During lunch, Lin Shu went to the cafeteria to get some food.

When she returned, she found out that Tiantian and Panpan had already given tea eggs to the head nurse and the other nurses.

In such a short time, the nurses had all gotten to know the two kids.

They even made a special trip to the ward to check on them.

Lin Xia was in the hospital, and Lin Shu had arranged for her to stay in a top-tier ward with only two beds, paying the fees upfront.

Normally, patients would stay in larger rooms with four or five beds, but since the hospital wasn’t overcrowded, they were able to get a smaller, more private room.

The head nurse was particularly nice to them.

After all, who wouldn’t like patients and family members who were both wealthy and kind?

In the afternoon, Lin Xia went in for surgery, and Lin Shu waited outside the operating room.

She had originally planned to take the kids with her, but they insisted on staying at the nurses’ station to chat with the nurses.

Lin Shu didn’t press the issue since they were well-behaved and the nurses were familiar with them, so she didn’t have to worry about strangers approaching them.

When Lin Shu and Lin Xia returned after the surgery, they discovered that the kids had already brought dinner!

They had white steamed buns, cabbage stewed with vermicelli, and large slices of meat.

There were also three kinds of pickles: soy-pickled cucumbers, mustard greens, and half a salted duck egg.

Lin Shu asked, “When I got food at lunchtime, why didn’t I see any pickles?”

Tiantian replied, “We asked the chef if they had soy-pickled cucumbers because you make them at home. The chef said they had some and offered us a taste to see if his were better than yours, so we took some to try.”

The same thing happened with the salted duck egg.

Lin Shu was at a loss for words. “You two are really something.”

Tiantian wasn’t originally outgoing, but with Panpan around, she couldn’t help but be more confident.

Lin Xia, still groggy from the anesthesia, wasn’t in much pain yet, and hearing this, she couldn’t help but laugh.

Lin Shu quickly helped her lie down. “Second sister, don’t laugh, or your wound will hurt.”

Then Lin Shu thought of something. “Wait, all the money is with me. How did you two pay for the food?”

Panpan proudly pulled out the money they had earned from selling tea eggs and handed it over.

He looked a bit mischievous and asked, “Mom, since the eggs were made with your tea and the ingredients were provided by second aunt, and we helped make them, shouldn’t we get a share of the profits?”

Lin Xia burst into laughter, though it turned into a groan from the pain.

Lin Shu scolded her gently, “Second sister, be careful.”

She then took the kids outside to continue the conversation, so they wouldn’t make Lin Xia laugh too much.

Panpan explained that after they gave tea eggs to the nurses, the smell attracted a government official who ended up buying all twelve eggs.

Lin Shu was speechless.

She thought to herself, I was planning to enjoy a carefree life supported by my in-laws until at least when these kids turned twenty-five…

“Are you boys already planning to take care of the family? Afraid your mom will get too tired?” Lin Shu was filled with emotion.

These kids were truly treasures. Heaven had not been unkind to her!

With such wonderful children, Lu Shaotang, you’ve earned boundless merit!

Lin Shu asked Tiantian to keep an eye on her aunt while she let Panpan lead her to see the man.

Who could be so generous?

She knew that in every era, there were always people whose spending power far surpassed the average person.

Take the current time period, for example.

Many rural families couldn’t even get enough coarse grains to fill their stomachs.

If they could eat to 70% fullness, that was considered a good life.

They couldn’t imagine that some people could eat white steamed buns every day.

In the countryside, people couldn’t afford to eat meat more than twice a year, and getting a few eggs was considered a good day.

They couldn’t fathom that some people could eat meat, eggs, and even drink milk every day.

This level of consumption was a dramatic leap beyond the ordinary. It wasn’t just about money—it was about resources.

Panpan led her to the door of the man’s hospital room.

Before they even reached the door, they heard someone inside say, “What’s the big deal about a loan of tens of thousands? Just go to another credit union and borrow a few thousand more to cover it.”

Lin Shu immediately pulled Panpan back, shook her head silently, and led him away.

In 1971, anyone talking about loans like that wasn’t an ordinary person.

Just from the tone of the conversation, she knew the people inside weren’t good.

“Tens of thousands is no big deal? A person’s salary is only thirty yuan, and tens of thousands are nothing?”

