Chapter 405: Those are their military merit medals

Jin Lixin sneered, "What do you think?"

"Throw a tantrum." Jin Xueqing pulled the small stool closer to the bed, wishing he could climb up and stick to his brother, but he was cowardly.

Jin Lixin glanced at the stupid younger brother, the harsh words that reached his lips didn't come out after all.

He had no opinion of this silly boy. Before, he was jealous to the point of madness, but when Jin Xueqing thought of ideas for him and used his own pocket money he couldn't bear to spend to buy eggs to nourish his body, the solid ice in Jin Lixin's heart shattered a piece.

He became this appearance because of that pair of irresponsible parents, it had nothing to do with Jin Xueqing.

"What kind of tantrum did Grandma throw?" Jin Xueqing asked persistently.

"You are so curious?" Jin Lixin felt something was wrong, his eyes scanning over suspiciously.

Jin Xueqing said honestly: "Hmm, I'm curious."

The matter of Xiang Yubao and Gu Hangbao helping him give ideas had already been exposed, he didn't need to hide it anymore, saying: "Gu Zhiyu and Gu Zhiheng are also my good friends, they are very enthusiastic and smart, the idea of reporting to the police was all helped by them."

Clenching his fists, raising his hand and waving, "People who do bad things must be punished!"

Jin Lixin was full of exploration, "How could they care about my affairs?"

Jin Xueqing blurted out: "Gu Zhiyu and Gu Zhiheng are my good friends, they are very enthusiastic and smart, the idea of reporting to the police was all helped by them."

"I just said... you don't have that brain." Jin Lixin said straightforwardly.

Jin Xueqing scratched his head, "I have, I have a brain."

Jin Lixin ignored the stupid younger brother's attempt to save face.

If it were in the hometown, someone as stupid as Jin Xueqing wouldn't have lived for half a year.

It was precisely this that made him jealous to the point of madness.

Jin Lixin clenched his hands into fists, the patch-covered bag strap making his palms ache; he lowered his head, and the hostility in his eyes gradually faded.

The money Jin Baogen's parents paid, the money the two old things in the Jin family paid, were all in here. The police gave it to him, he didn't hand it over to that pair of irresponsible parents.

He wanted to keep this money himself.

Six hundred and fifty yuan, could do quite a few things.

At least...

He didn't have to worry about being hungry in the future!

"You go out, I want to rest for a while." Jin Lixin said coldly.

Jin Xueqing said "Oh", "I'm leaving, Brother, shall I call you when it's time to eat?"

Jin Lixin didn't speak.

Jin Xueqing wasn't disappointed either, put the small stool in the place against the wall, and went out happily.

His brother was willing to talk to him, he was very happy.

Jin Xueqing closed the door, just turned around, and saw his short and stout sister Jin Hua'er standing in a place very close to him.

"Second Brother, were you beaten?" Jin Hua'er sized up her second brother.

Jin Xueqing looked back, there was no movement in the room, he breathed a sigh of relief, pulled his sister to the corner of the wall.

"No, Brother wasn't angry."

He touched his sister's yellow and sparse hair and said seriously: "Brother is injured, in a bad mood, not intentionally fierce, Hua'er don't be afraid."

Jin Hua'er shrank her little body, looking cowardly.

"... I'm still afraid."

Jin Xueqing was anxious, his face serious, "That's our brother, what are you afraid of? Can he eat you?! I already said, Brother is injured, uncomfortable, wait until his injury is completely healed, it will be fine."

Jin Hua'er didn't dare to refute again, asking expectantly: "Is it the same as Zhiyu brother?"

Jin Xueqing felt guilty, but still said: "Right."

Not daring to guarantee his brother's character, he added: "Forget it, wait until Brother's body is completely healed, then you go in front of him, now you just be like before."

Jin Hua'er was confused: "Why?"

"Don't ask so many whys, I'm not Seeing Qian Bao, can't answer every question, just do what I say." Jin Xueqing was full of impatience.

