Chapter 308: “visiting”
Zhang Ping’s man broke his defenses completely, suddenly standing up, eyes bulging wide, face full of irritable ferocity, “Zhang Ping!”
“What’s up?” Zhang Ping’s voice was even louder than his.
Bai Taohua was driven away. She wasn’t without thoughts of breaking the ice with the man, living good days properly, but she didn’t expect him to say such things about her.
Her heart went cold.
Married for many years, she managed the home, bore him sons and daughters, was filial to his parents, and he said she was petty, calculating, not gentle or understanding?!
Heh.
Hehehe.
Disappointedly glancing at the man, Zhang Ping turned and went back into the room.
That glance made the man’s heart stuffy. Irritably, he stood up, kicked over the stool, and angrily left.
“Afraid, I’m afraid.” Hei Dan’s pitch-black bright eyes welled up with moisture.
“Don’t be afraid, Dad’s gone, he won’t yell anymore.” Zhang Ping’s eldest daughter softly held her younger brother and cooed.
She looked toward the door, a barely perceptible hatred appearing in her eyes.
Compared to her dad, the girl hated Bai Taohua more. She remembered clearly that before Bai Taohua inserted herself into their family, though Dad and Mom would argue, it wasn’t as severe as now.
The previous home was a home; the current home was a cage.
“Sis, I hate Aunt Bai.” Zhang Ping’s second son clenched his fists, hating as he said, “I hate Dad too.”
He hated Dad’s favoritism, welcoming Bai Taohua’s two daughters with smiles, having no patience for them at all.
He hated Dad’s bad temper, always losing it at Mom over nothing.
He also hated that Dad clearly hadn’t given Mom much money, yet always questioned how her money went so fast…
“I hate him too.” Zhang Ping’s eldest daughter said too.
The boy looked at his sister, hesitating several seconds, struggling before asking, “Sis, do you think Dad and Mom will make up?”
His sister fell silent.
She had gone to school, knew many reasons, wasn’t an ignorant little girl who knew nothing; she knew what spilled water is hard to retrieve and a broken mirror hard to mend meant.
Dad and Mom wouldn’t make up again.
“Sis, is Mom secretly crying again? Go back to the room and comfort her.” The boy said.
Zhang Ping’s husband’s family and the man she married were all ones who valued sons over daughters. She herself wasn’t like that; compared to her son, she was more lenient with her daughter. No matter how bitter inside, she didn’t treat her daughter like a non-person like other women, so her son suggested his sister go in.
“Let Mom be quiet. We’ll tidy up the house. With the home clean, Mom will be happy to see it.”
“Okay.”
And so Zhang Ping’s several children got to work. After busying around, the stuffiness in their hearts slowly dissipated, and their moods improved a bit.
When Zhang Ping came out, seeing the clean yard, clothes dripping on the clothesline, her obedient children doing homework… her heart, utterly disappointed in the marriage, instantly cracked open a seam, as if light shone in.
She hugged her several daughters, tears surging out, yet smiling contentedly.
“Mom has you all… there’s nothing I can’t endure.”
Zhang Ping’s eldest daughter’s tears flowed too, voice choking, “Mom, I’ll study hard from now on, take the junior high exam, go to high school, grow up and get a good job, hand over all my salary to you, so you never have to live watching my dad’s face again.”
Zhang Ping’s expression shook.
Even the child knew she had to live watching someone’s face!
That man, he didn’t even pretend.
Her mouth pulled into a powerless bitter smile, throat unable to squeeze out a single hoarse word.
The boy felt water dripping on his neck; he knew what it was but pretended not to know anything.
“Mom, wait for me. In a few more years, I’ll be grown up. Once I’m grown up, I can support you. Then I won’t let anyone bully you.”
The child’s clear tender voice was full of solemnity.
This one sentence healed Zhang Ping’s wounded heart.
“Good, Mom’s waiting.”
The family didn’t mention the man anymore, living their own little life.
Zhang Ping was even more indifferent to the man. When he came back, she fulfilled her duties as a wife, washing clothes and cooking without slacking, but wanting more? Sorry, she had no such heart.
…
The next day, early morning.
Meng Jiusi brought breakfast and came to change Heng Bao’s dressing.
“Does your foot feel uncomfortable? Eat first or change dressing first?” As soon as he entered the children’s room, he asked.
Heng Bao stretched his arms toward him.
“Uncle, I want to go to the outhouse!” He clamped his legs, words urgent, terribly anxious.
Meng Jiusi set down the things, went to the bunk bed, picked up his nephew, and quickly headed out.
“Hold it in, don’t poop on me.”
Heng Bao choked, loudly saying, “I’m a big boy, I won’t poop on you! I’m six already, not like Qian Bao.”
Meng Jiusi smiled, “Qian Bao is much more sensible than you.”
“I’m what you call having personality!” Heng Bao’s mouth was especially chatty. “Among us three brothers, two obedient listeners are enough. The family needs one like me too, or how much less fun would my mom have.”
