Chapter 11 Fading away
Her face, which had turned pale due to the pain, gradually returned to normal, and her slightly trembling body was no longer out of control.

Looking at Chen Ruogu with eyes full of gratitude, she said self-deprecatingly:
"I'm lucky I met you today, otherwise I would have fainted and no one would have cared about me. I'll trouble you to continue to treat me from now on. As you age, good health is better than anything else."

Chen Ruogu frowned slightly, puzzled and asked:
"Why doesn't Brother Shao Bai care about you? He should have started a family, right?"

In the original body's memory, Teacher Zhou's only son Shao Bai was two or three years older than her. He often took her on a bicycle to play in the school's tree-lined paths.

Teacher Gao's face was filled with sadness when she heard her son's name. She smiled bitterly and said:

"My son is very capable. He went abroad to study after graduating from university. He settled there for his career. He came back once before, during his father's funeral, and wanted to take me abroad to live in retirement, but I refused. He married a foreign woman five years ago, and we still have no children. I can no longer control him."

In Chen Ruogu's memory, Shao Bai was sunny and handsome, with high IQ and EQ. He was a typical child from other people's families and had been their role model since childhood.

He treated his original self as his sister and often complained to her about the control that Teacher Gao had over him. Now that he has settled abroad, it may be possible that he wants to get rid of his mother's shadow.

Chen Ruogu didn't know how to explain it. If she didn't know the inside story, she could have taken the opportunity to criticize Shao Bai. However, after hearing about the pain that Shao Bai had suppressed in his youth, she felt deep sympathy and was glad that her mother had never been so strict.

Teacher Gao is very authoritative in teaching and educating, but as a mother she should not bring such authority home and force it on Shao Bai. He could not resist and could only escape, and Teacher Gao suffered the consequences.

Chen Ruogu didn't mention it. She said gently, "It's enough to keep this needle for half an hour. Let's rest for five minutes and then try again."

Teacher Gao naturally had no objection. She turned her head and saw Huaixi sitting there bored. She smiled and said, "Little girl, if you are bored, you can go to my study and find a book to read."

Yu Huaixi's eyes were filled with surprise. He stood up and said calmly, "I'll go find him right away. Thank you, Teacher Gao!"

Seeing her cheerful figure, Chen Ruogu said helplessly: "This girl loves reading. As long as you give her a book, she can sit still all day."

Teacher Gao teaches Chinese and likes students like this kind of students.

"It's so good for her to be like this. You don't have to worry about her studies anymore."

Chen Ruogu said helplessly: "As a mother, it's inevitable that I don't worry. She has a soft temper and was bullied by her classmates before. She will go to school here in the future, so please take good care of her."

Teacher Gao said with a straight face, "Don't worry, if there are any students like this in my class, I will persuade them to leave immediately to avoid them being a bad influence on others."

Chen Ruogu smiled and nodded. Teacher Gao hadn't changed at all and was still the same.

"Huaixi is on leave from school now. I'm afraid she can't keep up with the progress here, so I plan to find a teacher to tutor her. Do you have any suitable candidates to recommend?"

Teacher Gao blurted out, "Then let's find the two teachers who are in my class and let them take a look at this girl's level first. It will also be helpful for her future enrollment."

Chen Ruogu was overjoyed. She told the truth: "I haven't been back to my hometown for a long time. I don't know what to do. How about inviting the teachers to dinner first?"

Teacher Gao waved his hand quickly, "You are also a family member of the faculty and staff, there is no need to be so polite, I will communicate with them, everyone has enough food and drink now, there is no need to be extravagant."

After hearing what Teacher Gao said, Chen Ruogu no longer insisted. They still had a long time to spend together in the future, and there would always be a chance to repay him.

She skillfully performed acupuncture on Teacher Gao for the second time. After the acupuncture, the teacher's mental state was completely different. Teacher Gao was amazed and said:
"Your acupuncture skills are better than your father's. You must have accumulated a lot of experience after graduating so many years ago, right?"

Chen Ruogu said ashamedly: "I haven't worked since I got married. I have been focusing on my family all these years."

When Mr. Gao heard her say this, he immediately gave her a sincere and earnest advice:

"How can you be so foolish? You give up your own abilities and depend on a man for a living. How big a risk do you take? You don't have to worry when you are young and fresh, but what about when you are old and ugly? Most men have no conscience."

These words actually touched Chen Ruogu's heart, but now she had to pay for the original body's choice, so she had to act as if she had suddenly come to her senses.

"The teacher is right. I was young and ignorant before, and I put feelings first. Later, I couldn't let go of my daughter. Now that my daughter has grown up, I can get rid of it and do my own things. There is still time for everything."

Teacher Gao nodded and said, "It's good to reopen Jishiditang. Your father is gone now. I don't know how many neighbors miss him. In the past, they would come to him whenever they had a headache or a fever. Now they can still remember the old times."

