Chapter 23

The school and home were not in the same city. They were quite far apart, and taking the high-speed rail back and forth required an entire day. So unless it was winter or summer vacation, Mu Cheng basically did not go home.

This time, Mu Cheng had specially asked for a week off. By the time she got off the high-speed rail, it was already midnight.

She had just walked out of the high-speed rail station when a motorcycle taxi driver rode his motorcycle over with a rumble and stopped by Mu Cheng’s feet. Speaking in the local dialect, he called out for business, “Pretty girl, where are you going? My ride is cheap.”

Mu Cheng shook her head and refused, walking away. “No need, thank you.”

At this hour, Mu Cheng did not dare randomly get into this kind of unlicensed vehicle. Even if it was cheap, the safety factor was far too low. But if she took a taxi, Mu Cheng did not have money for that either. Even the money for her high-speed rail ticket had been borrowed from Xiao Xiaoli. Her finances were truly very tight.

Fortunately, home was very close to the high-speed rail station. Walking would only take about twenty minutes.

Outside, everything was pitch-black. The weather had already begun to turn cold, and Mu Cheng shrank her neck slightly from the cold wind, pulling her clothes tighter around herself.

After she had only taken a few steps, at the corner, a stooped figure was waving in her direction.

Mu Cheng’s eyes lit up. She broke into a smile and jogged over. “Grandma.”

Grandma Mu was just over sixty. Her surname was Zhong, and her given name was Suzhi. Her body was still strong, though her back was slightly hunched. Her weathered face already had some wrinkles, but her fluffy short curls did not have a single strand of white. They were black, glossy, and bright. Mu Cheng’s problem of having too much hair had been inherited from Zhong Suzhi.

Zhong Suzhi held a big red coat in her hands and scolded fondly, “I knew you definitely wouldn’t be wearing enough. You never learn. You’ll catch a cold again later. How many times have I told you? The wind is strong at night. Hurry and put on this coat.”

Mu Cheng took the coat and obediently put it on. Although the rustic big red [Read on BaiLianTales]coat did not look good, it was unexpectedly warm. “Grandma, I told you to sleep early. Why did you come out to pick me up so late?”

Zhong Suzhi said, “It’s the middle of the night. If I didn’t come pick you up, how dangerous would it be for a girl like you? What if something happened?”

Mu Cheng happily hooked her arm around Zhong Suzhi’s and clingily rested her head on her shoulder. “Grandma is still the best.”

Zhong Suzhi pushed her head away from her shoulder. “How old are you already? Still clinging to people like a child. Go away, go away.”

Mu Cheng refused and continued sticking to her.

Zhong Suzhi shook her head and simply let her be. “Why didn’t you take a taxi just now?”

Mu Cheng touched her nose. “It’s pretty close, so I didn’t want to waste money.”

Zhong Suzhi saw through her at a glance. “You spent all your pocket money?”

Mu Cheng smiled embarrassedly and gave an mm. “I lost control for a moment and spent it all.”

“If you spent it all, why didn’t you tell Grandma? How have you been getting by at school with no money? Your school doesn’t seem to include meals either. What have you been eating every day?” Zhong Suzhi glared at her.

Mu Cheng giggled twice. “Wasn’t I afraid you’d scold me? I have a roommate who’s really nice. She’s been treating me to meals during this period.”

Zhong Suzhi nodded and nagged her for a few sentences, then turned to ask, “Why did you suddenly think of coming back? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t be back until winter break?”

As they spoke, the two had already arrived at the door of their home. Zhong Suzhi took out her keys and opened the door.

The apartment was on the third floor, with four bedrooms and one living room. The interior was spaciously and simply decorated.

Mu Cheng did not tell the truth. She stuck out her tongue. “I missed you, so I came back. I missed Grandma. Do I need a reason?”

Zhong Suzhi was amused by her. “That mouth of yours has been sweet since you were little. Who knows who you learned it from? It’s like it’s coated in honey.”

