Chapter 100: Lin Jiu

2:30 PM.

Song Yunjin returned to the supply and marketing cooperative with several ice pops in his hand.

He distributed them to several salespeople one by one.

"... Thank you for speaking up for my sister, please have some ice pops."

He had already bought them, so Li Fen and the others didn't refuse, smiling as they accepted.

"Thank you."

Song Yunjin waved his hand lightly and returned to the counter where Lin Zhao was, reporting what he had found out.

"Sister, no one lives in that courtyard. The roof and courtyard walls are broken, and the weeds in the courtyard are half as tall as me... The comrades at the neighborhood committee said the owner is named Lin Jiu, and he hasn't appeared for a long time. If no one claims it, the courtyard will be taken over by the housing management office."

It hadn't been taken over yet because the focus of the county's work was temporarily not here, and a certain movement was in full swing.

Lin Jiu.

That was the name on the Land and Property Ownership Certificate, that was correct.

And she had the same surname.

"No one has lived there for a long time?" Lin Zhao was curious and asked one more question.

"Hmm, they said no one has lived there for many years; otherwise, the courtyard wouldn't have broken into that state. It doesn't matter who lives there, it needs to be repaired properly." Song Yunjin had seen the courtyard with his own eyes; it didn't even have a roof. It was truly broken.

"Thank you for your hard work, I know now." Lin Zhao said with a smile.

She could finally rest easy. She had inevitably thought when she first drew it whether she would be snatching someone else's property for no reason. Unowned was fine; the lucky draw wheel was still quite reliable.

"Sister, what exactly do you want to do?" Song Yunjin's eyes were full of curiosity.

Lin Zhao said with a smile: "You'll know later."

"... That sentence sounds like an adult coaxing a child! Sister, you wouldn't be coaxing me like Gu Da Cai and Ercai, would you?"

Song Yunjin looked over with suspicious eyes.

Lin Zhao shook her head, "Children aren't easy to coax."

If anyone thought children were easy to dismiss, they were wrong!

The twins were slowly growing up, and sometimes the questions they asked made her feel hard to handle.

Song Yunjin's focus was still quite good and wasn't diverted, "Sister, are you thinking of buying a house in the county?"

"If you want to, I'll ask my dad to find a way. Maybe he can get one for you before the policy is fully implemented. Old Song is considered a local snake, he has some connections, and if you're lucky, you should be able to get one."

"Calling him Old Song again! If Uncle finds out, your butt will bloom again!" Lin Zhao tapped his head and shook her head in refusal, "No need."

She already had one, just couldn't bring it out into the open. Once she changed the new certificate and changed the owner's name, she would take root in the county!

The four cubs would be proper city children!

Song Yunjin covered his head, his eyes full of smiles.

"Alright." He said, "If you need help, you must tell me. If you have something and don't say it, my parents won't scold you, they'll definitely dislike me."

Lin Zhao smiled: "Don't worry, Sister will speak well for you; Uncle and Aunt definitely won't scold you."

Song Yunjin didn't feel his sister was taking charge at all, and chuckled.

Sitting there with nothing to do, he looked east and west.

As it was time to get off work, there were fewer and fewer customers coming to the supply and marketing cooperative. Lin Zhao saw her little cousin was bored, looked at him and said: "Yunjin, I'm getting off work soon, your brother-in-law will come to pick me up, why don't you go back first."

Song Yunjin wanted to go to the recycling station to look around and didn't refuse.

"Fine, Sister, you must tell Brother-in-law about being reported today." His expression was serious, "If you don't tell him, when you go home on the weekend, I'll say it in front of everyone!"

His brother-in-law was a capable person; if he knew about this, he would definitely vent his sister's anger. He was just a junior high student with no ability, but his brother-in-law had so many comrades-in-arms; a little effort from them could make the Liu family pay the price.

Don't say he was petty; Yunjin didn't feel he was petty, his sister was almost taken away.

His sister was a girl, could she get anything good in that place?!

"Threatening me? You're quite something!" Lin Zhao glared at Yunjin, but her eyes were soft, "Got it, I'll tell your brother-in-law."

She truly felt puzzled and muttered: "Before, you couldn't stand your brother-in-law anywhere, but after watching one movie, your attitude took a 180-degree turn; there's no one like you."

Song Yunjin couldn't say directly that he saw his brother-in-law was sincere to his sister, which was why he changed his attitude.

The youth didn't answer and calmly changed the subject: "Sister, just remember, I'm leaving."

As the words fell.

He waved at Lin Zhao, shook his cloth bag, and left with light steps.

At 3:00 PM sharp, Gu Chenghuai appeared at the entrance of the supply and marketing cooperative.

Lin Zhao packed her things, thought of the appointment with Sister Fen, looked at her, and confirmed again: "Sister Fen, I'll tell my sister, she'll bring her to the county the day after tomorrow, there won't be any changes, right?"

