NOVPUBChapter 127 -127 Plans (Part 2) 𝚗o𝚟pub.𝚌𝚘𝚖
Chapter 127 -127 Plans (Part 2)
Liu Baoguo certainly did it to save face for Bai Xiao, taking out a wad of money from his pocket and handing it to her, “This is travel money pooled by the folks in the village for your schooling. It’s not much from each person, but it’s the sentiment that counts. You mustn’t refuse it, for to do so would be to look down on our fellow villagers.”
Bai Xiao took it, knowing this was the heartfelt gesture of simple folks.
Exactly forty-eight yuan.
“Uncle, Aunt, I’ve accepted the money, and I will definitely study hard to bring honor to our village!”
“Good! I know you’re a good one. There are a few more years to apply for the poverty relief fund, and Bai Yue is now considered part of our village. I’ve applied for a share for you. It’s not much, maybe just tens of yuan, but there will be a little grain subsidy towards the end of the year. Rest assured! Go attend school, with your uncle and I in the village, your sister won’t be wronged. And as for the housing fund, your family only needs to contribute for one person since you’ve left for school and the three kids in the village don’t own land, so we’re not being partial, it’s just the reality.”
Liu Baoguo’s words immediately brought tears to Bai Yue’s eyes. The village chief had truly helped her family a great deal.
“Village chief, how can we ever thank you enough?” Bai Yue was genuinely overwhelmed with gratitude, feeling blessed to have a helping hand while she was in a tough spot.
“What are you talking about? Bai Xiao is like my own daughter, and you are her sister. Aren’t we all family? I know the old lady is biased, fooling Bai Song into changing the land title back then, and see, now troubles have come! But it’s certain that it can’t be taken back, so we can only think of these ways to help out. If there’s trouble, could I, as your uncle, just ignore it?” Liu Baoguo meant every word. Ever since his own daughter was pulled back from death’s door by Bai Xiao, Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei had agreed that they would remember this kindness for a lifetime.
Bai Xiao knew that Liu Baoguo and his family were good people. Although not everyone was ungrateful, the majority were indeed good-hearted.
“Godfather, Godmother, I can’t express myself well, but if there’s ever anything I can do for you, I, Bai Xiao, will definitely not shirk my duty.”
Li Chunmei laughed, “What nonsense are you talking about, girl? Who asked you to be so dutiful? Your godfather and I didn’t do this to hear you talk of duty. You just focus on your studies and achieve something great. That will be the pride of our village. This is what your godfather and I have prepared for you. It’s not much, only two hundred yuan, but you’ll need to buy things in the big city. Don’t be too humble with me, or else I’ll be cross!” She stuffed a stack of money into Bai Xiao’s hands.
This time, Bai Xiao truly couldn’t take it and pushed the money back, “Godmother! If you do this, that’s not treating me like your goddaughter. That’s not how family works. I can’t take the money. To tell you the truth, I have money. If you don’t believe me, ask my sister!”
Bai Yue quickly nodded in agreement, “Auntie, Bai Xiao really does have money. If you keep doing this, we’ll lose face living in the village.”
Li Chunmei was not pleased. It was unheard of to take back money once given, but Bai Xiao firmly refused, “Godmother, I definitely can’t take the money. If you truly do care for me, I haven’t made my bedding yet. Maybe you could make it for me when the time comes? I’m not good at needlework, and with my sister alone, it would be too much.”
Only then did Li Chunmei relent, “Alright, I won’t stand on ceremony with you. I’ll keep the money for you, and if you ever need it, you come and get it. Remember, you’re supposed to treat me like family. If you’re being polite, then that’s acting like a stranger, got it?”
Bai Xiao nodded eagerly, just like a little chick pecking at grains of rice, which delighted Li Chunmei.
“Okay! When the day comes to sew your bedding, call your godmother over. I’ll make sure it’s done perfectly.”
Finally, they came to an agreement.
Then Bai Xiao remembered about the pigs and chickens, “Godfather, Godmother! My sister is thinking of raising pigs and chickens. Could you ask around and see who has good stock at a fair price? I don’t understand these things, so I can only rely on you.” Since her sister was staying, Bai Xiao had to find a way for Bai Yue.
Liu Baoguo nodded, “Bai Yue is right to think so. Our farm produce surely won’t be enough. Look, the piglets from Old Wang at the eastern end of the village are quite good, and he’s a man of honesty, not the deceitful type. I’ll ask him for you! In fact, I’ll take you there to have a look. Get a couple of pigs to raise, and by the end of the year, you should have enough food to feed the family, and raising some chickens could also help pay back debts with eggs. It’s a good idea.” Farmers can only rely on their own ingenuity to get by.
Bai Yue had nothing left to do except nod in agreement.
Having seen off Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei, Bai Xiao and Bai Yue made another trip to the neighboring village’s elementary school; Li Haishun still needed to attend school.
Fortunately, the villagers there didn’t say much once they realized they were from Liupan Village and allowed the child to be transferred over.
The next day, Li Haishun started school.
Early the next morning, Liu Baoguo took Bai Yue and Bai Xiao to the head of the Wang Family’s house, a well-known wealthy family in the village. The patriarch of the Wang Family had three sons and no daughters. Their prosperity came from exceptional pig farming skills. Their pigs were not only robust but also highly disease-resistant, the patriarch had quite a reputation for his pig-rearing abilities.
What’s important was that the patriarch was skilled, but he never bullied others nor dominated the market. With fair pricing, he was known in the region for his integrity, enjoying a great reputation and considerable esteem.
When the three of them arrived at the Wang household, they were impressed by the imposing courtyard. Few people in the village could afford to build brick-and-tile houses, but it wasn’t unheard of; the village committee and the school indeed had them. The Wang Family’s residence was numbered among those who could afford such structures, with a row of rooms facing each of the four cardinal directions—a courtyard house of sorts, with a gate in front of the shadow wall and a brick-built pigsty in the backyard, a feat beyond the means of most families.
“Old Wang, are you home?”
As they walked in, they saw Old Wang and a shirtless man together binding a pig—three hundred pounds it must have been, squealing as they securely tied it up.
Bai Yue blushed at the sight of the man without a shirt and promptly turned away.
Bai Xiao, however, did not mind at all.
The shirtless man, noticing the two young women, quickly washed and put on a jacket.
“Village chief, this is quite the honor, your visit. If you have something you need, just send someone to tell me, there’s no need for you to come in person.” Old Wang also washed his hands and put on a sleeveless jacket.
He offered Liu Baoguo a cigarette with a filter, a luxury that only their family could afford in the village, while most other people rolled their own cigarettes from tobacco leaves and newspaper.
Liu Baoguo took the cigarette, smelt it, and praised it.
“This is the good stuff, right, the Shuang Tou Feng?” he said, lighting it with a flame from Old Wang’s hand.
“This is Bai Yue, and Bai Xiao; you recognize her—the two daughters from the Bai family’s eldest. Bai Yue, as you know, got divorced and came back home, and she’s been without a source of income. She also has three young kids. So she’s thinking about raising some pigs. It’s not easy for a woman alone! By the way, she’s your niece after all; you really can’t refuse to help.”
Old Wang carefully scrutinized Bai Xiao and Bai Yue and nodded, “I know them! I know them; your father once treated me medically. We’re from the same village—kin and neighbors, after all. I am definitely going to help, certainly will.”
