Chapter 55 Chapter 55 [VIP]
Bai Yueji lowered her head, a bitter expression on her face. Two months ago, there wasn't much left at home, and to conserve food, she only ate one meal a day. She'd known hunger as a child, and to experience it again in her old age was excruciating. Her body felt hollowed out, her legs and feet weak, her mind slowed.
Cheng Dongfang was useless. He would just run away and complain when things got tough. The younger one was just confused.
Due to hunger and excessive worry, she fell ill without knowing when. When she was found, she had a very high fever, couldn't stop coughing, had a headache that felt like it was about to explode, and every breath was heavy and painful.
She didn't dare go out, and there was no adult medicine at home, so Cheng Dongfang forced her to drink two packets of cold medicine that was originally prepared for her granddaughter.
All the blankets and warm clothes in the house were piled on top of her, yet the cold still seeped into her bones, leaving her shivering. Fragments of her past life flashed through her mind like a movie. She could vaguely see her parents, who had passed away over a decade earlier, waving to her.
At night, in her final moments, the wind outside blew like the howling of countless ghosts. Cheng Dongfang had already fallen asleep beside her. Her granddaughter, pitiful and delicate, nestled beside her like a little quail, sobbed softly. She, barely even able to hold a pair of tongs, watched over the brazier all night, constantly refilling the hot water in her hot water bottle. Through the blurry blur, I saw her scalding her fingers on the kettle, yet she dared not cry out loud.
Bai Yueji's heart ached. She truly owed her in her past life. At that moment, a fierce anger welled up within her. She couldn't die. She hadn't even seen this silly girl grow up. Her father had disliked her since she was born, her mother hadn't been around for years, and her grandfather was unreliable. If she died, how would this poor little girl survive?
Thank God she survived and only had a cough.
Having walked between life and death, she had seen through everything. She no longer cared about her conflicts with Bai Qiujin, nor did she think her face was that important. For the first time in eight years, she took the initiative to speak to her third sister-in-law, begging humbly and putting her dignity underfoot, hoping they would grant her shelter.
Bai Yueji once thought that she would never bow to her third sister-in-law even if she died. Later, she found that dignity was useless, and Bai Yueji was stunned.
"Everything is over, and everything will be fine in the future."
At this time, even Grandma Bai, who had a lot of conflicts with Bai Yueji, felt sorry for her.
Leading the two into the room, Chen Zhen tactfully pushed some melon seeds, dried sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie on the table in front of them. Their stomachs had been rumbling since they were outside.
"Eat something first. I told your niece-in-law to cook quickly so we can eat well later."
The two men didn't hesitate to grab a pumpkin pie and stuffed it into their mouths, swallowing it hastily without even chewing it a few times. The pie was quite dry, and as expected, Bai Qiujin choked. Seeing him pounding his chest in pain, Bai Yu quickly put some water next to them.
The two of them ate extremely quickly, fearing the other would snatch their food away. Within minutes, everything on the table was gone. After finishing, they were visibly in better spirits. They also began to recount their lives over the past few months to the Bai family.
Because of Bai Yueji's frugal habits, the family had stockpiled a lot of things at home. Apart from some rheumatic pain caused by the extreme cold in the first two months, the family lived quite well.
But after the police left, the store was looted, and the town fell into panic and chaos. The brazen robbery kept the elderly and vulnerable family in constant fear day and night. Fortunately, her family was surrounded by long-standing neighbors with whom they had a good relationship. With their care, they survived several dangerous times.
At first, the two of them offered gifts to express their gratitude, but later they realized that human nature is difficult to define. The neighbors and friends who had originally helped his family out of kindness, after seeing that his family had enough supplies, began to feel unbalanced and had other thoughts.
When they went to their friend's house to express their gratitude, the friend's family members hinted that the gifts were not enough and fed the dog out of kindness. Then the two of them knew something bad was going to happen.
Gradually, neighbors began to come to borrow food. Could you refuse? Old and young, without shelter, were like meat in someone else's mouth.
It was in this state of anxiety that she fell ill, and after she regained consciousness, she resolutely sought out Bai Qiujin.
