C17 The Reason for His Visit

Tianjiao had no intention of letting this honor slip away to someone else. Pointing to her injured face, she said, "If I end up with a scar here, would any man still like me? And if someone does like me as I am now, wouldn't it just be because of our family's money?"

Sheng Guan was momentarily at a loss for words, silenced by his daughter's argument. After a brief pause, he finally said, "I'm telling you, marrying Yang Shuxian will bring you nothing but hardship. Don't come crying back home when things get tough."

How could things possibly go wrong? Yang Shuxian might be struggling a bit now, but in a couple of years, he's bound to make it big.

"Dad, that won't happen. I have a good eye for people. Look at me now; I'm already in a tough spot, so please don't make it worse for me."

Seeing his daughter's pitiful expression, Sheng Guan couldn't bring himself to scold her any further. "Do what you think is best. I can't handle this anymore," he said, storming out in frustration.

Tianjiao touched the side of her face. The wound had been stitched up and covered with a bandage, but it still hurt a lot. Her eyes turned cold for a moment. It was only now that she finally calmed down. At the time, she had been startled by the sudden appearance of Nanzhen, but now she was convinced that the stone hadn't just appeared by accident.

How could it be so sharp that it cut her skin?

Someone must have attacked her.

Who could it be? Was it Nanzhen?

---

Nanzhen rested at home for half a day and drank a bowl of medicine. Then she heard someone outside calling for her mom.

"Hey, Mrs. Sheng, your third son is in town. He asked me to pass a message: you need to bring some money for medical expenses."

Money?

Miao Xiu frowned but raised her voice to ask, "Uncle Liu, did he say how much he needs?"

"He mentioned needing a few dozen dollars for medical bills."

Miao Xiu's frown deepened.

A doctor's visit costs that much?

Seeing her mom's worried expression, Nanzhen said, "Mom, I'll take the money to my brother."

"No, no, you can't. Not in your condition."

"It's fine. I also want to go to town."

"Let your dad go," Miao Xiu suggested.

"Dad's busy, and who knows when he'll be back? My brother might not be able to wait; otherwise, he wouldn't have sent a message."

"During the holidays, their family doesn't seem to celebrate much, but that doesn't mean others aren't. If the money's not enough and the doctor leaves for the holidays, what then?"

These words struck Miao Xiu.

"But it's such a long walk from here to town," she worried about her daughter's health.

"Don't worry, I can handle it," said Nanzhen confidently.

Miao Xiu frowned deeply. But, at this moment, there really was no one else at home. The second and fifth siblings were out in the fields, and the fields were quite far away.

"Mom, don't worry. I have fifty dollars here; it should be enough," Nanzhen reassured her.

"That money was for you to buy clothes," Miao Xiu replied.

"I still have a little bit left," she said, pulling out the last twenty dollars from their savings.

"No need, Mom. Fifty dollars should be enough."

The outer wall of their house was adorned with red paper, but it was blank.

Nanzhen wanted to buy some ink!

It would be best to put up a couplet at the door. After all, some traditions exist for a reason.