After running around all afternoon, there was finally only the last person left.
Lao Fang is fifty-five this year. He has been living alone since his wife passed away. The couple has no children, so Lao Fang has to cope with illness at home.
Since there was no one to take care of me after I went to the hospital, I might as well take some medicine at home and cover myself with a quilt, maybe it would be fine.
It's a pity that this lasted for half a month, and people almost didn't make it through.
"Ding dong... ding dong..."
"Crack!"
Looking at the old comrade who was too skinny to look human, Xu Dong was really shocked. Where had the handsome old guy in his memory gone?
"Old Fang, how did you become like this?"
Lao Fang smiled bitterly and said: "I was seriously ill, and it's only God's blessing that I survived."
"Why don't you call us? At least I can send you some food. Why are you doing this?"
Xu Dong quickly helped the other party to bed and cleaned up the garbage beside the bed.
"I have food and drink here, so there's no need to trouble you." After saying that, he covered his mouth and coughed a few times.
Xu Dong opened the lid of the rice cooker and found a pot of sweet potato porridge inside, without even a pickle.
"I'd better take you to the hospital. If you delay your illness for a few more days, you won't be able to be saved even if you want to."
"No need, my fever has gone away. I'll be fine in a few days." Lao Fang waved his hand.
They were all so thin, no matter whether they were sick or not, they had to go to the hospital for a check-up. Finally, under Xu Dong's strong request, Lao Fang had to give in.
The two came to a nearby hospital. As expected, the hospital was full and there was not a single bed left.
There was no other way, Xu Dong could only open the rotation training class group and ask for help from his friends.
With everyone's enthusiastic help, the attending doctor finally freed up a bed for Lao Fang in the corridor.
After a doctor's diagnosis, Lao Fang's cold was indeed cured, but his body was severely malnourished and he was at risk of kidney failure at any time.
Fortunately it came in time.
After settling Lao Fang, Xu Dong took the time to go back to the courtyard. Xu's mother had already cooked a pot of fish soup, using tuna meat of course.
This fish soup is used to replenish Lao Jin's body. The doctor also said that fish soup is currently the most suitable food for Lao Fang.
I came to the hospital again carrying the thermos bucket. After hanging up the water supply, Lao Fang fell asleep.
Xu Dong stayed with Lao Fang for more than two hours. Seeing that it was almost seven o'clock in the evening, he took the initiative to wake up Lao Fang.
"Old Fang, wake up."
Lao Fang opened his eyes and felt a little dazed for a moment, as if he had forgotten where he was.
"Xiao Xu, where am I?"
"In the hospital, you forgot that I was the one who carried you here." Xu Dong reminded.
Lao Fang patted his head and finally remembered: "Xiao Xu, I'm sorry to bother you."
Xu Dong helped Lao Fang sit up, then opened the thermos bucket and poured a bowl of fish soup for him.
"This is fish soup. I asked my family to make it specially for you. It's a bit hot. Please drink it slowly."
Lao Fang took a small sip of the fish soup. How would you describe the taste?
It's especially fresh and fragrant, as if every cell in the body is jumping for joy.
Before Lao Fang could think about it, a childish voice suddenly came from his ear:
"Grandpa, what are you drinking?"
"Grandpa, how old are you?"
"Grandpa, why don't you speak? Are you mute?"
Xu Dong looked at the little girl who appeared out of nowhere in front of him, dumbfounded.
The little guy was obviously so greedy that his mouth was almost drooling, but he was still pretending to ask questions.
"Kid, where are your parents?" Xu Dong asked directly.
"My mother went to fetch water. I live in that room." The little girl pointed to a ward not far away.
Xu Dong reached out and touched the little girl's head, "Children, tell uncle, what is your name and how old are you this year?"
"My name is Dabao, I am six and a half years old."
Oh, what a fate!
"Dabao, do you know what disease you have?" Xu Dong tried to ask.
"Uncle the doctor said I have the flu, and I have been in the hospital for three days." The little girl is very articulate, and it seems that her parents have taught her well.
Xu Dong touched the little girl's forehead. She did have a slight fever, but it was okay. It wasn't too hot. It was probably a low fever.
"Uncle, there is extra fish soup here. It would be a pity to throw it away. Will Dabao be willing to do a favor to uncle?"
Dabao stared at the thermos bucket and nodded: "I do."
Xu Dong poured another bowl of fish soup and deliberately added a few more pieces of fish meat.
"Come, uncle, feed you."
Dabao ate very quickly. Within three minutes, he had finished a bowl of fish soup with meat.
In the end, the old man and the young man each drank two large bowls, and there was no fish soup left at all.
After eating and drinking enough, the little guy patted his belly and went back, not to mention how satisfied he was on his little face.
…
At noon the next day, Xu Dong came over again to deliver food to Lao Fang, who was holding Dabao in his arms and watching cartoons on his mobile phone.
That picture is quite heartwarming.
Perhaps because he smelled the aroma of fish soup, the little guy suddenly raised his head and said with surprise on his face: "Uncle, you are finally here."
"Well, uncle brought too much fish soup today, what should we do?" Xu Dong teased deliberately.
"Dabao can help." The little guy said seriously.
"good."
Halfway through the soup this time, the child's parents finally showed up, thanked Xu Dong, and gave him a box of homemade sweet potato pancakes before leaving.
Lao Fang stared at the backs of the other party's family of three for a long time.
Xu Dong joked: "What's the use of staring at others when you want to have one yourself?"
"I'm already at this age, what else can I do?"
Lao Fang looked lonely. After getting sick this time, he finally realized what it means to have a desolate evening.
"Tsk tsk, Uncle Li is two years older than you and is about to become a father."
"Lao Li is also a section chief, how can I compare to an ordinary employee?"
"Why can't we compare? You're not bad either. Although you haven't bought a car, you have a house, so you've already surpassed a large number of competitors." Xu Dong persuaded.
Lao Fang shook his head: "This is not what I want. I want to marry a virtuous man who can live a good life. Of course, he must be pleasing to me."
"There are quite a lot of requirements. You don't want to find a woman like Aunt Li, who has some petty bourgeois sentiments and preferably a bit of bookish temperament, right?"
What's damning is that Lao Fang, an old gangster, actually nodded.
"It's the best you can find. If you can't find it, I'll be like this for the rest of my life. When I leave one day, I'll leave my apartment to you. Anyway, you saved my life."
"Thank you, but you should keep your house for yourself, I can't afford it." Xu Dong quickly refused.
"I know you are not short of money, but besides giving it to you, I really can't think of anyone else to leave it to." There was an indescribable sadness in his words.
"Don't you have any relatives in your family?"
Lao Fang shook his head and sighed: "It's been too long, and it's almost broken."
"Okay, you better stop thinking blindly. I will definitely help you find a good wife like Aunt Li."