Chapter 144: “herbs”
Gu Qingzhou heard Er Zai’s voice and, unable to wait for his Third Brother who brought him back, quickened his pace into the yard.
After seeing the four cubs, he froze in place.
“……Er Zai?”
The youth’s face was full of shock.
Where was his family’s skinny monkey? How did it turn into a fair and tender city kid?!
Heng Bao was very close to his Little Uncle and rushed up to hug Gu Qingzhou. Hearing his Little Uncle’s name for him, he seriously corrected, “Little Uncle, I’m not called Er Zai anymore. I’m now Gu Zhiheng. You can call me Heng Bao.”
Yu Bao said, “I’m Gu Zhiyu. Little Uncle can call me Yu Bao. It’s the big name Grandfather gave us.”
He sighed faintly and couldn’t help but frown. “Little Uncle hasn’t come back for a long time and missed so many big things at home.”
Tie Chui was very regretful. “We ate so much meat, but Little Uncle didn’t get to eat any. What a pity.”
Gu Qingzhou: “???”
Yu Bao saw his Little Uncle looking dazed and a worried look appeared on his face. He tried hard to stand on tiptoe, waving his little hands in front of his Little Uncle. “Little Uncle? Little Uncle? Why aren’t you talking? Don’t you recognize us anymore?!”
Gu Qingzhou pulled down his hand. It was chubby and soft, so he subconsciously pinched it.
“Da…” Remembering that the cubs at home had all changed their names, he smoothly changed the name. “Yu Bao, you’ve all gotten fat. I almost couldn’t recognize you!”
Yu Bao happily curved his eyes, cupped his face, and the flesh on his cheeks was squeezed together. “Yeah, we’ve gotten fat. We ate so much meat and can eat our fill every day, so of course we’ll get fat.”
His bright eyes sized up Gu Qingzhou.
“Little Uncle hasn’t gotten fat. Does Little Uncle not have enough to eat?” He was very worried. “Does your Uncle not want to give you meat?”
Gu Qingzhou shook his head. “No, my Uncle’s house doesn’t have meat.”
Heng Bao interrupted with the tone of a little friend showing off. “Great Uncle’s house has meat. Great Uncle is so good to us. He treats us to ice cream, meat, and even gives us gifts. He gave me and Brother a cat radio that can play stories and songs…”
Gu Qingzhou was dumbfounded. “Radio?”
“Yeah, it’s the radio. I’ll go get it!” Heng Bao ran back into the room to get the radio and soon ran out.
Gu Qingzhou glanced at the strangely shaped thing, his expression indescribable.
His tone was full of doubt. “This is a radio?”
He was educated—don’t try to fool him. How could a radio look like this?!
Yu Bao turned on the switch, and a standard announcer’s voice came out. It was the weather forecast broadcast time.
“…A new week has begun. Let’s check this week’s weather. Right now…”
Gu Qingzhou was extremely curious. “There’s even a radio like this? I’ve never seen one!”
He felt a bit sad. Sure enough, was his education level not enough?
Third Brother wasn’t wrong at all to despise him. A junior high student really was nothing.
Yu Bao explained, “This cat radio is different from the ones sold outside. Great Uncle found parts and made it for us. Great Uncle is a very skilled technician. He knows how to do everything.”
Heng Bao opened his bright eyes wide. “Great Uncle is the most awesome!”
Gu Qingzhou knew what the twins wanted to hear. A shallow smile appeared on his dark and thin face. “Your Great Uncle really spoils you.”
The two little brothers were perfectly satisfied.
With the youngest son back, Gu Mu was overjoyed. Seeing that he was even thinner and his energy and spirit couldn’t compare to those at home, she felt bad inside and hurried into the kitchen to bring out the meal she had saved for Third Son and Fourth Son.
“Third Son, Fourth Son, eat first. This is the meal saved for you.”
Lin Zhao instructed the twins, “Yu Baoheng Bao, make a bowl of hawthorn water for your dad and Little Uncle.”
“Okay!” The twins nimbly went to get busy. Gu Lan, afraid her younger brothers couldn’t reach things, quietly followed.
Gu Chenghuai scooped water to wash his face. His handsome face was wet, and his cuffs were also stained with water.
He was a young and rigid man. Outside, the most he exposed was wearing an army green tank top. More often, he wore an army green shirt, with his back straight like bamboo or pine.
