Chapter 53: “Group photo”
Lin Zhao looked over, and on that hand with the nest unique to little friends, a small tooth mark appeared, crescent-shaped, not big but looking quite deep, not only bruised but also with blood threads.
She grabbed Er Zai’s hand, her brows lightly furrowed.
“Have you applied ointment? Such a deep tooth mark, that little girl is really vicious, don’t let it leave a scar.”
Especially since this scar was left by Lu Baozhen, if it stayed on Er Zai’s hand forever, Lin Zhao felt like there was a fishbone stuck in her throat.
Go back and do the lucky draw!
Hopefully she could draw scar-fading ointment, or Scar Fading would do too.
“I’ve applied ointment.” Er Zai waved his hand nonchalantly, “It’s fine! My grandma said scars are medals, marks of heroes, I’m a little hero, I’m not afraid of having scars on my body.”
“…” You’ve been totally fooled by your grandma!
Da Zai looked up at his mom’s back of the head, his hands clenched together, “Mom, grandma said dad has scars on his body too, many scars, is that true?”
“Yes, which soldier doesn’t have scars.” Lin Zhao said.
Gu Chenghuai had a scar on his chest the length of a finger, left from his first mission, the wound was very deep, and after healing, the raised ferocious scar looked like a centipede coiled on his bronze skin.
“Your dad works hard, so we need to be understanding and care for him.”
Da Zai was silent for a moment, then said softly: “Mom, can you teach me to write a letter to dad?”
“Sure.” Lin Zhao agreed on the spot, “Comrade Gu would be very happy to receive your letters.”
The usually talkative Er Zai didn’t join the topic.
He didn’t like writing.
Lin Zhao asked about the box the two little brothers picked up, “Where did you pick up the box?”
“Under the thickest tree at the foot of the mountain.” Er Zai answered.
A proud look appeared on his face: “We were playing hide-and-seek, my brother and I hid there, no one could find us.”
Lin Zhao shook her head disapprovingly, “It’s dangerous at the foot of the mountain, why go there, try not to go in the future, and if you must, an adult has to go with you.”
Da Zai obediently agreed, “Mom, Er Zai and I know. There’s a wild boar at the foot of the mountain that eats kids, Lu Baozhen almost got gored, we’re not going.”
“A wild boar appeared at the foot of the mountain?” Lin Zhao’s heart jumped heavily, feeling scared in retrospect, looking at the two cubs, she quickly asked: “You two weren’t scared, right?”
“No no.” Da Zai said, “Er Zai and I put the box home, then went to the old house and found out Lu Baozhen encountered the wild boar.”
“Good that you weren’t scared.” Lin Zhao breathed a sigh of relief.
“See, the foot of the mountain is dangerous, absolutely cannot go again, got it?”
“If you want to play, play in the village, the village is so big, what can’t you play.”
Afraid of saying too much and causing the two cubs to rebel, she remembered to paint a big pie for her sons.
“If you two behave, I’ll buy you a football someday.”
“Football?” Er Zai’s voice was light and cheerful, full of joy and curiosity, “Mom, what’s a football?”
“Just think of it as a toy.” Lin Zhao didn’t know how to explain it so the two cubs could understand, so she simply let them think of it as a toy.
Hearing this, Er Zai thought it was like his younger brother and sister’s cloth ball, his brows knitting together, “Mom, my brother and I are big friends now, we don’t play with little brother and sister’s cloth ball.”
Before his mom could explain further, he continued: “Mom, save the money to buy meat.”
Lin Zhao chuckled lightly, “You’re the one who said it, okay, then I’ll buy it for your brother, and when I buy it back, you can’t fight him for it.”
Er Zai thought of something, one eyebrow suddenly raised high, his nose tip wrinkling cooperatively into sly folds.
“That won’t do, my brother and I are blood brothers, we do everything together.”
Then in a helpless tone: “Mom, if you want to buy it, buy it, I won’t be the buzzkill little friend.”
