Chapter 265: All So Skilled

Lin Zhao saw Gu Hangbao's mouth hadn't stopped, and couldn't help but speak up: "Gu Hangbao, are you thirsty?"

Gu Hangbao paused his instruction, puffed out his cheeks, and replied with a wavy, coquettish tone: "Mom."

"Don't think I don't know you think I talk too much."

Lin Zhao: So you do know.

"How could that be." She denied it flatly, "I'm worried your throat is dry. Don't be ungrateful."

Gu Hangbao was half-believing, and that trace of suspicion showed in his eyes.

Really?

"You don't believe me?" Lin Zhao narrowed her eyes.

The cub became instantly well-behaved.

Yet his eyes were bright and lively; he didn't look easy to fool.

"I believe you, I believe everything Mom says." Gu Hangbao walked over and snuggled against his mother, resting his head on Lin Zhao's shoulder, and smiled at Yun Jin: "Uncle Yun Jin, help me and my mom take a picture."

Yun Jin obliged him.

*Click. *

Xiang Yubao's eyes went round; Gu Hangbao was such a scheming cub!!

He rushed over: "I want a photo with Mom too."

Lin Zhao hugged Xiang Yubao's little shoulder: "Okay, let's take a group photo."

Gu Hangbao obediently made room.

"Since we're taking them, Qian Bao and Seeing Yaobao can't be left out, lest they say later that I, their uncle, am biased." Yun Jin said, "Sister, I'll take a photo of you with Qian Bao and Seeing Yaobao each."

Lin Zhao had no objections.

Yun Jin was a natural-born photographer; with a flick of his little hands, he produced great shots.

His sister was satisfied with every single one he took.

Qian Bao in her arms had a serious little face, a contrast that was cute; Lin Zhao kissed her youngest son, and the little guy's eyes lit up as he laughed.

That smile was perfectly cute.

Yun Jin hurriedly pressed the shutter.

"Qian Bao is really cute." He praised.

Qian Bao looked over blankly.

Seeing Yaobao stood on tiptoe, hugged Lin Zhao's knee, turned her head to look at Yun Jin, and broke into a smile.

Yun Jin exclaimed: "Sister, how do you teach them? They are all so skilled."

Before Lin Zhao could answer, he looked at Da Dan and the others: "You all should learn from them; it looks better when it's natural. Don't be so awkward, it looks uncomfortable in photos."

Actually, Da Dan and the others weren't bad, but by comparison, they still weren't as natural as the four cubs.

Da Dan laughed and said: "... Alright, you take more photos of us, and we'll get natural."

Yun Jin thought so too: "Deal, I'll take photos of you when I go to see my little aunt in my spare time."

"It's a deal then." Da Dan smashed his right fist into his left palm, full of anticipation.

Mom and Dad said they wanted to make a growth album for them too, which would require a lot of photos.

To entertain his nephew and niece, Uncle Song had prepared very well; there were candies, and plenty of meat too.

A table full of dishes, for this era, could be considered sumptuous.

There were both cold and hot dishes.

The living room wasn't very big; the Song family cleared things out, moving what wasn't needed for the moment into the rooms. At this time, two round tables were set in the hall, one for the adults and one for the children.

Given that Yun Jin hadn't graduated yet, he was banished to the children's table to look after them.

Before the meal, Uncle Song inevitably had to say a few words.

"Today, besides the third one, our family is finally complete. The house looks a bit crowded, but it's very lively. The children are here too; they are the family's hope. The Lin and Song families will be fine in the future. Let's raise our glasses for this reunion." He picked up a small glass cup for liquor and raised his arm high.

Aunt Song raised her glass too.

It was the New Year, so Song Song Yuncheng was also allowed a touch of alcohol; his eyes were excited, and he raised his glass happily.

Lin Zhao was drinking soda, but she clinked glasses with the others too. Catching Song Song Yuncheng's slightly eager movements, she smiled: "Song Song Yuncheng likes this too?"

