There was no time to eat the braised spare ribs.

Since an unconscious person couldn’t sit on the bicycle’s back seat, Xia Xiaolan had Liu Fen ride while she tied Grandmother Yu and Liu Fen together with a rope. Xia Xiaolan supported them from behind as she jogged alongside Liu Fen’s bicycle for nearly twenty minutes until they reached Shangdu People’s Hospital… Fortunately, they were in Shangdu City – if they had been in a remote rural area, getting to a hospital in this condition might have been too late!

The mother and daughter were familiar with Shangdu People’s Hospital from accompanying Liu Yong previously. After laying Grandmother Yu down, they shouted for help, and an on-duty doctor in a white coat came running with a nurse.

“What’s the patient’s condition?”

Xia Xiaolan and Liu Fen knew nothing when asked – they weren’t familiar with Grandmother Yu’s health situation. Xia Xiaolan could only tell what she knew. The doctor scolded them for being careless and quickly began emergency treatment.

After half an hour, a nurse came out and berated the mother and daughter:

“What kind of family members are you? The elderly woman is in shock from ketoacidosis. She has diabetes – haven’t you been paying attention?”

Ketoacidosis?

Liu Fen didn’t understand at all, thinking Grandmother Yu had just eaten something bad.

Xia Xiaolan was truly shocked – Grandmother Yu had diabetes. She had never seen her take medicine or get injections, and none of the neighbors had mentioned it. Besides being exceptionally thin, Grandmother Yu showed no obvious symptoms. In this era, few elderly people were plump and fair – being thin was the norm.

“We’re so sorry, we’ll pay more attention in the future. Please do your best to save her – whatever the cost.”

Xia Xiaolan’s sincere attitude slightly softened the nurse’s expression.

“We’ll certainly do our best to save her.”

When Xia Xiaolan asked about payment, the nurse seemed unconcerned. Unlike later times, in 1983 hospitals treated patients before collecting fees. However, unpaid medical bills became common, with many people fleeing without paying, forcing hospitals to gradually change their policies… The Reform and Opening Up improved the economy but damaged human relationships, making doctor-patient relationships tense and creating mutual distrust.

Xia Xiaolan still prepaid 200 yuan for medical expenses.

Although Grandmother Yu wasn’t warm-hearted, finding suitable housing was difficult in these times – where else could they find such an appropriate place?

Xia Xiaolan was tolerant of the lonely elderly woman, hoping she would recover quickly. They could continue their landlord-tenant relationship without interfering in each other’s lives!

Liu Fen was frightened.

She kept peering anxiously through the doorway, unable to sit still.

Grandmother Yu had no family and had alienated most neighbors. Xia Xiaolan had no idea whom to notify. The mother and daughter had to keep watch themselves, dozing in the hospital corridor at night, and waking up congested in the morning.

After 7 AM, a doctor finally informed them:

“Her condition has improved, but she has severe inflammation. She’ll need to stay in the hospital for several days. Please go handle the paperwork.”

Grandmother Yu truly regained consciousness around 11 AM. Xia Xiaolan was watching by the bedside while Liu Fen had gone home to cook. When Grandmother Yu stirred, Xia Xiaolan immediately noticed:

“You’re awake? I’ll get the doctor!”

Before Grandmother Yu could fully comprehend the situation, Xia Xiaolan had rushed out like a whirlwind.

The patient in the next bed tried chatting with Grandmother Yu, “Auntie, is that your granddaughter? Such a pretty and filial girl, watching over you all night.”

Though physically weak, Grandmother Yu still shook her head stiffly:

“No.”

No what? Grandmother Yu refused to say more.

The neighbor felt awkward – it was impossible to converse with someone like Grandmother Yu. She could kill any conversation!

It wasn’t until Grandmother Yu’s third day in the hospital that others found out.

Street sweeping work was managed by the Street Office. When Grandmother Yu’s section went uncleaned for three days, the Street Office staff naturally came looking. Only then did they learn about her hospitalization… Many people had designs on the Yu family house. Even though Grandmother Yu had rented to Xia Xiaolan and her mother, they were publicly described as distant relatives staying there.

