Chapter 5: Going to Grandma House 'Cause There's No Way Out Part 1
In the evening, the atmosphere in the family was very tense. Sun Qiufang cooked a pot of noodles and took it to the room to eat. Su Min also didn't want to be around the rest of the Su family, so she took her bowl and went into her room. Only Su Changrong didn't want to make things too awkward and ate dinner with everyone in the living room.
Inside her room, Su Min quickly finished her noodles. Seeing that Sun Qiufang had lost her appetite, she knew her mother was worried about their future.
They were going to move out tomorrow, and with limited money, they would have to be very frugal. The crops from their field for the next year would provide just enough food, and they would need to save every penny.
Su Min placed her empty bowl on the rickety table and asked, "Mom, have you and Dad figured out what we're going to do?"
Sun Qiufang was indeed worried about this and replied with a smile, "Don't worry, we have a plan."
Su Min knew that this was just to reassure her. Her parents didn't have any money, and there wasn't much they could plan. She said, "Mom, let's go to the city. When I was studying in town, I heard people say that city folks are always rich. There's money everywhere, and as long as we work hard, life won't be too difficult."
Hearing her daughter's words, Sun Qiufang chuckled, "You're talking nonsense, dear. The city is not a place for people like us from the countryside. I've heard that even drinking water costs money there. If we go, we'll be broke. Your dad and I don't have any skills, and no one will hire us. We'll starve. Don't worry; your dad and I have already thought about it. First, we'll look for a house in the village. If we can't find one, we'll stay with your grandma (maternal grandma) for a few days. We'll get through this."
"Mom, why don't you believe me?" Su Min felt helpless. She knew the situation in the city, but her parents didn't, so they wouldn't believe her no matter how much she said.
After dinner, Su Changrong and Sun Qiufang went out to look for a house.
Su Min knew that finding a house wouldn't be easy. Despite the improved living standards, houses were still scarce in the village, and no one had extra houses to offer. Even if there were available houses, they wouldn't come without a cost. That's why their family had lived together in the same earthen house for so many years.
As expected, Su Changrong and Sun Qiufang returned home dejectedly in the evening.
Upon entering the house, they both sat on the bed.
Sun Qiufang said, "I think we should send Min to stay with my parents tomorrow, and then we'll build a temporary shelter for ourselves. If we can't find a house, we'll stay at mother's place for a while. We'll get through this."
Su Changrong sighed, "Ah, Qiufang, I feel guilty for letting you and Min endure this."
Sun Qiufang didn't say anything, but she also blamed her husband for the current situation. However, they were a married couple, and no matter how much they blamed each other, they had to endure this together.
Su Min crawled out of her blanket and said, "Dad, why don't we try going to the city? I've heard that city life is tough, but there are opportunities. We might struggle a bit, but at least there's hope for the future."
Su Changrong, not taking her suggestion seriously, smiled and said, "City life is not easy. We have land here, and as long as we endure this period, we can have a better life in the future. Don't worry; your mom and I will work hard, and you won't suffer."
Su Min was getting frustrated, "Mom, Dad, why won't you believe me? Just give it a try. If it doesn't work out, we can always come back."
"Alright, let's sleep now. Tomorrow, I'll take you to your grandma's house, and when we find a house for ourselves, we'll bring you back," Su Changrong said, and he turned off the light before lying down to sleep.
In the darkness, Su Min clenched her fists.
Although she had never experienced it, she knew that the only way out at this moment was to go to the city. Otherwise, given their current life, if her father fell ill again, they wouldn't have the money for medical treatment. Only by going to the city could they earn money, and if someone got sick a year from now, the city had better medical facilities, and they wouldn't risk losing a family member to a minor illness.
Tomorrow, they must find a way to go to the city.
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