Jin Hua'er didn't fear her second brother, pouting: "You are older than Seeing Qian Bao brother, yet not as smart as him."

Jin Xueqing shrugged, "Our parents aren't as smart as Gu Uncle and Lin Aunt either, what's strange about me not being as good as Seeing Qian Bao."

Jin Hua'er felt something was wrong, but couldn't say what was wrong, moved her mouth, didn't say anything.

Inside the house.

The Jin family couple were also talking.

Aunt Jin hesitated for a long time, looking at her man counting money with his head down.

"Lixin holding so much money, isn't it bad?"

Deputy Regiment Jin was interrupted, paused counting money, looked up at her, and said directly: "You go ask for it."

He curled his lips and sneered, "If he can give it to you, from now on you have the final say in this family."

Aunt Jin choked.

Didn't respond to her man's words, and said again: "It's several hundred yuan, he's a child, what if he loses it?"

Deputy Regiment Jin still said the same thing, "If you covet it, you go ask for it, if you can get it, count it as your ability."

"Lixin treats us like enemies, how could he let me keep the money?" Aunt Jin still had a bit of self-knowledge.

Deputy Regiment Jin laughed, "You still know that."

Completely breaking ties with those people in his hometown, only the issue of supporting the elderly remained, Deputy Regiment Jin felt relaxed, his tense nerves relaxed.

He felt guilty for his eldest son, and also felt heartache. If those few hundred yuan could give his son some comfort, give it to him.

"... I'm not heartless, don't I know!" Aunt Jin patted her man.

"Then the money really given to Lixin?" She asked again.

Deputy Regiment Jin was speechless, "If not, are you going to steal or rob?"

"As long as Lixin is at ease, giving all the money in the family to him is what it is." He looked at his wife, "Lixin hasn't been by our side for so many years, the two of us as parents let him down, that's our own son, don't be too biased."

Aunt Jin stood up abruptly, like a cat stepped on its tail, "Who is biased? Who are you squeezing? For so many years, Xueqing and Hua'er have what, the eldest has what. If it weren't for those beasts in your family not acting like humans, the old ones are biased, your brother and sister-in-law are human-faced beasts, and the small one is also a bad seed, twenty-five yuan a month... how could we not raise Lixin plump and white?"

Deputy Regiment Jin was in the wrong, "How did I know they could act so well."

"Alright, don't flip old accounts, the child is picked up, treat him well."

Aunt Jin wished she could kill those beasts in the Jin family.

"Picked up, but my son's eye is gone, what will he do in the future?" Speaking of Jin Lixin's broken eye, her eyes were red.

This trip back to her hometown, after Aunt Jin arrived home, she beat her sister-in-law like a madwoman, beating Jin Baogen's mother until a patch of hair was pulled out, nose bruised and face swollen, looking very miserable.

Not only that, she broke into the eldest room and smashed everything her eldest sister-in-law treasured, making her eldest sister-in-law hold her chest and scream sharply: "That's my family fortune saved for a lifetime—"

Aunt Jin didn't care, anger went to her head, she smashed whatever she saw.

Upon learning that this family in the Jin family would drive Jin Lixin out of his room every year after they left, and drive him to the kitchen to live, Deputy Regiment Jin couldn't hold back his anger, his sandbag-sized fist smashed onto his brother's face, beating him until he howled like a ghost.

Every scene was seen by Jin Lixin, he felt very refreshed, taking advantage of the chaos to take away the private money saved by the eldest sister-in-law, not leaving her a single cent.

Deputy Regiment Jin sighed, "Things have already happened, what can be done."

"Save money first, if there is a chance, install that whatever artificial eye for the child."

"Besides, this old father of his hasn't died yet, I will always find a way to arrange Lixin."

He had no great ability, but his military merit over so many years wasn't fake, and he had many comrades, with him here, Lixin's opportunities were more than those of country children.

