"Jianjun, you're back. What's up?"

"That Aunt Qin reported Luo Erdan, saying he was selling eggs. Although there was no clear evidence, I think it's true. His mother is sick, and he's trying to earn money to treat her. Luckily, the team leader glossed over the matter."

"What business is it of Mrs. Qin? There are just some people who can't stand to see others doing well. This is more bizarre than any novel I've ever read. I'm speechless."

“We need to be careful in the future. This person is like a venomous snake. In a few years, we need to stay even further away from this kind of person.”

"This is outrageous! Alright, hurry up and take off your shoes and warm up on the kang (heated brick bed)."

"Honey, I was just thinking that if we leave the village too often, we'll get noticed. Luckily, we always drive at night."

"Also, we should make more of our vegetables these next few years. In four years, we'll be watched more closely no matter what we do. The villagers will be even more vigilant and intimidating than they are now."

"Hey, let's try to dress as shabby as possible. Let's just hide."

Luo Erdan also returned home. Looking at his seriously ill mother on the kang (a heated brick bed), he felt heartbroken. He had finally managed to earn some money by taking risks, but now he had been reported by Old Mrs. Qin.

Overwhelmed with grief, I burst into tears. How could I go to the city for treatment and buy medicine for my mother if I had no money?

After some time, Luo Erdan saw that his mother's condition was still very serious, and he became anxious. The village didn't have much money, and they had already borrowed from everyone. What could they do?

No, we should go door to door to borrow money first. No matter what, we need to get my mother treated first. After all, my reputation is not as important as my mother. Every little bit helps. We need to take my mother to the city for treatment first.

Tingting heard someone knocking on the door, went to check, and saw that Luo Erdan had arrived.

"What's wrong? Is something the matter?"

"Sister-in-law Tingting, I want to borrow some money from you. I want to treat my mother's illness. My mother's condition is too serious. She can't even eat anymore."

"Don't cry yet, come inside first. Jianjun, Erdan is here."

“Brother Jianjun, I’ve been going door to door in the village to borrow money because of my mother. She hasn’t been eating since yesterday and can’t even swallow coarse grains. I’m thinking of taking her to the hospital in the city to get her checked out.”

“My father died early, leaving only my mother. My mother worked hard all her life for me, and she fell ill before I got married and had children.”

"Alright, Erdan, I'll have your sister-in-law get you some money. Stop crying now."

“Jianjun, we received 30 yuan from the last autumn harvest. That’s a year’s harvest. Let’s give it all to him. It wouldn’t be right to give him more. This should be enough. Let’s also give him 2 jin of millet. I think Erdan’s mother is dying. She has nothing to eat and no resistance.”

"Okay, let's leave it at that for now. If it doesn't work, we'll think of something else to help him."

"Erdan, this is the money we received from the last autumn harvest, and some millet that your sister-in-law collected because she's pregnant and hasn't eaten yet. Take it back first."

"Sister-in-law, Jianjun, thank you so much," he said, kneeling down. "I will never forget your great kindness."

"Alright, forget about the favors. Aunt Luo is a good person too. Go and cook some porridge for your mother. It's nutritious. See if she can drink this refined grain."

"Okay, sister-in-law, Jianjun, I'll head back now."

Luo Erdan was a filial son. Seeing that there was fine grain, he planned to take it back to cook for his mother, and then he ran wildly through the wind and snow.

"Mother, wake up!" she said, helping Aunt Luo sit up. "Mother, drink your millet porridge, eat quickly."

"Erdan, you drink it. I don't feel well either, it's a waste for me to drink it. Give it to my son."

"Mom, if you don't drink, I won't drink either. Don't make me worry."

"Okay, okay, I'll drink it," Aunt Luo said with a pale face. "Drink it slowly, Erdan. This millet is so delicious. It's been so long since I've had it. I'm not afraid of anything, except that I'm afraid that after I'm gone, you won't even have a wife. My illness is also a burden to you."

"If I leave, please take good care of yourself. It's a pity I won't see you get married."

"Mom, you'll be fine. We'll go to the hospital tomorrow. I've already talked to Uncle and gotten a referral letter. Don't worry, you'll definitely get better. Don't worry."

"You haven't even seen your grandson yet, so don't talk nonsense."

"Okay, I'll wait. Erdan, Mom is tired and wants to sleep for a while. You can drink the rest of the millet porridge."

"Mom, you can drink this tonight. You go to sleep first. We'll go to the hospital tomorrow."

Luo Erdan felt more confident now that he had money, and his mother could finally get medical treatment and would definitely recover.

In the evening, Luo Erdan heated up some millet porridge, preparing to give it to his mother.

"Mother, Mother, I called her several times but she didn't answer. Luo Erdan was getting a little anxious. He immediately put down the porridge and went over to her. Mother, wake up, wake up! Don't leave me alone."

"Mother, Mother!" Luo Erdan cried out. His mother was gone, his last remaining relative was gone, and he was so heartbroken that he cried until he could no longer make a sound. His cries woke up his neighbors.

“Old man, who’s crying? It can’t be Erdan, can it? Go and see for yourself. This child is a filial son, but he’s pitiful.”

"Okay, okay, I'll go now." After saying that, Grandpa Li Gongxian ran off dressed. Erdan, what's wrong with you?

"Grandpa, my mother is gone," she said, crying.

“Poor child, stop crying. Quickly get your mother ready. I’ll go get someone and we’ll see what to do.”

"Thank you, sir," she cried, bursting into tears.

"Oh, this poor child. If my own child were as filial as him, I would be laughing in my dreams."

Grandpa Li woke up his three sons to help him.

The next morning, Tingting and Jianjun saw their mother come over, saying that Erdan's mother had passed away and Jianjun was going to help.

"Brother Jianjun, you've arrived."

"My condolences, Erdan."

"Brother Jianjun, thank you and your wife for letting my mother have a final sip of fine grains before she passed away."

"Don't say that. Go and see your mother one last time."

"Oh, okay."

Luo Erdan's mother and father were buried together. Luo Erdan was greatly affected by his mother's death and became less talkative than usual. He returned the money he had borrowed, but Xiao Mi, Jianjun, and Tingzi refused to accept it.

Luo Erdan sat on the cold kang (heated brick bed), the room dark, secretly hating the Qin family. If it weren't for their own mother's illness not being delayed, they wouldn't have been the ones being watched so closely. Just wait, when the opportunity came, he would definitely teach them a lesson and let them taste what it's like to lose a loved one.

Luo Erdan's situation is what people commonly call "turning to the dark side".