Chapter 20: The Old Lady Who Suffered Heatstroke by the Roadside
2 days ago
He Lang was very generous. After hearing Su He's words, he laughed heartily: "No problem! It just sounds a bit like someone calling my dad!"
Su He smiled and chatted with He Lang for a while, learning that He Lang's family was from the public security bureau.
If He Lang were an ordinary person, he might not reveal his background! But since it was the Public Security Bureau, it didn't matter.
Those with ulterior motives would probably shy away upon hearing about his family’s situation.
Su He had no particular intentions, so it didn't matter to him either.
During their conversation, He Lang opened his mouth several times as if wanting to say something, but he held back each time.
Su He guessed that He Lang probably wanted to ask where the meat came from.
And also, what he was doing coming into the city.
Since they had just met and weren’t familiar yet, Su He didn’t bring it up. If they got to know each other better in the future, He Lang would make a good partner, helping to avoid many troubles.
After chatting for a while, He Lang suggested going back, and Su He also planned to return.
The two parted ways. He Lang paused, watching the harmonious sight of two people, one big and one small, walking with a Water buffalo and a dog by their side.
He Lang felt some envy but didn't think much of it and turned back.
Because he had met the Lao He earlier and heard about the score exchange matter. Su He planned to go to town first before returning home.
The round trip took about four hours.
But he wanted to go to town first to see where the education bureau was located so he could scout it out in advance.
Before leaving, Su He added half a bucket of water to his bucket; if he got thirsty on the road, he could scoop some up to drink.
Su He also thought about getting a water bottle!
Military-style water bottles were popular these days; he could try buying one.
If that didn't work out, he would have to borrow the one at home.
He should run more to earn more.
If the matter of his grades was cleared up and he could go to No. 4 High School, he would need to earn tuition fees in advance.
If not, he would have to consider retaking the year, which also cost money.
His eldest sister was getting married; her dowry was another expense!
Then there were his second and third sisters and his fifth brother's education fees—yet another expense!
His father Su Zhaohua's leg injury might also require setting aside some money!
Thinking of this, Su He felt genuinely anxious inside.
"Moreover, it's almost time to harvest rice; I definitely can't escape my public labor quota. When the time comes, I'll definitely have to go work."
For a half-grown boy like Su He, there usually wasn't a full public labor quota.
But the work that needed doing was just as tough.
"Moreover, when farm work gets busy, there won't be any chance to make money for a short time!"
Actually, Su He had taken a bag of rice from the cold storage warehouse yesterday and planned on selling it.
But since he wasn't familiar enough yet, Su He didn't dare act rashly.
Getting caught would be bad news.
"Dodo, there's an old lady over there!"
Xiao Nanhua's voice startled Su He out of his thoughts. Following Xiao Nanhua's pointing hand, he saw an old lady sitting by the roadside looking somewhat unwell. Su He saw what looked like cold sweat on her face; she seemed dizzy and nauseous.
"Grandma, how are you?" asked Su He. He had some guesses—she was probably suffering from heatstroke.
The weather was hot; this old lady was walking alone on the road with a small bundle on her back without even wearing a straw hat.
Su He quickly put his own straw hat on the old lady's head and fetched some clean water for her.
People with heatstroke should drink salt water. Avoid sugary or alcoholic beverages for rehydration.
{Rehydrate. Drink plenty of fluids. Also, because you lose salt through sweating, you can replenish salt and water with some sports drinks. If your doctor has restricted your fluid or salt intake, check with him or her to see how much you should drink and whether you should replace salt. – |Read more on mayoclinic heatstroke diagnosis and treatment|}
But this place was in the middle of nowhere, and Su He didn't dare to take out any salt, so he could only use water to wipe the old lady's face.
Because he hadn't brought a towel, he used his hands to wipe his and Xiao Nanhua's faces. But wiping the old lady's face with his hands wasn't appropriate, so Su He took off his vest, wet it with water, and wiped her face.
He also fed her some clear water, and after a while, the old lady finally opened her eyes. However, she still looked very uncomfortable.
“What happened to me?” the old lady asked weakly. She looked feeble, and her limbs were limp, a clear sign of heatstroke.
Su He quickly said, “Grandma, it looks like you've had a heatstroke. We shouldn’t stay here too long. Where do you live? Let me take you home!”
Although Su He didn't want to be overly helpful, he figured it wouldn't hurt to help someone in need when it didn't inconvenience him. Moreover, there weren't many instances of people taking advantage of kindness back then.
Before the 1990s, people in the country had a strong sense of honor. Except for a few bad apples, most people disdained acting dishonorably.