It was also hot, so he undid the top two buttons of his collar, revealing his Adam’s apple.
Lin Zhao stood up, walked over, and rolled up the man’s sleeves for him.
His sturdy arm was exposed, with veins wandering over it.
Gu Chenghuai focused on looking at Lin Zhao’s face, a faint surprise in his words. “What’s hawthorn water?”
Lin Zhao looked at him and smiled gently. “Your sons picked hawthorns on the mountain. They said they were sour, so I made them into hawthorn paste. Hawthorn water is water mixed with hawthorn paste. It’s sour and sweet, and tastes really good.”
“Hard work.” Gu Chenghuai said.
He had no requirements for food and drink. As long as it filled his stomach, it was fine. Hawthorn paste or whatever sounded troublesome just hearing about it. Only his wife would have this thought.
Lin Zhao asked about what Gu Chenghuai had done that morning. “Did you inquire about my two nephews?”
Gu Chenghuai steadily said, “I did. I’ll make another phone call tomorrow to ask.”
“Tomorrow I’ll go with you?” Lin Zhao asked with her eyes if it was convenient for him.
“Okay.” Gu Chenghuai answered warmly.
Gu Mu called loudly, “Chenghuai, Qingzhou, come eat quickly. Today it’s cured meat.”
Gu Qingzhou hadn’t eaten meat for a while and was very craving it. He hurried over and, seeing so much meat in the bowl, his eyebrows danced with joy.
“So much meat!”
Gu Mu said, “Your Third Sister-in-law gave it. She said since you’re back, you need to have a good meal.”
“Thank you, Third Sister-in-law.” Gu Qingzhou was full of gratitude.
He quietly asked Da Zai and Er Zai and heard that Third Sister-in-law was now very good to them. He was very happy for them.
He didn’t expect Third Sister-in-law to be willing to give him meat to eat. The youth was very surprised.
Lin Zhao smiled. “Our family took over your room, leaving you without a place to stay. We definitely have to properly host you, the owner of the room.”
Classmate Qingzhou didn’t expect that the Third Sister-in-law, who used to have no smile on her face, would now joke. He was stunned for a moment and said, “If we’re talking about the owner of the room, it was originally Third Brother and Third Sister-in-law’s house. Only after you moved out did I have my own room. So you can stay as long as you want. No need to be polite with me.”
“As long as I have a place to stay, it’s fine.”
He wasn’t picky about where he slept. He could even lay a straw mat in the yard, and it would be cooler.
You say mosquitoes? Heh, where aren’t there mosquitoes? There were plenty in the room too.
Gu Mu said, “You stay in your younger sister’s room.”
“What about Gu Xing’er?” Gu Qingzhou shoveled rice into his mouth, his expression surprised.
“…She has a place.” Gu Mu was vague and didn’t really want to mention her youngest daughter’s matters. Just thinking about it made her full of anger. Annoying.
“Oh.”
Gu Qingzhou didn’t ask more. He and Gu Xing’er weren’t close, and they didn’t click in conversation. He was too lazy to care about her.
He ate the spicy meat rice blissfully, his dark eyes shining brightly.
“Mom, the spicy meat rice is really delicious.”
Gu Mu looked at her youngest son with heartache.
Xing Ye said loudly, “Little Uncle, you came back late. We ate chicken meat before and drank chicken soup. Oh, and there was sour cabbage fish. Third Aunt taught Mom to make it. It’s especially good with rice.”
Huang Xiulan: “It is good with rice. Everyone at home could eat half a bowl more.”
It made her so heartbroken she couldn’t sleep.
Gu Qingzhou kept swallowing saliva.
He sighed, “Sigh, I didn’t make it in time.”
Lin Zhao was amused. “What’s that? If you want to eat, we’ll make it tomorrow. Tomorrow morning, have your Third Brother swap for a chicken.”
Before the others could speak, Heng Bao’s eyes lit up and he asked expectantly, “Mommy, chicken tomorrow?”
“Pester your dad to go swap for a chicken.” The chickens at home laid an egg a day, and Mother-in-law was reluctant to kill them.
Heng Bao went to pester Gu Chenghuai. “Daddy?”
“Swap.” Gu Chenghuai agreed immediately and picked up a piece of cured meat to feed him.
Heng Bao never minded eating more meat and happily opened his mouth to eat it.
He didn’t forget his brother either. “Daddy, there’s also Brother. Give Brother a bite.”