Meng Jiusi: Utterly speechless.
“…Absurd reasoning.”
Heng Bao shook his little head, quite smugly saying, “Absurd reasoning is still reasoning.”
As they spoke, uncle and nephew arrived at the toilet.
Meng Jiusi carried Heng Bao in, took off his pants for him.
A sound of water.
Heng Bao let out a long sigh of relief, saying, “I was holding it so bad!”
“Where are your parents? Didn’t your dad take you to the toilet?!” Meng Jiusi asked.
Holding it too long isn’t good.
“My dad has taken me.” But he drank a lot of water, belly always feeling bloated.
Heng Bao explained his parents’ whereabouts. “Dad went to training, Mom went to buy me pig trotters!”
“Where did your mom go to buy you pig trotters?” Meng Jiusi frowned tightly. He thought Zhaozhao was joking; who knew she’d really go buy them.
One pig has only four pig trotters; this stuff isn’t easy to buy. Zhaozhao just arrived not long ago, no connections either—where could she go?
He could only think of the black market.
So dangerous.
Heng Bao shook his head, tone resentful. “Don’t know. Mom always says adults’ business, kids don’t meddle.”
“…Listen to your mom.” Meng Jiusi put his nephew’s pants back on, picked him up, and headed out.
“…”
Knowing his uncle was on Mom’s side too, Heng Bao sighed glumly, wisely saying, “I listen to Mom the most.”
“Listening to Mom makes you a good child.” Meng Jiusi praised, took him to wash hands and face, then brought him back to the room.
Seeing his uncle wash his hands and face very carefully, scrubbing back and forth several times, Heng Bao said, “Uncle, you’re like my brother—washing hands is such a hassle.”
Meng Jiusi paused slightly, then smiled broadly. “Haven’t you heard that saying?”
“What saying?” Heng Bao asked.
“Nephews take after uncles.” Meng Jiusi’s tone held a smile.
“Hahaha, then why don’t I take after you.” Heng Bao let out a string of laughter, directing it at his uncle.
“You have three other uncles too.” The implication was clear: take after your other three uncles.
Heng Bao had no rebuttal.
Meng Jiusi put him on the bed. “I’ll change your dressing first, then you eat breakfast.”
“Okay.” The little patient had no objection.
Obediently watching his uncle change the dressing, seeing Meng Jiusi’s skilled technique, unable to hold back after two seconds, he asked, “Uncle, when will my foot get better?”
Meng Jiusi glanced at him, tone gentle. “That depends on what you mean by ‘better’?”
“What do you mean?” Heng Bao’s face was full of question marks.
“If it’s just being able to get out of bed, with persistent dressing changes, about three days; if it’s the kind where you can run and jump, at least a week.” Meng Jiusi said.
“Ah?” Heng Bao exaggerated an “ah.”
“Ah what!” Meng Jiusi was amused by his tone and laughed out loud.
Afraid the little patient wouldn’t take it seriously, he exaggerated a bit, deliberately scaring his nephew.
“You have to be careful with the foot injury; one slip and it’ll leave aftereffects. Rest more.”
“What’s an aftereffect?” The question came from Yu Bao.
“Aftereffect means if not healed properly, the foot will ache now and then.” Meng Jiusi explained in kid-friendly words.
Hearing this, Yu Bao’s expression turned serious. “Uncle, I’ll watch Heng Bao, not let him run or jump, make sure he heals completely.”
Heng Bao didn’t want aftereffects either, nodding busily. “Uncle, I’ll listen to you! Whatever you say for when I can walk, that’s when I’ll get out of bed!”
Meng Jiusi smiled, packed up the medicine box, planning to go to work.
Before leaving, he asked, “Has your mom eaten?”
“She ate, drank a bowl of porridge.” Yu Bao answered.
“Good she ate; skipping breakfast is bad for the body.” Meng Jiusi said.
“Uncle, don’t worry. Dad and us will all supervise Mom.” Yu Bao’s smile was brilliant.
Meng Jiusi ruffled his forehead, laughing, “Good boy. I brought you two buns; go get them yourselves. I’m off to work. Jing Mo Ge and Xiao Bai will come later.”
“Okay.” Yu Bao agreed obediently.
Meng Jiusi was very reassured about his eldest nephew, said no more, and turned to leave.
Not long after he left, Mao Dan’er, Jing Mo, and Xiao Bai came to visit the little patient. Also coming along were Hei Dan and several twin new little friends.
None came empty-handed.
Mao Dan’er brought two bright red apples, Hei Dan brought a few red dates, other little friends some with cucumbers, some with tomatoes… not much, not particularly precious things, but all the little friends’ intentions.
“Heng Bao, we’re here to see you.”
“Heng Bao, is your foot better? Does it still hurt?”
The little friends crowded into the twins’ room, chattering words of concern one after another.
“Heng Bao, your room is so nice! Did your dad prepare it for you?” One little friend was very envious.
