Chapter 275 "Director Liang, long time no see. I didn't expect it would be you coming here..." Xi Zhixia was also surprised that the person coming was Liang Zhiwei, but she soon adjusted her expression.
"Yes, long time no see." Liang Zhiwei glanced at Old Pei, who was vigilantly looking at him, and smiled bitterly. He didn't hide anything and then asked Zhixia, "Comrade An, I'm sorry to bother you this time. My wife wants to see you. I wonder if it's convenient for you?"
Liang Zhiwei looked even more exhausted than he did a month ago. His former spirit and vigor were gone. If he used to be compared to a jackal, then now he was a beast that had been completely crushed.
It was Zhao Jingyun who wanted to see her. Zhixia instantly thought of Old Zhao.
After all, apart from the few literacy classes, she and Zhao Jingyun didn't have much contact, even less than she had with Liang Zhiwei. She shouldn't have any reason to look for her.
"Is Teacher Zhao's health okay?" Zhixia asked deliberately, knowing full well that she could not be okay.
Sure enough, a flash of pain crossed Liang Zhiwei's eyes. "The doctor said she doesn't have many days left."
Over the years, they had always seen doctors properly. He had tried every possible way to cure her. Even the doctors said that his wife's body showed no major problems in the checkups, but she just never recovered and would have attacks from time to time.
In recent days, it had become more serious.
Zhixia thought about it and decided to go see her after all, if only to give Zhao face.
She turned her head to Old Pei and said indifferently, "Dad, Teacher Zhao was my teacher in the literacy class before. She helped me a lot. Now that she is in poor health, I should go see her out of personal affection and moral obligation. Please watch the children for me."
"Okay, then you go," Old Pei said when he heard that Zhixia had history with Liang Zhiwei's wife.
He didn't have much dealings with Liang Zhiwei, but in recent years, anyone would know the name of Director Liang from the Thought Reform Committee.
Although his position was not high, his power was not small. Many with higher positions than his had been brought down by him, and the lucky ones were still living in detention houses. As for the unlucky ones, they were afraid they couldn't even keep their lives.
Zhixia pushed her bike out the door, and Liang Zhiwei hurried to catch up.
Once outside, Liang Zhiwei stopped Zhixia from riding her bike and said, "Comrade An, I have some more things I want to tell you, about what to pay attention to when you see my wife."
Not having seen each other for years and having no vested interests between them, their terms of address had also become estranged.
"Go ahead," Zhixia nodded.
"When you were young in Anle Village, did you know an old man surnamed Zhao?" When Liang Zhiwei asked this question, his eyes stared tightly at Zhixia. It seemed to have nothing to do with Zhao Jingyun at all, if Zhixia didn't know the relationship between Old Zhao and Zhao Jingyun.
"There was a Grandpa Zhao who was very kind to me. Director Liang should also know my family background. I was abused by the Gao family at that time. I often sneaked up the hillside alone and met Grandpa Zhao cutting pigweed a few times. He said I looked like his daughter and kept persuading me. He also took good care of me..." Because their situations were so bad at that time, they really couldn't help each other.
It was just that she was so oppressed at that time and felt particularly sad when she went to talk to Old Zhao. He always persuaded her patiently.
But the good times didn't last long. As she grew older, the Gao family controlled her more strictly. In the end, they hardly let her go out the door. Meanwhile, Old Zhao also went to his death under the heavy physical labor.
Liang Zhiwei sighed, but he didn't look happy at all. "The Grandpa Zhao you knew was my father-in-law, my wife's father."
"So Teacher Zhao wants to see me because of Grandpa Zhao?" Zhixia felt it was very ironic. From Jincheng to Anle Village was just a short drive, but Old Zhao didn't live to see his own daughter come to visit him.
Liang Zhiwei did not deny it. Instead, he carefully explained, "My wife is the only daughter in the family. She loved her father very much. When the old man had the accident, she was in poor health, and I didn't dare let her know about the situation. I lied to her that the old man's side was all taken care of so that she wouldn't worry. It wasn't until a few years ago that she learned of her father's death, which weighed on her mind. I hope you can comfort her more and make her believe that the spirit of the old man in heaven wouldn't want his beloved daughter to keep feeling guilty for not being able to accompany him when she was plagued by grief. Don't you agree?"
Liang Zhiwei stared at Zhixia so solemnly that she realized she seemed to be threatened.
Zhixia smiled and said thoughtfully, "Liang Zhiwei is so good to Teacher Zhao."
"Of course, she's my wife," Liang Zhiwei really loved Zhao Jingyun. Just mentioning her name would make his eyes gentle.
Things went faster after getting on the bike. Liang Zhiwei didn't mind that Zhixia hadn't directly agreed to his words. He was still a little arrogant. It was uncertain whether An Zhixia would dare or necessarily want to oppose him.
During their dealings in previous years, he saw that this girl looked simple on the surface but had no shortage of careful thoughts underneath.
Especially regarding the situation of An Meiyun being bitten to death by venomous bugs in broad daylight in the detention room, he still had great doubts about it to this day. Liang Zhiwei's home was a staff building. Although there were only two people living there, it was a 3-room apartment assigned to him after the fall of the Zhao family when he joined Thought Reform Committee.
He took out his keys and opened the door for Zhixia to see the interior layout for the first time.
The house was well laid out and should have been full of sunshine, but because the curtains were drawn, it looked rather gloomy.
As soon as they stepped inside, continuous coughing could be heard coming from the bedroom.
Liang Zhiwei put down his keys and bag on the table without even greeting Zhixia. He hurried to the bedroom.
"Jingyun, are you okay?" He busied himself checking on his wife's condition and helped her drink some water. No matter who witnessed this, he looked like a good husband.
Zhao Jingyun was coughing too hard to speak and could only weakly shake her head.
Zhixia stood in the doorway, watching this scene quietly.
After a long time, when Zhao Jingyun's condition stabilized, Liang Zhiwei spoke again, "Jingyun, didn't you want to see Comrade An? I brought her here for you."
Only then did Zhao Jingyun notice Zhixia standing at the door. She struggled to liven herself up and beckoned to her.
Zhixia walked in and finally got a clear look at Zhao Jingyun's face.
Compared to a month ago, her condition had worsened. Her body was as thin as firewood. Lying in bed like this made her look more like struggling before death.
"Teacher Zhao, how are you feeling?" Zhixia grasped her bony hand and could profoundly feel that there was not the slightest bit of flesh on it, just skin clinging to the bones.
Zhao Jingyun didn't answer Zhixia's question. She was too weak to say more than one sentence without great effort and wanted to save her strength for important matters.
"Old Liang, I want to talk to Zhixia alone for a few words." She looked at Liang Zhiwei with clouded eyes.
Liang Zhiwei was somewhat reluctant, but his wife's pleading eyes made him have to compromise. "Alright, you can chat in the room. I'll go out first, but you have to promise me to take it easy and not get too emotional, okay?"
Zhao Jingyun nodded weakly, and he got up to leave.
However, in the moment he turned around, his eyes were fixed tightly on Zhixia's face, the threatening implication even more obvious.
Zhixia only frowned at Zhao Jingyun as if she were truly worried about her.