The old lady said, “I’m visiting a friend in Zhangshu Town. Is it on your way, young man?”
Actually, it was on his way! If he went directly home, it wouldn't be, but he needed to scout Zhangshu Town, so it was just right.
Su He said, “Perfect. I have to pass through Zhangshu Town to get home. I’ll take you there and then head back.”
Su He helped the old lady onto Heixing's back. He couldn't carry her that far by himself, so this was the best option.
“Xiao Nanhua, help support the old lady a bit. I’ll hold her too; she seems to be very weak.”
Xiao Nanhua nodded, “I got it, Dodo!”
Although the old lady was feeble and looked unwell, she nodded and said, “What a cute child!” upon seeing Xiao Nanhua's smile.
Su He had to stay close to Heixing, holding the old lady to prevent her from falling. She was already suffering from heatstroke, and a fall would be disastrous. Old bones are fragile, and a break could be very serious.
As for the little bundle, Su He picked it up without checking its contents and gave it to Xiao Nanhua. “Hold this between you and the old lady. Don’t drop it. It’s her belongings.”
Xiao Nanhua laughed, “I promise to complete the mission!”
Both Su He and the old lady laughed. Under the scorching sun, they continued their journey.
Halfway there, Su He saw a Jeep stopped on the roadside. It struck him as odd; the vehicle must have broken down.
As they got closer, Su He saw the driver inside, repeatedly turning the key, but the car wouldn’t start. Although Su He didn’t know much about cars, he was good with machines.
He listened carefully and heard the starter not engaging, but there was a clicking sound. Su He figured out what the problem was and said to the driver, “Check the wiring between the starter and the battery; it might be loose.”
Without waiting for a response, Su He intended to move on. The man in the car looked well-off, wearing quality fabric, indicating a good family background. People from less privileged backgrounds couldn’t afford cars back then. Cars were symbols of wealth and status, not easily attainable even with money.
Before Su He had gone far, the man got out of the car. “Hey, kid, do you know how to fix cars? I have no idea. Can you take a look? I’ll pay you!”
Money wasn't a big concern for Su He. Although he needed money, he wasn’t desperate for a small amount, confident that he could earn it somehow. Helping out was no trouble.
“Forget about the money. I’ll take a look for you.”
{D. of Graniose}
Chapter 20: The Old Lady Who Suffered Heatstroke by the Roadside
2 days ago
He Lang was very generous. After hearing Su He's words, he laughed heartily: "No problem! It just sounds a bit like someone calling my dad!"
Su He smiled and chatted with He Lang for a while, learning that He Lang's family was from the public security bureau.
If He Lang were an ordinary person, he might not reveal his background! But since it was the Public Security Bureau, it didn't matter.
Those with ulterior motives would probably shy away upon hearing about his family’s situation.
Su He had no particular intentions, so it didn't matter to him either.
During their conversation, He Lang opened his mouth several times as if wanting to say something, but he held back each time.
Su He guessed that He Lang probably wanted to ask where the meat came from.
And also, what he was doing coming into the city.
Since they had just met and weren’t familiar yet, Su He didn’t bring it up. If they got to know each other better in the future, He Lang would make a good partner, helping to avoid many troubles.
After chatting for a while, He Lang suggested going back, and Su He also planned to return.
The two parted ways. He Lang paused, watching the harmonious sight of two people, one big and one small, walking with a Water buffalo and a dog by their side.
He Lang felt some envy but didn't think much of it and turned back.
Because he had met the Lao He earlier and heard about the score exchange matter. Su He planned to go to town first before returning home.
The round trip took about four hours.
But he wanted to go to town first to see where the education bureau was located so he could scout it out in advance.
Before leaving, Su He added half a bucket of water to his bucket; if he got thirsty on the road, he could scoop some up to drink.
Su He also thought about getting a water bottle!
Military-style water bottles were popular these days; he could try buying one.
If that didn't work out, he would have to borrow the one at home.
He should run more to earn more.
If the matter of his grades was cleared up and he could go to No. 4 High School, he would need to earn tuition fees in advance.
If not, he would have to consider retaking the year, which also cost money.
His eldest sister was getting married; her dowry was another expense!
Then there were his second and third sisters and his fifth brother's education fees—yet another expense!
His father Su Zhaohua's leg injury might also require setting aside some money!
Thinking of this, Su He felt genuinely anxious inside.
"Moreover, it's almost time to harvest rice; I definitely can't escape my public labor quota. When the time comes, I'll definitely have to go work."
For a half-grown boy like Su He, there usually wasn't a full public labor quota.
