Chapter 42 - Collapse
Chapter 42: Collapse
The children were also terrified and could not hold it in any longer. They knelt beside Su Sanlang and cried out for him.
“Father, Father, wake up. Sob… We’re so scared…”
In the eyes of the children, their father was their sky. He was as great as a mountain, but now their great mountain had fallen before them.
Without his protection, they had no idea what the future held. Confusion and fear reached a crescendo, and they wept helplessly.
“Sanlang, wake up. You said that we were going to leave together. You can’t leave us alone.”
Madam Zhao cried sadly. Her world seemed to have fallen into darkness, and there was an abyss in front and behind her.
“Sanlang, Sanlang.”
At that moment, an anxious and worried voice sounded. Chen Hu ran over and said without even taking a breath, “Sister-in-law, don’t cry. Let’s send Sanlang to the doctor first. You guys have to pull yourselves together. You’ll definitely survive.”
Chen Hu wanted to carry Su Sanlang on his back, but he was not strong and he was crippled, so he could not do it.
Chen Hu was sweating profusely.
He looked around and his eyes lit up. “Doctor Wu’s house is right next door. I’ll go get him.”
With that, Chen Hu ran to Old Wu’s courtyard and knocked on the door. He shouted, “Doctor Wu, Doctor Wu, open the door! Help!.”
Old Wu came out of the house when he heard the noise. His footsteps were still a little unsteady as he said impatiently, “Why are you so noisy?”
Old Wu seemed hungover and unhappy to be woken up.
However, at this moment, Chen Hu couldn’t care less. He hurriedly apologized to Old Wu and said, “Doctor Wu, I was rash, but someone’s life is on the line. Come out quickly and save them.”
Old Wu opened the door and was pulled away by Chen Hu. However, although Chen Hu used all his strength, Old Wu did not move. Chen Hu was stunned for a moment. Before he knew it, Old Wu was already walking towards Su Sanlang’s family.
Chen Hu immediately followed and said, “Doctor Wu, quickly save him. He’s unconscious.”
Madam Zhao’s eyes were red and swollen. She retreated timidly and looked at Doctor Wu hopefully.
The children stopped crying too and stood aside with tears in their eyes.
Su Sanmei looked at Doctor Wu and suddenly knelt down. She put Su Xiaolu aside and kowtowed to Doctor Wu. In a sobbing voice, she said, “Doctor Wu, please save my father. I am willing to sell myself to you as a slave! I only beg you to save my father.”
Su Sanmei knew that they had to pay doctors to treat illnesses, and her family no longer had any money. The last time her father wanted to save her mother, her family had been chased out.
Now, she wanted to save her father, but she had no money. She had no other option other than selling herself into slavery.
The six-year-old girl had such determination in her eyes.
Old Wu glanced at her but said nothing.
However, Chen Hu quickly said, “No, no, no, I have ten taels of silver here. Sanmei, quickly get up. This, this should be enough, right?”
Chen Hu took out some silver and gave it to Old Wu. When Madam Qian was packing the rice and grains in the morning, she realized that there was actually some silver inside. Madam Qian gave them to Chen Hu, and he had been distracted when he was working today because of this. When he took the time to come back and inquire about the matter, he found out that Su Sanlang’s family had been removed from the family tree. He immediately came after them aftering hearing about the news.
Luckily, they weren’t out of the village yet when he saw Su Sanlang collapse.
All of this happened too suddenly. Seeing that Su Sanmei actually said that she wanted to sell herself to save her father, Chen Hu was extremely shocked and his heart ached. His daughter was also as old as Su Sanmei and was also a sensible and obedient child.
Chen Hu came back to his senses and quickly took out the silver. No matter what, he could not watch this happen.
Old Wu held the silver in his hand and said calmly, “He’s vomiting blood due to his injuries. Bring him in first. Since I’ve been paid with silver, I’ll use good medicine to save his life.”
Chen Hu was relieved and nodded repeatedly. “Okay, okay, okay.”
Old Wu turned and walked away.
Chen Hu was in a difficult position. He had wanted Old Wu to help carry Su Sanlang in, but now, he couldn’t say anything.
He looked at Su Chong and Su Hua and said decisively, “Chong, Hua, come, help me carry your father over.”
With that, Chen Hu said to Madam Zhao, “Sister-in-law, you have to get it together too. The children have to rely on you. Doctor Wu is good at medicine. Third Brother will definitely be fine. Everything will pass.”
“Okay, thanks, Brother Hu.”
Madam Zhao nodded. She pulled Su Sanmei up, picked up Su Xiaolu, and followed Chen Hu.
Su Sanlang could still be saved. Hope ignited in her heart. She thought that even if they had to go, Su Sanlang had to lead them.
Now Su Sanlang still had a chance of survival. Even if it was a desperate struggle, she could not give up.
This was all the more reason for her not to fall. What would happen to the children if she did too? How frightened would they be?
Whether it was for the children or for Su Sanlang, a tenacious strength burst out of Madam Zhao’s body, supporting her to not collapse and persevere.
Chen Hu, Su Chong, and Su Hua carried Su Sanlang into Old Wu’s courtyard. Under Old Wu’s instructions, they carried him onto a bed in a side room.
Old Wu also turned around and went to the main room and quickly brought out the medical kit. Without saying a word, he opened up Su Sanlang’s clothes, took out a silver needle, and began to insert the needle.
Madam Zhao and the others waited worriedly at the side.
Chen Hu wiped the sweat from his brow.
About fifteen minutes later, Su Sanlang woke up. He sat up in pain, tilted his head, and spat out a mouthful of dark blood beside the bed.
When he was done, he lay down and exhaled slowly.
Old Wu started to take out the silver needles. He said calmly, “His life is saved, but his heart is badly injured. I’ll grab some medicine for him later. He will have to take it for a few days.”
Chen Hu heaved a sigh of relief. It was good that everything was fine.
Old Wu glanced at Su Sanlang and asked casually, “Tell me, what happened? What made you so sad that you almost died?”
Su Sanlang kept his mouth shut.
Chen Hu pursed his lips and gritted his teeth. “Doctor Wu, it’s like this. Old Master Su couldn’t bear to see Sanlang’s family live a good life outside, so he removed them from the family tree. What they worked hard for these few months also belongs to the Su family now.”
Chen Hu was also sad. He felt that it was unfair to Su Sanlang, but this was how the world was. The parents’ kindness was greater than anything else.
Old Wu looked at the children around Madam Zhao and said, “So your family is homeless now.”
Madam Zhao lowered her head.
Su Sanlang said weakly from the bed, “Doctor Wu, we’ll leave in a while.”
Chen Hu looked anxious. “Sanlang, how can you leave now? If you leave…”
If he left like this, there would be no way out for him. He couldn’t say the rest. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, but there was nothing he could do. He couldn’t take Su Sanlang’s family back to his home. His parents would never agree.