Chapter 40: Double Standard

Gu Da Cai smiled shyly.

"My brother and I are the most amazing children in our brigade." Ercai raised his head, proud like a peacock.

Lin Zhao carried half a bag of rice out of the room, saw Yuncheng and the two cubs getting along happily, and thought to herself that they were worthy of being uncle and nephew, getting familiar after a few words.

"Yuncheng, help me take the rations back."

Song Yuncheng took the bag, fixed it on the handlebars, and felt something in his pants pocket when he exerted force.

Remembering he forgot to give the things to the two nephews, he took out the candy in his pocket and gave it all to Gu Da Cai and Ercai.

"Gu Da Cai, Ercai, the candy I brought for you."

Gu Da Cai and Ercai looked at Lin Zhao. Only when Mom nodded did they accept it.

"Thank you, Uncle." Two children's voices sounded.

"No need to thank." Song Yuncheng pushed the bicycle out the door and said with a smile: "Another day when you go to the county with your mother, I'll take you to play."

Ercai's tone was cheerful, "Okay~!!"

The two of them also sent their new uncle to the door.

Only then did Song Yuncheng, who had the real feeling of being an uncle, feel satisfied. He rubbed the heads of the two cubs and looked at Lin Zhao, "Sister, I'm going back first. When you have time, bring Gu Da Cai and Ercai home to visit."

"Got it, be careful on the road." Lin Zhao urged.

Song Yuncheng waved his hand and pedaled away.

The teenager had a lot of energy, doing everything in a rush, wantonly sweating.

He left facing the last ray of sunset and disappeared at the entrance of the village in the blink of an eye.

"Mom, when will you take me and brother to Uncle's house?" Ercai's little hand was nestled in Lin Zhao's palm, he looked up and looked at her eagerly.

Lin Zhao pondered for a moment and said: "When I'm not working one day, I'll take you two."

"Okay." Ercai's eyes lit up, he put his head against his brother's, and whispered something.

Lin Zhao looked down, her eyes smiling.

She led the two cubs to the old house to pick up the twins.

The bumpy dirt road extended into the distance. Without the sun, the sky was still bright.

Children in the village ran all over the ground, adults sat at the door with stools chatting, everyone had a cattail leaf fan in their hands, slapping from time to time, swatting mosquitoes.

Several large tables painted with red lacquer were set up at the entrance of the Lu family's house. The red lacquer on the tables was mottled, looking like they had some years on them.

The ground was uneven, and a piece of wood was padded under one table leg.

Sensing Lin Zhao's gaze, before she could ask, Gu Da Cai took the initiative to say: "It's that soldier uncle from the Lu family who is getting married. His partner is that little Su who came to our house to find trouble."

Gu Mu called Su Yuxian little Su, and the two cubs also learned from her to call her little Su.

"That's an elder, is it impolite to call her little Su?" Lin Zhao didn't get angry, but asked her son with a smile.

Ercai crossed his arms and huffed, kicked a small stone at his feet, pouted, "She scolds people, scolding people is impolite."

Gu Da Cai was afraid Mom would be angry with his brother, so he hurriedly explained: "Mom, we only call her that in front of you. When there are outsiders, Ercai and I call her Aunt Su."

He didn't like Su Yuxian either.

She could say they were okay, but she couldn't say Mom wouldn't teach children!

"As long as you know it in your hearts." Lin Zhao didn't lecture her son. She wished the whole family would stay far away from the Su and Lu families.

Slender, soft fingers pinched Ercai's cheeks.

The child applied baby cream every morning and evening, and his face had become much more delicate and soft. It felt soft and cottony when touched, like pinching cotton.

Lin Zhao changed from pinching to rubbing.

After rubbing for a long time, she smiled and said: "I'm not at home, stay away from this family, and take Da Huang when you go out to play."

She was very at ease with Da Huang.

"Mom, don't worry." Ercai's face was rubbed into a strange shape. The child liked to be close to Mom and didn't mind at all, grinning, "Brother and I won't play with that Lu Baozhen."

He also whispered, "She's a crybaby, we don't like playing with crybabies."

