Chapter 131: “the Weasel In The Melon Field”
Lin Zhao rubbed her son’s soft little face, “There’s no roof. What should we do?”
“Repair it. Get my grandpa and Uncle and Second Uncle, my great uncle and second uncle will too, let them repair it.” Heng Bao immediately thought of a method.
Lin Zhao smiled, “Look at you, such a little person, arranging the whole family.”
Yu Bao looked at the yard, not disliking it at all, his eyes bright and sparkling. He looked at Gu Chenghuai, “Dad, can you find people to repair the house?”
Gu Chenghuai’s voice was low and slow, very patient, “Your mom entrusted the renovated house to your great uncle. In a few days, specialists will come to repair it. I’ll handle the bricks and tiles and glass.”
“Dad, I want big glass, okay?” Yu Bao rarely made a request to his dad.
Gu Chenghuai touched his head, “Okay, any other requests? Tell them all at once, I’ll figure out a method.”
His tone was calm and unperturbed, yet it made the little friend feel a strong sense of reliance.
“Mom said, for the new house where we live, she’ll find people to make us a wardrobe, a desk, a rack for hanging clothes, and the room will be painted white… Can the home in the city do that too?” Yu Bao asked expectantly.
“Yes.” Such a request was easy to satisfy.
Yu Bao held his dad’s hand; that soft, warm touch almost burrowed into Gu Chenghuai’s heart.
Big hand holding little hand, those deep dark eyes rippled with endless tenderness.
“Heng Bao, any requests?”
Heng Bao’s eyes darted around, “I want one for putting books.”
Gu Chenghuai nodded, “Arranged!”
Uncle Song carefully surveyed the yard, nodding from time to time, “This yard has a good layout. After renovation, Zhaozhao will live very comfortably.”
“We need to dig a well for convenient water use. The well mouth must be sealed well, since there are children at home,” he said.
Aunt Song nodded, “This is a standalone house with its own yard, definitely more comfortable than an apartment building. That apartment building is just for show; actually, it’s not as good as this yard.”
“Mom, you like yards? Would you be willing to swap our house for one?” Song Yuncheng guessed his mom wouldn’t be happy.
Aunt Song really didn’t want to, “Your dad and I are used to living there. Besides, that house is the largest in the staff dormitory. If we swap it out, I’m afraid I’d regret it.”
People are like that—what they can’t have is the best.
Song Yuncheng smiled knowingly, “Mom, when I get assigned a house, I’ll try to pick a yard. If not, I’ll swap with someone, so you can live in a yard and enjoy it.”
Aunt Song rejected the bad deal, “Wait for you to get assigned a house? Forget it.”
And that yard full of people was even worse than an apartment building.
No no no!
Lin Zhao trampled the weeds underfoot flat and said, “Auntie wants to live in a yard? It’s simple—come live here. I welcome you with both hands and feet.”
“I welcome too!” Yu Bao tilted his head and smiled.
Heng Bao also said, “I welcome too.”
Qian Bao quietly held Lin Zhao’s hand, his clear starry eyes observing everywhere. Yao Bao was fussing to pull grass but was stopped by Gu Chenghuai.
The two cubs also voiced their opinions in their childish voices, “Me too…”
Aunt Song’s heart felt warm and cozy, “Good.”
After seeing this yard, Uncle Song had an idea of how to renovate it; even the blueprints were already in his mind.
Seeing it wasn’t early—
Uncle Song gave the carry bag he brought to Yu Bao, smiling kindly, “Yu Bao, Qian Bao and Yao Bao have gifts, and you and Heng Bao do too. This is great uncle’s gift to you two.”
Yu Bao curved his eyes, “Thank you, great uncle.”
“Great uncle, what’s this? Food?” Heng Bao eyed the carry bag.
Uncle Song smoothed down the frizzy hair on his head and laughed, “A radio.”
Gu Chenghuai’s eyes paused slightly.
To be honest, he hadn’t seen such a generous uncle.
And…
As the girl raised with her uncle’s pampering, Lin Zhao was only surprised for a moment before calming down.
She just hugged Aunt Song.
In a soft voice:
“Auntie, did my uncle report to you? He didn’t buy it on his own, did he?”
“I know.” Aunt Song tapped Zhaozhao’s nose tip and laughed, “Don’t worry, it wasn’t expensive. Your uncle found materials and had someone modify it.”
“He thought those radios weren’t pretty, so he had someone make it into a cat shape and spray-painted it.”
Lin Zhao straightened up, pretending to be dissatisfied, “Uncle, you’ve never been this attentive to me before!”
“Look at you, why compare with your own child?” Uncle Song’s expression was doting, “For your yard, I’ll use 100% effort, okay?”
Lin Zhao was finally satisfied, “Okay, thank you, uncle!”
Uncle Song: “What thanks!”
Yu Bao and Heng Bao received the gift from great uncle, their eyes bending into two crescents. They had thought they were big kids and wouldn’t get gifts.
“Great uncle, can the radio listen to stories?” Heng Bao looked up at great uncle.
