Rebirth 1977 Great Era

Chapter 1404 Views on Marriages Across Regions, Old Hu's Daughter Recognizes Godfather (Bonus Chapter for Monthly Tickets)

The two sisters, Liu Manqing and Liu Manyu, followed the nurse to the traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy to pick up the medicine, filled with surprise. Although they had heard of Fang Yan's medical skills before, they still found it hard to believe that one dose of medicine could cure a five-year-old illness.

However, seeing how seriously Fang Yan was talking, the two of them were actually quite interested in giving it a try. After all, Chinese medicine only takes half an hour to brew before drinking. They could see how it went after drinking it. If there was any change today, even a small one, Liu Manyu planned to give Fang Yan another big gift.

The reason is simple: Fang Yan's ability to "cure all ailments instantly" means she plans to come to him for treatment whenever she gets sick.

Even if it takes several hours to fly back, she's willing to make the trip.

After seeing the person off, the students outside came in. Fang Yan was writing a medical record at the time. When they saw the contents of Fang Yan's medical record, the students looked like they suddenly understood. No wonder they asked them to leave. It was indeed not good to let too many people know about this kind of thing.

However, as doctors, they were already used to it. They saw so many patients every day that they became desensitized to it. That's why Li Hui and the other girls didn't blush or feel any excitement when it came to them.

What intrigued them even more was that there were indeed couples in Hong Kong who got divorced immediately after marriage—it seemed too casual.

Fang Yan had just finished writing the last word of the medical record when he put down his pen and heard a chorus of questions coming from behind him.

"Brother Fang, do people in Hong Kong really get divorced so easily?"

“If a woman got divorced here, the neighbors would gossip about it right up to her door!”

Fang Yan turned around, looked at the students who had gathered around, and said with a smile:

"After all, the situation in mainland China is vastly different from that in Hong Kong. Hong Kong has been an international port for decades and is deeply influenced by Western ideas; freedom of marriage is not just lip service..."

"That's a bit too much freedom..." Tao Guangzheng said, frowning.

People from mainland China don't easily talk about divorce after getting married. Even if they want a divorce, their workplace or family may disagree.

He Shaoqi pushed up his glasses and asked curiously, "Do they need a certificate from their employer to get a divorce over there? If the two people can't reach an agreement, will the court keep trying to reconcile them?"

“No need, it’s far from it.” Fang Yan shook his head. “Hong Kong has special marriage litigation regulations. As long as the conditions are met, such as being separated for three years or being able to prove that the other party is at fault, the court will generally grant a divorce. You don’t need to get a stamp from your workplace or neighborhood committee. Moreover, they don’t encourage making do. They value whether two people can live together or not. If there are no feelings left, continuing to live together is considered torture for both of them.”

Li Chunsheng's eyes widened: "Won't divorced people be gossiped about? For example, if a woman gets divorced, won't she be said to be unfaithful?"

“There might be some gossip among ordinary citizens, but in the business world, nobody really cares,” Fang Yan explained. “Take the Liu Manyu sisters, for example. They run a rice cooker business and deal with business people. People are more concerned about whether you can run the business well, and nobody will bring up the divorce issue to gossip. Moreover, there are many women in Hong Kong who are in business and are relatively economically independent. Those who are wealthy don’t need to rely on marriage to make a living, so they have fewer concerns. Especially the wealthier they are, the more they are influenced by foreign culture.”

Zhu Bangxian frowned, still somewhat puzzled: "Even so, getting divorced after only a few years of marriage is too casual, isn't it? It's like they've learned all the dregs of foreign countries. Capitalist stuff is no good. Ours is much better; people here get married with the intention of spending their lives together."

“Yes, I personally support what you said.” Fang Yan leaned back in his chair and nodded to Zhu Bangxian.

“We in mainland China are deeply influenced by tradition and believe that lifelong fidelity is the right thing to do, and divorce is a failure.”

"In Hong Kong, people believe that marriage is based on love. If the love fades and the relationship becomes unbearable, divorce is a responsible choice, which is better than two people arguing and torturing each other every day."

"Liu Manyu and her ex-husband had a whirlwind marriage and didn't know each other very well to begin with. They also argued a lot about business after marriage, which was their own problem. Of course, divorce was a good option for them, since the consequences of their divorce were not as severe as those here."

Li Hui couldn't help but ask, "After they divorce, if the child stays with the ex-husband, won't people say she's irresponsible?"