"Then, if the fourth cub becomes a crybaby, you won't like the fourth cub either?" Lin Zhao asked with a smile.

"That's different." Ercai had a strong sense of responsibility and said loudly: "The fourth cub is a younger sister. No matter what, I like younger sister. I'm a big brother, big brothers have to protect younger brothers and sisters."

Lin Zhao remembered a word she learned in the original book, which fit Ercai's face at this time, "Double standard."

Exactly the same as Gu Chenghuai.

Ercai's eyes were full of confusion, "Mom, what is double standard?"

"Double standard is the face you just had, two attitudes toward other children and your own sister." Lin Zhao couldn't suppress the smile on her lips.

"That's normal, compared to outsiders, of course I like family more, like... Mom more." Ercai gave her a brilliant smile, which made people's hearts soft.

"Is that so? I've remembered it. If one day you like outsiders more than family, I won't want you as a son." Thinking of Ercai becoming that brain-damaged look in the book and embarking on a criminal path, Lin Zhao almost vomited blood.

If Ercai really became like that, she really wouldn't recognize him.

The child was scared into an expression pack, hugged his mother tightly, and said urgently: "Why would I like outsiders? I only like Mom, like brother, like younger brothers and sisters, like Tie Chui, like..."

He listed a string of people, his throat was hoarse, he just wanted to show his loyalty to his mother.

"Alright, alright." Lin Zhao patted his head and told him to be quiet, "Just remember it in your heart."

"Hmm." Ercai's cheeks were bulging, and he nodded seriously.

Gu Da Cai patted his chest, "Mom, I'll watch Ercai."

"Okay." Lin Zhao responded with a smile.

While talking, they arrived at the Gu family's old house.

Seeing Lin Zhao and the three children, Gu Mu greeted them and said: "Third daughter-in-law is back."

Lin Zhao hugged the twins who rushed up to hug her, smiled and nodded, "Hmm, did the third and fourth cubs make a fuss?"

"No, they are all obedient." In the heart of their biological grandma, the four cubs were the most obedient in the whole commune, and no one else's children could compare to them.

The fourth cub grabbed Lin Zhao's arm with soft hands, her short legs trying to climb onto Mom, her little milky group hands sticky, like sugar melting.

Lin Zhao's cleanliness obsession flared up, and her brows furrowed imperceptibly.

Just at this time, Gu Da Cai took out a broken cloth handkerchief from his pocket and wrapped the fourth cub's hands.

The fourth cub raised her eyes blankly, her big eyes full of confusion and dissatisfaction.

"You can't touch Mom with your dirty hands." Gu Da Cai taught his younger sister seriously.

The little milky group pursed her lips, looking at her big brother aggrievedly, and spat out two words in a milky voice, "Treasure, obedient."

"I didn't say you weren't obedient." Gu Da Cai hurriedly coaxed his younger sister, looked at Lin Zhao, and quickly withdrew his gaze, saying to his younger sister: "Mom loves cleanliness, brother will take you to wash your hands, and then hug Mom, okay?"

The fourth cub looked at her big brother, then at Mom, and nodded her little head.

"Okay~~"

Gu Da Cai took his younger sister to wash her hands and face, and the third cub was also grabbed by Ercai.

After the children left, Gu Mu asked Bang Bang to get a stool for Lin Zhao, and asked Gu Lan to pour water for her third aunt.

"Thank you, Mom." Lin Zhao sat down and hammered her calves with her hands.

"Tired?" Gu Mu said with concern, "The brigade is far from the county, you must be tired walking back and forth. Write a letter to the third one, ask him if he can get a bicycle coupon. If he can get a coupon, buy a bicycle. With a bicycle, it will be convenient for you to go to work."

Lin Zhao's mouth curled up, she raised her wrist to show her watch, her voice tinged with a smile, "The cubs' dad sent a coupon, I've already ordered the bicycle, it will arrive in two days, I bought the watch today first."

Her skin was white, and wearing the watch, the two complemented each other beautifully.

Gu Mu didn't spoil the fun, and praised as soon as she opened her mouth: "Beautiful, it's convenient to check the time at work with a watch."

