As the saying goes, "A heart ailment requires a heart cure!" After Chen Lan's guidance, my mother's entire demeanor changed. Although her illness wasn't completely gone, she now had a lot of energy. Every day, she would take her medicine and tonics on time without Chen Lan's prompting.
Seeing Chen Lan use skin lotion, she also asked Chen Lan to buy her a bottle. This was unheard of before. In the past, she wouldn't even use it when Chen Lan offered, saying she was an old woman and didn't need any skin lotion, fearing people would call her an old witch.
Now, she smiled at everyone and appeared more serene and gentle.
One morning, after the mother and daughter had finished helping the twins, Jiaoyao and Jiahe, wash up, they were about to go downstairs to the living room for breakfast.
The mother-in-law came to visit. As soon as she saw them, she asked with concern, "Sister-in-law, your complexion is quite good this morning. It looks like you've recovered from your illness."
The mother replied with a gentle smile, "Yes! Sister-in-law, during my illness, it was all thanks to Lan'er taking care of me day and night. And it's also thanks to my two darling grandchildren who kept me entertained every day that I recovered so quickly!"
Chen Lan, holding the twins, greeted her mother-in-law, "Mother-in-law, we were just about to go down for breakfast! Is there something you need upstairs?"
The mother-in-law took Jiaoyao from Chen Lan's arms and said a bit awkwardly, "Xiao Lan, while sister-in-law was ill these past few days, you were busy taking care of her and the twins. We saw how overwhelmed you were! Besides, it's not a particularly important matter. So we didn't discuss it with you beforehand. Please don't mind!"
Chen Lan chuckled and quickly replied, "Mother-in-law, what is it? You want me not to mind?"
The mother-in-law was about to clap her hands in amusement but realized she was holding her precious grandson Jiaoyao, so she quickly lowered her raised hand. She hurried to explain, "Xiao Lan, it's like this! When Mingxuan left, didn't he give you a piece of paper with his comrade's address and name on it?"
Chen Lan nodded and said, "Yes! Mother-in-law, didn't I ask Wen Kai to give that paper to Brother Xiangdong? What? Did Wen Kai not give it to Brother Xiangdong?"
The mother-in-law immediately replied, "No, Wen Kai gave it to Xiangdong long ago. Xiao Lan, what I want to say is that Xiangdong and the others have been preparing these past few days, and they plan to set off tomorrow morning. This time, because Mingxuan's comrades are numerous and scattered, they plan to split into three groups to search for them. Therefore, they plan to take Xiangxi and Xiaoshan, and Lin Mao and Xiaoshan with them. Firstly, it will be safer for the two of them to be together, and they will have help in case of trouble; secondly, it will be an opportunity to train Xiangxi and the others who haven't traveled far."
Chen Lan asked urgently, "Mother-in-law, although the snow has stopped outside, the accumulated snow is still quite thick. It's about a foot deep everywhere. How will they get out of the mountains!"
The mother-in-law smiled and quickly explained, "Well, Mingxuan's comrade from Heilongjiang, that kid Xu Hao, who is like family to us from eight hundred years ago, knows how to make sleds. The others also know a bit about how to make them. They've been making sleds these past few days, and Xiangdong and his brothers are practicing how to ski with them. With these, they say they can slide all the way down the river and quickly get out of our Jilin province."
Chen Lan nodded and said, "Mother-in-law, then what do you need me for?"
The mother-in-law said shyly in a low voice, "I've come to ask you to give them some travel expenses."
Chen Lan nodded and said, "Mother-in-law, I will handle this matter properly. Let's go! We'll go downstairs for breakfast first. The twins are hungry."
After breakfast, Chen Lan went upstairs for a moment and came down with several large bundles. Besides ski suits, ski pants, ski hats, scarves, skis, snow boots, and ski poles, there were also protective gear from head to toe. This included helmets, ski goggles, face masks, wrist guards, knee pads, and gloves. Helmets protect the head from injury and provide warmth; ski goggles protect the eyes from wind; gloves provide warmth and protect the hands when falling, reducing the severity of hand injuries; face masks provide warmth, protection from wind, and protect the face.
She also prepared a large backpack for each person, filled with food. There were bread, biscuits, flatbreads, ham sausages, canned meat, braised chicken, braised duck, braised eggs, and more, all packed tightly. Additionally, she prepared a small satchel for each person, containing medicine for colds, diarrhea medication, as well as bandages and antiseptic iodine solution and disinfectant cotton swabs.
When Chen Lan took out the items one by one from the bundles and explained their uses and how to use them, everyone was stunned.
Xiangxi complained, "Little Basket, why make it so complicated? With so many things, how are we supposed to carry them?"
Chen Lan rolled her eyes and said proudly, "Little Watermelon, what do you know? This is called being prepared. Do you understand?"
The mother-in-law also chimed in, "Yes, yes, we must think of everything. You, boy, what do you know? This is called planning ahead, do you understand?"
The mother nodded in agreement and said, "Little Watermelon, just listen to Lan'er. Since you were little, has Lan'er ever harmed you? She's doing this to ensure everything goes smoothly. She's afraid that if something happens to you outside, you won't be completely lost."
Chen Lan then gave each of them a stun gun and explained how to use it.
Xiangxi then argued with Chen Lan again, saying dismissively, "Little Basket, you're just bragging! Such a small thing can take down a strong man? I just don't think it's reliable!" He then pouted with a look of disdain.
Seeing his defiant attitude, Chen Lan became very angry and decided to show him a thing or two. She turned on the stun gun and, using the lowest setting, zapped Xiangxi on the arm.
Xiangxi immediately yelped and trembled uncontrollably, his limbs going weak, and he collapsed onto the ground. Everyone was startled by the sudden turn of events. They quickly helped Xiangxi up and anxiously asked, "Xiangxi, what happened? What's wrong!" Su Dan Novel Network
Xiangxi didn't answer but instead clasped his hands and bowed to Chen Lan, saying, "Little Basket, Grandma, Little Fairy, I was wrong, I was wrong! Please forgive me, you are a magnanimous person!"
Seeing this, everyone realized what had happened: Xiangxi had been dealt with by Chen Lan. They were all used to it. Although he was quite badly dealt with this time, they were all accustomed to it.
Chen Lan then gave each of them a small cloth bag of silver dollars. It was estimated that each bag contained about two hundred silver dollars. She then called Xiangdong aside and handed him a one-jin gold brick. She whispered, "Brother Xiangdong, take this with you. It's for emergencies. If you don't use it, bring it back to me."
Xiangdong was initially going to refuse, but after hearing Chen Lan's words, he thought she had a point and accepted it, tucking it into his embrace.