Chapter 89

The morning sunlight was exceptionally brilliant.0

However, many people were already up early, with dark circles under their eyes, brushing their teeth and washing their faces. It was obvious they hadn't slept well last night. How could they sleep well? Such a big event happened in the dead of night; who could sleep through that?0

Every household had been discussing the incident until dawn.0

In comparison, Ming Mei was relatively more energetic. After all, she hadn't been woken up last night. After brushing her teeth, she went back to her room to have breakfast and only then learned what had happened. Well, she was quite late to the gossip.0

She was experiencing delayed gossip consumption.0

Ming Mei was shocked: "Did such a big thing really happen last night?"0

Zhuang Zhixi laughed: "No matter how big the event is, it can't disturb your rest. Besides, this isn't a big deal for Bai Fendou. There might even be a next time."0

Everyone looked at him in horror, saying: "Don't be an oracle of misfortune."0

Zhuang Zhixi gave an innocent look: "I'm not talking about us; I'm talking about the situation."0

Zhao Guihua was more objective: "Still, don't say such things. It's just bad luck to hear."0

Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright, alright, I won't say it."0

He sipped his cornmeal porridge and looked outside, asking: "Did Wang Xiangxiu come back last night?"0

He had gone to bed not long after returning home and wasn't aware of the situation outside. Zhuang Zhiyuan, however, had heard some noises. He shook his head: "She didn't come back. If she had, she would have called the door. No one called last night."0

Zhuang Zhixi: "..."0

He sighed: "You know, Bai Fendou and Wang Xiangxiu are so close; they might as well just get married. What's the point of pretending to be just good neighbors... pfft."0

The thought of it felt like they were covering their ears to steal a bell.0

However, Zhao Guihua said: "I can understand why she doesn't want to get married. It's not that complicated. Why bother finding a man to serve when you can get money without marriage? Whether married or not, Bai Fendou will have to give her money."0

Everyone fell silent.0

Liang Meifen pouted: "She really takes it for granted."0

"What's there to feel awkward about?"0

Zhao Guihua: "Wang Xiangxiu and her mother-in-law are not ordinary people. Besides, the first time might feel awkward, but over time, it becomes a habit. Alright, you all should hurry up and get ready for work."0

The morning was quite hectic. Zhuang Zhixi quickly finished his breakfast and said: "Wife, let's go."0

Ming Mei: "Okay."0

She put some biscuits and candy in her bag, saying: "I'll keep these for when I want to eat something."0

Zhuang Zhixi chuckled and nodded. He and his wife pushed their bikes out. Just as they were about to leave the alley, they saw a familiar figure approaching from a distance. Zhuang Zhixi rubbed his eyes and said: "Wife, am I going senile and seeing things? Look ahead, is that Bai Fendou and his father? Did I get it wrong?"0

Ming Mei tilted her head to look: "Oh my! It's them!"0

Neither Zhuang Zhixi nor Ming Mei had mistaken it. The ones returning were indeed Wang Xiangxiu and the Bai father and son. Bai Fendou's head was bandaged, his face covered in bandages, and there were several bloody scratches where the bandages didn't cover. His eyes were puffy, indicating he hadn't slept well for days. His face was pale, and if you looked closely, his lips were chapped.0

Although his face was a mess, his body wasn't much better. His arms were wrapped in bandages, and he walked with a limp, his legs awkwardly positioned.0

In short, he looked extremely miserable. Old Man Bai by his side wasn't much better, with just as many wounds and even less energy. Wang Xiangxiu, however, seemed relatively fine.0

As the young couple stood there in shock, the three of them approached. Zhuang Zhixi swallowed hard, looking at his wife. Ming Mei immediately stood tall and gave Zhuang Zhixi a "I've got your back" look.0

Zhuang Zhixi couldn't help but laugh.0

He wasn't looking for protection, though.0

His little wife had misunderstood, but it was fine.0

Zhuang Zhixi cleared his throat and said: "Let's go."0

He had no intention of exchanging pleasantries with the Bai father and son. After all, they were plotting against him, so there was no need to be polite. Politeness was for normal people; for abnormal ones, it was useless.0

Zhuang Zhixi got on his bike and rode away.0

As he rode past the Bai father and son, Bai Fendou had expected Zhuang Zhixi to at least ask about his injuries. After all, they were neighbors, and how could he be so indifferent? He had completely forgotten that he had been trying to scheme against Zhuang Zhixi.0

Even if he remembered, he didn't think it was a big deal.0

In his mind, he was just playing a joke and teaching Zhuang Zhixi a lesson. How could that be considered a grudge?0

After all, their family had been rude to Wang Xiangxiu first. That's how Bai Fendou saw it, so he never thought he was in the wrong. He even believed that the factory leaders and the security chief, Liu, were deliberately targeting him, making the situation so severe.0

Otherwise, he should have been released by now.0

He was extremely unhappy, but even though he was reckless, he knew he was nothing in front of the factory leaders and Liu. So he had to swallow his pride and accept it for now. He planned to look for opportunities to change jobs later.0

After all, someone as capable as him couldn't possibly stay in logistics cleaning toilets and picking up dung forever.0

