"Cut the crap. If you don’t fork out the money, just wait until she comes knocking. Don’t expect a moment’s peace in this house." Did she think his heart didn’t ache for the money? It certainly did. But right now, paying up was the only way to avert a disaster. Who knew what Bai Jiu was capable of doing? If she blew this out of proportion, they wouldn’t be able to protect Erzhu.
"It’s a sin! How did we end up marrying such a venomous woman?" Old Mrs. Song grumbled indignantly as she went back inside to get the money.
Old Man Gao, however, knew how to put on an act. As soon as he had the money, he hurriedly ran all over the village, trying to borrow a cart everywhere. Regardless of whether others had one or not, he made such a fuss that the entire village knew he was in a desperate rush to visit the two children at the hospital. The news of severing family ties had spread through the village yesterday; pulling a stunt like this today was clearly just an attempt to salvage his reputation.
"Don’t panic. Go ask at the village chief’s house and see if his cart is available," the villagers suggested one by one, seeing Old Man Gao’s helpless demeanor.
"Right, right, the village chief." Old Man Gao acted as if he were frantic with worry, looking completely out of his wits. He even clutched a few ten-yuan bills tightly in his hand. One look was enough to tell he was rushing to deliver money to the hospital. For a moment, everyone genuinely saw Old Man Gao in a new light.
At the village chief’s house.
Seeing Old Man Gao in such a state, the village chief sighed. "I’ve had my youngest son hitch up the cart. He’ll give you a ride to town in a bit."
Although he was displeased with the trouble the Gao family had caused, seeing Old Man Gao like this softened his opinion of the man significantly. He was aware of the severed ties. He hadn’t expected Old Man Gao to still offer money for Xiuxiu and Zhengyang’s medical treatment. It seemed Old Man Gao was someone with a sharp tongue but a soft heart after all. It was just that since his youngest son was no longer around, he had no choice but to separate from the third branch of the family. It had to be said—Old Man Gao’s move was truly brilliant.
Ultimately, it was the village chief’s youngest son who hitched up the ox cart and took Old Man Gao to town. But no one knew that the real culprit behind it all was the eldest grandson of the Gao family.
At the hospital, Bai Jiu had no idea that the Gao family had already devised a countermeasure and was currently on their way to disgust her. Xiuxiu and Zhengyang still needed to be kept under observation. Since she couldn’t enter the ward, she could only keep watch outside. Seeing her state, Gouwa’s parents helped her handle the hospitalization procedures. It was only then that Bai Jiu snapped back to reality and returned the money that Gouwa’s father, Zhou Qingshan, had fronted.
"Weiguo, it’s getting late. You should head back first. Thank you so much for today. Once Xiuxiu and Zhengyang are better, I’ll visit you to express my gratitude properly." Bai Jiu was someone who clearly distinguished gratitude from grudges. If it hadn’t been for Gao Weimin today, her two children might have...
"You don’t need to do that, Bai Jiu. I practically watched Xiuxiu and Zhengyang grow up. With my third brother not at home, I should be helping you out, but..." Weimin looked a bit embarrassed. He wanted to help, but his mother had told him that if he went over to help now, it might ruin Bai Jiu’s reputation.
Bai Jiu was stunned for a moment, but she quickly understood. "It’s the thought that counts. I don’t need any help here, but thank you."
Gao Weimin headed back, and Gouwa’s father went back together with him. On their way back, they bumped into Old Man Gao, who was hurrying to town. Neither of them stopped, and Old Man Gao didn’t call out to them. They simply brushed past each other. The village chief’s youngest son actually wanted to stop and ask about the situation, but since the people involved didn’t speak up, it wasn’t his place to delay the trip.
Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Bai Jiu knew that keeping watch endlessly would be useless. After letting Gouwa’s mother know, she stepped out to buy some daily necessities. As soon as she returned, she ran into Old Man Gao putting on his little act.
