Chapter 65: “split Split Split Split Split”
“???”
The instant Lin Zhao’s mind filled with a string of question marks, she looked closely and saw a line of explanation appear below the four characters.
After reading it, her expression became a bit complex.
「Small Pill, specially cures love brain.
No additives, no side effects, cool taste, like mint.
Still worrying that your child is a simp, has love brain, is a slave to love, making biological father worry, biological mother annoyed, grandparents weep bitterly?
Come on, feed him the pill, one pill lasts a lifetime, cultivates a clear-headed, independent, autonomous good child, you deserve to have it.」
Lin Zhao: “…” She always felt this pill was targeting her kids in a damn way.
After all.
In the original book.
Da Zai, Er Zai, and Si Zai were all… not that clear-headed.
This pill description text didn’t disappear for a good while.
Lin Zhao felt a cold mocking, somewhat speechless, clicked to extract it, stored it in the storage ring, out of sight out of mind.
Then she drew again.
「Advanced dog food ×500 jin.
Top-notch taste, dogs’ favorite.
Warm reminder, this dog food has magical effects, explore them slowly yourself.」
Lin Zhao: “…” Playing coy now!
Both draws were so-so, but still useful.
What she wanted most was actually scar removal or scar fading ointment. Kids’ skin is tender, she worried about the tooth mark on Er Zai’s hand sticking with her son forever.
After these two draws, only 58 points left.
Back to square one in an instant.
Lin Zhao didn’t draw more, lay down lightly, hugged Si Zai, and closed her eyes.
Gu Family Old House folks entered dreamland, while Wei Family second branch’s room faintly had light leaking out.
Two Stones wearing patched little pants, slept soundly, occasionally scratched itchy spots when bitten by mosquitoes in a daze.
Skin not sunburned by the sun was scratched by their dog-gnawed-style nails into red marks.
“Burn more mugwort, Two Stones aren’t sleeping well from bites.” Gu Chan stopped gluing matchboxes, massaged her brow bone with the back of her hand, glanced sideways at Wei Xiangdong nearby, said in a low voice.
Three straight hours of work, eyes dry without tears.
She closed her sore eyes, opened them, closed again, opened again, repeated several times to relieve fatigue.
Wei Xiangdong stood up, fumigated mugwort in the room, focusing around his wife.
Half a minute later.
Gu Chan helplessly looked at the man, reminded again, “Fumigate some over the sons too.”
Wei Xiangdong frowned.
“Real men aren’t afraid of mosquitoes, those two little ones sleep like dead pigs, bites won’t wake them.”
Was this a biological father’s reaction?
Even knowing her man’s temperament well, Gu Chan still choked.
“You fumigate or not?” She glared.
Wei Xiangdong stared fixedly at his wife, seconds later withdrew his gaze, obediently went to fumigate by the bed.
Brat’s tough-skinned, not a little girl, needs what mugwort, no need to be so delicate.
He perfunctorily waved the hand twice, Wei Xiangdong sat back beside his wife.
Gu Chan figured it wasn’t early, glanced at the man, said: “You sleep first, I’ll finish these and sleep.”
Wei Xiangdong didn’t agree, glued matchboxes with her.
He hated handiwork most, would rather hunt on the mountain or work the fields than sit for slow work.
But Wei Xiangdong couldn’t bear letting his wife do it all.
So he took initiative to learn from Gu Chan, wasted one during, earned a white-eyed glare, but finally learned!
“Didn’t your third sister-in-law say it’s not urgent?” Wei Xiangdong yawned, casually said: “You not planning to glue all these in one night, right?”
“Gotta be able to finish them.” Gu Chan softly retorted, voice a bit hoarse.
She patted the remaining materials on the table, “Finish this stack and sleep.”
Rare chance to earn money, just starting, gotta perform well.
Opportunity Zhaozhao worked hard to get.
“You sleep first, I’ll glue these.” Wei Xiangdong felt sorry for his wife.
Gu Chan shook her head, “Glue together, finish early and sleep.”
Wei Xiangdong said no more, lowered his head to speed up gluing.
