CHAPTER 45: CHAPTER 45: SHI YANG DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL (PART 1)

Zhao Meimei carried the grapes home and went straight to her family’s grocery store to report to her mom.

Liu Xiue was extremely surprised. She took the grapes from Meimei’s hands and asked, "Did you get out of school early today? Where did these grapes come from?"

Zhao Meimei reported truthfully, telling her mom about her visit to Xu Xu’s house.

Liu Xiue glared at Zhao Meimei, "You go to your classmate’s house to play, and you don’t even tell your family? Zhao Meimei, I noticed you’ve been getting bolder lately!"

Zhao Meimei was unfazed, "I was at school, how could I tell you then?"

Liu Xiue reached to tap her forehead, "You dare to talk back to your mom!"

Zhao Meimei hugged her mom, acting coquettishly, "Mom, I’m wrong. I won’t do it again. Please don’t be mad at me, okay?"

Liu Xiue kept a stern face, "Don’t give me that! You went to someone’s house and took their things! Is this what I taught you?"

Zhao Meimei quickly showed off to her mom as if presenting a treasure, "Mom, I picked these grapes myself from the vine!"

Liu Xiue paused and asked, "Xu Xu’s house has a yard?"

"Yeah!" Zhao Meimei eagerly described Xu Xu’s yard, house, earth bed, stove, rice-soaked water, and marinated watermelon rind to her mom.

After listening, Liu Xiue remained silent.

Zhao Meimei continued, "His house is three stops from school, but he said it was very close. He doesn’t take the bus because his mom works hard to earn money and doesn’t want to spend unnecessarily."

After saying this, Zhao Meimei asked, "Mom, I promised to invite him to our house to play. Can you make us something delicious when he comes?"

Liu Xiue reached out to pat her head, "Alright, once you arrange it with Xu Xu, let me know in advance."

Zhao Meimei happily agreed and looked up at her mom’s chin, "Mom, I want to see Brother Yangyang."

Liu Xiue glanced at the time, "Not today, it’s too late. Wait until the weekend when you have a break."

Zhao Meimei became anxious upon hearing this, "But I picked a bunch of grapes for Brother Yangyang!"

Liu Xiue looked at the big purple grapes in the bag, "Then let your dad take some time off at noon to visit Brother Yangyang at the hospital and bring your grapes along."

Only then did Zhao Meimei nod satisfactorily.

The next morning, before Zhao Meimei went to school, Liu Xiue handed her a plastic bag.

When Zhao Meimei opened it and glanced inside, there were two boxes of milk, a jar of canned fruit, and two apples cleaned and specifically wrapped.

The plastic bag felt quite heavy in Zhao Meimei’s hand, and she didn’t want to carry it. She frowned and complained, "Mom, I can’t eat that much."

Liu Xiue glared at her, "Who said it’s for you to eat? The milk and apples are to have with Xu Xu when you get to school, and the canned fruit is for Xu Xu. You took two bunches of grapes from their home; just letting it go like that? Is this what I’ve taught you? Don’t take others’ things willy-nilly. If you do, you must pay them back!"

Zhao Meimei thought her mom was quite right. Her stiff little neck softened, and she nodded, "I understand."

The next morning, when Zhao Meimei arrived at the classroom, Xu Xu had not yet come; he always arrived in the classroom just a few minutes before the bell.

Zhao Meimei casually stuffed her things into the desk and turned to chat with her front and back seats.

When Xu Xu entered the classroom, he first glanced at Zhao Meimei. Seeing her sitting properly in her seat and talking to her deskmate, he didn’t approach but carried his backpack to his own seat.

Zhao Meimei unintentionally glanced up, saw him, and quickly waved her hand, "Hey! Xu Xu! Come over!"

Xu Xu turned joyfully, his face beaming with a bright smile, and ran over, "Did you call me, Meimei?"

Zhao Meimei took out the snacks from her desk, picked an apple, a box of milk, and handed the rest to Xu Xu.

Xu Xu looked inside and was a bit surprised, "For me?"

Zhao Meimei nodded, "Yeah, my mom asked me to bring them to you. We each have an apple and milk, while the canned fruit is for you to take home."

Xu Xu hesitated and asked, "Why is your mom giving me things?"

Zhao Meimei couldn’t directly say it was because she took grapes from his house and was returning them, so she casually said, "Because we’re good friends."

Xu Xu’s eyes lit up, and he accepted them with a beaming smile, "Thank you."

Zhao Meimei waved her hand, "Go back to your seat; the teacher will be here soon."

