jdhmnovel Chapter 89 60 The Youngest Daughter of a Farming Family (22)
Chapter 89 60 The Youngest Daughter of a Farming Family (22)
Seeing her parents so downcast, Xia Mingwei couldn't hold back any longer and said, "Dad, Mom, don't worry! If my eldest and second brothers won't take care of you in your old age, I will! From now on, you will live with me. I promise I will do my best to make your later years better than anyone else you know!"
Hearing this, Xia's parents still showed no joy. Instead, Xia's mother hugged Xia Mingwei beside her and burst into tears.
“My son, why are you so unlucky! You were never healthy enough to do heavy work! Now you're still so young, and our family is in such a state! If your father and I have to live with you, who will dare to marry you? We've ruined your life!”
After learning about Xia's mother's concerns, Xia Mingwei said that none of this was a big problem.
"If that's the case, Mother, you don't need to worry! If I can't get married in the future, I'll stay with you and live with you for the rest of my life!" Xia Mingwei patted her chest and said to her parents.
Xia's mother glanced at Xia Mingwei and said reproachfully, "This silly child, what nonsense are you talking about again? Who stays by their parents' side forever and never gets married! Wouldn't that make them an old maid?"
Xia Mingwei hugged her mother tightly, "Mother, you see now that I'm someone who won't get married when I grow up! If I really don't get married in the future, do you think you can kick me out of the house, Mother and Father?"
Hearing Xia Mingwei's playful words, Xia's mother finally smiled through her tears. Looking at the harmonious atmosphere between mother and daughter, Xia's father unconsciously felt his own sadness ease a little.
Having finished her digression, Xia Mingwei decided to lay everything out in the open. After all, her father was now the head of the family, and he would find out sooner or later. Could she keep it a secret forever?
"Father, there's something I need to tell you, so please be prepared!"
Lying on the hospital bed, Xia's father looked at Xia Mingwei's serious face and weakly asked, "What's wrong? Just tell me!"
After finishing his long speech in fits and starts, he added with a touch of self-deprecation, "Now that Father is like this, what is there that can't be said?"
Xia's mother initially wanted to stop Xia Mingwei from revealing the matter, but considering the actions of her two unfilial sons today, she decided against keeping it a secret any longer. After all, if they could do such shameless things, why should anyone else cover for them?
Xia Mingwei took a deep breath and said, "Dad, we've separated from my eldest and second brothers! Right now, we only got cash, a little over seventy yuan! We'll deal with the remaining things when we get home!"
Upon hearing this, Xia's father did not erupt in a tirade of abuse; instead, he remained unusually silent. After a long while, he finally spoke, "Are your eldest and second brothers making a fuss about dividing the family property because they need to pay for my medical treatment?"
"Yes and no! Mother insists on treating Father's illness, which is only part of the reason. Another part is that they have been planning this for a long time, but they just haven't had a suitable opportunity to bring it up!"
Hearing Xia Mingwei say this, Xia's mother didn't doubt the truthfulness of her words. Instead, she asked with curiosity, "Daughter, how did you know?"
Xia Ming was slightly choked by her mother's question. After all, she couldn't very well say that she had Xiao Ba spy on them and that's what they knew!
Thinking of this, she replied somewhat awkwardly, "I overheard it outside the door earlier!"
Xia's mother finally understood, but she turned and patted Xia Mingwei's head again, "Daughter, eavesdropping is not a good thing! Don't do it next time!"
What could Xia Mingwei do after hearing this? She could only nod in agreement, her face flushed.
"How much will the medical expenses be?" Xia's father asked again.
"More than fifty!" Xia Mingwei decided to tell the truth.
Xia's father struggled to get up, "Honey, I don't want treatment anymore! Let's go home! How long will it take to earn back all this money!"
Hearing this, Xia's mother burst into tears. She knew all too well that this would be a considerable expense, but she had no other choice. Taking Xia's father home without surgery would mean watching him die, and Xia's mother felt she couldn't do that!
"Father, Mother, are you worried about the medical expenses?" Xia Mingwei asked from the side.
Before Xia's parents could answer, she opened her small cloth bag on her own.
"Father, Mother, look, what is this?"
Following Xia Mingwei's voice, the two looked over and found a thick wad of money inside the cloth bag.
"Daughter, tell your mother honestly, where did this money come from?" Xia's mother gripped Xia Mingwei's hand tightly, asking anxiously. She was terrified; her daughter was intelligent, and she feared she might have gone astray.
"Mother, don't worry, the money is absolutely legitimate!" Xia Mingwei patted her mother's hand, signaling her to relax.
"Then where did you get so much money?" Xia's mother was still worried and asked Xia Mingwei anxiously.
Do you remember my first accepted manuscript?
"How could I not remember? You were the one who read the letter to your mother that time, and you received a full five yuan in royalties! It's just a pity that you spent all that money at once!" Thinking of this, Xia's mother looked pained again.
"Mom, this money is the same as last time; it's all my royalties!"
"Royalties? So much?" Now it was Xia's mother's turn to be surprised, and she asked incredulously.
According to her estimation, the wad of cash was at least a hundred dollars.
"But haven't you never had a manuscript accepted since that one?" Xia's mother asked again, puzzled.
Instead of answering the question directly, Xia Mingwei asked in return, "Mother, where did you find out?"
"That's what your two sisters-in-law said! And if a manuscript is accepted, shouldn't a reply be sent back?"
"That's right! So I didn't send the reply home at all! I gave the courier, Xiao He, some money and had him collect all my letters. Every few days, I would go to the agreed place to dispose of the letters! And the articles I submitted were basically all accepted! Slowly, over this period of time, I accumulated this much in royalties!"
After hearing this, Xia's mother suddenly realized. It turned out that her daughter was not a flash in the pan, as they had said, but a truly talented person.
Xia Mingwei patted her cloth bag and said to her parents, "So, Dad, you can rest assured and focus on recovering in the hospital. Don't worry about the hospital fees! I've got you covered! Your daughter has plenty of money now!"
These words made Mr. and Mrs. Xia burst into laughter. They had only chuckled when their daughter said she would take care of them in their old age. But now, they truly were enjoying the blessings of their daughter!