Chapter 513: Gossip-for-Survival System (12)

She tidied up the small vegetable garden, pulled out the weeds while she was at it, and harvested a handful of chives.

"Grandma, how about we have chive pockets for lunch?"

"You want to eat chive pockets? Sure thing!"

Grandma Xie now had her grandchildren at home and was content with everything; if her granddaughter wanted to eat chive pockets, she would certainly satisfy her. The house had White Flour and eggs, and the chives were grown by themselves, so it was nothing more than spending a bit of oil.

Xie Yang had oil, though—olive oil, camellia oil, and walnut oil, she had them all.

The quantity wasn't huge, but for the grandmother and granddaughter to occasionally make a dish that required a lot of oil, it would still last for many years.

The main dish for lunch was chive pockets; additionally, she killed three small Crucian Carp to stew a tofu soup, and left three remaining to eat in the evening.

Near noon, the children of Grandpa Feng dragged their families over to freeload a meal.

Two sons and one daughter, dragging their spouses and bringing their children, a total of ten people, entered the Dazayuan empty-handed. Seeing people arguing, they miraculously didn't leave, but instead stood in the Courtyard to watch the excitement.

It was one thing for Zheng Miaomiao, a fourteen-year-old child, to stand there watching others argue, but for such a large group of people, with adults holding children, to actually stand there watching with relish, occasionally interjecting a few words to express their opinions, regardless of how hard the elderly couple, Grandpa Feng and his wife, were working at home, was something else.

"You and your husband, Grandpa Feng, are destined to suffer until the end of your days."

Grandma Xie went out to fetch water, saw this scene, and upon returning, felt it wasn't worth it for her old neighbor:

"The old couple's combined pensions aren't small, but if they spend it like this every week, how much can they save? It's fine to spend money to make the children happy if they are filial, but look at those few in their family—they only arrived at this hour, and instead of going inside to help set the table, they are outside watching the excitement. It really is..."

"Boom—"

"Oh my! Old man, what's wrong with you? Old man!"

It was the voice of Grandma Feng.

Grandma Xie walked to the window of the main room and took a look: "It seems like Grandpa Feng has had an accident. I'll go out and take a look, you keep an eye on the stove fire."

"Okay."

Zheng Miaomiao also quickly shifted her gossip-watching location, and before long, she ran over to tell Xie Yang:

"Grandpa Feng suddenly fainted, and he hit the back of his head on the ground. Fortunately, Grandpa Kang knows a bit of medicine; he pinched the philtrum a few times and woke him up, but now his hands and feet won't move, and his mouth can't make a sound."

Xie Yang had already heard from the Main System and asked: "And now? Has he been sent to the hospital?"

"He has. Since he can't move and can't speak, he definitely has to be sent to the hospital."

Zheng Miaomiao said with indignation:

"You didn't see the expressions on those filial sons and daughters; they were so ugly. That person with short hair is Grandpa Feng's eldest daughter-in-law, right? She was actually muttering, 'Why couldn't he faint earlier or later? He had to faint on a day off when we came to eat.' And then she said that since he's awake, he could just lie at home and rest for a few days, why send him to the hospital... Listen to that! Is that something a human would say? It's too much!"

Although the gossip of Grandpa Feng fainting helped her extend her life by ten days.

But honestly, Zheng Miaomiao would rather gossip about Wang Yumei and Luo Caifeng arguing than see Grandpa Feng faint.

It was too pitiful.

Grandpa Feng and his wife lived frugally themselves, and their pensions were almost entirely spent on preparing meat dishes, fruits, and snacks for their children and grandchildren.

For this big meal on Sunday noon, how long did the old couple have to busy themselves back and forth?

And the result? They raised a bunch of ingrates!

"Grandpa Feng's fainting this time is also a turning point," Xie Yang said while wrapping chive pockets. "Even if there are no other problems, he is old after all. After being discharged from the hospital, he will need to recuperate well, and his children will have to take turns caring for him."

"That's right. Looking at their attitude, I guess they won't be very attentive in their care. Once Grandpa Feng sees their true colors, when his health improves, he won't have to be as busy as before, working all week just for one meal on Sunday."

Speaking of this, Zheng Miaomiao thought of something and gave a sly smile: "Hehe, my mom is very well-informed. Later, I'll have her find out the workplaces of those 'decent' people in the Feng family. If they don't take good care of Grandpa Feng, I'll write an anonymous letter to report them, hmph!"

"..."

This little girl had a kind heart.

Main System: 【Right? Unlike the previous ones, who would stop at nothing to gossip and extend their lives.】

Zheng Miaomiao skipped home to eat, and Xie Yang's family also started their meal.

Grandma Xie had been quite happy today, but Grandpa Feng's fainting made her sigh, and her mood dropped a little.

"Time waits for no one! Grandpa Feng was so healthy before, and now he faints just like that."

She thought of herself; if she were to suddenly faint, what would happen to her eldest granddaughter and little grandson?

"That's why when you're older, you should be more open-minded. Eat when you should, sleep when you should, eat well, sleep well, and stay healthy." Xie Yang ladled a bowl of Crucian Carp and tofu soup for the old lady and took the opportunity to offer some guidance.

Grandma Xie felt it made sense; she needed to change her old way of thinking. What could be more important than health?

The Feng family had many children, so there would always be someone to serve him if he fell ill. Her family only had her sixteen-year-old granddaughter and five-month-old grandson left. If she fell ill, not only would she be a burden to her granddaughter, but who would take care of the little grandson?

No!

She had to take good care of her health! She couldn't drag this family down!

So, after lunch, she stuffed a stack of money and coupons into Xie Yang's hand: "If you see meat, buy some back. Let's both get some nutrition."

Xie Yang was happy: The old lady finally figured it out!

"Grandma, if I buy meat back, you won't be reluctant to eat it fresh and insist on salting it to save for the New Year, right? I heard that cured products aren't good for your health, and eating too much can easily lead to cancer!"

Grandma Xie, who had originally wanted to eat half and salt half, heard it wasn't good for her health and waved her hand: "I won't! We won't salt meat anymore; we'll just eat it fresh!"

Xie Yang was happy, and the next day she brought back a slab of high-quality pork belly from a Hungarian Curly Pig.

The Hungarian Curly Pig was one of the few pork varieties she had stockpiled in the Aircraft Cargo Hold.

After cooking, it tasted delicious, melted in the mouth, and had a very good texture.

Moreover, its biggest feature was a thick layer of fat, which had a high oil yield when rendered, making it very suitable for making ham and sausages.

The key was that its fat was rich in unsaturated fatty acids, and its cholesterol content was much lower than that of ordinary domestic pork.

In short, this pork was both delicious and healthy.

Looking at such a beautiful slab of pork belly with snow-white fat and bright red lean meat, Grandma Xie was pleasantly surprised to have bought the meat, but couldn't help clutching her chest: "..."

How much did such a big slab of meat cost?

Was the remaining pension for this month enough to spend?

"Grandma, I've started working, so I'll be responsible for supporting the family from now on. Keep your pension for yourself; you don't need to worry about household expenses."

"How can that be!" Grandma Xie objected. "You just started working, how much is your salary? And as a young woman, you should always buy yourself some nice clothes, some face cream, hairpins, and hair ties. How can you spend it all on household expenses?"

Wages, huh...

Xie Yang recalled the wages the original owner had received last month: 30 yuan...

And even with ration coupons, Pork cost one yuan and three jiao per jin.

This slab of meat was the smallest in her stockpile, weighing just over eight jin, which would cost at least ten yuan to buy outside; in other words, this one slab of meat had cost her a third of her wages.

"..."