Gu Chenghuai’s cold eyes glanced at him. “Your brain is full of your brother. When you have something good, how come you don’t think of your dad?”
Heng Bao giggled and gave his dad a massage and back pounding.
“Daddy, I’ll pound your back for you.”
His little fists landed on Gu Chenghuai’s back one by one.
The man’s eyes, who was unsmiling to outsiders, overflowed with amusement.
The other three cubs also surged forward. The two little ones imitated the example and started doing the same.
Yao Bao pinched Daddy’s arm and found it hard like stone, completely unable to pinch it. The little girl’s pretty eyes showed a puzzled expression, and she said in her childish voice, “Stone, won’t move.”
Gu Chenghuai had been with his daughter for a few days and could understand her baby talk. This meant his arm was as hard as stone, and Baby couldn’t pinch it.
His eyebrows were clear and bright. His hand, used to holding a gun, rubbed the top of Yao Bao’s head, his voice low and gentle. “Good girl, go play.”
Yao Bao found it boring and obediently went to play with Sister Fish.
Yu Bao was still thinking about what Mommy said. While pounding Gu Chenghuai’s shoulders, he asked, “Daddy, Mommy said she’s taking us to the provincial capital?”
Gu Chenghuai looked at Lin Zhao, meeting his wife’s smiling eyes, and his gaze instantly softened.
“Yes.” He said, “Your mommy’s birthday is coming up soon. I’ll take her out for a stroll, and you few are tagging along. Your mommy couldn’t bear to leave you behind, so she insists on bringing you.”
Yu Bao’s movements paused slightly. He stared at his dad’s excessively handsome side profile and accused, “Daddy, you originally didn’t want to bring us?”
Gu Chenghuai raised his eyes. “Otherwise? It’s your mommy’s birthday. What would I bring you for? Trouble.”
Bringing four children, most of his attention would have to be on them. It definitely wouldn’t be as comfortable as a world for two.
If Zhaozhao wanted to bring them, that was another story.
On family matters, Battalion Commander Gu’s every principle revolved around his wife.
Yu Bao’s cheeks puffed up.
He was a generous little friend and wouldn’t argue with his hateful dad.
He argued reasonably, “Brother Heng Bao and I are very capable. We can help Mommy carry things.”
Gu Chenghuai raised an eyebrow. “If you two carry things, what do you need me for?”
Yu Bao choked, his eyes burning with little flames. Reluctantly, he said, “I can also help Daddy carry things.”
“No need.” Gu Chenghuai deliberately teased his son. Looking at Yu Bao’s angry but dare not speak face, he felt that the eldest at this moment was full of vitality.
Heng Bao withdrew his hand, pulled his brother, and ran to Lin Zhao to pound her back, angrily complaining, “Mommy, control Daddy. Daddy is bullying the little friends. He doesn’t want to bring us!”
Lin Zhao felt the little force on her shoulders and chuckled lightly. “In our family, I have the final say.”
The little dummies had been led astray!
Right, Daddy didn’t have the say. Only Mommy did!
The two little brothers beamed with smiles.
Heng Bao became even more arrogant, hands on hips. “Daddy, Mommy is bringing us!!”
Gu Chenghuai ignored him.
Mosquitoes buzzed under the tree. Lin Zhao couldn’t stand it and remembered the insect-repelling herbs Fourth Brother sent. She went back to the room to get some rags and started sewing sachets.
“Mommy, what are you doing?” Yu Bao came over to ask.
“Making mosquito-repelling sachets. Once I’m done, carry them on you, and the mosquitoes will stay far away from you!” Lin Zhao had great confidence in the herbs Fourth Brother sent.
They really worked.
She put the herbs in the room, and last night she finally slept soundly.
Yu Bao opened his eyes wide.
Noticing the little cub’s stunned eyes, Lin Zhao couldn’t help but laugh. “Why are your eyes open so wide? Haven’t you seen mosquito-repelling sachets before?”
“It’s different.” Yu Bao gestured. “I didn’t know you could make them yourself.”
The smile deepened on Lin Zhao’s face. “No matter what it is, it’s made by people.”
“Mommy is so awesome.” The light in Yu Bao’s eyes was still so bright. In the heart of this over-five-year-old little friend, Mommy was the most awesome.
Lin Zhao was nimble at any work. In a few minutes, she sewed a mosquito-repelling sachet and casually hung it on the lounge chair.
