In the following days, under the old woman’s meticulous care, Jiang Nuan was finally able to get out of bed and move around slowly.
Looking at the electronic clock on the wall, she realized that nearly two months had passed since the day she jumped into the sea.
Jiang Nuan stepped out of her room, breathing in the fresh air.
Just then, a little boy stood before her, “Big sister, I want to buy a lollipop.”
Jiang Nuan was taken aback. Seeing him holding up a paper bill, she felt a softness in her heart. She turned to the counter, fetched a lollipop for him.
“Thank you, big sister.” The little boy, hopping and skipping, soon ran off into the distance.
Watching him, Jiang Nuan’s eyes revealed a hint of a smile.
Over these days, she learned that the old woman’s surname was Xu, a widow for many years, running the only small convenience store on the street to make a living.
She also heard from the neighbors that Mrs. Xu had nearly spent all her savings to treat her.
Everyone in the neighborhood knew about Jiang Nuan’s condition of waking up but being unable to speak.
Perhaps because of this knowledge, some people felt free to speak recklessly even in her presence.
One day, sitting by the door, Jiang Nuan overheard two women gossiping.
“Old Xu has gone mad, thinking this woman will take care of her in her old age?”
“Yeah, look at her, she doesn’t seem like a decent person. They’ll end up with nothing.”
Sitting by the door, Jiang Nuan looked at the two women with a serious gaze.
The two women glared at her, “What are you looking at!”
“Wan Wan, come help me see how to use this?”
Mrs. Xu’s voice came from inside the house.
Jiang Nuan got up and went inside.
Recently, the town had launched a tourism plan, attracting many young visitors.
The convenience store’s business had picked up, and Mrs. Xu kept hearing customers asking for coffee, which they didn’t have. She had somehow bought a coffee machine, which she was now fiddling with.
Jiang Nuan thought that sometimes Mrs. Xu had a younger mindset than she did.
As she entered, the TV was on, showing some news.
Jiang Nuan glanced at it unintentionally and stopped in her tracks.