"No, no, my younger brother is still used to the military style, he has a great sense of time. He said he'd meet the day after tomorrow, and he'll squeeze out the time no matter what." Li Fen said confidently.

She knew her younger brother's style of doing things.

Lin Zhao appreciated comrades with plans and arrangements.

Sister Fen was a good person, her younger brother was family, and he was also a retired soldier. Plus, she heard about her younger brother from Sister Fen, and she had a good impression of this person—responsible, steady, emotionally stable, capable of supporting a family... Although he had no parents to rely on, looking at it from another angle, she wouldn't have to worry about not getting along with her mother-in-law, right? He was suitable for her Sister Xiangxiang.

"That's good, I'll pass on the message when I go back." Lin Zhao said.

She waved her hand and walked out of the supply and marketing cooperative.

Gu Chenghuai was waiting at the door. Seeing his wife, his cold, sharp eyes instantly softened, his voice deep and gentle.

"Did it go smoothly today?"

Lin Zhao's slender, delicate fingers hooked his clothes, her cheeks puffed up slightly, and she complained: "Not at all! I was reported!"

If the man were in the military, she wouldn't even mention it for fear he would worry; since he was home, she would definitely tell him.

The smile on Gu Chenghuai's handsome face instantly disappeared, his black eyes sank, and his gaze was so cold it could freeze.

Anger surged in his heart, but he suppressed it in time.

He parked the bicycle, cupped Lin Zhao's face with both hands, and looked at her seriously.

"You weren't hurt, were you?"

Lin Zhao held his hands and hurriedly said: "I wasn't hurt. It's a society ruled by law; everything requires evidence. How could they just grab people? I'm fine; the one who reported me is the one in trouble."

"What did they report you for?" Gu Chenghuai's brows narrowed slightly, his voice calm, terrifyingly calm.

"Reported me for embezzlement and taking kickbacks. Don't you think it's funny? They really look down on me!" Lin Zhao felt it was absurd.

Thinking about it, Liu Chunhong looked down on country people from the bottom of her heart, thinking country people loved to take small advantages, so writing such a report content was normal.

Seeing that Zhao Zhao wasn't affected, the wrinkles between Gu Chenghuai's brows disappeared. He put this matter aside for now, stood on his wife's side, and condemned the unknown reporter with her.

"Yes, with me here, you don't lack money to spend at all, so you wouldn't care about that little bit of petty gain. They look down on people too much."

Sometimes, complaining or venting doesn't mean the person speaking wants the listener to do something; a clear, supportive attitude is enough to soothe that person.

Lin Zhao hadn't taken it to heart in the first place, and Gu Chenghuai's brainless blowing made her unable to stop laughing.

Her laughter was light, without a trace of gloom.

Seeing his wife wasn't affected, Gu Chenghuai curled his lips and said: "Let's not talk about this, let's go home. Before I left, Gu Da Cai and Ercai specifically reminded me not to take you wandering around blindly and to go home early; they miss you."

He lifted his right leg, his foot landing on the pedal. The moment he turned, his gaze was covered in frost.

Lin Zhao didn't notice, jumped on, and wrapped one arm around the man's waist.

"Go home!"

Gu Chenghuai kicked off, and the bicycle slid out.

He grabbed the handlebars with his right hand and held Lin Zhao's hand with his left, his fingertips circling her fingers, his eyes very cold.

Flashes of the fates of those who were reported in Shanghai crossed his mind, and Gu Chenghuai couldn't help but be angry.

The girl he carefully protected, he was afraid she would suffer grievances in places he didn't notice. He wanted to stand higher and block all the darkness behind her, but someone...

"Why aren't you talking? You wouldn't be secretly plotting something, would you?" Lin Zhao poked Gu Chenghuai's solid waist.

"No." Gu Chenghuai denied it.

His voice couldn't be heard with any waves.

Before Lin Zhao could pursue it, the man said in a steady voice: "I passed on the words you asked me to tell Eldest Brother. The mung bean and lily bulb soup was boiled with Mom's help and has already been sent to the new house. Gu Da Cai and the others drank it and liked it very much."

Lin Zhao leaned her head against Gu Chenghuai's broad back, listening carefully, and asked from time to time: "How did you find out about Little Stone's matter?"

Gu Chenghuai said unhurriedly: "Table tennis can be learned, and if he learns it well, it's a way out. The problem is, the sports committee system is also in chaos, the two factions are fighting, and all training is suspended. Yunjian's suggestion is to send Little Stone to the Youth Palace to learn first, but you also know, only the provincial capital has a Youth Palace, and Eldest Sister and Brother-in-law haven't been to the provincial capital, so they are very confused..."

He told his wife everything he had found out.

"Little Stone is your own nephew, you should pay attention." Lin Zhao's clear and soft voice rang out.

