Chapter 344

"Sister, please show mercy." Yuncheng begged for mercy.

Lin Zhao looked at him and laughed, suddenly reaching out to pinch his cheek and pulling hard. "I had already forgotten about it seven or eight times over; I didn't expect you to still remember it, and to be so... concerned about it. What an achievement."

Ignoring the "hissing" sound of Yuncheng's pain, she continued, "You remember saying ugly things, so why don't you remember how many times you've been beaten by me, or how many times you've taken the blame for me? Is that little thing worth keeping in your heart all this time, and for over ten years at that? It's so stupid it gives me a headache."

Lin Zhao scanned Yuncheng's face with a look of disdain, her tone critical. "You're so stupid, yet you were actually able to become a regular employee and become an official technician; your master didn't treat you poorly."

Her little mouth was like it had been smeared with poison.

It felt like one sandbag after another was hitting his head; Yuncheng felt his head was full of bumps.

"Sister..." He scratched his head in embarrassment, mentally beating his loose-lipped younger brother into a pig's head.

Lin Zhao just acted as if she didn't hear her cousin's plea for mercy and continued to roast him. "Your mouth is really like a display piece on you. I even thought you had a cheerful and flexible personality; I didn't expect you to be more sullen than anyone else."

"I don't know why I can't forget about this..." Yuncheng defended himself. It was also strange; this matter had a much deeper impression than other things.

Clearly, there were many other times his sister had tricked him. Yet, none of those could compare to this.

"Strange," Lin Zhao said with a smile. "I've never seen anyone make things so difficult for themselves."

Yuncheng: "..."

"Now that this is out in the open, don't keep it in your heart anymore; turn the page! When have I, your sister, ever suffered a loss? You were the one who had a loose mouth and got taught a lesson; I never took it to heart." Lin Zhao's tone was casual.

"Not to mention you were just a bear child wearing split-crotch pants, even biological siblings will say hurtful things when they are extremely angry; it's in the past."

Auntie Song gently hugged Zhao Zhao's shoulders, her face filled with a gentle smile.

"Our Zhao Zhao has never hidden things in her heart since she was a child; she's very bright and open."

She still remembered that she had been very worried back then that Zhao Zhao would become estranged from them and make a scene about wanting to go home. She had specifically bought candy to coax little Zhao Zhao, but who would have thought that the little girl, not even as tall as the table, would lift her little face, open those black-and-white eyes, and say in a milky voice: This is my home; Yuncheng is stupid, I'm not stupid, I won't hold it against him, it will only make me stupid.

That little appearance had melted everyone's hearts.

Comparing the dirty son to the clever Zhao Zhao who didn't cry or make a scene, Auntie Song's heart leaned all the way to her armpit.

Song Ximei shook her head. "It's not that she's bright and open; she's the type to take revenge on the spot, absolutely never letting it go overnight, saying that nothing can affect her sleep. You tell me, I don't know where she learned so many big principles."

"Learned from Dad," Lin Zhao said with great force.

Lin Heling: "..."

Uncle Song's eyes were full of smiles; it had been a long time since a group of people had sat together to chat and laugh.

Lin Zhao stayed in the provincial capital for a few more days; learning from Dr. Jiang that her uncle was recovering well, she planned to go home.

Yuncheng was going back with her; Auntie Song had asked for personal leave, and it wasn't easy to take all the leave, and Yunjin was near the end of the semester, so it didn't matter whether he went to school or not, so he was left behind.

As for Lin Heling and Song Ximei, there was nothing going on back home, so they weren't in a hurry to go back and stayed to lend a hand.

Before leaving, Lin Zhao said goodbye to her new friend, Xu Ying.

"You're leaving?" Comrade Xu, wearing a white nurse's uniform, seemed to find it sudden and asked blankly.

"Yeah. I've been out for too long; it's time to go back. If I don't go back, my family will be worried," Lin Zhao said.

