She won't clear her name; she'll throw away all the scum.

After bringing home a lot of things, Grandma Xia started instructing everyone to do a thorough cleaning. Although their house wasn't big, cleaning it was still tiring, so they needed to dust it off in advance.

Chen Xiangnan and Grandma Xia were in the kitchen preparing the fish and meat they had just bought, marinating them and then hanging them by the window to air dry.

Old Chen and Chen Xiangbei started cleaning the house from top to bottom. Old Chen used a broom to remove cobwebs from every nook and cranny, while Chen Xiangbei used a rag and some scrap paper to wipe the windows.

After Grandma Xia and the others finished their chores in the kitchen, the house was much cleaner and brighter. When the weather gets better, they'll take the bedding and clothes out to air them, and then mop the floor before New Year's Eve.

Grandma Xia recalled the past, when she would have to do these chores by herself for quite some time. Back then, Old Chen and his sons were not so obedient; they not only did not help but also hindered her.

Not only do they hold them back, but they also complain that Grandma Xia's work is disturbing them, and that she hasn't cleaned this side or that side properly. All they do is talk; getting them to do anything is harder than climbing to heaven.

But after only half a year, they became much more obedient, which pleased Grandma Xia. People are inherently perverse, especially men.

What to do when your spouse and children are disobedient? Just give them a beating.

Looking at his hands, which were red from the cold, Chen Xiangbei suddenly felt a little wronged. He had no feeling in his hands. "Mom, look at my hands, they're frozen like this. It's so cold, I'm going to freeze to death."

Grandma Xia's words were even colder than the weather: "You came over to help sweep the floor after you finished cleaning the windows. You're a grown man, and you're still acting like a spoiled brat. How disgusting!"

Chen Xiangbei wanted to scream. He felt that if it weren't for the housework he had been doing recently, he definitely wouldn't have been able to stand this exhaustion. But his mother didn't care about him at all and even said he was disgusting. He wanted to run away from home again.

Chen Xiangnan and Old Chen walked up to him at this moment and stretched out their hands together. They were both frozen red, like five carrots. Chen Xiangbei felt better.

Tang Jiao was on the day shift at the hospital today, so she was spared the housework. But even if she were at home, her mindset would probably be better than theirs. Although she was also a girl who was pampered by her family, she was very sincere to everyone in the family and was a truly innocent child.

Anyway, Grandma Xia liked her quite a bit.

"Second son, it will be completely dark when your wife gets off work. Go pick her up. During the Spring Festival, the educated youth who went to the countryside have returned home, and some people who work here also need to go home. It's all very chaotic, and it's quite dangerous for her, a girl all alone," Grandma Xia specifically instructed.

Chen Xiangbei looked at his second brother with envy. If... if he also had a wife, he could escape this maddening life.

When Chen Xiangnan went out, he brought Tang Jiao a roasted sweet potato that his family had prepared. It was hot, fragrant, and sweet, which could both warm her hands and fill her stomach. Most importantly, his mother didn't say anything when she saw it.

He rode his bicycle to the hospital. The hospital where Tang Jiao was was not the one closest to their home, but rather one near the Tang family's house. It was already getting dark when he arrived, so he found a quiet spot outside to wait.

But after waiting for a while, she still didn't come out. It was clearly past her closing time, so Chen Xiangnan was a little confused and went in to look for her.

After asking a few people, Chen Xiangnan learned that she had gone to Tang's father's place, so he headed straight there.

Mr. Tang was entangled with a grandfather and grandson. The old man and the child sat in his office, constantly complaining to him.

Mr. Tang said that his wife back home needed medicine for her leg, but the old man thought it was too expensive, accusing him of ripping off poor people like them. Mr. Tang explained many times, even saying that these medicines were the cheapest available, but the old man still refused. Finally, Mr. Tang said that if they didn't use the medicine, the old man would have to go home and rest. He then pointed at Mr. Tang's head and said that he wanted his wife to go home and wait to die, and then he started crying.

Tang's father had been bothered by him all afternoon; he couldn't reason with him or get rid of him.

"Dr. Tang, you are a kind doctor who saves people from suffering. Please help us. We really have no other choice."

Tang's father forced a smile and said, "Uncle, I've already explained the plan. That medicine really isn't expensive."

"We have no money, we have no money!"

Tang's father patiently said, "Then you should go home. It's quite cold here. Take your time to recover. You just won't be able to work for a while."

“No, if he can’t work, what will our whole family eat? Dr. Tang, look at my grandson, he’s so big and so thin. Don’t you have any nutritious food here? Please have some and give him some.”

Tang's father: "This is not in accordance with the regulations."

"Dr. Tang, we're all so pitiful, why can't you be kind and help us? We've been sitting here all day."

Tang Jiao was starving, and many doctors and nurses tried to persuade the old man, but he seemed to have his eye on her father and refused to leave, wanting him to help them.

Tang Jiao didn't realize it at first, but she felt that the old man seemed difficult to communicate with, and no matter what her father said, the old man would object.

Later, she realized the underlying meaning: the old man wanted her father to pay for their medicine, not just once, but continuously until his wife recovered. Moreover, Tang Jiao thought more deeply about it and realized that if her father helped this time, they would all rely on him whenever anyone in their family got sick in the future.

The grandfather and grandson were in her father's office. The old woman sat at the door, not saying a word all afternoon, seemingly lost in thought.

When Chen Xiangnan arrived, the old man suddenly became agitated for some reason and tried to kneel down to Tang's father, which startled Tang's father, who jumped up and said, "Uncle, this is unacceptable. I... I really can't help you."

The old man pleaded pitifully, "Dr. Tang, didn't you say the medicine wasn't expensive? We country folk don't earn much money all year round. Please, just this once, help us. You're a doctor, can you just watch my wife die like this?"

While helping the old man up, Tang's father said awkwardly, "Uncle, please get up first, or else I... I'll..."

"dad!"

Just as Tang's father was about to agree, a glint of light flashed in the old man's eyes, but he was interrupted by this "Dad" for the rest of his sentence.

"Doctor Tang?"

"Dad!" Chen Xiangnan walked to Tang's father and helped the old man into a chair. "Why are you still seeing patients so late? Mom must be getting worried at home, right? Does this old man have some kind of difficult illness? Why is he crying like this?"

Tang's father felt a little embarrassed when his son-in-law saw this. This kind of thing often happened to him. Sometimes, when he was pestered so much that he couldn't do anything about it, he would agree to lend them money. Although in the end, none of them paid it back, at least he could have some peace and quiet.

As a result, he didn't have much money left after bringing home at the end of the year, and his wife complained about it countless times.