Reborn in 1977, I will no longer be my brother's blood bag.

Chapter 13 Your Mother is Sick

Lin Xiuhe woke up as soon as it was light.

The warehouse was a bit cold, but she slept well—no one woke her up in the middle of the night to boil water, no one banged on the door and yelled at her, and no one coveted her wages.

She sat up, looked at the sunlight streaming through the crack in the window, and suddenly realized: living alone isn't so hard after all.

After a quick wash, she went to work at the supply and marketing cooperative.

Along the way, many people greeted her.

"Xiuhe, off to work?"

"I heard you moved out?"

"Is it safe to live in the warehouse?"

The news spread quickly, and almost the entire production team knew about it.

Lin Xiuhe simply smiled and offered no explanation. She knew that as long as she did well, all the rumors would disappear on their own.

As soon as I arrived at the supply and marketing cooperative, before I even entered the door, Aunt Zhang rushed over.

"Xiuhe! I've finally found you!"

Lin Xiuhe was taken aback: "Aunt Zhang, what's wrong?"

Aunt Zhang took a breath and lowered her voice: "You should go back and check on your mother; she's sick."

The air was slightly quiet.

Lin Xiuhe stood still, her face expressionless.

Because she's too familiar with this tactic.

In her past life, whenever she disobeyed, Wang Xiulan would "fall ill"—either with a headache, a chest pain, or becoming bedridden. Then her whole family would come to comfort her: "She's still your mother," "What if you get sick from anger?" "Can't you just bear with it?"

In the end, she was always the one who had to bow her head.

Thinking of this, Lin Xiuhe asked, "Have you seen a doctor?"

Aunt Zhang was stunned for a moment: "This..."

"Did you look for it or not?"

"No," Aunt Zhang said somewhat awkwardly. "Your mother said there's no need to look for her, she just wants to see you."

Lin Xiuhe smiled.

really.

"Since you don't need to see a doctor, it shouldn't be serious."

Aunt Zhang choked, not knowing how to respond for a moment.

Just then, a sound came from the entrance of the supply and marketing cooperative.

"Xiuhe." Director Zhao pushed his bicycle over. "What are you doing standing at the door? Time to go to work."

"Coming right away," Lin Xiuhe replied, then looked at Aunt Zhang, "Aunt Zhang, if you're really sick, have them take you to the clinic. I'll pay for the medical expenses. But I have to go to work today."

After saying that, he turned and went into the supply and marketing cooperative.

Aunt Zhang stood there, stunned for a long time.

For some reason, she suddenly felt that the girl in front of her had really changed.

Before, whenever Wang Xiulan felt unwell, she would rush over faster than anyone else. Now, however, she can calmly ask: "Have you seen a doctor? Is it serious? I'll pay for the medical expenses."

No fuss, no soft-heartedness. Like a real adult.

On the other side, the Lin family.

On the kang (heated brick bed) in the east room, Wang Xiulan was lying wrapped in a quilt, her face sallow—of course, that was an act.

"Is she back?" She craned her neck to look outside. "Is Xiuhe back?"

Lin Weidong shook his head: "No. Where's Aunt Zhang?"

"They're not back yet."

Wang Xiulan immediately became anxious: "How could she not come back? She listens to her elders the most, how could she not come back?"

Lin Jianguo sat beside him, smoking, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper. He too felt uncertain, because the events of the past two days had exceeded their expectations.

Just then, the courtyard gate was pushed open. Aunt Zhang had returned.

"How is it?" Wang Xiulan sat up immediately. "Is she coming back soon?"

Aunt Zhang's expression was complicated: "No. She asked me to ask—did they see a doctor?"

The air fell silent instantly.

"and then?"

"Then she said that if I really got sick, I could go to the clinic and she would pay for the medical expenses. But I had to go to work."

After he finished speaking, the entire room fell silent.

Wang Xiulan's expression gradually froze, as if she had heard something unbelievable.

"She...she didn't come back?"

"no."

"She didn't even ask for leave?"

"no."

Wang Xiulan stood there, stunned, suddenly feeling a little dazed. Because in her past life, no matter what she said, Lin Xiuhe would always come back.

But this time, it didn't work.

"How could she do this?" Wang Xiulan's voice trembled. "I'm her mother..."

Aunt Zhang glanced at her, then suddenly didn't know what to say.

She used to think that daughters should be filial to their parents. But these past two days, after witnessing firsthand how the Lin family treated Lin Xiuhe, she suddenly realized that some things cannot be blamed solely on the child.

"Xiulan," she couldn't help but say, "there's something I've wanted to say for a long time."

"What?"

"Aren't you being too biased towards Weidong when it comes to Xiuhe?"

The air suddenly became still.

Lin Jianguo looked up, and Lin Weidong's face was grim.

Wang Xiulan instantly exploded: "I'm biased? How am I biased?"

But this time, even Aunt Zhang didn't respond.

Because everyone knows the answer.

On the other side, the supply and marketing cooperative.

Lin Xiuhe is organizing the shelves.

Suddenly, the loudspeaker above the counter blared.

Shila-