Xu Ying took out paper and a pen, pulled off the cap of her paint-chipped fountain pen, and wrote down a string of addresses on the paper with a "swish-swish-swish."

"This is my home address, and the commune's phone number. If you want to find me, writing a letter or calling is fine," she said sincerely.

"Okay." Lin Zhao agreed, took Xu Ying's pen and paper, and wrote down her own address and phone number on it with fluid strokes. "This is mine; let's keep in touch. Although we can't see each other often, we can be pen pals. If there's anything delicious or fun here in the provincial capital, write to me; I'll come when I have time."

Xu Ying took it to heart. "Okay, I will write."

Lin Zhao's eyes crinkled with a smile; this was her pen pal number two. Number one was Guan Yu, the educated youth Guan.

—The educated youth Guan had successfully become a worker and had become someone who made a living by writing propaganda articles; it was said that she had another article published in the newspaper, and because of this, her name was on this year's list of advanced individuals.

Guan's father and mother were incredibly proud, walking with a spring in their step. Remembering their daughter's benefactor, they sent Lin Zhao many things again.

Lin Zhao gradually grew to like this pen pal thing.

"I will too," she said.

After saying goodbye to her new friend, Lin Zhao and Yuncheng took the three children on the road home.

Yuncheng carried the luggage in both hands, paying attention to the twins from time to time.

"Stay close, don't get lost."

The station was too chaotic! When they arrived, they even saw someone looking for their lost daughter in a panic.

Xiang Yubao and Gu Hangbao held hands, following closely behind Lin Zhao.

"I know." Gu Hangbao looked around with his big eyes, very cautiously. "When you're out and about, you have to be careful of human traffickers. Human traffickers are the most detestable; if you get snatched away, you'll never see your mom and dad again."

Having experienced the incident where his younger brother was almost kidnapped, Xiang Yubao was especially careful about safety issues when going out, staying by the adults' side at all times and never leaving for a moment.

Being like this himself, he didn't forget to keep an eye on Gu Hangbao.

"Right, so don't be distracted; you have to follow us closely, and A-Lan too," Yuncheng said.

Gu Lan had been hit by a brick by a human trafficker and hated the people of this organization deeply; she also knew their ruthlessness best and was more vigilant than anyone.

"I know."

They successfully squeezed onto the train and left on time.

They reached their destination that same evening.

By the time they arrived, the whole group was wilted.

"The bathhouse is open today and doesn't close until eleven; if we don't dawdle, there's still time." Yuncheng knew Lin Zhao loved cleanliness and was afraid she wouldn't be able to sleep without washing up, so he reminded her.

Hearing this, Lin Zhao became incomparably clear-headed.

"No dawdling, let's hurry." She pulled Gu Lan to speed up, not forgetting to call out to the twins. "You two walk faster; it's late at night, and I don't want to boil water."

She just wanted to have zero-distance contact with her beloved big bed.

Xiang Yubao and Gu Hangbao trotted along.

"Big Uncle Yuncheng, are you taking us to wash?" Xiang Yubao looked at Yuncheng expectantly.

"Of course, otherwise how would you two wash? You can't go to the women's bathhouse," Yuncheng said.

Xiang Yubao's face turned into a red apple; enduring his shyness, his voice rose slightly. "Boys can't enter the women's bathhouse! We won't go!"

Gu Hangbao said, "Right, we won't go, otherwise that would be acting like a hooligan!"

Yuncheng laughed out loud. "You two know quite a lot."

The twins just took this as a compliment and hopped forward, their steps as light as could be.

The group moved very quickly; upon returning home, they grabbed their change of clothes and headed to the bathhouse without stopping.

"It's cold at night, so hurry home after you come out; don't catch a cold." Before entering the women's bathhouse, Lin Zhao said to Yuncheng.

"Okay," Yuncheng responded and followed Xiang Yubao and Gu Hangbao.

