Chapter 38: “bloodline Suppression”
“Yun Cheng.” Lin Zhao’s brows and eyes were tinged with a faint smile, the slanting sunlight shining on her, exceptionally beautiful.
“Sister Zhaozhao?” Song Yuncheng exclaimed in surprise.
After speaking, he stepped aside to let Lin Zhao into the room, turned his head toward the inside of the room, and called out loudly: “Mom, Sister Zhaozhao is here.”
Uncle Song’s family had two sons, one named Song Yuncheng, the other Song Yunjin, both younger than Lin Zhao, one seventeen, the other fifteen.
Aunt Song heard the voice and hurried out. Seeing Lin Zhao, she froze hard, her eyes filled with complex emotions, and couldn’t help but jab on her lips, “Hard for you to still remember which way the home door opens.”
Her tone carried an unspeakable resentment.
How could she not resent?
She and Old Song hadn’t wronged Lin Zhao, this niece, at all. Whatever they ate, they gave her the same, even boiling an egg for her from time to time.
The best bed at home for her to sleep in.
When she was growing taller, Old Song ordered goat milk for her, not even Yun Cheng and Yun Jin had it.
Her uncle worked the night shift, exhausted, yet still made time to pick her up and drop her off…
But what about her?
After getting married, she never visited again. How many years has it been??
How many years!!
Old Song didn’t say anything, but at night he always made flatbread, tossing and turning unable to sleep.
After all, she was the girl raised from childhood right in front of them, no different from their own. If the child doesn’t visit for a year or two, three or four years without seeing her face, how could their hearts not grow cold?!
Lin Zhao stuffed the things into Yun Cheng’s bosom, walked toward Aunt Song, and warmly hugged her.
“This is my home, how could I not know which way the door opens.”
The girl’s voice was sweet and soft, her whole person fragrant, the thorns Aunt Song had just raised on her body softened with a whoosh, but her mouth was merciless, “Little deceiver.”
“You say this is your home on your lips, but haven’t come for years. What? Married out and don’t even recognize your uncle anymore? You heartless bad girl.”
Though saying this, she didn’t push Lin Zhao away hard.
Song Yuncheng caught a glimpse of his mom’s expression and sighed inwardly. She had said such harsh things before.
…If she doesn’t come, fine, if she comes, I’ll chase her out!
Why don’t you chase her then!
Noticing her son’s gaze, Aunt Song felt embarrassed, pushed Lin Zhao away, “You’re such an adult now, still hugging people at the drop of a hat, not embarrassed by the cheesiness.”
As she spoke, she got up to make malt extract for Lin Zhao.
Song Yuncheng pursed his lips.
Noticing Sister Zhaozhao’s gaze fall on him, he huffed heavily, crossed his arms leaning against the cabinet, complaining: “Mom is really biased. Who is the real child after all.”
Lin Zhao curved her eyes at him, “Though I’m not the real one, Uncle and Aunt treat me well, and I’ll have a share in their elder care.”
The youth rolled his eyes, his voice carrying some resentment, “For Mom and Dad’s elder care, there’s me and Yun Jin. As for you, if you have the heart, come over more often. My parents miss you.”
“I’ll definitely come often.” Lin Zhao said good-temperedly.
Song Yuncheng felt like Sister Zhaozhao had become a different person, looking at her with a strange expression, wanting to say something more when Aunt Song came out holding the enamel mug.
Without saying a word, she placed it in front of Lin Zhao.
The anger in her heart hadn’t fully dissipated.
“Wow, malt extract, thank you Aunt.” Lin Zhao smiled sweetly, her brows and eyes full of smiles, her tone unconsciously softening.
Aunt Song still didn’t speak, nor look at her.
Lin Zhao seemed oblivious to her deliberate distance, sat next to her, and said happily: “Aunt, I have work now!”
Only then did Aunt Song look at her, asking several questions in a row, “What work? Started going to work? Tired?”