Throughout the journey, his mood had been sour. Seeing Zhuang Zhixi ignore him made it even worse. He spat and cursed: "Don't get too cocky now; you'll pay for it sooner or later."0

Wang Xiangxiu was utterly exasperated with this man, but it was precisely because of his stupidity that she could always manipulate him. So even though she despised him, she still acted tenderly: "Why bother getting upset over him? He's just in a better position and looks down on us."0

Bai Fendou glared: "We're all working-class people; who does he think he is? We're not inferior to him."0

Wang Xiangxiu was exhausted, both physically and mentally. Yesterday at the hospital, she had also done some "business," which was far more profitable than dealing with Zhou Qun. She was still feeling lethargic. Indeed, men were all different.0

She spoke softly: "Alright, let's go back first. I need to get to work quickly. With my family's situation, how can I afford to be late?"0

Hearing this, Bai Fendou became more understanding: "Right, let's hurry up."0

This was the time for people to go to work. As they left their homes, they saw this scene in the alley and quickly stepped back. Although the incident happened in the middle of the night, the speed at which news spread was always beyond everyone's expectations.0

By this morning, not only their courtyard but the entire neighborhood knew about it. Everyone looked at Bai Fendou with fear. After all, this was the infamous "egg-squeezer."0

He didn't just kick; he squeezed!0

Look at that word—squeeze.0

Isn't that just insane and terrifying?0

People quickly stepped back, and Bai Fendou: "???"0

Old Man Bai and Wang Xiangxiu were also puzzled. One didn't know the news had spread, and the other, being a woman without a man in the house, didn't quite understand everyone's fear.0

Bai Fendou: "What's going on?"0

A boy from the same courtyard, Sui, forced a very awkward smile and said: "Uh... I have to go to school..."0

Before finishing, he darted off like a shot.0

"Oh, I have to go to work; otherwise, I'll be late."0

"Right, right!"0

"Oh no, I have a stomachache; I need to hurry to the bathroom."0

"Wait for me; me too."0

"Oh, what a coincidence; I also have diarrhea. Let's go quickly."0

The men saw Bai Fendou and fled like they were facing a pervert, their faces pale, finding excuses to run off quickly. Everyone left in a hurry. Bai Fendou looked at the only relatively calm Zhou Qun and asked curiously: "What's going on?"0

Zhou Qun looked Bai Fendou up and down, pausing for three seconds on the critical area.0

Hmm, about the same as his own experience.0

He looked back at Bai Fendou's face and said slowly: "They're afraid you'll squeeze their eggs."0

Bai Fendou: "What the hell?"0

He hadn't even had a chance to explain when he saw Zhou Qun already riding away on his bicycle, disappearing into the alley.0

Bai Fendou was fuming. "Hey, what do they mean by that? What makes them think I'm that kind of person? Am I crazy? Why would I do something like that? If you don't find it disgusting, I do!"0

Old Man Bai turned to his son and said, "Then why did you grab Yu Baoshan?"0

Bai Fendou: "..."0

His father was really good at nothing but throwing him under the bus.0

He said, "It was just because we were fighting and things got heated."0

He felt a bit embarrassed. Hurting someone in that area during a fight wasn't exactly manly, but it had just happened by chance. Besides, he could sew and repair things, so they should trust that doctors are professionals too.0

Bai Fendou: "I didn't do it on purpose. Plus, he started it. If he hadn't attacked first, I would have been arrested by now!"0

Bai Fendou argued forcefully, but Old Man Bai just chuckled and didn't say anything.0

Wang Xiangxiu felt exhausted again. "Alright, hurry up and go rest. I need to go to work too."0

She couldn't rely on the Bai father and son these days, so she couldn't afford to miss a single day of work. Fortunately, she had made some money yesterday by seizing an opportunity. Otherwise, life would be even harder. These men were truly unreliable.0

She sighed deeply.0

Bai Fendou: "Right, right, Sister Xiangxiu needs to go to work."0

His words trailed off as he suddenly froze, staring at the collapsed public toilet in the alley. "Ah... what..."0

He scratched his head. "What happened to the toilet? Who did this to the toilet?"0

Wang Xiangxiu: "It was Yu Baoshan."0

She didn't want to explain anymore. "You guys take a look. I need to go home, eat, and get to work."0

She had finally reached her limit and couldn't waste any more time.0

Bai Fendou: "Wait, Sister Xiangxiu, let's go together."0

The three of them walked into the courtyard one after the other. At that moment, Liang Meifen was washing clothes in the courtyard. When she saw Bai Fendou return, she couldn't help but scream, "Ah!!!"0

Hearing this, everyone came out of their houses, all staring at Bai Fendou and his father.0

Bai Fendou: "What are you screaming about?"0

He frowned. He really couldn't stand Zhuang Zhiyuan's wife. She was always helping her family and was easily startled, lacking any manners. Anyone who married such a woman was really unlucky.0

He looked at Liang Meifen with disdain, but she didn't care about his expression. She shouted loudly, "Bai Fendou is back!"0

More people came out, and even people from the neighboring courtyards hurried over. It seemed that Bai Fendou was even more of a spectacle than the tigers at the zoo. After all, while tigers eating people is natural, Bai Fendou grabbing someone's... well, that's truly rare.0