"Hong Kong is more tolerant of single-parent families," Fang Yan added. "As long as the mother is still fulfilling her parental obligations, such as seeing the child regularly and paying child support, no one will criticize her. Moreover, there are special child welfare institutions there, so even if it is a single-parent family, the child can go to school and live normally, unlike here, where children from single-parent families may be given nicknames or ostracized by classmates."

Gao Duo scratched his head and sighed, "Now that you mention it, the atmosphere in Hong Kong is indeed much more open than here. If it were here, a woman like Liu Manyu, who is divorced and runs a business, would have been accused of being unchaste long ago."

Fang Yan smiled:
"It's not fair to say who's good or bad; everyone's life is influenced by their environment. But no matter where you are, you're the one who has to live your life."

After chatting for a while, everyone started helping Fang Yan clean up the office, while Fang Yan went to call the dean to report the situation.

After the report, Fang Yan took the students to see the two patients who were hospitalized that day taking their medicine.

Then they were given lunch tickets so they could eat lunch at the cafeteria here.

Then he went back home. He had promised his wife that they would visit Huang Huijie and the children together.

When they got home, Zhu Lin, heavily pregnant, was being helped by her sister-in-law and Sophia for a walk in the yard. Her sister-in-law was going to report to Renmin University in a few days, transferring from Peking University to Renmin University to study journalism. This was something that happened to her, and she was sure that such a thing would never happen again.

She was admitted to Peking University, but she received a diploma from Renmin University.

"Are you free?" Zhu Lin asked Fang Yan.

"Yeah, I was busy. There were only three patients, so I rushed back as soon as I finished seeing them. It's almost eleven o'clock now. Let's go visit them," Fang Yan said.

Zhu Lin nodded and said to his sister-in-law beside him:

"Put the longevity lock on, I want to give it to Sister Huang's child."

Zhu Xian agreed and immediately ran into the main hall to get the things, including a large bag of maternity and baby supplies she had brought back from Hong Kong.

This was ordered long ago. Both Huang Huijie and Zhu Lin placed orders. Zhu Lin also receives regular royalties, so spending foreign exchange is not a big deal for her. She bought extra for herself and also for Huang Huijie.

Even though others have them too, sending them is a token of my appreciation.

When Fang Yan and his group arrived at the hospital and went to the rehabilitation department, many of the people there were Zhu Lin's old colleagues. When they saw her with her big belly, they all greeted her.

"Sister Linlin! You've finally arrived! Your belly looks bigger, are you about to give birth?"

Zhu Lin smiled and patted her belly, her tone relaxed: "That's right, it should be in the next few days, maybe it will start any day now."

At this point, their department head also said:

"Then you'd better keep a close eye on things. I'll send two colleagues to watch over you for the next few days, and send you to the hospital immediately if anything happens."

Zhu Lin quickly shook his head and said:

"Hey, why be so careful? It's too much trouble. There are a bunch of people at home watching me. Besides, it's just a short walk to the hospital, it'll be quick."

The department head then said:
"Then we'll clear out a room for you here too. Our rehabilitation department will have to keep an eye on things here, it's much quieter than the other departments."

Zhu Lin shook his head again:
"You're too kind. I'll just have to wait half a day for observation before going home. It's quieter at home."

Then she changed the subject and asked:
"By the way, is Sister Huang awake yet?" the nurse on duty asked.
"She's awake. She just went to the bathroom. Right now, Director He should be teaching her how to breastfeed."

"Then I'll go check on her and the child! You guys go ahead with your work," Zhu Lin said.

As they walked toward the ward, they heard the voice of He Huiru, an elderly woman speaking in a local dialect, as she was teaching Huang Huijie about breastfeeding and summarizing her experience.

They must have already fed the baby. Fang Yan and the others knocked on the door and heard Lao Hu's voice.

"Who?"

“Me!” Fang Yan replied.

When Lao Hu heard the dialect, he immediately opened the door and saw Zhu Lin arrive with her large pregnant belly. He quickly said:
"Ouch, watch your stomach!"

"I came to see Sister Huang and the child," Zhu Lin said.

As she spoke, she entered the ward, where the baby had already finished feeding and fallen asleep.

She was being held by Huang Huijie, with her mother, He Huiru, speaking in dialect, beside her.

"Sister Huang!" Zhu Lin walked over and greeted her.

Then she saw the baby in swaddling clothes and went up to praise him:
"Oh my, this child is so well-behaved!"

