Chapter 208

"As long as you feel comfortable, just say if there are any problems. I am your own sister, and I am happy to serve you." Lin Zhao smiled.

Meng Jiusi rubbed his sister's hair, his heart feeling warm, and he felt an unprecedented peace.

He enjoyed the feeling of being with his family, which made him feel... he was not alone.

"Zhaozhao, I went to see that Commander Ning."

"He said that the military region will handle the things I'm worried about. I just need to report on time. When Mother Ning's health improves, I will leave with them." Meng Jiusi was very reluctant.

He didn't have much time to spend with his relatives, so of course, he was reluctant.

Lin Zhao smiled with curved eyes, "That's a good thing."

Seeing the fourth brother's reluctance, she said: "Don't be like this. There is still plenty of time to spend together. Fourth brother, you go first. When the military region assigns you a big house, I will also go to follow the army. Perhaps the two of us can persuade Father and Mother to go live there."

If she couldn't see Father and Mother for a few months, Lin Zhao couldn't stand it.

Meng Jiusi's expression was expectant, "Is that possible?"

He was a person who lacked love and had envied children with parents since he was a child. He only had parents in his twenties, so of course, he wanted to spend more time with them.

"Yes, the possibility is very high." Lin Zhao blinked, "Father and Mother are not rigid at all. They don't care about things like relying on the eldest for retirement. You haven't been back long, and Father and Mother also want to spend more time with you."

She smiled somewhat proudly, "Most importantly, I am the only daughter of Father and Mother. When the time comes, I will nag them a bit more, and they certainly won't refuse."

"If that doesn't work, let Xiang Yubao and Gu Hangbao act spoiled. They have a real knack for pretending to be wronged."

The twins were grooming the little golden monkey with Jingmo and Xiaobai. Hearing their mother mention their names, the little brothers looked up with blank expressions.

"What's wrong, Mom?" Gu Hangbao rubbed his nose. Fine, soft yellow hair had gotten into his nostril, and the little friend couldn't help but sneeze.

Lin Zhao couldn't help but laugh, "Nothing for now. Your fourth uncle and I were saying that we might need your help in a while."

Xiang Yubao loved helping his mother the most. He stood up, looking over with black and white eyes, "What help? Gu Hangbao and I can help."

Jingmo hesitated for a moment, his little face serious as he stated, "Aunt, I can too."

Xiaobai silently raised his right hand, his fingers covered in golden hair.

So cute.

Lin Zhao's heart trembled, and she beckoned to Xiaobai.

The little friend clapped his hands, patted the hair on his body, walked over obediently, and raised his little face.

"Aunt?" he said in a milky voice.

Lin Zhao hugged her little nephew, her voice soft, "Do you want to eat sponge cake?"

"Sponge cake?" Xiaobai's eyes widened. His eyes were like the Lin family's, black and bright like pearls, watery and very beautiful.

The child nestled in his aunt's arms, nodded, and said softly: "I want to eat."

The child was young, but he knew good from bad and could tell who was sincere and who was fake. He was very close to Lin Zhao, his own aunt, and slowly dared to say what he wanted to eat.

"Aunt will get it for you." Lin Zhao wiped her nephew's hands and carried him to the kitchen to get the sponge cake, "Your father said that you and your brother love to eat it, so I bought a lot. I'll buy more when you finish eating."

Xiaobai's soft arms wrapped around his aunt's neck, his smile obedient, "Thank you, Aunt."

Meng Jiusi faced the kitchen and shouted helplessly: "Zhaozhao, let Xiaobai walk by himself. He's older and a bit heavy."

"Not at all, Xiaobai is very light." Lin Zhao bounced her little nephew who was eating the sponge cake and didn't feel he was heavy, "He's too thin and needs to eat more. Tomorrow, Aunt will make meat for our Xiaobai. You order the dish, anything is fine."

Xiaobai blinked, his eyes expectant, "Sour and sweet meat."

"Sweet and sour pork tenderloin? Sweet and sour ribs?" Lin Zhao thought of these two sweet and sour meat dishes and, considering Xiaobai's age, had an idea, "How about sweet and sour pork tenderloin?"

