amaotonovel Chapter 289: Liu Lan's Predicament
Chapter 289: Liu Lan's Predicament
In the kitchen of the steel mill's canteen, Nan Yi watched Liu Lan wiping away tears from time to time. She wanted to go over and ask what was wrong, but the words wouldn't come out. Suddenly, she saw Liu Lan lift the curtain and walk out. Nan Yi glanced at the other people busy around her and decisively followed her out.
In the corner of the kitchen, Nan Yi saw Liu Lan still crying and went up to her, asking, "What's wrong?" Liu Lan looked up and saw it was Nan Yi. She wiped away her tears somewhat embarrassedly and forced a smile, saying, "Nothing."
Looking at Liu Lan, Nan Yi said, "You're not upset? If something's wrong, don't keep it to yourself. It'll make you feel better if you talk about it." Liu Lan looked at Nan Yi, then suddenly squatted down and burst into tears.
Seeing Liu Lan's appearance, Nan Yi was startled and quickly said, "Hey, don't cry. If you keep crying, people who don't know might think I did something to you. What if they arrest me as a hooligan?" Hearing Nan Yi's words, Liu Lan chuckled and said, "Who dares to arrest you as a hooligan? I won't let them get away with it."
Hearing Liu Lan's words, Nan Yi laughed and said, "Aren't you pretty tough? Who can do anything to you?" Liu Lan looked at Nan Yi with annoyance and said, "Are you trying to help me or just annoy me?" Nan Yi smiled awkwardly, "I'm definitely trying to help you."
Hearing Nanjing University of the Arts say this, Liu Lan said somewhat embarrassedly, "You can't help me with my problem."
Nan Yi looked at Liu Lan and said with a smile, "How do you know I can't help if you don't tell me? Although I haven't been at the steel mill for long, I know you are beautiful and kind-hearted. As a man, I should step in when necessary and make sure I can help you resolve this problem."
Liu Lan looked at Nan Yi and said with a smile, "Thank you, Nan Yi. But my matter is a family matter, and you really can't help with it." Hearing "family matter," Nan Yi asked curiously, "About whom? Your man?" Liu Lan nodded.
Nanjing University of the Arts became increasingly puzzled: "You and your man are having problems?"
Liu Lan nodded and said, "My husband's name is Ma Kui. He drinks, smokes, and gambles all day long. I finally managed to save some money to pay for my mother-in-law's medical treatment, but he gambled it all away. Now we don't even have the last bit of money we had."
Hearing Liu Lan say this, Nan Yi felt some sympathy: "How much money does your mother-in-law need for medical treatment?" Liu Lan looked up at Nan Yi and quickly waved her hand: "No need, I'll find a way to get the money."
Nan Yi looked at Liu Lan and said irritably, "You want to find a solution? Your monthly salary is so low, and now your man has gambled it all away. What can you possibly do?"
Liu Lan was a little embarrassed: "But I can't use your money." Nan Yi looked at her and said: "Don't you even consider me a friend anymore? Besides, if you were asking for hundreds or thousands, I probably couldn't come up with that. But I can afford this much money. After all, I'm a chef, aren't I?"
Seeing Nan Yi say this, Liu Lan said somewhat embarrassedly, "Then lend me 30." Hearing 30, Nan Yi took out the money in his pocket and counted it. There was a total of 54 yuan and 2 mao. He directly stuffed 50 yuan into Liu Lan's hand: "Take it. 30 for your mother-in-law's medical treatment, and 20 to buy your mother-in-law some good food to nourish her."
Looking at the money in her hand, Liu Lan was somewhat shocked and hurriedly declined, "No, it's too much." Nan Yi looked at her and said, "Alright, take it." Looking at the somewhat domineering Nan Yi, Liu Lan felt a surge of emotion and thought to herself, why didn't I meet such a good man, but instead married that bastard Ma Kui.
After giving the money to Liu Lan, Nan Yi went straight back to the kitchen to continue working. Liu Lan put the money away, pretended to be nonchalant, and walked into the kitchen to chat with the others.
