"Child, if you want to help someone, then help them. How can you accept their things?" Bai Daliang said disapprovingly.
"That's what I said too, but they said it's just a small token of appreciation. They don't lack these things. Also, they asked me to come and visit his mother every couple of days. He said he's often not at home and is worried about his mother's safety! They said that he'll give me $10 a month!" Bai Xue put on an act.
"Huh? He just needs you to check in on his mother every couple of days without doing anything. Why is he giving you so much money?" Bai Daliang was about to sit up.
"Dad, didn't I tell you? He has the money! Besides, I have to come every two days. It's 30 miles from home, so it's not easy to walk back and forth."
"When the time comes, I can make the trip for you, right? Tell me where the old lady is living! I will come over to take a look!"
"No, don't, Dad! She might be a family member of a high-ranking official. He probably only asked since I saved her today. They probably don't let random people into their place, right?" Bai Xue knew her father would say this and already came up with an excuse.
"Is that so? Then are you okay with this? We don't really have to take the job!" Bai Daliang looked at his thin daughter and said worriedly.
"I'm fine, Dad! I can even handle farm work, so walking is no big deal, right? It's $10. Once I have the money, my younger siblings won't have to suffer from hunger and cold, right? I don't mind making the trip even if it's long. I'm your eldest daughter, so I have to take care of them! Besides, I've already agreed to this!" Bai Xue suddenly felt she was praiseworthy.
"It's all my fault for being useless and making you suffer!" Bai Daliang began to blame himself again.
"Alright, Dad. I'm sure things will get better in the future. This is how the socioeconomic environment is now. No one can help it, right?"
Bai Daliang did not quite understand the word "socioeconomic environment", but the big words and promises his daughter made suddenly made his mood lift.
Second Uncle drove the ox car over. When he got there, it was already past one o'clock. Bai Daliang was also done with the IV drip. Doctor Zhao came in, gave them two bottles of medicine, and told Bai Xue to settle the hospital fees.
"Qiyue, my father is going to be discharged from the hospital. Can you settle the bill for me?" Bai Xue asked as if they were close friends.
"Alright! I'll help you settle it immediately!" Chen Qiyue smiled widely when she saw that it was Bai Xue.
The scented moisturizing cream she bought for $5 was very good and smelled nice.
Her already-married sister came home to visit and loved the scented moisturizing cream and kept begging for it. She felt extremely smug about it.
In the past, it was always her sister who showed off. This time, Chen Qiyue could finally do it.
Moreover, the 20 catties of grain she bought back were very high quality and many times better than the usual grain supply. Therefore, her mother did not say anything about her spending $5 on scented moisturizing cream. She even praised her for being smart and resourceful.
Actually, her family was not short of money. Her father was the head of the milk powder factory, but in this era, there was a general lack of clothes and food. Even if they had money, a lot of things were scarce.
"Xue, the hospital bills add up to $17.84. I'll return the rest of the money to you!" Chen Qiyue said after calculating for a while.
"Okay!" Bai Xue replied politely.
Soon, Chen Qiyue returned the change, but before Bai Xue could turn around, she spoke mysteriously.
"Xue, do you have anything else to sell? If you do, I'm interested in buying them. The scented moisturizing cream was awesome and I loved it!"
Bai Xue thought for a moment and did not agree immediately. Chen Qiyue had seen her father and knew where Bai Xue was from, so it was not safe to sell things to her.
Before she could say anything, Chen Qiyue interrupted and said, "Don't worry. I know your identity has to be kept secret! I understand! I won't even tell anyone who I bought the stuff from!"
"Alright, if I do get my hands on anything good, I will tell you about it!" Bai Xue finally agreed.
"Alright! I have money, so remember to show me what you have, including food supplies!" said Chen Qiyue happily.
"Alright, I'll get going then!" Bai Xue turned around and returned to the ward.
Bai Daliang was ready to go and Bai Dajiang had prepared the ox cart by placing their blanket on it. Bai Xue supported her father and walked out slowly with the things she had taken from the supermarket, afraid that Bai Dajiang would fall.
When they passed by the cashier, Chen Qiyue smiled and waved at her. Bai Xue also waved back politely.
On the way back, Bai Xue did not walk beside the ox cart anymore. She sat down beside her father, so she could cover herself with the blanket. However, the blanket was not warm, and she was still freezing the entire way.
When they reached home and entered the courtyard, a few small children ran out.
"Dad, Big Sis, you're back. Dad, are you alright?" Bai Ruyun, the oldest among them, spoke first.
"Dad, are you okay?"
"Big Sis, are you cold?"
The little ones asked one after another.
"Alright, alright, don't ask anymore. Hurry up and let Dad in. His head is still injured! He has to recuperate well!" Bai Xue used her hand to pull the four little ones aside to make room for Bai Daliang and walked into the house.
"Big Sis, let me hold Father!" Bai Ruxia pushed Bai Xue aside and held onto Bai Daliang.
"Big Sis, let me carry it for you!" Bai Rushan took the bag from Bai Xue.
Bai Xue also passed the bag to Bai Rushan.
The group of people walked into the house. Bai Xue turned around and saw Bai Dajiang driving the ox cart out.
"Second Uncle, let's go inside and warm up before returning the ox cart!" Bai Xue stopped and shouted.
"I should return the ox cart as soon as possible! I don't want anything to go wrong!" Bai Dajiang did not stop as he drove the cart out.
"Then come to our house for dinner later!" Bai Xue shouted again.
"Didn't we already eat? I'll pass. Hurry up and enter the house, Xue. It was so cold on our way home!" As he spoke, the ox wheels crunched on the snow as they walked toward the battalion.
Bai Xue did not insist. She quickly turned around and ran into the house.
When Bai Xue entered the house, Wang Cuihua was crying while looking at her man's head.
"Mom, stop crying! You just gave birth, so you shouldn't get emotional!" Bai Xue hurried forward to comfort her
"That's right, Mom. Your body is weak. You just woke up after fainting. If you cry like this, the two eggs you ate will go to waste, right? If you don't recover, the babies can't have any breast milk!" Bai Ruxia was a straightforward person, so she spoke candidly.
"Alright… I won't cry anymore. It's good that your father is back! I'm just glad he's back!" Wang Cuihua quickly wiped her tears.
"Cuihua, how are you? I heard from Xue that you fainted. I'm so worried!" asked Bai Daliang as his children helped him to the bed.
"I'm fine. I just saw you lying on the ground with blood all over your head. I fainted out of anxiety…" The couple chatted between themselves.
Bai Xue did not join in their conversation. She turned around and took out a packet of candy from the cloth bag that Bai Rushan was holding and distributed them to her younger siblings.
"Come on. I have candy for you. Two each. Come and get them!"
As soon as Bai Xue said this, the four little ones immediately ran over happily. However, they did not compete and waited obediently for their eldest sister to hand out the candy.
The two younger sisters were 13 years old, and the two younger brothers were 10 years old. The four of them were originally studying, and the two girls were about to enter junior high school, but their grandmother made them stop school and took the money. Now, they had started to work as well. Although children at their age loved candy, they were very sensible and never asked for them.