Chapter 504: Chapter 505: Clouds of Worry Enshroud Chapter 504: Chapter 505: Clouds of Worry Enshroud āIā¦ā Yang Dazhi was really not good at lying, and when Chiang Qingshui confronted him, he stammered. After years of marriage, Chiang Qingshui knew him too well, and seeing him like this, she knew something was amiss. She immediately came over and twisted his ear forcefully.
āSpill it! Where have you been? Got to town and couldnāt move because you saw a pretty girl? Who ensnared your soul, making you forget to even buy sugar?ā
Yang Dazhi quickly grabbed her hand, not daring to cry out in pain, and spoke in a conciliatory tone, āNo, no, thereās nothing wrong. I just, I just completely forgot.ā
āWhat could you have possibly been doing to forget? My mother has said that after staying in the hospital for three days, she craves something sweet to counteract the bitterness in her mouth, and you forgot just that? Say it, where did you go!ā Chiang Qingshui let go of his hand and demanded angrily.
Yang Dazhi lowered his head, āI didnāt do anything, I just wandered around since I havenāt been to town in a while.ā
āYang Dazhi, every time you lie, you donāt dare look at me. Look at me and tell me, where have you been?ā Chiang Qingshui kicked his shin.
Yang Dazhi said helplessly, āI just ran into Second Aunt.ā
āYou met the Second Aunt?ā Chiang Qingshui was taken aback.
But Ho Laidi had already started exclaiming, āSo you went to get money from Ge Liutao, huh? Ah, Dazhi, youāre really something! How much did you get from her? Iām telling you, if you didnāt get a hundred or two hundred, you have to keep asking them for more!ā
He hadnāt even thought of asking for money, and when he advised them to hide away for a bit, Chiang Xiao had refused him.
Suddenly, Yang Dazhi felt a twinge of heartache for himself. Why did he feel like he was the bad guy here?
āMom, I didnāt ask for money.ā He said somberly, āSecond Uncle and the others are not having an easy time either. Didnāt you say they earn their money by finding mountain goods on Bai Gu Mountain? Thatās hard-earned money; I couldnāt just take itā¦ā
āNonsense!ā Ho Laidiās face transformed in an instant, and she began scolding him furiously, āSecond Uncle is having a hard time, then why donāt you suggest they become our son-in-law? The one lying here sick is your old mother! If theyāre not paying, are you going to pay?ā
āMom, you canāt say that. I, I do have a littleā¦ā Before Yang Dazhi could finish his sentence, Chiang Qingshui kicked his shin again, swallowing his half-spoken words. It was at this moment he remembered Chiang Qingshui had told him that they wouldnāt contribute a penny to Ho Laidiās medical expenses. After all, she always favored boys over girls, with three sons of her own, why should they rely on a daughter they had married off to pay?
So, even though they had saved a hundred dollars, Chiang Qingshui strictly forbade him from telling or giving it out.
Ho Laidi looked at them suspiciously, āHave what?ā
Chiang Qingshui immediately said, āJust a twenty or so dollars! But even then, Mom, what good would that do? You know, Dazhi and I donāt have much to fall back on. When I married into his family, they were so poor! Itās only these past few years, since I took over managing things, that weāve been able to barely get by. Donāt worry though, Mom, now that Iām here, Iāll definitely go and ask Second Uncle for the money.ā
āIām afraid they might not give it,ā Ho Laidi said, propping herself up on the bed. These past few days, she had visibly lost weight. Her husband had collapsed and was resting at home while she and Chiang Baohe were hospitalized. With no one to tend the fields, they couldnāt rely much on Song Xiyun. Baoguo had to go to work, shuttle between the hospital and home to bring them meals, and look after their father at home; he was stretched too thin.
Just thinking about all this made Ho Laidi feel choked up inside.