Chapter Eighty-Seven: Eavesdropping
“How could this be fake? The money is right here! As long as you tell the truth, the money is yours immediately!” Yin Shihong impatiently shook the banknotes.
Tian Guihua quickly calculated in her mind: If they said that Dandan only drank millet porridge, then this fifty yuan would definitely be wasted! The other party had already said that Dandan ate something special to become like this... that thing could not possibly be something ordinary!
Thinking of this, her eyes darted around, and a mysterious smile appeared on her face. She lowered her voice and said, "Doctor, let me tell you the truth! Last year, my son Dandan saved a wandering monk! The monk calculated with his fingers and said that Dandan would face a life-or-death crisis when he was five years old! In the end, he gave him a life-saving elixir!" She described it vividly, spitting all over Yin Shihong's face.
Ignoring Yin Shihong's even uglier expression, she continued, "They said it was made from precious treasures like stars in the sky! As long as you have a breath left, eating it will guarantee you're lively and energetic again! After the master chef finished giving the instructions, he disappeared like a gust of wind! I treasured that elixir and kept it at home like a precious gem..."
She paused deliberately, observing Yin Shihong's reaction: "What a coincidence! Yesterday was Dandan's fifth birthday! And then he was attacked last night! When we found him, he had almost bled to death and wasn't moving at all! I immediately remembered that magic pill and secretly fed it to him! Don't believe me? You can go and ask around in our village!" She spoke with absolute certainty.
A flicker of surprise and doubt flashed across Yin Shihong's eyes. She didn't entirely doubt Tian Guihua's words—the Blood Kingdom had indeed killed a monk years ago, finding mysterious pills and a formula on his body. Research indicated the pills could cure various diseases, which was one of the reasons they risked staying in China to infiltrate the country. However, years of research had stalled on the crucial ingredient… Later, they extracted trace amounts of the substance from the blood of young children, a costly but yielding minimal results…
"Then...what accent did that monk have? Do you remember what he looked like?" Yin Shihong asked urgently, her voice trembling slightly.
The image of Maitreya Buddha in the village temple flashed through Tian Guihua's mind instantly, and she blurted out, "Doesn't sound like a local! Southern accent! Fair-skinned and chubby, with a big belly, smiling, just like Maitreya Buddha in the temple!"
Yin Shihong's eyes flickered, then instantly replaced with a disappointed expression: "These... are at most strange tales, not of much research value to us. Fifty yuan won't do, I can only give you ten!"
Tian Guihua's face immediately fell. She would have been secretly happy with ten yuan, but the other party started by asking for fifty! That's forty yuan short! That won't do.
"Oh my god! Aren't you just trying to fool us? You said you'd turn fifty into ten? How can you go back on your word, doctor!"
Tian Guihua yelled, "I've revealed all the secrets that the master chef repeatedly told me not to tell, and now you're going back on your word! You won't give me fifty? Then I'll go to the police station to settle this!" She made a move to rush out.
The words "Find the police" pierced Yin Shihong like needles. A chilling murderous intent flashed in her eyes! She hated being threatened more than anything in her life! But she suppressed it—it would be too stupid to take action in the hospital. Suppressing her anger, she disgustedly threw five yuan on the hospital bed, her tone icy: "Take this! Shut your mouth! Your grandson's condition is too bizarre. If you dare to say a single word out of line, be careful you don't get captured by bad guys and used for research, disemboweled!" she threatened viciously.
Outside the ward, Lin Baozhu and Qin Haifeng exchanged a wary glance. The doctor's words and actions were strange in every way.
"Knock knock knock." Lin Baozhu knocked on the door with her fingers, and then entered the ward with Qin Haifeng.
As Lin Baozhu passed Yin Shihong, she abruptly stopped! A pungent, nauseating stench assaulted her senses, like piles of rotting fish and shrimp fermenting under the scorching sun! Her stomach churned, and she looked at Qin Haifeng in astonishment—but he showed no sign of distress?!
Lin Baozhu held her breath and quickly moved closer to Qin Haifeng, taking a deep breath of the refreshing soap scent on his clothes to barely suppress the nausea.
"Oh! Baozhu! Haifeng! What brings you here! Please have a seat!" Tian Guihua's face lit up with a smile when she saw the distinguished guests. She quickly stuffed the money she had just received into a hidden pocket in her crotch, then picked up a chair and invited the two of them to sit down.
Upon seeing the arrival of an "outsider," Yin Shihong's expression grew even colder, leaving her no choice but to abandon her plans for the time being and quickly turn to leave!
As soon as the female doctor left, the suffocating smell in the ward seemed to dissipate. Qin Haifeng noticed Lin Baozhu's pale face and asked with concern, "Are you feeling unwell?"
"...It's alright." Lin Baozhu took a deep breath, turned to Tian Guihua, and forced a smile. "Auntie, Dandan seems to be in good spirits. He should be fine."
"Hey! That female doctor was talking nonsense earlier, saying that Dandan's body is strange, that he lost so much blood but is fine, and that I gave Dandan some good stuff! Now she's trying to give me fifty yuan to ask around!"
Tian Guihua beamed and pulled out the five "big unity" bills from her waistband, stuffing them into Lin Baozhu's hand without a word: "Baozhu, take this! You should keep this money. Thank you for saving my Dandan!"
Lin Baozhu: "..."!
She froze! The money had just been pulled from Tian Guihua's waistband! Her hand... this didn't mean... she touched...
"Baozhu! Try this! The brigade leader just brought these steamed buns! They're still hot and crispy!" Tian Guihua enthusiastically grabbed a handful of glistening steamed buns and was about to hand them to Lin Baozhu. That same hand had just reached into her crotch to hide money.
Lin Baozhu staggered back two steps as if electrocuted, her hands flailing in afterimages: "Auntie! I've really eaten! Keep this steamed bun for Hu Zi to enjoy! You and your grandson have had a hard life, so please keep this fifty yuan for emergencies!"
She quickly pressed the money back into Tian Guihua's hand, her fingers "accidentally" brushing against Qin Haifeng's sleeve several times as she pulled back.
Qin Haifeng: "..."
Lin Baozhu knew perfectly well that if it weren't for finding Donkey Egg, she and Qin Haifeng wouldn't have discovered the secret on that mountain, let alone captured Zhang Baikui, the wanted criminal worth a thousand yuan, and those eighteen spies! Just dividing the reward money alone would have given her and Qin Haifeng a large share. Tian Guihua needed the fifty yuan more.
Tian Guihua clutched a thick wad of cash, her eyes instantly reddening. If it weren't for the fear that kowtowing to a younger person would shorten her lifespan, she would have kowtowed three times to Lin Baozhu! Where could one find such a kind, honest, and ungreedy girl?
With this money, Dandan's medical expenses are no longer a worry, and the family's finances will be a little better. The pressure of her earning work points to support two mouths has instantly eased considerably.
"Sister Baozhu!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com