How can someone travel through time and space and become a beggar?

"Miss, you gave her so much money, what if she is a liar?" Cuihua didn't understand. The story was indeed very tragic, but who knew whether it was true or not? It sounded like a jinx, like it was made up.

"What if it's not?" Xia Chu asked. She'd given so much money because Li Tao's eyes held despair. Her mother-in-law was mad and ready to commit suicide. Her husband was disabled, and it was unclear whether his temperament would change.

"What happened?" Seeing that Xia Chu looked unhappy, Zhao Huazhang asked softly.

Xia Chu shook her head, then thought about the fact that they were now in a relationship. This seemed a bit cold, so she looked up at Zhao Huazhang and smiled, adding, "After hearing a story, I felt a little emotional."

Zhao Huazhang saw that she was not interested and clearly didn't want to talk any more, so he didn't ask any more questions. He took out the paper bag he was holding and said, "I bought some snacks. Do you like them?"

"What's this?" Xia Chu opened it and saw a few irregularly shaped, light yellow lumps that smelled of milk. "Is this milk pimple?" He put a piece in his mouth and it was indeed, with a very strong milky flavor.

"That's what it's called, and only the Hu people know how to make it. There's also another kind that smells sour and stinky, and many people can't get used to it, so I didn't buy it." Seeing that her eyes were squinting while eating, Zhao Huazhang felt relieved.

Qingsong thought happily, it seems there will be a reward when he returns.

"Cuihua, try it." Xia Chu gave a piece to Cuihua, Zhao Huazhang, and Qingsong. After the milk lumps in the mouth were chewed and softened, the mouth was full of milky fragrance. Food can comfort the heart the most. As the first bite of the milk lumps was eaten, Xia Chu's mood also calmed down. He had time to care about Zhao Huazhang, "Don't you have to go to the military camp?"

Zhao Huazhang was hesitating whether to put the thing in his mouth. After all, eating while walking was a bit indecent. Hearing this, he tilted his head and said, "Let's rest for two days before going. It's not a big deal."

After saying that, he put the milk curd into his mouth. He had eaten it as a child, but didn't like it much. It was Qingsong's idea to buy it this time, saying that few people with a sweet tooth would dislike it. Xia Chu had loved sweets since childhood, so Zhao Huazhang asked Qingsong to buy it. Now it seems that he was right. Xia Chu had already put a second piece into his mouth, and his eyes lit up again.

How could there be such a person who would be moved by her just by looking at her?

After eating two pieces of milk lumps, Xia Chu counted them and found that there was just enough for one each to take home, so she stopped eating. The group had already walked onto the street, the air filled with the aroma of food. Having been delayed for a while by Li Tao, every household had already started eating. She turned her head to look at Zhao Huazhang, who was half a step behind her. He was still waiting at the door at this time, and she thought he wanted to eat with her. But she hadn't told her family in advance that she wouldn't be going back, so Dong Xiaohuan must have already prepared the meal.

Then he invited her, "Would you like to have dinner at my house?"

Zhao Huazhang paused. He had already reserved a table. Besides, the Wang family wouldn't be arriving until dinner time. If they hadn't prepared extra food, they'd be in trouble. "I'm afraid it's not appropriate to come here rashly. I'll take you home and then leave."

"It's okay, we can buy two cooked dishes on the way back." Xia Chu said indifferently.

But Zhao Huazhang's mentality has changed now, and he is not as casual as before. He declined politely, "I have food prepared at home. I will take you back and eat at home."

Qingsong glanced at his young master and sighed silently.

Seeing that Zhao Huazhang had made up his mind, Xia Chu stopped talking. When they reached the door, Zhao Huazhang nodded at her and left before she could say anything.

Forget it, if she doesn't want to eat, then she doesn't want to eat. Maybe there's something wrong. Xia Chu didn't hesitate and was about to knock on the door when Da'an opened it, wagging his tail. Dong Xiaohuan also came out and asked her why she was so late today and whether she had encountered any difficulties.

The family chatted affectionately. The next day, Xia Chu woke up and moved her arm. It didn't hurt at all. The ointment Zhao Huazhang had given her was indeed quite effective.

After breakfast, Xia Chu took Cuihua to work.

"Miss, I've been thinking about it all night, and I still feel that Li Tao's story is false." Cuihua hesitated.

"Whether it's true or not, you can ask Shiwu later." Xia Chu said indifferently. After all, that amount of money was not much for her. She had doubted it before, but she had already given it, so she couldn't ask for it back.

Fifteen, on the other hand, had simply followed instructions and gone to see someone off yesterday. Curious, however, she didn't know who the person was, so she told the story and asked the young lady to send someone to take her back. When she arrived at Li Tao's house, she took the opportunity to take a look while the young lady offered her a drink of water.

It was a thatched hut made of yellow mud, and it was clean. But the woman's crying made her scalp tingle, but the woman she sent back seemed to be used to it. She sighed and explained, "My mother-in-law is sick and always tries to find ways to commit suicide, so I tied her to the bed. Don't be afraid, girl, she won't hurt anyone."

"What kind of disease makes people want to commit suicide?" Fifteen had never heard of such a strange disease. He had heard of insanity where people would not recognize their relatives when it attacked, but he had never heard of anyone who was determined to commit suicide.

Li Tao thought about the money she had earned today and was afraid the other party would think she was cheating and ask for it back. So she brought Shiwu into the house. On the bed was an old woman. Her hands were tied to the bedposts with cloth strips. For some reason, straw was tied to the bedposts.

The old lady's forehead was swollen with a large purple lump, and she looked frantic. She stopped crying when she saw Li Tao and shouted, "Let me die! Let me die! Let me die! I'm the unlucky one! I'm the unlucky one! Let me die!" She repeated this sentence over and over again, crying and shouting, her arms struggling desperately.

Fifteen believed it immediately. The old woman was skinny, but she looked quite strong. She shook the bedpost loose, making a creaking sound. Even the dirt floor had a small dent.

Li Tao, with tears in her eyes, stepped forward and coaxed softly, "Mom, don't be like this. Brother Lang and I both need you."

"Xiaotao? Are you back?" A male voice came from the other room.

Li Tao responded, wiped away her tears, and forced a smile at Shiwu. "Excuse me." She smoothed the old woman's hair and said, "I'll go see Brother Lang. Mom, do you want some water?"

The old woman turned a deaf ear and continued to shout that she was doomed to die.

Li Tao closed her eyes and walked to the other room. Sitting on the bed was a man, also very thin, with a tired face, but he tried to smile at his wife. "Xiao Tao, where have you been? What's going on? Are there guests?"

When Cuihua asked about it, Shiwu told the truth. "That old woman won't talk to anyone. If you talk to her, she'll kill you. The man in that house can't get out of bed, but the house is pretty clean." She sighed. "It's so pitiful. I don't know how Sister Li Tao gets by on a daily basis."