When done, lying down with dizzy head, aching waist, neck, and arms wanting to run away from home.
So tired, of course couldn’t get up on time in the morning.
Countryside folks sleep early, rise early.
A bit after five, doors from various rooms opened, footsteps sounded one after another.
Wei mother glanced at the tightly shut second branch door, frowned, said nothing, carried wooden basin to wash clothes.
“Lazybones! A house full of lazybones!” Wei Dasao softly spat at second branch’s room.
Knowing brother-in-law inside, she didn’t dare go wild, just vented verbally.
A clear youthful voice came from behind.
“How about I call out Dad and Mom, Eldest Uncle’s Wife can say it to their faces.” Da Shitou’s tone showed no emotion.
He stood there, dark eyes staring at Wei Dasao, face expressionless.
Xiao Shitou stood behind his brother, poked head out to look at Eldest Uncle’s Wife, quickly withdrew sight.
With Dad home, he wasn’t afraid of the fierce Eldest Uncle’s Wife, little guy pumped himself up, hands clenched into small fists.
Wei Dasao startled, opened mouth to curse, wooden door a meter behind creaked open.
“Pissed and not back in the room, need me to invite you?” Wei Xiangdong leaned crookedly on doorframe, looking at Two Stones.
“No need, coming now.” Da Shitou ignored Eldest Uncle’s Wife, slowly walked to biological father, Xiao Shitou followed behind.
Back in the room.
Wei Xiangdong had two sons stay away from bed, not wake his wife, lowered voice: “What was that woman nagging again?”
“Said we’re a house full of lazybones.” Da Shitou complained.
“Fuck!” Wei Xiangdong swore.
Damn it, who the hell is lazy?!
A’chan was way more diligent than that homewrecker!
“Fine, before separating households, you two do whatever, no chores, whoever wants home chores does them.” He was very pissed.
“Separate households?” Da Shitou’s eyes lit up, tone expectant.
Wei Xiangdong covered his mouth, glanced at bed, saw wife not woken, released the troublesome son.
“What! You don’t want to?” He deliberately said.
“How could I not!” Da Shitou spat twice, cleared salty sweat taste from mouth, glared at his dad like a little wolf cub, looking like he wanted to scratch him a few times.
He held back, pressed: “When?!”
Xiao Shitou full of questions too, sat beside dad, furrowed little brows, “Dad, if separate households, where do we live?”
Wei Xiangdong tugged younger son’s skinny face, little meat, dry and tough, not fun to pinch.
Gotta separate households quick, hunt meat on mountain, two brats too skinny, won’t grow tall, he worried a bit.
“Separated, why live at home, we’ll move out.”
Xiao Shitou soft-tempered, dad bullying him didn’t dare refuse, just pitifully looked at Wei Xiangdong with clear spring-like black eyes.
Older brother Stone couldn’t stand it, rescued softy brother, secretly glared at biological dad, “Dad, where can our family move to, you won’t make us live in cowshed right?”
Just threw one question, before Wei Xiangdong answered, threw second, “Does our family have money?”
Wei Xiangdong eyed him, “You mean ask if after moving out, still money for you two to study right?”
Da Shitou serious-faced, argued with dad, “Me wanting to study is for our family too!”
“Dad you didn’t finish elementary, that’s your life.”
“I’m different, Mom says my brain’s quick, good at studying, study well can change fate.”
“When I learn skills, I’ll take Mom to the city.”
Heard city folks live in apartments, eat meat several times a month, women no field work.
He must take his mom to city!
“Thud!”
Da Shitou’s forehead took a knock, he covered the spot, gritted teeth, pissed enough to run away from home.
“Ungrateful brat.” Scolding son, Wei Xiangdong felt no guilt.
What means that’s his life, he just over thirty, half life not over!
“Put heart back in belly, I promised your mom, kids she bore, whoever wants to study can, even forever.”
He could afford.
“Me and brother riding Mom’s coattails again.” Da Shitou snarked at dad.
Wei Xiangdong didn’t catch it, looked at him with ‘you know your place’ eyes, “Good you know, so you two must be filial, or else…”
He shook sandbag-sized fist.
