Chapter 228: “the Hyperactive Temp Worker”
After a series of operations.
He didn’t know how long he had waited.
Meeting Gu Commander’s expectant gaze, the young operator shook his head regretfully.
“Couldn’t get through. They said… Sister-in-law went back to the brigade!”
Cheng Huai felt disappointed inside but didn’t show it.
“It’s the weekend today. She probably took the children back for their birthday.” He smiled helplessly.
The operator thought the commander’s wife was quite particular, even specially taking the children back for their birthday.
He dared to say that few people in the entire military region celebrated birthdays.
It wasn’t Lin Zhao who was particular; it was her dad. The family head was particular, so the juniors in the family also cared about holidays and birthdays, such celebrations.
For their dear grandson’s birthday, Lin Heling and Song Xiwei also showed their affection. The couple gave Yu Baoheng Bao a set of brother outfits.
They were cotton-padded clothes.
And Lin Heling made them by hand.
When they saw them, the two boys were so happy their mouths almost split to the back of their heads.
“Grandpa made them? They look so nice.” Yu Bao touched the clothes. “When it gets a bit colder, I want to wear them to school so everyone knows my grandpa makes really nice clothes.”
Heng Bao added: “Xu Juanjuan shows off his cotton-padded clothes. I want to show off back, roar roar!”
“?” Lin Zhao looked suspicious. “How do you know your classmate Xu Juanjuan has cotton-padded clothes?”
“He wore them to school!” Heng Bao said loudly.
Lin Zhao was at a loss for words. “Wearing cotton-padded clothes now… isn’t it a bit hot?”
“It is hot. His mom said he threw a tantrum wanting to wear them and wouldn’t go without… so he didn’t want to go to school.” Yu Bao explained.
Lin Zhao wasn’t surprised. Some children were like that, always with strange requests and ideas. Normal, normal.
Lin Shichang, who had been sent by the family to run errands, said: “You two mustn’t make such weird requests. You have to listen to your mom.”
“Got it.” Yu Bao agreed obediently.
When he spoke, Lin Shichang felt reassured, his gaze softening.
Lin Zhao asked her eldest brother, “How’s my eldest sister-in-law? Is her body okay?”
“Good.” Lin Shichang smiled.
Zhaozhao missed her eldest sister-in-law and every few days had him bring meat back. He didn’t know where she got the connections.
Thinking of the things his wife had told him to bring, he handed them to Lin Zhao. “Zhaozhao, your eldest sister-in-law asked me to give these to you.”
“What is it?” Lin Zhao took them and opened them without ceremony. Inside was a red cardigan sweater.
The knitting was fine and delicate, the buttons were cow horn, the style and color both very pretty—wouldn’t be outdated even decades later.
“Eldest sister-in-law knitted this for me?” Her eyes lit up with surprise.
“Of course.” Lin Shichang replied.
“Where did you get the wool yarn from, and red ones too.” Lin Zhao’s smile was radiant.
Lin Shichang looked at her with laughing eyes. “If you want it, there’s a way. You kept the source of the pork a secret for us, so we have to keep the source of our wool yarn a secret too. That’s fair.”
“Stingy.” Lin Zhao grumbled. “Keeping secrets from me.”
She muttered, “If you won’t tell… I’ll ask eldest sister-in-law when I go back.”
Lin Shichang let her be. “Fine.”
Lin Zhao immediately put on the cardigan sweater and smiled at her eldest brother. “Perfect fit. Eldest brother, thank eldest sister-in-law for me when you go back.”
“No need to thank family.” Lin Shichang smiled. “Thanks to you, we eat meat every few days at home. Eldest sister-in-law is doing very well in her pregnancy. If anyone’s thanking, it should be us thanking you.”
Remembering his purpose, he added: “By the way, your eldest sister-in-law used the leftover wool yarn to knit gloves for Yu Baoheng Bao as birthday gifts.”
Lin Shichang looked at Qian Bao and Yao Bao’s chubby little faces, his gaze full of affection. “We don’t have extra wool yarn on hand, so Qian Bao and Yao Bao have to wait.”
He ruffled his little nephew’s hair top, his voice gentle and coaxing. “When it’s your turn for birthdays… you won’t miss out either.”
Qian Bao stood there, his little face calm and composed. His childish words paired with that serious little face gave him a strangely steady air.
He nodded his little head. “Thank you, Great Uncle.”
Yao Bao pounced and hugged Lin Shichang’s leg, cooing sweetly to butter him up. “G… Great Uncle is the best.”
She said it word by word.
Lin Shichang picked up his little niece, unable to stop the smile on his lips. “Good girl.”
He unwrapped the pastries he brought and fed her.
The two birthday boys had gifts, and he hadn’t forgotten the dragon-phoenix twins either. He found someone to make child-friendly pastries for the little brother and sister.
“Great Uncle, are there pastries for us?” Heng Bao put on the new gloves and eagerly came over.
