I cooked a whole pot of noodles this morning, and also boiled a dozen or so eggs for each person. The freshly fried chili oil smelled wonderful, and I added some peanuts to enhance the aroma.
There weren't enough people to fit at one table, so they split into two tables, one on the kang (heated brick bed) and one on the floor, and only then could they barely sit down.
Before picking up his chopsticks to eat, Qiao Tianli said, "We'll go back after we finish this meal."
Qiao Haisheng was quite surprised: "Dad, why are you in such a hurry?"
Qiao Tianli took a bite of the noodles and thought they tasted great, so he added some chili oil to them, just like they did.
"I won't stay and bother you. You still have to do business. Every day you delay means one less day of money you earn."
The person has already been taken to the hospital and their life has been saved. Now we just need to wait for that family to make their demands. There's no point in us staying here.”
Qiao Haisheng was happy that the old man was leaving, but he couldn't show it on his face. He peeled his eggs and put them in the old man's bowl.
"Dad, have an egg."
Qiao Tianli was overjoyed and said, "Your family has become so much better, which puts my mind at ease."
If there's not much work to do at home this winter, I'll come and stay with you for a few days.
"Okay! I'll have Xiaoshan pick you up then." Qiao Haisheng readily agreed; as long as he could get rid of this large group of people, he was willing to agree to this condition.
In his opinion, his father wasn't that difficult; his own mother was the most troublesome. Seeing the old lady eating silently, he thought to himself that she had changed her ways, not finding anything fault with him today. He watched as she ate one bowl of noodles and then filled it with another.
Qiao Lingling was eating downstairs, with Qiao Dongdong to her left, Li Meihua to her right, and Qiao Xiaoni sitting opposite her.
Everyone was eating noodles, but looking at the bowl of noodles in her hand, she simply couldn't eat. It wasn't that she wasn't hungry, but the thought of what she was about to do made her tremble with fear.
Qiao Sunshi told her that she should make Zhang Ru accidentally fall and miscarry her baby. That way, everyone's attention would be diverted.
If this works, she will persuade her father to be lenient and resolve the matter of her stabbing someone.
If they don't help, she'll be left to fend for herself; she shouldn't expect a single penny of help from her family.
Most importantly, she received 50 yuan from Qiao Sunshi, which allowed her to use the money to go into hiding.
Looking at Zhang Ru, who was sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed) happily eating, her belly was quite large; I heard she was due to give birth in a little over a month. If she were to fall now, could it result in both of their lives being lost?
She dared not think any further, and when she looked to the side, she met her grandmother's gaze, which frightened her so much that she quickly lowered her head.
Li Meihua noticed that Qiao Lingling hadn't touched any of the noodles in her bowl: "Lingzi, don't you like these noodles?"
"No," Qiao Lingling answered hastily, picking up her chopsticks and stuffing noodles into her mouth, not even knowing what they tasted, until she almost choked before stopping.
Qiao Xiaoni sensed that something was wrong with Qiao Lingling. Compared to her domineering demeanor in the morning, she seemed unusually quiet now.
Li Meihua took an egg from her bowl and placed it next to Qiao Lingling's bowl: "One egg for each of you, hurry up and eat!"
Regardless of anything else, guests are guests. Li Meihua was unaware of what had happened that morning. Seeing Qiao Lingling sitting alone in the yard with her hair disheveled, she felt pity and brought her back for a meal.
Qiao Lingling stared at the eggs on the edge of the bowl, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Should she cook them or not? After all, it was a life. Wouldn't it be too cruel to harm a life because of her own selfishness?
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