Rebirth: My Dear Little Wife Is So Scheming

Chapter 257 - 257 257 Saving Lives

?Chapter 257: Chapter 257 Saving Lives Chapter 257: Chapter 257 Saving Lives “Sally, have you taken a fancy to that young man? Look at how flashy he is, but he’s got no prospects; don’t be a fool! We’re in this business for the money. Don’t fall for some poor devil, and don’t forget how Xiaolu was swindled out of everything she had.” The older colleague sitting beside her offered her earnest advice, her manner worldly as she held a cigarette between her fingers.

Sally nodded. “How could I fall for such a poor guy? I just thought he looked like my brother, that’s why I lent him a hand. Don’t get the wrong idea. I really don’t have that kind of interest. Don’t you know my mom is bedridden, waiting for me to earn money for her treatment? I don’t have the luxury to daydream.” She knew all too well that she didn’t have the capital to entertain such thoughts; aside from earning money, what other options did she have?

“Glad to hear you understand. As someone who’s been through it, I definitely don’t want to see you go astray. Since you’re already in this line of work, you should make the most of your youth and earn as much as you can. We don’t have a way out. Dreaming of going straight and marrying a decent man is impossible. That coal mine owner, he’s the type to throw money around. Charm him well, and it’s easy money. Then, your mother’s medical expenses will be taken care of in no time.”

The two exchanged their whispers and walked in. This two-story building belonged to the boss. They usually came here to serve him because he was busy at the mine—regarded as a den of vice, it offered everything from food and drink to prostitution and gambling.

Sally nodded and gestured towards the restroom. “I’m going to the loo, you go on up first, I’ll be right there.”

The others left.

Sally entered the restroom. There was only one small cubicle, and it reeked. It seemed rarely cleaned, but luckily it was winter and not as bad as it would have been in summer. Otherwise, the stench would have been unbearable.

She locked the door, looked at what she was holding, and was surprised to find a ten-dollar bill?

The lad who carried vegetables had actually given her a ten-dollar bill? Hah, did he think that a woman like her could be had for ten dollars?

With a sneer, Sally acknowledged that men were no good. She stuffed the money into her small purse; ten dollars was still money, and even though it wasn’t what she was after, it had been offered by the boy. There was no reason to refuse.

After fixing her makeup and applying a fresh layer of lipstick, she finally left for upstairs.

He Weng was busy in the kitchen, where Old Hu was frying peanuts. They needed three dishes of each type, as per the usual routine, since there were three tables of guests.

He Weng sliced braised beef and roasted chicken, ready to be plated. Their cooking skills were indeed not great, so when such guests arrived, aside from some side dishes they had to prepare, most of the food was bought ready-made—the boss wasn’t stingy with money.

Of course, when it came to them, money was scarce; everything else was trivial.

After slicing a large piece of beef, He Weng glanced around. The skinny supervisor tasked with watching over their work stood in the doorway, eyeing the small building across the street where laughter from girls and music could be heard. With his eyes riveted on the building and muttering curses, the lanky bastard paid little heed to them.

He Weng, knife in hand, quickly moved to Old Hu’s side and stuffed the beef into his mouth with lightning speed. They had done this before, so Old Hu’s first reaction was to bow his head and keep an eye on the oil pot, and only after He Weng stepped away did he slowly lift his head to look at the skinny man’s back and began chewing the beef in his mouth.

It had been some time since the boss had entertained guests, and they could hardly scrape up any extra benefits. Old Hu knew that their situation was not much better than that of the workers; they got by only on pilfering food when they could, otherwise they would be just as badly off.

Don’t think that cooking for seventy or eighty people is easy. Sure, it may just be pickles, cornbread, and cornmeal porridge, but they had to do it all themselves—pickling vegetables, steaming bread, making gruel, and even cooking for the henchmen. A single misstep in preparing their meals could result in a beating.

Life is hard for everyone.

Old Hu knew he couldn’t escape. The boss wouldn’t let him leave. Since He Weng had joined him, it seemed that many things had become more manageable, at least they could huddle together in the bitter cold.

That damned shack could nearly freeze you to death in winter and bake you alive in summer.

Glancing at He Weng, he recognized that the kid was decent and looked out for him, sharing whatever good food and drink he had. Most importantly, the kid was sharp-witted.

What a pity.

Once you’re in a place like this, chances are you’ll never leave for the rest of your life.

Such a waste for someone in his twenties.

All day, they bustled about, serving those upstairs in the little building till they were full and content. The sound of music from inside lasted a long time, as did the girls’ laughter.

He Weng was originally going to deliver food for them, but the skinny guy wouldn’t allow it, insisting on going himself, so He Weng had to abandon the idea.

Hope the girl is a kind person.

The next day, Brother Han drove the person away.

He Weng’s life began to desperately need this kind of torment day after day, constantly telling himself that he must hold on, to protect his own life, which wasn’t really his. Even if he were to die, he couldn’t die here unclearly, with so many things left undone. He had yet to repay his debts of gratitude, his life wasn’t his own. The kindness Brother and Sister-in-law showed him, he hadn’t been able to repay either.

That girl named Bai Xiao saved him, gave him another chance to stand up. It wasn’t so he could come here to work as laborer, and an unpaid laborer at that, with a supposed salary of one hundred yuan a month.

But those were just numbers in Brother Han’s ledger. He never saw anyone actually get their salary. Maybe those people never intended to pay them, since everyone ended up dying here anyway—why would they need a salary?

He had to leave.

He Weng told himself not to lose hope, or else he wouldn’t survive.

He didn’t know if the girl would notice, or if she was a kind-hearted person. Nothing had happened yesterday, so he understood that either the girl hadn’t noticed the thing with the money, or she had noticed but hadn’t snitched.

Whichever it was, aside from waiting, he seemed to have no other options.

By this time, Sally and the others had already returned to the convenience store in front of their rental apartment in the city. She took out a ten yuan note from her wallet, “Boss, a pack of Ashima, please.”

The boss bent down to search in the box, and Sally, impatient, waved the money in her hand as if there was some tiny print on the note under the sunlight.

Sally took a closer look.

“Call the police, save my life!”

Four big characters.

Sally’s heart skipped a beat. What was this?

Was it a joke? Or was it written by the boy who moved vegetables?

The boss handed over the cigarettes.

Sally, panicking, stuffed the money into her wallet, “Sorry boss, I just remembered something urgent, I’ll buy cigarettes from you next time.” She rushed back home in a flurry.

After closing the door, Sally looked over the ten yuan note several times, certain that that was the message. Save a life?

Whose life?

The boy’s?

Unsure of what had happened, and knowing that the coal boss was rumored to have a strong backing, she wouldn’t get herself involved in this. She slowly put the money away.

Besides, it might just be a prank.

That place was just a broken-down coal mine; what was there to save a life from?

Sally lay down on her bed and decided to ignore the matter.