Chapter 113: “hateful Little Rascal”
“Older brother is at home, younger sister is sleeping.” San Zai answered clearly and logically.
He tilted his head, revealing a cute smile. The cloth shoes on his feet were stained with dust, not as clean as usual, but they gave him the look he should have at his age.
Of course, no matter what San Zai was like, Lin Zhao liked him, but she wanted to see her son unleash his nature and be happy.
In the original book, San Zai was abducted, and his short life was spent searching for the way home. Before freezing to death, he kept calling for his mother, saying he missed home, missed the small mountain village where he had a home, and really wanted a sip of hot water…
It was just a few short lines.
Every time Lin Zhao thought about it, it felt like ten thousand ants gnawing at her heart.
“Then why did San Zai come out alone?” She looked at her younger son with eyes full of tenderness.
San Zai grinned, looking extremely cute. “To pick up Mom.”
Lin Zhao had a guess in her heart, but she didn’t expect to hear this from his little mouth.
Her eyes and eyebrows were full of smiles. “Wow, San Zai is so young and already knows to care about Mom? Mom is really touched, thank you San Zai.”
The little friend felt delighted inside from the praise, kicking his legs even more energetically, and kept saying, “Tomorrow I’ll pick up Mom too!”
“Okay, but you can’t go to the village entrance. Stay where adults can see you, and call Da Huang, got it?” Lin Zhao said worriedly.
San Zai understood, puffing his cheeks and nodding.
His childish voice rippled out.
“Got it~”
Lin Zhao ruffled her son’s soft hair, her voice gentle. “San Zai is really smart.”
Beside them, Yuan Xiang nodded vigorously.
He was smart.
Smarter than anything she had ever heard of.
The group returned to the Gu family home.
Gu Mu saw Lin Zhao’s cheerful expression and guessed the meeting today went smoothly, so she asked directly, “How did the meeting go?”
Lin Zhao looked at Yuan Xiang and sure enough saw her blushing with the cloth bag in her arms, shyly saying, “…Not bad.”
“My sister and that young man are officially dating now.” Lin Zhao added.
Gu Mu had heard Lin Zhao mention the young man from the county before. She thought his conditions were really good. If it weren’t for Apricot being so useless, she would have thought that if her niece and that young man didn’t work out, maybe let Apricot try. But thinking about her little daughter’s temperament… forget it, no ruining a fine young man.
“Congratulations.” Gu Mu congratulated Yuan Xiang. “Our family will have a happy event soon.”
People now valued efficiency. Plenty got married the month after meeting and liking each other. She wasn’t exaggerating at all.
Yuan Xiang lowered her head, her face bright red.
Seeing she was embarrassed, Gu Mu didn’t tease anymore and said to Lin Zhao, “Third son’s wife, Da Zai and Er Zai are in the backyard. They have something for you.”
“Really? I’ll go take a look.” Lin Zhao was very curious and headed straight to the backyard.
As soon as she appeared in the backyard, two little friends with black hands and faces ran over.
“Mom.” Er Zai shouted crisply and ran to Lin Zhao, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the place where the fire was burning. “Mom, walk faster, come see the surprise my brother and I prepared for you.”
Lin Zhao looked at Gu Chenghuai not far away, curved her eyes, and teased her son. “What if Mom can’t walk? I rode the bike the whole way, my legs are so tired.”
Er Zai held Lin Zhao with one hand and wiped his face with the other, leaving another black streak on his fair cheek, but his eyes were extremely bright, his words full of seriousness. “Mom, I’ll give you a massage later. My strength is getting bigger now. I’ll rub you and you’ll feel comfortable.”
After saying that, he didn’t let his dad off either. Looking at the man busy at the clay pot where the fire was being lit, he added, “Dad, do you have anything tomorrow? If not, you take Mom to work.”
He even had an expression like his dad was getting a great deal. “My brother and I are still small. When we’re bigger, we’ll take turns taking Mom to and from work, you one day, me the next. By then, what business would Dad have?”
Lin Zhao laughed heartily.