Gu Lan poured the water and placed it in front of her third aunt, secretly glancing at Lin Zhao's wrist.

The little girl had star eyes.

Third Aunt looks really beautiful wearing a watch.

Sensing Lin Zhao's gentle and smiling gaze, she blushed and hurriedly lowered her head.

"Thank you, Third Aunt, for giving me the lunch box." Gu Lan said in a low voice.

Lin Zhao smiled, "No need to thank, there happened to be an extra one at home, and you happened to need it."

Seeing the little girl was still embarrassed, she said: "If you really feel bad, when I'm not here, help me look after Gu Da Cai and the others more."

Gu Lan nodded seriously, "I will!"

Lin Zhao stuffed a handful of shrimp-flavored candies into her hand, "Go play."

Gu Mu was gratified, not because of that handful of candy, but because she felt the third daughter-in-law regarded herself as a member of the Gu family, and she was happy in her heart.

"By the way, Third daughter-in-law, I heard from Gu Da Cai and Ercai that you gave them deworming candy? Where did you buy this candy? Can Bang Bang and the others eat it? If they can, I also want to buy some for them."

Knowing Lin Zhao was particular, she didn't say she saw worms when she went to the latrine.

"No need to buy, I have extra, I'll share five for the children in the family." Lin Zhao said.

Gu Mu immediately said: "How can I let you spend money..."

Before the refusal was finished, Lin Zhao directly interrupted her, "A candy is only five cents, and I don't lack these thirty cents."

Gu Mu choked.

Thirty cents is also money.

"Okay, then I'll thank you on behalf of Bang Bang and the others."

Lin Zhao waved her hand and said very directly: "You taught the Gu family's children very well, I like them very much, no need to thank me for this little thing."

Thinking that the pagoda candy didn't have a share for Yu Yu, and worrying that the second sister-in-law would overthink and cause a misunderstanding, she added: "Pagoda candy cannot be eaten by children over two years old, so I didn't prepare it for Yu Yu."

Zhao Liuniang hadn't thought much about it originally, but hearing Lin Zhao's explanation, she smiled: "Sister-in-law is still the most thoughtful. If you hadn't said it, we really wouldn't have known that candy couldn't be eaten by Yu Yu."

"That's right." Huang Xiulan also echoed, "I didn't even know there was deworming candy."

She was full of confusion, "Candy can deworm, who could have thought of that."

"With candy to eat, the little cubs in the family should be crazy with joy."

Gu Lan handed Lin Zhao a cattail leaf fan, Lin Zhao smiled at her, fanning it on and off.

The third and fourth cubs washed their hands and faces, and ran toward their mother staggeringly, bumping into Lin Zhao's arms.

"Mom!"

The little group called out happily, their voices soft and sweet, very clingy.

Lin Zhao put the twins on her lap, fanning mosquitoes for them, and didn't forget to greet Gu Da Cai and Ercai, "You two come closer, I'll fan you too, be careful of being bitten all over with bags."

Gu Da Cai didn't want to let Mom be tired, took the cattail leaf fan, waved his arm, and fanned toward Lin Zhao.

"Mom, I'll fan." He didn't feel tired at all, and was very happy in his heart.

Dad said he wasn't here, he and Ercai had to protect Mom, had to do things for Mom, had to be filial to Mom, he remembered Dad's words!

Zhao Liuniang glanced at her two sons who spread the mat in the yard and lay there shaking their legs, only feeling her eyes hurt.

They are also sons, why are other people's so considerate.

Two-year-old Yu Yu learned from Gu Da Cai and fanned her, her little appearance very serious.

The old mother's heart melted, she hugged her little daughter in her arms, and called her obediently.

"It has to be a daughter, what's the use of giving birth to that son, except for being brave when fighting with people, it's useless at ordinary times, not as good as a daughter, my Yu Yu."

Zhao Liuniang kissed her daughter's face, and was as gentle to Yu Yu as she was fierce to Bang Bang and Lai Mei.

Lai Mei turned over, lay on the mat, shaking her legs, "Mom, I want to change my name!"