The relationship between the siblings Bai Yueji and Bai Qiujin is very complicated. They are the best off in the Bai family, but one of their characteristics is selfishness. Otherwise, it would not have been their turn to go to the city to work as workers and eat the state-funded food.
Although both were selfish, they were generally okay and maintained a good image. However, it wasn't until Bai Qiujin got married that their relationship plummeted, and they even became strangers.
Bai Qiujin's wife Yi Zhenzhu is beautiful. After getting married, she has held Bai Qiujin tightly in her hands.
Yi Zhenzhu has a strong desire for control, and Bai Yueji is also a strong person. The two of them are at odds with each other. They were very unfriendly when they first met, and there were many conflicts afterwards.
Especially when Bai Yueji learned that Yi Zhenzhu had been gossiping about her, saying that she had only given birth to a daughter and that the Cheng family was extinct, she was furious. This was a lifelong pain for Bai Yueji. She had been injured while giving birth, and she was infertile. Her in-laws had mocked her, and outsiders had pointed fingers at her. Now her own family was also laughing at her. The grievance, anger, and sadness surged, and she directly grabbed an iron rod and made a scene at Bai Qiujin's house.
The fight got so bad that the Bai family and the police arrived to stop it, but the two families fell out completely. They stopped talking during the New Year holidays and didn't even greet each other when they met on the street. Bai Qiujin later tried to reconcile, but he couldn't control his wife or persuade his sister, so he could only try to smooth things over.
At that time, Bai Yueji had threatened that she would never go to Yi Zhenzhu even if she died. But this time, she tore her face and dignity under her feet, letting Yi Zhenzhu vent her anger enough, in exchange for their protection.
Compared to the hardships faced by Bai Yueji's family, Bai Qiujin's situation was much better. While Bai Zhuo didn't have much money-making skills, he had a wide network of connections and many friends. When the chaos first began, he organized a group of neighbors and friends in the building to form a mutual aid team.
The power of a large group deterred those outsiders from making any advances. His family had stockpiled food during the pandemic, initially worrying about food, but the real problem was heating. They'd cut down all the trees surrounding the community. Fortunately, there was a forest park near the town with plenty of trees, but the smoke was enough to make people sick.
With a pregnant woman at home, she needed all sorts of nutritional supplements. Later, when the baby was born, she also needed milk powder and various baby products, and the family became stretched to the limit. If the organization hadn't shown up in time, Bai Zhuo would have gone astray.
The experiences of the two families made the Bai family feel heavy-hearted but also somewhat relieved. Fortunately, everyone in the family was safe and healthy.
"There is a new member in the family and you are going to be a grandfather. What a great joy!" Grandpa Bai congratulated Bai Qiujin.
Bai Qiujin's always tense brows suddenly relaxed, and he nodded with an undisguised smile on his face. The new generation always gives people hope, especially Bai Zhuo's next generation, which he and his wife had been waiting for for countless days. No matter how much love he gave to them, it would not be enough.
It was a pity that his grandson was born at the wrong time and could not enjoy any good things. Thinking of his grandson, he could hardly even drink milk powder, let alone various nutritional supplements, toys and supplies.
The good mood that had just risen was instantly swept away.
He and Bai Yueji exchanged a glance, then said earnestly, "Brother, sister-in-law, I know it's embarrassing to say this at this time, but we really have no other choice. We would like to borrow some food from you."
"What are you sorry for? As your brother, I can't bear to watch you die. I'll find something for you later."
Grandma Bai next to her sighed deeply inwardly.
Knowing Grandpa Bai's temper, Bai Yu fried a bowl of eggs for this meal and also specially fried a plate of smoked bamboo shoots and bacon. The food was better than what the family had eaten recently.
The moment the meat arrived, Bai Yueji and Bai Qiujin's mouths watered. They'd almost forgotten the taste. Their stomachs rumbled, and they couldn't care less about their manners. They grabbed their chopsticks and shoveled the meat into their bowls. The entire pile of meat was divided between them.
After finishing all the rice in the pot and until it was almost filling their throats, they reluctantly put down their chopsticks.
Grandpa Bai pulled the bag, ready to get something for the two of them, but when he looked into the warehouse, he was dumbfounded. Four bags of rice were standing alone in the warehouse.
