Chapter 27

Gu Da Cai looked quietly at the bedroom door, which was quiet; the third and fourth cubs hadn't woken up yet. He let out a light sigh of relief: "Should Ercai and I go outside to eat?" He lowered his voice.

It wasn't an exaggeration; the twins had indeed been fussy these past few days. It wasn't their fault—everyone else had meat to eat, but they didn't, only being able to drink malted milk. The grievance in the little babies' hearts was that big.

"Go ahead," Lin Zhao waved her hand, "Don't forget to share with the little friends who helped you dig them."

"We know," Ercai's voice sounded very happy.

Just after he finished being happy, he was scolded by his brother: "Keep it down, the third and fourth are still sleeping."

Ercai reached out and covered his mouth.

Gu Da Cai and Ercai went out with a full bowl of deep-fried cicada nymphs and shared them generously with the little friends. Ye Tie Niu, Yuan Bao, and the others were happy to the point of madness.

"Gu Da Cai, Ercai, from now on you are my brothers, my own brothers!" Yuan Bao's mouth was oily, and he said loudly.

Ye Tie Niu stuck to Ercai's side and said even louder: "Ercai, I'm the best with you!"

Other children also swarmed up, spitting out all sorts of mushy words.

"Gu Da Cai, I want to be your best friend in the whole brigade."

"Ercai, I'm the best with you!"

Gu Da Cai and Ercai instantly became the kings of the children, the kind that had a hundred responses to one call.

The two brothers smiled until their eyes curved.

That night.

The people in the Gu family's old house were reminiscing about the meat and soda from today.

Huang Xiulan wiped the cool mat with a damp towel, not forgetting to instruct Gu Yuanshan: "Don't forget to fetch water for the third branch tomorrow morning."

Thinking of how happy her daughter was when she received the lunch box, she felt that the third sister-in-law's gift had hit the mark in her heart.

Gu Yuanshan said: "I remember."

Tie Dan touched his full stomach and said with emotion: "If only we could eat meat every day."

Huang Xiulan slapped the stinky boy to the other side and continued wiping the cool mat: "You think you're a city dweller? Still wanting to eat meat every day, you're dreaming."

Gu Yuanshan: "City dwellers don't eat meat every day either; it's not bad if they can eat it once a month."

Tie Dan sighed: "That's still much better than us. At least they can eat it once; the last time I ate meat was three months ago."

Tie Chui smiled simply: "Not me, Third Aunt treated me to dumplings."

Huang Xiulan touched her second son's face and said to her eldest son: "Other families in the village can only eat it once every six months; our family is not bad, don't be ungrateful."

Tie Dan had nothing to say.

Gu Mu and Gu Fu were also talking in low voices.

"The third daughter-in-law brought fabric today and asked the second daughter-in-law to make me a set of autumn clothes, saying it was a thank-you gift for me taking care of the four cubs. Those are my own grandsons and granddaughters, why would I need a thank-you gift..."

Gu Fu was a Buddhist-like person; he felt that if the younger generation gave it, he would accept it, and if they didn't, he wouldn't complain: "If she gives it to you, just accept it."

"I know, I'm just telling you. You don't know, but hearing her say that today, I felt incredibly warm in my heart." Gu Mu felt an indescribable comfort in her heart.

Gu Fu shook his head and smiled.

Second branch.

Zhao Liuniang lit a lamp to make autumn clothes for her mother-in-law.

Gu Yucheng was afraid his wife would ruin her eyes: "Do it during the day, sleep first, autumn clothes aren't urgent to wear."

"I'm not sleepy," Zhao Liuniang didn't lift her head, a smile on the corner of her mouth, "Once I finish it for Mother, the remaining fabric can make a pair of pants for our Yu Yu. I'm full of energy."

Gu Yucheng was helpless, turned the light brighter, and sat to accompany her.

"What are you doing? Sleep first, you have to get up early tomorrow morning. I'll sleep in a while," Zhao Liuniang looked at him disapprovingly.

"I'm not sleepy either," Gu Yucheng smiled.

Zhao Liuniang rolled her eyes at her man, but a sweetness welled up in her heart, and she accelerated her sewing.

Living a life is all about having a considerate man. Her man might not be able to earn as much money as the third one, but he respected her, was good to her, and cared for the family; she was very satisfied.

And at a certain house at the entrance of the village.

Gu Er Aunt felt the sky had collapsed and could no longer be happy.

She glared fiercely at her man who was sleeping soundly, gnashing her teeth in anger, wishing she could kick this dead man away and, while she was at it, use him as waste and smash Gu Xing'er in the next room to death.