Everyone looked at Bai Fendou with a mix of disdain, curiosity, and caution, afraid that he might go wild and do something unexpected.0

This wasn't impossible, considering this was Bai Fendou, the man who had fallen into a cesspool and... well, you know.0

It was Zhao Guihua who stood out in the crowd of caution and fear. She asked, "Bai Fendou, why are you back? Are you better now?"0

She glanced at a certain part of his body. "Healing that fast?"0

No wonder this hospital was a big one. No wonder people from all over the country came here for treatment in the future. It really was impressive.0

She said, "Didn't you get into another fight? Why were you let out?"0

Bai Fendou was not convinced. "Aunt Zhao, how can you say that? What do you mean by 'another fight'? That wasn't my fault. It was Aunt Yu who started it. I was just defending myself. Besides, I didn't touch Yu Baoshan. He just grabbed a stool and hit me. Look at my head; he even cracked it open. Isn't it normal to fight back when someone hits you? Only a fool wouldn't."0

This made sense.0

H​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‍owever...0

Zhao Guihua looked suspiciously at his head. "Your wound is from yesterday. How can you be discharged so soon today?"0

Even the best doctors couldn't heal that fast.0

Bai Fendou immediately looked unnatural.0

Zhao Guihua: "What? Is there something going on?"0

Bai Fendou awkwardly said, "What's going on? You're overthinking. Even though I'm injured, it doesn't mean I can't be discharged. Besides, I'm a young man, strong and healthy. Do I really need to stay in the hospital? I can recover at home."0

"You're a young man, but your father isn't. Old Man Bai, you're not young anymore. Can you really not stay in the hospital and get treated properly?" Zhao Guihua was curious. Although the Bai family was annoying, it didn't stop her from gossiping.0

People, after all, need something to do when they're idle.0

While Zhao Guihua was asking, the Bai father and son hadn't replied yet when Aunt Zhou suddenly appeared. She said, "Probably because they ran out of money and got kicked out."0

This father and son duo were just two broke men who always gave their money to widows and their families. They must have run out of money for medical fees.0

Aunt Zhou felt she had seen through the truth.0

Bai Fendou immediately got angry. "Hey, Aunt Zhou, how can you talk like that? How can you just make things up? I wasn't kicked out because of lack of medical fees. The factory already paid for it. Don't spread rumors when you don't know the facts. Your mouth is like a cesspool, always spouting nonsense."0

Aunt Zhou was trembling with anger. "You little brat, who are you cursing? Do you believe I'll scratch you to death? Let me tell you, others might be afraid of you, but I'm not. I don't have... well, you know, so I'm not afraid of you. If you dare mess with me, I'll teach you a lesson."0

She wasn't some young lad. She had seen it all.0

Bai Fendou: "You... you're crude!"0

He thought this old lady's words were really too harsh.0

He gave Aunt Zhou a deep look and thought of the warning from Section Chief Liu. He took several deep breaths to calm his frustrated heart. After a long while, he pointed at Aunt Zhou and said, "I'll overlook you because of your age."0

Aunt Zhou smiled proudly. "You're just scared of me, aren't you?"0

She stood there like a victorious rooster, her chin raised, extremely arrogant.0

Bai Fendou: "Pfft!"0

He didn't want to say anything more and turned to go home. But as soon as he reached the door, he screamed, "My god, who did this? Who did this!"0

The glass in his house had been smashed.0

The Bai father and son were furious. "Who did this? Who would do such a despicable thing? May lightning strike them dead!"0

They were really angry, and Aunt Zhou wasn't any less so. She stepped forward and shouted, "I did it, what are you going to do about it? Think about what you've done. I won't let you off just because you think the Zhou family is easy to bully, or that our daughter-in-law is easy to bully."0

She pointed at their noses and said, "If it weren't for Aunt Su pleading for you, we wouldn't have let it go so easily. You wouldn't be here shouting at me. I tell you, be polite to me in the future."0

Bai Fendou was furious and wanted to curse, but at this moment, Old Man Bai was sober. He knew their actions had been discovered, and this time, the Zhou family letting it go was already thanks to Aunt Su's efforts. They couldn't waste Aunt Su's goodwill.0

He held back Bai Fendou and said, "Let it go. We're in the wrong this time."0

Bai Fendou: "But..."0

Old Man Bai firmly shook his head and pulled Bai Fendou into the house, whispering, "Revenge can wait. We don't need to tangle with them now. We're already on the Security Department's radar. If anything happens, Section Chief Liu will definitely target us. As the saying goes, 'If one cannot endure the small annoyances, they will ruin the great plans.' We don't need to act in haste."0

Bai Fendou looked at Old Man Bai, who said quietly, "We'll wait. There will be a time to deal with them."0

Bai Fendou finally listened and said, "You're right. I'll let it go for now."0

However...0

He looked at the window and said, "What about the glass? What do we do about that?"0

Old Man Bai: "Go buy some and put it in."0

Bai Fendou, though he listened, still spoke with a confrontational tone, "It's easy for you to say, but glass isn't cheap, and I don't have much money left."0