“Salesperson at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, just started yesterday, not tired.” Lin Zhao answered Aunt’s questions one by one, then intimately hugged her arm, saying with a coquettish expression: “I knew Aunt cares about me…”
Aunt Song pulled at her own arm, not letting her hug, but was held tightly, almost laughing from anger.
She pinched Lin Zhao’s face.
“Such a pretty girl, who did you learn to have such thick skin from? Don’t you know embarrassment?”
Lin Zhao shook her head innocently, “I don’t know.”
After being cheeky, she said seriously: “I only know that Aunt being angry at me is justified. Not visiting for years was indeed my fault.”
“I know I was wrong. Can Aunt not hold it against me, forgive me this once?”
Aunt Song doted on Lin Zhao to begin with, and with the little girl speaking soft words, the hard ice in her heart melted a corner.
She patted her hand.
Her hard voice softened.
“Salesperson at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative is a good job, and it’s what you like. Since you’ve gotten in, do it well.”
Her willingness to say this meant she was no longer holding a grudge.
Lin Zhao’s heart, suspended all the way, finally settled back in place. She reached out to pull over the things she brought, taking them out one by one.
“Aunt, this is what I brought for you and Uncle, all food. Now that I have work and can earn money, I definitely can’t come empty-handed. Hope you like them.”
Aunt Song knew life in the countryside was hard and didn’t want to take her things, saying: “Home doesn’t lack anything…”
How could they not lack? Even though Uncle and Aunt were both workers with salary and tickets every month, raising two young men, the older one to marry in a couple years, the younger still in school, the pressure wasn’t small.
“I don’t care.” Lin Zhao interrupted Aunt Song.
“…” Very Zhaozhao.
Aunt Song’s eyes showed a hint of helplessness, “Still so willful.”
Lin Zhao said spiritedly, “You spoiled me.”
She took out all the things.
Meat, eggs, Baibai’s dried noodles, a cured sausage, two apples… all particularly good things, each hard to buy.
“How did you bring so many things.” Aunt Song was startled, disapprovingly said, “Yun Cheng, pack the things up. Zhaozhao, take them back for Da Zai and them to eat.”
Thinking of not seeing Da Zai and the others for nearly a year, she added: “When you have time off, bring Da Zai and them over. Your uncle misses them a lot.”
Song Yuncheng squatted by the small wooden table, about to pack the things as his mom said, but was stopped by Lin Zhao.
“No packing, go to the side.” Lin Zhao glared at him, her tone rising, fiercely saying: “Can the things I brought be taken back? Don’t make me hit you.”
When she said she’d hit, she really would. Back then when Uncle Song and Aunt Song went to work, Song Yuncheng and Song Yunjin, those two naughty monkeys, were watched by Lin Zhao. She had a bad temper, and the mischievous brothers got beaten quite a few times.
They were afraid of Lin Zhao.
Bloodline suppression wasn’t just talk.
Song Yuncheng withdrew his hand, obediently sat back, as well-behaved as could be.
Only after sitting back did he realize he’d been bluffed, instantly speechless.
No, why was he guilty? The one who should be guilty is his sister!
“…” Aunt Song glared hard at her son.
No prospects.
Song Yuncheng didn’t care, huffed. Mom was biased, whatever he did was wrong.
“Have you eaten?” Aunt Song looked at Lin Zhao and asked.
Lin Zhao said: “Ate a little casually, not very hungry, will eat when I get back.”
“From now on, at noon I’ll have Yun Cheng bring you a meal.” Aunt Song glanced at the things on the table, her tone brooking no refusal.
Song Yuncheng didn’t dare object, “Okay, whatever Mom says.”
“No need, I’ll bring my own meal…” Lin Zhao’s words were only halfway when Aunt Song cut her off, “Bring what meal? Brought meals aren’t fresh, especially in the big summer, what if you get a bad stomach.”
“Anyway, Yun Cheng has to eat too, just add a bit more rice, no big deal. Or do you… say treating here like home is just lip service, actually not close to us in your heart?”
