Chapter 1433 - 1397: Home of the Cannon Fodder
Chapter 1433: Chapter 1397: Home of the Cannon Fodder
Xiao Yuan had just finished the phone call when his eldest daughter, Xiao Yilin, poked her head out of the room.
"What’s up? Something going on?"
Xiao Yuan put away his phone and asked.
A trace of disdain flashed in Xiao Yilin’s eyes, but her face carried a smile: "Dad, our school requires us to buy some exercise books. Also, a good friend of mine treated me to a meal the other day, and I want to return the favor."
"How much?"
Xiao Yuan got up to fetch some money.
"Give me 500,"
Xiao Yilin named her amount.
Xiao Yuan paused in his steps, then said nothing, went to the bedroom, and handed over 500 dollars to Xiao Yilin: "Take it. If it’s not enough, let Dad know."
"Okay."
Xiao Yilin took the money and put it in her pocket: "I’m going back to study."
She pushed open the door to the room, which had a bunk bed and two desks. Xiao Yilin’s desk was on the left, and her younger sister Xiao Yishan’s was on the other side.
Currently, Xiao Yishan was sitting at her desk doing homework.
Xiao Yilin sat down in a chair and started counting money as soon as she entered.
Xiao Yishan glanced over but didn’t say anything.
After counting the money, Xiao Yilin pursed her lips: "Seriously, asking for 500 and he gives exactly 500, could have been a bit more generous."
After finishing a problem, Xiao Yishan raised her head and said, "Sis, it’s not easy for Dad to support both of us by himself, he’s quite worn out."
"That’s because he’s incompetent."
Xiao Yilin sneered: "If he were competent, would mom have died? If he were competent, we would have bought a big house already instead of the two of us squeezing into one room. Look at our classmates’ families, they’re quite well off, and what do they eat and wear compared to us?"
Xiao Yishan felt a headache coming. She rubbed her forehead: "Sis, how can you say that? Dad hasn’t deprived us of food or drink. We’ve never worn other people’s hand-me-downs since we were kids. Dad’s already tried his best to give us the best of everything."
"I can’t talk sense to you."
Xiao Yilin grunted angrily: "You little bumpkin, what do you know about the best?"
Xiao Yishan also felt unable to reason with Xiao Yilin, she continued with her head down doing homework: "If you want to eat and dress well, then study hard. In the future, you can make money to buy what you want, why do you have to force Dad?"
As she said this, Xiao Yishan remembered something else: "Besides, mom’s death can’t be blamed on Dad. He also tried his best, but mom had a terminal illness, which can’t be cured in any family."
Xiao Yilin climbed up to bed and lay down: "Isn’t Dad supposed to be quite miraculous? He can predict this and that, so why couldn’t he save mom? He’s just a fraud, a swindler."
Xiao Yilin’s words about Xiao Yuan made Xiao Yishan both angry and sad.
She couldn’t focus on her homework anymore, she put down her pen and burst into tears: "Sis, how did you become like this? What’s wrong with Dad? Others might call him a fraud or a swindler, but only we are not supposed to say such things. Everything we eat and use is from Dad’s earnings like this, if Dad weren’t a swindler, would we have grown up like this?"
Xiao Yilin paid no attention to whether Xiao Yishan cried or not.
She yanked the quilt over her head: "What’s the wailing for, I’m going to sleep now. You’d better finish your homework and go to bed, or be careful I’ll beat you."
Xiao Yishan was a bit afraid and didn’t dare to cry anymore. She wiped her tears and continued with her homework.
Lying in bed, Xiao Yilin muttered: "Acting like you’re diligent, your grades aren’t even that good. Did you hear what I said? Stupid people should be self-aware. Even if you study hard, if you’re not bright, it won’t work."
Xiao Yishan felt more aggrieved.
She kept wiping away tears while doing her homework. The next morning, she woke up late.
Xiao Yuan had prepared breakfast and called his two daughters to wake up. Xiao Yilin came out wearing a modified, tighter-fit school uniform. She glanced at the dining table: "Dad, today’s breakfast looks quite sumptuous."
Xiao Yuan smiled: "Then eat more. Where’s Yishan? Why isn’t she out yet?"
"How would I know?"
Xiao Yilin washed her hands and sat down to eat. Xiao Yuan gave her a look that carried a hint of coldness: "Wait for your sister for a bit."
Normally, Xiao Yilin would have ignored this and continued eating.
But today, for some reason, Xiao Yuan’s look made her feel uneasy and kind of scared, so she didn’t dare continue eating.
After a while, Xiao Yishan came out with red eyes.
Xiao Yuan smiled when he saw Xiao Yishan: "You’re up. Why are your eyes so swollen, didn’t sleep well last night?"
Xiao Yishan shook her head: "Dad, I’m fine."
She sat at the table, and Xiao Yuan served her some rice: "Hurry and eat, then get to school early."
While eating, Xiao Yuan asked Xiao Yishan: "Do you still have money, is the meal fee enough?"
"It’s enough."
Xiao Yishan nodded while eating.
Xiao Yuan sighed and didn’t ask more.
After the children went off to school, Xiao Yuan went to Anning’s house.
Anning had just sent off her kids and was now tidying the kitchen.
Xiao Yuan went over to help and washed dishes for Anning.
After doing the dishes, Anning washed some fruits and the two of them sat on the sofa eating and talking.
Xiao Yuan took a few bites of apple: "How about we register with the household book later?"
Anning gave him a gentle slap: "Get out of here. I haven’t discussed it with the older and the younger ones on my side yet. How can I just register with you? That would turn the world upside down."
Xiao Yuan took another bite of the apple: "How are your two little ones?"
Anning thought for a while: "They’re alright. Their grades aren’t outstanding, but not bad either. The kids are quite sensible."
"Why?" Anning raised an eyebrow: "Are your two not doing well?"
Xiao Yuan shook his head: "The younger one is quite good, very sensible, knows it’s tough for me to earn money and is very frugal, but the eldest is no good. Very competitive, vain, holds grievances against me, her father, and her sister. I really don’t know where her resentment comes from."
Anning pondered for a while: "As long as we fulfill our responsibilities. The path is walked by oneself. If she doesn’t work out, just let it go when she goes to college."
Xiao Yuan smiled: "By the way, I have something to discuss with you."
"Go ahead."
"My second is quite hardworking but hasn’t found the right method, so her grades haven’t improved. I’m thinking maybe you could tutor her."
Xiao Yuan brought up Xiao Yishan’s issues and discussed it with Anning.
Anning looked at Xiao Yuan: "You’ve aced exams so many times, yet you can’t even tutor your kid?"
She said this with a smile on her face, and Xiao Yuan laughed along: "I’m a swindler this time, you know, didn’t go to school much, kind of an unlearned swindler. You want me to tutor math, physics, and chemistry? You’re kidding, right?"
"Alright then."
Anning stopped teasing Xiao Yuan: "Bring her over tomorrow, I’ll test her first to see where her weak points are, and we’ll strengthen those first, then gradually improve her grades."
Since Anning agreed to tutor the child, she would definitely give it her all. Under Anning’s guidance, the child’s grades would surely improve significantly, even if not the top of the class.
Xiao Yuan felt relieved.
He checked the time, and it was almost the time he agreed to meet Liu San.
Anning also checked the time: "My parents are coming back today, and I have to go take a look."
So, the two of them went downstairs together.
Xiao Yuan went back to wait for Liu San, while Anning rode her electric scooter to the Qian family’s neighborhood, as Mr. and Mrs. Qin had been away for a while, Anning needed to tidy up their home and sun the blankets, and also buy some groceries.