“Li Gui has a soft character. She probably won’t ask Qiao Mei why she came to snatch food from the Li family house. She also won’t talk about the gifts she has given Qiao Mei all these years. So the two of them might not get to know everything.”
“Anyway, so what if they know? Why would I be afraid?”
Old Madam Li picked up her teacup and smiled, as if victory was already in her grasp.
Li Tao nodded and smiled in satisfaction.
…
The next day, Old Madam Li went to the county to look for Li Gui.
Li Gui worked in a food factory in the county, but she was not treated well there because she used to be a villager. Moreover, she was not an official employee yet.
When Li Gui saw her mother coming by again, she sighed heavily and felt especially uncomfortable.
Why is my daughter such a person?
Sigh, my daughter became like this all because I remarried too early and did not bring her up well.
While Li Gui was lost in her thoughts, Old Madam Li had already come up to stand in front of her.
Li Gui took out the remaining $1.30 from her pocket and handed it all to her mother. She sighed and said, “This is all the money I have left. I don’t have much this month. Now that the children are in school, the expenses are high and I can’t seem to save any money.”
She did not even have this bit of money at first. She had set aside the money meant for her dinner over the past few days just to have this bit of savings that is slightly over one dollar.
She had four children at home now, two boys and two girls. Naturally, a lot of their money was spent on the children.
It was a remarriage for both her and her husband. The children he had with his ex-wife would even come and ask her for money from time to time. If she did not give it to them, they would punch and kick her and even scold her.
There was helplessness written on Li Gui’s face and her entire being was filled with misery.
It was like there was not a single ray of sunshine in her life. She was only in her thirties now, but she looked like an old lady in her fifties or sixties.
On the other hand, Old Madam Li was filled with disdain.
Even though she received money every month, she very much looked down on her daughter who was only a factory worker despite living in the county.
Her daughter had such a good environment but she made such a hard life for herself. How useless!
Old Madam Li put the money into her pocket and nodded at Li Gui. “Let me tell you a piece of good news. Qiao Mei’s family has got money now, so you don’t have to support her anymore.”
Li Gui was stunned for a moment, then she became a little happier. “Is it because Qiao Mei’s grandfather received more subsidies?”
“No, no!” Old Madam Li shook her head and whispered to Li Gui, “Do you know about the bean sprout business in the city now?”
Li Gui nodded. Of course she knew that.
The news had spread in the city about the particularly delicious bean sprouts being sold in the supply and marketing cooperative. There was always a queue to buy the bean sprouts and it would be sold out every time. Someone from the Zhang family managed to buy it once.
She had tasted it and it was indeed delicious.
“The bean sprouts are from the factory in Datian Village. They supply to the supply and marketing cooperative every day and now, every family can earn more than 10 dollars a day. That is a lot of money in a year! I heard that it was Qiao Mei who taught the villagers how to grow the bean sprouts!”
These words caused Li Gui to be stunned for a moment.
Qiao Mei teaching the villagers how to grow bean sprouts?
She remembered that when she used to grow bean sprouts at home, Qiao Mei would watch her at the side.
Now that she has grown up, she also knows how to grow bean sprouts?
“Why… Why would she teach the villagers how to grow bean sprouts? Isn’t she lazy and bad-tempered?” Li Gui asked in confusion.
Old Madam Li paused for a moment and said with a guilty conscience, “She’s grown up now and is different from before. Now that she’s married and pregnant, she’s naturally a better person.”
“What? She’s married and having a child? Why didn’t you tell me before? I don’t even know anything!” Li Gui said in shock.
Old Madam Li got even more tongue-tied.
This was because she had deliberately hidden the fact. She was afraid that Li Gui would not be willing to give her money anymore if she knew that Qiao Mei had gotten married.