She was about to be amused to death by Er Zai.
Gu Chenghuai narrowed his eyes, his cold gaze fixed on his rebellious son, and said lightly, “Gu Er Zai, shut your mouth. What business is it of yours? As long as I’m home, you won’t have a chance to please your mom.”
Er Zai crossed his arms and huffed. “Dad isn’t home every day. We have plenty of opportunities.”
Gu Chenghuai was choked.
“…” Hateful kid!
Da Zai brought a stool for Lin Zhao. “Mom, sit.”
He also brought half a bowl of water. “Mom, drink water. It’s cool boiled water with white sugar, sweet and delicious.”
Lin Zhao was indeed thirsty and took a sip first. There was sugar, but not too sweet, just to her taste.
“Thank you, son.” She said smiling.
Seeing Gu Chenghuai grilling something, she glanced curiously. “What are you grilling? It smells really good.”
“Grilled bird meat and bird eggs.” Er Zai said loudly, his expression especially proud. “Mom, the bird eggs were picked by Mao Dan’er who took us. We got about ten, and he gave us half.”
“The birds were shot by Dad…” His eyes were extremely bright, like stars lighting up the night sky, his tone full of pride and admiration. “Dad is amazing. He uses a slingshot to shoot birds, hits every shot. My dad is the best dad in the whole brigade, no, the whole commune.”
Gu Chenghuai’s lips curved slightly.
Of course!
Da Zai also said, “Mom, we asked Dad to help grill the meat and eggs. Dad grills them really well. Eat one quickly.”
Once Mom eats one, she’ll know he and his brother aren’t lying. The grilled bird eggs are really delicious.
Lin Zhao walked toward Gu Chenghuai and stretched out both hands.
The little couple exchanged a glance and knew what the other meant.
Gu Chenghuai got a ladle of water and slowly poured it into the vegetable patch. Lin Zhao washed her hands with it.
“Thank you, Comrade Gu.” Lin Zhao smiled with curved eyes.
Gu Chenghuai shook his head helplessly, his voice tinged with laughter. “Try it, sparrow eggs. I ate them often as a kid. Not sure if you’ll like them.”
Lin Zhao gave him a look and boasted, “I’m a country girl too, okay? If you’ve eaten them, of course I have. When I was little, my older brother and they went to catch sparrows, find bird eggs, and wild fruit. Anything you’ve eaten, I’ve eaten.”
Gu Chenghuai just smiled without speaking.
Not necessarily.
When he was on missions, starving, he’d even swallowed raw meat. His wife was so delicate, couldn’t stand even a bit of fishy smell. Impossible she’d eaten them.
“I underestimated you. My mistake.” Gu Chenghuai said smiling, put down the ladle, wiped Lin Zhao’s hands dry, and handed her freshly grilled bird meat and bird egg. “Try it, see if the taste is different from when you were little.”
Lin Zhao thought to herself there must be a difference, at least the seasoning was very different. Back then there was only salt. Now, the Gu family used the seasonings she got from the lucky draw—complete and delicious. Even stir-fried bok choy was good, let alone grilled meat and eggs.
She took a bite of the bird egg first. It was small, less than one bite.
The taste was fragrant, the skin slightly crispy, the inside very soft.
“Delicious, better than when I was little.” Lin Zhao was very appreciative.
The bird eggs were found by the twins. Hearing Mom liked them, the two little brothers smiled happily.
“If Mom likes them, we’ll find more later and grill them for you.” Da Zai said.
Lin Zhao knew that before she awakened, finding and grilling bird eggs was something the twins looked forward to. It was a rare treat for them.
Such young children remembering to share the delicious memory from their childhood with her, this mom—how many little friends would think of that? Not stuffing all the good food into their own mouths would be good enough.
Lin Zhao’s heart warmed immensely. She opened her arms to the twins. “Come here, Mom hug you.”
Whoosh.
The two little friends’ faces instantly turned red apples.
Completely different from before Gu Chenghuai came back.