The Street Office staff sighed, “Fortunately your distant relatives are here – who else would care for this old lady?”

Normally, the Street Office would have to arrange care.

But now, this duty nominally fell to Xia Xiaolan and her mother.

When the Hu Yongcai household learned the truth, Hu Yongcai’s wife felt Xia Xiaolan had caught this luck: they’d barely moved in when Grandmother Yu fell ill. If Xia Xiaolan hadn’t gotten her to the hospital in time, this incident would likely have ended tragically.

The old woman had no contact with anyone, working as a street sweeper, with the Street Office only responsible for her monthly salary.

How could they know promptly if she wasn’t working? A lonely elderly person living alone was quite dangerous.

How stubborn was Grandmother Yu? She knew she had diabetes but always went to the hospital secretly. She even took medicine at home without letting Xia Xiaolan and her mother know. Others didn’t interact with her much, so they also knew nothing.

Hu Yongcai’s wife thought surely Grandmother Yu would change her attitude now.

But no, she kept her stern face as before, as if Xia Xiaolan and Liu Fen hadn’t saved her that night. Despite the mother and daughter running back and forth caring for her these past days in the hospital, she showed not a hint of gratitude – the Hu family knew the truth: Xia Xiaolan and Liu Fen weren’t staying relatives, they paid their 20 yuan monthly rent without fail, owing Grandmother Yu nothing.

But with the old woman’s attitude, what could anyone do?

Fortunately, Xia Xiaolan wasn’t seeking gratitude or ulterior motives, otherwise it would have been truly frustrating.

When Grandmother Yu was discharged, she paid her medical expenses.

The doctors thought Xia Xiaolan and Liu Fen were family members, so before discharge, they caught Liu Fen and stressed that diabetic patients had dietary restrictions and needed to take medication regularly to control blood sugar. Liu Fen had the doctor repeat it several times to remember it clearly. After Grandmother Yu’s discharge, regardless of the old woman’s expression, Liu Fen watched her diet like a hawk, greeting her with “Have you taken your medicine today?” For Grandmother Yu, a former young lady from pre-liberation times, such refined manners left her speechless before Liu Fen.

Have you taken your medicine today?

What kind of greeting was that?

Xia Xiaolan wouldn’t try to warm Grandmother Yu’s cold shoulder. Perhaps good deeds brought good fortune – the day after Grandmother Yu’s discharge, Shangdu’s temperature dropped dramatically.

In the sleet, pedestrians all hunched their necks.

The colder it got, the happier Xia Xiaolan became.

She bought a large waterproof tarpaulin, supported it with four wooden poles, and made a small shelter.

Though the cold wind howled and the tarp only covered three sides, the wind still gusted in from the street-facing side. Li Fengmei learned selling from Xia Xiaolan, and both wore duck-down coats – puffy and warm. If only they could cover their knees, Li Fengmei swore she wouldn’t want to take off this coat all winter.

“It’s so warm!”

Indeed, it was so warm.

Shangdu’s winter had truly arrived, the sudden temperature drop catching everyone unprepared. Compared to the rustic cotton coats and military greatcoats, the winter jackets and duck-down coats on Xia Xiaolan’s stall were brightly colored. Among the military greatcoats and dark cotton-padded jackets, the bright red and yellow firmly caught pedestrians’ eyes.

The sleet continued without pause. Xia Xiaolan and the company set up their stall in the morning and started the business by noon.

They sold a red and blue men’s winter jacket for 48 yuan.

The man who bought it made three trips within two hours before finally paying. He probably checked prices at the department store. Xia Xiaolan had also checked – similar coats there cost 58 yuan, so her price was more competitive.

This first sale was like opening a treasure box.

Whenever someone asked about prices, Xia Xiaolan had them try on the coat. In the cold wind mixed with rain and snow, nobody wanted to take off such warm clothing… Yes, it was expensive, but still ten yuan cheaper than the stores. Nobody’s money came easily – saving 10 yuan was enough for a month’s living expenses.