"Boo hoo... why don't you believe me? I saw you tie your hair with grass ropes, unwilling to buy candy, unwilling to buy sour plum powder. I bought you hair ties, and you still hit me?"
Xie Dabao cried with such grievance. An eight-year-old child simply couldn't understand what he had done wrong. Being beaten and accused of stealing was too tragic; he didn't even want to live anymore.
Cai Jinhua thought about it. It was true. She had gone to the drawer to get money, and two yuan were missing. Just then, Xie Dabao came back with the hair ties, so she assumed he had stolen it. Their family wasn't well-off to begin with, how could they afford him to squander like this?
Consumed by anger, she first beat him to vent her frustration. Parents treated their children this way, beating them for no reason, and even more so when they made mistakes.
Xie Sui said, "I gave that money to Doudou and Dingding. Dabao's money was earned legitimately. He sold cicada shells to Doudou and Dingding, three for one cent. The child must have worked hard to save money, all of which he spent on you. Grandma Jinhua, with such a good son, you should be laughing in your sleep."
"Is that so? Can cicada shells be worth that much?"
"Of course, they are Chinese medicinal ingredients and have always been valuable."
Cai Jinhua remembered her son's recent early departures and late returns, sometimes with dew on his clothes. Her heart softened, but she refused to admit her mistake. "Why didn't you tell your mother earlier? You made me misunderstand. I'm going home."
Xie Dabao lowered his head, his hair even carrying a sense of grievance.
"Grandma Jinhua, wait a moment. You should apologize to the child."
Xie Sui couldn't bear to see the child wronged and wanted to get justice for Xie Dabao.
"Who apologizes to a child? I didn't beat him too hard. I hit him because I hit him, do I need to apologize?"
Cai Jinhua found it amusing. In the entire village, you couldn't find a parent who would apologize to their child.
Xie Sui said seriously, "You don't have to apologize, and the child can't force you. But you've hurt the child's loving heart. You misunderstood him and hit him, and you didn't say a word of apology. Will he still buy you gifts in the future?"
Cai Jinhua's heart trembled. She knew she was wrong, but she was too proud to admit it. Many adults didn't treat children as real people, merely raising them roughly. Being able to raise a child to adulthood was considered good parenting.
"Children have self-esteem and deserve respect. If you break their hearts, they will remember it for a lifetime."
Cai Jinhua squatted down and saw Xie Dabao's teary eyes, stubborn and wronged. She said with remorse, "Son, I'm sorry."
"Boo hoo..."
Xie Dabao started crying again, this time with tears of joy.
"This is much better. Mother and son are at peace. We also shouldn't compete with them for collecting cicada shells. I want to buy some scorpions. I'll pay a high price, two yuan a jin, as much as you can catch. Anyone who wants to make money can go catch scorpions."
"Scorpions can be sold too?"
"Whole scorpions are Chinese medicinal ingredients. But be careful not to get stung, they are poisonous."
"Of course. I've been stung by a scorpion before, and it swelled for days."
"Xie Sui, do you mean it? I'll go catch them tonight. There are many in the back mountain."
"Of course, it counts. Payment on the spot."
Scorpions needed to be caught at night, usually found under rocks in shady spots. The large ones could weigh an ounce, so a dozen or so would make a jin. The older generation used to catch them, but later, with collective farming, everything was communal, and they didn't dare to catch them.
Since they could be sold, everyone agreed to go catch them together at night, so they could look out for each other if anyone got stung.
The crowd dispersed. Zhao Tielin lingered at the back and gave Xie Sui a deep look. Xie Sui nodded at him. Zhao Tielin snorted and turned away.
Xie Sui was puzzled. He hadn't provoked that old man!
If it were in his previous life, Xie Sui would have been afraid of Zhao Tielin. When he was the team leader, he had often made things difficult for Xie Sui, deducting his work points and always having a dark expression. Xie Sui wasn't afraid of his parents, but he was afraid of the stern-faced Zhao Tielin.
However, after being reborn, he saw many things clearly. Zhao Tielin was not a qualified team leader. Many villagers had been bullied by him. Even now, he acted like a lord, cynical and wanting to lecture everyone he saw.
This type of person least wanted the land to be contracted to individual households, as it represented the end of their good days.
Xie Sui also snorted, even louder than him. "I haven't offended you, why are you putting on a face? I won't take this kind of treatment from you."
Because Xie Sui could lead everyone to make money, Zhao Xiue walked through the village with unprecedented enthusiasm, her smile never fading.
For the first thirty years, one looked at their father; for the next thirty years, the father looked at the son. As one grew old, their life revolved around their son.
At Xie Dajiang's house, his sister-in-law Wang Xiuju pouted, "What good news? Your mouth is stretched so wide it's almost reaching your ears. Are you here to return money?"
Zhao Xiue's smile dropped. She had borrowed two yuan from her sister-in-law, and because of these two yuan, she had never been able to hold her head up in front of Wang Qiuju.
But they were siblings, did she have to bring it up all the time?
Zhao Xiue said, "I'll go home and get it for you later. This is fried sugar cakes for Mother. They're soft. Xiao Sui specially bought them for her. I'll leave them here and go get your money."
Wang Xiuju was surprised. Had Xie Sui really made money?
Before, when the two yuan were mentioned, her sister-in-law would bury her head in the ground, too timid to utter a word, but now she was so confident!
She was reluctant to eat the fried sugar cakes herself. Brown sugar, oil, and white flour, weren't they all precious? Each one sold for two mao. And she was given four?
Grandma Xie stood at the entrance of the main hall, watching clearly, and said coldly, "Served you right, wasn't it? Don't be too harsh. If close relatives haggle over money, how will the children get along in the future?"
Grandma Xie took the sugar cakes and happily went inside to eat. Her little grandson was so filial. She hadn't finished the sponge cake he sent a few days ago, and now he sent fried sugar cakes. It was too wasteful. She'd talk to him later about not always spending money recklessly. Su Dan Novel Network.
Zhao Xiue returned home, her face still solemn. She reached out to Xie Sui, "Give Mother two yuan to pay back your uncle's money?"
"I'm so angry. It's just two yuan, as if I owe her a fortune. If she has the guts, don't come asking me for anything in the future."
"My son, you've succeeded. Mother can count on you to hold your head high and no longer suffer such indignities."
Xie Sui gave her three yuan. "The extra one is interest. Mother is right. Your son will never let you suffer like this again."
"Ah, good. Mother can finally enjoy a good life."
Zhao Xiue wiped her eyes and went to return the money with a determined stride, as if going to war.
In the past, she would have spent every penny as carefully as possible. Now, she threw the one yuan in interest at her sister-in-law's face, and Zhao Xiue felt no heartache.
Indeed, Wang Xiuju took the extra yuan, speechless for a moment.
"Thank you, Sister-in-law, for lending me money before. I've always remembered that kindness. The interest was given by Xiao Sui, so you can't lose out, Sister-in-law."
Wang Qiuju gave an awkward smile. "No need. It's fine as long as the money is returned. What's with the interest between siblings? It's embarrassing!"