Chapter 6: Argue with Reason

"Joking aside, if this money ends up in the hands of my uncle, it will probably just cover the cost of a couple of fever-reducing pills for me—the rest will surely end up in his own pocket."

She is really poor now. If she remembers correctly, every time her brother and sister bring her a small amount of pocket money, Bai Mei has, through a mix of coaxing and coercion, taken it from her."

She doesn't have a single penny in her hands now.

This two yuan might actually stay in her own hands, and after all, it's her brother and sister's money—why shouldn't she keep it?

"Uncle, I can go see the doctor by myself. You don't need to come with me. If I need an injection or anything, it would be inconvenient for you," Bai Xiao immediately pushed Bai Jianguo ten thousand miles away.

Bai Jianguo felt slightly awkward. His usually taciturn niece, who used to suffer in silence, had suddenly straightened her back. Especially today, she spoke sharply, her eyes bright; she even knew how to tear up in front of others, her expressions and actions incredibly natural.

He fell into the trap in an instant.

Li Chunhua was anxious. "Xiao, don't be unreasonable. Let your uncle handle the money. It's not good for a young girl like you to handle money. It might lead you to squander it. Besides, who needs two yuan just to see a doctor? If you give the money to your uncle, he can take care of it for you!" In front of so many people, Li Chunhua couldn't be too harsh on Bai Xiao. Despite her tough personality, she still cared about saving face; she couldn't just beat or scold Bai Xiao in front of the whole village, so she tried to persuade her in a softer tone.

Unfortunately, she was mistaken.

Bai Xiao was no longer the submissive girl she used to be. Holding the money, she smiled slyly, "Grandma, this money is meant for my use by my brother and sister, right?" She didn't believe the old lady would dare to deny it in front of so many people.

Li Chunhua wanted to glare as she usually did, but realizing the situation was different today, she reluctantly smiled, concealing her irritation. "Xiao, of course, this money is from your brother and sister. No one is denying that! But it's not easy for your brother and sister to earn money either. Nothing comes easily, and we can't waste money. Grandma is only thinking of your best interests!"

Bai Jianguo looked at Bai Xiao and laughed, "Mom, Xiao didn't mean it that way. This child is so sensible; how could she not understand your intentions? Maybe, Xiao, let your uncle take you to the clinic. Grandma has always seen you as a child!"

Bai Xiao put the money in her pocket. "Uncle, Grandma's way of thinking isn't right, is it? My brother and sisters intended this money to be spent on me. I'm using it for medical expenses, which are for me as well, so how can that be called wasteful? I might still be young, but I'm already eighteen. What could I possibly squander in a clinic? It's not like I'm going to buy piles of medicine to take home—that would be foolish! Grandma, Uncle, don't worry. I'm not foolish!"

Even in her anxiety, Li Chunhua had nothing left to say; the money was already secured in a pocket.

She could only feign politeness, "You child, alright then. Go have a look, but hurry back. We are waiting for you at home to eat!"

Bai Xiao sneered. They were certainly just waiting for her to cook!

"Alright, Grandma, Uncle, I'll just have a look and come right back!" She turned and left without pausing. With medicine now within reach, there was no need for her to force herself into a do-or-die situation. She was also worried that she might have misjudged the situation. Rebirth is not a benefit everyone could accept, and she wasn't willing to gamble with her life.

Li Chunhua and Bai Jianguo smiled at everyone. "Everyone, please go back. Look at this child, stirring everyone up over such a trifle. Please go back and have your meal!"

The crowd dispersed gradually. As for what they thought privately, that was a matter of personal perspective.

Once the door closed, what people said was beyond Li Chunhua and Bai Jianguo's control.

Watching everyone disperse, Li Chunhua spat on the ground and was about to start cursing.

Bai Jianguo's head had been aching terribly today. He had lost face, as people always mentioned how he had supported his deceased brother's daughter and praised him as a righteous man. From today, however, he feared that behind his back, there would be no shortage of pointing fingers and gossip. This really was losing his wife and soldiers in one fell swoop.

"Mom, don't let others laugh at us, let's hurry home! The children are hungry!" He did not want to lose face in public anymore.

Unable to walk away, Bai Zhuang and Bai Shan pulled Li Chunhua back home. In this household, Bai Jianguo was the one who called the shots. Despite the old lady's fierceness, Li Chunhua, ever since her eldest son and daughter-in-law died in a car accident, followed by her husband's death from depression within a couple of years, knew she could only rely on her youngest son and had to depend on him for her old age. Thus, she always yielded to Bai Jianguo and dared not say much.

Seeing her son storm off, Li Chunhua followed him.

As she entered the door, Li Chunhua sat down in the corridor, fuming, having had enough of that wretched girl today.

Bai Shan brought her some water to wash up, and then went to fetch water for himself to wash off the day's sweat — it was sticky and uncomfortable without a wash.

Upon lifting the wooden lid of the water jar, Bai Shan frowned, "Dad, Mom, we're out of water!"

Thinking that Bai Xiao had been knocked out by Grandma yesterday, and this morning no one had fetched water. Typically, this thankless task was Bai Xiao's job, and nobody else bothered with it.

Hao Fang had just entered the home, delayed because she had left her insoles out in the field and had to go back for them, missing the earlier drama. As soon as she walked in and heard her son's complaint, she grew frustrated.

"Where's Bai Xiao? All day doing nothing but eating, where the heck did she die off to? Bai Shan, go call her out to fetch water. The whole family needs it!"

Upon hearing this, Bai Shan shook his head, "Mom, forget it, Bai Xiao went to the clinic to see a doctor. She's not home!"

Hearing this, Hao Fang's anger flared, "What? Where did Bai Xiao get money from? If she dares get medicine on credit, I'll tan her hide. Mom, why don't you manage this? The house is full of children, and there's no spare money for her doctor's visits. You can't be so lax; soon Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang will need marriage funds, and we still don't know where that will come from. She's not your only granddaughter."

Li Chunhua was left gaping, trapped between her son whom she dared not offend and a daughter-in-law who might turn on her, making her life unbearable, "That was money given by Bai Xiao's brother and sister, why shouldn't she spend it?"

Hao Fang was taken aback, as the old lady had never spoken like this before.

"Ah, Mom, don't you always dote on your two grandsons the most? How could you say that? Can't I even blow off some steam?" Glancing at Bai Jianguo, she noticed her husband's expression was sour, suggesting something was amiss.

Bai Jianguo glared at her, "Just go and tend to the dishes; the whole family is hungry. All you do is run your mouth, and now you speak to Mom like this?"

With no option, Hao Fang sulkily pushed aside the curtain and went to the kitchen.

Upon entering, there was a cry of alarm.