After going in and closing the bathhouse door, he heard a voice of lingering fear: "The floor is so slippery!"

"Slow down," Yuncheng said hurriedly.

After taking a bath, Lin Zhao and the others, who had sat in the car for several hours, shook off the dust of the journey, and their whole bodies felt lighter.

When they came out, they didn't see Yuncheng and the others; they must have already gone back. Men have short hair and always wash faster than women.

The weather had turned cold, and after the bath, the wind blowing on their bodies really had a sour, refreshing feeling like a knife scraping their faces.

"Hurry back, hurry back, it's freezing, don't catch a cold." Lin Zhao hugged Gu Lan's small frame and sped up.

Gu Lan didn't have many changes of clothes, and the one she was wearing was one Lin Zhao had outgrown. The little girl didn't mind wearing old clothes at all; in fact, she felt beautiful inside. Her third aunt's clothes had good fabric, and the patterns were even better; there wasn't even a patch on them, and she couldn't bear to wear them.

"I have good health and rarely catch a cold."

"You still have to be careful." Lin Zhao quickened her pace again, thinking that she would be able to see Qian Bao and Seeing Yaobao tomorrow, and felt happy; the smile on her face was exceptionally brilliant.

"We can go back to the village tomorrow morning, are you happy?"

Gu Lan's eyes also crinkled with a smile. "Happy."

She was looking forward to seeing the expressions on her father and mother's faces when they received the gifts she had brought.

On the first night back at the commune, Lin Zhao and the others slept exceptionally soundly.

The next morning, after filling their stomachs at the state-run restaurant, Song Yuncheng went to report to the motor factory, and Lin Zhao took the three children back to the village.

They took an ox cart.

People in the village saw Lin Zhao and greeted her enthusiastically.

"Xiang Yubao's mother is back. I heard you took Xiang Yubao and the others to the provincial capital to participate in a competition; how was the competition?"

"Oh my, A-Lan seems to have gotten fairer and is even wearing new clothes; she's looking more and more like a city person."

Hearing this, Gu Lan's face burned, and she hurriedly explained, "It's my third aunt's."

Lin Zhao rubbed the young girl's hair. "From now on, it's yours."

She also answered the villagers' questions. "The competition results were very impressive; all three children won certificates and bonuses."

Bonuses?!!

The people who had surrounded Lin Zhao to ask questions were shocked and said incredulously, "Bonuses? There are bonuses too?! It's just an abacus competition, why are there bonuses?"

"I didn't know there were bonuses before I went; I only found out after I arrived. The top three all get bonuses," Lin Zhao said proudly.

Whose child could earn money by their own ability at such a young age? It had to be her own cubs.

Both cubs were excellent.

The villagers looked over expectantly. "How much is the bonus?"

Another person asked, "Is there one yuan?!"

One yuan?

Heh, your perspective is too small.

Lin Zhao extended her fingers without any defense. "The first place is this much, and the second and third places decrease in order from this amount."

"Five yuan?! So much?!!" The villagers didn't think in terms of fifty; they only thought the first-place bonus was five yuan.

"Five yuan isn't much either; I heard the children have to pay a fee, and once they pay two yuan, that only leaves three yuan." Although they said that, their eyes were red with envy.

Three yuan, that could also be considered a huge sum; it could buy quite a few things.

Lin Zhao smiled slightly. "You guessed too low. It's not five yuan, but fifty."

"What did you say?!!"

"Fi... fifty?! You didn't say it wrong, did you? How is that possible? A lousy abacus competition, how could the bonus be so much!?"

The villagers were greatly impacted, expressing their views in a hubbub.

"Whether it's true or false, the teacher knows too; you can go and ask, I have no need to lie," Lin Zhao said lightly.

Everyone thought that was true.

"A-Lan, is what your third aunt said true?!" The brigade leader's wife knew Gu Lan was an honest girl and asked her.