Old Man Bai glanced at him and said, "Do you think I have any?"0

He replied, "I don't either."0

The wages of the two father and son were spent separately. Whether it was food, drink, or household items, each paid half. However, glass was expensive, and several panes in their home were broken, which would cost a pretty penny.0

Thus, both father and son were reluctant to spend the money.0

"Well, the weather is getting warmer day by day. If we cover ourselves with extra blankets at night, we won't need to worry as much when it gets even warmer in a few days. Let's wait until we save up some money to replace the glass," Bai Fendou suggested.0

Old Man Bai thought for a moment and nodded, "Alright."0

In fact, he still had some money on hand, but he didn't want to spend it on this. For the next few months, they would only receive a five-yuan living allowance, so it wasn't wise to spend it easily. Moreover, that was his savings for old age; he couldn't just squander it.0

Bai Fendou: "Then let's wait."0

In truth, he also had some money, but he didn't want to spend it all. This wasn't just his problem; if he spent it all, he would be heartbroken. Saving money wasn't easy, and the coming months would be tough.0

Yes, the reason Old Man Bai and Bai Fendou were being so stingy this time was that they owed the factory wages.0

Although Bai Fendou had been bold in fighting, he wasn't happy when he saw the bill. The first night, he and his father had a quarrel that led to them knocking over a table, which broke and needed to be replaced. The second day, he caused a scene by threatening to jump off a building, smashing hospital windows, which also required compensation.0

On the third day, the damages were even more extensive. In addition to hospital furniture, there was Yu Baoshan's medical fees. Fortunately, it was Yu Baoshan's family who had started the fight. Otherwise, Bai Fendou wouldn't have been able to go home; he would have been arrested.0

The medical fees and various compensations added up to a whopping one hundred and thirty yuan, which was a significant sum. Bai Fendou felt the world's malice, believing everyone was trying to swindle them.0

However, the hospital wasn't at fault. The damaged public property was compensated at its actual value, not a penny more. But the medical expenses were high. After all, they had broken three eggs.0

Old Man Bai, Bai Fendou, and now Yu Baoshan.0

The medical fees were steep, as this was a highly skilled procedure. The doctors hadn't even charged them for emotional damages, which was already a mercy.0

The Yu family, however, was also somewhat cunning. Aunt Zhou directly blamed Yu Baoshan's head injury on Bai Fendou. After all, it was easier to pin it on Bai Fendou than on the neighborhood committee.0

All these expenses added up, amounting to a significant sum.0

One hundred and thirty yuan was paid by the factory.0

However, Wang Xiangxiu's hope that the factory would cover everything was a pipe dream. Trying to pin the blame on the factory was even harder than the Yu family blaming the neighborhood committee. It was a complete fantasy.0

But the factory didn't want the situation to escalate, as it was simply embarrassing.0

Section Chief Liu felt his entire life's reputation had been tarnished in just a few days. Bai Fendou being part of the security department was a huge embarrassment. Fortunately, he was leaving the job soon.0

The one hundred and thirty yuan would be deducted directly from their wages.0

Bai Fendou's salary in the security department was decent, but since he was transferred to logistics, his pay would be adjusted accordingly. Starting next month, he would receive twenty-five yuan a month for his job cleaning toilets.0

His father, Old Man Bai, was in the same situation. Both of them would receive a five-yuan living allowance each month, with the remaining twenty yuan deducted to repay the factory. That made a total of forty yuan deducted. They would have to endure this for three months. In July and August, they would receive a two-and-a-half-yuan summer cooling fee each month, totaling five yuan for the two months.0

This would be deducted as well.0

Exactly three months of deductions, including the summer cooling fee, would total one hundred and thirty yuan. They could resume normal wages in September.0

For this month, since they hadn't worked much, it was uncertain how much they would receive, so the deductions would start next month.0

Three full months of tough times lay ahead.0

Bai Fendou lay in bed, feeling uncomfortable all over. He said, "Dad, can you make some food?"0

Old Man Bai and Bai Fendou lived in opposite rooms. They could converse easily without needing to move. Old Man Bai didn't budge, refusing to respond to Bai Fendou's request. He wasn't about to do any work.0

After all, he was injured.0

Old Man Bai didn't move, so Bai Fendou, feeling frustrated, got up and walked to the outer room. He opened the cupboard and muttered, "I remember there were some peanuts in the cupboard..."0

Upon opening it, he found it empty.0

Not even a mouse dropping was left.0

Bai Fendou cursed, "Damn, the peanuts were stolen!"0

He clearly remembered that there were peanuts at home. He had bought two pounds, planning to fry them for a snack with some liquor. Peanuts with liquor, the more you drink, the more you have.0

He had heard that before.0

They didn't have much else, but peanuts were a regular purchase.0

"Dad, did you eat the peanuts?"0

Old Man Bai couldn't stay silent this time. He retorted angrily, "Why would it be me? We worked together, went to the hospital together, and left together. When would I have had the time to come back early and take them? Are you picking a fight?"0

Bai Fendou, feeling dejected, said, "Why are you so angry? I just asked. But how did the peanuts disappear? It must be Aunt Zhou. She broke the glass and took our peanuts. I'm going to find her."0

