Shanghai Jiao Tong University's future entrustment app: I will take my motherland flying.

Chapter 20 The Song Family's Worries
After seeing her father at the hospital, she returned to Sunshine Garden.

The key was turned on, and looking at the large apartment in front of her, Song Zhi Ning was overjoyed. The mission was completed, and this large apartment was finally hers.

She can be considered a homeowner in Shanghai!

Opening the refrigerator, Song Zhi Ning saw that the double-door refrigerator was full of fresh ingredients. She thought that as long as she lived in this Sunshine Garden, she would not have to worry about buying groceries. There was so much food that she could not finish it even if she ate three meals a day.

Taking out some of the ingredients, Song Zhi Ning planned to cook herself a delicious meal as a reward.

As for the hospital, she didn't need to deliver meals anymore; after the ward was changed, the hospital's boxed meals were upgraded.

She no longer needs to order; it's free now, and I heard it's a very nutritious meal, perfect for patients.

However, we need to call Grandpa, Grandma, and my brothers to let them know that Dad is going to have surgery.

Grandpa is the only one in the family who owns a cell phone for seniors.

So, Song Zhining dialed her grandfather's number.
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Shaxi Village in Jinling City is nestled between two mountains. The village consists of low-rise, courtyard-style bungalows arranged in neat rows, forming a village.

The Song family lives on the east side of Shaxi Village, at No. 8 on the first street. There is a road in front of them, which is not paved with cement, but it is relatively flat. Usually, when it rains, it is not muddy except for some potholes.

Across the road is a stream about 4 meters wide, where villagers on the east side usually wash their clothes.

Along the stream, many families have cultivated vegetable gardens.

The Song family was the same. Grandpa Song cultivated the vegetable garden with a hoe, then dug up mud and sand to cover it, forming a vegetable garden that was about several square meters in size.

Although it's small, Grandpa Song takes great care of it. He's an experienced farmer, and growing vegetables is a piece of cake for him.

There's a manure pit at home, so you can carry it to fertilize anytime. The vegetable garden is by the stream, so you can irrigate it anytime.

Therefore, the various vegetables planted in the Song family's vegetable garden are now growing lush and green.

Not only can it meet the basic needs of three meals a day, but sometimes there are extras that can be given away.

At that moment, Grandpa Song picked a handful of mustard greens and took them home.

Grandma Song was busy at the stove.

A few years ago, Grandma Song fell and suffered a brain hemorrhage, requiring hospitalization. Her condition was critical, and even after she recovered and was discharged, her health was not very good.

I still need to take medicine every day.

However, after several years of recuperation, although I can no longer do heavy work, I can still tidy up the house and cook in the kitchen.

At this moment, Grandma Song was frying pork belly in a pot. After rendering the oil, she chopped the mustard greens that her husband had washed and put them in to stir-fry with the pork belly.

Stir-fry for a while until the vegetables soften slightly, then add salt, add water to cover the mustard greens, and cover with a lid.

Soon the water boiled, so I took out the clay pot and put the kale and pork belly into it.

The food in the casserole is then placed on the stove and simmered over low heat.

This casserole-cooked pork belly with kale is a favorite of everyone in the Song family.

A short while later, the youngest son, Song Songbai, arrived, bringing two relatively large tilapia for them.

Grandpa and Grandma Song had two sons and a daughter. Their eldest son was Song Zhining's father, Song Heming. Their younger son, who was two years younger, was Song Songbai. They also had a married daughter, Song Yan.

Although Song Heming was older, he got married later than Song Songbai, which is why Song Qingyang was Song Zhining's cousin.

After their three children got married and had children of their own, Grandpa and Grandma Song decided to divide the family property.

Now, they live in the old house with their eldest son, Song Hemian.

The younger son, Song Songbai, built another house on the west side of the village and also contracted a fishpond and a piece of land in the mountains to grow fruit. Although they had separated their households, the two brothers had a good relationship. Even though Song Songbai's family did not live together, they often visited the two elderly people at the old house and greeted their elder brother's family.

This time, when Song Heming was hospitalized, Song Songbai lent him 8 yuan and also asked his eldest son, Song Qingyang, to go to the hospital to take care of him. They have been taking care of him for almost a month.

"Songbai, why don't we have lunch here?" Grandma Song suggested.

“Sure.” Song Songbai did not refuse. Now that his older brother was hospitalized and Ningning was working in Shanghai, only two elderly people and two nephews who were about to start school remained in the old house.

Song Songbai was also a little worried, so he often brought food to this place.

After the mustard greens and pork belly stew was ready, Song Songbai took the spatula from his mother and started making braised fish.

By the time the braised fish was ready, my two nephews, who were in junior high school, had returned home.

As they approached from afar, the two children looked almost identical, and their appearance was very similar to his older brother's. They had delicate and handsome features, but the younger one had a paler complexion and was a bit thinner.

"Uncle." The two children greeted Song Songbai in unison.

"Hey, school's out! Let's tidy up and it's almost time for dinner."

The dishes were served, the rice was ready, and everyone sat down at the table. Grandma Song unconsciously murmured, her eyes reddening, "I wonder how the eldest son is doing in the hospital. We haven't heard anything from him lately."

The topic was somewhat heavy, and everyone at the dinner table had a look of sorrow on their faces.

They all knew that Song Heming's illness was very serious and he needed surgery, but the surgery would cost millions. Where could they find the money?

A few years ago, Grandma Song had a brain hemorrhage and underwent surgery. She borrowed money from everyone she could, and it took her several years to finally pay it all off.

Nowadays, there's not much left to lend them, and each family has its own difficulties.

Song Hemian has already spent a lot of money on his initial treatment. Let alone surgery, he probably won't be able to stay in the hospital for long.

Song Songbai was pondering whether he should sell the orchard and the fishpond, so that he could at least make some money.

His orchard and fishpond have yielded good returns every year since he took them over, making many people envious.

Reselling it now is definitely not the best option.

But that was his older brother. He could live without the orchard and the fishpond, but he couldn't live without his older brother.

Recently, Song Songbai has been secretly looking for buyers, but he hasn't told anyone yet. He plans to tell them after he resells the property, otherwise, he's afraid his family won't agree if they find out.

On the other side, Song Zhi Ning's younger brother, Song Yun Ting, was pondering the likelihood of dropping out of school to work.

Anyway, his grades are just average, so he can't put all the pressure of earning money on his sister.

The younger brother, Song Yunzhou, kept his head down and didn't speak. He was thinking about his frail body and didn't know how to earn money. His father had been very good to them. He and his older brother and sister had already lost their mother and didn't want to lose their father as well.

The fear that his father might die from a serious illness has been haunting him lately.

"Alright, let's eat first. I'll make a call later to ask about Ningning's situation," Grandpa Song sighed.

As soon as he finished speaking, the loud ringtone of the old-fashioned mobile phone resounded throughout the entire living room.

Grandpa Song exclaimed, "It's Ningning!"

He quickly answered the call, and the others, forgetting about their meals, eagerly watched, wanting to know the news.

As soon as the call connected, Song Zhi Ning's voice came through.

After a long pause, Grandpa Song's eyes widened, and his voice rose, "What?! Your father is having surgery in three days?!"

(End of this chapter)