The atmosphere in the living room is a bit depressing.
Wang Xiaojuan was lying on the sofa, her face pale and haggard, with hidden tears.
Shen Liang sat in front of the window away from the living room. A half-cut plastic bottle filled with water served as a temporary ashtray, with several cigarette butts already stuffed in it.
"You want to say something, how will you live in the future?" Wang Xiaojuan saw that Shen Liang had not moved for a long time, so she grabbed the cushion on the sofa and threw it over.
...This cigarette seems to be a bit moldy, it’s really hard to smoke!
Shen Liang came to his senses and put out half of the cigarette on his hand with a heavy expression. Instead of throwing it into a plastic bottle, he wrapped it with paper and stuffed it back into the crumpled cigarette shell.
"How can we live...haven't we been here like this for so many years?" Shen Liang comforted.
"The medical expenses alone are close to 8,000 yuan a month. Don't we have to eat, don't we have to pay water and electricity bills, don't we have to give my son pocket money, and he is growing up. We can save whatever we can. But his food cannot be bad..."
Wang Xiaojuan choked up again as she spoke.
Shen Liang also fell silent for a moment.
His monthly salary is less than 6,000 yuan, which is the result of frequent overtime work. Due to physical reasons, Wang Xiaojuan can only do some light part-time work, which brings about an unstable income of one to two thousand yuan a month.
In the past, Wang Xiaojuan's monthly medical expenses could be offset by Shen Liang's salary. Fortunately, meat is cheap these days, and public school tuition and miscellaneous fees are very cheap, so the family can barely survive, and even saved a little money for Shen Qian to go to college. .
But now after an accident, Wang Xiaojuan's monthly medical expenses have soared. One can foresee how difficult the days ahead will be.
"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have believed the advertisements on the street and taken medicine randomly. Otherwise...or I won't treat you. From now on, you can live a good life with your son..."
Wang Xiaojuan burst into tears as she spoke.
"What nonsense are you talking about again?" Shen Liang scolded, walked to the sofa and gently hugged Wang Xiaojuan, "There is no end to the road, and problems that can be solved with money are not problems. The most important thing is to live well. ."
"At worst, we sell the house and rent one in the street next to it. I saw it the other day. It only costs more than a thousand yuan a month. A big three-bedroom house is more spacious than the house we live in now!"
Seeing that Wang Xiaojuan was still complaining about herself, Shen Liang struggled for a while, and finally gritted his teeth, took out an envelope from his inner pocket and stuffed it into Wang Xiaojuan's hand.
"Take it, I'll think of a solution after these two months."
"This is..."
Wang Xiaojuan was startled, opened the envelope and took a look, and then asked in surprise: "Where did you get 10,000 yuan?"
"The half-year bonus in our factory was just handed out yesterday. I was thinking of giving you a little surprise, but I just forgot."
Shen Liang said lightly, feeling very ashamed.
I actually withheld 10,000 yuan of money that my son had finally borrowed... I am really ashamed to be a father and a husband!
The "windfall" diluted Wang Xiaojuan's sadness, and with Shen Liang's comfort, Wang Xiaojuan's mood finally stabilized.
She raised her head and glanced at the clock hanging in the living room, and stood up in a panic, "Ah, my son should be back soon, I have to cook quickly."
At this time, the sound of a key turning came from the door. As the door was pushed open, Shen Qian walked in carrying two bags of fruit.
"Dad, Mom, I'm back... Mom, are you okay?"
Shen Qian said as he walked into the living room and put the fruit on the table.
Wang Xiaojuan was about to speak, but then her eyes paused and she said in surprise, "You bought durian? This... what kind of grape is this? Why haven't I seen it before?"
In the open food bag, the sky-green grapes are not only round and plump, but each one is as big as an ordinary lychee. There are still water drops on them, which are crystal clear and look very attractive.
"Oh, this is called 'Desert Rose'. The sister in the fruit shop said it is an overseas variety. Her store's treasure is limited edition." Shen Qian explained.
"Durian costs more than 200 pounds per pound. Where did you get the money?" Wang Xiaojuan's face changed when she heard the unusual thing, and she asked, "How much does this rose cost?"
"Durian is okay, there is a discount, one hundred and ninety-eight pounds. This 'Desert Rose' is quite expensive, just one bag costs less than a thousand." Shen Qian told the truth.
Wang Xiaojuan was speechless for a long time.
Shen Liang was also surprised. As the king of daily fruits, durian is expensive in this era when fruits and vegetables are considered luxuries. But this "Desert Rose" is too exaggerated. There are only two bunches in this bag. Each bunch only contains thirty or forty grapes, but it costs a thousand yuan?
Looking at his shocked parents, Shen Qian couldn't help but secretly complain, "It's a good thing I didn't tell the truth, otherwise wouldn't you have been stunned directly?
The real price of desert rose is not just one thousand, but close to three thousand...
Shen Qian originally didn't want to be so extravagant, but when he heard that the desert rose could beautify the skin, refresh the mind, and clear the blood, he immediately bought it.
Wang Xiaojuan has just been discharged from the hospital. She is weak and needs tonic.
"Xiaoqian..."
It was Shen Liang who came to his senses first. Looking at Wang Xiaojuan, whose brows were also rising, Shen Qian quickly spoke first.
"Dad, Mom, I have something to tell you."
Wang Xiaojuan wanted to say something else, but was held down by Shen Liang. He knew Shen Qian's character, so what he wanted to say next was inseparable from these fruits.
Shen Qian first took out a badge from his pocket and then pushed it in front of his parents.
Shen Liang picked up the badge and his pupils shrank when he saw the word "武".
Although he himself is not a warrior, everyone in this society is pursuing martial arts, and there are also social warriors in their factory. He is no stranger to such badges.
"I am already a beginner warrior."
Shen Qian's voice was not loud, but it shocked Shen Liang and Wang Xiaojuan's minds, and they couldn't recover for a long time.
"I don't know if you know it clearly, but the Martial Arts Department has strict welfare indicators for young warriors. Beginner warriors under the age of 18 can receive a monthly cash subsidy of 10,000 yuan. Oh, I heard about the work of the Martial Arts Bureau today. The staff said that there are actually some benefits."
"For example, it will be free for me to take buses and trams in the future, use public toilets for free, and most park attractions will be free. Also, if I buy a designated brand of car, I will get a discount, and I will also get a discount when I buy a house..."
Shen Qian told everything he learned today.
During this process, Shen Liang and Wang Xiaojuan kept staring at him blankly, neither speaking nor making any movement.
Shen Qian's voice gradually became softer, and he looked at his parents with some worry... He couldn't be really scared, right?
"Mom?" Shen Qian said tentatively.
Shen Liang and Wang Xiaojuan's consciousness seemed to have finally returned to reality. They looked at each other and stood up at the same time.
"I'm going to get the thermometer..."
"Well, there should be some fever medicine at home, I'll go look for it."