The door had only just opened when they ran into Mother Mu, Yue Mei, in the living room.

Yue Mei wore loose pajamas. Her eyes were small, and they carried a shrewd look. She had woken up midway through sleeping to get some water, and just so happened to run into Zhong Suzhi bringing Mu Cheng home.

She swept a glance over Mu Cheng, frowned, and said irritably, “Who knows why you even came back? Do you think the fare back and forth doesn’t cost money? The high-speed rail ticket alone costs several hundred. Too much money burning a hole in your pocket? Didn’t the school already collect dormitory fees? If you don’t stay there more, how are you going to get your money’s worth? Wasteful, spendthrift.”

Mu Cheng pressed her lips together and did not answer.

“Whether it’s the dormitory fee or the high-speed rail fare, you haven’t paid a single cent. What right do you have to say she’s wasteful and spendthrift? That son of yours is the real spendthrift. He’s been graduated for more than a year and still clings to home, eating and drinking for free.” Zhong Suzhi tugged Mu Cheng’s hand. “Don’t bother with your mother. Are you hungry? You probably didn’t eat much on the train. Grandma will cook you a bowl of noodles.”

Mu Cheng smiled and nodded. “Okay.”

Seeing Mu Cheng like this only made Yue Mei angrier. “Mom, just keep protecting her. You’ve spoiled her completely. The older she gets, the less manners she has. Look at her. From the moment she came back until now, she didn’t even call me Mom once.”

Mu Cheng reluctantly called out, “Mom.”

Yue Mei snorted, not accepting it at all.

After Yue Mei finished drinking water, she still did not forget to remind them before leaving, “Mom, the beef and crabs in the fridge were bought for Xiao Xiong to nourish his body. Just put some oil and salt in the noodles. Eating meat in the middle of the night isn’t good either.”

Zhong Suzhi, who was about to cook noodles, put the pot down heavily, making a bang. Her intention of driving Yue Mei away could not have been more obvious.

Mu Cheng only came home during winter and summer vacations. First, because the journey back and forth was too long and troublesome. Second, and most importantly, aside from Zhong Suzhi, no one else at home actually welcomed her.

She understood this, so she was tactful and tried not to come back. If not for missing Zhong Suzhi, she would not even want to come back during winter and summer vacations.

Yue Mei had originally wanted to have two sons, but her second child had turned out to be a daughter. She had been greatly disappointed and had even paid an excess birth fine because of it. Due to violating the birth limit, Father Mu had been fired from his original workplace, and the family’s finances had fallen into a long period of strain because of Mu Cheng’s arrival.

Because of this, Yue Mei found Mu Cheng increasingly displeasing to the eye. After Mu Cheng was born, Yue Mei had not even been willing to give her a name. It was Zhong Suzhi who gave her one, and only then did Mu Cheng have a name and surname. Zhong Suzhi took on the responsibility of caring for Mu Cheng. From childhood to university, Zhong Suzhi had been her grandmother, her mother, and her father all at once.

Because Mu Cheng had been treated this way by Yue Mei for a long time, she had developed resistance to it. She would not become angry, disappointed, or sad because of their cold words. When they interacted normally, she tried her best not to answer them, avoiding unnecessary conflict. Mu Cheng also always advised Zhong Suzhi not to get angry with them because of her, lest it harm her health.

Mu Cheng’s only purpose in coming back this time was to urge Zhong Suzhi to get a physical examination.

At first, Zhong Suzhi was unwilling to go, but she could not withstand Mu Cheng’s constant persuasion. In the end, Mu Cheng pestered and coaxed her into going to the hospital.

A full set of examinations at a major hospital took quite a long time. In the blink of an eye, it was already past four in the afternoon.

The doctor wore a white coat and sat behind his desk. He turned slightly to tap at the computer, picked up the examination results, and glanced through them. His attitude was perfunctory as he said, “At her age, there will always be some minor problems with the body. But aside from a little osteoporosis, your grandmother is perfectly healthy. There’s no problem.”