Old Man Bai quickly said, "Wait."0

Bai Fendou: "What? Are you defending her?"0

Old Man Bai spat and cursed, "Are you stupid? Why would I defend her? Think carefully. How could it be Aunt Zhou? She may be shameless and mean, but she's never been one to steal."0

Bai Fendou frowned, "Then who took them?"0

Old Man Bai sighed deeply, "Who? Think, who else could it be? Why don't you use your brain?"0

Bai Fendou didn't respond, impatient, "Just tell me."0

He really had no idea. In this courtyard, there shouldn't be any thieves. Even if there were, they wouldn't take peanuts over pots and pans, which were more valuable.0

He thought for a moment and said, "Could it have been eaten by rats?"0

Old Man Bai felt like he was about to have a heart attack. He deeply regretted not having a second child.0

He sighed with sorrow and said, "It wasn't rats. It was the kids. Isn't that obvious? It must have been Jinlai and the others."0

They both knew what kind of kids they were.0

When they were at home, the kids would sneak in from time to time to steal some food. Because of Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu's leniency, they didn't scold the children too harshly. Now that they weren't home, the kids would surely have come in more often.0

Old Man Bai: "Think carefully. Who else would steal just a little bit of food?"0

Bai Fendou thought about it and nodded, "You're right."0

"Exactly."0

Bai Fendou, who had been furious earlier, now calmed down. He said, "Those little brats took everything. But kids need to eat. I'm a big guy; I don't mind missing a meal. But kids can't go hungry."0

He found an excuse for the child and trotted back to the room. This absurd situation could be taken seriously or lightly, and he was quite laid-back about it. However, after lying down again, his stomach began to grumble.0

He said, "I should have bought breakfast at the cafeteria this morning before leaving."0

Old Man Bai grunted in a muffled voice.0

They didn't leave the hospital of their own volition, nor did they want to leave. They were essentially kicked out by the hospital.0

This was unprecedented—patients being kicked out of the hospital! The hospital had its reasons, though. He had caused trouble for three nights straight after staying for three nights, and before that, months ago, there was the time when Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun were hospitalized together. That time, a massive brawl had broken out right in the ward.0

Although they eventually settled with compensation, the hospital was truly exasperated.0

In front of Bai Fendou, the hospital was like a helpless victim bullied by a tyrant.0

Given his history of causing trouble, the hospital was resolute in not keeping such a troublemaker. Although he did have many injuries, the main treatment was just intravenous antibiotics, which their factory clinic could handle.0

If he really needed to change dressings, he could come back to the hospital.0

But for hospitalization? Sorry, not welcome.0

If the term "medical troublemaker" existed at the time, Bai Fendou would have been one of the earliest. However, his type of medical troublemaker was different from the later ones. His brand of medical troublemaking was more like: causing a ruckus in the hospital.0

This kind of "medical troublemaker" was distinct from the usual ones.0

In short, for the sake of public facilities and the safety of doctors, nurses, and other patients, the hospital was determined not to keep such a troublemaker.0

Thus, the Bai father and son were unceremoniously kicked out.0

They were unceremoniously forced to leave the hospital.0

It was easy to imagine that in the future, if they wanted to be hospitalized, they would have to switch to another hospital. This one was definitely off-limits. But what they didn't know was that every hospital in the city of Beijing was aware of this pair!0

After all, the case of a shattered testicle was a first for them.0

Many people in the city's hospitals had come to take a peek at this rare event.0

Bai Fendou, with his distinctive appearance, had already become famous.0

Originally, he was already a peculiar character, and with his knack for causing trouble, he had become notorious, causing all hospitals to shudder at the mere mention of his name.0

If Zhao Guihua had known, she would have said, "People nowadays are too naive. They haven't seen the real deal. If this were a few decades later, medical troublemakers would be terrifying." But that was all in the future, not worth discussing now.0

For now, the Bai father and son were forced out of the hospital. Since they weren't in any life-threatening condition and weren't even seriously injured, the hospital had finished treating them with just some dressing changes and intravenous antibiotics, which the factory clinic could handle.0

So, discharge, must discharge.0

The Bai father and son refused to say why they were discharged, but in this world, are there really any secrets? Especially such a big deal as being forcibly discharged, there were none. By mid-morning, everyone knew why this father and son had been kicked out.0

Turns out, even the hospital didn't want them.0

Aunt Zhou exclaimed, "I used to think I was quite a difficult old lady, someone who was disliked wherever I went. But I never expected someone even worse than me. Even I haven't been kicked out of the hospital! How much do people hate this father and son for the hospital to refuse money and kick them out?"0

It seemed this woman had some self-awareness.0

She actually knew she was unpopular.0

But Aunt Zhou didn't feel embarrassed at all; instead, she was quite proud. After all, she hadn't been kicked out.0

"The heavens have eyes, haha."0

Zhao Guihua watched Aunt Zhou's gleeful expression as she continued washing clothes. Being a homemaker, it might seem like there's nothing to do, just staying at home without working. But in reality, the workload is enormous.0

Even with a daughter-in-law helping out, can you let the daughter-in-law wash your personal clothes? Or your husband's clothes?0