What kind of rotten people were they, tossing her around!

Gu Er Aunt's resentment was deep enough to nourish ten thousand evil sword immortals. Gu Er Uncle felt a chill all over, slowly opened his eyes, and met her eyes full of anger.

Gu Er Uncle hurriedly sat up, with the marks of the cool mat all over his face, his eyes puzzled: "What's wrong? Did I offend you?"

Offend?

It was more than just an offense!

Gu Er Aunt pinched him fiercely, cursing in anger: "Still asking me what's wrong?"

"Why did you agree to let Gu Xing'er stay?"

Gu Er Uncle didn't think there was any problem, saying: "Let her stay if she wants to. Yuanshan, Yucheng, and their wives have all brought their bedding over, can I still drive people out? Besides, Mother agreed too."

Gu Er Aunt only felt anger surging to the top of her head, her hair swelling with rage, and she gritted her teeth: "She occupied a room in our house!!"

"It won't be for many years, she'll be getting married in a few years," Gu Er Uncle said.

"That's a home-wrecker. You let her come because you think our family is living too well, right!" Gu Er Aunt roared in a suppressed voice, "Even her own parents don't want her, but you have a rotten kind heart, picking up anyone and everyone to bring home. Is your brain full of shit?"

Gu Er Uncle frowned: "Talk is talk, don't curse people."

"I'm not just cursing you, I'm hitting you too." As she spoke, she pinched him several more times.

Gu Er Uncle dodged to the side and said: "People are already living here. Even if you pinch me to death, she's still living here. Just try to accept it. She lived in our house before too, and besides, Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law aren't refusing to give her food."

It was precisely because Gu Xing'er had lived in the house before that Gu Er Aunt was unhappy about letting her come.

That girl was shameless, taking advantage of everything, and her mother-in-law protected her. She couldn't scold or hit her, and thinking back on it, she felt stifled.

"I don't care about that food." She did care, but it wasn't worth it at all.

Seeing that his wife couldn't accept it, Gu Er Uncle yawned and said: "Let her stay for a few days first. If you really can't accept it, I'll find a way to send her back."

"This is what you said!" Gu Er Aunt took it seriously.

"It's what I said, sleep now, I'm exhausted." Gu Er Uncle fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Gu Er Aunt spat in the direction of the room where Gu Xing'er lived next door and lay down.

Circling the kerosene lamp, the night moth danced a circular dance.

Under the dim yellow light, Lin Zhao looked at the extra points in the lottery system and curled the corners of her mouth.

Today there were two tasks with beautiful points: one was that exam, and the other was breaking the ice with the old house.

The former earned 50 points, and the latter exceeded expectations, earning 100 points.

Plus various small tasks, there were a total of 220 points.

280 points away from 500.

The revolution has not yet succeeded, still need to work hard.

The next day, morning.

A large four-wheeled vehicle drove into the Fengshou Brigade.

It drove in with a rumble like a big monster, looking very imposing, shocking the bunch of bumpkins in the Fengshou Brigade.

The driver parked the car on the side of the road, poked his head out of the window, and asked loudly: "Where does Comrade Gu Chenghuai's family live?"

"Keep driving forward," said the people at the entrance of the village.

After saying that, they ran into the village, saw Bang Bang of the Gu family, and said loudly: "Bang Bang, a big car came to the village, the driver is looking for your Third Uncle's family."

Hearing this, Bang Bang ran off, ran home, and told his grandparents about it.

Gu Fu and Gu Mu hurried to the entrance of the village.

The village road was narrow, and the car couldn't drive in. The driver parked and waited there. The big car was surrounded by children. A group of bear children were fearless, climbing up the car. The Captain was scolding the troublesome ghosts who weren't sensible.

Seeing Gu Fu and Gu Mu coming, the Captain said: "They're here to deliver bricks and tiles to Chenghuai's family."

Lin Zhao had mentioned this, and Gu Fu knew that comrades from the transport team were helping to transport bricks and tiles.

He stepped forward and greeted the driver enthusiastically: "Thank you for your hard work, Comrade, come home and drink some water, I'll find someone to unload the bricks and tiles right away."

"No need for trouble, unload the goods first, I have things to do later." The driver had things to do and politely refused.

Hearing this, Gu Fu didn't persuade him much, called his two sons to unload the bricks and tiles, and the Captain called several strong young men to help.

The unloaded bricks and tiles were all piled in front of the third branch's door.

When the driver was about to leave, Lin Zhao appeared and threw a cloth bag in through the window.

"Trouble for you, Comrade, a thank-you gift," she said.

