Chapter 18: How to Go On from Here

It was already past eight in the evening by the time Fang Xiaoying was settled into her hospital room.

According to regulations, Fang Xiaoying was only entitled to a bed in a standard eight-person ward. Seeing that the ward was too crowded with patients and their caregivers, Su Qiao felt it would hinder her daughter’s recovery, so she paid extra to move her into a four-person room.

The four-person room was much quieter.

Since the state-run restaurant would be closing soon, Su Qiao said to her daughter, "Xiaoying, you get some sleep. Mom is going out to find you something to eat."

"Okay," Fang Xiaoying replied.

An older woman tending to the patient in the next bed offered some advice: "Dear, the hospital cafeteria stays open until midnight. It’s just a bit more expensive."

"Convenience is worth it," Su Qiao said. After thanking the woman and exchanging a few words with Ye Ting, she picked up her bag and headed to the cafeteria.

At this hour, the cafeteria was virtually empty. The cook on duty was smiling to himself as he looked at the half-cabbage and two eggs remaining. If no one else came by midnight, he could sneak these items home to make vegetable buns for his children in the morning.

Just as he was lost in these pleasant thoughts, the cafeteria door was pushed open.

His mood plummeted at the sight of a customer. With a dismissive gesture toward the concrete counter, he said, "That’s all there is. Nothing else."

Having worked in cafeterias for many years, Su Qiao knew exactly what he was thinking. She lifted her bag and said, "I brought my own ingredients. I just need to borrow a stove."

"Borrow a stove?" The cook’s attitude improved visibly. "The stove is right there. Help yourself, but it’ll cost you a dime."

"Can I use the water, green onions, and cilantro?"

"Sure, it’s all included in the dime."

"Alright, thank you."

The cook was stunned. He had worked there for years, and rarely did anyone ever thank him.

Ignoring his surprised expression, Su Qiao pulled two pounds of dried noodles and two cans of beef from her bag.

The cook had not expected this woman to have such premium goods. His eyes gleamed with envy and a visible sense of longing.

Meanwhile, Ye Ting and his young soldier were hungry, and soon, a rich aroma wafted through the air.

"It smells so good," the young soldier said. "It must be something delicious Auntie Su is making."

"Let's go take a look."

Su Qiao had just finished preparing the simple beef noodles and was about to call for them when Ye Ting pushed open the door.

"Perfect, you two can sit here and eat. I’m taking these to the ward for Xiaoying," Su Qiao said, placing two large bowls on the table.

The young soldier saw the thick chunks of beef on the noodles and grinned, revealing all his teeth. "Regimental Commander, it's beef noodles! And look at those big pieces of meat!"

"Shh!"

"Heh heh," the soldier chuckled, scratching his head in embarrassment.

The cook, who had been peeking from the side, retreated to the corner the moment he heard the title "Regimental Commander," not daring to look their way again.

Ye Ting took the opportunity to tell Su Qiao, "We’ll go stay at the guest house once we finish eating."

Su Qiao nodded in silent agreement. She carried the two bowls of beef noodles back to the ward. As she pushed the door open, the fragrant scent filled the room, causing everyone inside to inhale sharply and turn their gazes toward the door.

Undeterred by the attention, Su Qiao walked calmly to Fang Xiaoying’s bed.

"Mom..."

"You must be hungry!"

Fang Xiaoying’s stomach growled right on cue. Su Qiao placed the bowl on the nightstand and helped her daughter sit up.

"Mom, I can eat by myself."

Su Qiao didn't argue; she simply lifted a few strands of noodles with her chopsticks, blew on them to cool them down, and fed her daughter.

Feeling self-conscious with everyone watching, Fang Xiaoying blushed deeply. "Mom..."

Seeing her daughter’s discomfort, Su Qiao stopped and handed her the chopsticks.

Listening to their conversation, the older woman in the next bed swallowed hard and asked hesitatingly, "Dear, these noodles..."

"I made them myself," Su Qiao said, picking up her own bowl.

"No wonder they smell so good; they’re even better than the ones at the state-run restaurant."

"You’re too kind," Su Qiao replied. Now that she was back in Yang City, she didn’t dare mention her past work in the machinery plant’s cafeteria.

The older woman was a candid person and continued to praise her, "You must have a real knack for cooking. My own cooking is a disaster. Every New Year, when I make dumplings, the whole family complains that my filling tastes like nothing but cabbage water."

"Really?" the woman by the door chimed in.

"Of course," the elderly woman with the injured leg began to list all the shortcomings of her own daughter-in-law.

While everyone’s attention was diverted, Su Qiao took the chance to move some of the noodles from her own bowl into her daughter’s.

"Mom?"

"I can't eat it all, you finish it for me." Su Qiao had used standard large bowls for both. In this era, when oil and fat were scarce, a hearty meal was a luxury.

Fang Xiaoying realized that since her accident, her mother’s appetite had dwindled significantly, and her heart ached. "Mom..."

"Be a good girl and eat. Get some sleep afterward, and our Xiaoying will be better in no time."

"Okay," Fang Xiaoying replied, obediently finishing every last bite.

Ye Ting and the soldier had already finished their meal, savoring every drop of the broth. The soldier patted his stomach and said, "Regimental Commander, I wish we could eat Auntie Su’s cooking every day."

"Hahaha," Ye Ting laughed sincerely, though his words were blunt. "Being able to eat it twice is a blessing. Don't go dreaming about having it every day."

"..." The young soldier nodded in agreement; the Commander was right.

"Let’s go. We’ll head to the guest house and come back tomorrow morning to see if there’s anything we can do for Comrade Su Qiao."

"Yes, sir."

...

After Su Qiao lulled Fang Xiaoying to sleep, she stepped out into the hallway and sat down on a bench.

Looking at the mottled walls and the dim light, Su Qiao let out a long sigh.

She had finally returned to Yang City, and Fang Xiaoying was back too. Now, she needed to think carefully about how to manage their future.

First, there was the housing situation. Their current home consisted of only two small rooms: an inner room and an outer room.

The inner room was a straightforward square space with a heated brick bed built against the sunny window.

The outer room was divided, with a small bedroom partitioned off near the north window.

When these apartments were first allocated, the machinery plant employees had been thrilled with this layout. Originally, she and Fang Xiaoying occupied the inner room, while the small bedroom in the outer area was for Fang Xiaofeng.