Buzzkill was a word he learned from Lin Zhao.
“Then thank you.” Lin Zhao said helplessly.
Er Zai scratched his nose tip, saw the little red rope on his wrist, grabbed her clothes hem, his soft chubby fingers curling.
“Mom, my little red rope is gone, can you buy me another one?”
Lin Zhao picked up Da Zai, pushed the bicycle into the home.
Parked the bike, turned back to Er Zai, “Lost it?”
“No, my little red rope is gone.” Er Zai looked aggrieved, then angrily explained: “It’s all Lu Baozhen’s fault, she pulled my little red rope, then the little red rope turned black, I wanted to wipe off the black stuff, and my little red rope turned into crumbs.”
“??!”
The red rope that wards off evil creatures is gone!?
What kind of dangerous existence is Lu Baozhen!!
Lin Zhao felt a wave of fear, immensely grateful she drew「God’s Blessing·Little Red Rope」, otherwise… if the two cubs were influenced by the evil creature, forced to follow the original book’s plot, what meaning would her awakening have.
She pulled the two cubs to sit down, carefully asking: “What’s the deal with Li Li that Lu Baozhen was shouting in her mouth?”
“Lu Baozhen said Li Li is her best friend, and wanted Li Li to turn my brother and me into little dirt piles.”
Er Zai’s dark eyes flickered with anger, fiercely saying: “Mom, Lu Baozhen is a bad little friend, she has no mom, and wants us not to be with mom either.”
Lin Zhao had a guess in her heart, that Li Li was probably the mysterious existence in the original book that helped Lu Baozhen reach the peak of her life.
“What about that Li Li, do you two know?”
Da Zai blinked his big eyes, “Mom believes Lu Baozhen has a good friend named Li Li?”
“Better to believe it exists.”
The two cubs didn’t understand.
“Mom, my brother and I didn’t see the Li Li that Lu Baozhen talked about, she’s lying, don’t believe her.” Er Zai tilted up his little head, opened his big shiny black eyes, looking especially sincere.
Lin Zhao: “…”
This little look, as if she this mom was a fool, easily fooled.
Lin Zhao rubbed the top of Er Zai’s head, smiling: “Mom knows. A little friend without even elementary school education, don’t worry about high school student matters.”
Er Zai saw the mockery on mom’s face, angrily stuck out his neck, leaving Lin Zhao with the back of his head that seemed frosted with silver.
Such a tiny person, with equally tiny tolerance.
Lin Zhao reached out to pull Er Zai’s hand, the little friend facing away from mom had his mouth grin open, turned back around, generously said: “Okay, I forgive mom, but mom can’t mock my brother and me in the future.”
“Okay okay okay.” Lin Zhao agreed.
Took off her own little red rope, put it on Da Zai’s hand.
“Da Zai is a good big brother, mom’s giving it to you.”
That evil creature called Li Li should have been dealt with by the little red rope, but better safe than sorry.
Da Zai looked at the little red rope on his hand, pretended not to care as he kicked a pebble, but his reddened earlobes betrayed his elated mood from being praised.
“Mom, you rest, Er Zai and I will go pick up San Zai and Si Zai.” He said.
“Okay, then I’ll trouble you two.” Lin Zhao was thinking about the lucky draw, handed the task of picking up the dragon-phoenix twins to the two little brothers.
“We’re not troubled.”
Da Zai held Er Zai’s hand, went out the home door.
Watching her two sons leave, Lin Zhao returned to the room, called out the lucky draw wheel, discovered the right column prompted task completed.
【Take on the gluing matchboxes task, fully bloom, walk the broad road to getting rich, reward 200 points.】
Lin Zhao’s eyes showed surprise.
“!”
So generous.
This task was worth taking!
【Didn’t miss the village’s big gossip, reward 10 points.】
Seeing this one, Lin Zhao laughed.
The lucky draw wheel really keeps up with current events, not even trusting this, wishing to stuff it into her mouth.
