Volume One, Chapter 16: Taking the Initiative to Care for Elder Su

Mother Su and Second Brother Su both turned to look at Su Ningxia, whose face showed no emotion. Second Brother Su raised an eyebrow. “Xiaxia, what do you mean by this?” Mother Su immediately complained, “Your eldest brother is in such a state—don’t you feel any sadness at all?”

“Mom, Second Brother, you’re blocking the doctor,” Su Ningxia reminded them.

Only then did they realize the doctor had been kept waiting outside for quite some time, and a wave of awkwardness washed over them.

At last, Mother Su and Second Brother Su stepped aside to let the doctor in. The doctor examined Eldest Brother Su’s leg, and as he did, Second Brother Su whimpered, “Doctor, you must save my leg! I can’t live without it!”

“Your injury isn’t serious. As long as you rest properly, you won’t be crippled,” the doctor replied.

The members of the Su family breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Just then, Su Ningxia spoke: “Since you think I’m not caring enough toward my eldest brother, I’ll stay here alone and look after him. Mom is getting older and isn’t well, and Second Brother is still studying medicine. I’m the only one with nothing much to do.”

“And you—you’re our full-time daughter, after all,” Second Brother Su added with a faint smile.

“Big Brother, when you recover, don’t forget about your little sister,” Su Ningxia said softly.

In truth, Su Tingxue had no desire to care for the patient. But the thought that Su Ningxia might take all the credit unsettled her, especially when she saw the gratitude on Big Brother’s and Mother’s faces.

Sensing trouble, she hurried to volunteer. “I’ll take care of Big Brother.”

Su Ningxia raised an eyebrow. “But you’re clumsy, Sis. What if you make his injury worse?”

Mother Su, who had never wanted Su Tingxue to do such chores, quickly took her by the arm. After a moment’s hesitation, she said, “You’re still young, and you suffered so much in the countryside. Let your elder sister handle this.”

Second Brother Su chimed in, “You stay home so Mom can be at ease.”

Yet, of all of them, Second Brother Su was actually the most capable of caring for their eldest brother. He’d studied medicine for years. Even if he was a bit of a dilettante, looking after Eldest Brother would have been no trouble for him.

Unfortunately, he was unwilling. His only concern was for himself. Su Ningxia had witnessed this all too clearly in her previous life. Even toward her, his own sister, Second Brother Su saw only someone to use, stepping on her to climb higher.

Anything he didn’t want to do, he’d push onto her.

Meeting Su Ningxia’s gaze, Second Brother Su turned his head away, his expression instantly turning cold.

“Tingxue will be here. You help keep an eye on things,” he said.

Su Ningxia nodded. “I know. After all, she’s my little sister too.”

Su Tingxue stepped up to Eldest Brother’s bedside, but she had no idea what caring for a patient actually required. The monotony of hospital life soon bored her. When she saw Su Ningxia about to bring something over to please Eldest Brother, anger flared within her. She stormed over and snatched the lunch box from Su Ningxia’s hands.

“I’ll do it myself. Go away—you’ll only get in the way!”

Everyone in the room heard her words clearly.

It was Su Tingxue who drove Su Ningxia out.

Su Ningxia was happy to have one less burden—wasn’t it better not to be needed?

“Remember to change Big Brother’s dressing. His leg needs to be redressed three times a day, understand?” she reminded.

Changing dressings was tedious work. Su Tingxue had no intention of doing it and only nodded perfunctorily.

Then she walked over to Eldest Brother, glanced at his leg, and saw the bandages were still clean—someone must have tended it. She paid it no further mind.

Three days later, a scream tore through the ward.

Eldest Brother’s wound had become inflamed and began to fester.

At that moment, Su Tingxue was strolling through the military camp with Fu Zhilin, not sparing a thought for her brother. It was Su Ningxia who came by to deliver food and personally tended to Eldest Brother.

When Eldest Brother opened his eyes and saw his sister, tears welled up. “Xiaxia, you’re the only one who truly cares about me.”

Su Ningxia pressed her lips together. If he knew she cared, why had he been so cold and heartless toward her in their past life?

She laughed bitterly to herself.

While feeding him soup, she deliberately asked, “Big Brother, how’s your leg?”

Eldest Brother frowned. “I can’t feel a thing. I don’t know what’s going on. I’ve been dizzy these past few days too.”

Su Ningxia understood. Su Tingxue had certainly not changed the dressings even once. She’d even spiked the soup with a dash of wine to mask the smell, but for a patient, even a little alcohol would cause inflammation that refused to heal.

Without regular dressing changes, his condition would only worsen.

Right then, Su Tingxue stormed in, her face twisted with anger. She knocked the bowl from Su Ningxia’s hands, and the soup splattered over Eldest Brother’s injured leg, making him suck in a breath from the pain.

“Tingxue, what are you doing?” Eldest Brother cried.

“Brother, she’s just trying to win your favor. I’m the one who’s been caring for you all this time. Don’t mistake her for me!” Su Tingxue pulled Su Ningxia aside. “I’ll look after my brother myself. You get out!”

Su Ningxia only smiled.

“Big Brother, it seems Tingxue is very eager to look after you. Don’t forget to change his dressing,” she reminded.

“Why do you keep nagging? You’ve told me a million times—I know how to do it!” Su Tingxue snapped, though in her mind she thought, The nurse will do it anyway.

Eldest Brother, on the other hand, enjoyed the rare attention from his sisters.

But by the next day, his leg had become ulcerated.

A foul, rotten stench filled the air. The bandage on the outside was fresh, but underneath, the wound was in ruins.

Eldest Brother was given an antibiotic injection.

The whole family hovered around him, anxiously watching as the bandages were removed. Su Tingxue, meanwhile, was in a panic. When she saw the festering wound, she froze, then began screaming at Su Ningxia.

“Su Ningxia, weren’t you supposed to help me care for Brother? He was fine when I was around. How did he end up like this when it was your turn?”

Su Ningxia pressed her lips together, her gaze fixed on Su Tingxue.

Under that intense stare, Su Tingxue shivered.

“What are you glaring at? Mom, look what she’s done to Brother—it’s all her fault!”

Mother Su’s resentful gaze fell on Su Ningxia. Second Brother Su and Third Brother Su did the same. They’d never expected Su Ningxia to be so neglectful. Her usual mischief was one thing, but now she didn’t even care about her own brother.

Su Ningxia turned to the doctor. “How is his leg?”

The doctor shook his head. “He hasn’t had his dressings changed at all, so the wound has worsened. Now the tissue here can’t heal—it will require surgery to remove the dead flesh, and there’s a strong possibility he’ll be left with a disability, perhaps a permanent limp.”

Mother Su stood frozen in disbelief at such news.

Su Tingxue slipped out of her mother’s embrace, marched up to Su Ningxia, and raised her hand—

With a loud slap, she struck her hard.

All eyes turned toward the sound.

The young girl’s face was left bright red, with a distinct handprint. Realizing what had happened, Mother Su rushed to shield her daughter, shouting, “What are you doing?”