Of course, Yang Fengxia couldn't tell Fang Hai the truth about forgetting to leave food for Dong Ping.

Otherwise, no matter how filial her son is, he will eventually drift apart from her.

After all, Dong Ping is currently pregnant with his child and has suffered a lot because of this child, which has resulted in her still lying in the hospital and not being able to go home for the New Year.

Moreover, the son is not only soft-hearted but also easily influenced; the power of his wife's influence is not to be underestimated. We cannot allow our daughter-in-law to seize this opportunity to climb over her shoulders.

"Second brother, wait a moment." Yang Fengxia's expression remained unchanged as she explained with a smile, "Pregnant women can't eat just anything. Xiaoping's pregnancy isn't going well yet; she's been in the hospital for three or four days and still can't get out of bed. She can't eat just anything. The food we ate today was too oily; we can't send it to the hospital. After I finish washing the pot, I'll make her a bowl of noodles. Noodles are easy to digest, and it'll save her from not being able to digest them while lying in bed, and from feeling all bloated in her stomach."

Yang Fengxia's words were eloquent, and Fang Hai didn't think much of it. He nodded and said, "Mom, you're so thoughtful. You go ahead and wash the pots. I'll wait for you."

Yang Fengxia looked apologetic and asked insincerely, "Second brother, is Xiaoping getting impatient waiting at the hospital?"

Fang Hai waved his hand: "No, the hospital cafeteria sells chicken cakes. I bought a few yesterday. If she's really starving, she can eat a couple to tide her over."

"Chicken cake?!" Yang Fengxia's expression changed slightly. Suppressing her anger, she asked cautiously, "Second brother, what's the price of chicken cake at the hospital cafeteria?"

Fang Hai: "Seven cents a pound, but no coupons required."

What a dimwit!

Even if I don't want a ticket, I can't accept a sponge cake that costs 70 cents a pound!

Pork is only 75 cents a pound!

Yang Fengxia's face turned pale and then red, and she almost blurted out the word "spendthrift son".

She closed her eyes, thinking that Dong Ping was carrying her Fang family's grandson, so feeding Dong Ping was also feeding the grandson. Only then did she manage to hold back the harsh words, almost biting her tongue in the process.

She forced a smile and said in as calm a tone as possible, "Seven cents a pound is too expensive, almost half the price of what you pay at the grocery store. Don't buy it at the hospital next time. If Xiaoping wants some, tell Mom, and Mom will go to the grocery store, buy it, and bring it to the hospital for her."

Fang Hai nodded: "I understand. But don't bother, I'll buy it myself next time."

Yang Fengxia quickly washed the pots and pans clean, then added a bowl and a half of water to the pot, put the lid on, and said to Fang Hai, "Second brother, go outside and call your little sister to come in and help Mom with the fire."

Fang Hai: "Mom, let me cook it. Don't bother my little sister."

Yang Fengxia glanced at him and said, "You're burning up."

Fang Hai scratched his head sheepishly and obediently went outside to call Fang Qiao.

"Little sister, Mom wants you to come and help with the fire."

Fang Qiao stood up briskly: "Okay."

It was freezing cold, and her hands and feet were icy cold sitting outside. It was a good time to go inside and light a fire to warm herself up, and lighting a fire wouldn't be tiring at all.

Fang Xue was also cold, but since Fang Qiao didn't move, she was too embarrassed to say anything, otherwise it would seem like she had lost to her.

As soon as Fang Qiao made a move, she couldn't wait to get up from the stool as well: "I'll join too."

Four people suddenly squeezed into the cramped kitchen, leaving Yang Fengxia no room to even turn around.

She waved Fang Xue away, saying, "Xiao Xue, go and rest. It's just making noodles; we don't need so many people."

Fang Xue pleaded, "Mom, I don't want to go out. I want to help you start the fire. Why don't you let my little sister go out instead?"

Yang Fengxia looked troubled: "This... Xiao Qiao, what do you think..."

Fang Qiao chuckled and stood up: "Fine, I'll go out. It's just a fire; I won't fight you for it."

It's not an easy job either.

She turned and left the kitchen, and heard Fang Hai say to Yang Fengxia, "Mom, why don't you put a poached egg in the noodles? Otherwise, it'll be bland and watery, and there won't be any nutrition."

Then Yang Fengxia grumbled a couple of times with heartache, followed by the sound of cracking eggshells.

Fang Qiao stood there for a moment, stunned. Just as she was about to go to Labor Park to find Cheng Baidong and the children, she heard Fang Hai say to Yang Fengxia in the kitchen, "By the way, Mom, Xiaoping's medical expenses are almost gone. The doctor told me to pay another fifty tomorrow."

Yang Fengxia frowned: "It's all used up so quickly? Didn't we just pay fifty the other day?"

Fang Hai explained, "Xiao Ping's pregnancy is not going well. The doctor is giving her expensive and high-quality medications, which is why her medical expenses are rising quickly."

"That's too fast, it's only been a few days." Yang Fengxia sighed with heartache.

Fifty yuan, gone in an instant. Was this a guarantee for a human baby, or a golden baby?

Fang Hai felt bad that the money was going away so fast, but he knew that money could be earned back, but once the child was gone, it was truly gone forever.

The couple had finally had another child after five or six years, and they couldn't risk it all just because of money.

Yang Fengxia's expression pierced Fang Hai's heart. He lowered his head in shame, "Mom, I know our family isn't well-off, and I'm sorry to have troubled you with this money, but Xiaoping's condition has improved a lot. The doctor said she can be discharged in a few more days. It wouldn't be good to give up halfway through treatment..."

"Besides, fifty yuan isn't much, it's about the same as two months' salary for me, so my family shouldn't be unable to afford it."

Yang Fengxia sighed and said with difficulty, "Second son, it's true that you earn fifty yuan a month, but after deducting the food and drink expenses for our whole family, there's practically no money left at the end of the month. Fifty yuan isn't much, but our family really doesn't have any left."

Fang Hai fell silent immediately: "There really isn't a single cent left..."

“No, that’s all.” Yang Fengxia shook her head and said, “The money for Xiaoping’s hospitalization was originally your advance salary from work. Besides, our family still owes fifteen yuan in debt.”

Fang Hai retorted, "That was my younger brother's own gambling debt, not the family's debt."

Yang Fengxia was a little unhappy, pursed her lips, and didn't say anything.

Fang Hai lowered his head, having spent a long time mentally preparing himself, before finally speaking with great embarrassment: "Big sister, do you...do you have any spare money?"

Without a second thought, Fang Xue immediately refused, "No."

After saying that, she suddenly realized that she had refused too quickly and seemed a bit heartless, so she awkwardly tried to make amends: "Xiao Hai, my mother-in-law has all the money in my family. You know that I haven't been able to give the Zhang family a son all these years, so I've never been able to hold my head up in front of my mother-in-law. It's not that I don't want to help you, it's just that I can't say anything to my mother-in-law when it comes to money."

Fang Hai pursed his lips and said in a low voice, "Then forget it."

The atmosphere in the kitchen suddenly froze.

After a while, Fang Xue suddenly said, "Little brother, why don't you let your wife go home from the hospital? As for the baby, just let nature take its course. It would be best if she could be born, but if she really can't keep it, then it's just that the child and you two weren't meant to be. Anyway, you're still young, you can have another one in the future."