But the work that needed doing was just as tough.
"Moreover, when farm work gets busy, there won't be any chance to make money for a short time!"
Actually, Su He had taken a bag of rice from the cold storage warehouse yesterday and planned on selling it.
But since he wasn't familiar enough yet, Su He didn't dare act rashly.
Getting caught would be bad news.
"Dodo, there's an old lady over there!"
Xiao Nanhua's voice startled Su He out of his thoughts. Following Xiao Nanhua's pointing hand, he saw an old lady sitting by the roadside looking somewhat unwell. Su He saw what looked like cold sweat on her face; she seemed dizzy and nauseous.
"Grandma, how are you?" asked Su He. He had some guesses—she was probably suffering from heatstroke.
The weather was hot; this old lady was walking alone on the road with a small bundle on her back without even wearing a straw hat.
Su He quickly put his own straw hat on the old lady's head and fetched some clean water for her.
People with heatstroke should drink salt water. Avoid sugary or alcoholic beverages for rehydration.
{Rehydrate. Drink plenty of fluids. Also, because you lose salt through sweating, you can replenish salt and water with some sports drinks. If your doctor has restricted your fluid or salt intake, check with him or her to see how much you should drink and whether you should replace salt. – |Read more on mayoclinic heatstroke diagnosis and treatment|}
But this place was in the middle of nowhere, and Su He didn't dare to take out any salt, so he could only use water to wipe the old lady's face.
Because he hadn't brought a towel, he used his hands to wipe his and Xiao Nanhua's faces. But wiping the old lady's face with his hands wasn't appropriate, so Su He took off his vest, wet it with water, and wiped her face.
He also fed her some clear water, and after a while, the old lady finally opened her eyes. However, she still looked very uncomfortable.
“What happened to me?” the old lady asked weakly. She looked feeble, and her limbs were limp, a clear sign of heatstroke.
Su He quickly said, “Grandma, it looks like you've had a heatstroke. We shouldn’t stay here too long. Where do you live? Let me take you home!”
Although Su He didn't want to be overly helpful, he figured it wouldn't hurt to help someone in need when it didn't inconvenience him. Moreover, there weren't many instances of people taking advantage of kindness back then.
Before the 1990s, people in the country had a strong sense of honor. Except for a few bad apples, most people disdained acting dishonorably.
The old lady said, “I’m visiting a friend in Zhangshu Town. Is it on your way, young man?”
Actually, it was on his way! If he went directly home, it wouldn't be, but he needed to scout Zhangshu Town, so it was just right.
Su He said, “Perfect. I have to pass through Zhangshu Town to get home. I’ll take you there and then head back.”
Su He helped the old lady onto Heixing's back. He couldn't carry her that far by himself, so this was the best option.
“Xiao Nanhua, help support the old lady a bit. I’ll hold her too; she seems to be very weak.”
Xiao Nanhua nodded, “I got it, Dodo!”
Although the old lady was feeble and looked unwell, she nodded and said, “What a cute child!” upon seeing Xiao Nanhua's smile.
Su He had to stay close to Heixing, holding the old lady to prevent her from falling. She was already suffering from heatstroke, and a fall would be disastrous. Old bones are fragile, and a break could be very serious.
As for the little bundle, Su He picked it up without checking its contents and gave it to Xiao Nanhua. “Hold this between you and the old lady. Don’t drop it. It’s her belongings.”
Xiao Nanhua laughed, “I promise to complete the mission!”
Both Su He and the old lady laughed. Under the scorching sun, they continued their journey.
Halfway there, Su He saw a Jeep stopped on the roadside. It struck him as odd; the vehicle must have broken down.
As they got closer, Su He saw the driver inside, repeatedly turning the key, but the car wouldn’t start. Although Su He didn’t know much about cars, he was good with machines.
He listened carefully and heard the starter not engaging, but there was a clicking sound. Su He figured out what the problem was and said to the driver, “Check the wiring between the starter and the battery; it might be loose.”
Without waiting for a response, Su He intended to move on. The man in the car looked well-off, wearing quality fabric, indicating a good family background. People from less privileged backgrounds couldn’t afford cars back then. Cars were symbols of wealth and status, not easily attainable even with money.
Before Su He had gone far, the man got out of the car. “Hey, kid, do you know how to fix cars? I have no idea. Can you take a look? I’ll pay you!”
Money wasn't a big concern for Su He. Although he needed money, he wasn’t desperate for a small amount, confident that he could earn it somehow. Helping out was no trouble.
“Forget about the money. I’ll take a look for you.”
{D. of Graniose}
