CHAPTER 257: CHAPTER 257: DON’T DELAY THE CHILD’S QIAN CHENG

"You’re yours, this is Auntie’s wish, take it."

Aunt Ge wasn’t stingy, she directly stuffed a banknote into Lin Xiang’s hand.

This was equivalent to several days’ income for Aunt Ge.

Lin Xiang found it hard to accept but also hard to refuse.

After thinking it over, she decided to accept it; once she reached Beijing, she’d find a way to spend it on Ge Yuanyi.

"Yuanyi, once you’re on the train, be sure to listen to Lin Xiang. Whatever she tells you not to do, you must not do."

"It’ll be the same in Beijing. You should listen to Lin Xiang’s advice. Once you settle in at school, give Mom a call. From then on, call Mom at least once a week. Don’t worry about spending money. If it’s gone, tell Mom; she’ll send it to you."

"And, um..."

Ge Yuanyi was going to be separated from her mother for the first time in her life.

Already covered with fear of traveling far, hearing Aunt Ge’s words made Ge Yuanyi feel her heart was breaking.

She didn’t want to go to Beijing anymore.

She wanted to stay and keep company with her mom and brother.

"Mom, how about I don’t go to Beijing? I’ll stay home and work with you at the sweet shop; the earnings won’t be less than the salary of an assigned job."

"What nonsense are you talking?" Aunt Ge glared at Ge Yuanyi, "You only see the money earned from running a small business, but have you seen how hard it is for me to prepare every afternoon’s business? Besides, doing small business isn’t stable; having a job is still better."

"Once you get to Beijing, be sure to take care of yourself. If there’s a problem you can’t solve, go find Aunt Lin and Niuzi, and don’t be afraid to bother them. For any favors owed, Mom will repay them when you return, but don’t wrong yourself at all."

"Mom..."

Watching the two hug each other and cry, Lin Xiang had to forcefully separate them.

"If we don’t go now, we’ll miss the train."

Ge Yuanyi sniffled and sobbed, "Isn’t the train at twelve o’clock?"

Lin Xiang replied, expressionless, "We have to go early so we won’t miss the train due to the crowd."

"Mrs. Ge, what Niuzi said is right, don’t delay boarding the train. Yuanyi isn’t going to Beijing alone; my second sister-in-law and Niuzi are there, so she’ll be taken care of."

"The more you hesitate to separate now, the less Yuanyi will want to leave. If she’s delayed, it will ruin the kid’s future."

Of course, Aunt Ge understood this reasoning.

Though reluctant to part with Ge Yuanyi, she suppressed her sorrow and took Ge Yuanyi and Lin Xiang to the train station.

"Remember what Mom said. Once you settle in Beijing, be sure to call Mom, alright?"

Ge Yuanyi was crying uncontrollably and couldn’t utter a complete sentence, only nodding repeatedly.

Meanwhile, Fifth Aunt handed Lin Xiang a handmade money pouch without giving her a say, "Fifth Aunt doesn’t have much money, don’t mind it."

"Fifth Aunt, I have money." Lin Xiang said helplessly, "You should keep this money; after all, you have a family to support"

"We earn money every day, so don’t worry. Once you’re in Beijing, be sure to take care of yourself and your mom. If anything happens, call back; Fifth Uncle and I are always here."

After a long day and night, Lin Xiang and Ge Yuanyi finally arrived in Beijing.

Once off the train, amid a crowded tide of people, Lin Xiang and Ge Yuanyi were pushed out of the train station.

She pulled Ge Yuanyi along, "Let’s go, we’ll take a rickshaw to my place."

At the train station exit, there were pedicabs. Lin Xiang spent two yuan to have a driver take her and Ge Yuanyi to their rental.

By then it was past twelve, just when the construction workers were getting off work. Mrs. Lin was selling fast food at the construction site. Lin Xiang unlocked the door, put down their stuff, then said to Ge Yuanyi, "I’ll turn on the fan for you. You rest here while I go help my mom."

Ge Yuanyi sat uneasily, quickly standing up, "Lin Xiang, I’ll go with you."

"Aren’t you tired?"

Ge Yuanyi shook her head, "I’ve been sleeping all the way, I’m not tired. Let me go with you."

Compared to working under the blazing sun, leaving her alone in an unfamiliar place felt even harder to bear.

Without a choice, Lin Xiang agreed to bring Ge Yuanyi along to the stall.

"You’re back, Niuzi!"

"Yuanyi’s here too."

"Auntie, my school is starting soon, so I came with Lin Xiang."

Mrs. Lin disapprovingly glanced at Lin Xiang, "You! It’s so hot, Yuanyi should rest at home; why bring her here?"

"Auntie, I asked to come by myself, and I’m here to help you."

Mrs. Lin waved her spoon, "No need, just two servings left, and we’re done selling. Let’s go home."

Mrs. Lin and Lin Xiang worked together, wheeling the trolley back to their courtyard.

Ge Yuanyi couldn’t help but only follow closely behind.

The first thing at home was to turn on the fan; Mrs. Lin poured a big glass of water, then served Lin Xiang and Ge Yuanyi food.

Since Lin Xiang departed, Mrs. Lin had been the one cooking the fast-food dishes. The flavor wasn’t as good as Lin Xiang’s, but still not bad, plus affordable, bringing many to dine.

"I told you, while I’m away, have a good rest. Why wear yourself out like this?"

"You can earn so much in a day, how could I sit idle? Besides, it’s not hard; your brother buys the ingredients, washes, and cuts them. I just need to stir-fry them."

Talking about Lin Yun, Lin Xiang realized she hadn’t seen him.

"Where’s my brother? Where did he go?"

"Today’s the 20th — he went to report back to the army."

Lin Yun’s leave ended on the 20th. After buying groceries at the market in the morning, helping Mrs. Lin push the cart to the site at noon, he went to the army directly.

Luckily Lin Xiang returned today; otherwise, she wouldn’t know where to get vegetables tomorrow!

After the meal, Mrs. Lin urged Ge Yuanyi to rest on the bed.

"Auntie, I’m not tired," said Ge Yuanyi, "Let me help you. I heard from Lin Xiang that you have to set up the stall later; there must be a lot of veggies to process."

Indeed, with several buckets of veggies to stir-fry, handling just the washing and picking wasn’t a small task.

Though making about twenty yuan a day, it was truly exhausting.

But compared to farming for work points, Mrs. Lin preferred this.

After all, converting work points to grain for the year doesn’t leave much, while selling fast food indeed earns actual money.

Especially while counting the money every day, Mrs. Lin felt even the surrounding air smelled sweeter.

"By the way, Niuzi, once you start school, are we still keeping the fast-food stall going?" Mrs. Lin suddenly asked.