Chapter 9: The Photo

Ling Yao reached into the thief’s pocket and took out the things, “Your things are here, everyone come and claim them.”

Everyone’s eyes lit up when they saw their things. They all stood up and walked towards her.

“This is my wallet, there’s twenty yuan and thirty-six cents in it.”

“The handkerchief is mine, my money was wrapped in it. Thank you so much, girl. If it weren’t for you, my money would be gone.”

“That despicable thief, we must bring him to justice.”

“Driver, please drive to the police station. We’re going to take this thief to the police station.”

Everyone was disgusted by the thief. Some even started to hit him.

The thief was unable to move and could only let everyone hit him. He glared angrily at Ling Yao,

 “Ugly monster, I won’t let you off.” He wasn’t afraid of going to the police station. He would only be locked up for a few days at most. It was just a routine for him.

The driver hesitated for a moment, turned the steering wheel to the right, and drove the bus to the nearby police station.

 He hated thieves too. They did whatever they wanted on his bus, but he couldn’t do anything. If he told the passengers that there were thieves on his bus, those thieves would definitely retaliate against him.

One of his colleagues had previously reminded the passengers, and the next day, he was stabbed by the thieves. He was still in the hospital.

The bus soon arrived at the police station. The police, after understanding the situation, took the thief away and also praised Ling Yao for her heroic act.

Ling Yao didn’t care. She had just done what she should have done. She was deeply disgusted by thieves.

 They thought they were only stealing money, but they didn’t know that sometimes they were stealing people’s life-saving money.

In her previous life, when she was a doctor at the hospital, she had heard her colleagues say that a patient had lost their precious life because their surgery fees were stolen and they couldn’t afford the operation.

 At that moment, she deeply understood the wickedness and cruelty of thieves.

When she got home, it was already dark.

From afar, Ling Yao saw a figure standing at the entrance of the village. She recognized it as her mother at a glance and immediately quickened her pace, running towards Ling Xuemei, “Mom, why are you here?”

“I was worried because you were so late. Did anything happen?” Ling Xuemei looked Ling Yao up and down.

Ling Yao shook her head and reached out to hold Ling Xuemei’s arm, “Mom, I’m fine.

 I just went to the city for a rare outing and lost track of time. I bought you new clothes and new shoes. Let’s go home and try them on.”

“Why did you spend that money? Mom has clothes, don’t buy me anything anymore. Mom has enough clothes.” Ling Xuemei’s eyes were slightly red, her heart filled with emotion.

“No way. When I make money, I’ll buy you even more clothes. My mom is so beautiful, of course, she should wear the most beautiful clothes.”

“You child, you just like to tease your mom.”

The two of them walked home, laughing and talking.

Back home, Ling Yao took off her backpack and took out the things she had bought one by one to show Ling Xuemei, “Mom, go try them on.”

“Okay.” Ling Xuemei smiled and gave Ling Yao a playful glare. She hugged the clothes and went to her room.

After a while, she came out wearing the new clothes.

“Yaoyao, do you think I look good in this?” Ling Xuemei tugged at her clothes uncomfortably. She hadn’t worn such nice clothes in a long time and was a little unaccustomed to it.

Ling Yao turned her head and was immediately stunned. Her mother already had beautiful features, but now, wearing these new clothes, she suddenly looked much younger.

At that moment, Ling Yao seemed to see her mother’s youthful appearance. Time hadn’t left too many marks on her, but instead, it had added a touch of charm and elegance to her demeanor.

“Beautiful, really beautiful, it suits you perfectly. Wear it like this from now on.” Ling Yao gave Ling Xuemei a thumbs-up.

Ling Xuemei was a little embarrassed by the praise, “You child, you just like to flatter me.

 How can I be beautiful when I’m old? I’ll go change, don’t get the clothes dirty.” She couldn’t remember how long it had been since she last bought new clothes. It seemed like it was when Yaoyao’s father was still around.

Thinking of the person she had been thinking about, Ling Xuemei’s eyes welled up with a hint of mist.

 He had been gone from them for almost twenty years. She had been waiting for him to come back every day, but after all these years, she hadn’t even received a letter. She knew that she might never see him again in this life.

“Mom, why are you crying?”

“I’m fine.” Ling Xuemei wiped away her tears, “Go eat dinner. I’ll go change clothes.”

Ling Xuemei returned to her room, closed the door, and couldn’t hold back her tears anymore. She covered her mouth tightly, preventing her sobs from escaping. She didn’t want Yaoyao to worry.

After a long time, Ling Xuemei wiped away her tears and walked to the wardrobe.

She pulled out an iron box from the compartment inside. Opening the box, there was a photo and a jade pendant. The jade pendant was a token of love that Yaoyao’s father had left her.

She had kept it all this time and never worn it. When she missed Yaoyao’s father, she would take it out and look at it.

Taking the photo, Ling Xuemei gently traced the person in the photo with her finger. His features were three-dimensional and deep, as if carefully sculpted with a carving knife.

Especially those affectionate peach blossom eyes, like a pool of spring water, sparkling and filled with love, as if telling a thousand words.

“Are you okay? Our Yaoyao has grown up, why haven’t you come back yet? Have you already married someone else and have your own family?” A tear fell on the photo, instantly blurring the face in the photo.

Ling Xuemei quickly wiped it away, her movements were so careful.

“Mom, are you done changing?” Ling Yao’s voice came from outside.

“I’m done, I’ll be out in a minute.” Ling Xuemei put the photo back in the box and looked at the jade pendant. She thought for a moment and took it out. Yaoyao had grown up, this jade pendant should be given to her. Maybe one day Yaoyao would be able to see her father.

After putting the iron box away, Ling Xuemei changed her clothes and came out of the room.

“Mom, I have something to tell you.” Ling Yao saw Ling Xuemei come out and pulled her to sit down at the table.

“Okay.” Ling Xuemei nodded with a smile.

“I went to the city today and sold that wild ginseng. Guess how much I sold it for?”

“Two thousand.”

“Wrong.”

“Three thousand.”

Ling Yao shook her head with a smile and held up one finger, “Ten thousand yuan.”

“What?” Ling Xuemei was startled. Although the ginseng was indeed very old, it was too much to sell for ten thousand yuan.

“Who did you sell it to?”

“Huayitang. The other party gave me their phone number and said that if I have any good medicinal herbs in the future, I can sell them to them.”