Orochimaru Changes the Plot

It turned out that several years ago, Old Zhao was arranging his wife's funeral when a colleague at the funeral sighed and told him that caring for a seriously ill wife for five years had truly not been easy. As Old Zhao smoked, he sighed that he had finally learned what hell was during that time. Life caring for his gravely ill wife had been a living hell. For five years, he had slept poorly and eaten poorly, while also needing to care for his wife, cook meals, and earn money to support the family. Old Zhao said that what he wanted most now was to sleep properly, to sleep until he woke naturally. That was his only wish. His colleague sighed deeply upon hearing this and felt that Old Zhao truly had it hard. Though people could say whatever they pleased, only those who had cared for seriously ill patients could understand Old Zhao's bitterness. There was an old saying: "After a long illness, no child remains filial at the bedside." This proverb had circulated for a long time and reflected the real difficulties of human nature under prolonged pressure. It did not completely deny children's filial devotion; it was simply that caring for patients—especially disabled elderly people and those severely ill, paralyzed, and unable to move—required being on call twenty-four hours a day. Long-term sleep deprivation and physical exhaustion could leave one utterly drained in body and mind, even causing depression or anxiety. Moreover, initial concern could gradually be worn away by repetitive caregiving, turning into numbness or irritation. Thus, most people suffered terribly while caring for patients with long-term disabilities. Old Zhao had cared for his wife for five whole years, so his emotions at this moment were complicated and heavy. He did not even know what