Chen Ruogu doesn't rely on this old relationship to survive. She is confident in her medical skills and there will be no problem running the clinic.

"My father is a kind-hearted man. He loves to help others and it's normal for people to think of him. If I manage Jishitang well, he will be happy to know that there is someone to carry on his legacy."

Teacher Gao seemed to be able to see his old friend through Chen Ruogu.

"You are better than your teacher. How can he be unhappy? You can do whatever you want at home. I will go to the kitchen to cook."

How could Chen Ruogu let her work alone? Although her headache was gone, she had consumed a lot of energy just now. Her body was still severely deficient in qi and blood, and she needed to slowly recuperate.

When Teacher Gao saw her following him into the kitchen to pick and wash vegetables, he couldn't chase her away so he just let her go. The two of them cooked together, chatting and laughing, and soon finished the dishes.

Chen Ruogu brought the dishes to the table and turned to walk towards the study. Teacher Gao's house is an old house, decorated in the style of the 1980s and 1990s. Although old, it is very clean.

There are several paintings and calligraphy hanging on the walls of the study, the bookshelves are full of books, and the floor is covered with thick carpets that feel soft to step on.

It was already dark, and under the warm yellow light, the sound of turning pages was particularly clear.

Chen Ruogu felt very relieved looking at his daughter's back. If it weren't for the fire, Huaixi should have been married to Prefect Gu by now.

The chances of mother and daughter meeting each other in this life are slim, so how can she stay by her side like this forever?

She was very content, with the corners of her lips slightly raised, and whispered softly:
"Huai Xi, it's time to go out for dinner."

Yu Huaixi looked up with a hint of regret, "I've only read half of this book. Can I borrow it from Teacher Gao to read at home?"

Before Chen Ruogu could answer, Teacher Gao, who had followed him at some point, spoke up:

"You can borrow it and read it. If you like it, you can pick out two more to take home and read. Just take good care of the books and keep them properly."

Yu Huaixi's eyes lit up when she heard this. She was not afraid of Teacher Gao at all and said with a bright smile:
"Thank you, teacher! I will definitely take good care of it."

After she finished speaking, she turned around and started choosing with great interest. Chen Ruogu said with a smile:

"The dishes are already on the table. Choose after you eat."

Yu Huaixi said seriously: "That won't work. What if Teacher Gao changes his mind?"

Teacher Gao was also amused by this girl and said kindly:
"I'm not that stingy. It's okay if you like to take two more."

Yu Huaixi naturally wanted it very much. She was like a mouse falling into a rice jar. Her eyes narrowed into slits with joy, and she greedily took one book after another...

The dinner was a great pleasure for both the host and the guests. Teacher Gao had not been so happy since her husband passed away. The simple home-cooked meal was even more heartwarming because of the company. After dinner, Chen Ruogu washed the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen. He made an appointment for the next acupuncture session before taking Huaixi home.

Teacher Gao accompanied the mother and daughter while waiting for the bus on the roadside. He watched them get on the bus before turning around and walking back.

Under the dim street lights, her back appeared more hunched, and although she looked a little weathered, she had an indescribable tenacity.

She climbed the stairs slowly. There was no elevator in the old residential building, and the sensor light broke down at some point and was no longer responsive. Fortunately, Teacher Gao's house was on the second floor, so she arrived there quickly.

As soon as she opened the door, the phone on the table started ringing. The older she got, the weirder her personality became. She didn't like getting along with people. Most of the people who called her were for business.

She sat down slowly, took a sip of hot water from the cup, then squinted at her phone, only to find that it was Shao Bai calling.

She immediately put down the cup and reached for the phone. After the call was connected, she pressed the hands-free button. Shao Bai on the other end of the phone breathed a sigh of relief and couldn't help complaining:

"Mom, why did you answer the phone so late? I thought something happened to you."

Teacher Gao was not kind to her son. She mocked him:

"You're hoping something bad will happen to me, so you'll be happy only if I die. Stop pretending, I won't fall for it."

Shao Bai's breathing stagnated, and he said with a hurt look:
"Mom, please don't be like this. I'm your son, not a criminal. Even if I live abroad, my crime is not punishable by death."

Teacher Gao angrily said: "How dare you say that? The country has worked so hard to train you to be a talent, but you turn around and contribute to the development of foreigners. You are not worthy of being my son."

Her words were cruel and hurtful. Even though it was not the first time Shao Bai heard it, he still felt sad. He said as calmly as possible:

"I'm calling to tell you that Serena and I are divorced. We have different values ​​and cannot live together."

Teacher Gao was slightly stunned, and tightened his fists, then said in a cold voice:
"Anyway, you two don't have any children, so divorce won't hurt anyone. If you didn't bring me your daughter before marriage, you don't have to tell me after the divorce."

