After the couple lay back down on the bed, Ding Qiunan finally remembered to ask, "Why did Xu Damao exchange so many US dollars?"

"What else can we do? Send it to his second son."

"That's not right. I remember Xiao'e telling me that Jiye took a lot of living expenses with him when he left. How long has it been, only three months? It's all gone?"

"Anyway, when Da Mao came to see me today, he said that Ji Ye called and said that he had no money."

"My God!" Ding Qiunan said in disbelief, "This is spending money way too fast! Who can afford it at this rate?!"

"Now, everyone who goes abroad and their family in China will encounter the current dilemma: not having enough money."

"Even those who study abroad on government scholarships can lack money?"

"The government will pay your tuition and accommodation fees, and also give you a living allowance, but that living allowance seems to be only one hundred yuan, which is not enough for your monthly living expenses under normal circumstances. So you need to have another source of living expenses. Some people ask their families for money, while others will find ways to work."

"One hundred US dollars a month isn't enough to live on? That's over a thousand RMB!"

Li Chu looked at his wife with a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

"You can't calculate it like that. You'll definitely be spending their money over there. The living conditions there are better, and prices are definitely higher than here. If you only spend three dollars a day, that's probably just enough to eat. If you eat a lot, you might not even be full. What are those kids supposed to do when they're unfamiliar with the place? No matter what, right now, earning money in China and spending it over there is the most foolish thing to do."

Speaking of this, Li Chu thought of Guo Xiangyang, who sold him the two houses. He wondered how Guo Xiangyang's wife was doing abroad, but he figured Guo Xiangyang would probably end up losing both his money and his wife.

"What are you thinking about?" Ding Qiunan snuggled into her husband's arms and asked when he stopped talking.

"Oh, I was thinking I should do some homework tonight."

"Ugh, you're so annoying..."

...

The next morning, when Li Chu arrived at the hospital by car and saw Guo Xiangyang pacing back and forth at the entrance, he thought this was really strange. What was this? It was like a turtle coming to the roost.

After thinking about it, he still made Dazhuang stop.

"What's wrong?" Ding Qiunan asked, somewhat puzzled, when she saw him stop the car at the gate.

Li Chu pointed to Guo Xiangyang and said, "That's the guy who sold us our two apartments. He's been loitering around our hospital entrance early this morning. I guess he's here to see me. I'll go check it out."

Upon hearing this, Liu Dazhuang, who was driving in front, quickly said, "Director, go in first, and I'll come out with you."

bidige.

"It's alright, there are sentries at the gate. What can he do with his skinny arms and legs? Just drive the car in."

With that, Li Chu opened the back door and got out of the car.

Liu Dazhuang, who had originally wanted to say something, kept quiet when he thought of his leader's fighting spirit.

"Dazhuang, why don't you park the car near the outpatient building and come out and take a look? I'll walk to the back myself."

Although Ding Qiunan also believed in her man's fighting ability, he was already fifty years old, and old age meant he couldn't rely on his physical strength anymore. No matter what, he couldn't compare to when he was in his twenties or thirties.

"Okay, Deputy Director Ding."

Since being criticized last time, Li Wenhui, like Wenxuan, has started riding a bicycle, a problem she herself realized.

Li Chu didn't say much about whether she took a car or rode her bike. He felt these were minor issues, as long as she was aware of her own problems.

After getting out of the car, he walked straight up to Guo Xiangyang.

"Comrade Guo Xiangyang, are you here looking for me?"

Guo Xiangyang was stunned for a moment before recognizing Li Chu, since they had only met for half a day and Li Chu was wearing a different military uniform.

"Dr. Li... Hello, I really have something to discuss with you."

It seems he had inquired beforehand, otherwise he wouldn't have known the doctor's identity.

"Okay, go ahead."

"Dr. Li, I came to see you today to ask if you have any US dollars left. I'd like to exchange some."

"Exchange money? Isn't the money from selling the house enough? And your wife still hasn't left after all this time?"

Li Chu was somewhat surprised; it had been almost a year already.

Guo Xiangyang's face showed a bitter expression. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "The person we found to help with the procedures for going abroad said that the price has gone up. It used to be 3,000, but now it's 3,500. I'm still a little short."

Wow, this guy is quite wealthy!

Then he sensed something was off and asked, somewhat puzzled, "You mean all this money is for the person you found?"

"Yes," Guo Xiangyang nodded.

"Have you ever been to the American embassy?"

"No, he said that if he goes to the embassy now, he will definitely be refused a visa, and he has to wait until he gets things sorted out before he can go."

"Where is this person from?"

“He is an overseas Chinese, the son of my father’s friend.”

After hearing Guo Xiangyang's words, Li Chu was also a little unsure. His intuition told him that this Guo was likely being deceived, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

At this moment, he noticed that Guo Xiangyang was looking behind him, so he turned around and glanced back. He then saw that it was Liu Dazhuang coming over, so he turned back around.

"Comrade Guo Xiangyang, I can't say much about your family's affairs, but I'm just wondering, if you've given all the money you got to that person to pull strings, how will your wife live over there even if she goes?"

"Hehe, my friend said that there will be jobs there, and the salary is paid weekly, so there's nothing to worry about."

Li Chu shook his head slightly in his heart. Going out to work is not that easy. It depends on what kind of visa you have. If it is a tourist visa, then you are working illegally, and there is no guarantee at all.

But he wouldn't say that; the person he contacted was a friend, and who knows, they might actually be able to get him a work visa.

"If you want to exchange for US dollars, I really don't have any left. The ones I gave you last year were all exchanged by someone else."

"Ah~" Guo Xiangyang's disappointment was evident on his face, but he still asked with some unwillingness, "Dr. Li, is there none left?"

"Really, it's all gone. I can't spend that stuff except for exchanging it, so why would I keep it? You can go to the Friendship Store and wait to exchange it with those foreigners."

"To be honest, Dr. Li, I have indeed been there, but they all have their own territory, so I couldn't get close at all."

There's nothing we can do about it.

There are three ways to exchange foreign currency in China: either through the Bank of China, the black market, or by waiting for foreigners outside the Friendship Store. This depends on luck, but according to Guo Xiangyang, that market has been monopolized.

(Announcement: Dear readers, there will be three chapters updated tomorrow, August 22nd, at 6:00 AM, 11:00 AM, and 5:00 PM respectively. Thank you for your support and encouragement.)