Chapter 154 The Money Was Stolen

A few days after Xia Shuangshan brought his three kids here, it was the beginning of winter and the weather was getting colder day by day.

A few days after the beginning of winter, it snowed, and Xia Juanjuan had been pregnant for more than nine months.

There was a thin layer of snow on the bluestone slabs in the yard. The three little kids were very happy. They got up early in the morning and ran to the yard to play wildly.

There is enough room in the yard here. After Xia Shuangshan and his three little kids came, Lin Yuru and Xia Juanjuan still lived in the east room of the main house, while Xia Shuangshan lived in the west room with his three little kids.

When the weather started to turn cold, Xia Juanjuan asked Xia Shuangshan to take the industrial coupons and money that Li Zhan had sent back before, and buy two coal stoves and some coal briquettes.

Lin Yuru was still worried about the money and said, "Just buy one. We'll only be here for a month or so. If we buy so many, it will be a waste when we go home..."

Xia Juanjuan smiled and said, "Who said it's a waste? The winter in the village is getting colder. We bought one last winter, but we have built a new house. After I give birth, one room won't be enough for us to sleep in, so we will have to sleep in separate rooms. If we don't put one in each room, won't it be freezing cold in winter? I'll put the remaining one in your room. Even if it's hard to buy loose coal, we can still keep warm by burning firewood in the stove."

Lin Yuru opened her mouth to refuse, but Xia Juanjuan said back:

"It's not like I'm just giving it to you without asking for anything in return. Why are you so eager to refuse? After I gave birth, I had three little cubs at home, plus I don't know if it was two or three younger ones. How could I take care of it on my own? I've already thought about it. Anyway, we have room to live in our new house. You can move in with my father and help me for a while.

So, this coal stove is said to be for you, but in fact it is still in my room? Besides, when the time comes, you will definitely have to take one or two of the three kids to sleep with you. You can resist the cold, but can they? ..."

The house that Xia Shuangshan and Lin Yuru were assigned in the Xia family was extremely simple, although Xia Shuangshan later built a fence wall himself. It was just a room of about ten square meters with a bed and a wobbly dining table. It served as both a living room and a bedroom, and they even ate on the edge of the bed. The kitchen was a simple thatched house with adobe walls.

Xia Juanjuan has always been thinking about improving their living conditions.

However, in the countryside, if a daughter-in-law's parents lived with their son-in-law, they would be laughed at, so she never brought it up explicitly.

But after she gave birth, it was obvious to everyone in the village that Liu Lan was a virtuous person. She was giving birth to a multiple child, so her parents took care of her for a while, and no one gossiped.

Of course, they couldn't just give up the house in Xia Village, otherwise it would be a bargain for the other elites in the Xia family. They would just have to keep it locked up, and they would have to go back to live there from time to time.

Lin Yuru was speechless, but she still felt bad for the money: "Alas... it's too expensive. A coal stove costs fifteen yuan, and you need industrial coupons... your father and I have saved up fifteen yuan for half a year..."

Lin Yuru remembered that Xia Shuangshan asked her for money two days ago, saying that he was going on a long trip.

Thirty yuan for two coal stoves, more than twice what she could give Xia Shuangshan...

However, she and Xia Shuangshan had no intention of asking Xia Juanjuan for money, so they did not mention this matter.

The girl was about to give birth, and she didn't want to worry her about these things.

When Xia Juanjuan saw Lin Yuru talking about money, a worried look appeared on her face. She remembered that Xiaowen had secretly told her two days ago that her grandfather had asked her grandmother for money. She guessed that Xia Shuangshan wanted money because he was going out to look for her brother who had been kidnapped and was missing. She just didn't know when he planned to leave.

When giving the money for buying the stove to Xia Shuangshan, Xia Juanjuan deliberately sent Lin Yuru away.

After she gave Xia Shuangshan 30 yuan and the industrial coupons, she gave him another 100 yuan and said softly, "Dad, take this 100 yuan too."

Xia Shuangshan was stunned for a moment and subconsciously wanted to refuse.

Xia Juanjuan didn't wait for him to speak, and said, "Dad, don't be so quick to say no. Let me ask you, are you planning to go to the south to find my brother without telling my mom? I heard from Xiaowen that you asked my mom for money. When you go out, you should bring more money with you, so that you can at least have money for accommodation and meals, right? Otherwise, the fifteen yuan my mom gave you may not even be enough for the round-trip fare! Are you planning to sleep on the roadside and beg for money to find my brother?"

Xia Shuangshan saw that his daughter had seen through what he had been planning to keep secret, and he couldn't help but look a little sullen. He chuckled twice and said, "You...you guessed it? Alas...I also know that you are about to give birth. When I leave, you and your mother will be the only ones left at home. It must be difficult. But your brother...your brother has been out for more than ten or twenty years. If he is still alive, I...I would like to go look for him..."

As he spoke, the eyes of this grown man began to turn red.

