Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Then I’ll Remove the Needles Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Then I’ll Remove the Needles Ye Xiu looked at Xixi, who was about to cry, and felt a pang of heartache. She pinched Xixi’s little face gently and put the candy in her mouth, finding it quite tasty.
“Where did you buy these? Not bad. Let’s buy some more later and take them back for them to eat.”
Ye Xiu was probably the wealthiest person in their family. She hadn’t spent a cent of her salary for several years, so she didn’t have to be stingy when wanting to buy something. She thought the sweets would make Xingxing feel better after eating them—wouldn’t the sweetness mask the bitterness of her medicine?
Xixi finally revealed a sweet smile and reached out her little hand to hold Ye Xiu’s.
“There’s no need, they three have bought plenty, enough to last a long time. Your money should be kept for yourself. Besides, I brought money today.”
Bai Da quickly waved his hand. Having brought his wife and children out today, he naturally had money on him, specifically for spending on them.
Ye Xiu frowned upon hearing this. What she found most frustrating was listening to Bai Da talk about his money as if hers was not to be spent. Weren’t they a family? Was there a need to be so distinctly separate?
However, now was clearly not the right time to discuss this. Outside, Ye Xiu always gave Bai Da plenty of face and would never argue with him—any issues could be discussed privately at home.
So at this moment, she didn’t dwell further on the topic.
“Let’s buy some more and divide it into four portions, giving some to Xingxing. She has to take medicine, and eating candy afterwards will make it less bitter. What do you think, Xixi?”
Ye Xiu didn’t want the children to feel slighted. If she only bought for Xingxing, then it was best to buy more and divide it, making it clear that what they bought with their own money was theirs, and what she bought was a separate matter.
She hoped to treat them all equally, so as not to create any rifts between the siblings’ feelings for one another.
“Mom, it’s not necessary. We have plenty. Just buy for Sister. Is Sister’s wound very serious? Does she still need to take medicine?”
Xixi immediately looked up at Ye Xiu with worry, clearly anxious about her sister’s condition.
Bai Yu and Bai Ye also looked up with curiosity. It was just a wound—could it really be that serious?
Especially Bai Ye, who didn’t understand at all. He had fallen and made a bloody hole one year, but wasn’t he fine afterwards?
All he had done that day was to lightly push her, hardly using any force at all. He had always thought Bai Zhi was just exaggerating, but now, seeing Ye Xiu’s serious demeanor, he began to doubt.
“Sister’s wound is a bit inflamed, so she needs to have an IV. It’s okay, a few days of IV treatment and she will be fine. Don’t worry. Let’s go have lunch.”
Ye Xiu was happy that Xixi was so sensible, showing she was well-behaved and truly considered Xingxing as her sister. As for Bai Yu and Bai Ye, her gaze shifted to them.
She knew that the two were being petulant. They used to be so good to Xingxing when they were younger, so there was no need to worry. After all, there were no overnight grudges between siblings, right?
They ordered dumplings, intending to eat before taking some to the grandparents and grandchildren in the hospital. Over at the hospital, Bai Zhi was discussing with Bai Dan about buying a coal-burning stove.
Bai Dan had promised to buy the stove before but now was having second thoughts.
This left Bai Zhi very worried, not because she was reluctant to spend money or unwilling to buy it; it was because Bai Dan felt that with Xingxing needing daily IV therapy, how could she do such tiring work?
Perhaps the inflammation was due to frying potatoes the previous day and her constantly working, which led to exhaustion.
Under such circumstances, how could Bai Dan allow Bai Zhi to continue?
“Grandpa, the next market day is the day after tomorrow, the seventh. Please help me buy it then. I promise nothing will happen, okay? Otherwise, I’ll just…”
Bai Zhi pouted, glancing at her hand.
“I will, I will pull out the IV, I don’t want to be on a drip anymore.”
She was threatening, but Bai Zhi knew, she could only threaten those who truly cared about her, like Grandpa or the original owner’s mother.
Because only those who truly love you would care about your health, right?
“You child, you better not entertain such thoughts, or else, believe it or not, I will smack you?”
Bai Dan glared at Bai Zhi, stomping his foot in frustration. Hitting Xingxing was, of course, out of the question. He was just trying to scare her a bit. This child, he just didn’t know what to do with her.
“Are you worried about your tuition fees? Grandpa has told you, he has it covered.”
Bai Dan truly had the money, having saved up over the years so there really was no need to worry.
“Grandpa, I know, but I just like making money, working together with Grandpa, setting up a stall and making so much cash my hands cramp from counting it all.”
Bai Zhi pouted her lips, batting her eyelashes at Bai Dan, starting to act coquettishly. If threats didn’t work, then it was time to play cute.
“Grandpa, I also want to make money, I don’t want people to say all I know is how to play.”
Bai Zhi hung her head, looking quite sad, radiating a forlorn aura, as if she was lost in despondency from which she couldn’t escape.
It was as though she was shunned by the whole world, standing alone in a corner, not knowing what to do, longing for someone to extend a hand, but wherever she looked, she found only darkness. Without a single sliver of light…
Seeing such a vulnerable Xingxing, Bai Dan couldn’t bear it, and he burst out in anger, hopping mad.
“Who, who dares to say that?”
Then, Bai Dan knew immediately it had to be Bai Ye, that damned boy. He had said it more than once in his presence, scoffing at their meager earnings!
His Xingxing could make dozens in a single day, and yet Bai Ye had the audacity to criticize her. He truly was asking for a beating.
“Grandpa, please, please, look, I only need two stoves, then two pots, one flat-bottomed, and we can make potatoes and dumplings. That’s it, that’s it. Grandpa, I also promised that sister to make her Green Bean Cake.”
Bai Zhi was anxious to go home immediately. There were a lot of things needed for making the Green Bean Cake, and she didn’t have enough time last time, but this time she wanted to do a better job, perhaps to establish a long-term partnership?
It’s all about small money, what does it represent?
Spicy dry pot, pickled fish, Mao blood soup, all delicious stuff.
And then, buying houses. She may not understand much about the world in this book, but the author is favorably biased towards the female lead. She was just cannon fodder. Just follow the lead’s example. The book said the properties the lead bought all appreciated by N times. She didn’t want to think too much; two units were enough—one to live in, and one to appreciate in value. How nice that would be.
“You are not to move, if you do, I won’t agree to your request. Buying a stove is fine, but not the day after tomorrow. Wait a bit longer, wait for next time. You can make Green Bean Cake, deal?”
Bai Dan’s face was stern, his demeanor fierce, quite intimidating. He had already conceded a bit, and he couldn’t back down any further, even if it made Xingxing unhappy, he just couldn’t agree.
“Alright then.”
Bai Zhi could only agree. In reality, she was a little scared when Grandpa got angry.
“Grandpa, I still have to make Green Bean Cake tomorrow, otherwise, I won’t agree.”
Green Bean Cake just needed to be steamed, that was certainly doable. In fact, baking was best, but she didn’t have an oven. Her dream was to one day have a full set of kitchen tools.