Sunlight filtered through the sparse clouds and shone onto the Huang family's front door. The family was taking a nap when the tranquility of the courtyard was disturbed by a rapid knock on the door.
"Fengxia, Fengxia, are you at home? Your father fell down on the mountain!" An anxious voice broke the tranquility of the afternoon.
When Huang's mother heard the noise, she hurried to the front door and asked anxiously, "Second Uncle, how is my father? Is he seriously injured?"
"Oh, it looks like he's seriously injured. Your elder brother and your younger brother have taken him to the town clinic. Your mother asked me to come and tell you to go back and see him when you have time." Second uncle's face was also full of worry.
"Hey, second uncle, please go back and tell my mother that I will go back to my mother's house to see my father in the afternoon." Huang's mother's voice was firm and decisive.
"Okay, then I'll go back and tell your mother." After saying that, he turned around and was about to leave.
"Uncle, wait a minute, have a drink of water before you leave." Huang's mother turned around quickly, walked into the main room, poured out a bowl of water, and stuffed a handful of candy into the second uncle who came to deliver the message.
"Thank you for coming all this way. I'm bringing this little bit of candy back to sweeten the children's mouths."
After seeing the person off, Huang's mother felt as if her heart was hit by a heavy hammer. She hurried into the east room, but the sound of her conversation with Huang's father could be heard.
"His father, my second uncle said that my father fell quite badly and has to go to the town clinic. Please give me more." Huang's mother's voice was filled with a hint of pleading.
"Don't your parents still have your brother and your younger brother? How can they expect you, a married woman, to pay for it?" Huang's father's voice was cold and firm.
"You know the situation of my mother's family. They all make a living by working in the fields. There are so many children to support at home. They definitely don't have that much money." Huang's mother's voice was full of helplessness and sadness.
"Except me, everyone in my family is a farmer. I have a whole family to support. Giving you ten yuan is not a small amount." Huang's father's words were like a basin of cold water poured on Huang's mother's heart.
"Dad, can you please not give money to mother-in-law this month? Consider it a loan from my family." There was a hint of pleading in Huang's mother's voice.
"Why are you talking so much nonsense? She is my mother, how can I not give her money? Stop nagging, I'm going back to the mine." After saying this, Father Huang stood up and called his eldest brother to go together.
Huang's mother cried softly in the house, her cry sounded like fallen leaves in the autumn wind, desolate and helpless.
Xu Mengyao heard all this in the next room and felt sympathy for her mother. She quietly took out the remaining bonus of five yuan, thirty-four cents from under the bed mat and handed it all to Huang's mother.
"Mom, don't be sad yet. I still have some unspent bonus. Take it first. Maybe the situation isn't that bad. Please go back to my grandma's house first."
Huang's mother looked at the money in her hand and tears fell again. She hugged Xu Mengyao tightly and said, "Juan, you are really my good daughter. I thank you on behalf of your grandfather."
"It's okay, Mom. This is what I should do." Xu Mengyao patted her mother's back gently to comfort her.
"I have to go back and take a look." Huang's mother wiped her tears and stood up. "I'll go to your uncle's house to borrow a bicycle."
"Mom, I'll go." Xu Mengyao stood up. "Wash your face first. I'll be back soon."
Huang's mother rode her bicycle and left home. She didn't return until nightfall, exhausted. She sat by the bed, frowning and sighing.
Xu Mengyao noticed her mother's abnormality and asked softly, "Mom, how is my grandpa?"
Huang's mother sighed and said slowly, "Your grandfather had a pretty bad fall. He's covered in wounds and needed over twenty stitches. It was scary to look at. But the doctor said as long as he rests well, he should be fine. It's just that his right arm is broken. As the saying goes, it takes a hundred days to heal a broken bone. And now the wheat harvest is almost here, so how are we going to handle the farm work?"
She held her mother's hand and comforted her, "Don't worry, Mom. As long as Grandpa is okay, I'm glad my uncles will be able to finish the work in the fields. When we're done, we can all go and help."
Wenxia also nodded in agreement: "Yes, mother, we will go to help too."
However, Huang's mother's worries did not ease: "What can you two do? It's no use running all the way here. Besides, your grandfather's fall has used up all the money in the family, and we still owe the neighbors over 20 yuan. How are we going to pay it back?"
Thinking that all the money in the family was in Huang's father's hands, she thought for a moment and suggested, "Mom, we can sell the chickens at home for money. Anyway, we can't take them with us when we move. Let's sell a few to pay off Grandpa's debt first."
Huang's mother hesitated. "But, we keep all the chickens for ourselves. I've never sold them. Will the villagers buy them?"
She smiled faintly and said, "Don't worry, Mom. Although everyone in the village raises chickens, we can go to town and try. The workers in town have money, so there will definitely be people willing to buy them. I can go with you, so don't be afraid."
Huang's mother thought about it and finally nodded in agreement: "Okay, next time you have a day off, let's go and try it together."
Xu Mengyao shook her head. "Mom, we have to act quickly. Otherwise, when Dad comes back and we take the chickens to town, we won't be able to hide it. Ask Wenxia to ask for leave for me tomorrow."
Huang's mother was still a little worried: "What about your schooling?"
She said lightly, "It's okay, Mom. I won't miss my lessons."
After discussing their plans, mother and daughter set out early the next morning. Xu Mengyao only had Huang's mother pack five chickens into the backpack, to avoid attracting the attention of Huang's father with such a small number. Huang's mother also took over a hundred eggs to sell in town. Filled with hope, they set out for the town.
She brought Huang's mother to the town's bustling No. 1 cotton ginning factory. It was the peak time for workers to change shifts, and they found a conspicuous position in the bustling crowd.
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