Chapter 258: “whose Brother-in-law Is This Arrogant?”
Gu Chenghuai’s little actions were all carried out in secret; they were his little surprise for Zhaozhao. Lin Zhao was completely unaware.
In the blink of an eye, New Year’s Eve arrived.
“Yu Bao, see if it’s crooked?” Lin Zhao stood on a stool pasting couplets and turned back to ask Yu Bao.
Yu Bao pinched his chin with his fingers and carefully examined it.
“It’s not crooked.”
No sooner had the words fallen than his head was rubbed by a warm large hand.
“So young, and your eyesight is already bad. It’s not crooked? It’s crooked all the way to the south end.” Meng Jiusi’s voice was tinged with laughter.
He looked at Yu Bao and saw that his own nephew’s face was rounder than before. He pinched his face and smiled, “Want me to administer acupuncture and prescribe some medicine for you?”
Yu Bao saw his little uncle and froze in place. He was just coming back to his senses and about to call out when he didn’t expect his little uncle’s thirty-seven-degree mouth to utter such cold words.
The little friend’s face changed slightly, and he shook his head like a rattle drum.
“No, no, my eyes are fine, they’re good, I’m good.”
As he spoke, Yu Bao used his fingers to prop up his eyes, trying to prove that his eyes were fine.
Over there, Lin Zhao hadn’t heard her youngest brother mention that he was bringing Jing Mo and Xiao Bai back.
She was stunned for a moment, held up the couplet and jumped off the stool, walked forward a few steps, her tone light and upbeat, “Youngest brother, when did you get back? You didn’t say a word.”
Meng Jiusi saw the moment Lin Zhao jumped off the stool and hurriedly stepped forward to support her arm.
“Slow down.”
He took the couplet from his sister’s hand and smiled, “I didn’t tell anyone. Surprise?”
Lin Zhao smiled, “A bit.”
Meng Jiusi stepped onto the stool with one foot and began pasting the Spring Festival couplets, asking Lin Zhao from time to time.
“A bit to the left, yes.” Lin Zhao directed.
Meng Jiusi pasted one side and dragged the stool to the other side. At the same time, Lin Zhao handed him the couplet coated with paste.
After finishing, he walked toward Jing Mo and Guang Bai.
Her beautiful eyes sized up the two brothers.
“Momo and Xiao Bai have gained a little weight; you didn’t suffer in the troops with your dad.” Lin Zhao said with a beaming smile.
It had been months since they last saw each other, but the two brothers weren’t distant from their aunt and affectionately came close. Their faces, plump with baby fat, wore smiles.
“I and Xiao Bai both eat our fill.” Jing Mo smiled very happily.
He had grown a bit taller and was wearing the cotton-padded clothes and pants Lin Zhao had sent, looking like a round mailbox. On his feet were cowhide laced cotton shoes bought by Meng Jiusi.
He looked very polite.
Compared to when Lin Zhao first met him, he was like a different person.
“Momo and Xiao Bai look really good in these clothes; they suit you very well.” Lin Zhao’s expression was appreciative.
Xiao Bai spoke up, his voice still so soft, “Thank you, Aunt, for the cotton-padded clothes; they’re very warm and comfortable.”
Jing Mo also said, “Thank you, Aunt.”
“No need to be polite.” Lin Zhao waved her hand casually.
At this moment, Heng Bao pointed at Jing Mo and Guang Bai’s shoes, his tone excited, “……your shoes are the same as ours.”
Yu Bao looked helplessly at his younger brother, “Dummy, our shoes were sent by little uncle, of course they’re the same.”
“Oh oh, I forgot.” Heng Bao scratched his head and thanked his little uncle, “Little uncle, we both like the shoes you sent us, my brother and I.”
“Glad you like them.” Meng Jiusi said warmly.
He only had this few nephews and nieces; he wanted to give them all the good things.
“Any more to paste?”
No sooner had Meng Jiusi spoken than the neighbors on both sides came out to paste couplets and were all stunned to see him.
Wang Chunhua spoke first: “Doctor Meng? Hey, Doctor Meng is back!”
She walked forward, sized up Meng Jiusi a few times, her voice hearty, “You’ve changed so much, I almost didn’t recognize you.”
“Doctor Meng, Happy New Year.”
Meng Jiusi smiled with his eyes and brows, humbly saying, “Same to you.”
He pulled out candy from his pocket and distributed it to the Wang family children.
The Wang family children were familiar with him and knew he was generous. They didn’t stand on ceremony, took it, and smiled broadly, saying, “Thank you, Uncle Meng.”
“Uncle Meng is so nice!”
“Uncle Meng, don’t worry, we’ll look out for Yu Baoheng Bao.” This was from the eldest Wang child.
Wang Chunhua hadn’t yet recovered her senses, watching the expensive candy being pocketed by her grandchildren.
She: “??”
At this point, there was nothing she could say.
She glared at her ill-mannered kids and awkwardly smiled at Meng Jiusi, “Making Doctor Meng spend money again.”
Meng Jiusi didn’t mind.
“It’s nothing.”
He smiled at Wang Chunhua and followed Lin Zhao into the yard.
