Chapter 37 - 037 two hundred yuan (revised)
Li Erfu was stunned on the spot; he hadn’t expected that his wife wanted the money for their two unmarried sons. While he hesitated, Li Jianqing, with tear-filled eyes, looked at Li Erfu and said, "Daddy, how could you not think of little sister? I can quit school, I can study on my own. Can you not give little sister away for adoption?"
Li Erfu gazed blankly at his teary-eyed little son, suddenly realizing that his son had grown up, but in such a harsh way—it was heartbreakingly uncontrollable, and he found himself speechless for a long while. Not proceed with adoption? How could he, when their home was in such chaos?
Li Erfu, unwilling to face his son, turned his face away without making a sound.
Seeing his father remain silent, Li Jianqing stubbornly stared back at him, unmoving.
Ge Sanmei stepped forward to pull her little son, lamenting how this wretched girl had somehow bewitched San’er to also worsen their relationship.
Li Jianqing dodged and ran outside the cave dwelling.
Ge Sanmei called out a few times then sat down somewhat irritably.
Third Uncle knocked on his smoking pipe and sighed, "It seems that Er Fu also shares this opinion, so let’s talk about how much money you want?"
Ge Sanmei’s eyes lit up and she moved her mouth, then started thinking again.
Jianwen said it had to be at least one thousand yuan, but that was too much; even though Li Huai Ren was a military man, his monthly salary was only a few tens of yuan. One thousand yuan would take years to save without eating or drinking.
After mentally calculating, Ge Sanmei spoke, "I’m not asking for much, just six hundred yuan. Xiang has grown to be fifteen years old, and I’ve raised her all this time; these six hundred yuan would be my compensation for the hardship." She pretended as if she hadn’t asked for too much.