She even suspected that the people inside might be connected to Accountant Zhuo.

Of course, Panpan didn’t understand any of this and was puzzled. “Mom?”

Lin Shu replied, “I suddenly feel like there’s nothing worth seeing.”

Panpan thought the tea eggs were selling quickly at the hospital. “Mom, why don’t we make all the eggs into tea eggs?”

Hospitals were great places to sell tea eggs.

Lin Shu smiled, “But those are for your aunt to eat.”

Panpan suggested, “Then we can give Auntie money, and Grandma can bring another basket of eggs later. If we don’t have enough, Hua Hua and Huzhi can pitch in, and we can fill a basket quickly.”

“Anyway, Auntie won’t go without eggs.”

Lin Shu patted his head. “You’re still young, you haven’t even started school yet. Just be happy every day. Making money is something for your dad and grandparents to worry about.”

“Little kids should focus on eating, drinking, and having fun. You’re already so well-behaved and sensible; you don’t need to do grown-up things.”

Panpan chuckled, “But Mom, making money is really fun.”

“Every time you collect even a penny, it’s so exciting!”

He felt his heart pounding rapidly.

Lin Shu said, “Then… let’s sell another pot.”

Panpan jumped up happily, “Great!”

The second sister hadn’t yet expelled the gas, so she couldn’t eat.

Lin Shu went to the hospital cafeteria to borrow a stove from the chef to cook a small pot of millet for her second sister, so she could eat once the gas was expelled.

Lin Xia was in good spirits.

Although the surgery was painful, the thought that her body would return to normal and she could have babies, with cute children like Tiantian and Panpan, made her feel that all the suffering was worth it.

The next day, she was able to get out of bed and walk.

Dr. Zhao said she was recovering well and could be discharged and go home to recuperate in three days.

Lin Shu thought it was necessary to stay for at least three full days.

It would be best to stay for four or five days, as it was convenient to receive IVs here, and if any problems arose, the doctors could address them immediately.

There were still some tea eggs at home; since the weather was cool, they wouldn’t spoil easily.

But all the tea eggs they brought had been sold by Panpan, so Lin Shu planned to go home in the evening to bring more.

The second sister’s aluminum pot was large and used for steaming buns. In the first batch, they boiled about sixty tea eggs.

After accounting for the ones they ate and gave away, nearly thirty were left, and Lin Shu brought them all.

Whether to share with the nurses or sell to other patients, it was doable.

Although she didn’t want Panpan to start making money so early, it was fine if she earned a little.

The fragrance of those thirty tea eggs was overpowering and quite aggressive.

Soon, the entire inpatient department was filled with the scent.

With the help of Tiantian and Panpan, the thirty tea eggs were quickly sold.

Selling nutritious products in a hospital is indeed easier than elsewhere.

For families with children or elderly patients, no matter how tough their situation is, they want to buy something nice to comfort them.

And for those who aren’t short on money, it’s even less of an issue.

The two little ones always remembered their grandparents saying that if you don’t lack food, you should be compassionate to the poor and weak.

So when they saw someone wearing patched clothes, they sold the eggs for 10 cents each, but if they saw someone with four pockets, they charged 15 cents each.

Dr. Shen and Dr. Zhao, among others, couldn’t help but marvel at how naturally smart and endearing these two children were.

On the evening of the fourth day, Lin Shu completed the discharge procedures for her second sister.

They took a tricycle back home.

Just as they got upstairs, Tong Ailian opened the door and came out. “Oh, you’re finally back. Auntie came by earlier, and when she couldn’t open the door, she was so angry she kept banging on it. Didn’t she go to the hospital to find you?”

Lin Xia was stunned and suddenly understood why Lin Shu had changed the lock.

Lin Shu said casually, “Oh, really? I’m not familiar with this lock. I accidentally broke the key in it before, so I replaced it.”

Tong Ailian replied, “That happens often.”

“I’ve broken several of those tools already,” Lin Shu said, concerned.

She then turned her attention to Lin Xia. “How did your surgery go? Was it smooth?”

Lin Xia responded, “Thanks for asking, it went smoothly.”