The twins didn’t proactively ask for it. In their view, something Mommy worked so hard to make, the first one should be kept for herself.
The two little brothers propped their cheeks, watching without going to play, mainly for companionship.
“Why not go listen to the radio?” Lin Zhao said.
“I like watching Mommy work.” In Yu Bao, this mommy’s boy, his eyes and heart were all his mommy.
Lin Zhao’s expression softened. “But I want to listen to the radio.”
Upon hearing this, Yu Bao immediately went to get the radio. His fingers moved a few times, and the familiar storytelling voice sounded.
Gu Qingzhou was extremely curious about the radio. He carried his rice bowl over to listen closely, his eyes shining brightly.
He was good-looking, with sword eyebrows and star eyes. A pair of eyes bright and spirited, height of one meter seventy-eight, short waist and long legs, excellent proportions, appearing thin and tall. Because he didn’t sun much, his skin was also fair. Very handsome.
Heard that he was very popular at school, and some little girls even ran up to him, asking him to be a son-in-law who moves into the wife’s family, the kind where the family helps arrange work.
These were all gossips, no one confirmed them with him.
Gu Mu found Gu Chenghuai and quietly asked, “Third Son, what are Third Son and Fourth Son thinking? Is he still going to continue high school?”
Gu Chenghuai nodded. “Yes, until high school graduation.”
“That’s good, that’s good.” Gu Mu was overjoyed. She and his dad both hoped the youngest son would study until high school. Just look at Third Son’s wife to know studying was very useful.
Thinking of the school being a mess, she worried again. “I don’t know when the school can return to normal. It really worries people to death.”
“Soon.” Gu Chenghuai said. It had been chaotic for several months; the higher-ups should issue documents soon.
Gu Mu always trusted her third son and immediately felt less anxious.
As long as classes resumed, it would be good.
–
That night.
Gu Chenghuai, avoiding the villagers like last night, went to the foot of the mountain unnoticed.
He handed the things sent by the Lin Family to Meng Jiusi.
“Fourth Brother, these are all things Dad and Mom prepared for you.”
Meng Jiusi took them, only feeling the things in his hands were as heavy as a thousand catties.
Since he could remember, he had never received parental love. This was the first time, making warmth flow in his heart.
“Zhaozhao sent a lot more. Help me tell Dad and Mom that I don’t lack things. Tell them not to worry anymore and take good care of themselves.”
Their status was special, but the brigade wouldn’t disregard their life or death. They worked and would get grain. He roughly calculated that the grain allocated was enough for him and Grandfather to eat.
“Okay.” Gu Chenghuai agreed.
He also conveyed Lin Zhao’s meaning. “Zhaozhao said if you have nothing to do, you can dry some medicinal herbs. Then she’ll sell them to the county hospital.”
Meng Jiusi became serious. “Drying medicinal herbs is fine. Will it affect Zhaozhao?”
He had little money in his pocket. If it could be exchanged for money, that would be great. At least he wouldn’t have to keep taking from family.
“No need. The county hospital collects medicinal herbs anyway.” Gu Chenghuai said.
Everything was in short supply now: grain, meat, fabric, and of course medicinal herbs.
“Good, I’ll dry them.” Meng Jiusi felt like life had direction now.
Gu Chenghuai took out a few medical books. “Zhaozhao found a few medical books at the recycling station, says to relieve your boredom.”
Meng Jiusi loved traditional Chinese medicine and had been studying diligently. Getting the medical books made him ecstatic. He flipped through them—they were very useful to him.
He happily said, “Thank Zhaozhao for me. With these medical books, the days here won’t feel so long.”
Gu Chenghuai’s expression relaxed.
“One more thing. I’ve already asked a comrade to inquire about Jing Mo and Guang Bai’s news. Tomorrow there will be news. When there is, I’ll come tell you right away.”
Meng Jiusi was very worried about his two sons. Hearing his brother-in-law say there would be news tomorrow, he was so excited his fingers trembled.
He rarely had the desire to talk.
“I was suddenly taken away. The two children must have been scared. I don’t know if their mom properly comforted them. My father-in-law’s family isn’t easy to deal with either. I hope they’re okay…”
He didn’t expect his sons to live the same as before—this wasn’t realistic. He only hoped they ate their fill and dressed warmly, unaffected by his status.