"Get out! Get the hell out!" Bai Jiu seethed with anger the moment she laid eyes on anyone from the Gao family. However, afraid of disturbing the others, she kept her voice low. Seeing the murderous look in her eyes, Old Man Gao instinctively stumbled back several steps.
"Bai Jiu, what’s done is done. As long as Xiuxiu and Zhengyang are safe and sound, that’s all that matters." Old Man Gao actually didn’t want to face her, but he had no choice but to come. Otherwise, it would be disastrous if she went back and caused a scene. If the family’s reputation was ruined, what would happen to the other children in the household?
Bai Jiu had no idea what he was scheming. Though she was burning with rage, she had to admit that seeing Old Man Gao made her feel a tiny bit better. No matter what, Xiuxiu and Zhengyang were his grandchildren.
"Who told you Xiuxiu and Zhengyang are safe?" Bai Jiu placed her things by the hospital bed. Even though the two children were still under observation, the hospital had allocated a bed for them. They were in the same room as Gouwa, which happened to be a three-bed ward. There were no outsiders present.
"Didn’t they say they just needed to be kept under observation?" Old Man Gao panicked. Seeing her like this, he feared the worst. "How are Xiuxiu and Zhengyang doing now?" he asked with concern. The expression on his face was genuinely sincere. Even though Xiuxiu and Zhengyang didn’t hold as much weight in his heart as Erzhu, they were still his grandchildren, so he cared to some extent. But more than that, he was afraid of the uproar she would cause if something happened to them.
"They’re under observation, yes, but they both suffered head injuries. The doctor said they have no idea when they’ll wake up." Bai Jiu felt like breaking down. Although she hadn’t been in this world for long, she had poured her heart out for these two children. She had always lacked familial love, and these children shared an inseparable blood tie with the body she now occupied. How could she bear to lose them?
"Let me tell you this. If Xiuxiu and Zhengyang turn out fine, then fine. But if anything happens to them, I will make Gao Erzhu pay with his life," Bai Jiu told Old Man Gao with a cold expression.
Old Man Gao’s worst fear had come true.
"Bai Jiu, it was just kids playing around. Don’t worry. We’re at the hospital, and the doctors will definitely cure Zhengyang and Xiuxiu." Right now, the only thing he could do was act subserviently. As long as he could quell her anger, everything would be fine. "Your mother gave me this when I left the house and told me to pass it to you. Consider it a small token from us as their grandparents. We hope Xiuxiu and Zhengyang will be safe." Old Man Gao held out the fifty yuan to Bai Jiu right in front of Gouwa’s mother and the village chief’s youngest son.
Normally, Bai Jiu definitely wouldn’t have let the Gao family off the hook so easily, but right now, her two children’s lives were hanging by a thread. She didn’t dare accept this money.
"Kids playing around? What kind of playing around leads to such a vicious beating? Hmph, don’t try to sugarcoat it. What ’token from their grandparents’? You’re just trying to buy me off with money so I’ll let Gao Erzhu go." Bai Jiu forcefully pushed the money back. "I’m telling you, no way. This isn’t over." Did he really think she didn’t know what the Gao family was plotting? Old Mrs. Song being generous enough to give her money? She’d have better luck dreaming. They just wanted to sweep the matter under the rug. If her children didn’t recover, no one was going to have a moment’s peace.
"I’m telling you, tell Gao Erzhu to watch his back. I will never let this go." Bai Jiu’s final shred of familial affection for the Gao family shattered completely. "Get out of my face. My Xiuxiu and Zhengyang don’t need anything from your Gao family," she openly glowered at Old Man Gao.
Gouwa’s mother watched and listened the entire time without saying a word. The village chief’s youngest son actually wanted to speak up, but Gouwa’s mother stopped him. It wasn’t their place to speak up right now; they might end up offending both sides. After all, she wasn’t going to let the matter regarding her own son slide either.