Tong Ailian brought over a few eggs and a handful of noodles, while other neighbors, upon hearing that Lin Xia had been discharged from the hospital, also came by to give her some small gifts.

Old Lady Jiang wanted to bring her eldest son along, but Jiang Weidong refused, so she came alone, bringing a pound of brown sugar and a pound of peach crisp.

After everyone left, the water Lin Shu had been boiling was ready.

She mixed it with cold water to wash Lin Xia, and then bathed the two kids before putting them to bed.

Tong Ailian, taking the initiative to help, chatted with Lin Xia about things happening at the factory.

Originally, Tong Ailian and Lin Xia had been rivals in love.

Tong Ailian had her eye on Qian Lisheng and wanted to marry him, but just as she was making her move, Lin Xia arrived in the city with Lin Nai(Lin Grandmother) to meet Qian’s mother for a marriage interview.

Lin Xia was tall, with a dignified and graceful appearance, and before Qian’s mother could say anything, Qian Lisheng had already taken a liking to her.

Tong Ailian was furious and made a scene at Lin Xia and Qian Lisheng’s wedding.

Later, she married a blacksmith who worked at the same factory and ended up living next door to Lin Xia.

At first, Tong Ailian was very jealous of Lin Xia, always comparing herself to her in terms of food, clothing, and possessions, trying to find some sense of superiority.

She would spread gossip about Lin Xia whenever she could and tried to turn other women in the factory against her.

But Lin Xia didn’t bother with such pettiness.

If Tong Ailian came to her with snide remarks, Lin Xia would confront her directly without giving her any face.

This awkward tension between them lasted for two years.

Eventually, Tong Ailian came to see Lin Xia’s diligence, generosity, and kindness—especially when Lin Xia passed an electrician’s exam that even men struggled with.

Tong Ailian felt embarrassed to continue her hostility and found a way to apologize.

Lin Xia, focused on her own life, didn’t have time for grudges.

Besides, growing up with a sister who often sulked had taught her not to get angry over trivial matters.

Since they worked in the same factory and were always running into each other, and with leadership stepping in to mediate, Lin Xia naturally let go of any hard feelings.

Their relationship became normal, though Tong Ailian still felt jealous and competitive in most aspects.

The only area where she felt superior was Lin Xia’s struggle to have children.

That was a concern she clung to.

Recently, because her older brother was competing with Qian Lisheng for the deputy director position, Tong’s mother had been making snide remarks, but Tong Ailian didn’t really care who won the position.

Her main concern was whether Lin Xia could actually have children.

Lin Shu, after a few polite exchanges, managed to send Tong Ailian on her way.

Although Lin Xia was out of the hospital, her wound would take about seven or eight days to fully heal.

With Qian Lisheng not at home, and despite Qian’s mother occasionally coming over, Lin Shu didn’t feel at ease and decided it was best to take care of her sister herself.

She decided to stay with the two kids at her second sister’s house for a while longer.

After all, she had brought food coupons with her.

The next morning, Jiang Weidong and Lin Xia’s immediate supervisor came over to offer their condolences.

After leaving the nutritional supplements and saying a few words of concern, Jiang Weidong quickly took his leave.

He had a very good impression of Lin Xia.

She was a hardworking and determined woman who didn’t give up easily, but her husband…

Jiang Weidong felt conflicted.

By rights, he shouldn’t interfere in other people’s marital affairs, but once he knew the situation, he couldn’t help but be affected by it.

Especially after seeing Lin Xia’s positive approach to treatment and her hopeful outlook for the future, in contrast to Qian Lisheng’s negative avoidance, Jiang Weidong felt a sense of guilt.

The sense of justice he had developed as a soldier made him feel like he hadn’t done anything wrong, yet he still felt a sense of wrongdoing.

He decided to find an opportunity to talk to Qian Lisheng.

If he was a man, he should be sincere and responsible, and take the initiative to be honest with his wife.

After Jiang Weidong got home, his mother pestered him with questions. “How’s the girl doing?”

Jiang Weidong replied, “She’s doing well; the surgery went smoothly.”

His mother said, “I meant her sister.”

Jiang Weidong said, “She’s doing well too, very virtuous, and she’s especially good at raising kids.”

His mother said, “Right? I picked her out; she can’t be bad. How about I bring it up to her?”