"That whatever artificial eye, you must pay attention, save enough three thousand yuan and we'll take Lixin to the big city to see." Aunt Jin's expression was firm.

Deputy Regiment Jin: "Definitely."

Afternoon.

Aunt Jin brought a few salted duck eggs to the Gu family.

Found Lin Zhao.

"My family has been a bit noisy recently, really sorry." She took the initiative, "These are salted duck eggs I made, send you a few to taste."

They had been neighbors for several years, their relationship harmonious.

Lin Zhao didn't refuse and accepted them.

"Thank you, Aunt Jin, I have a pack of brown sugar here, you take it back later, let Lixin brew it to drink."

Aunt Jin thanked her, "Brown sugar is good, thank you, Lin Meizi."

Lin Zhao saw the worry between Aunt Jin's brows dissipate and asked with a smile: "Are the family affairs solved?"

"Solved." Family affairs are ugly, the whole family courtyard knew, Aunt Jin didn't hide it, and told Lin Zhao all the good plays of this return.

"Old Jin and those people in the hometown have completely broken ties, from now on, except for the five yuan pension every month, there's no relationship."

Speaking of this, her tone was full of refreshment.

"His eldest brother's family paid medical expenses, that bad seed who injured Lixin was sent to labor reform, a stroke on his file, can't be a soldier, can't enter a factory, he'll have bitterness to eat in the future."

Mentioning Jin Baogen, Aunt Jin gritted her teeth, "Lin Meizi, you say how can a person be bad to that degree?"

"I thought Jin Baogen didn't intentionally injure Lixin, who knew that bad seed was intentional! I hate myself for being blind, not knowing he could act so well, always bullying Lixin, that boy is a white-eyed wolf, Old Jin and I treated him so well, it's not as good as feeding a dog..."

Lin Zhao's brows knitted.

Substituting into Jin Lixin's true despair.

The relatives in the hometown were all monsters, and his parents couldn't be relied on, wouldn't he hate them to death?!

She couldn't find words to comment, could only say: "Treat the child well when he's picked up, he must have anger and grievances in his heart, don't force the child."

"This is certain." Aunt Jin wasn't an ungrateful person, knowing Lin Zhao was thinking for her family.

Her eyes were hot, saying: "Old Jin and I said, let Lixin live as he pleases, as long as he is happy, we won't interfere with too many of his affairs, if he wants to study we'll sign him up, if he doesn't want to go out then don't go out, stay at home and we'll raise him."

Lin Zhao didn't know what kind of taste was in her heart.

Sometimes facing unreasonable biased elders, the daughter-in-law really has no way.

Aunt Jin was a gentle person, it wasn't strange to be manipulated by the fierce mother-in-law in her hometown.

It was just pitiful for Jin Lixin, that child.

"It will be fine." Lin Zhao comforted.

Aunt Jin wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and revealed a smile, "Borrow your auspicious words. Old Jin said big city hospitals can install artificial eyes, we plan to save enough money to take the child to see."

She was petty, felt heartache for money, but in the child's affairs, she was willing.

Hearing these words, Lin Zhao changed her view of the couple next door.

"You have this idea, it's very good." Lin Zhao supported, "Lixin is still small, the future is still very long, can't always be like that, since there is a way to make him walk more smoothly, as parents you have to think of a way, Sister's motherly heart makes people moved."

"You treat him sincerely, Lixin will feel it sooner or later, when the time comes, your family will live in harmony, how good that is."

Aunt Jin's mind appeared the scene Lin Zhao said, the smile at the corners of her mouth kept increasing.

"It would be great if there really was such a day."

After finishing, she looked at Lin Zhao, "Lin Meizi, do you know about that whatever artificial eye? Don't know if it's reliable."

"Don't know much, Sister, if you want to understand, I suggest you take Lixin to the hospital to find my Little Brother to see." Lin Zhao gave a suggestion.