Zhao Liuniang looked at him perfunctorily, and focused her attention on her daughter again, saying casually: "Find your dad, change it however you want."

Anyway, she already had a daughter, so the name of the second child could be changed if it was changed.

Lai Mei bounced up excitedly and found his dad, Gu Yucheng, "Dad, I want to change my name!"

Gu Yucheng asked: "Okay, what do you want to change it to?"

"Gu Ba Wang!" Lai Mei said sonorously.

His dad choked.

Turned his head away and ignored him.

What does it mean?

Lai Mei didn't understand, chased Gu Yucheng, "Dad, how is it, you pay attention to me, are you going to change it or not?"

"Change a ball, still Ba Wang, I'll beat you into a Wang Ba." Gu Yucheng pushed away his son's little black face and dismissed him, "Go, go, go play on the side! It's rare to have a quiet time."

"Tsk." Lai Mei wasn't afraid of death and tsked his dad, rolled his eyes, "Favoring girls over boys, biased."

Gu Yucheng raised his hand, Lai Mei hurriedly ran away, lay on the mat again, crossed his legs, humming, very unhappy.

He had wanted to change his name for a long time. He felt that his name was no different from the Zhao Di, Lai Di, Pan Di, and Wang Di in the village. Others were seeking a younger brother, he was seeking a younger sister.

But the younger sister already had it.

Thinking of always being teased about his name, Lai Mei stopped shaking his legs and fell into autism.

Ercai was also on the mat, heard his sigh, and bumped him with his elbow, "Brother Lai Mei, what's wrong with you?"

"If you still treat me as a brother, call me by my new name." Lai Mei said.

"... Brother Ba Wang?" Ercai called tentatively, his expression simply indescribable in words.

The word "ugly" almost turned into confetti and rushed onto Lai Mei's face.

"Sounds good, right?" Lai Mei didn't notice, still proud, this was a name he had thought about for a long time, super domineering.

Unfortunately, his dad didn't agree to change it for him.

The naughty boy drooped his head, his whole body exuding an aura of life being loveless.

"Doesn't sound good." Ercai shook his head like a rattle.

Lai Mei widened his eyes.

How is it possible?

He learned these two words from the educated youth, and felt they were super domineering.

Ercai's eyes were firm, and he said again, "Really doesn't sound good."

Crack!

Lai Mei lay back, his body straight, life loveless.

Lin Zhao couldn't help laughing out loud, her tone tinged with comfort.

"Don't be in a hurry to despair, you will definitely change your name when you go to school. Lai Mei and Gu Da Cai and Ercai's names are nicknames, your dad and mom are teasing you."

If she remembered correctly, Bang Bang had a formal name, called Gu Xingye.

It's just that he was used to his nickname, and no one called his formal name, so most people thought he didn't have one.

Lai Mei's eyes gradually had light, he bounced up, not wanting to find his dad and mom, he looked at Gu Fu and negotiated: "Grandpa, will you take a formal name for me?"

"Whoever gives birth to the baby takes the name, your grandpa doesn't care." Gu Mu directly pushed this matter away.

Unless the son and daughter-in-law spoke, she didn't want to cause trouble.

Lai Mei didn't want his dad and mom to take it.

Look at the names his dad and mom took, Bang Bang, Lai Mei, Yu Yu, which one sounds good?!

He looked at Gu Fu with earnest eyes, "But the name Grandpa takes sounds good."

Ercai's eyes turned, he ran toward Gu Fu, kneaded his shoulders and beat his back with his little arms, his little face full of smiles.

"Grandpa, you've been tired all day, I'll beat your back for you."

Gu Fu's mouth was almost crooked with laughter.

"Good, good, good, you beat it for Grandpa."

The grandson was filial, he accepted it gladly.

Ercai beat for a long time, his arms were sore, the speed slowed down, and he clenched his little fist to smash slowly.

Seeing Gu Fu was very satisfied with his service, he grinned and leaned his face over, saying his purpose.

"Grandpa, why don't you take names for me and my brother, and the third and fourth cubs by the way?" ===== CHAPTER 41 =====