Soon it was time to leave work. Liu Lan clutched the money and hurried home. Seeing her mother-in-law lying in bed, she happily said, "Mom, I borrowed money. I can get you medical treatment now."
Seeing Liu Lan's happy expression, her mother-in-law sighed and said, "Liu Lan, it's my fault for being such a burden to you. It's really unfair of you to have married into our family. You should return the money you borrowed, and we won't treat this illness anymore."
Liu Lan looked at her mother-in-law and said, "Mom, everyone has lent me the money. We should go see a doctor if we need to. I'll pay it back slowly." But just as she took out the money, she heard a noise at the door. When she tried to put the money back, her sharp-eyed husband, Ma Kui, snatched it away. Ma Kui cursed, "You little bitch, you took the money and didn't even give it to me, yet you dared to give it to this old hag? Do you think I don't exist?"
Liu Lan glared at Ma Kui, her anger flaring: "Ma Kui, do you have any conscience? This is money meant for Mom's medical treatment!"
Ma Kui glanced at his elderly mother lying on the bed, then at Liu Lan, and slapped her across the face: "What business is it of yours to me?"
When Liu Lan's mother-in-law saw Liu Lan being beaten, she angrily cursed, "You wretched child! How could I have given birth to such a worthless thing! Do you only feel at ease when I'm dead?"
Hearing his mother's angry scolding, Ma Kui counted the money without looking up: "If you want to die, then die. You'd better die quickly."
Hearing Ma Kui's words, Liu Lan's mother-in-law became so angry that she gasped for breath on the bed. Liu Lan was terrified and quickly went to help her mother-in-law up, saying, "Mom, don't scare me." Hearing the commotion, the other people in the surrounding courtyard all gathered around.
The old man in charge of the courtyard was furious when he saw this: "Ma Kui, do you have any conscience? Your mother raised you from a young age with great difficulty, and you, you bastard, even stole her money for medical treatment. Do you even have a human being?" The other people in the courtyard also joined in criticizing Ma Kui.
Seeing this, Ma Kui was furious: "Get out, get out! What business is it of yours, you old geezers? This is our family matter."
Seeing that Ma Kui was unyielding, the old man in charge said, "Ma Kui, hand over the money, or I'll report you to the neighborhood committee, and you'll be in big trouble."
Seeing the old man in charge's angry expression, Ma Kui felt a little intimidated. After all, the old man was assigned by the neighborhood committee, and although he was a scoundrel, he wouldn't dare to go against the government. He angrily pulled out 10 yuan from his wallet and threw it on the ground: "Here you go."
Seeing the 10 yuan on the ground, Liu Lan quickly picked it up. Ma Kui looked at the crowd and shouted, "Get out of the way! Make way for me!" Seeing his nonchalant attitude, the crowd quickly made way for him.
The old man in charge walked into the house, looked at Liu Lan and her mother-in-law, and sighed, "Oh, Liu Lan, you've had a hard time managing this family." Liu Lan looked at the old man in charge and said, "Uncle Zhang, our family really can't go on like this."
Grandpa Zhang looked at Liu Lan and her mother-in-law and said, "You're just too soft-hearted. If you had said so earlier, we would have forced that scoundrel Ma Kui to divorce you long ago. But you insisted on saying you couldn't bear to part with your mother-in-law." Then he said to Liu Lan's mother-in-law, "You've got such a good daughter-in-law, but such a scoundrel of a son. I don't know if you're lucky or unlucky."
Liu Lan's mother-in-law forced herself to sit up: "Oh, Uncle Zhang, I've dragged Liu Lan down. After I die, you should seek justice for her and help Liu Lan divorce my scoundrel son." Hearing her mother-in-law's words, Liu Lan quickly said, "Mom, don't talk nonsense. You'll definitely live to be a hundred. I'll borrow money again to help you with your medical treatment."
The mother-in-law shook her head: "Forget it, you've borrowed too much money over the years. When will we ever be able to pay it back? I can't keep holding you back any longer. Let me die."
Upon hearing her mother-in-law's words, Liu Lan burst into tears, saying, "Mom, please don't say that, please don't say it like that." Those outside the door, hearing Liu Lan's cries, couldn't help but feel sorry for her.