648 The Money Is Lost
“Please save my child! As long as you can save her, I’m willing to do anything! My child really can’t wait another day!” Zhao Hong cried.
Li Gui’s heart softened. She put down the things in her hand and said, “Let’s go and see the child first.”
When Zhao Hong saw that Li Gui had relented, she hurriedly pulled Li Gui and secretly ran back into the room. The two children were still sleeping, Li Gui could smell something moldy as soon as she entered the room, mixed with a rotten stench.
It had been a long time since this room was tidied up and the two children also had not bathed for a long time. The smell in the room could not dissipate at all, not even if the windows were left opened to ventilate the entire room.
The smell was something that seemed to have seeped into everything.
“Please don’t mind it… I have no choice. This room has always been like this. I’m really not lying to you. Just look at my fourth child’s feet. If the child is not treated soon, there’ll be no hope!” Zhao Hong said helplessly.
The wounds were a shocking sight. There were only small and red swellings in the beginning, but most of them had already festered by now. No wonder the child was running a fever.
In such a dank environment, it was impossible to recuperate properly. Even if the wounds were disinfected, it would not make things better.
“Why is it so serious…” Li Gui covered her mouth and exclaimed.
Zhao Hong sat on the brick bed and said, “Ever since they came back that day, the child has been like this. I begged the clinic to take pity on me and they gave me a bottle of rubbing alcohol, but it’s useless to only disinfect the wounds. I have to get a doctor to treat her. Please! Save my child!”
“Then when mother goes to the clinic later, bring the child along too,” Li Gui said.
“No! We must not let mother see this!” Zhao Hong said as she grabbed Li Gui’s hand.
This time, Old Madam Li had tricked Li Gui into coming back to cheat her of her money. Old Madam Li still did not know how much money Li Gui had brought with her, so it was not a big deal for Zhao Hong to borrow some money from Li Gui. She could not let Old Madam Li find out that she and her daughters had spent Li Gui’s money.
Otherwise, she would get beaten up! No matter what, Old Madam Li must not know about this!
Li Gui also understood what Zhao Hong meant and was prepared to take out 10 dollars to save these two children. An amount of 10 dollars should be sufficient for their treatment at the clinic.
When she reached into her pocket, she realized that the money was gone. In the past, Zhang Qian used to snatch her money away all year round, and Old Madam Zhang would search around for all her savings.
From then on, she had a habit of sewing a pocket at the chest area in all her clothes so that no one could find out where she hid her money.
She had never lost anything during all these years. Why did the money disappear today?
Li Gui rummaged through all her pockets nervously and could not find even a single cent.
“Where’s my money! Where’s my money! My money is gone!” Li Gui said in a panic.
This also gave Zhao Hong a fright. Before they left, she had seen Li Gui holding the money. Why was it gone after she reached home?
“Look carefully again! Did you drop it!” Zhao Hong said.
“No, I put it in this pocket! How can it be gone!” Li Gui said anxiously.
“Then do you remember where you put it?” Zhao Hong asked.
Li Gui pointed at the small pocket on the inside of her coat and said, “It’s right here. I remember it clearly!”
At that time, she was in a hurry to head out, so she stuffed it into the small pocket of her coat. Given that the weather was cold, she did not have the chance to take off her coat at all. How could she lose the money!
Li Gui kept rummaging through her pockets. At this moment, Zhao Hong seemed to have thought of something and fell back dejectedly on the brick bed for a long time before laughing coldly.
“What’s wrong with you?” Li Gui looked at Zhao Hong in confusion.
Zhao Hong said mockingly, “You must have taken off your coat when you went to bed last night.”
“That’s right… How can I sleep with my coat on?” After saying that, Li Gui understood what Zhao Hong meant.
Only her immediate family members knew that she would sew a pocket in her clothes. The only other person who knew was Old Madam Li.
Back then, she always went to ask Li Gui for money and found out about Li Gui’s secret during a struggle. Therefore, it was not surprising that she knew where Li Gui kept her money.
After it all became clear to Li Gui, she ran back to the main room angrily to ask Old Madam Li for an explanation. At this moment, Old Madam Li was eating steamed buns and listening to the radio!
Li Gui took two steps back in shock. The person who was lying on the brick bed and unable to move yesterday was now eating steamed buns with a rosy face and listening to songs!
Could it be that this was all a lie!
