A whirlwind marriage with a high-ranking official: Lights out, don't force me to take the initi

Fang Ruijun hung up the phone, told his mother, and the two of them left the guesthouse.

A faint red glow remained on the horizon, the streetlights were not yet on, and the paths in the residential compound were shrouded in a hazy gray.

Zhao Chunfang walked ahead with her back straight. Although she was quite old, there wasn't a single gray hair on her head. Her black hair was neatly combed into a bun. Her thin face had few wrinkles, making her look younger than her actual age.

Fang Ruijun followed behind, carrying a bag of fruit that his mother had brought.

Wang Yingxue's family lived on the first floor, but they were reassigned later to make it easier for Han Yulan to come and go.

Fang Ruijun knocked on the door, and it opened quickly. He glanced inside instinctively, assuming it would be Wang Yingxue's military husband who opened the door.

Wang Yingxue stood at the door, wearing a light blue polyester shirt and her hair tied in a ponytail.

"Hello, Comrade Wang, sorry to bother you." Fang Ruijun nodded slightly.

"Comrade Fang, please come in." Wang Yingxue smiled politely and stepped aside.

Fang Ruijun stepped aside to let his mother go in first, and followed behind.

Zhao Chunfang had just stepped over the threshold when she paused, as if she had seen something and froze.

Fang Ruijun followed his mother's gaze and saw a scene that made his heart clench.

In the very center of the living room, a framed photo hangs on the wall. It has a black border and shows a young man in military uniform with handsome features and a slight smile on his lips.

Zhao Chunfang and Fang Ruijun quickly composed themselves, concealing their surprise and seriousness.

"Girl, here's the thing. Your aunt has been practicing traditional Chinese medicine for decades. Ruijun told me you have some needs here, so I thought I'd come and take a look before we discuss this in detail tomorrow. I need to make sure I can do this job; that's how I can be responsible to you," Zhao Chunfang said first.

"I don't live in this compound. He specifically brought me here for my interview tomorrow. I'm so sorry to bother you so late at night," the old lady said politely and considerately.

Wang Yingxue replied with a smile, "Auntie, it's alright. We don't sleep at this hour either. The fact that you came to see us early shows how much you value this matter, thank you so much. You even made a special trip from outside."

"Where is your mother? Can I see her?" Zhao Chunfang asked.

Wang Yingxue turned to the side and pointed to the inner room: "My mother is in the inner room. Aunt Zhao, please sit down first. I'll go help her out."

"No need, no need, I'll go in and take a look." Zhao Chunfang waved her hand. "The patient can't move easily, I can go in."

Wang Yingxue nodded and led Zhao Chunfang inside.

Fang Ruijun stood in the living room, not following them inside. His gaze fell on the photo frame again, lingered for a few seconds, and then looked away.

In the bedroom, Han Yulan lay on the bed, covered with a thin blanket. Her hair was gray and her face was deeply wrinkled.

When she saw the stranger come in, she tried to sit up, but Wang Yingxue quickly went over to support her, saying, "Mom, don't move, just lie down."

"Sister, I'm here to apply for a caregiver position." Zhao Chunfang walked to the bedside and pulled out the chair next to it. "Let me see your situation first, and then we'll see if it's suitable."

"I'm sorry to have troubled you to make this trip." Han Yulan nodded.

Zhao Chunfang lifted a corner of the thin blanket, gently lifted Han Yulan's leg, bent her knee, stretched her leg, and turned her ankle. Her movements were gentle but crisp and neat.

As she worked, she asked, "Can you lift this leg? How high can you lift it?"

Han Yulan tried to lift it, but could barely move it.

"What about this side?" Zhao Chunfang switched to her other leg.

"This one is better," Han Yulan said.

Zhao Chunfang then asked her to raise her hand, make a fist, and extend her fingers. She also inquired about her recent diet, sleep, and medication. She even asked Wang Yingxue to find and review her previous hospital records.

After going through the whole process, I had a general idea of ​​what to expect.

"Okay, I understand. I'll still go to the interview tomorrow, and we can talk more then." Zhao Chunfang straightened up.

"I still don't know your surname, Auntie," Wang Yingxue asked politely.

Zhao Chunfang: "Girl, you can just call me Aunt Zhao. My name is Zhao Chunfang."

Wang Yingxue: "Aunt Zhao, what do you think of my mother?"

Zhao Chunfang: "It's clear that her condition was quite serious at first. She's been taken very good care of during this time, and her recovery is going well; she's just in the optimal recovery period."

"You need to keep up with nutrition, exercise, and rehabilitation. If you persevere, there's a high chance you'll be able to recover and live independently." Zhao Chunfang paused, then stopped talking.

She didn't mention that this was on the condition that she would take over the task herself, since it wasn't an interview and saying too much would sound like she was trying to sell herself.

"I'm just here tonight to get a feel for the situation. We'll see about the specifics tomorrow. You don't need to rush to say whether you want me or not." She patted Wang Yingxue's shoulder. "Then we'll be going. Sorry to bother you."

Fang Ruijun stood at the door the whole time, without going inside, just waiting quietly.

His gaze would occasionally fall on Wang Yingxue, then back to the portrait on the wall, shifting back and forth several times.

As the mother and son left Wang Yingxue's house and walked out of the building, Zhao Chunfang finally spoke, her tone reproachful: "Why didn't you tell me she was a martyr's widow?"

"I didn't know. I only found out when I came in." Fang Ruijun lowered his head, his face expressionless.

"I was wondering before, why would your military region specifically recruit caregivers from outside? How high-ranking must they be?" Zhao Chunfang glanced at her son. "Didn't you even bother to find out beforehand?"

"Whether you understand or not, it doesn't matter. It's an internal matter within the military region, and there won't be any issues of principle," Fang Ruijun said firmly.

Zhao Chunfang glared at him. This son is good in every way, except he's a bit stubborn and speaks with a sharp tongue.

"That's different. If I had known she was a martyr's widow, I wouldn't have come alone. I definitely have to take this job; I have to take good care of her no matter what." Zhao Chunfang's tone was very firm.

When she saw that black and white photo today, and looked at Wang Yingxue's young face again, she felt a sudden tightness in her heart.

Today she understood why the military region was giving this paralyzed patient "special care".

Military family members are often more able to understand and empathize with the hardships and difficulties faced by the widows of martyrs than others.

Like the other kind-hearted military families in the compound, everyone was eager to help such a young family of a martyr.

Fang Ruijun turned to look at her: "You've already made up your mind? You're willing to stay here with the army?"

"That depends on whether they want me or not," Zhao Chunfang said.

"Understood."

Zhao Chunfang took a few steps, then sighed again: "She looks really young in that photo. This girl must be in her early twenties, right?"

"Oh dear, poor child..." Zhao Chunfang sighed, then continued, "But she takes good care of her mother. Otherwise, her mother wouldn't have recovered so quickly. I can tell from her that she's very clean and tidy; this girl is a filial child."

"Didn't you say she worked at a garment factory? Working and taking care of her mother at the same time? Oh my, that must be tiring."

Zhao Chunfang muttered to herself, one sentence after another.

Fang Ruijun didn't say a word, just listened silently with no expression on his face.

But every time his mother uttered a sentence, the image of Wang Yingxue, who matched her perfectly, would automatically appear in his mind.

And the resolute expression on her face...