Jing Mo saw the new swing in the yard and happily went over.
“It’s a swing.”
He grabbed the swing’s rope and turned back to look at the twins, asking Yu Baoheng Bao’s opinion.
“Yu Bao, Heng Bao, can I play for a bit?”
Yu Bao nodded, “Sure. This is what Heng Bao and I begged Grandpa to make for us. Fun, right?”
“Fun.” Jing Mo affirmed.
The swing wasn’t a good memory for him. The Yuan family had a swing; he wanted to play, but Jin Bao Ge wouldn’t let him and even pushed him down. Grandma didn’t blame Jin Bao Ge but blamed him for grabbing Jin Bao Ge’s swing. He didn’t grab; he only touched the swing rope.
Xiao Bai also saw the swing.
He looked at Meng Jiusi and said softly, “Daddy, I want a swing.”
His younger son rarely made requests, and Meng Jiusi felt surprised, saying, “Okay, we’ll get one when we go back.”
The short and round little boy showed joy on his face.
He said to Meng Jingmo, “Brother, Daddy will make us a swing. We can play swing at home. We won’t play Jin Bao Ge’s swing; we’ll have our own.”
Jin Bao?
Yuan Jinbao?
A shadow flashed in Meng Jiusi’s eyes.
He lowered his head and asked his son mildly, “Jin Bao wouldn’t let you play the swing?”
Xiao Bai lowered his eyes, his lashes fluttering lightly a few times, and said slowly, “Yeah. Jin Bao Ge pushed my brother, and Grandma scolded brother.”
Meng Jiusi didn’t know that in corners he hadn’t noticed, his two sons had suffered so much grievance.
He bent down and picked up Xiao Bai.
His tone patient.
“Daddy needs to apologize to you and your brother.” Meng Jiusi didn’t care if his son understood; he apologized solemnly.
“It was my fault for not noticing and letting you suffer grievance.”
Xiao Bai looked into Daddy’s eyes and suddenly smiled brightly. He hugged Daddy’s neck, his voice sweet and obedient.
“It’s okay, brother and I don’t blame Daddy.”
He looked up and saw his brother swinging, then said, “Brother said Daddy works hard, it’s normal not to see Grandma’s little actions. We’ll be careful ourselves, not touch Jin Bao Ge’s things anymore, so Grandma won’t have a chance to say anything about us.”
Meng Jiusi’s eyes stung.
No wonder.
No wonder for a while, Jing Mo and Guang Bai didn’t want to go to the Yuan family.
“……In the future, whatever happens, you must tell Daddy.” He carried Xiao Bai toward Jing Mo and said to his two sons, “You two always come before work. I work hard to give you the best life.”
To become his sons’ pride, his parents’ pride, his sister’s pride.
Lin Zhao felt that Jing Mo and Guang Bai were a bit too honest.
She smiled and said, “Momo, believe it or not, if Yu Baoheng Bao encountered what Xiao Bai did, they wouldn’t even wait till nightfall; they’d howl so loud the whole village could hear.”
“If something makes you uncomfortable, you have to say it.”
Lin Zhao lightly pushed Jing Mo’s back, making him swing on the swing.
“You’re still young; it’s perfectly normal to tell your parents when something happens. Your daddy is the closest person to you in this world…… What can’t you tell him?”
“If you act distant with him, that’s what would make him sad.”
Jing Mo hesitated and looked at Meng Jiusi.
Is that so?
“Isn’t it that adults like sensible kids?”
“No.” Lin Zhao shook her head, “To me, even if the four treasures are naughty, I like them because they’re my children.”
No matter what other mothers are like, she deeply loved her own children.
Even if they were very naughty, not smart, lazy, playful……
Jing Mo seemed deeply touched, his expression complex beyond words for a moment.
His mom didn’t say that.
His mom wanted them to be sensible, obedient, not make requests of Daddy, and not burden Daddy with troubles!
So, Mom knew that what happened at Grandma’s house was troubling.
“I get it.” Jing Mo said.
Meng Jiusi ruffled his hair, “What do you get?”
Jing Mo glared at him dissatisfied, awkwardly saying, “Have to tell adults when something happens.”
He felt he was already a big kid, yet Daddy still treated him like Xiao Bai, very dissatisfied. He raised his voice, “In the future, big things or small, I’ll tell you everything in detail, okay?”
Meng Jiusi chuckled, “Everything in detail? That idiom is used perfectly. A man keeps his word; you better do it.”
“Of course I will.” Jing Mo lifted his neck proudly.
It was rare to see this side of him, and Lin Zhao’s eyes overflowed with a faint smile.
Good, the little gourd has become lively.
“Yu Bao, Heng Bao, Mao Dan’er wrote you letters; I brought them back. Want to see?” Jing Mo had enough of the swing, jumped down, and asked the twins.
“Yes, yes, want to see!” Heng Bao said as he pulled him and Xiao Bai to their room.
Meng Jiusi hadn’t seen Qian Bao and Yao Bao, so he asked the two little ones.
“They went to the old house.” One went to find Sister Yu Yu, the other to the mushroom room, squatting beside Gu Fu watching him cultivate mushrooms.
