The younger sister mistakenly identified her brother when visiting relatives and was kissed by the c

Now it seems she was the one who underestimated her!

This isn't a country bumpkin at all! She's clearly a shrewd, intelligent, and meticulous young woman!

At this moment, Liu Hongmei had completely forgotten the unpleasantness of the broken engagement that day. The gloom on her face had mostly disappeared, and she responded with a genuine smile, "Oh, thank you so much! If it really is as you said, Auntie will definitely make a trip even in the rain!"

"Auntie, you're too kind," Qiao Xinxin said with a smile and a sincere tone. "Comrade Zhou is a hero who protects our country. This is just my duty, nothing more than a small favor."

Liu Hongmei paid the money, carefully put the medicine into her pocket, and looked at Qiao Xinxin with the affection of an elder looking at a younger generation.

Who wouldn't like a smart, thoughtful, sweet-looking, and graceful girl?

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but picture Qiao Mingzhu's face, which always looked pitiful but was actually full of cunning. She cursed inwardly.

How can the difference be so huge!

It's such a pity. If her Li Guang hadn't had that accident, she could have married such a wonderful girl as Qiao Xinxin.

With a sigh, Liu Hongmei knew that the person engaged to the Zhou family was Qiao Mingzhu, and had nothing to do with this good girl.

If Li Guang had been well before, she would have risked everything to have her son fight for the real daughter, but now…

Liu Hongmei felt terrible, her mind a jumbled mess, and she didn't even notice the dark, heavy clouds gathering in the sky or the raging winds that were suddenly sweeping in.

"call--"

As soon as she stepped into her house, a strong wind suddenly picked up outside, followed by a barrage of raindrops that seemed to fall from the sky like beads from a broken string.

Liu Hongmei suddenly came to her senses and turned to look outside in surprise.

The ground in the yard was soaked by the rain in the blink of an eye; the rain was torrential and the air was filled with mist.

That girl was absolutely right! It really did start raining heavily!

"Oh no! My Li Guang!"

Liu Hongmei slapped her thigh and rushed into her son's room in a panic.

She pushed open the door, and the scene before her eyes instantly stung her eyes—

Zhou Liguang was curled up on the bed, veins bulging on his forehead, his hands pounding his crippled leg.

Because of the extreme pain, he bit his lip tightly, and could only let out a suppressed cry of pain, forcing himself not to shout out.

"My son!"

This broke Liu Hongmei's heart, and tears welled up in her eyes.

She frantically pulled a medicine box from her pocket, her hands trembling as she tore open the packaging, poured out a painkiller, and without even bothering to pour water, shoved it directly into Zhou Liguang's mouth. "Quick! Swallow it! Swallow it and the pain will go away!"

Five minutes passed in what felt like an eternity.

The powerful painkiller finally took effect in his body, and the excruciating pain in Zhou Liguang's leg slowly subsided like a receding tide.

He lay sprawled on the bed, drenched in sweat, his chest heaving violently, his eyes tightly closed.

The once formidable soldier, who never shed a tear even when bleeding, now had tears silently streaming down his face, disappearing into his temples.

Liu Hongmei saw it all, and it felt like a knife was ripping into her heart.

She wanted to go over and hug her son to comfort him, but her outstretched hand paused in mid-air before she helplessly withdrew it.

She knew that her son was proud and couldn't stand other people's pity.

She forced back her tears, hastily wiped her face, and sat down on the edge of the bed, pretending to be relaxed. As if chatting casually, she recounted her unexpected encounter at the pharmacy that day: "Li Guang, you wouldn't believe it! I went to buy medicine today and ran into Qiao Xinxin, the real heiress of the Qiao family! That girl is amazing! I said I wanted to buy medicine, and not only did she know to get me some strong medicine, but she also specifically told me to pay attention to whether you seemed particularly uncomfortable on rainy days!"

At this point, Liu Hongmei clapped her hands, her face full of amazement, "She even said it was definitely going to rain today! Guess what? I had barely stepped into the house when it started pouring rain! Tell me, how come this country girl is so amazing and knowledgeable?"

Zhou Liguang had recovered by now, and he propped himself up on his arms to sit up in bed.

My eyes caught sight of the gray hairs that had appeared at my mother's temples, and my heart ached.

With a hoarse, dry voice, he forced a relaxed laugh and replied, "Really? I never expected that she's not only capable, but also knowledgeable in medicine."

As he spoke, a hint of self-mockery and coldness flashed in Zhou Liguang's deep eyes, and his tone gradually turned somber: "Back then, when Qiao Mingzhu first found out that she was the fake heiress who had been switched at birth, she immediately ran to my house crying. She told me herself that Qiao Xinxin was a wild country bumpkin who didn't know anything, had no manners, no tact, was both unsophisticated and stupid, and had a wicked heart..."

He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. "Back then, seeing her crying so pitifully, and knowing it was all her side of the story... I actually believed her!"

Looking back now, it's an absolute joke!

"The truly stupid and wicked person is Qiao Mingzhu!" Zhou Liguang gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with a clear-headed understanding. "For so many years, I thought she was a simple and kind girl. I was blind to have misjudged her! I never imagined she was the one who schemed the most!"

Hearing her son's words, Liu Hongmei felt a wave of relief mixed with lingering fear. "That's right! You wait here, that girl said she has some more suitable painkillers for you. I'll go to the pharmacy again to get them for you!"

"Mom, the rain is too heavy..."

"It's nothing! It's just a few steps!"

Without wasting a moment, Liu Hongmei grabbed the black oil-paper umbrella behind the door and rushed into the rain.

The rain outside was falling heavily and fast, and with a gust of wind, her trouser legs and shoes were soaked through after only a few steps.

But Liu Hongmei didn't care about any of that. All she felt was trust and gratitude for Qiao Xinxin, and she walked away quickly with her umbrella in hand.

Through the thick rain, the white signboard with black lettering of the state-run pharmacy finally came into view in the distance. She quickened her pace and stepped into the store.

Putting away the dripping umbrella, I looked up and saw Qiao Xinxin standing quietly behind the glass counter, her head down, her slender white fingers clicking away on the abacus, checking the accounts.

Hearing the noise at the door, Qiao Xinxin looked up.

When she saw Liu Hongmei, who was half-soaked, she was not surprised at all and immediately smiled.

Without asking any questions, she bent down and took out a small, tightly wrapped bag from under the counter, handing it out with both hands.

"Aunt Liu, I knew you would come, so I packed this medicine for you in advance. Inside is a box of capsules for relieving dampness and pain, and two boxes of plasters for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis."

Qiao Xinxin's voice was gentle, yet reassuringly firm. "You can apply the plaster to him anytime you get back; it's for dispelling cold and dampness. But the capsules can only be taken when the pain is severe. Remember, absolutely no more than two a day."

Liu Hongmei took the clean medicine packet with both hands, feeling a surge of heat in her eyes and a complex mix of emotions.