Thanks so much!
No longer looking at the task bar, Lin Zhao seized the time to draw.
Three draws in a row.
【Soap×5】
【Mosquito repellent sachet×3】
【Parent-child outfit×1 set】
【Grain coupons×200 jin】
【Agricultural urea×2 bags】
【Pagoda Sugar×10】
【Red dates×2 jin】
【Braised pork belly can×2】
【Film×1 roll】
【Women’s small leather shoes×1 pair】
【Scissors×1】
【Sweet fried dough twist×5】
Just these, no scar fading.
Lin Zhao guessed scar fading was very precious, perhaps needed a 500-point draw.
Save up more points, she’ll be able to remove the tooth mark on Er Zai’s hand.
Among these prizes, she was quite interested in the parent-child outfit.
Extracted it to see, total six sets, even Gu Chenghuai’s was there.
The color was the most fashionable army green of this era, top was ordinary style camouflage short sleeves, bottom same color long pants.
Simple and generous, absolutely top-notch good-looking for photos.
“Mom, my brother and I brought San Zai and Si Zai back.” Er Zai’s lively voice rang out.
Lin Zhao got excited, waved to them through the window.
“Little ones, come in quick, try your new clothes, mom will take your photos.”
Ah ha, new clothes?!
“Brother, mom bought us new clothes again.” Er Zai’s mouth curved up, expression reserved yet satisfied, “Oh, if we keep adding like this, I won’t have enough clothes to wear.”
This was heard by Lin Zhao.
What’s with that smug little tone?
Just three outfits, plus the new ones, total only four.
The four cubs entered the room, saw the color of the new clothes, grinned happily.
Her heart screamed aaaaa.
Little military uniforms.
“Mom, is this for us?” Er Zai hugged the clothes to his bosom, excited eyes even more brilliant.
“Yes.” Lin Zhao mimicked his tone.
See how happy, he didn’t even hear her second half.
“Quick, put them on, then mom will take your photos.”
Da Zai suddenly looked at his mom, “Take photos?”
“Going to the county?” He really liked the county, expectant eyes shining like summer night stars.
“Take them at home. Double harvest rush is done, tomorrow I need to discuss building house with your grandparents, next time off I’ll take you to the city to play.”
San Zai suddenly hugged her, tilting up his little head, little face fair and tender, eyes clear and bright, “…take cubs.”
As soon as he spoke, Si Zai also stretched out her little short arms to hug her mom.
“Take nest, take nest!” The little girl milkily made her demand.
The dragon-phoenix twins weren’t very old, but actually quite clever, heard mom was taking pot pot to play, quickly jumped out, not only making demands, two pairs of wet big eyes staring at their mom.
Lin Zhao felt if she showed even a hint of not taking them, the two little ones would wail and run out the home door, pitiful little backs facing her like that.
“Take, all take.”
Picked up the dragon-phoenix twins to change them into new clothes.
At the same time turned her head to Da Zai and Er Zai: “You two change yourselves.”
“Mm mm.” Da Zai and his younger brother went to change clothes.
Lin Zhao stripped the dragon-phoenix twins bare, quickly changed them into new clothes.
Tiny army green camouflage short sleeves and shorts, on the tiny people, both cute and cool.
Especially San Zai, who looked most like Gu Chenghuai, sitting there with a straight little face, looking steady and quiet, Lin Zhao seemed to see a mini version of cubs’ dad.
“How so cute.” She fondly kissed San Zai and Si Zai’s cheeks, brows and eyes overflowing with smiles.
Seeing this scene, Er Zai got anxious, clumsily pulled up his pants, rushed to Lin Zhao.
“Mom, how do I look?” He asked.
“Handsome, as handsome as your dad!” Lin Zhao praised.
Er Zai had his own little thoughts, right cheek facing his mom, seeking a kiss, Lin Zhao was getting the camera, didn’t notice.