She certainly couldn't do that.0

Zhao Guihua was washing clothes in the courtyard when she heard a voice at the door, "Is Zhao Guihua here?"0

Zhao Guihua quickly replied, "That's me."0

She looked up and saw Auntie Lian.0

Aunt Zhou's expression changed, her eyes fixed on Auntie Lian, then shifting to Zhao Guihua, her gaze suspiciously flitting between the two.0

Auntie Lian also noticed Aunt Zhou and greeted her with a smile, "Sister, you live in this courtyard too? What a coincidence."0

She was quite natural, saying, "Sister Zhao, look, the things you asked me to swap for, I've found them for you."0

Zhao Guihua had asked Auntie Lian yesterday to find her some egg-laying hens, and today she had already delivered. She was really efficient. Auntie Lian cheerfully said, "These two are from my relatives in the countryside. They used to lay eggs every day. If it weren't for my pleading, they wouldn't have parted with them. Look at this one, the feathers, the tail, the rear end, they're definitely good egg-laying hens. You can raise them, but since they've had a long journey, they might be a bit scared and might not lay eggs right away. Give them a couple of days to settle in. If they don't lay eggs within a week, come find me."0

Zhao Guihua: "Alright."0

This wasn't their first business deal, and Auntie Lian wouldn't be in this line of work if she didn't have integrity. She said, "It's been years since I last raised chickens."0

Auntie Lian: "They're new here, so their appetite might be off." She glanced around the cramped chicken coop and said, "In the countryside, they're free-range. Coming to such a small space after living in a big place, they might feel a bit uneasy. Feed them well. If you have kids, catch some worms for them to eat, and they'll definitely lay eggs for you."0

Zhao Guihua: "Alright."0

She politely said, "Thank you."0

Auntie Lian: "Oh, don't mention it. That's just how I am. When someone asks for my help, I do my best. Right, Aunt Zhou?"0

Aunt Zhou was suddenly addressed and gave a slightly awkward smile, saying, "I didn't expect you two to know each other."0

Auntie Lian remained calm: "We met during a bit of a commotion a while back. When I heard I had connections in the countryside, Sister Zhao asked me to find her some egg-laying hens."0

She even winked at Aunt Zhou, implying that her other side jobs shouldn't be mentioned.0

Aunt Zhou, seeing Auntie Lian's wink, seemed to understand. She coughed and said, "So, how much are these egg-laying hens?"0

Asked so openly, Auntie Lian didn't get angry. Instead, she smiled and said, "How much, you ask? We don't talk about money, just swapping things. It's about mutual help between the city and the countryside, exchanging goods. We don't casually discuss money."0

Hearing this, Aunt Zhou realized that while they might negotiate prices privately, publicly, they wouldn't mention it.0

Aunt Zhou, watching Zhao Guihua tend to the hens with envy, pouted and said, "Come on in. It's been a while since we last talked. Come in and chat."0

"Sure!"0

Aunt Zhou didn't feel the least bit out of place for leading away Zhao Guihua's guest. She glanced arrogantly at Zhao Guihua, feeling a bit triumphant for breaking the mood. But did Zhao Guihua care? Not at all.0

Nothing was more important than the hens.0

Absolutely nothing.0

After all, she and Auntie Lian had settled their business yesterday, so today wasn't about that. Auntie Lian lived alone, and you had to allow her to find ways to make money. So Zhao Guihua wasn't going to be petty about cutting into someone's income.0

Zhao Guihua called out, "Liang Meifen, Liang Meifen."0

Liang Meifen quickly popped out, flustered, and asked, "Mother-in-law, I'm here."0

Zhao Guihua: "Didn't it rain the other day? Go to that shady spot by the river and see if you can find some worms or earthworms, dig some up."0

Liang Meifen: "Alright."0

She agreed but looked forlornly at the hens. These hens were for her sister-in-law to eat the eggs, yet she had to go dig for worms. What kind of life was this? Zhao Guihua saw her dawdling and raised her voice: "What are you looking at! Hurry up. You're like a donkey, need a whip to move!"0

Liang Meifen quickly picked up her basket and pushed her bicycle, darting out like a thunderbolt, leaving no time for anyone to react.0

This series of actions left "guest" Auntie Lian wide-eyed and speechless. She exclaimed in astonishment, "Zhao Guihua is really strict with her daughter-in-law."0

Aunt Zhou sneered, "Isn't that the truth? Do you think she's some kind of gentle person? She's a mean one, and she's partial too. Did you see that old hen? It lays eggs for her younger daughter-in-law, but look, the work is all done by her elder daughter-in-law."0

Auntie Lian: "Oh my, that's really..."0

She never spoke ill of others, as everyone was her patron, her "god of wealth." Did gods of wealth have ranks? No, they didn't!0

Even if they could only bring her a penny, they were still her gods of wealth.0

Besides, Aunt Zhou's reputation preceded her. She said Zhao Guihua was harsh, but Zhao Guihua didn't have as big a reputation for being mean as Aunt Zhou. However, Auntie Lian didn't mention this. Who cared about the truth anyway? She said, "You asked me to come over for..."0