“Yes, there’s a share for all of you.” Lin Shichang fed him half, then fed Yu Bao the other half.
The two boys felt that having a birthday was truly the best thing in the world.
“Great Uncle, Dad mailed us birthday gifts. Guess what they are…” Heng Bao sat next to Lin Shichang, eyes excited.
“So happy, must be something you really like.” Lin Shichang said.
“Mm-hmm.” Heng Bao nodded vigorously like pounding garlic, spreading his hands to draw a big circle, his tone soaring to the sky. “My brother and I super like them both.”
He opened his big dark eyes and looked at Lin Shichang eagerly. “Can Great Uncle guess?”
Lin Shichang pretended to think for a long time, finally shaking his head. “Can’t guess. You two like too many things. I can’t guess at all.”
Most importantly, children’s temperaments were fickle. They liked cloth balls yesterday and iron hoops today… who could figure them out.
Heng Bao lifted his chin slightly, looking proud. “Fine, I knew no one could guess.”
He stood up and announced the answer grandly. “Big car and airplane.”
His little tone full of smugness and pride.
Lin Shichang feigned surprise on his face and said to Heng Bao: “What kind of big car and airplane? I’ve never seen them.”
The acting was obvious, but it was also sincerely to amuse his nephew.
Heng Bao’s whole face lit up. He rushed excitedly into the room. “I’ll go get them!!”
He didn’t forget to explain: “Afraid of breaking them, didn’t dare leave them outside. My brother and I hid them in the room.”
Lin Shichang looked serious. “Valuable items like that should be hidden.”
Lin Zhao watched her eldest brother act, her mouth twitching.
Keep coaxing, keep coaxing. If he kept it up, Heng Bao’s mouth might not close!
Heng Bao got affirmation and smiled even brighter, feeling his cheeks ache. He reached up to rub them.
He called his brother and went back to the room to get the gifts from Dad.
The two boys came out quickly.
Holding the toy car and airplane in their hands.
They came to Great Uncle, eyes sparkling brightly, the meaning obvious.
Want praise.
Lin Shichang understood. “These are the ones your dad specially mailed for you? They look great! Your dad really misses you!”
Every word was what Yu Baoheng Bao wanted to hear.
The two little friends smiled until their eyes turned into crescent moons.
“My mom said these are hard to buy. Dad must have put in a lot of effort.” Yu Bao said.
“Definitely!!” Lin Shichang saw how much his nephew cherished them and didn’t touch the gifts his brother-in-law sent. He eyed them, giving his opinion. “Things this novel can’t be found in the whole county, only in big cities. How else to get them without effort? Money is secondary. Might even have to owe favors.”
Heng Bao half-understood, lowering his eyes to look at the car and saying: “Dad told my mom, owing favors is fine. He’ll pay them back, so we don’t need to worry.”
Lin Zhao: “?”
Gu Commander must have said that to her. At the time, he didn’t mention the four kids. Where did the little guy hear it?
Already learned to misreport intelligence.
Naughty.
For his birthday, she’d let it slide for now, save it up and talk later.
Hearing Heng Bao’s words, Lin Shichang was at a loss. His brother-in-law taught his nephews like this and wasn’t afraid of leading them astray…
He instinctively looked at Lin Zhao, meeting his little sister’s complicated gaze.
He immediately guessed what was up.
For a moment, he wanted to grab Heng Bao by the waist onto his knee and smack his buttocks a few times.
Chattering little rascal!
Little rascal.
Fortunately, he remembered this was the little birthday star.
He just pinched Heng Bao’s cheek and said: “Owing too many favors isn’t good.”
Heng Bao looked at Great Uncle. “Did my dad say wrong?”
Lin Shichang couldn’t say it was wrong. His brother-in-law was capable. For him, owing favors might really be nothing. Even more, for people at that level, it was interest exchange, mutual benefit. But… Yu Baoheng Bao were young and didn’t understand. This notion could easily plant bad seeds in their young hearts.
“…You just need to remember, some favors can be owed, some can’t. That’s it.” he said.
Seeing Yu Bao wanted to ask why, Lin Shichang spoke first to cut him off.
“As for the reason, you’ll know when you grow up.”
The two little brothers moved their mouths but didn’t speak again.
Because of this little episode, the two boys lost the mood to share and took their treasures back to the room.
Lin Shichang watched his two nephews’ disappearing backs, hesitantly looking at Lin Zhao. “…Mad?”
“No.” Lin Zhao shook her head confidently. “You’re underestimating your own nephews. They don’t get mad that easily. Just a bit confused. They’ll be fine soon.”
“Good if not mad.” Lin Shichang breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m here to give gifts, not cause trouble. If I made those two boys mad, Dad and Mom wouldn’t let me off.”
Lin Heling and Song Xiwei’s education for them was—don’t provoke the birthday stars. That day, “they” had privileges. Whatever they said goes.
