CHAPTER 1066: CHAPTER 1066: CLEAN UP

"Get up, you can still talk. Whatever you want to do, kneeling can’t solve the problem. Tell me what’s going on. Since you’re here, I’ll definitely help you. I gave you my address back then because I was afraid you wouldn’t have anyone to help you. This child is, after all, the first child I delivered. I hope he can grow up safely. So, what’s happening?"

Bai Xiao helped her up, placing the child back into her arms. At the very least, she couldn’t kneel while holding the child.

It was only after Bai Na’s long explanation that Bai Xiao learned that after Bai Na divorced Weng Jiefang, she returned home. However, her house was already destitute, and her two younger brothers went into the mountains to hunt so she could eat better and produce milk for her nephew. As a result, the older brother fell from the mountain and broke his leg. The family was already short on money.

This incident cost them a lot of money for medical treatment and required him to recuperate at home.

Moreover, rumors were spreading in the village that the Bai Family had defied the will of heaven, that the child shouldn’t be alive, and that a woman shouldn’t stand above a man. This was said to be heaven’s punishment for the Bai Family and Bai Na.

The father of the Bai Family fell ill with anger, and Bai Mother cried every day until her eyes almost went blind.

Bai Na couldn’t produce milk, and the child survived on two bags of milk powder given by Bai Xiao for two months, but as they were running out of milk powder, it seemed the child wouldn’t make it. Bai Na went to the township’s general store, where a bag of milk powder cost two yuan.

She had no money.

Later, Dean Lu couldn’t stand it and had Xiaoyu send her a bag of milk powder, but this wasn’t a long-term solution.

Once her brother had recovered enough and her father could work, she decided to leave.

She realized staying at home only brought shame and difficulty to the family, with two more mouths to feed, which wasn’t sustainable. Rather than stay, it was better to venture out. In the neighboring village, Cuihua, who was her childhood friend, was said to have married a capable man, a traveling salesman who lived well.

Having seen the world by traveling from village to village, it was said that some people went to the city to work and earned money.

For the sake of this child and her family, she decided to take the risk.

In the village, Weng Jiefang constantly harassed her, hoping she would return to him, constantly using sarcasm to pressure her into abandoning the child and returning to him.

Facing such a man who didn’t cherish his own child, Bai Na wished she could cut Weng Jiefang down with a knife.

She borrowed travel expenses from Cuihua and left.

Being cautious, she didn’t travel with the few men from the village; being a woman with a child, it didn’t feel safe.

Those people went to the Capital City; the only person she knew there was Bai Xiao, a kind-hearted doctor from the city. Knowing she had Bai Xiao’s address and that he was kind, she was confident enough to seek refuge with him.

This was a step of great courage for Bai Na.

On the way, she met kind people; on the train, two good-hearted people saw she was a woman with a child and couldn’t read a word, and knowing she was heading to Modu, they were going there too, took care of her and the child during the journey.

After getting off the train, some people even took them to the place, otherwise, relying on Bai Na to ask for directions, who knows when they would have arrived.

The people left without expecting gratitude.

Bai Xiao sighed, feeling fortunate they encountered good people.

Bai Na indeed was lucky; with human trafficking rampant, without those two people, who knows what would have happened to her and the child. Bai Na and the boy she held were prime targets after all.

"Doctor Bai, I certainly won’t be a burden to you, I..." Bai Na did her best to express her determination, hoping Bai Xiao wouldn’t drive her out.

Really, Doctor Bai didn’t know her well, and if she refused to help, it wouldn’t be wrong.

Bai Xiao led her inside the house; there was still a spare room, and driving them out now was certainly impossible.

"You and the child stay here first. Once the child is asleep, wash up and tidy yourself. I’ll find you some of my clothes, change into them, and rest well before discussing looking for a job."

Bai Na hurriedly stopped Bai Xiao, "No! Doctor Bai! Don’t bother yourself, I don’t need to change clothes. I’ll wash them before bed, and they should be ready by morning. We’ve troubled you enough, this is too much bother."

Bai Xiao pointed to the kitchen, "You can boil water there. Since you’re here, listen to me. After all, I’m older than you; it’s like I’m your older sister, so follow my arrangements."

After teaching Bai Na how to use the gas to boil water, Bai Xiao went to find clothes.

Bai Na started the water, carefully placing the child on the bed. She felt a bit afraid; the sheets were too clean, and the bedding was too soft. She looked at herself and the child; compared to these, they seemed like they were dug out from the dirt.

Everything in this house was different from their village. Bai Na thought about Bai Xiao’s kindness towards her and the child, determined to repay Bai Xiao.

Bai Xiao found a set of clothes she had bought in Yun Province. The clothes were now too small; she was nineteen then, and now at twenty-three, the clothes naturally wouldn’t fit. The shirts and pants, though worn, were almost as good as new.

"Bai Na, these clothes are my old ones, don’t disdain them. Change into these, and wash the clothes you’re wearing."

Bai Na looked at the clothes and nearly jumped up.

She quickly refused, "Doctor Bai, no, these clothes are too new, it’s too wasteful! Keep them for yourself! A country girl like me can’t wear them. This would ruin them."

"Wear them since I gave them to you. They are my old clothes, they’re small, but your size should fit. Don’t be timid since you’re here, change and rest with the child. When the child wakes, bathe him too. I don’t have children’s clothes here, so I’ll go buy him some."

The child was wearing altered clothes from an adult garment, all dirty and worn for many days, without another to change into. Patches covered the clothes, and coarse fabric wasn’t comfortable for the child.

This child is really tough.

"No need, no need, Doctor Bai. If you have old clothes, I can alter a couple for him, there’s no need to buy any."

Bai Na almost panicked.

If her coming caused Doctor Bai to spend money, she might as well beg, not wishing to harm anyone.

Bai Xiao saw that Bai Na was genuinely anxious and didn’t insist. She found two of her own cotton clothes for Bai Na, skilled in needlework, to handle herself.