Chapter 19: “living Off Parents”
Meanwhile, Gu Chenghuai remitted the money to his comrade, then sent a telegram home.
Lin Zhao had no idea that her random outburst had gotten her a relaxed and respectable job.
At mealtime, the Lin family children all came back.
They washed their hands, and the table was already filled with dishes: spicy rabbit meat, braised pork, tomato and egg stir-fry, mushroom soup, and even the rice was thicker than usual.
A group of little gluttons’ eyes lit up brightly, letting out hoarse shrieks.
“Meat—”
Lin Zhao put her index finger to her lips, her voice tinged with laughter: “Shh—! Eat meat low-key!”
Da Zai and Er Zai immediately covered their mouths, their two identical pairs of eyes curving up.
The family sat down, and after starting to eat, Lin Zhao’s first chopsticks went for the spicy rabbit meat. Her mom had been generous with the spices; one bite was numbingly spicy and delicious.
“Delicious!” She curved her eyes in a smile; it had been a long time since she’d had a bite like this.
Er Zai wanted to try the spicy one, but his mom clamped his chopsticks. “Little friends can’t eat too spicy; you and your brother eat the non-spicy one.” Get inflamed? Really.
“Da Dan Ge and Er Dan Ge both eat it.” Er Zai’s clear bright eyes looked at his mom, his expression full of grievance.
“How old are Da Dan and Er Dan? How old are you?” Lin Zhao countered, not stopping her mouth as she spoke, sucking on the numbingly spicy rabbit meat, her eyes showing enjoyment.
Er Zai pouted.
“Er Zai, the non-spicy one is delicious too.” Da Zai was an obedient little friend. He knew mom didn’t let them eat spicy for their own good, so he helped his mom persuade his brother.
Er Zai listened most to his brother and stopped fussing.
Lin Heling saw this scene, his eyes carrying a smile.
Lin Mu saw her daughter “bullying” her two grandsons and glared at Lin Zhao without any anger. “How old are you, still bullying your own kids.”
She gave Da Zai and Er Zai each a piece of spicy rabbit meat, saying: “You’re still small; you can taste it, but don’t eat too much.”
Da Zai’s little face lit up. “Thank you, Grandmother.”
“Thank you, Grandmother; Grandmother’s food is the best.” Er Zai followed with rainbow farts.
Lin Zhao’s eyebrows lightly raised, glancing faintly at him. This morning he was saying her food was the best. At such a young age, he already mastered balancing, no wonder if he grew up to do business nationwide.
The Lin family didn’t have so many rules; everyone ate and talked, the atmosphere lively.
Qiu Lian didn’t speak, just kept her head down eating hard. Every extra bite she took meant the freeloading sister-in-law and two little rabbits ate less. Worth it.
Lin Shisheng watched with furrowed brows, but not wanting to ruin the family’s appetite, he held back.
Lin Xuan saw her mom with her mouth stuffed full, not even as good as Er Zai, her face flushing red, her eyes apologetically looking at Lin Zhao.
Lin Zhao smiled at her, and the little girl’s expression slowly relaxed.
This temperament was too soft; she’d get bullied.
After the meal, Lin Zhao and her two sons were sent home by Lin Shisheng.
On the way.
Lin Zhao wiped the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief and asked Lin Shisheng: “Second Brother, has Third Brother sent a letter? When is he coming home next? I miss Third Brother!”
The Lin family brothers’ names came from the words for prosperity: Lin Shichang, Lin Shisheng, Lin Shichang—the stolen twin brother was called Lin Shirong.
“The last one was three months ago. Old Three is far away; a round trip takes over half a month. He said he has tasks from time to time and won’t come back this year.” Lin Shisheng said.
He understood his third brother; those who served the country were no longer their own masters.
Lin Zhao knew too; her child’s dad was also a soldier, with many inevitabilities.
“Okay.”
Changing the subject, she asked: “Does Third Brother have any close female comrades?”
Lin Shisheng chuckled lightly. “You’re curious when your Third Brother will get married, right?”
“A bit curious.” Lin Zhao smiled brightly. “I see Mom cares a lot.”
“Mom just said it casually. If Mom really wanted to get Old Three a wife, could he escape?” Lin Shisheng didn’t believe it.
At home, it was his mom’s word. If his mom spoke, except for his dad and Zhaozhao, his brothers had no room to resist.
Lin Zhao said: “Mom feels sorry for Third Brother.” It was also because Fourth Brother was stolen; her mom gave the mother’s love for Fourth Brother to Third Brother too.
Da Zai and Er Zai hadn’t seen Third Uncle much, only knowing he was a heroic People’s Liberation Army soldier like their dad.
Just for that, they had full fondness for Third Uncle.
“Mom, can you get Dad to give me and my brother a green hat?” Er Zai suddenly said, his little black face innocently pure.
Da Zai’s expression moved slightly, also looking at his mom expectantly.
Lin Shisheng couldn’t hold back: “Pfft—”
Lin Zhao’s gaze swept over Second Brother’s head, her eyes subtle.
Don’t laugh; Er Zai said it casually, but the green hat on your head is real.