Aunt Zhou: "I want two old hens too. What's your price?"0

Auntie Lian: "If you're raising chickens, I'll definitely charge you less than what I charged Zhao Guihua, since we're old acquaintances, and I just met her. But I advise you not to raise them."0

Seeing Aunt Zhou getting anxious, Auntie Lian quickly added, "Your family is different from hers. They have a big family, and you see, they all go out to dig for worms. Your family is well-off, with your son and daughter-in-law both having stable jobs, and it's just you at home. If you raise chickens, it'll be quite tiring. If you just feed them simply, they definitely won't be as good as those raised on worms. Then you might blame me, thinking I've tricked you. But if you go out digging for worms every day, that'll be too tiring. After all, we're not young anymore, can't compare to the youngsters."0

Aunt Zhou nodded, "Hmm, you speak honestly."0

Auntie Lian: "I do business, it's just small-time stuff. I have to be honest, or who would come to me? But no matter what business it is, have you ever heard that I'm a scammer? I told you there's a ghost in your neighbor's toilet, did I lie?"0

Aunt Zhou's face changed, but she still felt Auntie Lian was honest. She nodded, "You do have a point."0

Auntie Lian: "Exactly, if you don't feed them worms, they won't be as good as those fed with worms. I have to be honest with you."0

Aunt Zhou: "Well, I'll raise them anyway!"0

She was most competitive and said, "I have to, everyone else has them, I can't be without. It's just worms, I can do it too."0n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Auntie Lian: "Alright, if you're sure, give me the money, I'll bring them to you tomorrow or the day after."0

Aunt Zhou: "How much?"0

Auntie Lian showed a number, and Aunt Zhou was shocked, her eyes wide, "So much?"0

Auntie Lian: "Don't think it's much, these are egg-laying hens. Think about it, who would sell a laying hen? I have to tell you, for Zhao Guihua, I charged an extra fifty cents for each hen."0

She spoke sincerely, "We're old acquaintances, that's why I gave you a discount. But if you buy them, don't mention it in front of her, or she'll definitely come knocking on my door. I don't think she's easy to deal with, might even break my door, and I'll be the one losing out."0

Auntie Lian's words hit the mark with Aunt Zhou, who was pleased, "Alright then, I'll take them."0

Zhao Guihua spent more money than her, hehe.0

Aunt Zhou felt very satisfied thinking about it!0

She chuckled, "It's just catching worms to feed them, my family can do that too."0

Why was Aunt Zhou so confident her family could do it? Because she thought of someone, that was the girl Aunt Su was going to arrange to live with them. When that girl came to live with them, their family would provide food and drink, and it would be only right for her to do some work.0

A country girl, doing these chores should be no problem, she thought. It seemed quite doable to her.0

"This is really good," Aunt Zhou revealed a satisfied smile, and so did Auntie Lian. Auntie Lian also felt quite satisfied, seeing that there was another job to be done.0

As for who was higher or lower... hehe, let's all get scammed together, where's the friendship in that?0

There isn't!0

She smiled slightly, thinking she could probably find a third customer in this courtyard.0

Hmm, maybe even a third one, it would be best if everyone raised chickens.0

Auntie Lian wasn't good at much, but as a middleman earning some brokerage money, she was quite adept. She had a new job, and she was happy, "I'll go to the countryside tomorrow morning, you just wait and see, I'll pick the best ones for you."0

"Alright."0

"Oh, by the way, I heard there's a family with a broken... are they in your courtyard too?"0

Everyone has curiosity, right?0

Aunt Zhou: "Yeah, they live next to me. They came back, even the hospital didn't want to treat them. Have you ever seen someone so failed at life? I haven't, they've really embarrassed themselves..."0

The two old ladies started chattering away.0

Zhao Guihua didn't care what others were talking about. She put the chickens in the coop, added some water, and then continued washing clothes. Zhao Guihua calmly went about her work, while Aunt Su, sitting at the door mending her grandson's clothes, was feeling quite restless.0

Her heart was anxious, she couldn't help it.0

This unfamiliar old lady, she didn't know her, but Zhao Guihua and Aunt Zhou did. She felt she was lagging behind.0

But if she sat in the courtyard, she could at least strike up a conversation. Now that the old lady had gone inside, there was no way to talk to her. She didn't know what this old lady was doing, how she could trade for old hens from the countryside. Speaking of which, she wanted to trade too, not sure if two yuan would be enough.0

The black market sold them for two yuan off-season, only two yuan and fifty cents during the New Year. She couldn't go higher than that.0

Aunt Su pondered.0

She coughed once and said, "Guihua, how much did you pay for your old hens?"0

Zhao Guihua: "Didn't cost anything."0

She smiled, "You didn't see me pay, did you? I just traded."0

She started hanging up the clothes.0

Aunt Su bit her lip, unhappy.0

They were neighbors, how could she keep secrets? This Zhao Guihua was really mean, not at all kind.0

"Excuse me, is Bai Fendou at home?"0

A clear, crisp female voice rang out. Zhao Guihua and Aunt Su looked over simultaneously to see a young woman in her twenties, maybe even younger, dressed in a floral blouse, carrying a military green satchel with the slogan "Serve the People," her two black and shiny braids looking quite presentable.0