“Yes, and red songs too. Your Yun Cheng uncle said you have a loud voice and love singing. I thought about it and decided to give you two a radio—you can learn and have fun. Like it?” Uncle Song said.
“Like it!” Heng Bao shouted super loudly, spreading his arms to draw a huge circle, “This much like! Thank you, great uncle! Great uncle is the best!!”
Yu Bao smiled politely and refinedly, his eyes full of closeness toward great uncle, “I like it too, thank you, great uncle!!”
“If you like it, use it well. When you start school, study hard, and when you grow up, support your mom.”
The twins nodded vigorously.
The group left the rundown yard. Uncle Song offered to see Lin Zhao’s family off, and when they weren’t paying attention, he gave his eldest son an eye signal.
Song Yuncheng turned and left.
Gu Chenghuai glanced at his quickly receding back, pretending nothing happened.
They walked and talked along the way, soon passing the supply and marketing cooperative.
“Mom, your work place!” Yu Bao raised a smiling face.
Qian Bao turned his little head, eyes wide and round, looking at where his brother pointed, shining brightly.
Noticing his youngest son’s gaze, Gu Chenghuai rubbed his head.
“Yes, my work place.” Lin Zhao said, listless because she had to get up early tomorrow.
Uncle Song thought to himself that before the rainy season came, he must get the yard repaired, so Zhaozhao wouldn’t have to go back and forth. He knew this whole road was muddy; if something happened to her on the way, it would be their lives, and even catching a cold from the rain wouldn’t do—she’d be uncomfortable.
Over there, Song Yuncheng ran home, grabbed a big package, and rode his bicycle to catch up with Lin Zhao and the others.
“I knew you guys would dawdle,” he said.
He patted the bicycle toward Yu Bao and Heng Bao, tucked the white shirt corner into his pants, straddled the bike with his long legs, making the 28-inch bike seem not so tall, exuding youthful energy.
“Yu Bao, Heng Bao, get on, I’ll take you.”
Yu Bao looked at the huge package on the back seat and at Yun Cheng uncle, “How to sit?”
“I’ll ride slow, you two squeeze in front?”
Squeezing with his brother was fine for Yu Bao, “Okay.”
“Bro’s willing, so am I.” Heng Bao bumped his brother’s shoulder, grinning broadly, “Grandma said, before my bro and I were born… we were squeezing in mom’s belly. I even robbed food from bro. When we were just born, I was sturdier than bro.”
Yu Bao didn’t want to hear his brother talk about past events where he was sturdier than himself and pulled him toward the bicycle.
“Heng Bao, front or back?”
Heng Bao said, “Either’s fine, bro pick first.”
“I’ll take the back.” Yu Bao didn’t stand on ceremony with his brother and chose the back; he thought the front could hold the handlebars, but the back wasn’t easy to hold.
The radio had some weight; the twins lifted it.
Heng Bao asked Yun Cheng uncle, “Uncle, can this hang on the handlebars? This is the gift great uncle gave me and bro. Do you know what it is?”
Song Yuncheng really didn’t know; Old Song was secretive, even preparing a small ball and cloth tiger for Qian Bao and Yao Bao on the sly.
“A radio!” Heng Bao announced loudly.
Song Yuncheng said, “Then you two have something to do in the village now, nice!”
“Come on, get on!” He lifted the two cubs onto the front frame.
After the twins sat, he circled them with his arms, steady and secure. He was very satisfied.
“Sis, brother-in-law, I’ll take Yu Bao and Heng Bao back first. You walk slowly.” Song Yuncheng left those words, pedaled hard, and the bicycle left the spot.
Song Yunjin pouted.
Lin Zhao laughed, “Don’t be upset. My house will be built soon. I’ll save you a room then, come live in the village, play however you want.”
So fast!!?
One sentence turned Song Yunjin’s pout into a grin.
“Sis, you must remember to call me!” he reminded.
“Don’t worry, your sis has a good memory.” Lin Zhao pushed away that cheap grinning face and looked at uncle and aunt, “Uncle, auntie, no need to see us off, go back. When I have time, I’ll bring the four cubs to mooch a meal.”
Uncle Song and Aunt Song both smiled.
“Zhaozhao, in the big package Yun Cheng brought, there are things your auntie and I temporarily prepared for Little Four. The things in the net bag are for the four cubs,” Uncle Song said.
Lin Zhao’s tone was light and cheerful, “Got it.”
After bidding farewell to the three from the Song family, Lin Zhao’s family headed toward the brigade.
She and Gu Chenghuai each carried a cub.
The man wanted to carry both, but Yao Bao wasn’t happy. She opened her bright clear big eyes toward Lin Zhao, arms outstretched, calling mom in a childish voice… wanting a hug…
“Clingy little cub.” Lin Zhao bounced her daughter, speaking softly.
Yao Bao pretended not to hear, closed her eyes, her long curled eyelashes fluttering gently, her pink little mouth moving, “Cub… fell asleep~”
That voice was so milky.
Lin Zhao teased her, “Cub fell asleep? How can you talk if you’re asleep?”
Yao Bao’s little body stiffened, silent for several seconds, then suddenly started imitating grandpa’s snoring.