Xia Shuangshan said quickly: "But Dad will definitely wait until you give birth, and send you and the kids back to the village safely before leaving..."

Xia Juanjuan smiled and said, "Dad, I'm not competing for this. I know you can't let go of my brother. Otherwise, I wouldn't give you this hundred yuan, right?"

In fact, after she heard Xia Shuangshan say that day that her brother might still be alive and might be serving as a soldier in the south, she sent a telegram to Li Zhan, wanting him to find out if he knew anything about the situation in the south.

Unfortunately, including the last telegram she sent, Li Zhan never replied.

Xia Shuangshan was extremely anxious and was sure that he couldn't wait any longer, so she could only ask him to bring more money so that they would have an easier time on the journey.

Xia Shuangshan nodded and choked up, "Alas! This money is just a loan from Dad. I'll pay you back when I make money later."

Xia Juanjuan smiled and said, "Look at what you are talking about. It has been almost a year, and you and mom have taken care of me and built a house for us. You have been busy all day. If we really count the accounts, I am afraid that the 100 yuan I gave you is not enough! Dad, you said you would pay me back in the future. Are you speaking in a sarcastic way? Do you think I didn't give you enough?"

Xia Shuangshan was amused and said, "You are just a kid with a lot of twisted ideas!"

Xia Shuangshan took the money to buy a coal stove, and stuffed the hundred yuan given by Xia Juanjuan into the chest pocket of his patched old Zhongshan suit.

The county town is not big, but the supply and marketing cooperatives that sell everything are now concentrated in the staff building. Xia Shuangshan went through the old city, which was equivalent to crossing the county town, and he just happened to pass by the railway station in the county center.

Xia Shuangshan thought about going to the train station first to inquire about the train schedule to Guangzhou, the ticket price, and how to buy the ticket a few days in advance. He would have a good idea in his mind and leave as soon as Xia Juanjuan gave birth.

Because there are textile mills and wood processing mills in Mo County, finished cloth and processed wood must be transported by train to other places for sale, so the railway station is quite large.

Moreover, there are many workers from other places here, which makes the railway station always bustling and lively.

When things get busy, they get chaotic.

As soon as Xia Shuangshan entered the train station, he was targeted by a gang of pickpockets.

They have been lurking in crowded and noisy places like train stations all year round, and it is easy to tell who is not vigilant and who is a fat sheep!

Even though Xia Shuangshan's clothes were patched and he looked like a country bumpkin, that didn't prevent him from carrying a huge sum of money!

Apart from anything else, the tense expression on Xia Shuangshan's face and the little movements he made to protect his chest pocket intentionally or unintentionally gave him away completely.

The pickpocket gang had their own method. They first found someone near Xia Shuangshan, who suddenly shouted in despair that his money had been stolen, causing Xia Shuangshan to quickly check if his money was still there.

Once they determined where he put the money, the next step was easy. They just sent a skilled pickpocket to gently bump into Xia Shuangshan's shoulder, then pretend to apologize. In just one or two minutes, the money in Xia Shuangshan's pocket would be theirs!

Xia Shuangshan was still unaware and went to the ticket office to queue up and ask about the tickets.

"Comrade, how much is a hard seat ticket to Guangzhou? A hard seat will do, but if there is none, standing is fine."

The ticket seller didn't even look at him and asked coldly, "A hard seat ticket is 10 yuan and 22 cents, and a standing ticket is one price! Which day are you buying the ticket for? Give me the letter of introduction and the money..."

Xia Shuangshan was embarrassed by the question: "This... I don't know yet, probably half a month to a month later, I don't have the letter of introduction with me..."

The ticket seller turned to me impatiently and said, "You don't even know which day you're buying tickets for, and you don't even have a letter of introduction. What are you asking for? You're delaying other customers from buying tickets! Don't blame me for reminding you. It's almost the end of the year, and tickets are hard to buy. You should book a time before coming back!"

It was Xia Shuangshan's first time buying a train ticket, so he didn't dare ask any questions. He just agreed reluctantly and quickly gave up his seat to the people queuing behind him.

Just after he came out, he remembered that he should ask if he could buy the ticket in advance, or a few days in advance - this was what Xia Juanjuan told him. If he bought the ticket in advance, he could get a hard seat. Otherwise, the hard seat and the standing ticket would be the same price. It would be a loss just because he bought the ticket late, or secondary. It would take more than 30 hours to get to Guangzhou. Who can afford a standing ticket?

Xia Shuangshan hurried back and wanted to ask one more question.

Unexpectedly, within a minute, the people in the queue behind him started scolding him for cutting in line, and the ticket seller also ignored him.

Xia Shuangshan's face flushed and he explained awkwardly, "Comrade...Comrade, I just queued up, and I just want to ask one more question..."

The ticket seller was an impatient man, and he immediately shrieked, "I don't care if you've queued before or not! If you're out of the queue, you have to queue again! Peasants are peasants, and they have no manners no matter where they go!"