Chapter 005 Compensation

As soon as Old Lady Yang finished speaking, someone immediately responded.

"That's right. I think Xiaoqiu looks a little unwell. What did the doctor say when you were discharged from the hospital? Did he say Xiaoqiu was fine too?"

"Yes, even from a distance, I can tell Xiaoqiu's face is pale. Is she really all right?"

"Hey, Xiaoshi, how about you take Xiaoqiu and stay in the hospital for two more days?"

It was mid-morning, and those who went to work or school had all left. It was a time for those who didn't have to work to relax at home. When everyone heard that the Shi family father and daughter had been discharged from the hospital, they all popped their heads out to see what was going on. This is when they saw Shi Qiushui's pale face. Most of the people who didn't have to work in the hospital were elderly women, and when they saw Shi Qiushui, they all felt extremely distressed.

"Hey, stop making things worse. We're still staying for two more days. What's so great about a hospital? Why would you pay to stay there if you're not sick?" It was Ma Yulan, who had just returned from fetching water, who rescued Shi Yue from being besieged by the neighbors. "I confirmed with the doctor that Xiaoshi and Xiaoqiu were fine, and then I discharged them."

"As for Xiaoqiu's complexion, don't you think about it? Xiaoqiu is only six years old. She's already weak, and after going through such a terrible ordeal, her vitality must have been damaged. I asked the doctor when I was discharged from the hospital, and he said to eat more nutritious and stomach-nourishing foods, and I'll be fine slowly."

Ma Yulan had been in charge of the school for so many years, so she still had some experience. When everyone heard what she said, they immediately had no objections. As the housewives of each household, everyone began to pass on their experience to Shi Yue.

"Xiao Xiao, listen to me. You need to nourish your daughter's stomach and make her some nutritious food. Make millet porridge for her. Children love sweet food. Add some red dates and rock sugar when you cook the porridge. This is the most nourishing food. When my daughter was in confinement after childbirth, I cooked this for her every day."

"Hey, get out of here. How nutritious is just eating millet porridge? Don't listen to her. If you ask me, eat yam to nourish your stomach. They even said in the newspaper that iron stick yam is good for the stomach. Go to the market, buy two yams, chop up two pork ribs, and stew a yam and pork rib soup. That's both good for the stomach and nutritious."

"No, no, if you ask me, the best way to nourish the stomach is to stew chicken with astragalus and hericium. My son had stomach problems before, so I took him to see a Chinese doctor. The old doctor told me to make this for him. Believe it or not, he ate it a few times and it really worked. It's just that good astragalus is hard to buy and it's not cheap. But if you don't mind the trouble, you can go to the countryside and find someone who specializes in collecting herbs in the mountains, and you can find some good ones."

The man who was speaking suddenly paused, then said in surprise as if he remembered something, "Hey, I remember that Lao Gao Cuifen's eldest daughter-in-law's family is from the countryside. If you wanted to find astragalus when you were young, you could ask Lao Gao to find it for you. After all, if it weren't for Lao Gao, you and your daughter wouldn't have suffered so much!"

"Yes, yes, that's right. Lao Gao should be held responsible for this matter."

"Forget about Astragalus, even if it's ginseng, if Xiaoshi needs it, Lao Gao will go get it. She made Xiaoshi and Xiaoshi suffer, so she has to show some appreciation."

"Oh, yes, where's Lao Gao? Why can't I see her?"

When Gao Cuifen was mentioned, everyone realized that Gao Cuifen had not come out. After discovering this, everyone's faces looked more or less unhappy.

Li Xiuying, who had always been at odds with Gao Cuifen, said, "Oh, maybe Gao is afraid that Xiao will come after her, so she's hiding at home."

She said this in a sarcastic tone, but no one else stood up to speak for Gao Cuifen.

It is really not right for Gao Cuifen to do this. The father and daughter suffered so much because of her when they were young. Not only did she not take care of them when they were in the hospital, she even hid herself now. How could she be like this!

Everyone in the hospital felt that Gao Cuifen's behavior was inappropriate, not to mention Ma Yulan, who was ready to come back from the hospital to compensate the Shi family father and daughter. She was even more furious.

"Hmph, does she think she can get away with this by hiding at home?" Ma Yulan said this and turned to walk towards Gao Cuifen's house on the east side of the yard.

Snap, bang, bang, bang.

Ma Yulan used great strength to knock on the door, while knocking and shouting: "Gao Cuifen, open the door, Gao Cuifen, open the door, don't hide in there without making a sound, I know you are at home, open the door!"

Bang bang bang, Ma Yulan banged on the door for a long time. The wooden door of Gao Cuifen's house was smashed into wood chips, but her door still showed no sign of opening.

"Auntie Ma, what are you doing?" Zhang Peng, the youngest son of Gao Cuifen who had just returned from a business trip, saw a group of people surrounding his door as soon as he entered the yard. He squeezed to the front of the crowd with great difficulty and asked in confusion.

"Zhang Peng, you're back." Seeing Zhang Peng's figure, Ma Yulan sighed with mixed feelings. Zhang Peng had been away on a business trip for five days, so he had no idea how big a trouble Gao Cuifen had caused this time.

"No, Aunt Ma, what do you mean? Did something happen to our family?" Seeing Ma Yulan sighing, Zhang Peng's expression became solemn. He took a deep breath and said, "Aunt Ma, just say what you want to say. I can bear it. Is it my dad or my mom who's in trouble?"