Grandma Bai rolled her eyes and said unhappily, "During the epidemic, we only sold some grain and made some wine. For the past six months, there have been more than ten people in our family, plus the food rations for chickens and ducks. Do you think we don't need food?"
Bai Yuelan and Bai Qiujin felt very uncomfortable when they heard this. They had no food to eat in the town, and here the rice was actually used to feed livestock.
Seeing Ning's mother standing by, Grandma Bai patted her hands, fearing that her grandson-in-law might have some thoughts. "We still have so much left, thanks to Xiao Nian, Zhen Zhen, and me being so frugal."
Grandpa Bai didn't really manage household affairs, so he thought it was okay. He turned and looked at Bai Yuelan and Bai Qiujin apologetically. Then he weighed 30 kilograms of rice for each of them.
Seeing just these few things, the expressions of the two people suddenly became intriguing.
"Brother, please lend me a little more. It's not enough for the three of us to eat."
"Yes! How long can such a small amount of food last, especially since we have a pregnant woman at home. Second brother, I see that you are still smoking meat on the stove. Did you kill a pig?... I will buy some meat from you later." Feeling that his second sister-in-law and niece-in-law looked unhappy, Bai Qiujin changed his words.
"The meat in my house is all arranged." Before her old man could speak, Grandma Bai stopped him.
She and Bai Yueji had some minor conflicts, and she couldn't stand some of Bai Qiujin's behavior, but she wouldn't stand by and watch them go through hard times. She was willing to give them things, but she couldn't stand the two siblings' little tricks.
Money, what's the use now?
The old man in his family is not the oldest, so why do these two people go to him instead of his eldest brother when they encounter problems? It’s because he is generous and easy to talk to.
These two are typical soft-hearted people who fear hardship. Would anyone dare to speak to them like this when they grow old? They'd probably be kicked out the moment they get older.
"The government distributed relief food. Every household in our village received at least a few kilograms of compressed biscuits, canned fruits, and other things. Your town should have received even more!"
Grandma Bai tightly grasped Grandpa Bai's hand, her attitude extremely firm. Grandpa Bai swallowed the words that were about to come out of his mouth, but his eyes were as bright as copper bells.
Bai Qiujin's face flushed red, and he said angrily, "Yes, it has... but how long can it last?"
"How long do you want to eat the food? Although we are your brother and sister-in-law, we can't afford to feed you forever."
"Second sister-in-law, your words are so harsh. That's not what I meant. The situation is special now, so I said this. I didn't expect you to think of me this way." Bai Qiujin expressed himself incoherently.
"Before, we begged you to find Bai Yu a good job. You said you didn't have enough ability, and we understood. Now you can understand us too!"
"After all, we have our own difficulties." Grandma Bai pointed to the empty warehouse.
If she hadn't been concerned about that idiot Bai Kaixuan, she would have already fallen out with these two people. How could they be so arrogant now? A hundred curse words echoed in Grandma Bai's mind.
"Mom, you're awesome!" Chen Zhen looked at her warrior-like mother-in-law with admiration. Both men in the family were loose-handed. If it weren't for her mother-in-law's control, this family would be ruined sooner or later.
The old stories that Grandma Bai had revealed made the two of them feel ashamed. They left with dark faces, but they still took 30 kilograms of rice with them.
Grandma Bai chuckled coldly a few times. The two men heard it, paused for a moment, then quickened their pace and continued walking forward.
As they walked out of the Bai family's intersection, both of them looked grim. The second brother was sentimental and generous, and they had come with high expectations this time, but they hadn't expected to be practically kicked out.
The two men looked at the thirty kilograms of grain in their hands and felt very uncomfortable, but when they thought of the old and young at home, they walked towards the village again.
"Very good, now you have become thick-skinned." Grandma Bai said sarcastically as she looked in the direction the two men left.
Chen Zhen really wanted to agree with her mother-in-law, but when she saw her father-in-law suppressing his anger on his face, she left with a sullen look on her face.
"Don't tell me they are your brothers. They are your brothers and sisters, but not mine. I am too old to take care of them."
Grandma Bai was the first to get angry, and all the words that had been suppressed in her heart were blurted out today.
