B5SB -Chapter 347 Support

“Wife, we have a bedroom on the first floor, right? We can tidy it up and have Mom stay there.”

Gu Yihan was silent for a moment. She slowly pushed Lu Huailin away, lifted her gaze, and looked him straight in the eyes.

“You want Mom to live in our house?”

Seeing his wife’s expression darken, Lu Huailin sighed and explained softly, “Not permanently. She’ll stay here only when it’s her turn.”

“Is this your own idea, or did you discuss it with Dad, your older brother, and sister?”

“My own idea.”

At his words, Gu Yihan suddenly stood up and cast him a sharp glance.

“Huailin, I can pay for Mom’s medical care, and I can hire someone to take care of her,” she said coldly.

“But I will not personally take care of her. I don’t agree.”

Lu Huailin was momentarily stunned but quickly realized his wife had misunderstood him.

He hurriedly took her hand and explained, “Wife, you’ve misunderstood. I never intended for you to personally care for Mom. I’ve already thought it through. I’ll find an honest, capable middle-aged woman nearby to look after her.”

“Really?” Gu Yihan looked at him with suspicion.

Lu Huailin rubbed his temple with the other hand, then stood and walked over to his wife.

Smiling, he said, “Wife, taking care of a patient like Mom is exhausting, mentally and physically. How could I let you struggle like this every day?”

He must be crazy—or just foolish. With his wife’s personality, if she had to care for Mother Lu, their little family would fall apart in less than a month.

Gu Yihan glanced at him and snorted coldly, “Good of you to have some conscience and think of me.”

She then looked at the time on her wrist and said, “Go upstairs and get some rest. I’m off to work.”

Watching her leave, Lu Huailin sighed. His wife’s heart was really hard to read.

After all these years of marriage, he still couldn’t tell whether she cared for him or not.

Every day he lived on edge, afraid that even a small mistake would upset her.

If she ever refused him a chance to make amends, she could, without a word, take their son and leave.

And if she actually ran off someday…

He knew he wouldn’t be able to find her because she kept her secrets too well.

Once he had heard her talking in her sleep and tried to coax out where she got some fine flour and rice.

But the secret never came out. In her dream, she slapped him, sealed her lips, turned over, and fell back asleep.

Shaking his head as he went upstairs, Lu Huailin dismissed the chaotic thoughts in his mind. Whether she cared or not…

As long as he didn’t divorce, she did care for him.

Service Station

Yang Yue glanced at Gu Yihan, who was idly dusting with a feather duster, and her mouth twitched.

She thought: Lu’s wife is clever. She’s only been here a few days and already figured out the tricks of the service station.

When her eyes landed on the fabric under the cabinet, she asked in surprise, “Xiaohan, why didn’t you take the defective fabric home?”

Gu Yihan looked up at Zhang Yue and explained with a smile, “I don’t know how to make clothes. I thought I’d ask around in the residential compound for an auntie with good skills and just have her handle it.”

Yang Yue was surprised. She didn’t expect that, with children of that age, Gu Yihan still didn’t know how to sew.

She thought for a moment, then proudly lifted her chin and said, “Xiaohan, in this residential compound, my mom is second best at making clothes. No one dares claim first.”

Gu Yihan: “Really?”

Next door, Qin He glanced at Gu Yihan and said coolly, “Auntie Yang really is excellent at making clothes.”

Yang Yue nodded repeatedly.

Gu Yihan smiled at Qin He’s indifferent expression and walked over to Yang Yue.

She asked quietly, “How much do you charge for tailoring adult and children’s clothes?”

“Four yuan for an adult outfit, 1.5 yuan for a child’s.” Yang Yue answered bluntly.

Her mother had no steady work but could occasionally take a few sewing jobs to help out at home.

In this era, very few people couldn’t make clothes. Even if the sewing wasn’t perfect, most households couldn’t be bothered—they’d just roughly follow the pattern.

As long as it wasn’t torn in the wrong place, nobody cared if it looked neat.

Gu Yihan didn’t haggle. She pulled the fabric from the cabinet and handed it to Yang Yue.

“One adult outfit, two children’s outfits. Make the white fabric into shirts and the black khaki into Zhongshan-style pants.”

“Sure, no problem.” Yang Yue was thrilled to take on such a big order for her mother.

Weekend

Beijing City Hospital

Gu Yihan held Haohao’s hand and followed Lu Huailin toward Mother Lu’s hospital room.

Upon entering, she saw Lu Huailin’s older brother and sister-in-law’s dark, shiny faces, with sorghum-red cheeks and bark-like skin.

“You must be the younger sister-in-law.”

Gu Yihan looked up and saw a middle-aged woman about 1.7 meters tall standing beside Mother Lu.

“Big sister, this is my wife, Xiaohan,” Lu Huailin said, taking his wife’s hand and smiling as he introduced her.

Gu Yihan nodded and softly said, “Big sister.”

Lu Huailin’s older sister forced a smile, saying, “Eh, such a pretty woman, it’s a pity she married Huailin.”

Gu Yihan smiled faintly and said nothing—clearly just polite small talk.

Fang Yi looked at Gu Yihan’s fair face, then at her own dark hands, and a flash of resentment crossed her eyes.

Coldly, she said, “Since everyone’s here, let’s discuss what to do with Mom.”

Lu’s older brother scolded under his breath, “Shut up. Dad hasn’t spoken yet—why are you interrupting?”

“Ah… Xu… come, care—”

Father Lu glanced at Mother Lu on the bed, mouth askew and shouting loudly.

In a neutral tone, he said, “I’m divorced from your mother. I won’t interfere in her support arrangements.”

He then went over to Haohao, bent down, and picked him up.

Cheerfully, he said, “Oh, my eldest grandson, do you miss Grandpa?”

Haohao grinned and wrapped his little arms around Father Lu’s neck, saying in a baby voice, “I do.”

He then leaned over and gave Father Lu’s cheek a little smooch.

Inside the Hospital Room

Seeing that Lu’s older brother and sister weren’t speaking, Lu Huailin spoke first: “Big brother, big sister, the doctor said Mom won’t be able to take care of herself from now on.”

Lu’s older sister went to the bed, tightly holding their mother’s hand, seeing her unable to close her mouth and drooling.

Tears fell uncontrollably.

She hurriedly took a handkerchief to gently wipe her mother, choking as she said, “We are all her children. Each of us will take care of her for four months.”

Mother Lu strained her eyes, staring at her older sister, and croaked with effort, “Xu… care…”

Lu’s older sister gently followed her mother’s breathing and said softly, “Mom, let your daughter take care of you, alright?”

“…want… Xu, care…”

Lu Huailin frowned, still unable to understand what his mother wanted. Why did she insist on being cared for by Lu’s older brother?

Fang Yi looked at Mother Lu on the bed with contempt and sneered, “Our family is poor, we have no money, and can’t take care of you, this big Buddha.”