“Hu~ Pu~!”
Lin Zhao laughed uncontrollably, kissed the baby’s cheek, and continued on the road unhurriedly.
Qian Bao leaning on Gu Chenghuai’s shoulder frowned his little brow. He knew his sister was pretending and wanted to tell mom, but felt it wasn’t right. His little appearance was very conflicted.
Lin Zhao winked at him, and Qian Bao showed an obedient cute smile.
…
The three from the Song family didn’t rush home and took a detour to stroll in the park.
As they walked, Song Yunjin spotted a familiar person, grabbed his parents, and pulled Uncle Song and Aunt Song behind a nearby tree.
“Dad, Mom, it’s Sister Xiangxiang!”
Uncle Song and Aunt Song were puzzled—what about Xiangxiang? They were elders; why hide?
Before they could ask, Song Yunjin lowered his voice, his tone rising like a weasel in a melon field, “Sister Xiangxiang is with a man!”
“?”
Uncle Song and Aunt Song exchanged a glance and stopped resisting, obediently staying behind the tree, quietly peeking out.
They met a sharp pair of eyes.
It was that young man.
The couple quickly withdrew their gaze, embarrassment flashing in their eyes.
Uh, caught.
Uncle Song was silent for a moment, then said, “Let’s go back.”
“Ah?” Song Yunjin exclaimed in surprise, “Not going to ask a few questions?”
“Ask what? Your Sister Xiangxiang has thin skin—can she handle me asking?” Xiangxiang wasn’t Zhaozhao. Uncle Song said, “Wait until Xiangxiang and that young man are really confirmed, then I’ll support her.”
He had checked that young man Li Song—he was upright, no bad habits. Xiangxiang wouldn’t go wrong marrying him.
Song Yunjin thought about it and agreed.
Sister Xiangxiang used to not even sit on the sofa at their house, her voice barely louder than a mosquito, looking especially timid. If his parents rushed out… the scene was too beautiful; he didn’t dare imagine.
Aunt Song had just peeked out to see the young man clearly. As she walked out of the park, she said to Uncle Song, “That young man is good, doesn’t look sneaky or scheming, full of integrity—not surprising from troop training.”
Uncle Song nodded.
The people hiding behind the tree left, and Li Song withdrew his gaze.
Yuan Xiang looked over, “What are you looking at?”
“Nothing.” Afraid of scaring her, Li Song didn’t say someone had just been watching them.
“Oh.”
Li Song suggested, “Want to see a movie?”
“Mm.”
“Let’s go, I’ll take you.” The two went to the movie theater again.
From today’s time together, Li Song and Yuan Xiang were a bit more familiar, though still a little unfamiliar. But they could confirm they had good feelings for each other.
Getting married was just a matter of time.
…
Over here.
Song Yuncheng brought the twins back to the village.
The two little brothers had only been away less than a day, yet it felt like years. Everything looked dear.
Hearing Yu Bao and Heng Bao were back, Little Tie Chui ran over quickly and hugged them tightly.
“Yu Bao, Heng Bao, you’re finally back!”
Yu Bao patted his good brother’s back, beaming, “We said we’d be back this afternoon.”
Little Tie Chui released his arms and asked, “Where did you play in the county? Did you see a movie?” His words were full of longing and curiosity.
Heng Bao’s loud voice rang out, “No movie, but mom took us ice skating—super fun! More fun than a movie!”
“…?” A big question mark appeared over Little Tie Chui’s little head, “Who’s your mom?”
Yu Bao thought his good brother was a bit dumb but didn’t mind, patiently explaining, “My mom is my mom! City people don’t call ‘mom,’ they say ‘mommy.’ My little brother and sister are city cubs, so we should say ‘mommy.’ That’s why we changed.”
Little Tie Chui suddenly understood.
He grinned silly, “Can I call mommy too?”
“Of course.” Yu Bao put his hand on his good brother’s shoulder like a little adult, encouraging, “Li Bao, you’ll become a city person sooner or later. You can call your mom ‘mommy’ too.”
“Hehe.” Little Tie Chui scratched his head, “Then I’ll change too.”
He always followed the twins anyway.
Yuan Bao squeezed into the group, asking, “Yu Bao, Heng Bao, what’s ice skating?”
“Ice skating is…” The twins explained to their little friends, making the kids exclaim “wow” nonstop.
“The city is so fun!!” Yuan Bao exclaimed, then asked, “What else, what else? What else did you play?”
“We also went to the photo studio. Yuan Bao, your photos are in my mom’s bag. She’ll give them when she gets back,” Yu Bao said.
Yuan Bao’s eyes lit up, “Great great, I wanna see!”
Tie Niu jumped out, “Yu Bao, what else did you do?”
“We went to great uncle and great aunt’s house. They live in an apartment building, several stories high. They live on the third floor—so high standing there.
Great uncle and great aunt’s home has soft sofas. Do you know what a sofa is? It’s for sitting, but soft. Very comfortable, butt doesn’t hurt at all.” Yu Bao shared city sights with his little friends in childish words.
Heng Bao added, “Great aunt made a table of yummy dishes. My little
