"Xiao Bo, don't worry about your family. Don't send all the money you earn. Take care of yourself. I will take care of your father," said Xiao Bo's mother.
"Well, Mom, please persuade Dad to go to the hospital for treatment," Xiao Bo replied.
After saying a few words to his mother, Xiao Bo hung up the phone. Tears streamed down his face like broken strings. His father had liver cancer, but the family couldn't afford the high treatment cost, so they could only endure at home.
Xiao Bo had inquired about the cost of treating liver cancer. It would cost 500,000 yuan in the first year and 350,000 yuan in the second year. In other words, at least 850,000 yuan was needed to cure his father's disease. For him, this was an astronomical figure.
However, for his father's sake, he was determined to raise this money.
"Xiao Bo! Xiao Bo! What are you doing? Are you being lazy again? Hurry up and serve good tea to the guests!" A shout pulled Xiao Bo out of his thoughts.
"Okay, I'm coming!" Xiao Bo quickly replied.
Xiao Bo wiped away his tears, forced a smile, and ran out, saying, "Coming!"
Xiao Bo poured a cup of tea for the guests. It was Mingqian Longjing. This was the rule of Goodzhai. The boss would give different cues according to the status of the guests, and Xiao Bo had to pour tea accordingly.
For an ordinary - status guest ("Pour tea"), Biluochun was enough. For a guest of a higher - status ("Pour good tea"), Xinyang Maojian was needed. If the boss shouted "Serve good tea", then Mingqian Longjing was required.
It was rare for the store to serve Mingqian Longjing. After serving the tea, Xiao Bo took a look at the guest. The guest was about fifty years old and was chatting with the boss. There was a blue - and - white mallet - shaped vase on the table.
The blue - and - white mallet - shaped vase had a deep - colored porcelain body and a slightly dark glaze. It was quite good, but it seemed that the boss was giving excessive courtesy by using Mingqian Longjing.
Xiao Bo quickly made an assessment. After graduating from high school and failing to enter college, he became an apprentice in an antique shop. It was now his second year. Although the boss was usually unwilling to teach him, through his own study, Xiao Bo had still learned a lot of antique knowledge.
However, this knowledge was of no use at the moment. It was impossible for him to cut in, buy the vase, and then resell it. Cutting in like this would break the rules and be boycotted by all antique shops. Besides, he didn't have the capital.
His monthly salary was 1,800 yuan. To save money for his father's treatment, he lived in the store and sent 1,500 yuan back to his family every month. But it was still far from enough.
The 850,000 yuan was like a huge boulder pressing on Xiao Bo's chest.
The guest and the boss negotiated for a while, and soon the boss sold the mallet - shaped vase with his glib tongue. Both parties paid and signed the contract.
After the guest left, the boss, Guo Bapi, walked around the mallet - shaped vase with a satisfied smile on his face. Seeming to want to share his pride but having no one to do so, he couldn't help showing off to Xiao Bo, "This mallet - shaped vase was made in the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty. Although it is far inferior to those of the previous dynasties, buying it for 50,000 yuan and reselling it can double the price. Hehe!"
Guo Bapi carried the mallet - shaped vase towards the inner room. He wanted to put the vase in the safe.
Xiao Bo gave a reluctant smile to the boss, thinking to himself, 50,000 yuan! If he had this money, his father could be hospitalized for treatment first.
When it was noon and time to get off work, Xiao Bo went out to buy a boxed lunch. Guo Bapi usually only gave him twenty yuan for lunch. A boxed lunch cost ten yuan per person. To save money, Xiao Bo would use his ten - yuan share to buy five - yuan fried rice, so that he could save money for dinner.
It was noon, the sun was blazing, and there were not many pedestrians on the road. Xiao Bo walked on the road, still thinking about his father's illness. At this moment, he wondered if he should quit his job and go to a construction site. Although working on a construction site was harder, he could earn more at least.
Looking down at his rather thin body, Xiao Bo hesitated.
"Little brother, have mercy on me! I haven't eaten for three days!" Xiao Bo suddenly heard a voice by the roadside.
He turned his head and saw an old man in ragged clothes leaning against the steps, with sweat on his forehead.
After a slight hesitation in his heart, Xiao Bo didn't look back and turned to continue walking forward. He could hardly take care of himself, so how could he have the energy to help others at this time?
He thought, if he did a good deed every day and prayed sincerely, would his father's illness get better?
Xiao Bo's heart was moved. 850,000 yuan was too far out of reach, and he had no idea how to get it. He could only place his hope on the gods, hoping to move them.
When he walked back again, Xiao Bo had a lunch box in his hand. He gently placed a box of fried rice in front of the old beggar without saying a word.
The old beggar looked up at Xiao Bo and said, "Thank you, little brother. You are very kind."
Xiao Bo nodded slightly, turned around, and was about to go back. He had to consider whether to have dinner or not.
"Little brother, wait a minute!" Xiao Bo suddenly heard the beggar's voice behind him.
He turned around and saw the old beggar holding out a green glass bead, "Little brother, this is for you."
Xiao Bo looked at it. The bead was irregularly shaped. In the sunlight, it had a somewhat smooth and round appearance. However, he knew very well that such a glass bead was not valuable, though it was more expensive than fried rice. He quickly shook his head and said, "I can't take it."
"Little brother, just accept it," said the old beggar, holding the fried rice in one hand and handing the glass bead to Xiao Bo with the other. "I picked it up accidentally, and no one wants it anyway. It's better to give it to you, a kind - hearted young man."
After saying that, the old beggar turned and left.
Xiao Bo was stunned for a moment and then shook his head. How strange!
As soon as Xiao Bo took the glass bead, he felt a cool sensation in his eyes. Then, every cell in his body felt as if it was soaked in ice - cold water, feeling very comfortable.
After some time, Xiao Bo came to his senses. After an unknown period of time, he quickly ran back with the lunch box.
When he arrived at the store, Guo Bapi scolded him immediately, "What's wrong today? Why did you take so long? Do you know that time is money? You are wasting my time, do you know?"
Xiao Bo nodded slightly and said, "The business at the boxed - lunch store was very busy today, and I had to wait in line."
"Did you go to help a beautiful girl? Are you attracted to the daughter of the boxed - lunch store owner?"
Xiao Bo didn't say anything. He had indeed gone there to help before, just to save money on a meal, and he had no other intentions. However, Guo Bapi always misunderstood him, and he didn't bother to explain.
Guo Bapi snorted and took the boxed lunch and went into the store to eat.
Xiao Bo took out his portion of fried rice and disposable chopsticks. Suddenly, he thought of a question: Where was the glass bead?
The old beggar had handed the glass bead to him, and he had been holding it.
He looked up at the time. It was already one o'clock in the afternoon. He was half an hour later than usual. That meant he had stood there for half an hour.
But why didn't he sweat much?
Xiao Bo couldn't figure out the reason and didn't want to think about it anymore. He picked up his chopsticks and started eating the fried rice.