Grandpa Bai felt a connection with the young girl he had only met once.
"Here's what we'll do! Come find me in the village tomorrow. If you're still planning to dig for medicinal herbs, I can arrange for someone to take you."
“Okay! I’m willing to go.” Lu Zhixia said with a firm look in her eyes, “I’m not afraid of hardship, as long as I can make money.”
"You agreed so readily, aren't you afraid I'll sell you off?" Old Master Bai joked.
"I'm not afraid. You look kind, how could you possibly sell me out?"
"Silly child, sometimes you can't judge a person by their appearance."
"Grandpa, do you know anything about medicine?"
"I know a little bit, but I don't treat patients now. If you have a headache or fever, you should go to the hospital. I'm getting old and my technique isn't accurate anymore, and I don't want to harm anyone."
"So you know medicine? I happen to know a little bit too; I can do acupuncture."
"Really?"
“It’s more real than pearls. I learned acupuncture from an old doctor to take care of the elderly. His technique is very good.”
"I see. Then it's settled. You go to the village at the foot of Longtan Mountain tomorrow. I'll pick you up then."
"Okay, Grandpa."
"I love hearing your sweet voice." Grandpa Bai laughed heartily. "Actually, I like granddaughters, but unfortunately, all that's left in the family are rascals. I probably won't have a biological granddaughter in this lifetime."
"Then I'll treat you like my granddaughter. Even though I'm not your biological daughter, I'll definitely treat you well."
"Good, good, it would be great to have a granddaughter in my lifetime."
Lu Zhixia felt incredibly lucky today, having met this old man, which was like discovering another avenue to wealth.
They chatted for a while longer, and learned that the old man's surname was Bai, and that there were thousands of kinds of medicinal herbs on Longpan Mountain.
It is a veritable treasure mountain, and the villagers have lived a prosperous life by relying on the mountain for their livelihood.
More people came to buy medicinal herbs, and Lu Zhixia started to help out. Soon, all the bags of herbs were sold out.
The sun was setting when Grandpa Bai said goodbye and left, as he was taking the last bus back to the village.
Lu Zhixia watched the old man push his cart away until he was out of sight before she rode her bicycle back home.
I bought so much stuff yesterday, I can cook as soon as I get home. It was a fulfilling but tiring day.
Turning a corner onto another road, I saw a woman squatting on the ground spanking her child. The little boy was wearing a white shirt and jeans, and it was clear that his family was well-off.
As they drew closer, the woman's shrill voice reached their ears.
"I told you to take the money to buy something, how did you lose it?"
"You didn't give it to me!" the little boy said stubbornly, but his voice was very soft.
"How could I not have given it to you?" Ma Suzhen shouted. "I remember giving it to you, you troublesome child!"
After saying that, he hit her several more times with force.
Seeing the child's stubbornness but lack of tears, Lu Zhixia instinctively stopped the car. "Ma'am, please speak politely and don't hit the child."
Ma Suzhen looked at the meddlesome woman; there was an ice cream box on the back of her bicycle.
"We're not buying ice cream, you'd better leave now!"
“I don’t sell ice cream. I came here because I couldn’t bear to see it.” When Lu Zhixia got closer, she saw that the little boy was very thin, looked about five or six years old, and had a sallow complexion, obviously malnourished.
"It's none of your business if I hit my own child." Ma Suzhen, feeling guilty and afraid of being seen by acquaintances, tried to pull the little boy away.
Gu Huailin felt wronged. The nanny clearly hadn't given him the money, so why was she accusing him?
As the two struggled, the cloth bag in their hands fell to the ground, revealing everything inside.
There was a handful of loose change in the center.
"The money is in the bag," Gu Huailin said.
Ma Suzhen picked up the money and counted it, then realized that not a single penny was missing; the money had indeed not been given to the child.
She was chatting with someone and casually tossed the money into her bag.
Then, when I came out of the supply and marketing cooperative, I felt that something was missing from my hand, and I thought that I had lost the money.
That's why she hit the child. She didn't feel guilty; instead, she felt angry because someone was meddling in her affairs.
"Okay, I saw it!" She immediately closed the bag.
Lu Zhixia finally understood what was going on. Looking at the little boy's bright eyes and thin body, he seemed completely out of place compared to the plump woman next to him.
They don't look like a family at all.
"Sister, go back and cook more meat for your child."
"I know, I'm taking the child away, don't meddle in other people's business!" Ma Suzhen turned around and left with the child.
Lu Zhixia felt that this woman was too domineering and did not act like a mother at all. Just then, she saw the little boy turn his head and wave at her.
Lu Zhixia immediately waved to him. After this little incident, she felt a bit tired when she got back on her bike.
Back downstairs in the tenement building, the garage door was open, and many people were riding their bikes back.
She parked her car wherever she could find a spot and then followed the flow of people upstairs.
I got home late today, and it took me several minutes longer to get upstairs than usual because it was rush hour.
Finally, we reached the third floor and saw that every household in the corridor was cooking. The sounds of chopping vegetables and stir-frying vegetables were mixed together, creating a lively atmosphere.
"Little Lu is back. How was business today?" Auntie Pang asked with a smile.
"It's alright," Lu Zhixia replied enthusiastically.
Aunt Pang lived in the first household. She always had a smile on her face and gave people a kind feeling.
After exchanging greetings twice, they became familiar with each other and talked to several other people they knew. When they got back to their doorstep, they saw Su Lan pouring vegetable seedlings into a pot.
"Why are you back so late?"
Su Lan glanced at it, then continued stir-frying the vegetables with the spatula.
"Talking to people for too long will take up too much time." Lu Zhixia took out her iron pot, preparing to steam rice and vegetables like she did yesterday.
I was thinking that I should get up early tomorrow morning, bake a few flatbreads to take with me, and bring my own food just in case.
"I've already lit the stove for you, you can start using it as soon as you turn it on." Su Lan said while stir-frying vegetables, picking up a leaf and putting it in her mouth, finding the taste acceptable.
I grabbed the salt shaker and added a little more salt. There are many people in my family, and if the dishes are cooked too bland, there won't be enough to eat.
Lu Zhixia put the pot on the stove, added some water, and then began to busy herself washing, chopping, and rinsing the rice.
I only ate breakfast and didn't eat lunch, and now I feel hungry.
Su Lan ladled out the dishes and craned her neck to look towards the other end of the corridor.
"That's strange today, your older brother came back late too."
"Maybe something else got in the way."
Lu Zhixia closed the lid, stretched her arms, and sat down on the bench, finally able to relax and rest.
The cool breeze on my face felt very comfortable.
Su Lan covered the food with a lid, muttering a complaint, "Honestly, the food is ready, the dishes are ready, all that's missing is for him to come home and eat."
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