That’s why Lin family children especially looked forward to birthdays and felt great fondness for the day they were born.
“Don’t worry.” Lin Zhao waved her hand.
“Eldest brother, I made cake. Take some back when you go later.”
She said whatever came to mind.
Lin Shichang was combing Yao Bao’s braids with his fingers. Hearing this, he looked up.
“What cake?”
Lin Zhao’s eyes curved. “The kind you ate when you were little.”
When her brother was little, the city was bustling with all kinds of shops: mealtime spots, tailoring shops, tea houses, watch shops, barber shops… everything.
The Lin couple didn’t lack money and were happy to buy their sons anything new.
The Lin brothers had eaten many good things, cake being one.
“Zhaozhao, you can make it?” Lin Shichang’s tone full of surprise.
“Mm-hmm.” Lin Zhao was especially proud.
“Dad told me about it before. I tried and made it.”
Lin Shichang didn’t doubt it and gave a thumbs up. “Impressive. No wonder Dad always says you take after him. Indeed.”
Their brothers took after Mom in strength and hobbies, but Zhaozhao’s clever hands and mind took after Dad.
Anything in their hands became easy.
“Haven’t had cake in years. I have a treat today.” Lin Shichang recalled the past, a bit dazed.
If times hadn’t changed, Zhaozhao would definitely be more comfortable now.
Thinking this, he felt sorry for his little sister.
He had to work harder and be better to Zhaozhao.
Lin Zhao’s tone was smiling. “I made a big one. I’ll cut you a third later. Take it back for Dad, Mom, and Xi Bao and them to try.”
“Good.” Lin Shichang smiled and nodded.
The twins who had just left the room vaguely heard familiar words and came over with light quick steps.
“Can eat cake?” Heng Bao’s eyes lit up.
Lin Zhao touched his belly. “Belly’s so full already. Not urgent. Go play for a bit first. After twelve.”
Heng Bao was easy to placate. “Okay, we’ll go play with Li Bao and them.”
“Go on!”
The two boys rushed out the home door, their backs full of energy.
Yao Bao wanted to be her brothers’ tagalong and anxiously tried to leave Great Uncle’s arms, her little face full of urgency.
At this time, Lin Zhao said softly: “Yao Bao, come here. Mom will braid pretty braids for you, with new hair tie.”
Hearing this, the little girl immediately forgot her brothers and stumbled into Lin Zhao’s arms, smiling sweetly.
“So tiny and already so vain.” Lin Zhao held her daughter, soft and fragrant, making one want to take a few bites.
Lin Shichang’s eyes showed reminiscent laughter. “Like you.”
“…”
Lin Zhao pretended not to hear.
She changed the subject: “No news from Second Brother yet?”
“None.” Worry flashed in Lin Shichang’s eyes as he comforted his little sister. “Transportation team is like that. They lose contact a few times a year. Little Second is clever. Nothing will happen.”
Lin Zhao said: “Second Brother is just a temporary worker. How does he get assigned outside tasks?”
She was truly puzzled. When she first heard the news, she was stunned.
Never seen such an active temporary worker.
Had to say, worthy of her second brother. Thrived anywhere.
Lin Shichang: “He must have some plan. Let him be. It’s good for Little Second not to stay in the village, avoids all sorts of messy people coming to the door.”
“Eh?” Lin Zhao was astonished.
“Eh what.” Lin Shichang chuckled. “Ever since Little Second joined the transportation team, plenty of people want to set him up.”
Lin Zhao asked: “What kind of people? Second Brother’s attitude?”
“All kinds. Young wives who just lost their men, widows with daughters, even ones just turning eighteen…” Lin Shichang said patiently.
Lin Zhao: “!!”
So exciting!
She’d only been away from maternal family a few days.
“Second Brother suddenly became hot stuff!”
Lin Shichang was clear-headed. “Not him hot, the transportation team job is hot!”
Lin Zhao was silent for a moment. “What’s Second Brother’s attitude?”
“Little Second has no interest.” Lin Shichang said. “He says marriage is too bitter, too stifling. He doesn’t want to marry in this lifetime. Anyway, he has two daughters. The task to continue the family line is done. Marry or not, he chooses not to.”
He was a bit worried. His own family was happy, and he hoped the same for his brother, afraid he’d be lonely later.
“What’s Dad and Mom’s attitude?” Lin Zhao asked again.
“Dad says let him be, as long as Little Second is comfortable.” Lin Shichang said. “Mom same as Dad.”
Lin Zhao finished tying her daughter’s braids, smiling brightly. “Dad and Mom are great. I want to be such an open-minded parent too.”
She rubbed her nose tip against Yao Bao’s little face, her voice soft: “Our Yao Bao too. Do whatever you want, as long as you’re happy.”
Yao Bao lifted her little chubby hand to touch the braids, smiling sweetly. “Baby happy.”