Gu Lan pursed her lips. "It's true."

"What place did you get?" she asked again.

A hint of regret appeared on Gu Lan's face, and she said, "I didn't perform well and only got second place. The bonus was thirty."

"!!!!"

The brigade leader's wife was the spokesperson for everyone; she slowly moved her gaze to Xiang Yubao and Gu Hangbao.

Before she could ask, Gu Hangbao puffed out his chest and raised his head, saying in an especially proud tone, "We got first place! Tied for first."

After he finished speaking, he patted the little green satchel on his body. "Lots of bonuses, bulging wallets."

Naturally, that much money wasn't on them; it was temporarily kept by Lin Zhao, and it was agreed that she would give it to them after they got home.

The brigade leader's wife held her chin. "So that means, on this trip, you two earned... one hundred yuan?!"

When mentioning the amount of money, her voice was trembling, her throat was dry, and she was full of disbelief.

"That's right," Xiang Yubao answered. "We also used the bonus to buy leather cotton shoes for Grandpa and Grandma!"

The brigade leader's wife's eyes turned even redder; before the envious words could be spoken, she saw Gu Mu, who had heard the news, rush in, hug Xiang Yubao and Gu Hangbao, the corners of her mouth curled high, smiling like a wrinkled sunflower.

"You're finally back!" she said.

Then she learned from the villagers that her grandsons had won first place, that first place had a bonus, that the bonus was fifty per person, and that they had used the bonus to buy leather cotton shoes for her and the old man...

The old lady's tears almost sprayed out.

"I, an old woman, have several sons, but I haven't worn cotton shoes sent by them; I never thought I'd get to wear cotton shoes sent by my grandsons..."

Xiang Yubao's black eyes rippled with a smile. "Grandma is good to us, so we are also filial to Grandma."

Gu Hangbao nodded like he was pounding garlic. "Grandma washes our clothes and makes us delicious food."

Every year when she ground new flour, she would steam buns for them to eat.

Gu Mu's heart was warm.

She was afraid she wouldn't be able to bear wearing the shoes her grandsons bought her with their bonus.

Once Gu Mu arrived, no one dared to ask questions anymore and dispersed one after another.

Before long, the news that the abacus competition had bonuses, and quite a lot at that, and that Xiang Yubao and the others had all received bonuses, spread throughout the entire brigade.

On the other side, Lin Zhao and the others successfully arrived home.

They went to the old house.

Qian Bao was sitting under the crooked-neck tree in the old house flipping through a picture book, and Gu Qingzhou was sitting next to him reading a book; the uncle and nephew both had serious expressions.

Seeing Yaobao and her sister Gu Yu were playing with a cloth ball, throwing it out and picking it back up, throwing it again and picking it up again... playing with great delight.

"Qian Bao, Seeing Yaobao." Lin Zhao put down her luggage and called out softly.

Hearing this, the brother and sister raised their heads; when they saw their mother, their dark, bright eyes exploded with surprise, and they left their spot, flapping their little short legs and running over like they were flying.

"Mom."

"Mom!!"

The two children shouted happily, rushed over to hug Lin Zhao's neck, their little arms wrapped tightly, and their faces revealed an identical look of grievance.

Lin Zhao picked up the children and coaxed them softly. "Be good, something happened, so I came back late; you didn't cry, did you?"

Zhao Liuniang answered her question. "They didn't cry. They asked when you were coming back, and I told them you were delayed by something and would be back a few days late, and then they were good."

Mainly because the two children had someone to accompany them to "play."

"As long as you didn't make a fuss." Lin Zhao's brows and eyes curved downward.

Just as she was speaking, Gu Fu entered the door.

His originally hurried footsteps restrained themselves a bit at the doorway.

Seeing Gu Fu, Xiang Yubao's eyes lit up; he called out "Grandpa," crouched down, and rummaged through the luggage to find the cotton shoes he had bought for his grandfather.