"It's alright." Song Song Yuncheng said, "I'm not addicted. I'll drink a little when the weather is cold; it warms the body."

Aunt Song looked at him: "Your father and I won't interfere with what you do normally, but you can't drink at work; you can't let it interfere with things."

"I know." Song Song Yuncheng's expression was solemn.

"Why are you saying this on New Year's?" Uncle Song muttered, "Song Song Yuncheng is already working; what logic does he not understand?"

With so many juniors present, Aunt Song didn't argue with him: "Fine, fine, fine, I won't talk about your son. Let's eat."

"Zhao Zhao, hurry and try this minced meat tofu; it's your favorite." She scooped a spoonful of tofu for Lin Zhao.

Afraid Meng Jiusi would feel uncomfortable, she said to him: "Jiusi, pick whatever you like yourself. I don't know what you like to eat, so I won't look after you."

Meng Jiusi swallowed the food in his mouth and answered earnestly: "Your cooking is very good; I like everything."

These words made Aunt Song beam with joy: "If you like it, eat more. Come back anytime you want to eat it again."

"The chili sauce used in that Mapo Tofu is homemade. If you like it, I'll get you a jar."

When Meng Jiusi was in the army, he hadn't forgotten to send local specialties to Uncle and Aunt Song, which had really saved them face. Sincerity is met with sincerity; Aunt Song was also willing to be good to him.

"... Then I'll trouble you, Aunt." Meng Jiusi didn't stand on ceremony.

Lin Zhao interjected: "Aunt, I want the chili sauce you make too!"

She was very comfortable talking to her uncle and aunt, just as she was talking to Lin Heling and Song Xiwei.

"Alright, I'll bring you some; you won't be left out." Aunt Song's eyes softened.

"You can't eat too much, or you'll get a stomachache." She exhorted, her gaze sweeping over Meng Jiusi.

Meng Jiusi nodded: "I won't eat too much."

After a lively meal, Lin Zhao and her brothers called the children to leave.

The Song family saw them to the downstairs.

"Go slowly on the road." Uncle Song said worriedly.

"Shi Chang, Lin Lin Shisheng, if Qian Bao and Seeing Yaobao are tired, you two carry them."

The two Lin brothers nodded.

They had brought so many things when they came, and they could carry Qian Bao and Seeing Yaobao; returning light-handed, it went without saying.

Aunt Song said: "That's fine, you go back first; it's getting late."

Lin Zhao and the others left.

The Song family wasn't in a hurry to go home and sat downstairs chatting with neighbors in the family building.

"Old Song, we saw your nephew and niece come with bags big and small; what did they bring you? Can you tell us?"

Uncle Song smiled without a word.

Wealth shouldn't be flaunted; if he told them, wouldn't everyone be green with envy?

Aunt Song said: "Just some mountain goods; they look like they take up space, but they're actually nothing."

"How is it nothing? Wasn't there a chicken? That's meat." The speaker was a woman, the biggest gossip in the family building, who loved to talk about others' affairs and loved to take advantage; she wished she could crawl onto people's chimneys whenever someone cooked something good.

"What's wrong with saying it? We wouldn't reach out and ask for it. Look at how stingy you two are."

Song Song Yuncheng looked over, smiling, and said lightly: "I heard your son-in-law brought a lot of things when he came too; why don't you tell us about that?"

The woman's face fell instantly.

Her tone was reproachful: "If you don't want to say it, don't say it. Why be so serious?"

"This isn't being serious." Aunt Song rolled her eyes, "You probe into my family's affairs, and Song Song Yuncheng asks about yours; what kind of seriousness is that? At best, it's called reciprocity."

Woman: Reciprocity my foot; why should she tell others about her family's affairs?

She hummed in dissatisfaction and turned to talk to someone she was familiar with.

"Don't pay her any mind; that person is jealous of you." Someone who had a good relationship with Aunt Song pulled her aside and comforted her in a low voice.