"If he really achieves results, it's a good thing to win glory for the country. Even if he doesn't achieve results, it doesn't matter. At least he can do what he likes. When he grows up and looks back, he won't have any regrets."

Gu Chenghuai's cold and stern brows suddenly melted, like a mirror-like lake surface brushed by a spring breeze.

"Listen to you."

The couple talked as the bicycle entered the brigade.

The twins, Da Huang, and Hu Po weren't waiting at the entrance of the village.

Lin Zhao was stunned for a moment, her face showing suspicion, "Gu Da Cai and Ercai aren't at the entrance of the village?"

As an adult, she certainly didn't need the cubs to pick her up every day, but suddenly not seeing them when she could see them every day when she came back from work, she inevitably felt unaccustomed.

Gu Chenghuai's eye tails drooped slightly, a ripple of helplessness flowing in his eyes, "They are moving bricks at the new house."

"?"

Lin Zhao reconstructed the scene of the twins moving bricks in her mind, and a string of crisp laughter spilled from her mouth.

"Moving bricks? Hahahaha, don't tell me they're causing trouble."

Gu Chenghuai agreed incomparably, "It's not causing trouble, the two of them want to move everything, and their mouths aren't just a little bit capable. They asked the master if they could put a big tiger on the roof, and asked why the wall could stand steadily and why it wouldn't fall... The master's face turned green."

"Pfft—!" Lin Zhao laughed until her cheeks were sore.

Her face was full of surrender-like indulgence, "Children are all like this, how innocent."

"I didn't complain." Gu Chenghuai said.

Lin Zhao affirmed him, "I know, you're a very good dad."

Gu Chenghuai's eyes bloomed with tenderness.

The bicycle entered the village, and the villagers looked over in unison, all sighing in their hearts.

Gu Da Cai's mother marrying Gu Third is truly marrying into a nest of blessings.

Having a bicycle, and the man not being at ease, picking her up and dropping her off every day—which family's wife could live such a life.

Lin Zhao could guess what the villagers thought of her, nothing more than envy. She didn't care and nodded to the people she met with a smile.

The bicycle passed the new house.

Ercai, with sharp eyes, saw his mother at once.

"Mom!" The voice was loud.

Instantly.

Everyone busy looked over.

"Chenghuai's, back from work."

"Seeing Mom, Ercai can't work anymore!"

Ercai was a cub who liked to be strong. Hearing someone look down on him, he followed the gaze, put his hands on his hips, and said: "Not that I can't work! I'm Gu Ercai, I take after my grandmother in strength, just like my mom, I can work until tomorrow in one breath!"

"Right, Ercai can!" Gu Da Cai supported his younger brother.

But he knew in his heart that his younger brother's strength wasn't actually that great. He was both nervous and shy, and his face quietly turned red.

Lin Zhao smiled: "Gu Da Cai, Ercai, go home, I brought you vegetable boxes."

Song Auntie was like her mother, afraid she wouldn't be full, so she made a lot of food. She couldn't eat the vegetable boxes Sister Fen sent, so she could only bring them back.

The two little boys who looked exactly the same ran over obediently.

Ercai raised his little face, "Mom, what's a vegetable box, is it delicious?"

"It's delicious." Lin Zhao saw sweat on the children's foreheads and took out a handkerchief to wipe them.

Gu Da Cai pulled his younger brother back.

He said: "Mom, we'll go back and wash our faces, don't dirty your handkerchief."

"Good, then let Mom hold your hands?" Lin Zhao reached out to the twins.

The two children's faces were filled with bright smiles.

Ercai even had a helpless yet sweet little look, offered his hand, and left the new house with his mother.

"Where are the younger brother and sister?"

Gu Da Cai said: "When we left, Quiet San Zai was reading, and Sizai was catching chickens."

Lin Zhao's brows furrowed slightly, "Gu Da Cai, children can't stare at books for too long, it's bad for their eyes. If Quiet San Zai reads for too long, remind him."

"My brother and I reminded him, we'll remind him in a while, we'll remind him in a while, Mom, don't worry, we are Quiet San Zai's own brothers." Ercai's voice was loud, "Own brothers must take care of their own younger brother!"

Lin Zhao's expression relaxed, she leaned over slightly, pinched the hands of the little brothers and shook them, "My sons are truly great, how can you be so capable, what reward do you want?"

Gu Da Cai knew making money was hard and said sensibly: "Nothing I want, we don't lack anything."

Ercai, however, looked up and smiled until his teeth were visible, "Mom, I want money, will you give it?"

Lin Zhao pinched her son's little nose lightly and smiled: "Didn't your dad just give you two one yuan? One yuan is quite a lot, you greedy child."