The driver was stunned, said thank you, and drove away.

With the bricks and tiles, building the house could be put on the agenda immediately. The key was to see when the double-harvest season would end and free up the labor.

Without waiting for Lin Zhao to ask, Gu Mu took the initiative to say: "The double-harvest season will end in another week, we can start work once it ends."

Lin Zhao was looking forward to the new house: "I probably won't have time then, I'll have to trouble Father and Mother."

Gu Mu waved her hand and said with a smile: "No trouble, no trouble."

Building a house is a big deal, it's nothing to be tired.

Gu Fu had the same thought; even if they were tired, how long could they be tired? At most, it would only be 2 months.

The bricks and tiles were delivered, and the matter of building the house was on the agenda, only needing to wait another week. Lin Zhao was looking forward to it and began to calculate drawing the blueprints.

She didn't study architecture and couldn't draw professional blueprints, but she could draw simple ones. Who let her have a multi-talented father? She was also the only daughter in the Lin family, brought along and taught since she was young, and learned a little bit.

According to Lin Zhao's idea, an improved version of the toilet should be built in the front yard, the kind that could be flushed. She had had enough of dry toilets, and the toilet should also be able to be used for bathing.

She had a preliminary idea and would have to discuss it with the construction workers then.

On the other side, build a kitchen, build a smokeless stove that didn't need a bellows, and the stove should also be built with bricks; mud-built ones were prone to falling apart.

Finally, the living rooms, still the same as now, build four rooms. It wasn't enough for everyone to have one, but when the children grew up, they certainly wouldn't be living in the village anyway.

As for the backyard, no major changes were needed, just pave a gravel path.

When Gu Da Cai and Ercai finished playing and returned home, Lin Zhao told her two sons her ideas and asked for their opinions.

Gu Da Cai had no opinion: "Okay, I'll listen to Mom."

Ercai, on the other hand, frowned with his little eyebrows, looking troubled.

Lin Zhao raised her eyebrows in surprise: "Speak your mind, our family doesn't cover mouths."

Ercai said: "Four rooms aren't enough."

"Why aren't they enough?" Lin Zhao asked.

She smiled and explained: "You, your brother, and your younger brother, you three live in one, your younger sister in one, and the remaining one has other uses, just right."

Ercai frowned with his little eyebrows and asked shamelessly: "Where does my wife live?"

His words were astonishing.

Lin Zhao could die laughing: "Have your feathers grown yet, and you're already thinking about a wife."

Ercai giggled: "Grandma said every boy has to marry a wife when he grows up."

Gu Da Cai was serious: "Mom, I don't want a wife, I just want Mom. When I grow up and earn money, I'll give it all to Mom."

Lin Zhao touched Gu Da Cai's head and said to Ercai: "It's already a big deal that your father and I raised you. You still want us to prepare a wedding room for you and marry a wife? Keep dreaming! Wait until you're adults and earn it yourselves, don't think about being a parasite!"

If she bought a courtyard house in the future, it would be for the four cubs. Gu Da Cai, Ercai, and the third one could earn whatever they wanted themselves. When they grew up, it would be a good time, with gold everywhere. She would give them the capital, and earning a little would be enough for them to eat and drink without worry.

Of course...

The premise was that she had to lay the foundation first.

"Gu Da Cai, Ercai, starting tomorrow, you two have to learn characters and math with me..."

Gu Da Cai and Ercai had no objections to what their mother said.

Only.

Ercai pouted and looked at Lin Zhao: "But other people's parents will marry wives for their sons."

He was only five, didn't know a single character, and didn't understand what marrying a wife was for, but everyone in the village said so, so he felt he had to marry a wife too.

"Then other people's parents don't give the children in the family meat and soda either," Lin Zhao countered lightly.

Thinking of something, she smiled, like a wolf grandmother tricking Little Red Riding Hood into opening the door.

"If you use other people's parents to demand things from me, don't blame me for using other people's children's treatment to demand things from you."

"Want me to save money for you to marry a wife? It's not impossible. Starting today, eat meat once every six months, meat buns, pickled cabbage fish, shredded meat noodles... soda, forget about all these, just eat wild vegetable buns and sweet potato porridge. After living like this for ten years, I'll marry one for you."

Hearing this, Ercai widened his eyes in horror, feeling the sky had collapsed.

He hurriedly hugged Lin Zhao.

A soft sound of extreme fear came from his mouth: "Mom, Mom, no more, I don't want a wife anymore, I want to eat meat, I want to eat pickled cabbage fish, I want to eat shredded meat noodles, I want to drink soda..."