Filled with joy, Xu Xu carried the plastic bag back to his seat.

Zhao Meimei’s deskmate leaned over to ask, "Meimei, when did you get so close to Xu Xu?"

Zhao Meimei lowered her head and stuffed the apple and milk into the desk, "Aren’t we good friends too?"

Her deskmate said, "Then why don’t you say you’ll bring me something good to eat?"

Zhao Meimei glared at him, "You didn’t invite me to your house to play either!"

Her deskmate wore an enlightened expression, "You went to Xu Xu’s house, didn’t you? I’ve heard his family is really poor, is that true?"

Zhao Meimei saw the disdainful expression on her deskmate’s face and her protective instinct kicked in. Her little neck stiffened, "Who said that? Xu Xu’s house is fun; they have a puppy and grape vines with big, dark, very sweet grapes."

Her deskmate paused, wearing a skeptical look, "Really? But I’ve heard..."

Zhao Meimei snorted coldly and retorted, "You’ve heard, you’ve heard a lot! The things on your face are for breathing, aren’t they? Can’t you see for yourself?"

Her deskmate, displeased, abruptly turned his head and stopped talking to Zhao Meimei.

Zhao Meimei glanced at the back of his head, unconcerned, and opened her book to prepare for the morning reading.

Finally, the weekend arrived, and Zhao Meimei eagerly hurried her dad to take her to the hospital to see Shi Yang.

Zhao Dazhuang, carrying the black-bone chicken soup that Liu Xiue had made in one hand, and holding Zhao Meimei’s hand in the other, entered Shi Yang’s hospital room.

Shi Yang’s mom stood up immediately upon seeing them and stepped forward, "Oh dear, why did you bring stuff again!"

Zhao Dazhuang smiled brightly, "Meimei’s mom made black-bone chicken soup for both you and Shi Yang, saying that it’ll help Shi Yang recuperate and you can nourish yourself too, having been worn out these days in the hospital."

Zhao Meimei flung her dad’s hand away and dashed to the bedside to see Shi Yang.

When Zhao Meimei saw Shi Yang for the first time, she was stunned, unable to say a word.

Shi Yang was notably thinner than when he was first hospitalized. His face and chin showed sharp angles, his eyes sunk but were spirited, the bruises on his face were starting to heal, and his eyes weren’t as swollen as before. However, his chest was still tightly bandaged, and the fixed wooden board left square marks under his vest.

Zhao Meimei was immediately distressed and edged closer, asking, "Brother Yangyang, why have you gotten so thin?"

Shi Yang, although thinner, was visibly more energetic. He chuckled, "I’ve been having liquid meals for days; I’m hungry!"

Zhao Dazhuang inquired with concern, "Still not allowed solid food?"

Shi Yang’s mom placed the thermos on the bedside table and replied, "He is allowed, but he can’t eat much."

Zhao Dazhuang sat closer to the bed and spoke to Shi Yang, "No appetite, huh?"

Shi Yang nodded, "The hospital meals are too bland, not much flavor."

Shi Yang’s mom was also worried, "It’s no wonder Shi Yang isn’t fond of eating; they don’t look appetizing to me either. But the doctor said he needed to wait a month until the brace is removed to return to a normal diet. I can’t trust store-bought food, and I don’t have time to cook at home. So, I’ve been buying hospital meals three times a day since they must meet the requirements."

Zhao Dazhuang looked at Shi Yang sympathetically, "It’s the only way, really. Once the month is over and he’s discharged, it’ll be fine."

Zhao Meimei quietly listened to her dad and Shi Yang’s mom talking, turning her little eyeballs and silently noting it in her heart.

When school started on Monday, Zhao Meimei asked Xu Xu for marinated watermelon rind.

The next day, Xu Xu brought a jar of marinated watermelon rind, using a glass jar from the canned fruit Zhao Meimei had given him before.

Zhao Meimei took the marinated watermelon rind home and gave it to her dad to take to the hospital for Brother Yangyang.

One day later, Zhao Dazhuang delivered it, and during his next visit to the hospital, Shi Yang said it was very tasty and especially good with rice. Zhao Meimei quickly asked Xu Xu for more, and Liu Xiue would always provide snacks for Zhao Meimei to share with Xu Xu. This kind of back-and-forth happened three times, and then Shi Yang was discharged.

Director Shi was delighted and specially booked a place at a prominent restaurant in the city, inviting Zhao Meimei’s family over as well. The two families gathered together in a lively celebration for Shi Yang’s discharge.