"What nonsense are you talking? It only makes money if one person sells it. Besides, you're just an employee, as long as you get paid, why care about monopolies!"
The man said, rubbing his fingers together, implying there was money to be made.
Bai Suxiang lost interest in buying groceries and turned to go home.
They all said that supplies would be distributed for free to those in need, but the reality was...
A sense of annoyance accompanied Bai Suxiang all the way. As soon as she got home, she heard the shrill sound from the television:
"Today, the San-dong City Hospital saw 200 deaths."
Bai Suxiang hastily put down her grocery basket and ran to the television.
On the screen, hospital scenes were playing, with subtitles at the bottom: "Latest News: City Hospital Reports 200 Deaths."
"See! It's that serious, and they said no one was dying? What utter nonsense!"
Bai Fuchi shouted angrily.
"And look how much you spent on just a few vegetables!"
Guo Xiufang raised her voice and asked.
"Less than a hundred, probably!"
Bai Suxiang answered casually.
"What? Oh my god, what kind of evil is this! With such high vegetable prices, people will die!"
Guo Xiufang complained.
She had never bought such expensive vegetables before.
For most of her life, the family had been frugal. How could they spend so much money on just a few vegetables?
"Were you ripped off? This... it can't possibly be this expensive!"
Guo Xiufang tried to comfort herself, saying.
"It's true, Mom, it's true. You don't know, it's impossible to find places to buy vegetables outside. I bought these at that shop on Guaitou Road!"
Bai Suxiang recounted truthfully.
"Sigh, this world! What kind of world is this, this damned plague!"
Guo Xiufang grumbled, reluctantly picked up the grocery basket, and carried it into the kitchen.
As soon as she entered the kitchen, she heard:
"Why aren't you going to buy groceries yet? If you can't even get a single vegetable, how are we supposed to eat!"
"What do you mean, how are we supposed to eat? If there are no vegetables, we won't eat! Hmph!" Su Dan Novel Network
"It's fine if you don't eat, but what about the child!"
...
It was the couple upstairs arguing.
Because of the epidemic, everyone was staying at home, and tempers were frayed. On top of that, anything they wanted to buy was either expensive or simply unavailable.
The argument continued, with sounds of things crashing and clattering echoing endlessly.
Guo Xiufang didn't want to meddle, but the child upstairs had been sick these past few days. Without vegetables, and if they couldn't eat, the illness might worsen.
A few days ago, they had come down to borrow some vegetables. At the time, they didn't have much either, and had only given a little.
Thinking about it, and looking at the meager amount of vegetables in the basket, she felt a pang of compassion.
When it came to children, she always felt an indescribable emotion.
"Sigh～～"
She let out a long sigh, and still took a cabbage and two or three green vegetables out of the kitchen.
Just as Bai Suxiang turned back, she saw Guo Xiufang absentmindedly holding the vegetables and asked, "What's wrong, Mom?"
"Nothing, I'm taking these few vegetables upstairs. Otherwise, who knows when this fight will end!"
"Let them fight their fight, what's it to you! Stay here and don't invite trouble!"
"Knock, knock, knock! Woo woo woo!"
Just as Bai Fuchi finished speaking, they heard the sounds from upstairs again.
The couple upstairs had such terrible tempers, there was nothing that could be done. Ever since they moved in, Bai Suxiang had often stayed at school and rarely came home. Even so, she had encountered their arguments many times.
Whenever they argued, the sound of things crashing and breaking would erupt, which was truly unbearable.
She thought that with the plague, they might quiet down, but no, they were still arguing.
"Listen, just listen! Can this get any better!"
Guo Xiufang said.
"I'll go up with you!"
Bai Suxiang said, and Guo Xiufang nodded.
Carrying the vegetables, mother and daughter went upstairs.
They paused at the door, waiting until it was relatively quiet inside before Guo Xiufang bravely knocked.
"Ding, ding, ding!"
"Who is it!"
The man shouted angrily.
"Open the door! Someone's bringing vegetables!"
As soon as they heard "bringing vegetables," the door suddenly swung open.
"It's you?"
The man said, seeing Bai Suxiang and Guo Xiufang.
"Yes, it's us. We just bought these vegetables, so we thought we'd wash them and cook them for the child. The child is the priority, don't you think?"
Guo Xiufang said calmly.
"Oh, this... how can we accept this!"
"Take them."
"Hurry up and take them!"
The woman directly pulled the door open and said. She then turned and forced a smile, saying to Guo Xiufang, "Thank you, sister. Where did you buy these vegetables? We'll go buy some too and return them to you later!"
"At a small shop on Guaitou Road!"
Bai Suxiang quickly replied.
"Oh, still there? That's a bit far... but it's good that there's somewhere to buy them! See, I told him there were vegetables for sale, but he's just lazy and insisted he couldn't find any. The child is young and sick. Adults can go without vegetables, but how can a sick child get better without them? Right, sister!"
The woman seized the opportunity to pour out her frustrations.
"Yes, yes, yes. You're both married, so discuss things properly. Don't argue at the drop of a hat!"
"Yes, yes, yes. Who says otherwise."
The woman chimed in, while the man remained silent.
"Alright, we'll be going downstairs now. You both calm down and hurry up and make food for the child. Okay, goodbye!"
Guo Xiufang said, pulling Bai Suxiang towards the stairs.
As soon as they entered their own home, Bai Suxiang asked, "Mom, with no vegetables for so many days, how have people managed?"
"What else could they do? Endure it! If they really couldn't, they just wouldn't eat vegetables! What else could they do!"
"Is this how you've managed these past few days?"
"Of course. We had vegetables at home before, and your father and I ate sparingly, so we could make do for a few days. But later, a few familiar families in our building came and took some, and there wasn't much left."
"Did the authorities never deliver any vegetables to anyone?"
"You're too naive! Those so-called vegetable deliveries were just for show! They really delivered them? Have you become stupid from reading too much!"
Bai Fuchi, overhearing their conversation, interjected.
"Dad, how can you say that! We saw those supply trucks being loaded and driven away with our own eyes!"
"Hmph! Those were probably taken by someone to sell. At current prices, they must be making a fortune!"
Bai Fuchi's seemingly casual complaint suddenly diverted Bai Suxiang's thoughts to Hu Tianhan's business.
Taking vegetables for free from the train station and then selling them at exorbitant prices in his shop – that was a dishonest way to make money!
Bai Suxiang knew that the vegetables at the train station were donations from all over the country, not costing a single cent.
How could Hu Tianhan do such a thing?
The more Bai Suxiang thought about it, the angrier she became. She took out her phone, contacted a few classmates, found Hu Tianhan's phone number, and dialed it.