Meng Jiusi and Uncle Song were both busy people, the kind who went out for study and guidance from time to time.

Even in the same military region, Lin Zhao didn't have many chances to see Meng Jiusi.

Meng Jiusi had been here for a few days, he just returned from the capital, brought back many gifts for her and the children, it wasn't like that Yao Bao wouldn't always stay at her Little Uncle's place, making a fuss about him telling stories about the capital.

Aunt Jin's eyes brightened, "Dr. Meng is back?"

"Back, starting work tomorrow, you go find him, if there are any questions, ask him, my Little Brother knows, he will definitely answer you in detail, but I suggest you bring Lixin, let him see the situation." Lin Zhao said.

Meng Jiusi had helped many times when soldiers and military dependents were critically ill, his medical reputation in the family courtyard was incredibly good.

Aunt Jin trusted his medical skills very much.

"Okay, I'll take Lixin to find him tomorrow morning."

She still had to cook for the child, didn't stay long, took the salted duck eggs Lin Zhao gave, and hurried back next door.

Qiao Hui was washing vegetables in the courtyard.

Watching Aunt Jin's retreating back, she said: "Children need to be by their own parents' side, some relatives are not as good as neighbors and outsiders."

Lin Zhao echoed, "Yeah."

Jin Lixin was considered lucky, his parents had him in their hearts, and knew how to make up for him. How many children left in the hometown were ignored by grandparents, and their biological parents didn't care, only treating them as tools for filial piety, that was miserable.

Night.

Jin Lixin knocked on the Gu family's door quietly.

Qiao Hui opened the door and saw a thin youth standing at the door with one eye covered by black cloth.

She reacted immediately who this was.

"You are from next door, right? Who are you looking for?" Qiao Hui asked calmly and peacefully.

This attitude made Jin Lixin's tense body relax.

He leaned slightly and said in a hoarse voice: "... I'm looking for Gu Zhiyu and Gu Zhiheng."

Jin Lixin knew these two names, temporarily didn't know how to write them.

He had read books, finished primary school. The reason he could read was that the Jin family let him be a companion to Jin Baogen, carrying schoolbags, doing homework...

Later Jin Baogen didn't pass the junior high school entrance exam, and his path to learning was broken.

Jin Lixin wasn't a genius, but was diligent enough, always first in school, Jin Baogen hated teachers praising him, found people to beat him several times, if it weren't for needing him to help write homework, Jin Baogen almost broke his hand.

"Come in first, I'll go call them." Qiao Hui said.

Xiang Yubao and Gu Hangbao weren'

The twins were lying on the bed reading leisure books; hearing Aunt Qiao's voice, they hurriedly got off the bed, put on their slippers, and walked out.

"We'll go take a look, Aunt Qiao, you go back to your room and rest; we'll close the door in a while," Xiang Yubao said.

Qiao Hui responded and returned to her room.

Only then did Xiang Yubao cast his gaze upon Jin Lixin.

"Are you the Jin family's eldest brother?" He asked with a certain tone, calling out politely: "Hello, Big Brother Jin, my name is Gu Zhiyu, and I am a good friend of Xueqing."

"My name is Gu Zhihang, and I am Xueqing's classmate and friend," Gu Hangbao added.

The two of them saw that Jin Lixin's eye was covered by a black cloth, and there was nothing unusual about his face.

They had seen plenty in the military; some uncles had broken arms, some had lost legs, some had lost ears... they were not afraid.

Those were the military merit medals of soldiers.

"Hello, my name is Jin Lixin, and I'm from next door," Jin Lixin said awkwardly.

He set down the bag of peach blossom cakes he had brought.

"I heard from Jin Xueqing that the idea to report to the Gongan Bureau was suggested by you; this is a token of gratitude, thank you both."

After speaking, Jin Lixin bowed and hurriedly turned to run away.

With one eye covered by the black cloth and being in such a hurry, he stumbled a few times and nearly fell, but he quickly steadied himself and returned next door.