Zhao Lan who woke up early, but seeing Bai Zhi was still asleep. She decided to go out the bed quietly and prepare a water to wash her face. However, when she just stood on the ground, Bai Zhi climbed up and rubbed her eyes: “Niang, you just rest, I’ll go get the water.”
“No need, go back to sleep. I can still use my left hand, and I have the strength to fetch a water. You don’t need to bother.”
“Oh, niang ah— just listen to me. This tub is thrice heavier than you think, so how will you carry it with one hand? Just sit down, I’ll go get the water.” Bai Zhi was about to go out with the wooden tub, but somebody knocked on the door outside.
After opening the door, she saw Yingzi and her mother came.
“Aunt, are you looking for me?” Bai Zhi swept her eyes towards Yingzi. Yingzi was holding a bamboo basket. The basket was covered with a piece of cloth. The things inside were hidden.
Yingzi’s mother squeezed herself inside the cabin and smiled, then said: “Zhi’er, yesterday, you saved my daughter’s life. We haven’t had a chance to thank you. I just went to the Bai Family’s house, but your grandmother said that you two stayed in here. So, I came looking for you.”
Bai Zhi smiled and waved her hand: “It’s not a big deal. We are village folks. Helping one another is normal.”
Yingzi’s mother smiled and said: “It may not be a big deal to you, but for us, you are the savior of Yingzi. I will not say any beautiful words. I just want to tell you that, if you need any help, as long as I can do it, don’t hesitate to come and ask me. I will find a way to help you.”
Bai Zhi also smiled and said: “Okay, I’ll trouble Aunt in the future.”
Yingzi’s mother saw Bai Zhi was kind and pleasing, so her heart was full of joy. Why didn’t she find this girl charming before?
Yingzi’s mother then took the bamboo basket in Yingzi’s hands and put it on the board, where Zhao Lan was sitting: “There are no many good things in the mountains. You both suffered from injuries. The Bai Family don’t give you many foods. I have a few hens in my house, so I picked up some eggs and decided to give it to you two. You should eat these eggs to nourish your health.”
The mountain people were poor. Only when it’s annual festival, they eat special food like meat. So, the villagers who don’t treasure much the eggs only depends on eating it every day to nourish their body.
Zhao Lan hurriedly said: “Yingzi’s niang, you take these eggs back. How can we take these eggs? We understand your intention.”
Yingzi’s mother said: “These are nothing but only a few pieces of eggs. These eggs came from our own hens. We still have some at home. You don’t need to worry.”
Bai Zhi smiled, then said: “If that is the case, then we won’t be polite. But, we will only borrow it today, in the future, when we get rich, we will return them all to you.”
Yingzi’s mother happily nodded her head: “Okay, it’s a deal.”
After exchanging a one or two more sentences, the mother and daughter left.
When Zhao Lan and Bai Zhi were the only people left inside. They immediately uncover the cloth on the bamboo basket. They saw at least a dozen eggs. The picture of a poached egg immediately appeared in their mind. Bai Zhi greedily swallowed her saliva. And she couldn’t help but sigh in this.
She was very ashamed of herself. She was a famous doctor in the 23rd century. Her annual salary was over a million yuan. So, what delicious food she hasn’t eaten in her life? But now, just because of a few raw eggs, she swallowed her saliva?
“Niang, we need to hide these eggs. Yingzi’s niang just said she went to the Bai Family. The Bai Family knew she will bring us something. With their character, they will surely chase after these eggs. We shouldn’t give them any.”
Zhao Lan looked at the empty small cabin with four walls, then she worriedly asked: “Where can we hide these eggs in such a small place?”