Really, being threatened like this, the five-year-old child had no other thoughts.

"Study hard, when you learn the skills to earn money and get a high salary, what can't you buy?" Lin Zhao was a vulgar person with no great ambitions; she just wanted her cubs to have enough food and clothing and not suffer the hardships of life.

"I will study hard," Ercai puffed out his cheeks and promised earnestly; he was really scared by his mother.

"I will too!" Gu Da Cai followed.

That night, Lin Gu Da Cai and Lin Ercai began their journey of learning characters.

The two brothers had different temperaments: Gu Da Cai could stay calm and learn characters earnestly, while Ercai was active, his butt feeling like it was pricked by a needle as he sat there, moving once, then moving again, though he was learning, just moving around.

Fortunately, he was an obedient cub who listened to his mother, didn't do other things while learning, and was very sensible.

Tonight, she taught five of the simplest Chinese characters first and recited a poem.

Lin Zhao was pleasantly surprised to find that the two cubs had good memories and learned characters quickly. They could recite a simple five-character regulated verse after being taught a few times.

With no comparison around, the mother didn't notice anything wrong and taught at this pace.

"Sleep after reciting it," Lin Zhao said, worried about waking the twins, her voice very low.

"Given your good performance, I'll reward you tomorrow morning. What do you want to eat?"

Gu Da Cai took the initiative to make a request: "I want to eat something sweet."

"Okay."

Ercai said: "I want to eat meat!"

Lin Zhao scraped his little nose and said: "Okay, I'll make meatball soup, the third and fourth can eat it too."

Even though their stomachs were very full, the greedy children were still looking forward to it, and after falling asleep, they had sweet smiles on their faces.

There was no mosquito net in the room, and mugwort was burned, so the mosquitoes in the room weren't that rampant, but it was a bit stuffy.

Lin Zhao couldn't fall asleep for a while and fanned the four cubs with a cattail fan.

One stroke after another.

Gu Da Cai opened his eyes for a moment, and when his mother didn't notice, he closed them in a panic, his long eyelashes trembling lightly, his little hands clenched into fists.

When the fan stopped, he opened his eyes, pulled up his little blanket to cover his mother's stomach, curled his body toward Lin Zhao, smiled with curved eyes, then closed his eyes, and soon deep breathing sounded.

The next day was Lin Zhao's last day of sleeping in, except for Sunday.

She got up late.

When she opened her eyes, it was already nine o'clock.

Just as she was about to get up, messy and urgent footsteps sounded, accompanied by Ercai's angry voice.

"Mom, someone stole our family's bricks and tiles!!!"

Hearing this, Lin Zhao hurriedly put on her clothes, shuffled in her cloth shoes, and walked out.

"What's going on?"

"Mom, the bricks and tiles outside the door are missing." Gu Da Cai was also very angry, the child's face flushed with anger.

Lin Zhao walked out: "Let's go take a look."

She arrived at the door and took a look; they were indeed missing, but not as many as the two cubs said, just a corner, about ten or so.

However.

No matter how many, the sneaky behavior was despicable.

Gu Mu learned that the third branch's bricks and tiles had been stolen, hurried over, and found they had indeed been stolen, and was also incredibly angry.

She comforted Lin Zhao and the two cubs, didn't even go to work, and scolded from the beginning of the village to the end.

"Which immoral thing dared to steal my family's bricks and tiles?! A body full of thief bones, are you poor crazy, or are your claws itching? You thousand-cut thing, stealing those few bricks and tiles, do you want to build a doghouse, or build a grave for yourself?"

"Shameless thing, if you're sensible, return the bricks and tiles quickly, otherwise I'll dig three feet into the ground to find you! Don't blame me for being impolite then..."

Once she scolded, the whole village knew that the Gu family's third branch's bricks and tiles had been swiped.

They discussed it one after another.

"Stealing bricks and tiles? Which family can't think straight? You need money and connections to get bricks and tiles. You can't use them openly even if you steal them, why take this advantage?" The Captain's wife ran over to join the fun and commented loudly.

"Who knows, some people just never stop taking advantage," Yuan Bao's mother said disdainfully.

Gu Da Cai and Ercai shared fried cicada nymphs with her Yuan Bao yesterday, and the child was so happy that he was happy even when sleeping at night. Her good impression of Lin Zhao reached its peak, and of course, she defended her.

In the corner, Chang Sheng's mother had an uncomfortable expression, listening to the disdain of the people around her, her eyes flickering.

The Captain also became incredibly angry after knowing about the Gu family's bricks and tiles being stolen.

There were petty thefts in the place he managed, which was really a slap in his face.