The little friend pouted, pretended calm and took his younger brother and sister out.
As soon as out the room, he instantly revived full blood, little eyes glancing at the black lump in Lin Zhao’s hand.
“Mom, where to take?”
Lin Zhao adjusted the camera, “Take one here first.”
The room they’re living in now will be demolished soon, leave a few commemorative photos.
“Okay.” Er Zai said.
The four cubs stood side by side under the eaves, raising smiles.
“Ka-da” sound.
“Done.” Lin Zhao said.
Er Zai ran quickly to her side, “Mom, can I see?”
“No, only after developing is it a photo.” Lin Zhao explained to the two cubs.
“Wash with water?” Da Zai looked puzzled.
Er Zai also perked up his ears, controlled his younger brother and sister, not letting them grab the black lump in mom’s hand.
Lin Zhao was charmed, smile climbing to her eye corners, eyes full of fine light.
“No, I only half understand this too. How about when you go to school and learn, you tell me?”
Da Zai seemed suddenly given some important mission, expression serious, “Okay.”
“Come, take one at the main door.” Lin Zhao said.
Er Zai called to her, suggested: “Mom, can we take one here by the firewood? My brother and I and Tie Dan worked hard to pick the firewood.”
“…Okay.”
The firewood was neatly stacked against the wall, covered with old sack for rain protection.
Light was just right.
Lin Zhao found the angle, ka-da again.
“Done.”
Then, the family of five went to the main door to take one.
The four cubs stood ready, Lin Zhao just pressed the shutter, Er Zai raised his hand, “Mom, can I hold something?”
Lin Zhao put down the camera, asked: “Sure, what do you want to hold?”
Er Zai hehe smiled, turned back home, soon came out, holding a basket and small shovel for digging wild veggies in hand.
“Eating tools.” He said.
Not only for himself, didn’t forget his brother.
Da Zai obviously thought Er Zai’s idea was great, eyes curving like summer stars, “Thanks Er Zai.”
Si Zai saw her hand empty, fought Er Zai for the basket and shovel, “Second pot pot, cub.”
Lin Zhao saw Yuan Bao coming to join the fun, with a bunch of wildflowers in hand.
She waved to the little friend.
Yuan Bao da da da ran over, “Aunt Lin, you looking for me?”
“Auntie can borrow your flowers? Take a photo for the four cubs, give back right away.” Lin Zhao borrowed the flowers from him.
“Sure.” Yuan Bao agreed immediately, gave her the flowers.
“Thanks little Yuan Bao.” Lin Zhao thanked the generous little friend, divided the wildflowers to the dragon-phoenix twins, casually smoothed Si Zai’s top soft hair that’s sticking up.
She backed to proper distance, clapped hands.
“Okay, everyone has something in hand, all look at the lens.”
The four cubs looked over, grinned, Er Zai grinning the widest.
Others aside, this one will definitely become black history when grown up hahaha.
Just as Lin Zhao was about to press the shutter, Da Huang and Amber appeared, coiled in front of the four cubs.
The frame froze the four cubs, two dogs’ figures.
Lin Zhao put away the camera, touched Da Huang’s head, “Came at the right time!”
Da Huang sat up, licked her hand.
The dragon-phoenix twins wanted to hug Da Huang, wanted to throw away the flowers in hand, Lin Zhao caught them first, “Little rascals.”
Scraped the two cubs’ little noses, she took back the flowers from dragon-phoenix twins’ hands, returned to Yuan Bao.
Yuan Bao took the flowers, eyes glanced at the thing in Lin Zhao’s hand, “Aunt Lin, what are you doing?”
Er Zai came over, excitedly said: “Taking photos, my mom is taking photos for us, we’ve taken several already.”
“Wow!” Yuan Bao wow-ed, cupped his face, yearned: “My mom said when I’m ten, take me to county to take photos.”
Lin Zhao touched his head, said: “I’ll take one for you, where do you want to take it?