Hearing Aunt say this, Lin Zhao quickly denied, “No way.”
Seeing Aunt Song staring at her, she hesitated slightly, then simply agreed, “Then I’ll shamelessly accept. Tomorrow I’ll bring ration.”
“Good.” Aunt Song said, “Stay for a meal later?”
“Not today, didn’t tell home, afraid Da Zai and them are waiting anxiously.” Lin Zhao drank the malt extract Aunt made, smiling as she explained.
“True.” Aunt Song didn’t insist. Meals could be had anytime, and asked again: “Da Zai and them are watched by your mother-in-law?”
“Yes, their grandma takes care, I’m at ease.” Gu Mu was diligent, loved cleanliness, and cared about the children. With her watching the kids, Lin Zhao was very relieved.
“Your husband’s family is good.” Aunt Song praised the Gu Family’s character, smiled at Lin Zhao, “You have good taste.”
“Aunt, you’re smiling. Does that mean you’re not mad at me anymore?” Lin Zhao smiled, leaning her body, bringing her face close to Aunt Song’s.
Aunt Song patted her hand, sighing: “As elders, how could we really hold grudges against a child we watched grow up? The past is past. Now that you’re working in the county, come visit often. Your uncle misses you.”
She missed her too.
“Good.”
Lin Zhao didn’t stay long at her uncle’s house, saying goodbye and leaving around five.
Aunt Song worried she’d be too late going back and in danger, didn’t stop her, said to Song Yuncheng: “Yun Cheng, go borrow Old Zhao family’s bicycle, you send your sister.”
“Okay!” Song Yuncheng immediately went out to borrow the bicycle.
The Song Family had a bicycle too, but Uncle Song had ridden it away.
Soon, Song Yuncheng borrowed the bicycle. Aunt Song had a soft cushion in hand, tying it to the bicycle’s rear seat.
“Ride slowly on the road.” Aunt Song called out instructions, her eyes full of smiles.
Lin Zhao hopped on the bike, waved to her, “Aunt go back. I’ll come see you and Uncle again tomorrow.”
Facing the sunset, the bike with two people departed.
Aunt Song turned back home.
The Factory’s staff dormitory was five stories total, Song Family on the third floor edge unit.
This building had no privacy; whoever had a relative visit would spread immediately.
“Old Song’s, just now that was… your Old Song’s niece, called Zhaozhao, right?” The Song Family’s neighbor had just gotten off work, stood by watching for a good while, now asking.
“Yes, Zhaozhao. The little girl got into the Supply and Marketing Cooperative as a salesperson, came to tell me and her uncle.” Aunt Song beamed.
“Got into the Supply and Marketing Cooperative?” The neighbor looked shocked, “That’s a good unit. Didn’t expect her to quietly become a salesperson. Great job, suits her.”
At this time, a resident from the second floor who didn’t get along with Aunt Song appeared, mouth skewed, showing a mocking expression, speaking cool words: “Became a salesperson so what, still can’t benefit from it.”
“That girl hasn’t visited your home for years, suddenly shows up now, definitely wants to take advantage again. Be careful or she’ll scheme you out of your underpants.”
She wanted to introduce her own niece to Song Yuncheng, rejected by Aunt Song, after which she gossiped about the Song Family daily.
Song Family folks were diligent and down-to-earth, nothing bad to say, so she attacked them via Lin Zhao, always saying Old Song and his wife were fools, raising a white-eyed wolf…
These years, the Song Family had been quite the spectacle and joke in the Factory by many.
Aunt Song ignored her, went upstairs shoulder-to-shoulder with the neighbor, sighing as they walked: “My Zhaozhao has grown up, really heartwarming.”
The neighbor cooperated, “What happened?”
“The little girl on her second day of work eagerly brought things to see me and her uncle: dried noodles, two jin of meat, two big apples, a cured sausage, and over twenty eggs. I suspect she brought all the good things from home. She even said she’d provide elder care for me and her uncle…” Aunt Song laughed, crow’s feet squeezing at her eye corners.
