Ma Lili was at work when she got a call from Mother Ma, asking her to come home. Business in the department store had declined significantly, and with the new leadership setting strict rules, Ma Lili didn't dare leave as freely as before.
"Mom, what's going on?"
Mother Ma didn't say what it was about, just insisted she come back.
Ma Lili got the hint: "Mom, I'm at work now! We have rules here, we can't leave unless it's something really important, otherwise we'll get fined. A colleague of mine got fined thirty yuan last month."
Of course, her colleague's husband could earn money, so losing thirty yuan didn't matter. Her husband worked in a restaurant doing odd jobs; not only was it tiring, but the pay was also low, and the household expenses still depended on her salary. Although they had some savings, raising a child was expensive, and every penny counted.
"Then come by after work!"