Shao Bai knew that this matter was not handled properly, so he did not argue, but just changed the subject:
"How is your migraine? Are the attacks still frequent? If you really don't want to retire abroad, I'll arrange for you to live in a nursing home in Hangzhou. It would be troublesome if something happened to you at home alone."

Teacher Gao didn't wait for his son to finish and said impatiently:
"I will bear the consequences myself. You don't need to worry about it. Do you think you are being filial by spending a few lousy dollars to send me to a nursing home?"

Every time Shao Bai communicated with his mother, he felt powerless. He said helplessly:
"This is not a matter of whether I am filial or not. It is very dangerous if your disease continues to progress."

Teacher Gao sneered, "I'm not an ignorant woman or child. You don't need to emphasize the danger to me. I had an attack today and Ruogu was by my side. She used acupuncture to treat me and the effect was very good. I will continue to let her treat me in the future, and maybe I can recover."

Shao Bai hadn't heard of Chen Ruogu's name for a long time. He was surprised:
"Ruogu has also returned to Wanling? Didn't she settle in Shanghai after her marriage?"

Teacher Gao knew that the two of them had a good relationship since childhood, so it was normal to ask a few more questions. When Ruogu was mentioned, her attitude softened and she was willing to say more.

"Ruogu has returned with her daughter. She wants to reopen Jishiditang to fulfill her father's wish. She is still as gentle and beautiful as before. If you don't go abroad, maybe she will be my daughter-in-law..."

Shao Bai interrupted quickly, "Mom! What do you mean by that? I don't care. Can you please not involve her? Ruogu is married and has a daughter. Is it appropriate for you to be so tactless?"

Teacher Gao argued, "I was just talking in private, and no one else could hear me. Besides, her husband is not around, and they may have divorced long ago."

Shao Bai said with a headache: "Don't meddle in other people's business. Let Ruogu treat his illness instead of going to the sanatorium. Just turn down the work at the school. Now that you are retired, just enjoy your retirement peacefully."

Teacher Gao said unhappily, "How can my teaching and educating have anything to do with you? So many parents trust me and want to hand their children over to me, how can I refuse?"

Shao Bai couldn't convince his mother, just as his mother couldn't control him.

Every time they argued, they could not come to any conclusion. He was really exhausted physically and mentally, so he simply hung up the phone and stopped asking questions.

Chen Ruogu didn't know about the conflict between Teacher Gao and her son. She and Huai Xi lived their own lives.

You don’t have to worry about renovating the old house. He Hui has arranged everything and you just need to proceed step by step.

Teacher Gao was extremely efficient and quickly connected Huaixi with a teacher at Wanling Middle School for tutoring.

Her family was financially well-off, and Huaixi was so thirsty for knowledge that she wanted to learn all there was to know. Her course schedule was packed, and her life was very fulfilling every day.

Chen Ruogu, on the contrary, became idle. Apart from giving acupuncture to Teacher Gao twice a week, there was nothing else to do.

She was so bored that she went to a driving school to learn how to drive and get a driver's license. Every time she went out to take a taxi, she had to wait for a long time, and sometimes she was worried about catching an illegal taxi. Considering the convenience of traveling for the mother and daughter, she still had to get a driver's license and drive herself.

Yu Huaixi strongly supports her mother's idea. The pressure of survival is high nowadays, and the more you know, the better. After all, it is always better to have more skills.

Chen Ruogu did not mention this to He Hui. He went to the driving school to sign up alone. When he got home, he frantically practiced the first subject questions on his mobile phone.

When Yu Huaixi returned home after her cram school lessons, she saw her mother holding her phone and frantically doing exercises. She could no longer compare the person in front of her with Chen Xiaoniang in the mansion.

Chen Ruogu heard the voice and said without raising his head:

"Huaixi, take a rest first. I'll cook for you after I finish these questions."

Yu Huaixi sat beside her, leaning on her shoulder and watching her do the exercises. Chen Ruogu made another mistake, and she said in annoyance:

"What does this traffic policeman's hand gesture mean? I can't understand it even after watching it a hundred times. It makes me confused."

Yu Huaixi smiled and said, "If you don't understand, just memorize it. The questions and answers are basically the same anyway, so you just need to remember them."

Chen Ruogu couldn't help but worry: "I can't believe I can't even pass the first part of the test. This driver's license is too difficult to get."

Yu Huaixi didn't understand why she was worried, and quickly comforted her:

"Not getting a driver's license doesn't affect our going out. It's not like we can't afford a driver."

Chen Ruogu said seriously: "Can the feeling of holding the steering wheel in your own hands be the same as having a driver drive you?"

Yu Huaixi shrugged nonchalantly, "Then just practice more questions, and you will master them after you practice more."

The two of them don't get along like an ordinary mother and daughter, but more like best friends, and they can talk about anything.

　Please collect, recommend, and vote for me. The new book period is really hard to endure...

　　
　
(End of this chapter)