"Hmm!" Xiaobai nodded, his eyes curving into crescents.

Meng Jiusi felt sorry for his sister's hard work, "It's not easy to have a day off, it would be better to rest, why go to such trouble."

"It's not trouble. Even if you weren't here, the four cubs and I would still have to eat. The dishes Gu Hangbao orders are the troublesome ones; what Xiaobai orders is nothing." Lin Zhao rubbed her face against the little friend's face, teasing the little guy until he giggled.

Meng Jiusi looked at his little son's smiling face, his eyelids trembling a few times.

His Guangbai.

Who knows what kind of unbearable things they experienced besides what Mome told him?

Two lively and optimistic children—the older one became full of thorns, and although he hid it carefully, the ruthlessness that flashed in Jingmo's eyes was still captured by him; the younger one became timid and silent, needing to stay where he could be seen at all times, otherwise he would be uneasy, his breathing would be rapid, and he couldn't catch his breath.

Meng Jiusi hadn't heard his little son laugh out loud in a long time, and so happily at that.

His brows relaxed, and a smile flashed in his eyes.

Looking at it this way, if Guangbai has enough sense of security, he will recover, right!

The next day.

Xiaobai ate the sweet and sour pork tenderloin made by his aunt. The little guy really liked it and ate half a bowl of rice more than usual.

Gu Hangbao used a steamed bun to dip in the sweet and sour sauce, eating with a face full of satisfaction.

"Mom, this meat is really delicious, you never make it for us."

Lin Zhao didn't take the blame, "You didn't say so. If you don't say it, how would I know you want to eat sweet and sour meat."

Gu Hangbao choked, his mouth that could talk so well was speechless now.

After a long while, he muttered, "All children like sweet and sour meat."

Knowing he couldn't win against his mother, he leaned his head against Xiaobai's head and said seriously, "Bai Bai, have you eaten other sweet and sour meat?"

Xiaobai swallowed the meat in his mouth and shook his head, "No more."

His short finger pointed to the sweet and sour pork tenderloin in the bowl, his voice soft, "Sweet and sour is delicious, Aunt is amazing."

Xiang Yubao agreed very much, "Everything my mom makes is delicious."

The twins also tasted the sweet and sour flavor. The two little ones, who rarely ate such "heavy-flavored" things, had eyes as bright as lamps. Their little mouths sucked at an accelerated frequency, and they shook their short legs, so carefree that one wanted to send them to school.

Lin Zhao didn't let the twins eat too much, just enough to taste it.

The little brother and sister ate vegetable porridge and some mashed potatoes. The milk powder began to be reduced, not because the family couldn't afford it, but because the two little ones didn't want to drink it and wanted to eat the same as their brothers.

Wiping the vegetable leaf off Yaobao's cheek, Lin Zhao said helplessly: "Eat slowly, learn from your brother, eat one mouthful at a time."

Yaobao didn't listen and continued to eat happily.

Lin Zhao didn't interfere anymore; she would understand when she was older.

The mother didn't manage it, but Xiang Yubao couldn't stand it and took out a small handkerchief to wipe his sister's mouth, "Yaobao, don't scoop too much with the spoon, scoop half..."

Yaobao didn't like listening, hummed softly, turned around, and clumsily lifted the small bowl to pour it into her mouth.

Xiang Yubao: "..."

He looked at Lin Zhao helplessly, "Mom, sister won't listen to me!!"

Gu Hangbao and Qian Bao both listened to him, their brother. Xiang Yubao was shocked to find that his sister was a troublemaker, and a trace of panic appeared in his confusion, not knowing what to do.

"If she doesn't listen, she doesn't listen. She will listen when she's older." Lin Zhao's eyes soothed her eldest son.

"Will she?" Xiang Yubao asked, his tone full of uncertainty. The expression he looked at Yaobao with was as if he were looking at a wayward girl.

Lin Zhao couldn't laugh or cry.

Xiang Yubao's appearance was as if his sister was about to be hooked away by some little yellow-haired guy outside; it was really funny.