"It's not that, the money Dad gave is for emergencies, for my brother and me to call, this money can't be touched." Ercai shook Lin Zhao's arm, his child's voice like it was dyed with honey, "Mom, Dad has pocket money, I want pocket money too, Mom can't be biased."

Lin Zhao laughed, "Your dad hands over all his wages, so it's only right he has pocket money. What about you?"

Ercai's pupils flashed with clever light, arguing strongly: "I'm still young, when I grow up, I'll hand it all over too."

Gu Da Cai also said without hesitation: "I'll hand it over too!"

Were they drawing a pie for her?

Lin Zhao's eyes flashed, looking at Ercai with ease, "How much do you want?"

Ercai's eyes were bright, stretching out his index finger, "... One cent, is that okay?"

"..."

Lin Zhao laughed.

She thought he would want one yuan or one dime, didn't expect he would want one cent.

"What do you want money for?"

Ercai licked his mouth, looking forward to it: "I want to eat ice pops, buy one, and my brother and I will share it."

Lin Zhao glared at him: "Dare to be bolder, want a dime, buy a few more."

Ercai hugged his mother fiercely, his pair of black grape-like eyes looking as if they were filled with stars.

"Then I want a dime, thank you, Mom."

There was dust on his clothes, and he was sweating, and Lin Zhao's clothes were light-colored, so the marks were very obvious.

Ercai felt guilty, "Mom, don't be angry, I'll help you wash it when we get back."

"It's fine, it needed washing anyway." Lin Zhao wasn't angry.

What could the child do wrong? He just liked her, this mother, and wanted to hug her. The son was close to her, so she only had reason to be happy.

Ercai's nervous expression disappeared, his mouth curled up, revealing a bright smile, "I dirtied it, I'll help Mom wash it!"

He saw a child playing with mud today. When his mother came to find him, that child accidentally got mud on his mother, and his mother grabbed his arm, flipped him over, and spanked his butt *slap, slap, slap*. It sounded painful.

Still his mother was better; his mother never spanked them.

Gu Da Cai thought the same, his body leaning toward Lin Zhao, smiling very sweetly.

Returning home, Lin Zhao took the two cubs to wash off the sweat and kissed the soft faces of the twins one by one.

Sizai wrapped her arms around her neck, drilling her whole body into her arms, calling "Mom," her little milky voice soft and healing.

"Were you good at home?" Lin Zhao asked with a smile.

The little milky dumpling's fleshy cheeks bulged because of the effort, like two small rice balls stuffed inside.

"Good~"

"Cub good!"

Said with super effort.

Lin Zhao was so charmed by her daughter that she leaned her face over: "Give me a kiss?"

Sizai was super cooperative, smiling until her small rice teeth were exposed, *baji, baji*, kissing twice, smearing her mother's face with saliva.

Seeing this, Quiet San Zai had a stern little face, took a handkerchief from his small pocket, and wiped the saliva off Lin Zhao's face.

That appearance was as serious as a little adult.

Lin Zhao's heart almost melted, and the disgust of being reported disappeared at this moment.

"Thank you, Quiet San Zai." Her voice softened.

In the moment of talking to the cubs, Gu Chenghuai carried the plate out of the kitchen.

There were a few leek boxes on the plate, steaming hot.

The cubs' father had just reheated them.

"Blow on them when you take them, everyone try them. If you like them, we'll make them another day." Lin Zhao said.

Just as she finished speaking, the twins were about to pounce excitedly. She grabbed the back of the two little ones' necks like catching a cat and pulled them back.

"You two can't eat."

Quiet San Zai was obedient and stood where he was without coming forward. Sizai turned her head, looking at her mother pitifully, saying word by word: "Cub wants, wants to eat."

"Mom will mix you two some milk powder." Lin Zhao touched her daughter's small pigtails and said softly to soothe her.

"... No!" Sizai refused crisply, saliva almost dripping to her chin.

Gu Chenghuai stepped forward, picked up his daughter, took her to the backyard, and coaxed her: "Dad will take you to feed the chickens."

The little milky dumpling who was pouting and about to cry had her attention diverted, her eyes clear, "Look at the chickens~"

Ercai said loudly: "That's a chicken, not a brother!"

"Mom, look at Sizai?" He was angry.

"You don't speak clearly at your age either. When your sister gets bigger, she'll speak clearly." Lin Zhao said.

Some children speak early, some speak late, it's all normal.

"Alright." Ercai reluctantly forgave his younger sister.

Time passed, and the sun set.

The Gu family's new house finished work, and the people building the house returned to their homes.

The Lin brothers came to the Gu family's old house.

"Zhao Zhao, what do you want us to take?" Lin Shichang asked.

Lin Zhao returned to the room, took the big bag she had prepared in advance, and came out.

She pointed to one of the iron boxes, her expression serious: "Eldest Brother, this is for Father."

"What is this?"

Extra 1.2k ===== CHAPTER 101 =====