Chapter 254: Tanned into a Black Devil
Bai Zhi smiled faintly. “Who works for free? But let’s put that aside for now. Ru’er’s illness can’t wait. We should go.”
A Wu gave a heavy nod and picked up the bundle from the ground. As he lowered his head, tears streamed uncontrollably down his face.
‘He thought they had reached a dead end, but he never imagined they would find a lifeline in the midst of their despair.’
The carriage was large, and it didn’t feel crowded with three adults and one child. But A Wu refused to sit inside, wanting to take over for Hu Feng and drive the carriage himself.
Hu Feng, worried that A Wu didn’t know the way, let him sit beside him to learn the route first, telling him there would be plenty of other times for him to drive.
Back in Huangtuo Village, Bai Zhi had no time for lengthy explanations. She had Hu Feng take A Wu to rest in the main house at the front, while she led Ru’er and her mother to the wooden cabin out back.
“Sister, this is where my mother and I live. It’s a little small, but there’s enough room for everyone. You and Ru’er can stay here for the time being.”
Seeing how sick the child was and the pitiful look on her mother’s face, Zhao Lan’s heart went out to them. Taking Ru’er’s mother by the hand, she said, “Don’t have any second thoughts. Just stay here.”
With red-rimmed eyes, Ru’er’s mother nodded. “Thank you. Thank you both so much.”
Zhao Lan smiled and patted her hand. “What’s there to thank us for? We’re all people who have had it rough. We can only live well by helping each other out. Just call me Aunt Lan from now on. What’s your name?”
Ru’er’s mother wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, her expression shy. “My name is Sue E. Zhao Su’e.”
Zhao Lan laughed. “My surname is Zhao, too! We share a family name!”
While Zhao Lan and Zhao Su’e were talking, Bai Zhi seized the moment when they weren’t looking to inject Ru’er with a fever-reducing medicine.
The medicine in the first-aid kit was fast-acting and much more potent than common drugs. It could reduce a fever quickly, but it had a side effect: the fever would return two or three times after the initial, rapid drop. However, it wouldn’t spike to forty degrees Celsius again, which meant the most dangerous period would be over. For any recurring fever, she could use a silver needle on the girl’s acupoints to bring it down, a method with no side effects.
After putting her things away, Bai Zhi said to Zhao Lan and Zhao Su’e, “I’m going to the village to find people to help harvest the earth melons. Boss Chen from the Diner Inn is sending someone to pick them up first thing in the morning, so we can’t have any delays.”
Zhao Su’e quickly said, “Is there anything I can do? I’ll do any kind of work.”
Bai Zhi smiled faintly. “Sister, what you should be doing right now is taking good care of Ru’er. Once she’s better, there will be plenty of work to do.”
Zhao Su’e was still worried sick about her daughter, so hearing Bai Zhi’s words, she was moved to the brink of tears once again.
Bai Zhi left in a hurry. She went around the village and found two women who were quick workers, then personally led them to the fields to harvest the earth melons.
When A Wu found out she was going to work in the fields, he insisted on coming along. Bai Zhi felt helpless but finally agreed.
Hu Feng drove the carriage, taking A Wu, Bai Zhi, and the women to the field together.
When they arrived at the earth melon patch, Bai Zhi rolled up her sleeves to get into the field, but Hu Feng grabbed her and pulled her toward a tree.
“What are you doing? Let go of me.”
Hu Feng pushed her under the tree and said, “Stay right here, and don’t come out. A young lady like you… if you get tanned dark as dirt, we’ll see who you end up marrying.”
Bai Zhi couldn’t help but laugh. ‘This guy,’ she thought. ‘He so clearly means well, but he insists on not saying anything nice.’
A Wu laughed from a short distance away. “Miss Bai, just listen to Hu Feng. You have a small frame, you probably don’t have much strength. The rest of us can finish this up quickly.”
The other two women chimed in as well. “That’s right, Zhi! It’s just digging up a few earth melons. With the four of us, it won’t take long at all. You’re not needed.”