"She will, she will."

Thinking about these things, it was really worrying.

Xiang Yubao visibly relaxed, glanced at his sister's round back of the head, withdrew his gaze, and busily tidied up the bowls and chopsticks.

"Gu Hangbao, it's your turn to wash the dishes."

Gu Hangbao said: "I remember, brother, you help me take the bowls and chopsticks."

"Okay." Xiang Yubao helped his brother tidy up the bowls and chopsticks, took out a rag to wipe the table clean, and put away the stools, not letting Lin Zhao do anything the whole time.

Gu Laoyezi Meng's gaze was loving, "You have raised these children well; they are all sensible. You are blessed."

He said to Lin Zhao.

Lin Zhao didn't deny it, nor was she humble, "They are indeed sensible. Their grandmother taught them; they have been obedient since they were young."

Xiang Yubao was a mom-controlled child and couldn't help but interject, "Mom taught us too."

"Look at the little guy... he even knows how to protect you." Gu Laoyezi Meng was very moved.

"See how they are at three to know how they will be at eighty" is a golden rule.

Xiang Yubao blushed with embarrassment and ran off to watch Da Huang and Hu Po eat.

Afternoon.

Lin Zhao led the four cubs and took Meng Jiusi and others back to the Dongfeng Brigade.

She was a big celebrity in the brigade, a capable person in the mouths of every household. Being able to find a job for her eldest brother at her maiden home after getting married was not something an ordinary person could do.

It was no exaggeration to say that she was the focus of the topic.

Seeing a beautiful girl and four little cubs of different heights from afar, the people of the brigade knew that Lin Zhao had brought the children back to her maiden home.

When they got closer—

"Zhaozhao, you brought the children back. You didn't ride a bicycle this time, you must be exhausted from walking all the way. Go back quickly and let your father and mother make you some sugar water." A middle-aged woman who had a good relationship with the Lin family spoke up.

"Aunt Wang." Lin Zhao greeted the other party with a smile and asked the four cubs to call out to her.

The four cubs called out obediently.

They were dressed cleanly and decently, looked fair and clean, and had bright, intelligent eyes, looking very likable.

Even those who didn't like Lin Zhao couldn't dislike these four cubs.

Wang Wang Pozi Liu's gaze wandered over the Meng family members, and she said maliciously: "What are these people here for?"

"Lin family girl, your husband is a soldier, we can't do things that are sorry for military comrades."

Malice rushed towards them.

Meng Jiusi narrowed his eyes, his smile slightly cool.

"People with dirty hearts see everything as dirty."

After a brief evaluation, he looked at Lin Zhao and said warmly: "Zhaozhao, I can't wait to recognize our home. You lead the way quickly, I have waited for this day for many years!"

Lin Zhao looked at Wang Wang Pozi Liu coldly, ignored her, and led the way in front.

"Fourth brother, follow me. Our house is a brick and tile house, very easy to recognize."

Their group soon entered the village.

"... Fourth brother? I didn't hear wrong, did I?" The old woman who was sewing shoe soles pricked her finger and felt the pain before she came to her senses, "That young man is the Lin family's child?!"

Those who knew some past events covered their mouths, "The child of the Lin family who was stolen when he was just born... is back?"

"Impossible, right? Lost for more than twenty years, how could he be found back? Could it be the Lin family girl recognizing a brother outside?"

Wang Wang Pozi Liu said firmly: "It must be like that. That young man doesn't look like the Lin family at all; it's impossible for him to be the child the Lin family lost!"

She had failed to harm the Lin family before, but instead harmed her own older son-in-law. With no help from her poor sap daughter at home, her life had plummeted, and she had long hated Song Xiwei to the bone, wishing she would never find her biological son in her lifetime.

"I think that young man looks quite like Zhaozhao's father." Equally handsome and good-looking.

"Those two boys also look like him. And there's an old man, what's going on with that old man? Why does Zhaozhao bring all kinds of people home."

Things in the village couldn't be hidden and would spread all over the sky in a while.

None of what was spread was good.