Heng Bao proudly puffed out his little chest, loudly saying, “Yes, Dad prepared it. This room is just like the one I had in my hometown, right? Isn’t it nice? My room in the hometown was even nicer, big windows, super bright, curtains blue like brother and I like.”
“Right, this is me and my brother’s room, not just mine.”
The little friends went “wow.” “I didn’t even have a room in my hometown.”
“Do you have one here?” Heng Bao asked straightforwardly.
“Yes.” The little friend smiled brighter than the sun.
“That’s great.” Heng Bao gave full emotional value to his little pal, words pleasant to hear. “Your room will get bigger and bigger, nicer and nicer.”
“Thanks Heng Bao. Your room will get bigger and nicer too.”
The little friend had no jealousy, just envy and satisfaction with what they had.
Yu Bao greeted the little guests visiting his brother, pouring them sweet red date water, bringing out the mung bean cakes Mom had made earlier.
“Drink water. Here are mung bean cakes Mom made; everyone eat.”
Hei Dan’s eyes widened in shock. “Yu Bao, you know where your family’s mung bean cakes are? Your mom doesn’t hide pastries and candy from you?!”
“I do.” After answering, Yu Bao puzzledly asked, “Why hide pastries and candy from me? To sneak eat them?”
“Not adults sneaking; afraid we’d sneak eat.” Hei Dan said.
His mom hid everything, hanging it from the beam high up; he couldn’t reach even if he wanted to sneak.
“Why sneak eat? Mom says little friends are the little masters of the home; take whatever you want to eat or drink, just in moderation.” Yu Bao said.
“Your mom is really nice.” Hei Dan was full of envy. “My mom hides everything, saves it all for New Year.”
Yu Bao’s eyes full of sympathy, picked up a mung bean cake for him. “You eat.”
Hei Dan took it, about to put it in his mouth, but the mung bean cake stopped five centimeters from his mouth. He difficultly halted, saying, “If we eat so many mung bean cakes, your mom won’t get mad and hit you guys, right? Maybe we shouldn’t eat; adults hit hard.”
One little friend who had already bitten a piece blinked innocently.
Eaten already, what now?
“Mom never hits!” Heng Bao said loudly. “Eat up; nothing will happen after.”
“Right, after eating, Mom will make more for us.” Yu Bao added.
Still fresh ones.
Only then did Hei Dan and the little friends eat with relief.
Heng Bao thought of the excitement he’d seen halfway and asked the little friends about the follow-up.
“What happened later with that excitement I saw halfway? Someone tell me!”
Little friends crowded to the bed edge, chattering it all out.
…
Fengshou Brigade.
The brigade was in double harvest rush; members were busy to the point of dizziness.
After work that day, seeing the Lu family who went to accompany the army appear in the village, everyone was shocked beyond belief.
“Bao Zhen’s grandma, you…” The brigade leader’s wife didn’t say the big words “driven back,” softened her wording a bit. “Weren’t you gone to accompany the army to enjoy blessings? How’d you come back?”
Lu Old Lady loved face, didn’t mention being driven back at all, only saying, “That year was too hot; I couldn’t stay, so I came back. Still more comfortable in the hometown.”
The brigade leader’s wife spoke to Old Man Lu. “Bao Zhen’s grandpa, is that how it is?”
“If not that, what?” Old Man Lu gave her a glance. “We weren’t happy living there; wanted to come back, so we did.”
Though said so, his heart was very bitter.
Countryside small place versus military region family courtyard—only a fool wouldn’t know which was more comfortable to live in.
Pity that unfilial son insisted they come back, even threatening with his own career to make them return—unfilial son!
Good thing he gave them quite a bit of money; otherwise, he wouldn’t want to come back.
The brigade leader’s wife didn’t quite believe it.
She changed the topic. “Cheng Huai’s wife went to the troops to visit relatives; you saw her, right?”
This was almost openly saying you lied uselessly; Lin Zhao will come back sooner or later, and when she does, we’ll know everything.
The Lu old couple panicked a bit, unease appearing on their faces.
“Saw her, saw her.” Lu Old Lady said “saw her” twice, spotting Gu Mu’s figure, then said, “Cheng Huai’s wife is really something.”
She still wanted to wait for Gu Mu to ask why she said that, then badmouth Lin Zhao, but Gu Mu just faintly glanced at her, not engaging at all.
Lu Old Lady: Oil-and-salt-proof old coot!
Fuming inside with curses, Lu Old Lady didn’t give up stirring the pot, continuing not-so-skillfully, “Cheng Huai’s wife goes to the troops to enjoy blessings, leaves two raging milk-drinking babies with the mother-in-law? Her heart’s big enough; they’ve even separated households…”
If it were a petty mother-in-law, she’d be unhappy inside long ago.
Gu Mu wouldn’t; she wiped the dragon-phoenix twins’ mouths, saying, “We’re not that evil mother-in-law who can’t stand a good daughter-in-law. Our own grandson and granddaughter—taking care of them, what’s wrong? Family, how can you be so calculating? So calculating, what kind of days are those…”