Perhaps hearing the commotion outside, Aunt Zhou also quickly came out, after all, there were rarely any young women coming to look for Bai Fendou.0

Not just young women, even young wives and old ladies didn't visit their house, not even female mosquitoes in the summer. But this girl was fresh and lively, clearly a well-off young lady, and she was pushing a bicycle.0

"Auntie, does Bai Fendou live in this courtyard?"0

She asked again.0

But in her heart, she was muttering, these country bumpkins, have they never seen a pretty girl?0

Zhao Guihua pointed and said, "That house."0

She called out loudly, "Bai Fendou, someone's looking for you."0

Aunt Zhou also quickly seized the opportunity to ask, "Miss, what do you do?"0

Her triangular eyes scanned the young woman up and down, and she asked, "Are you here to meet Bai Fendou for a blind date?"0

At this, the young woman's face darkened. She said sternly, "Auntie, don't talk nonsense, what blind date? I'm from the factory clinic, and I'm here to give Bai Fendou and his father an IV drip."0

She shook her bulging satchel and said, "I'm here for work."0

The hospital didn't want to deal with them, and Section Chief Liu didn't want the people from their machinery factory to embarrass themselves in the hospital, so he took over the matter. The clinic would come every day to give Bai Fendou and his father an IV drip, a very good service.0

Of course, it also cost money.0

But it was still a very good deal.0

If it weren't for the fact that they were all men, Section Chief Liu wouldn't have bothered.0

Of course, it wasn't that being all men meant they were treated better, but this Bai Fendou was truly broken, and Section Chief Liu had a bit of sympathy.0

It would be quite inconvenient if they had to shuffle back and forth to the hospital in small steps. Therefore, the clinic sends someone to their home every day. Fortunately, the clinic isn't very busy.0

This time, the one who came to visit was Tao Yuyue, the new cashier at the clinic.0

If the person needing a home visit was a factory leader, naturally, everyone would be eager to come. But as it happens, it's Bai Fendou. Although some people might be curious and want to see the entertainment, most are too lazy to make the trip. Do Bai Fendou and his father deserve such effort?0

Since no one is particularly keen on coming, the task falls to Tao Yuyue.0

After all, she's the new arrival.0

Although Tao Yuyue is also a new cashier, she's a bit different from Zhuang Zhixi. Zhuang Zhixi was specifically recruited through an exam. Since the position was for a cashier, it didn't require prior medical training; good math skills were the priority.0

Although, there aren't really many accounts to calculate in the hospital. But for a large factory, maintaining formal procedures is normal.0

Zhuang Zhixi was transferred away, and immediately, Doctor Wang started maneuvering to get his niece transferred in. Despite Zhuang Zhixi leaving, the factory didn't create any new positions. So even though Tao Yuyue came in, she's temporarily a temp worker.0

And even for this, she had to be either a medical school graduate or a nursing school graduate.0

Things were very different three years ago compared to now.0

Three years ago, when Zhuang Zhixi was looking for a job, going to the countryside wasn't mandatory. But now, it's different. Without some solid connections, you can't stay. Not even a temp job is easy to come by.0

Tao Yuyue is currently a temp worker at the clinic. If she performs well, she might have a better chance during the next round of hiring. If not, she'll just have to continue as a temp.0

Of course, in the current situation, being able to stay as a temp is already a good thing.0

Getting into such a large collective is no easy feat.0

Although she has relatives in the clinic, Tao Yuyue is still at the bottom of the hierarchy. Since no one else wanted to come, Doctor Wang assigned her to the task. Doctor Wang had her own considerations. If her niece works hard, everyone will take notice, which is always a good thing.0

Don't think the leaders won't see it. Didn't they notice Zhuang Zhixi?0

Her niece might not be as clever or good at socializing as Zhuang Zhixi, but Doctor Wang believes that with her backing, things won't go too badly. She proactively sent her niece over, unaware that Tao Yuyue wasn't happy about it.0

Tao Yuyue graduated from a nursing school, but her skills are quite average. She wasn't a good student in school, and she's not particularly happy now.0

However, Tao Yuyue has a bit of a girl's shrewdness in this regard and doesn't show her displeasure. She knows that the people living in this area are all from their factory. If a bad reputation spreads, it will be difficult to find a good match in the future. She wants to find someone with good conditions.0

Reputation is very important.0

"Auntie, is this the room?"0

The... the glass is broken, why not replace it?0

She was puzzled and a bit disgusted, but she still stood at the door and called out, "Uncle Bai, Bai Fendou."0

"Who's looking for me?"0

Bai Fendou's tone wasn't very pleasant. He was taking an afternoon nap. Looking out the window, his eyes widened, and his face turned red as he stammered, "You you you... who are you? Are you looking for me? I... I am Bai Fendou."0

This girl is so beautiful.0

Tao Yuyue: "Hello, I'm Tao Yuyue, from the factory clinic."0

"Ah. Clinic?"0

Is there such a beautiful girl in the clinic?0

He was puzzled but still said, "Come in quickly."0

Seeing the pretty girl, he was like a joyful big dog.0

"You you you... are you new here?"0

Tao Yuyue: Hmm, this Bai Fendou, not a great guy, and he's a stutterer!