, she listened carefully and also heard the sound of something hitting the ground.
She looked at Jiang Junmo. “Did you hear that?”
Jiang Junmo was attentive as well. “I’m going out to check. It sounds like there’s really something going on.”
Lu Xia was a bit concerned. “Be careful and take something like a stick with you.”
“Alright.”
Jiang Junmo went outside and returned after a while. Lu Xia hadn’t heard any noises.
“How is it? Is there someone?”
Jiang Junmo’s expression was somewhat grim. “Yeah, it’s Xiaotian. Someone is sick over at Senior Brother Xu’s place, running a fever. They can’t get medicine, so they asked me for help.”
Upon hearing this, Lu Xia became anxious. “Are you going to buy it now? Is the health clinic still open at this hour?”
“I’ll go take a look first. If it’s not open, I’ll go find the doctor directly. I know where he lives.”
While talking, he had already put on his clothes.
Lu Xia knew that they could only try to help in situations like this. She quickly got up, handed him some money, and added, “Take a flashlight and be careful on the way.”
“Sure, don’t worry. You should go back to sleep.”
Lu Xia nodded, watching Jiang Junmo leave in a hurry.
Feeling worried, she lay down but kept her eyes open, unable to sleep with this situation on her mind.
She wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but it felt late when she finally heard a sound from outside. It was likely Jiang Junmo returning.
Quickly, she called out, “Is that you, Mo Mo?”
“Yes, it’s me. You haven’t slept yet?” Jiang Junmo had been cautious, afraid of waking them up. However, upon hearing Lu Xia’s voice, he entered quickly.
“How could I sleep? Is everything alright over there?” Lu Xia asked anxiously.
“Everything’s fine now. They’ve taken the medicine. For the rest, it’s up to fate.”
For some reason, Lu Xia felt a pang of sadness upon hearing this.
Seeing her expression, Jiang Junmo seemed to feel the same way. He comforted her, “We’ve done our best to help. The rest is out of our hands.”
“Well, I understand.”
“Go to sleep. I’ve disturbed a few families near the doctor’s house tonight. I told them you were sick.”
Lu Xia understood. “Don’t worry, I get it.”
…
Jiang Junmo hardly slept that night. The next day, he left before dawn.
When he returned, he seemed in a much better mood. He quietly told Lu Xia that the person was much better now and should be fine. Their timely help with the medicine had been crucial.
Hearing this, Lu Xia felt a sense of relief.
At that moment, she suddenly thought of the original plot in the book. Could the person they helped be the same person Su Man assisted?
It was quite possible, as she recalled from the book that Su Man, while in the countryside, once went to the town during a harsh winter. After she returned, she encountered a person sneaking into the health clinic. However, that person was chased away.
After inquiring, she learned that someone from the cowshed was sick and had no medicine. So, Su Man’s mind turned, realizing this was an opportunity to make connections.
She’d bought the medicine secretly and sent it over, saving the person’s life. This person had later provided Su Man with assistance after she returned to the capital, and he seemed to be a university professor?
Lu Xia wasn’t sure if this was the same person.
However, she estimated that this time they probably wouldn’t have any interaction with Su Man.
It seemed that since their communication with the other side began, she hadn’t seen any interaction between Su Man and them. Their visits to the cowshed might have produced a butterfly effect.
She could only hope that the person would recover quickly after taking the medicine.
Tiger-head Shoes
Thank you for the chapter (♡˙︶˙♡)