Before, the two little ones were very clingy, wishing to stick in Lin Zhao’s bosom. If he touched their little hands or kissed their little faces, the two little brothers would be happy all day.
But in front of Dad, sticking to Mom embarrassed the two little friends a bit.
Da Zai and Er Zai quietly looked at Gu Chenghuai and found their dad hadn’t turned around at all. The two little brothers huffed angrily.
“Dad, turn your back! You staring like this makes me and brother embarrassed. It really affects us building feelings with Mom. Turn around…” Er Zai’s eyes were full of disapproval, words tumbling out one after another.
Gu Chenghuai laughed in anger. “Should I climb over the wall to make room for you?”
So troublesome, he hadn’t beaten them enough!
Er Zai’s eyes lit up. “Yes, yes!”
“Dad can climb walls!? So cool.”
Admiration poured from those eyes.
“…” Gu Chenghuai was amused and exasperated.
Da Zai took advantage of his brother chattering to wipe his hands and face clean, then burrowed into Lin Zhao’s arms. Not having stuck to Mom for several days, the little friend felt delighted inside.
Er Zai saw and also rushed toward Lin Zhao.
Seeing his brother coming, Da Zai blurted out, “Er Zai, wash hands, wash face. You’re all black. Don’t dirty Mom’s clothes.”
Er Zai slammed to a stop, looked down at his hands—indeed black. He hurried to the side to wash hands and face.
After cleaning up, he hugged Lin Zhao’s waist.
“Mom, I practiced calligraphy obediently today.”
Lin Zhao held both sons’ faces and kissed Da Zai and Er Zai’s cheeks one by one. “So good, really saves Mom worry. Mom will bring gifts for you tomorrow.”
Er Zai was very expectant, tilting his little face, voice soft. “Mom, what is it?”
“Secret for now. You’ll know tomorrow afternoon.” Lin Zhao said softly too.
Er Zai knew Mom was giving them a surprise and didn’t ask more, smiling sweetly. “Mom is so good. Brother and I are the happiest kids in the whole commune.”
Da Zai also said, “Mom made me and Er Zai the happiest kids in the whole commune. When we grow up, we’ll make Mom the happiest mom.”
Drawing big pies?
It didn’t matter. At this moment, the warmth in Lin Zhao’s heart was real.
“Good, Mom is waiting.”
The twins were full of energy.
Gu Chenghuai personally witnessed his wife coaxing the two kids like they were in the placenta. The two boys were like pumped with chicken blood, eager to grow up immediately to support their mom.
“You two rest aside first. What you’re talking about is decades away. With me here, your mom will be the happiest wife her whole life.”
Er Zai was unconvinced but didn’t know how to retort. He knew Dad was right.
The little friend’s brain turned fast, openly digging a pit for his dad.
“If Dad wants Mom to be the happiest wife, he can’t make Mom angry, has to listen to Mom, whatever Mom says goes. He has to take initiative on family matters, not make Mom remind him… Dad can do that, right?”
He was such a short little thing, tilting his head to confront his much taller biological father, not timid at all, saying whatever came to mind. Definitely not a child spoiled rotten.
Lin Zhao looked at Er Zai’s appearance and felt very gratified.
Such frank and upright little friends were really likable!
Gu Chenghuai poked the fire in the clay pot with tongs. Hearing Er Zai’s words, his tone casual yet serious. “Of course, no need for you to say.”
“You’re so young but meddle so much. Who did you hear these words from?”
Lin Zhao was also curious, staring surprised at Er Zai’s dirty little head.
“I heard it from the villagers.” Because he heard it by the river, Er Zai didn’t dare mention more, afraid Mom would worry.
Da Zai’s expression was odd.
Did the villagers say that?
He remembered the aunts saying their men were no good—
This one said her man made her angry every day, that one said her man only listened to his mom and not a word to her as wife, another said her man wouldn’t even help with an oil bottle, and the last said her man was unclear with the fox spirit from the neighboring village…
Da Zai was thinking when he heard Er Zai ask, “Mom, what’s a fox spirit?”