Lin Shisheng rubbed his itchy nose, looking at Er Zai. “Er Zai, you can’t just ask for green hats casually.”
Er Zai blinked puzzledly.
“Does wanting a green hat violate discipline?”
He’d heard “violate discipline” from Gu Fu.
Lin Shisheng was speechless.
“No.” He said.
Er Zai’s eyes puzzled: “Then why not?”
He stared at his second uncle, his little face frowning, eyes showing disappointment. “Dad has lots of green hats; I want one.”
Lin Zhao nearly tripped her left foot over her right and fell flat.
“…” You’re really asking for a beating, Er Zai.
“That’s a military cap!” She sternly corrected with a straight face.
Little friends often used colors for things they liked, not strange, but if villagers heard this, the joke would be huge!
“That’s a military cap; say military cap from now on, got it?” Lin Zhao emphasized.
Er Zai didn’t understand but nodded obediently. “Mm mm, military cap.”
“Good boy.” Lin Zhao’s brows and eyes softened with a light smile, saying: “If you two keep being good, after the New Year, Mom will give each of you a little military cap.”
Hearing this, Da Zai and Er Zai’s eyes lit up instantly, hooked by their mom into pouting smiles.
“Thank you, Mom!”
The two little brothers’ heads bumped together, whispering, occasionally letting out crisp laughter.
Lin Shisheng saw how much Da Zai and Er Zai listened to Zhaozhao, his gaze softening clearly. The kids were sensible; his sister could save a lot of trouble.
Lin Shisheng sent his sister and two nephews to the Fengshou Brigade village entrance, not entering the village, planning to leave.
Seeing his sister unhappy, the young man warmly explained: “Have things to do back home; after this busy period, I’ll come see you again.”
Lin Zhao, hearing this, didn’t persuade further, taking the two kids home.
Just at the gate, Lin Zhao took out the key and was about to speak when Er Zai looked up, negotiating with his mom: “Mom, can me and brother go play for a bit?”
“Drink some water first then play.” Lin Zhao considered the kids hadn’t drunk on the way, and the weather was dry, afraid the two little brothers would get inflamed.
“Okay.” Da Zai agreed.
Back home, the two kids rushed into the kitchen; there was cool boiled water in the kitchen. Gulp gulp gulp, big mouthfuls, then wiped their little mouths.
Er Zai looked up at Lin Zhao. “Drank it, Mom; can we go play now?”
Said play, but really wanted to go show off.
“Go ahead.” Lin Zhao was also drinking water; hearing Er Zai, she waved them off, sending away the two stinky boys.
Da Zai was pulled by his brother to run, shouting at the door: “Mom, I’ll come back later to help you with the fire.”
“No rush.” Lin Zhao replied.
The two kids went out to play; she returned to the room and opened the thing her dad had forcefully given her.
Her dad had been all mysterious, telling her to look when no one was around.
This thing had been carried by Lin Shisheng the whole way; only when Lin Zhao took it did she feel how strangely heavy it was. Inside seemed like a square box, wrapped in a piece of black cloth, casually stuffed in the net bag.
Lin Zhao opened the net bag and untied the black cloth.
As she thought, inside was a wooden box, but not an ordinary wooden box—it was a gilded enamel inlaid garnet jewelry cosmetic box.
Lin Zhao held the cosmetic box and looked carefully; very exquisite, the lid carved with patterns, magnificent.
How did her dad have something like this?
She was full of doubts.
Opening the jewelry box, the things inside nearly blinded Lin Zhao.
Five gold bars, an emerald necklace, a big red bracelet, two crystal-clear jade bracelets, a pair of jade earrings, a pair of pure gold floral earrings, and a pair of gold engraved double dragon playing pearl pattern rings.
No wonder it was heavy; all good stuff.
Could buy a siheyuan courtyard house! That was Lin Zhao’s first thought.
Unexpectedly, even after marrying and having kids, she still had a chance to mooch off her parents.
Lin Zhao was bubbling with joy; having parents who doted was great.
Hee hee.
She had to be filial to her parents this lifetime.
She rewrapped the cosmetic box, hid it at the bottom of the cabinet, added a big lock, and Lin Zhao went to the old house to pick up the dragon-phoenix twins.
The dragon-phoenix twins saw Mom; their two identical white tender little faces stunned for a moment, then Si Zai burst into a loud cry.
Wobbly, they walked toward Lin Zhao.
Crying while milkily calling: “Mom—”
When the sister cried, San Zai also wailed, howling at the top of his lungs.
Lin Zhao was dumbfounded by the brother-sister duo’s crying.
Previously, when she went to the county town, even a whole day without seeing her, the dragon-phoenix twins didn’t cry. Today only half a day, and the two milk balls cried snot bubbles.
“Why are you crying?” Lin Zhao hurriedly coaxed the kids.
When Si Zai nearly hugged his mom, his little body twisted, bypassing her to sit on the door frame, back to Lin Zhao, little head upturned crying, aggrievedly saying while crying: “Mom, no take, kids, waa waa waa—”
Tiny one, cute and pitiful.
San Zai sat beside his sister, howling along, dry howling without tears, even carefully glancing at Lin Zhao with his eyes, clever beyond measure, not like a one-year-old-plus little friend.