Lin Zhao said: "Captain, this matter can be big or small, ask the comrades of the Security Committee to investigate."

The Security Committee was a mass security organization that maintained public order, prevented theft, helped each other, patrolled, and stood guard. In this era, it was an important part of grassroots management.

The Captain felt Lin Zhao's suggestion was pertinent and said: "Okay, I'll discuss it with the comrades of the Security Committee later."

Lin Zhao smiled: "Thank you, Captain."

The Captain felt Chenghuai's wife was very polite; wasn't this what should be done?

Soon, the comrades of the Security Committee began their investigation.

The person who stole the bricks and tiles was scared to death, secretly hid the stolen bricks and tiles in the cellar, covered them with things, and still wasn't at ease, so they took an oilcloth to cover the cellar entrance tightly, only then letting out a sigh of relief.

The people from the Security Committee wouldn't check door to door; it should be fine if they hid them.

After finishing, she broke into a sweat, feeling panicked, angry, and regretful in her heart, blaming Lin Zhao for making a fuss, blaming the brigade for meddling, and regretting stealing these bricks last night. They couldn't be used, so why did she bother?

Gu Fu brought his two sons over and moved the bricks and tiles into the yard.

Originally, he thought they would be used in a few days, the whole family would be smashed, and the bricks and tiles were in the village, so no one should move them. Who knew that some insane people would steal anything.

After moving the bricks and tiles, Gu Yuanshan fetched a full jar of water for the third branch and left with his family.

Lin Zhao stayed at home with the four cubs. There were no men in the house, so Eldest Brother and Second Brother came to help, always bringing their wives or their own children, never staying alone with their sister-in-law. The mouths of the people in the village were poisonous; fake things could be said to be true, so they couldn't help but be on guard.

After the Gu family left, the two cubs were still angry.

Seeing their brothers puffing out their cheeks, the twins also blew up their cheeks, like two cute little pufferfish.

Lin Zhao couldn't help but laugh.

"Still angry? Haven't the bricks and tiles been moved in? Don't be angry, losing those few won't affect building the house."

Gu Da Cai said angrily: "Grandma said bricks and tiles are hard to get. The stolen bricks and tiles could have let us eat a meal of meat."

Ercai nodded in agreement: "Exactly, exactly."

He ground his teeth, his expression fierce: "It's best not to let me know who stole our family's bricks and tiles, otherwise... otherwise I'll call Grandma to settle the score with them."

He was still young and couldn't even beat Chang Sheng, so he could only ask for foreign aid.

Father said, asking for foreign aid isn't shameful.

The fourth cub had a pale yellow circle around her little mouth, clenched her fists, her tender white face set, and said: "Settle, settle the score!"

The third cub was also drinking malted milk, blinking his dark, bright eyes, looking quiet and obedient.

Lin Zhao saw that the cubs were incredibly angry and thought of a way: "How about, raising a dog?"

Ercai's eyes instantly lit up: "Can the little yellow one born by Big Yellow work?"

"Big Yellow had a little yellow one?" Lin Zhao rarely cared about things in the village and really didn't know about this.

Gu Da Cai nodded quickly, his expression just as expectant as Ercai's: "Yes, Big Yellow had a little yellow one. Mom, are we really going to raise a dog?"

"Sure," Lin Zhao smiled.

"Mom, I'm going to find the little yellow one!" Ercai said excitedly, pulling Gu Da Cai and running out of the house.

The fourth cub wanted to follow, but was hugged by Lin Zhao.

"You shouldn't go join the fun," she hugged the fourth cub, gently rubbed her nose against her daughter's nose, her eyes full of smiles.

The cute little milk ball grinned, revealing a few snow-white teeth, her smile extremely sweet.

As soon as she opened her mouth, Lin Zhao saw that the fourth cub had grown half a tooth again, and said happily: "Baby, you grew a new tooth. In a few months, you'll be able to eat meat."

The fourth cub clapped her hands happily: "Meat, meat..."

Lin Zhao hugged the fourth cub, sat next to the third cub, and said to her little son: "Good cub, open your mouth, let Mom see if you've grown one?"

The third cub obediently opened his mouth to let his mother see his teeth.

He had grown one too.

Lin Zhao touched her little son's cheeks: "You've both grown them, in the meatball soup later, you two can eat one each."

The fourth cub understood and was happy, her eyebrows curved: "Meat, meat."

The third cub also smiled, sticking to his mother's side; Lin Zhao had to follow him even when she went to the kitchen.

Seeing that the twins were obedient, Lin Zhao didn't drive them out and cooked efficiently.

(End of chapter)