Aunt Ma knew he had misunderstood her, and quickly explained: "No, Zhang Peng, you misunderstood. It's not your family that's in trouble. Your father and mother are fine. It's Xiaoshi who's in trouble. It's like this, just a few days ago... Xiaoshi has been discharged from the hospital, and we came to look for your mother, but your mother..."

After listening to Ma Yulan's explanation of the whole story, Zhang Peng couldn't help but look a little embarrassed. Even though he was Gao Cuifen's son, he had to admit that what his mother did was indeed not right.

He turned around and apologized to Shi Yue first: "Well, Brother Shi, I'm really sorry. It was my mother who did something inappropriate. I apologize to you on her behalf. You know, my mother is a very bad person. She... well, don't worry. The food poisoning of you and your daughter is indeed my family's responsibility. My family, no, I, I will definitely take responsibility."

He took out all the money in his pocket, gathered together eighty yuan and handed it to Shi Yue: "Take this eighty yuan first, and consider it as your compensation for lost work and nutrition for the past few days. Of course, I know this is definitely not enough, but Brother Shi, this is all I have on me today. Please bear with it for a while. When I go home to rest, I will bring you a gift to apologize. Is that okay with you?"

Shi Yue's eyes flashed when he saw the money Zhang Peng handed over. In the original owner's memory, at that time, an ordinary worker's monthly salary was only one hundred and sixty or seventy yuan. Zhang Peng took out his pocket and gave him almost half a month's salary, which seemed quite sincere.

I just don’t know if he is so sincere in his heart?

Shi Yue hesitated for a moment and did not directly take the money handed over by Zhang Peng. Zhang Peng became anxious. He looked at Shi Yue with a red face and said, "Brother Shi, are you angry and don't want to take my money? Please don't be like this. I know my mother did something wrong this time. I will definitely talk to her when I go back and ask her to come and apologize to you."

Because of Shi Yue's resistance, he was really a little sad. When he was a child, he was in poor health and was thin and small. No one in the yard wanted to play with him. Even his biological brothers were unwilling to take him out to play because he was a burden. Only Shi Yue, who was three years older than him, was willing to play with him. Because of this, he always regarded Shi Yue as his best buddy. Even after Shi Yue went out to serve in the army, he and Shi Yue only saw each other twice a year, but Shi Yue's position in his heart had never changed. Who would have thought that his mother almost killed his good friend and his good friend's daughter.

Before, Shi Yue hadn't matched Zhang Peng with the little follower who followed him around all day in his memory. Until now, looking at Zhang Peng, whose eyes were beginning to well up, he finally connected the younger Zhang Peng with the man in front of him. His heart softened, and he nodded, "Okay, I'll take the money first."

"Yeah!" Shi Yue took the money, and Zhang Peng's expression immediately became better. At least he didn't look like he was about to cry like before.

Since Brother Shi is willing to accept his money, it means that Brother Shi does not resent him to the point of not wanting to have anything to do with him. He can still follow behind Shi Yue and continue to be Shi Yue's little follower!

When the others saw Zhang Peng giving money and Shi Yue receiving it, their expressions also looked much better.

No matter what kind of person Gao Cuifen is, at least Zhang Peng is a good one.

Ma Yulan, who was blocking the door, also made some room and stopped blocking the door.

She knocked on the door just to ask Gao Cuifen for compensation for Shi Yue. Since Zhang Peng had already given the money, there was no need for her to continue blocking the way here.

She turned to Shi Yue and asked, "Then you and Zhang Peng can slowly negotiate the rest of the matter. We won't get involved."

Shi Yue smiled politely: "Okay, I'll discuss it with Zhang Peng. Thank you, Aunt Ma."

"Okay, then let's stop crowding around here." Malanhua waved at the crowd, "Disperse, everyone, please disperse. Don't crowd around Gao Cuifen's house anymore."

"Oh, okay, let's go..."

Li Xiuying, who was at odds with Gao Cuifen in the crowd, looked a little bored. What? She thought she would see everyone tearing Gao Cuifen apart today, but she didn't expect Gao Cuifen to dodge it.

Tsk, how disappointing!

However, Li Xiuying knew that even if everyone did not tear Gao Cuifen apart, Gao Cuifen would not be in a good mood. After all, for Gao Cuifen, who was extremely stingy and would not spend a penny, paying money was the most painful thing for her. Her youngest son paid out 80 yuan at once, and Gao Cuifen must be heartbroken at this moment.

Hehe, Gao Cuifen is uncomfortable, and Li Xiuying is happy!

As Li Xiuying walked out, she looked back, wanting to see Gao Cuifen's heartbroken and painful expression.

The door is open! Zhang Peng took out the key and opened the door. The door was about to open, and she was about to see Gao Cuifen in pain! Li Xiuying stared at the Gao family excitedly, and then her eyes were stunned.

Through the door opened by Zhang Peng, the Gao Cuifen she saw was not the Gao Cuifen with a painful expression because she thought you were worried about the money, but Gao Cuifen lying on the table with foam at the mouth and an unknown life or death. Lying next to her was her husband, Old Zhang, who was also foaming at the mouth and motionless.

Seeing this scene, Li Xiuying felt her scalp tingling and screamed subconsciously: "Ah! Something happened!"

Zhang Peng, who pushed the door open, also screamed, "Someone, help! Something's happened to my parents!"