Mu Cheng did not relax because of this. Her [read the original at bailiantales.com]expression was serious. “Could there be a risk of stroke?”

“I’ve looked at the examination results. Your grandmother’s physical condition is very good. Under normal circumstances, there is no risk of stroke.” After saying this, the doctor raised his hand, about to call in the next waiting patient.

Mu Cheng still did not feel at ease and asked again, “Then are there any methods or medicine to prevent stroke?”

The doctor became somewhat annoyed by the questions, and his face was very impatient. “The risk of stroke in the elderly is indeed relatively high, but as long as she maintains a healthy lifestyle, exercises appropriately, eats a light diet, and avoids becoming too emotionally agitated, then under healthy physical conditions, that kind of situation won’t occur.”

Mu Cheng still wanted to ask more, but the doctor interrupted her. “There are still many people waiting behind you. I’ve already told you about your grandmother’s condition, and I’ve also explained the things osteoporosis patients need to pay attention to. Don’t affect or delay the patients waiting after you.”

Urging, urging, urging. From the moment they had entered, he had been urging them the entire time. Mu Cheng was so irritated by his urging that she was about to argue with him, but Zhong Suzhi pulled her out.

“What’s wrong with you, child? Why did you keep clinging to the matter of stroke and asking the doctor about it? If I hadn’t pulled you away just now, were you planning to argue with him?” Zhong Suzhi flicked Mu Cheng on the forehead.

Mu Cheng covered her head and pouted aggrievedly.

Looking at the completely normal examination results, Mu Cheng’s brows furrowed tightly, and she sank into thought.

According to Zhong Yingzhi, Zhong Suzhi had died of a stroke. If they checked her body now, surely they should be able to detect at least some tendency in that direction. How could there be nothing at all?

Could it be that she was fine now, and her physical condition suddenly worsened several years later, causing it to happen?

No matter what, from now on, she had to bring Zhong Suzhi for a physical examination every six months. She had to make sure every possible accident was smothered in the cradle.

After returning home, Yue Mei looked at the examination results and started complaining again. “Why Read on BaiLianTaleswas the examination fee so expensive? I said from the start that if her body was perfectly fine, there was no need to get checked. What a waste of money. It would’ve been better to save that money…”

Zhong Suzhi snatched the examination report back. “Save it for what? Save it so your useless son can keep squandering it?”

On the sofa, Mu Aoxiong was sitting with one leg crossed over the other, chewing betel nut. He curled his lip unhappily. “Grandma, I’m still sitting right here. If you’re going to say that, at least say it behind my back. Why do you always talk about me like that?”

Yue Mei gave Mu Aoxiong a look.

Mu Aoxiong understood, spat out the betel nut in his mouth, and ran forward with a cheeky grin. “Grandma, I got my driver’s license a few days ago. In a few days, I want to go look at cars. Grandma, will you go with me?”

How was this asking her to accompany him to look at cars? Clearly, he wanted Zhong Suzhi to pay for the car.

Zhong Suzhi did not fall for this at all. “If this car were being bought for Xiao Cheng, I would pay for it. But if it’s for you, don’t even think about it. When you go out to work, then we can talk about other things.”

“Grandma.” Mu Aoxiong stomped his foot in anger. “You’re too biased. Isn’t it just buying a car? You have so much money anyway. It’s no big deal to spend some on me. You can’t bring money with you when you’re born, and you can’t take it with you when you die. You’re already so old, who knows…”

“Bah!” Zhong Suzhi said angrily. “Even if I die, this money is going to Xiao Cheng.”

Yue Mei grabbed Mu Aoxiong, who still wanted to keep arguing, signaling him to return to his room first.

Mu Aoxiong rolled his eyes, stepped on his slippers, and swaggered back to his room.

After closing the door, he cursed under his breath, “Old hag. Hurry up and die. Once you’re dead, I can take the money.”