"Grandpa Li, Brother Li, we’ll come back another day to see Aunt Li and Uncle Li." Luo Ye and Zhao Qianqian, who were just thinking of finding an excuse to leave, took the chance to go along with Li Baohan’s intention and quickly stood up to say goodbye.

Li Baohan walked the two of them to the door and said with a grateful smile, "Girls, if it weren’t for you today, I don’t know what I would’ve done. When things get better at home, I’ll make big stuffed buns for you to eat."

Catching sight from the corner of her eye that the family members at the other beds were craning their necks to look out, Luo Ye and Zhao Qianqian both had metaphorical black lines on their faces. So everyone had taken them for a pair of clueless gluttons.

"Sir, take good care of Auntie. If there’s anything we can help with, just give us a call." Luo Ye spoke as she dragged Zhao Qianqian away.

"They really are two good kids." Muttering to himself, Li Baohan went back in, looked at everyone and said, "I met those two kids on the way back. They’ve got good hearts. Just now when I said I’d make big buns for them, it was because I felt I owed them too much and wanted to give a little in return. I’m just not good with words." Clearly, he was helping explain for Luo Ye and Zhao Qianqian.

"Oh..." The woman in the neighboring bed dragged out the sound in sudden realization. "From that moment, I was thinking, since when did Bao Han’s family have such pretty relatives, and they shouldn’t be let cheap to outsiders. Turns out, they’re not relatives?"

"My relatives, it’s not like Seventh Sister-in-law hasn’t seen them..." Li Baohan shook his head and sighed heavily, not going on.

Knowing his older uncle was reminded of the past, Li Ligang hurried to comfort him: "Uncle, you went out to work, and not only did your boss look after you, he even bought you a sleeper ticket. On the way you kept running into good people lending a hand. See, this is Heaven remembering your kindness and paying you back."

"That’s true." Li Baohan nodded. "If it doesn’t get repaid on that end, it’ll be repaid on this end. Everything in life, there’s always some kind of return."

The woman in the neighboring bed frowned. "Bao Han, those two girls, they aren’t harboring any bad intentions, are they?"

"Seventh Sister-in-law, what do I have at home that’s worth anyone having bad intentions over?" 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"You’re too honest. The fifty thousand that went to help out at home, plus the later thirty thousand, is that a small sum?" The woman furrowed her brows even tighter. "You and your wife both have such simple hearts. Don’t you go letting a few nice words and a little bit of help make you spill your guts to them."

Li Baohan shook his head without even thinking. "Those two girls aren’t that kind of people. I can still tell what sort of person someone is."

"Can tell?" The woman raised her eyebrows, her face full of hating iron for not becoming steel. "If you could tell, would your home have ended up like this? Your Seventh Brother has been telling you for ages, it’s fine to help people, but you’ve got to look after your own family first.

And you, did you listen? Back then, things at home were so hard, but whenever some poor relative came to ask you for help, you’d help them. In the end, the ones who got wronged were your own kids. These years, Lidong and Lixing have indeed not treated you two old folks well, but with their personalities turning out like this, can you say you’re not responsible at all?

Bao Han, don’t blame your Seventh Sister-in-law for talking harsh. You, this person, your ears are way too soft, and your heart is too soft too. Think carefully, with two girls this young and pretty, if there wasn’t something they were after, why would they be going all out to help you?

Everything in this world has to have a give and take for it to make sense. With these two girls, where’s the give-and-take between you and them? I don’t believe they’d treat you like this just for a meal of buns."

Li Baohan shook his head. "Seventh Sister-in-law, I haven’t misjudged them. I’m sure I haven’t misjudged those two kids. It’s got nothing at all to do with the buns. I just wanted to return their favor but don’t know how to talk, that’s why you got the feeling those two girls were coveting a taste of those buns. That worthless stuff, where can’t they get it to eat? What I’m doing is just putting in a bit of my own heart."

"Uncle, don’t speak so absolutely. What Seventh Aunt said isn’t without reason either. Those two girls being that good to you is a bit out of line with how things should be. They’re both getting paid by the state, after all—their status isn’t on the same level as ours.

And from the looks of them, their clothes, the way they talk, and from the things they’ve given you, their family definitely isn’t doing badly. Even if they were pushed out and sent here, they wouldn’t need to curry favor with you, right?

But I do feel they probably aren’t eyeing that bit of money you’ve got in your hands. As for what exactly they’re after, I really can’t figure it out right now. Still, it’s safer to be cautious. Uncle, it’s better if you keep your eyes open a bit more."

"It’s not currying favor. They just feel sorry for me..." Li Baohan sighed. "All right, enough. No matter what, I trust them. Living to this age, I do know how to judge people."

"You..." The woman he called Seventh Sister-in-law pointed at him twice and shook her head. "Just be stubborn then. When you get taken advantage of, I’ll see if you still act this stubborn."