Da Shitou expression scornful, “…” Dad so childish!
Xiao Shitou mumbled, “…Dad so fierce!”
Noon, Wei mother just learned second son’s family didn’t go to work, mentally calculated lost work points, ached all over twitching.
Bang bang bang knocked second branch door.
Door opened by yawning, slouchy Wei Xiangdong.
“Mom what you doing, knock lighter, door breaks I fix it, what matter, nothing I sleep more.”
What?
Still sleep!
Wei mother thumped son, angrily: “Still sleep! Sun’s on your buttocks still sleep!”
“You not earn work points, eat what drink what, hurry, pack up, afternoon go to work with me.”
“No.” Wei Xiangdong cut off old mother’s nagging.
“Eldest brother’s wife said our whole family lazybones, she said it, we just lie flat.” He shrugged, utterly shameless indifference.
Wei mother choked, mentally cursed eldest daughter-in-law bloody.
“Her temperament, why fuss with her…
Before she finished, Wei Xiangdong listlessly cut in, “I got bad temper, can’t take grievance, no no no, starve also no.”
Words done.
He turned back in, casually shut door.
Wei mother pushed hard with hand, loudly: “Then what you wanna do, huh! Do whatever I can’t control, don’t lead A’chan and Two Stones astray.”
“I want separate households, tonight.” Wei Xiangdong stated purpose.
He looked at biological mother, “I won’t endure! One day not separated, one day I no work, my wife no, Two Stones no, just eat white rice, be lazybones.”
Wei mother stunned.
Second son couldn’t endure even half year?
“Not said wait till year-end?”
Wei Xiangdong bad mood, tone bad too, “Not me can’t endure, some people need beating, Mom if you don’t want home restless every day, separate early.”
His wife agreed him going mountain, if not unwilling cheapen first branch few mouths, he’d long returned left hand rabbit right hand chicken!
Man’s disgusted gaze drifted over first branch door, continued without gap: “If not minding Mom you, five years ago I’d taken wife kids moved out!”
“Pointless, this life pointless.”
He sick of Wei Dasao always jumping out to pick on his wife, biological brother always playing dead letting his wife bounce.
And also—
Night want do bad thing, two cold hard stones sticking there, them there, annoying to death!
Wei mother didn’t know little thoughts hidden behind Wei Xiangdong’s irritable face.
She knew eldest son’s wife temperament annoying, but elderly person wanted sons grandsons around.
Separated different ya.
“Xiangdong…”
Wei Xiangdong made stop gesture, “Call west useless, I want separate households.”
Pretend pitiful useless too, Wei mother expression awkward, withdrew pitiful eyes, “Separate, tonight separate, separate you all out.”
She fiercely eyed son, “You unfilial son Mom can’t control, don’t wanna control, make Two Stones come back often.”
“Or you leave them here.” Wei Xiangdong snorted, expression serious expectant.
Wei mother mouth twitched, didn’t wanna talk more, turned and walked.
Little old woman ran super fast.
Separate separate separate separate separate, separate right now.
–
Next day early morning.
Rinsed early, Lin Zhao planned go kitchen boil two handfuls dried noodles for breakfast, but saw Huang Xiulan coming, handing over just-made poached eggs.
“Third sister-in-law, don’t you like my poached eggs? Taste, see if same as before.” She rinsed chopsticks handy, passed bowl and chopsticks to Lin Zhao together.
Had ready-made, just right no need make more.
“Thanks Eldest Brother’s Wife.”
Lin Zhao sat to eat, bowl had full two poached eggs, soup special, Gu Dasao’s exclusive recipe, sesame oil, few green vegetables garnish inside.
Tasty and pretty.
She nodded satisfied.
Huang Xiulan smiled, nimbly heated steamed corn buns.
Gu family ate little morning, half coarse grain wowo per person, drink some water, morning gone, just wait noon meal.
Grain scarce, if three meals like last night, grain jars empty early!
Lin Zhao quickly finished soup, Tie Dan sped over take bowl, saw oily bowl, mouth grinned wide.