"Food is life now. If you dare to use this food to help these two ungrateful people, you will kill our entire family."
"I……"
The old man's face flushed and his neck thickened. As soon as he opened his mouth, he was interrupted.
"Don't tell me you grew some of this grain. Just think about how much grain is used to make wine every year."
Grandma Bai glared at him fiercely. After being together for decades, she knew what he was going to say as soon as he opened his mouth.
"Bai Kaixuan, I'm telling you this clearly today. If you continue to be confused, then we can't have a relationship anymore."
The door slammed and Grandma Bai left angrily. Seeing this, Ning's mother and Chen Zhen hurriedly followed her.
Grandpa Bai stood there alone, looking at the direction his wife had left. He opened and closed his mouth, but the words just wouldn't come out. Finally, he sat down dejectedly on the ground.
The once strong and upright back can no longer stand up straight, and the stubborn and spiky hair has turned white with the passage of time.
Uncle Bai, who had watched the whole thing, felt very uncomfortable. He sighed, sat down next to him, and advised him earnestly: "Dad, if your uncle and aunt behave like your aunt, we would have no objection if you wanted to help them.
But since they came today, they have been complaining. Have they ever asked you how you have been doing recently?
If it were in the past, our family wouldn't have lacked these things, so it wouldn't matter if you gave them some. But we don't know what will happen in the future. You were the one who taught me the principle of "a little bit of kindness, a big bit of hatred."
Bai Changqing knew his father's mindset hadn't changed yet. His father was a man with low material desires, open-minded, and rarely concerned with personal gain or loss. But times had changed, and helping others might actually lead to enmity.
When his aunt and uncle left, they didn't look like they were going to give up.
"The government also provides assistance. Without your help, my aunt and uncle's quality of life will be a little worse."
After saying this, Bai Changqing stopped talking and sat beside him, waiting for the old man to sort out his thoughts.
…
After the last quarrel, Mr. Bai became much quieter. His hearty laughter could always be heard at the dinner table, but now not only does he stop talking, he also eats less and even stops drinking his favorite wine. He buries himself in work all day long.
Ning's father got along very well with the old man. Seeing how distressed he was, he wanted to comfort him, but the old man was stubborn and didn't say a word.
Bai Changqing also shook his head at him. This matter can only be figured out by the old man himself.
In just a few days, the old man lost weight again.
Grandma Bai, who was originally so angry that she wanted to vomit blood, felt a little distressed when she saw her husband like this. Although Bai Kaixuan had a stubborn temper and some minor flaws, he had been very good to her over the decades of marriage.
Although she felt sad, Grandma Bai was determined to force him to make a sacrifice this time.
Old people can be confused for a while, but they can't be confused for a long time. Sons and grandchildren are filial, but how can they be without ideas in the long run?
At night, the two elders lay on the same bed but with their backs to each other, with a considerable distance between them. They had a habit of chatting before going to bed, but they had not spoken for several days since the conflict. Both of them were holding back, and whenever there was something to say, they would ask the younger generation to convey it.
The only sound in the room was the ticking of an old-fashioned clock.
Just as Grandma Bai closed her eyes and counted sheep to hypnotize herself, a muffled sound came from her ears.
"I'll change it."
Grandma Bai didn't react at first.
Grandpa Bai on the other side said anxiously, "I won't make decisions arbitrarily next time."
Grandma Bai said "Oh" to confirm that she had heard correctly.
that's all?
This made Bai Kaixuan, who was on edge and prepared to face a violent storm, breathe a sigh of relief but also felt a little empty in his heart.
But after the words were spoken and the decision was made, Bai Kaixuan felt much more comfortable. His tense hands and feet relaxed, and when he turned over, his movements became much larger, and he was no longer afraid of bumping into his wife.
Listening to the faint turning sounds beside her ears, which slowly turned into familiar snoring, Grandma Bai's frown relaxed a little.
After that day, Grandpa Bai finally came to his senses and stopped making things difficult for himself. His speech and behavior returned to normal.
The younger generations in the family noticed that the tension between the two elders had eased, and they secretly breathed a sigh of relief and dared to laugh and joke during the meal.
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