Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 1051 Parents

Xiao Hong said, "Tell Lina to tell your mother that she has to go, or the marriage will be called off. Tell her that she doesn't want to stay in the county town, just say that."

Liu Liu said, "It's no use. My parents told us to go over there and live there."

Xiao Hong said, "How silly! What kind of situation would that be? Not supporting your parents? Wouldn't people gossip about you? How could you live like that?"

Liu Liu paused for a moment, then said, "Yeah, I'm an only child. Does that mean I'm not supporting my parents?"

Xiao Wei put his hand on Liu Liu's shoulder and said, "Alright, let's go. I'm going to see my aunt. You're usually so clever, why are you acting like a pig right now?"

Liu Liu said, "Nonsense! You're so capable, but you're still a coward in front of your aunt. You dare to talk back?"

I went up to the third floor. The hallway wasn't warm either, with drafts coming in from all directions, and the strong smell of disinfectant irritated my nose.

Upon arriving at the ward, we found four patients. Liu Liu's mother was in the middle, Lina was sitting on the edge of the bed peeling an orange, and a little girl on another bed was watching longingly and swallowing her saliva.

These days, winter fruits aren't something everyone can afford. It's a bit better in the city, but in small towns like this, fruits are practically a luxury.

"You eat it, I'm not eating it, I don't really like it," Liu Liu's mother said to Lina, leaning against the pillow.

Lina said, "Auntie, you're really something! You've been dawdling over these few oranges for ages, can't you just listen to me?"

Xiao Wei went over and asked, "Auntie, what's wrong? What's wrong?"

Lina stood up: "Xiaowei, Xiaohong, what brings you here?"

Liu Liu's mom said, "It's an old problem. I told them not to come to the hospital, and they started acting up. They'll get better after a few days at home. Why are you back? Aren't you busy? I made you come all this way. It's nothing."

Xiao Wei said, "I didn't come back specifically. My parents and their whole family came back to the village, and I stopped by to see you. Where's my uncle?"

Liu Liu's mom said, "I'm going back to make dinner. The food at the hospital is not good and it's expensive."

Xiao Wei was stunned and asked Liu Liu, "Go home to do it? That's so far?"

Liu Liu raised an eyebrow and said, "If we don't go back and deal with her, she'll make a scene. This old lady is too much of a drama queen these days."

Liu Liu's mother glared at her son and said, "Is making money so easy? You have money, save it for your livelihood. Don't let Lina suffer. Your father and I are easy to fool."

Xiao Hong said, "Isn't the point of earning money to spend it? If you don't spend it, what are you going to do with it? What's the point of earning it then? Auntie, your thinking is wrong. You're just making trouble for Liu Liu and Lina."

"Now that we're a family and things are better off, you and my uncle can just relax, enjoy your lives, and be happy. Wouldn't it be great to hold our grandson in our arms someday? What do you say, Auntie?"

Liu Liu's mother said, "His father and I are fine with anything, as long as they live a good life. It's no trouble for us to spend money on them."

Liu Liu said, "Mom, what are you saying? Do you believe I'll go back and burn all this money? I don't think this thing is of any use. What's the point of keeping it if you're not going to spend it? To sleep with it? Tomorrow I'm not doing business anymore, I'm going back to farming. Isn't that what you want?"

Liu Liu's mother said, "You brat, how can you talk like that? You need money to go to the city, right? Everything costs money. Save where you can here, or you'll be strapped for cash over there. It's not easy being away from home. You're a grown man, so you're fine, but you still have Lina."

Xiao Hong said, "Auntie, you know that's wrong?"

Liu Liu's mother looked at Xiao Hong: "What's wrong?"

Xiao Hong said, "How are you supposed to treat Lina if you say and do things like that? You're so self-righteous! What kind of situation is that? People will point fingers and yell at you! How will Liu Liu ever be able to hold her head high again? How will she live like that?"

Under the mother's reluctant and distressed gaze, she took two oranges and stuffed them into the little girl's hand in the next bed, patted her little face, and continued, "Isn't money meant to be spent? To improve our lives, to be filial to our parents, to support our wives, children, and elderly parents, right? What are we going to do with you and my uncle like this? Are we really going to give up everything and come back to farming?"

Liu Liu's mother's gaze was still fixed on the two oranges when Xiao Hong, without any markings, pouted and asked Liu Liu, "Did you tell my aunt how much money you made?"

Liu Liu said, "I did tell her. My mom told me not to tell anyone, to keep it hidden, and to live quietly with Lina. We'll only take it out when we need it after we have children."

Xiao Wei patted Liu Liu and said, "I feel that you still haven't explained it clearly or done it properly."

Turning to Liu Liu's mother, he said, "Auntie, do you feel that you have to save up all the money you've finally earned, and only take it out when something really big happens?"

Liu Liu's mother said, "Isn't that how life goes? How can you not think long-term? You're lucky to have made money this time. What if you can't make money in the future? There will always be another chance, right? There's no such thing as a free lunch. If that were the case, wouldn't every family be rich? You can't always rely on luck to get by."

Xiao Hong said, "Auntie, you're overthinking it. Things are different now. People in the city are all doing business. There are many more rich people now. Liu Liu's little bit of money is nothing."

He'll earn even more than this in the future, and every month. Ga Zi and Si Wei earn over ten thousand a month; wouldn't Liu Liu earn the same if she went? You think you're causing so much trouble by not going to Fengtian?"

Liu Liu's mother's eyes widened instantly: "A month? Over ten thousand? Gu Zi and Si Wei?"

Xiao Hong said, "Yes, would I lie to you about this? It's true. Money is easy to make now. Once the business is up and running, how can we stop? That means we'll have money every month. Fengtian is the provincial capital; there are even more opportunities to make money there."

Liu Liu's mother said, "Liu, you and Lina don't need to stay here with me. We don't need you at home. Go back and pack your things. My goodness, 100,000 a month, that's a lot of money!"

Lina said, both amused and exasperated, "Auntie, it's almost Chinese New Year, and Xiaowei and Xiaohong are both back. What are we going to do now?"

Liu Liu's mom asked, "Can't we open businesses during the Lunar New Year?"

Xiaohong said, "They're all on holiday for the Lunar New Year, so they won't be able to open until after the first month of the lunar calendar."

Liu Liu's mother nodded, looking somewhat troubled.

Xiao Hong said, "The houses over there are ready-made. You can live upstairs with heating, and you don't need to chop firewood. The toilet is in your own house. Moreover, Xiao Wei's family, his uncle's family, my family, Gazi, Siwei Changyuan and others are all there. It's great that everyone lives together, isn't it?"

Several girls from our village work there.

When you're free, you can go downstairs and chat with Xiaowei's mom and my mom, take a stroll, and you won't have to do any work. Isn't that great? Liu Liu and Lina will also have less to worry about, as they can focus on their business and hopefully give you a grandson in the future.

You don't need to work anymore, you can focus on getting better, wouldn't that be less of a worry? Oh, no, it'll save you money. Right? Medicine is free, isn't it? They've traveled so far, and they're so young, wouldn't it be helpful to have an elder to give them some advice and directions?

You say you're not going, you're just having a good life, but will they be able to live comfortably there? Will they be able to focus on their business? You're always spending money when you're sick, and if they have to make several trips back and forth, how much money will they lose?

Besides, they were exhausted from being out all day and came home to no food. If Lina gets pregnant, there'll be no one to take care of her. Auntie, don't you think you've got it wrong? Have you misunderstood?"

Liu Liu's mother remained silent, stunned.

(End of this chapter)