She knew his thoughts, wanted pour water in bowl, drink as egg drop.
“No pouring water to drink!” Lin Zhao voiced stop.
Tie Dan’s eyes instantly lost light, hugged bowl, expression pleading, softly: “Third Aunt, pretend you didn’t see.”
Last night ate well, overnight digested, today belly still hungry, little friend always missing good stuff of course drooled.
“Can’t.” Lin Zhao used gentle tone spat coldest words to Tie Dan, his head drooped, “But such waste.”
Tie Dan stared tight at bowl scraps, wished lick few mouthfuls.
Lin Zhao couldn’t bear watch, they usually like that nothing, but can’t eat her saliva, she couldn’t get over heart hurdle.
“Don’t eat, I’ll have your mom boil you some dried noodles, make one poached egg each.”
Afraid greedy cat Tie Dan disobey secretly, followed up: “If not listen to me, no share for you.”
Tie Dan’s eyes left bowl, licked lips, leaned close: “Really?”
He excitedly gestured with hands, “That thin long white noodles? The kind Da Zai Er Zai talked about?!”
Tie Dan seven this year, prime eating age, Gu family many kids, couldn’t let them eat full, no wonder he craved even dog food.
He had little meat on body, face more shriveled, always running wild mountains fields foraging, face shone black.
“Right!” Lin Zhao voice gentle.
Tie Dan without word shoved bowl to mom hands, eyed her eagerly, “Third Aunt?”
He didn’t lick bowl, dried noodles, can eat now?!
Huang Xiulan saw him so greedy, pissed twisted son ear.
“Third sister-in-law ignore this kid, his age belly never full, eat tons no leftover, always yells hungry. No need mind, morning whoosh gone.”
Born Gu family at least seven-tenths full, village other kids only five-tenths.
Tie Dan near tears.
Him eat one bite white noodles easy? Ah?!
Seven-year-old big friend nervously watched third aunt, hands clasped, breathing near stopped.
Don’t think exaggerated, those untasted white noodles really super craved!
Lin Zhao amused laughed, gave dried noodles to Huang Xiulan, “Boil them, this my first day back old house, count me treating kids.”
Hearing this, Tie Dan happily bounced in place, “Thanks Third Aunt, today I’ll help Da Zai Er Zai wash clothes.”
Yesterday twins said wash clothes, moving house no time, said today wash.
“Good, then hard work Tie Dan.” Lin Zhao smiled.
“Washing clothes not hard.” Field work hard.
Eyed mom boiling dried noodles, Tie Dan happily went call people.
Lin Zhao back room took few eggs give Eldest Brother’s Wife, saw time about right, pushed bicycle out to work.
Gu family’s kids just woke had dried noodles eat, happy near faint.
White noodles eh.
This white noodles, no black flour mixed, slurp big mouthful, fragrant to tears, really human delicacy?!!
“White noodles this tasty wa! Grandma, when can eat every day.” Tie Dan cherished sipped soup, wiped fine sweat from forehead heat.
Gu Mu where know, who not want eat white noodles daily?
She didn’t discourage kids, said: “Study well, become high school student, like your third aunt eat commodity grain, then you can eat daily.”
Gu family little friends remembered this.
Especially Bang Bang.
He near fifth grade, before not keen on studies, exams always mid-tier.
Before understanding of studying change fate not this deep, third aunt suddenly became city person after, he suddenly awakened, free time flipped books, several nights straight, shocked Gu Yucheng and Zhao Liuniang stunned.
“Bang Bang, heard your third aunt say, one more year you take junior high exam?” Gu Mu remembered something, asked.
Bang Bang nodded, “Yeah, higher-ups issued document, change education system, next ‘five-four’ system, five years elementary, two junior high, two high school.”
Gu Mu thought in head, said: “To high school, total nine years.”
“Right.” Bang Bang said.
He wanted go to high school, at least junior high, third aunt right, diploma is stepping stone.
Those factories recruit, diploma eliminates most, require junior high or high school grad.
Gu Mu mentally roughly calculated, to support each kid to high school grad, no small sum.
Dare not think, dare not think deep.
