Chapter 252: 252 Want to buy you a wheelchair
“No.” She answered directly.
He looked into her clear and bright eyes, which were sincere, pure, and innocent. It was evident that she genuinely didn’t mind his condition, and his eyes couldn’t help but well up with moisture.
She also noticed his appreciation, but didn’t bring it up. “When I have money, I’ll buy you a wheelchair. Then you can move freely at home, or on flat grounds.”
He fell silent.
She asked, “You know what a wheelchair is, right?” Wooden wheelchairs must exist in this era, because she saw carriages last time she went to town. Carriage wheels were made of wood. Surely wooden wheels could be used on chairs too, as creating a wheelchair must be a simpler job than making a carriage.
He nodded slightly. “Second brother and third brother once said they would save money to help me buy one. But there are no craftsmen skilled in making wheelchairs nearby, and we would have to go to Liu’an Town 300 miles away. Additionally, they cost three taels of silver, which is too expensive. Third brother is not well enough to travel that far, and second brother doesn’t dare to go so far, in case something happens to me and third brother.” It was he who burdened his second and third brothers.
She understood. The Xiao family had always been barely able to make ends meet, only by penny-pinching. Even if they managed to save some money, it would be better spent on finding a wife. On top of that, just a few days ago, second brother had earned eight taels from hunting, but she had stolen it before she lost her original body. With bad luck, second brother could come back from hunting empty-handed.
Money was tight, and they’d have to go 300 miles away to buy the wheelchair.
It’s no wonder they hadn’t bought it before.
“Qingyue, even if you had the money, don’t waste it on that,” he said with a faint smile. “I’m used to sitting or lying on the bed, and sometimes third brother can even carry me out to get some sunshine. There’s no need to buy a wheelchair. Nobody in the village or nearby has ever bought one, so it might not even be of much use.”
Seeing his smile, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness. She heard from villagers and third brother that fourth brother had been unable to move his legs for four years now.
If it were her, even if she were very poor, she would go mad from having to stay in one place and being unable to move.
Even a killer couldn’t stand it, but he had no complaints.
What a considerate and elegant young man he was.
Her heart ached, and she said nothing more. For now, she had no money. But she decided in her heart that once she could earn money, she would not save on the cost of a wheelchair.
The porridge on the pot was boiling hot.
She ladled the porridge into four bowls and placed them on the stove, then filled the pot halfway with cold water, preparing to boil it for washing dishes.
She put three bowls of porridge into Wang Cuihua’s bamboo basket from last night, thinking she’d return it when she had the time.
She laid a pair of chopsticks on the porridge bowl beside the stove. “Yuchuan, this bowl is yours. Let it cool down a bit before you drink it, so you don’t burn yourself.”
He was sitting right beside the stove and could easily reach the bowl of porridge. “Okay.”
She carried the basket into the master bedroom.
Xiao Yuchuan, sitting on the bed leaning against the wall, immediately felt his stomach rumble as soon as he smelled the food. “Wife, I’m so hungry that my stomach is about to break…”
“As long as you’re not dead from hunger,” she said, handing the bamboo basket to Xiao Yuchuan. “Take a bowl of porridge out.”
“Wife, I can endure hunger by drinking more water. Even if I keep starving for another ten days or so and become skin and bones, I won’t die.” He complained, but his eyes were full of concern for her. “You eat first. If there are any leftovers, just leave a little for me.”
“At least you have a conscience.” He knew how to take care of her. She urged him, “Hurry up and take the bowl, there are four, one for each person. You and second brother better not try to let me have more..”