"What do I have to be jealous of? There are plenty of people who live better than my family; can she be jealous of all of them?" Aunt Song said helplessly.

"She doesn't know those people."

Aunt Song: So their family are the suckers?

Her emotions were too exposed and easy to see.

"People like you are the ones who make others jealous."

Aunt Song frowned: "What kind of person am I? Someone living a down-to-earth life?! Who isn't living a down-to-earth life?"

Neighbor: "..."

"Is your life not good enough?" She wanted to roll her eyes, "You haven't been tormented by a wicked mother-in-law, your sisters-in-law are easy to get along with, those nephews and nieces are close to you, and your two sons are promising. What do you have to worry about?"

"How could I not?" Aunt Song said, "Who doesn't have things to worry about? I worry when I can't buy meat and vegetables."

Life in the city is better than in the countryside, but there are difficulties; you have to scramble to buy a few stalks of vegetables, and meat even more so; you could break your head trying to buy half a catty of meat.

If it weren't for Song Song Yuncheng's father having some ability, how could they have made those dishes today?

To tell the truth, after entertaining this group today, the meat in the house was completely gone.

At this time, Aunt Song didn't know that Lin Zhao had brought cured meat, smoked chicken, and other meat that could be stored. She knew that the chicken she took... Aunt would definitely cook it for them to eat.

The neighbor thought of a sentence her son often muttered, something about "why not eat minced meat."

Isn't Song Song Yuncheng's mother just like that?

So annoying.

"Stop talking."

She was afraid she would be jealous too.

Aunt Song hadn't suffered much in her life and knew that being a daughter-in-law was hard, but that understanding only existed on the surface, such as lack of money, or a mother-in-law being difficult, and she didn't clearly understand that what wears people down are the day-to-day trivialities.

"Fine, I won't talk. Want to take the kids upstairs for a sit?"

Aunt Song was generous and liked children; on New Year's, she would give them something to eat whenever they came to the door, and all the children in the family building liked her.

As soon as she spoke, the little ones who heard this had bright eyes and looked at their grandma expectantly.

Neighbor said: "Let's go, as long as you don't find us annoying."

Aunt Song gave her a look as if she found her too formal: "We've been neighbors for many years; saying such formal things hurts our feelings."

"I'm just being polite; when have you called me and I haven't come?" The neighbor replied.

She wasn't someone who liked to take advantage; if she took advantage of the Song family, she would always return something, for example, if she stewed ribs at home, she would send a bowl to the Song family.

Aunt Song led the way, the two of them walking one after the other upstairs, the two little boys following with bright smiles.

Song Song Yuncheng and Yun Jin watched from afar and then dispersed.

Those looking for friends went to find friends; those playing with cameras went to play with cameras.

The camera hanging around Yun Jin's neck was valuable and easily targeted by bad people, so Uncle Song followed him intentionally or unintentionally.

He didn't say why, just said he was digesting his food.

The teenager didn't understand, called his father to go with him, and the father and son went for a walk, leaving behind many photos worth reminiscing about.

Lin Zhao finished visiting relatives with her brothers before taking the four cubs back to her own home.

With Gu Lan there, there was never any need to worry about the third room's courtyard.

The courtyard was clean, the bed sheets were clean, there was no dust on the cabinets, and there was even more firewood, covered with oil paper.

"Seems like we're not needed." Lin Lin Lin Shisheng inspected it and drew a conclusion.

Lin Zhao casually put her things on the cabinet, her expression very soft: "It must have been A Lan who cleaned."

"The girl from the Gu family's first room?" Lin Shichang spoke up; he wanted to sweep the leaves and dust on the ground, but the ground was clean, and there was nowhere to start.

"Yes."

Lin Shichang: "She's a careful and diligent girl."

Lin Zhao agreed.

A Lan was indeed sensible.

Meng Jiusi was in the kitchen starting a fire to boil water; he had lived here with his sister before and knew where everything was.

Black smoke rose from the chimney, slowly ascending.

