Chapter 76 – Exchanging a Lifetime of Care for a Life
In the end, Cui Zhiqiang could only return home in defeat. But from that day on, his days were filled with fear and trepidation…
Meanwhile, just before midnight, Xu Xiangbei returned home with Xu Jinning.
As he opened the door, Xu Aiguo, who had been awakened, glanced over. Seeing it was Xu Xiangbei, there was no change in his expression, as if it were routine.
He understood his youngest son’s character, seemingly obsessed with making money and doing business.
Although he hadn’t gone out tonight due to his stomach ache, he knew that once Xu Xiangbei’s pain subsided, he would surely go out.
So seeing his son didn’t surprise him.
However, when he noticed his son was accompanied by his little girl, his eyes widened in shock. Especially when he realized that his daughter had gone with him to the county town to do something dangerous, he immediately grabbed the broom nearby, ready to strike.
“Don’t, dad, don’t hit me. It’s late at night, if you hit me and I scream, won’t the neighbors all know?” Xu Xiangbei quickly grabbed the broom his father swung at him.
“Dad, don’t hit big brother. It was my request for him to take me. I won’t do it again,” Xu Jinning also hurriedly explained.
In fact, she wasn’t curious about buying and selling, nor did she enjoy taking risks. She went out tonight hoping to help Xu Xiangbei stay safe and avoid falling into Cui Zhiqiang’s trap.
Otherwise, why would she choose to go to the county town in the middle of the night?
But it was indeed her request for Xu Xiangbei to take her.
Xu Aiguo was infuriated. “Xu Xiangbei, do you know what consequences you’ll face if you’re caught? You’re risking yourself, but bringing your sister along too, I really…”
Xu Aiguo wanted to scold Xu Xiangbei, but Xu Xiangbei’s words made sense.
“Ningning, don’t speak up for your brother. He deserves to be punished.” In Xu Aiguo’s heart, Xu Jinning was very obedient and sensible. How could she possibly go out in the middle of the night to participate in something dangerous? It must be Xu Xiangbei’s doing.
It’s all Xu Xiangbei’s fault!
Xu Xiangbei felt inexplicably aggrieved. Why did he feel that after the little girl returned, his father didn’t care for him as much but favored the little girl instead?
However, he also knew that it was indeed dangerous to take Xu Jinning out tonight.
“I understand. Before the situation clears up and the danger passes, I won’t go out again, and I absolutely won’t take Ningning with me anymore. I swear!” Xu Xiangbei said earnestly.
Xu Aiguo glanced at Xu Xiangbei sternly, then finally snorted coldly and released his grip on the broom.
Xu Xiangbei breathed a sigh of relief and quickly placed the broom aside, keeping it far away.
“Alright, Ningning, go to bed early.” After reminding his little daughter, Xu Aiguo went back to his room, treating Xu Xiangbei with indifference.
“Okay, Dad,” Xu Jinning replied obediently.
“Let’s go, little girl, back to your room.”
Xu Xiangbei led Xu Jinning into her room, and they sat on the edge of the bed.
Then, Xu Xiangbei opened the bag, revealing the abundance of watches inside.
He counted them, there were 50.
“50 watches, each worth over a hundred, that’s thousands of yuan, we’ve hit the jackpot.”
In the countryside, most people could only save a few dozen or a hundred yuan throughout the year. So, thousands of yuan were naturally a huge fortune.
Xu Xiangbei caressed the watches, his eyes sparkling.
He glanced at the little girl and noticed her calm expression, as if the watches in front of her were as ordinary as the scenery one sees everywhere.
He quickly restrained his gaze and sighed inwardly: the little girl was truly good. If it were someone else, who knew how greedy their eyes would become.
Her calm gaze truly made the 50 watches in front of her seem trivial. Xu Jinning indeed didn’t think much of the 50 watches in front of her.
There’s no way. She had seen too many jewelry, accessories, and jewels in modern times, all worth much more than these 50 watches.
So she didn’t covet any of them, even though she had already transmigrated to this relatively difficult era.
But her original intention, nature, and knowledge remained unchanged.
Just the next moment, one of her hands was grabbed by Xu Xiangbei, and then a watch was placed on her wrist.
“Your wrist is too thin. You should eat more in the future. Girls should have some flesh to be attractive to others.” Holding Xu Jinning’s bony wrist, Xu Xiangbei felt an indescribable heartache.
It’s strange. When the little girl came to this family before, she was also skinny, but he just couldn’t care about her.
But now, it seems to have changed.
It’s like… starting from when he could hear the little girl’s inner thoughts.
From then on, he truly paid attention to this little girl and realized her existence in the family.
And started to cherish her little by little.
The little girl is really too thin.
Xu Xiangbei knew that nowadays when people look for a wife, they want someone with a big chest, thick buttocks, flesh, and a plump appearance, so that they can bear children well and look healthy.
But the little sister now…
Probably no one would be interested in marrying her.
And she’s so rough-skinned, to be honest, she looks a bit ugly.
Xu Xiangbei was worried. It would be difficult for the little girl to marry in the future.
Forget it, forget it. If the little girl can’t get married, then he’ll work hard to support her for a lifetime.
After all, his life is essentially saved by the little girl.
Exchanging a lifetime of care for a life, there’s nothing wrong with that!
Xu Jinning didn’t know what Xu Xiangbei was thinking. She just watched as Xu Xiangbei put the watch on her wrist.
“Okay, this watch will be yours from now on.”
“How is it? Do you like it?” Xu Xiangbei asked cautiously.
Xu Jinning stared at the watch blankly. The dial of the watch shimmered with a metallic luster under the kerosene lamp.
Upon hearing Xu Xiangbei’s question, she immediately looked up and said, “Yes, I like it.”
Naturally, she liked it.
It seemed that since she came to this world, to this family, she had received more and more gifts: Dad’s milk powder, Mom’s handmade clothes, Big Brother’s protection and chicken legs, Big Sister’s snowflake cream, and now, the watch from Second Brother.
Perhaps, this was what family was all about.
This watch definitely couldn’t compare to the ones she wore in modern times, with diamond-studded dials, looking very luxurious.
But those modern ones, for her, were just accessories.
The one on her wrist now was different. It was a gift, a gift from her second brother, and he had personally put it on her.
The significance was different.
“And these, I’ll give them to Dad, Mom, Big Brother, and Big Sister tomorrow.” Xu Xiangbei left out the few watches he planned to give to his family, including his own.
As for the remaining 44 watches, Xu Xiangbei planned to sell them later.
“Little girl, I’ll sell the rest of these watches. When we get the money, we’ll split it fifty-fifty,” Xu Xiangbei said.
Upon hearing this, Xu Jinning shook her head hurriedly, “I don’t want it. I’m happy with this watch.”
