A week after Guo Momo was hospitalized, Zhi Xia went to visit her.
Knowing An Mei Xia's experience probably made Zhi Xia feel more compassion towards Guo Momo.
It was as if she could see another girl endlessly struggling in her marriage, yet unable to break free.
These past few days, Sister Zhang had been taking care of things here. Zhi Xia secretly slipped her twenty yuan. Everyone tacitly understood.
Otherwise, whether it was Pei JianGuo or Wang Yue coming, it would be hard to predict what other mess might happen in this already complicated situation.
Zhi Xia took out some of the things she brought and put them on the table, and put the rest in the cabinet. They were all practical items - malted milk and a few strands of grapes. Guo Momo was terribly weak right now and would need a long time of nourishing.
Handing her the washed grapes, Zhi Xia looked at her. In just a few days, she seemed to have lost her former innocence. Her once bright eyes were pitch black, not revealing what she was thinking.
"Are you feeling better physically?" Zhi Xia asked her.
Guo Momo still had a good attitude towards Zhi Xia. She also knew that these past few days, she had Sister Zhang to thank for taking care of her, especially when Guo Momo thanked Sister Zhang, Sister Zhang subtly indicated that the young mistress had already given her thanks.
"Much better. I can be discharged from the hospital tomorrow," Guo Momo said hoarsely as she took two grapes and ate them. Unrestrained tears streamed down her face. "Auntie, do you also think I took advantage of the situation for personal gain?"
Pei Shuangshuang pushing her was ultimately classified as a family dispute because she agreed to settle.
The condition was that Wang Yue had to compensate her 5,000 yuan.
It was not a small sum, but it was what Guo Momo decided after careful consideration.
When Old Pei divided up the family money, he had given out 3,500 yuan. She had heard from Pei JianGuo that Wang Yue was in charge of Old Pei's wages, so Wang Yue must have quite a bit of savings.
She and her son were harmed like this. No amount of money could compensate for that.
If she hadn't been afraid of asking for too much that might not be possible, Guo Momo really wanted Wang Yue to compensate her to the point of begging for food.
Of course, Wang Yue had not wanted to pay either. Then Pei Shuangshuang would have to face the consequences. Guo Momo would still make a scene at their workplace. A barefoot man is not afraid of those wearing shoes. She had already ended up like this, with future fertility also becoming an issue. They might as well die together without anyone getting off easy.
She had already gotten the money, but these past few days, she also clearly felt the change in attitude of Pei's family.
It was as if because she had taken money, she deserved to endure this treatment. Even Pei Jianguo was impatient and said she was greedy.
Zhi Xia patted Guo Momo on the shoulder and said, "Don't pay attention to what others say. Let's just live our own good lives. I actually think you're very brave to stand up for yourself. Momo, you have to know that if everyone around you is unreliable, the only one you can rely on is yourself. You're not alone now. You still have your child. You can only become stronger."
Guo Momo finally couldn't hold back her sobs, because this was the first person who understood her since the incident happened.
Even her own family would only think of ways to take advantage of the situation for their own benefit.
The child had been in the ICU for a few days and was now out, but still couldn't make any sounds. The doctor said it was possible the vocal cords were underdeveloped. Such defects brought about by an underdeveloped mother are generally irreparable afterward.
In this day and age, very few would choose treatment for defective children like this. It was practically up to luck whether they would survive.
The treatment these past few days had cost quite a bit of money.
Zhi Xia went to see the child. Compared to when he was born, at least he looked a little more like a baby now. His features and skin had improved a lot, but he was still thin and small.
Pei Jianguo came after work and saw Zhi Xia when he entered. He didn't say anything. It was obvious to see he had also become haggard these days.
Sister Zhang had just returned with food she bought from outside. Seeing Pei Jianguo, she said, "Jianguo, the baby's milk powder is used up. Do you think we should buy some more?"
Guo Momo was so weak herself after giving birth that she barely had any energy left, let alone breastfeed. They could only give the baby formula.
Pei Jianguo opened his mouth hesitantly. "Sister Zhang, milk powder is hard to buy. You've raised children so have experience. Can you give us some suggestions on what we can supplement it with to feed him?"
Even poor families' children can live drinking rice gruel, but this child was already premature at birth and looked weak. She didn't dare suggest anything rash. "I don't know either. I breastfed my two kids. They didn't eat anything else."
Pei Jianguo sighed. "Alright then, I'll try to think of another way."
Zhi Xia listened without comment. She thought Pei Jianguo should have other difficulties.
If it was simply a matter of milk powder being hard to buy, everyone knew about feeding the triplets formula. Even if he was too embarrassed to ask her, he should be able to ask Pei Jing.
Guo Momo naturally wasn't stupid enough to miss what even Zhi Xia understood.
As soon as Sister Zhang left, Guo Momo asked Pei Jianguo, "Pei Jianguo, what do you mean by that? He's your own son. After what your mother and sister did to make him like this, you're now reluctant to even let him have milk powder to drink, right?"
Pei Jianguo rubbed his brows in annoyance. "Can you stop misinterpreting my words? Have you gone to buy milk powder before? Do you know how expensive milk powder is? One bucket is four, five yuan and still needs milk powder tickets, plus there's rationing. Since you're not willing to take out money to ask from my mother, where is it so easy to buy?"
Guo Momo was so angry she gasped sharply for breath.
It wasn't that she was unwilling to spend money on her son. She just wanted to save it for when it would be more useful.
The doctor said the child was premature. Ill health would be unavoidable in the future, plus his vocal cords were underdeveloped so he possibly wouldn't be able to speak in the future. If she didn't save some fallback money, how would they get by in the future?
Pei Yong entered from the doorway and said solemnly, "The child will drink milk powder. Jianguo, give your salary to Momo later on. If it's not enough, I'll pay for it."
There's regret when money runs short only when needed. He had thought his daughter would be taken care of by Wang Yue before so gave all his money to her. Now the last thing he probably regretted was doing that.
Since Pei Yong was willing to help, this naturally resolved the problem.
These past few days, Wang Yue and Pei Shuangshuang had been living cautiously on tenterhooks until they compensated Guo Momo. Only then was a huge weight finally lifted off their chests, but similarly, losing such a large sum of money at once felt even more heartwrenching to Wang Yue than having her heart gouged out.
When Wang Yue got off work and returned home, she discovered Pei Yong smoking outside the door.
She walked up and asked, "What are you doing here?"
Pei Yong glanced at the door then looked around at the neighbors peering over at them from time and time again. He said, "I'm here to talk to you about something. Let's go inside."
This was the first time Pei Yong had taken the initiative to be alone with her these past few years. A different kind of feeling suddenly welled up in Wang Yue's heart.
But before she even opened the door to go in, she heard Pei Yong say, "I came to tell you from now on I'll be responsible for Jianguo. Don't interfere with their marriage anymore."
Wang Yue's heart instantly cooled. "Pei Yong, on what basis can you say that? Don't forget, we agreed on the divorce that both children would be with me."
"There's a saying, 'Marry an unsuitable daughter-in-law, and three generations will suffer.' From me to my son and grandson, isn't that enough?" Pei Yong said coldly with a sneer. "You've always said I owe you. I acknowledge that, but let me tell you, you've made me hate your success, hate your whole family for meddling. If I had known I would marry you, I really should have died back then! Wang Yue, you alone have turned your entire Wang family's contribution to success into soliciting favor and repayment, into disgusting sin."
These were the harshest words Pei Yong had said in so many years.
Just because she disliked Guo Momo, his grandson was born mute and weak as a little kitten.
