After Zhang Meihui finished speaking, she suddenly paused and stared intently at Zhang Xiaojuan. "By the way, what's the date today?"

Her neck was slightly tilted forward, and her slightly puffy eyes were covered with fine, shallow wrinkles. Her long hair was neatly tucked into her chef's hat, with two faded and rusty black hair clips at her temples.

The gray long-sleeved shirt he was wearing had been washed until the cuffs were torn, and his two hands, etched with the marks of hardship and vicissitude, were clasped together.

When Lu Sheng and the others heard her sudden question, their hearts skipped a beat.

At that moment, all the NPCs at the next table stopped eating and turned their gazes toward Lu Sheng's table.

“Today…” Zhang Xiaojuan subconsciously wanted to answer, but Han Rui immediately covered her mouth.

Lu Sheng calmly looked up and said, "Auntie, today is September 5th."

Upon hearing Lu Sheng's answer, Zhang Meihui's eager gaze faltered for a moment, then she touched her hair with some disappointment, "It's only the 5th, it'll be more than ten days before we get paid."

"Anyway, it's a state-owned enterprise, so your salary won't be affected. Don't worry, Auntie," Zhang Xiaojuan quickly reassured her.

Just as Zhang Xiaojuan finished speaking, Zhang Meihui suddenly tensed up and stared at him blankly. "Accountant Zhang, when will we get paid for the eight months of wages we owe? You said the same thing last time, and it ended up being delayed for half a year."

Zhang Xiaojuan: "..."

He shouldn't have said that!

“Every time I ask you, you say that state-owned enterprises don’t delay paying wages, but I need the money to pay for my child’s eye treatment. Can you pay my wages first? I need to go back to my hometown after I get my wages.”

Zhang Meihui took a step forward, her tired and cloudy eyes looking at Zhang Xiaojuan with a blank expression. Her voice suddenly rose, "When are you going to give me my salary?!"

"We've been waiting for eight months! My little Hong only needs this much money to get her eyes treated!"

She was incredibly fast, rushing over in a flash as if to grab Zhang Xiaojuan's collar.

Fortunately, Zhang Xiaojuan reacted quickly, dodging the woman's hand and staggering back two steps. "Auntie, you've mistaken me for someone else. I'm not the accountant!"

Zhang Meihui swayed slightly, her eyes suddenly turning sharp. "Accountant Zhang, what do you mean? Are you going back on your word? You promised that even if others didn't get paid, you would still pay me at the end of the month!"

"I'm really not an accountant... I failed math in college! How could I possibly be an accountant!" Zhang Xiaojuan said, completely bewildered.

Zhang Meihui's face instantly paled, and she tried to grab Zhang Xiaojuan's arm. "Accountant Zhang, we made a promise, you can't go back on your word. I already promised Xiaohong that I would go home this month to take her to see an eye doctor. As a parent, you can't lie to your child, can you?"

"Auntie, you've really mistaken me for someone else. I was just passing by buying soy sauce!" Zhang Xiaojuan jumped back a big step and turned around to try to avoid Zhang Meihui.

Lu Sheng grabbed Zhang Xiaojuan's braid and pulled her back, saying, "Accountant Zhang, a person should keep their word. You should do what you promise!"

Zhang Xiaojuan: "..."

Everyone present: oO?

"Accountant Zhang...please have mercy..." Zhang Meihui's eyes gradually turned pleading.

Zhang Xiaojuan caught a glimpse of Lu Sheng's signal to her out of the corner of her eye, and could only nod reluctantly, "Okay, okay, I'm Accountant Zhang. Our factory's orders have been slow lately. Auntie, please wait a few more days, and I'll pay you as soon as we have the money."

“But we haven’t paid for the groceries for the cafeteria this month yet. I paid for them all myself…” Zhang Meihui said awkwardly, lowering her head and grabbing Zhang Xiaojuan’s wrist.

Although she was thin, she was extremely strong, and Zhang Xiaojuan, a young and strong woman, was held tightly by her and could not break free.

Seeing this, Lu Sheng gave Zhang Xiaojuan a wink, "Give them the money."

Zhang Xiaojuan: "..."

With a helpless sigh, Zhang Xiaojuan slowly took out her wallet from her pocket and leisurely pulled out several hundred-yuan bills folded into a heart shape from a hidden compartment.

"Auntie, please take these first, I'll give you the rest in a few days." Zhang Xiaojuan handed over a few heart-shaped bills with a pained expression.

Everyone was completely bewildered.

It's unbelievable that even after so long since the apocalypse, Zhang Xiaojuan still has so many brand-new banknotes hidden in her wallet!

"My ex-girlfriend folded a heart for me, and I had to part with it with a heavy heart."

Zhang Xiaojuan lowered her voice and clutched her chest in anguish.

His ex-girlfriend left him these few keepsakes, which he had collected for years. He never expected to bring them all out at once this time!

That was his first love! The last act of defiance from this innocent boy! And it was confiscated just like that!

Zhang Meihui carefully unfolded the banknotes, neatly folded them again, and stuffed them into her pocket. "Thank you, Accountant Zhang."

After putting the money away, Zhang Meihui looked at Sun Tiantian with a kind smile, "Xiao Hong, don't blame your mother. I've saved up quite a bit of money over the years, and I'll be able to take you to see a doctor soon."

After saying that, he looked at Lu Sheng and Xu Yi and the others, "Xiao Hong, who are they?"

She abruptly changed the subject, her gaze turning icy as she looked at everyone. Like a mother hen protecting her chicks, she shielded Sun Tiantian tightly behind her, while warily scrutinizing the crowd.

The surrounding environment instantly plummeted to freezing point, and the facial features of nearby NPCs gradually became distorted and blurred, becoming unrecognizable.

Lu Sheng and his companions immediately felt a sense of urgency.

Oh no, the NPC is about to turn evil!

Sun Tiantian was stunned for a moment, then grabbed Lu Sheng and Xu Yi's hands without hesitation, "Mom, these are doctors from the hospital. Our relatives helped us contact them while you were away. They can perform my surgery soon."

"They're here to help me with my check-up today, Mom, don't scare them."

Sun Tiantian calls her "Mom" so fluently.

She was pretty and had a sweet tongue, and soon she made Zhang Meihui smile from ear to ear.

Zhang Meihui hesitated for a moment, then shifted her gaze to Xiao Yu, Su Zheng, and the others. "Are they doctors too?"

"They...they are male nurses! Hospitals nowadays only want male nurses with good physical strength!" Sun Tiantian blurted out in a moment of quick thinking.

Zhang Meihui breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, and pulled Sun Tiantian toward the stove, saying softly as they walked, "Xiao Hong, don't worry, Mom has saved enough money now. You go to the hospital with the doctor first, and Mom will get you the surgery as soon as she gets her salary."

As she spoke, she suddenly unbuckled her belt and took out a savings book that she kept close to her body from the pocket sewn into her long johns.

Zhang Meihui carefully unfolded the passbook, flattened it in her palm before opening it. "This is all the money Mom has earned working over the past ten years. I've saved it all for you. Mom knows I'm sorry. If I hadn't accidentally hurt your eye, you wouldn't have had to suffer all these years."

As she spoke, she glanced cautiously at Lu Sheng and the others, then carefully placed the bankbook into Sun Tiantian's hand. "Mom was recently diagnosed with a health problem and may not be able to work anymore. You must keep this money to yourself and never let anyone else know."

Sun Tiantian looked at Lu Sheng nervously.

Should I accept the passbook given by the NPC? I need an answer urgently.