Lin Zhao instinctively looked at Gu Chenghuai.
Hm? What situation?!
Gu Chenghuai was even more confused than his wife.
“Why are you asking that?”
Er Zai said, “I heard a village aunt say her man was unclear with the fox spirit from the neighboring village. Is fox spirit a demon that turned from a fox? How is it unclear with people?”
His bright black eyes were full of innocent curiosity.
“Er Zai, after the founding of the country, animals can’t become demons. Little animals are just little animals. No little animal can turn into a demon, got it?” Lin Zhao answered.
“Oh.” Er Zai half-understood, then asked again, “Then how is the fox spirit unclear with people?”
Lin Zhao: Why haven’t you forgotten!?
“Ask your dad. I’m going to send your aunt home.” Lin Zhao left those words, gave Gu Chenghuai a look of good luck to you, and hurried to the front yard.
The twins knew she had to send Yuan Xiang back to Dongfeng Brigade. Though they wanted to go, they knew Mom had business and didn’t fuss. Knowing Lin Zhao would be back soon, they didn’t follow her and kept pestering their dad.
Gu Chenghuai couldn’t discuss such a profound topic with his young sons. His deep black eyes swept over the twins and he said lightly, “Want to keep grilling eggs like this?”
“…Learned.”
“If learning, learn seriously. Don’t ask this and that.”
…
Lin Zhao came to the front yard, went into the house to get the clothes she changed out of that morning, packed some things to take back to her maternal family, called Yuan Xiang, and took her back to Dongfeng Brigade on the bike.
Back at her maternal home, she received a warm welcome from the whole family as before.
“Aunt, you’re back.” Er Dan proactively took the bicycle and pushed it to the wall to park.
Da Dan took the big bag from Lin Zhao’s hand. “Aunt, I’ll take the bag. Is it heavy? Don’t tire yourself. Why bring it back yourself? Should have let my dad and second uncle bring it back tonight.
Aunt, you’re thirsty, right? I’ll pour you water. Grandpa boiled fruit jam. I’ll mix you some fruit jam water, sour and sweet. You’ll love it.
Grandpa specially saved two bottles for you, said to send them… haven’t had time yet.
Aunt, Grandpa’s complexion is much better these two days. Grandma says the things you sent are very effective…”
Lin Dadan Comrade, who acted very much like the eldest outside, was a chatterbox in front of family, his words detailed and dense.
Lin Zhao smiled at the corners of her mouth, responding now and then.
Xi Bao stuck to Lin Zhao. “Aunt, can you sleep at home tonight? I want to sleep with you tonight.”
“Probably not. Didn’t tell home, have to go to work tomorrow.” Lin Zhao said.
Seeing the disappointment on Xi Bao’s face, she touched her soft hair and added, “Wait until our house is built. I’ll invite you all to stay one night, including Xuanxuan and Zheng Zheng. We’ll sleep in one bed, okay?”
Xi Bao nodded. “Yes, yes.”
Lin Zhao saw Xi Bao wearing the clothes altered by Chen Yu, which fit her well and made the little girl look even cuter. “The clothes look good. Your mom altered them nicely.”
“Thank you Aunt for the clothes.” Xi Bao rubbed her head against aunt’s palm.
Chen Yu saw her daughter so clingy, supported her bulging belly, and said helplessly, “Xi Bao, let your aunt rest. Don’t be so noisy.”
“Got it.” Xi Bao obediently sat aside, eyes on her aunt.
Lin Zhao sat down and looked at her dad’s complexion. It was indeed better.
“Dad, your complexion has improved. How does your body feel? That medicine works for you, right?”
Lin Heling smiled, warm voice. “It works.”
As a patient, he could feel that medicine repairing his… broken body.
“Good that it works.” Lin Zhao showed a brilliant smile, her eyes curving into crescents.
She looked at Song Xiwei again. “Mom, I made a set of new clothes for you and Dad. I also altered the clothes for Xuanxuan and Zheng Zheng. They’re all inside. Take a look?”