“I have two sons, no need for a little girl for elder care. But the child has heart, my heart is really warm.”
The neighbor knew best how well Old Song and his wife treated that niece, basically like their own.
Lin Zhao hadn’t visited for years, and she had grumbled inwardly, thinking the little girl was ungrateful.
Hearing Lin Zhao brought so many things, very surprised, and happy for Old Song couple.
“People say, where the money is, where the heart is; where the things are, where the affection is. Your niece wasn’t raised in vain.”
Aunt Song smiled even more, “I never thought raised in vain. Zhaozhao is the child me and Old Song watched grow up, we know what she’s like. Years without visiting had reasons.”
“That time Old Song found her a temporary worker job, but it flew away. To lighten the family burden, she married herself out. Married less than a year and pregnant again, two pregnancies four treasures.
We’re all women, know how child-rearing drains people. Where’s the time to come to the county? Now the kids are bigger, Zhaozhao came. Our Song Family has no white-eyed wolf.”
She said this without lowering her voice, several people in the staff dormitory heard, nodding in agreement.
“Yes, yes, raising kids is draining. Didn’t expect your niece has four children already, really good fortune.” An aunt whose daughter-in-law hadn’t conceived in three years said enviously.
“Old Song’s, your niece in the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, defective products easy to get, right? All acquaintances, if there’s any, give us a convenience.”
…
Aunt Song responded casually, heading home.
Once home, that smile didn’t fade.
Really satisfying!
The resentment blocking in her heart finally dispersed!
Putting away the things Zhaozhao brought, she set aside the two jin of meat and dried noodles separately, took them to the public kitchen.
A neighbor saw the meat in her hand, a full two jin, immediately said: “This meat from your niece?”
“Of course, family’s meat tickets used up. If not for Zhaozhao’s filial piety, her uncle wouldn’t eat meat today.” Aunt Song stood by processing the meat, eyes full of smiles.
She washed some green vegetables, cut tofu, radish, etc., stir-fried a piece of meat together.
Instantly.
Fragrance overflowed.
The whole building could smell it.
Kids wailed from the aroma, clamoring for meat.
Adults barked fiercely: “Eat what meat! Where’s the meat ticket? Keep making trouble and I’ll beat you to death!”
“Wah woo!!!” Violent cries rose and fell.
Uncle Song, just back to the staff dormitory, full of confusion.
Until someone told him Zhaozhao had come.
He locked his bicycle securely, hurried upstairs, pushed the door in, eyes scanning around, hidden expectation well concealed by him.
Missing his niece, even ignoring the thick meal fragrance in the room.
Aunt Song said: “Back, time for meal.”
Uncle Song sat down, less than half a minute, couldn’t hold back and asked: “Just us two?”
“Or what.” Aunt Song set out bowls and chopsticks, holding back laughter, deliberately pretending not to see his thoughts.
Uncle Song finally couldn’t hold back, “Wasn’t it said Zhaozhao came? Where is she?”
“Pfft—!!” Aunt Song burst out laughing.
“…” Uncle Song looked at her silently.
After laughing, Aunt Song said: “Went back, said didn’t tell home, hurrying back to see the kids. I had Yun Cheng send her.”
Uncle Song nodded.
“Eat noodles.” Aunt Song said, “This meat and dried noodles are from Zhaozhao. You must eat more today.”
Uncle Song’s heart warmed, but then thought of Zhaozhao in the countryside, even a meat meal hard to come by, and as uncle, worried again.
“I remember we have some canned meat at home. Some day send to Zhaozhao.”
“You think I didn’t.” Aunt Song rolled her eyes at him, “Zhaozhao firmly refused.”
Then laughed again, “Let me tell you good news…”
Woke up from sleep, sky fell!!!
Score dropped badly, crying to death.(T＿T)
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