The little brother-sister duo’s voices were especially loud; Gu family members heard and came out one after another.
Lin Zhao was extremely embarrassed.
She cleared her throat, squatted in front of the dragon-phoenix twins, coaxing with White Rabbit Toffee.
“Don’t cry, don’t cry; next time take you.”
The dragon-phoenix twins were young but not easily fooled.
Si Zai’s crying paused, big eyes washed by tears full of seriousness, stern cute little face, milkily fierce spitting one word: “Take!”
Meaning to take her.
Lin Zhao hurriedly said: “Take take take!”
Si Zai cried joyfully, reached for the candy in her hand; little fat hands clumsily unwrapping the paper, San Zai leaned in to help.
Lin Zhao watched the kids while asking Huang Xiulan, “What happened with the little brother-sister duo today?”
Huang Xiulan’s face showed awkwardness, weighing her words, a bit embarrassed: “It was all Tie Dan joking around, saying you took Da Zai and Er Zai back to your maternal family but not them. The two little ones overheard; really sorry, I’ve already scolded Tie Dan…”
While speaking, she glimpsed Tie Dan using his brother Tie Chui as a shield, sneaking along the wall home, sneaky.
Huang Xiulan’s head nearly exploded, her mouth emitting a sharp blast: “Gu Tie Dan!”
Tie Dan instantly straightened, clutching his buttocks guiltily. “…Mom.”
Huang Xiulan strode over, grabbing his ear, dragging him to Lin Zhao, educating her son: “What do you say to Third Aunt?”
Tie Dan obediently apologized: “Sorry, Third Aunt; I didn’t mean to, just teasing San Zai and Si Zai; didn’t expect to make them cry. I know I was wrong.”
He was terrified, not daring to look at Lin Zhao, because he knew how formidable Third Aunt was.
Even though Lin Zhao seemed amiable these days, her previous bad temper had left a deep impression on the Gu family kids.
Lin Zhao didn’t take it to heart: “Knowing you were wrong is good; forgive you this time.”
Tie Dan’s tense body suddenly relaxed, grabbing Huang Xiulan’s hand on his ear. “Mom, let go quick; Third Aunt didn’t blame me…”
Huang Xiulan was about to let go when she saw the big hole in his buttock area, instantly furious.
“Gu Tie Dan, you tore your pants again!!” She was livid, raising her palm to smack Tie Dan’s butt, a few pa pa, for a monkey kid it didn’t hurt much, but lost face, especially in front of his brother, mortifying!
“Mom, don’t hit! If hitting, go inside to hit, not here!” Tie Dan covered his face howling.
Lin Zhao saw the seven-year-old little friend so face-conscious, nearly dying of laughter.
So funny.
When she took the dragon-phoenix twins away, she could still hear Eldest Brother’s Wife scolding Tie Dan.
San Zai and Si Zai were very obedient now, holding Mom’s hand, little short legs paddling fast, clearly scared by Huang Xiulan’s loud voice.
Lin Zhao brought the dragon-phoenix twins home, just planning to bathe the two kids when a male voice came from outside.
“Lin Zhao? Is Lin Zhao in?”
Lin Zhao was full of doubts, told the dragon-phoenix twins to stay put obediently, and hurried to the door.
Outside was a young man; beside him a bicycle parked, green mail bags front and back, cloth bag bulging with letters inside.
“I’m Lin Zhao.”
The delivery man said: “You have a telegram.”
He handed Lin Zhao a paper, and gave her a receipt, saying: “Sign on the form.”
“Okay.” Lin Zhao signed and handed the form back.
The delivery man checked the signature, confirmed no issue, put the receipt back in the bag, and rode away.
Lin Zhao looked down at the telegram, discovering it was from a certain military region.
It said:
【Tomorrow, 12, telephone.】
Meaning to contact by telephone tomorrow at
She didn’t mind the few words; telegrams at this time charged per word, expensive.
Lin Zhao figured it might be news on the brick and tile, immediately beaming with joy. Back home, she kissed the dragon-phoenix twins’ faces one by one; the little brother-sister duo giggled, leaning to kiss Lin Zhao, leaving her face full of saliva.
The mom didn’t mind at all, chuckling: “Kids, soon we’ll live in a new house; happy?”
San Zai grinned, showing a few little rice teeth, crisply: “Happy.”
Si Zai excitedly clapped, milkily: “House, house, house…”
Lin Zhao was utterly charmed, kissed her daughter’s cheek again; should kiss now, but if love brain later, still gotta beat if needed.
Da Zai and Er Zai just entered and saw Mom kissing little brother and sister.
The two little friends froze there; recovering, they rushed to Lin Zhao, looking at her eagerly.
“Mom, what are you doing?” Er Zai looked up with his mud-speckled little face, eyes sparkling with expectation.
“What did you two do; how’d the mud get on your faces?” Lin Zhao countered instead, staring at the two dirty little kids, feeling the frustration of having naughty children.
Er Zai wiped his face with his hand back, hee hee laughing: “Brother and I went to play mud cannons!”
Mud cannons?
No wonder they smelled of urine.