“Where’s Grandpa Meng? He didn’t come back?” Lin Zhao hadn’t seen Old Master Meng and curiously asked.
Helplessness flashed in Meng Jiusi’s eyes, “Grandpa didn’t want to come back. He said this year is our family’s first reunion; as an outsider, it’s inconvenient for him to join the fun. He’ll come next time there’s a chance.”
“Grandpa Meng is our family’s benefactor; he’s not an outsider.” Lin Zhao said sincerely.
“The old man always has his concerns.” Meng Jiusi said.
“How will Grandpa Meng spend New Year alone?”
Meng Jiusi’s eyes were gentle, “The troops are full of people; he said there are activities, and he’ll join the fun.”
Lin Zhao’s brows relaxed.
“That’s fine.” She muttered, then immediately asked, “Did you go home?”
“Yes.” Meng Jiusi answered.
Looking at his sister’s slightly thinner face, “Mom and Dad said the Supply and Marketing Cooperative is very busy at year-end. I see you’ve lost weight; is work very hard?”
Lin Zhao said casually, “It’s okay, a bit busy, but not tiring.”
“Good as long as it’s not tiring.” Meng Jiusi’s furrowed brows relaxed.
He pulled out a stack of Da Tuan Jie and stuffed it to Lin Zhao.
“Lucky money.”
Lin Zhao’s eyes widened slightly, “Giving it now?”
“Does it matter when?” Meng Jiusi asked with a smile.
“Of course it does.” Lin Zhao’s eyes curved into crescents.
“Then it’s fine; I’ll make it up later.”
Lin Zhao looked at Meng Jiusi, “Fourth brother wants to subsidize me, right?”
“Shouldn’t an older brother subsidize his own younger sister? Isn’t that only natural?” Meng Jiusi said again.
“So thick, how much is that! Where can I find a brother like you? I’m so happy. But why do all my brothers love stuffing me with money? Big Brother and Second Brother did too. I don’t lack money; I’m the richest in our family.” Lin Zhao was also puzzled.
She had a job, and her man was a glorious and well-paid officer. Everyone knew she didn’t lack spending money, so why did her brothers keep giving her money?
What gave them that idea?!
“Money is something you can never have too much of. Since you don’t lack it, keep it; buy whatever you want. If you can’t buy it, tell me, and I’ll figure out a way.” Meng Jiusi said.
Lin Zhao really did want something, “Bro, I want a hair dryer, the kind you plug in and it blows wind.”
“Hair dryer?” Meng Jiusi asked.
As someone who had been to the Friendship Store, he certainly knew what a hair dryer was.
“Yes, yes, that’s it, a hair dryer. I want one.” Lin Zhao unceremoniously made the request.
She shook her thick braids a few times, a bit annoyed, “Washing hair in winter is such a hassle; it takes forever to dry, have to roast it for ages!”
When Gu Chenghuai was home, he helped dry it for her. When he wasn’t, she had to do it herself; with so much thick hair, it always made her arms sore.
To get a hair dryer, Lin Zhao spent three thousand points on lucky draws but didn’t get it; instead, she drew things she couldn’t take out, like refrigerators, color TVs, washing machines……
Meng Jiusi looked at his sister’s scrunched-up face, distress appearing in his eyes.
He said, “I’ll figure out a way.”
“But it’ll take time; endure it for now.”
Lin Zhao’s eyes brightened slightly, “Okay! Bro, give it a try; if you can’t get it, forget it.”
“I know.” Meng Jiusi still had some confidence.
He was a doctor, a highly skilled one, knew many capable people; buying something from the Friendship Store was no big deal.
The prescription his sister gave him was worth its weight in gold, and his own value was immeasurable.
Meng Jiusi thought of his sister’s article in the newspaper and specifically mentioned it to congratulate her.
He was so solemn that Lin Zhao inexplicably felt embarrassed, “It’s nothing, I just wrote it for fun.”
“That’s not just writing for fun.” Meng Jiusi disagreed, “I studied that article; the wording is concise and profound, the emotional expression touching. Even without participating in Fengshou Brigade’s mushroom cultivation, I could feel that fervent atmosphere. It’s really well-written; don’t belittle yourself.”
Lin Zhao stood taller from the praise.
“Mom and Dad said the same!” Meng Jiusi emphasized again, “Zhaozhao, you wrote really well.”
Lin Zhao cupped her face and laughed.
Meng Jiusi’s gaze softened, and he suddenly remembered what Gu Chenghuai had entrusted, saying, “Brother-in-law couldn’t come back; he had me bring some things.”
He pointed to a large bag on the table.
“Those are them.”
“Some more were mailed and should be on the way.” At this, complexity appeared in Meng Jiusi’s dark eyes; brother-in-law thought mailing was too slow and wanted him to bring everything, treating him not like a person at all.
Whose brother-in-law was so arrogant?
Really speechless.
“What are they?” Lin Zhao unceremoniously opened it to look.
Hm, nothing more than food and daily items, plus new clothes for her and the four kids.
“There are new clothes too……” This was a first.
“Where did he get the fabric and cotton?”