When Huang Huijie saw Zhu Lin approaching, she quickly adjusted her position to hold the child securely, a gentle smile appearing on her face:
"Linlin is here, come sit down, don't tire yourself out. Look at him, he fell asleep right after eating, he's not making a fuss at all."

He Huiru smiled and stood up to offer her seat, pulling over a chair for Zhu Lin.

"Yes, this child is very well-behaved. He didn't fuss much when I was feeding him just now."

Zhu Lin carefully approached the swaddling clothes, looked at the baby's pink and tender face, and couldn't help but gently touch his little hand:

"Oh my, these little hands are so chubby and cute! You can tell they have double eyelids even when their eyes are closed. They'll definitely grow up to be a beautiful girl."

Huang Huijie said with some regret:

"It's a pity it's not a boy..."

Old Hu, standing to the side, said:

"It's okay if it's not a boy, I'll love my daughter just the same."

Old Hu had already decided: male or female, it doesn't matter.

At this moment, Zhu Lin took out a longevity lock and handed it to Huang Huijie:
"Sister Huang, a longevity lock for the child."

This lock, crafted by a goldsmith from the Forbidden City, is engraved with exquisite lotus patterns, with the four small characters "Long Life and a Hundred Years" hanging in the center, and three tinkling silver bells adorning the edge, showing exceptional care.

Huang Huijie carefully placed the longevity lock beside her pillow, gently stroking it, and said to Zhu Lin:

“You’re always so thoughtful. I just gave birth, and you’re almost due yourself, yet you’re still thinking about preparing gifts for the baby. I’ll remember that kindness.”

Zhu Lin said with a smile:

"You're being so polite with me. We're practically family. It's only right."

Huang Huijie laughed and said:
"Yes... By the way, we've already talked to Director Liao about buying the courtyard house next door. He's already sent someone to do the work. If all goes well, our two families will be neighbors. We can then knock down the wall so our children can run back and forth between each other."

As soon as Huang Huijie said this, the atmosphere in the ward instantly became even more lively.

Zhu Lin's eyes lit up, and she subconsciously touched her belly: "Really? That's great! We'll be neighbors from now on, and the children can keep each other company, so my little one won't be lonely after he's born."

He Huiru also laughed:
"What a coincidence! Now that we live close by, I can often come over and help you take care of your children. It would be so lively if the two kids grew up together."

Old Hu nodded happily to the side:

“I told Huijie a long time ago that it would be convenient to visit your family if we could be neighbors. So I mentioned it to Director Liao, and he actually agreed to help make it happen. I believe it should work out.”

Huang Huijie looked down at the sleeping baby in her arms, her fingers gently stroking the baby's soft hair, her eyes full of tenderness. She then looked up at Zhu Lin and Fang Yan, pondering for a long time before speaking:
"Linlin, Fangyan, actually I have another idea, I don't know if you would be willing."

Fang Yan and Zhu Lin were taken aback. They exchanged a glance, and Zhu Lin smiled and said:
"Sister Huang, just say what's on your mind. We're all family, what can't we talk about?"

Huang Huijie took a deep breath, her tone carrying a hint of solemnity:

“Look, our two families get along so well. My child was born thanks to Fang Yan’s protection throughout the whole process. You could say that without Fang Yan, she wouldn’t exist. And since we’ll be neighbors in the future, I was thinking… could my daughter be recognized as your godparents?”

Upon hearing this, Zhu Lin was taken aback for a moment, then subconsciously grabbed Fang Yan's arm, glanced at him, and said:

"Really? Of course we'd love to! This child is so well-behaved, I'd be overjoyed to have her as my godmother!"

Fang Yan's gaze fell on the child's face:

"We have no objection to your trust in us. From now on, we will definitely treat this child as well as our own."

He Huiru couldn't stop smiling and leaned close to the child, whispering, "Oh my, the little girl has godparents now. There are two more people to dote on you. Isn't that wonderful?"

Seeing that they agreed so readily, Huang Huijie smiled and said:

"Actually, I've had this thought for a while. I saw that Fang Yan is a good doctor with good character, and Linlin is so kind. I thought that if my child could have some connection with you, he would definitely be safe and sound in the future."

After saying that, Huang Huijie gently handed the child to Zhu Lin and softened her voice even more: "Linlin, quickly touch her. Consider her your goddaughter now. From now on, we are family."

P.S.: I still owe you 22,000 words after finishing this chapter.

Continue tomorrow.

(End of this chapter)