Some said Lin Zhao recognized a brother outside and brought him home; some said she recognized a powerful foster grandfather and wanted him to get jobs for her whole family... it was as outrageous as it could be.

Lin Zhao didn't know about these yet.

She brought Meng Jiusi and others to the Lin family.

"Dadan, Lin Er Dan... Your fourth uncle and I are back, why don't you come out quickly, what are you doing..."

The people in the room walked out.

"Aunt, Aunt!"

Seeing Lin Zhao, they were all kinds of curious.

But facing Meng Jiusi's face, they were completely unfamiliar.

Who is this...?

What did Aunt just call him, Fourth Uncle?

Do they have one?

Dadan and the others were very confused, looking at their aunt blankly.

"Eh? Didn't your father tell you?" Lin Zhao was puzzled.

"... What should my father have told us?" Dadan asked on their behalf.

Lin Er Dan and the others nodded fiercely.

That's right, what are you talking about.

Lin Zhao pulled Dadan and the others to the side and told them the cause and effect in a concise manner. Lin Heling and Song Xiwei greeted Gu Laoyezi Meng and talked to Meng Jiusi.

Listening to her aunt's words, Dadan was surprised into an expression pack, "Aunt, you mean, we originally had three uncles? He..."

He pointed at Meng Jiusi with a sense of stealth, "He is my fourth uncle?!!"

"Is that what it means?"

Lin Zhao nodded, "Yes, perfect understanding."

"Aunt, you are really amazing." Dadan's eyes were full of worship, "You found him by relying on the birthmark on my fourth uncle's ear. You are more amazing than the case-solving experts in books."

The focus was strange.

Lin Zhao: This was praising her.

"I've heard your grandfather talk about it since I was a child, and my ears have developed calluses. I would definitely recognize it when I saw it. If it were you, you would recognize it too."

Lin Er Dan said: "That's also Aunt's attentiveness. My brother is thick-skinned; he can even forget to write his name during exams, he wouldn't recognize it."

Dadan: "..."

He hadn't beaten his brother for almost a week!

Lin Zhao was very happy.

"I brought you sponge cake, go get it."

Xibao hugged Lin Zhao's waist, her little body swaying, her voice carrying small waves, "Aunt is the best."

After speaking, she pulled Lin Xuan and Lin Zheng to get the sponge cake.

Each took a piece and went out to be little loudspeakers, talking about their fourth uncle's affairs.

Rather than letting people spread rumors blindly, it was better to break the news themselves; this was what their grandfather taught them.

Then.

Before the rumors in the village could spread on a large scale, newer gossip came, and it was spread by the family members of the parties involved, guaranteed to be true.

The people of the Dongfeng Brigade were very excited.

They soon knew... what the Lin family let them know.

It turned out that Meng Jiusi was the Lin family's stolen youngest son. He was adopted by the Meng family when he was young, learned medical skills, went to university, got married, and had two sons...

Lin family.

Meng Jiusi was led by Lin Zhao to his room and also saw... the clothes Lin Heling made for him, one set every year, some from when he was a child, some from when he was an adult, filling the cabinet.

His throat was dry, and his lips were tightly pursed.

He was silent for a long while.

"Father makes clothes for me every year, I never even thought about it." Meng Jiusi sat on his bed, looking around the whole room, water flashing in his eyes, "For so many years, I have been thinking about where my home is, why my parents didn't want me, and when I encountered unfair things, I couldn't help but complain... why give birth to me if you weren't going to raise me. I didn't expect..."

It turned out that in places he couldn't see, his parents were also thinking of him and loving him with all their might.

Lin Zhao sat next to her fourth brother, looked out the window, and talked about things from when they were young, "This room of yours, except for Father and Mother, even I couldn't come in. Second brother secretly ran to your room before and slept on your bed, third brother had a fight with him, saying this was your room, no one could occupy it, and he would beat whoever occupied it..."

Scenes of what Zhaozhao said flashed through Meng Jiusi's mind, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but rise.

The little beggar boy whose heart was drowned in regret gradually disappeared.