"Should we call 120?" I asked uneasily from the sidelines. At that moment, I was just a gofer, utterly helpless.
"It's just mild heatstroke. No need... I'll call a doctor to give Auntie another shot..." Da Guo said while feeding Mom water. After finishing, he lowered Mom onto the bed, letting her lie flat on the pillow. He removed her shoes and left her resting there.
After settling her down, Da Guo instinctively pulled out his phone and made a call, clearly explaining her symptoms.
"I happen to have a contact for a clinic that does house calls. They'll be here soon. Auntie will be fine..." Da Guo said, wiping his own forehead.
"You... you should help Auntie take off her pants. Someone with heatstroke needs to have their clothes removed..." Reassured, Da Guo gave me a brief instruction before turning away from Mom's bedroom and heading to another room.
"This..." I found myself hesitating. Mom was wearing bell-bottom pants, and I felt awkward about proceeding.
But for Mom's safety, I had no choice. I undid her belt and pulled down her pants. I felt nervous during the process, but there was no time to think about it.
Underneath her pants, Mom wore a pair of regular underwear—nothing fancy.
Soon, an elderly female doctor arrived. She entered the room and immediately started Mom's IV drip.
I must admit, Da Guo had thought of everything. I'd been worried earlier—if a male doctor had come, would I need to cover Mom temporarily? After all, she was only wearing underwear and a bra.
After the female doctor set up the IV, Da Guo promptly settled the payment.
Shortly after the IV started, Mom began to regain consciousness.
"Xiao Yang, help Mom pack up the packages. They need to ship urgently..." she said, holding her forehead. I had already covered her with a light summer blanket and turned on the electric fan, so she wasn't exposed.
That she was still thinking about packing things showed just how demanding her work was.
"Knock knock..." Da Guo knocked cautiously on Mom's bedroom door.
"Come in..." I called out. Mom was now covered up, so she wasn't worried about Da Guo seeing her. Besides, he'd already seen her before—just not in person.
"Auntie, should we pack these boxes?" Da Guo stood in the doorway, holding several boxes as he asked Mom.
"Yes..." Mom glanced weakly at the boxes, slowly nodding. A flicker of embarrassment crossed her face.
Though she'd just suffered heatstroke, Mom was fully aware of everything that had happened. She understood Da Guo had orchestrated it all.
"Alright..." Da Guo then carried the boxes to pack and seal them, while I stayed by the bedside, still feeling a lingering sense of dread.
"Mom's fine..." Mom looked at me and said with a gentle smile.
"That scared me to death..." I really wanted to cry at that moment; what just happened had truly terrified me.
"It's just the heat, nothing unusual..." Mom said, stroking my hand.
"It's not normal..." Just then, Daguo's voice came from the doorway. He had sealed the package and placed it outside before stepping back in to address Mom.
"Auntie, it's extremely hot out. Please remember to ventilate the room. I noticed the doors and windows were tightly shut in the storage room earlier—that won't do. Also, make sure to drink plenty of water this summer. You might consider taking some Huoxiang Zhengqi Water daily. And you must have just done some physical labor without resting..." Da Guo stood at the doorway addressing Mom with great politeness.
Hearing Da Guo's words, I couldn't help but recall how Mom had gotten off the bus, carried those heavy shopping bags all the way home, and looked utterly exhausted upon arriving. She hadn't even had a drink of water before rushing into the storage room to work. That's why Mom...
"Don't underestimate heatstroke. Severe cases can be fatal... Thank goodness we caught it in time. If we'd found you just a little later... the consequences would have been unimaginable. Thankfully, both Xiao Yang and I were here..." Da Guo was now busy and drenched in sweat. He wiped the beads from his forehead as he spoke, having been constantly occupied.
"Thank you, Da Guo. You know so much..." Mom said with a faint smile directed at Da Guo, though her expression still held a hint of shyness.
After all, Da Guo had just helped her undress and used a towel to wipe her chest. Even though he'd been careful, in the rush, his towel-holding hand had inevitably brushed against her body. Since Da Guo was her junior and there were gender boundaries, Mom still felt a bit embarrassed.
But given the urgency of the situation and Da Guo's heroic rescue, Mom harbored no ill will toward him.
"It's okay, Auntie. I'm a sports scholarship student. This happened to me during intense workouts before, and my teammates often experience it too. So I know how to handle emergencies..." Da Guo scratched his head awkwardly.
"It's already noon. I can't cook for you now. Xiaoyang, I have money in my pocket. You and Daguo go out to eat..." Mom pointed to her pants pocket. She knew I'd never learned to cook since she'd always taken care of me.
"With you like this, we can't leave yet. I'll cook so Xiaoyang can keep looking after you..." After saying this, Daguo left Mom's bedroom, and soon the sounds of cooking filled the kitchen.
Watching Daguo leave, Mom couldn't help but shake her head with a bitter smile.
Both from single-parent families, Daguo was far more independent than me. He could cook, do laundry—everything. I couldn't manage any of it.
"Ah..." In the room, Mom let out a sigh, her expression tinged with worry.
"Mom, let me help you with chores from now on. Don't shoulder everything alone. What if something happened to you? What would I do then?" I said, holding Mom's hand. She had kept it from me before because the warehouse was full of adult products. Now that I knew, she should let me share the burden.
"Sales are booming now, and it is overwhelming. I considered hiring help, but... it's complicated. These items aren't understood by ordinary people, especially not your classmates. If word got out at school, you'd be ridiculed..." Mom offered a wry, resigned smile. I understood every word she said.
"Don't worry, Mom. No one else will find out..." I assured her firmly. I hadn't gossiped about it at school.
We chatted about other things for a bit. The IV drip finished quickly—just one set. Once it was done, Mom pulled out the needle herself.
"Alright, dinner's ready..." Just then, Da Guo walked in carrying the table. That huge wooden table seemed effortless for him to lift.
"Auntie, I made some mung bean soup for you. It's perfect for cooling down. You should make more of it to drink when you have time..." Da Guo brought in the dishes, serving Mom a bowl of the soup.
Mom had just bought the ingredients, and Da Guo had prepared quite a feast.
"Thank you..." Mom said with a smile, rising to her feet. But as she stood up, the summer quilt slipped off her body, revealing her upper torso—her snow-white shoulders and collarbone, her bra, her pale breasts, and the deep valley between them.
"Ah..." Mom seemed to have forgotten her clothes were off, momentarily exposing herself.
At that instant, Da Guo quickly turned his head away, averting his gaze before walking out of the bedroom.
"You can put your clothes back on..." Da Guo murmured softly as he exited.
Mom's cheeks flushed slightly. She glanced at Da Guo's retreating back, a flicker of satisfaction in her eyes—the kid knew when to back off. She then picked up her shirt and put it on. Though Mom didn't seem to notice me nearby, I still turned sideways, facing away from her.
"All right..." Mom murmured softly after dressing. Only then did Da Guo step back into the room.
It was just a minor incident—an abrupt little interlude.
"Da Guo's cooking is quite good..." Perhaps to ease the awkwardness, Mom sat up and remarked, glancing at the dishes on the table.
"But you haven't eaten yet, Auntie... How can you say it's good?" Da Guo appeared perfectly at ease as he sat down at the table.
"I can tell just by looking..." Mom replied with a smile, and the awkward tension dissolved instantly...
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