Li Bao saw this scene, dropped his little friends, and ran toward the third room.

Before he even arrived, his voice rang out.

"Xiang Yubao, Gu Hangbao!!"

This sound was full of longing and joy, and also a little bit of nervousness, afraid of being disappointed.

"Woof woof..." Amber saw Li Bao, whom he hadn't seen for days, and barked excitedly.

The twins rushed out of the courtyard.

"Li Bao!!"

The three children hugged together and started talking affectionately.

They were all asking about recent events.

Hearing that Xiang Yubao and Gu Hangbao had eaten a lot of meat, Li Bao became envious: "You eat meat every day; that's too happy."

"Didn't you eat any?" Xiang Yubao asked with a serious little face.

"I did." Li Bao said, "I ate dumplings with meat filling, and also stir-fried potatoes with meat; the meat is so fragrant."

"Didn't you eat chicken?" Gu Hangbao asked.

Li Bao shook his head: "No, chickens lay eggs; you can't kill them."

"Chicken is delicious." Gu Hangbao said with regret, "If I had known, I would have saved you a few pieces of chicken. The chicken my grandpa and great-aunt make is tied for the most delicious."

Lin Zhao, who had just walked out of the room, happened to hear this.

Oh my, the cubs who go to school are really different; they even know about ties.

"Third Aunt." Li Bao called Lin Zhao obediently.

Lin Zhao gave him a red paper envelope: "Lucky money, a bit late, but it doesn't matter; keep it safe."

Li Bao had received quite a few red paper envelopes for the New Year and was very familiar with the process; he took the lucky money from his Third Aunt with both hands and said earnestly: "Thank you, Third Aunt, I wish Third Aunt a Happy New Year, smooth work, good health, and everything going as you wish."

"Li Bao has learned so many words; that's really amazing." Lin Zhao praised.

Little Li Bao's cheeks turned red.

There was nothing that needed help here, so the Lin brothers left first.

After watching them leave, Lin Zhao stuffed a stack of red paper envelopes into her pocket and walked toward the Gu family's old house.

Arriving at the Gu house, she gave one to every child she saw, not even letting Gu Qingzhou off.

"Third Sister-in-law, I don't need it, right?" Gu Qingzhou said embarrassedly, the red paper envelope in his hand inexplicably hot.

"You're not married yet, why wouldn't you need it! Keep it; consider it me giving it to you on behalf of your Third Brother. You're a big young man now; buy whatever you need yourself." Lin Zhao said lightly.

"Third Aunt, can I open it and see?" Tie Dan asked, unable to hold back.

"You can."

Then came an excited exclamation.

"So much!!" Tie Dan covered his mouth, unable to hide the surprise in his eyes.

Bang Bang and Lai Mei also opened their red paper envelopes, and seeing the money inside, the brothers synchronously repacked them, stuffed them into their trouser pockets, and even pressed them down cautiously.

"Thank you, Third Aunt, you are the most generous Third Aunt in the whole brigade!" Lai Mei said sweetly, then patted his chest, "Third Aunt, I'll take care of the firewood you need next year."

Bang Bang hurriedly said: "I'll continue to pick up Xiang Yubao and Gu Hangbao for school next year!"

Tie Dan followed closely: "The wheat and peanuts I pick will all be for Third Aunt."

A Lan pursed her lips and said: "When Third Aunt is busy, I can take care of Qian Bao and Seeing Yaobao; I'm a year older now and can take good care of them."

Lin Zhao didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

These little guys, if you didn't know better, you'd think she gave them fifty cents or a dollar.

In reality, she gave the older children fifty cents and the younger ones twenty cents.

Gu Qingzhou was different; he got five dollars. He was still in high school, and it wouldn't do to have no money in his hands.

Gu Yuan Shan and Gu Yucheng also gave the four cubs lucky money, patted their heads, and wished them lots of meat and lots of new clothes in the new year... ===== CHAPTER 266 =====