The call connected, and a stranger answered, "Who are you looking for?"
"I’m looking for Zhao Tianxiang..."
"I don’t know them..."
"I’m looking for Zhao Tianhai..."
"I know him, do you need him for something?"
"I’m his sister-in-law. He called me today, but I missed it. Could you please call him for me?"
"Sure, wait ten minutes."
Yun Xiaoxiao waited on the phone.
People from the Courtyard House gradually started coming home.
Seeing Yun Xiaoxiao by the phone, everyone was curious.
Yun Xiaoxiao looked at Zhao Tianlei and explained the phone call Grandma Fang had received, "My sister-in-law is ill, and she needs surgery, but they’re short on money. They called us, but I missed it."
Aunt Yun also overheard this.
"Sending money by post might be too slow."
"We could do a bank transfer."
Nowadays, we could arrange a transfer, but we need the recipient’s bank account details and name.
The moment their conversation ended, the phone rang urgently, and they quickly picked it up.
"Hello, is this Laosan’s wife?"
Mrs. Zhao’s voice came from the other end.
Mrs. Zhao hurriedly explained the situation with Laosan’s wife, "The doctor said if she doesn’t have the surgery, she has only this year. If she undergoes the surgery, she could live another ten to twenty years. But she will need care. I’ve asked the doctor too; it’s going to need over 1,000 yuan. It’s a large amount of money they can’t afford in your elder brother’s house right now, so we have to borrow temporarily from you. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure your elder brother pays this back."
Mrs. Zhao knew that Laosan’s family could easily afford this money, but borrowed money must be returned.
Laosan’s family isn’t lacking in money because Laosan and his wife earned it.
They haven’t even graduated from college, earning money while studying.
"Mom, we are willing to lend this money, but how shall we get it to you?"
Mrs. Zhao was taken aback; they were going to the city tomorrow. How would they get the cash?
"Laoer, you speak to Laosan’s wife."
"Sister-in-law, it’s me..."
Yun Xiaoxiao handed the phone to Zhao Tianlei to speak.
"Second brother, do you have a bank account for deposits?"
Zhao Tianhai glanced at his mother, "I do have an account, but there isn’t much money in it. I’ve been buying a house in the county town, my two children are in school, and I have rental leases. The money I earned in the past two years is all spent, even had to borrow some."
He really couldn’t spare that amount of money; if he hadn’t bought the house, he might have managed it.
Moreover, the eldest brother’s family, with several children in school and his wife unable to do heavy work post-discharge, it’s uncertain when they could repay this 1,000 yuan.
His business was small; not like Laosan’s, who didn’t blink at buying many things for their parents, clothes, and daily needs; it showed Laosan had more.
"Give me your account number and name, and I’ll transfer the money first thing tomorrow morning. It should arrive within a couple of days."
Zhao Tianlei didn’t even need to think with his toes to know what his second brother was thinking.
Now his family had also moved to live in the county town.
His second brother had always been clever, and now he could finally make money thanks to his smarts; he was reluctant to lend so much to his elder brother.
"I’ll transfer a bit extra, 1,500. Let mom and elder brother know."
Their mother was right there, and since the phone wasn’t very soundproof, she could hear everything.
Zhao Tianhai quickly gave Zhao Tianlei his account number and name, and also gave his address, asking for a telegram once the transfer was made.