Chapter 58: Good Things

“So obsessed with money?” Lin Zhao walked into the kitchen and spoke through the window to Dacai and Ercai.

In the yard, Sicai chased after Da Huang’s tail, running everywhere; Sancai squatted in the corner, drawing and scribbling with a stick, content to be alone for half a day.

Ercai laughed aloud, accepting his mother’s assessment with pride.

“Yes, I’m obsessed with money—Tie Niu, Yuanbao, Tie Chui, Da Zhuang…”

He recited a string of names.

“We’re all money-obsessed.”

Finally, his tone turned old-fashioned and wise: “Money’s good—it lets you buy meat, candy, new clothes.”

Even then, he couldn’t resist flattery: “It can buy Mom a hundred dresses.”

A hundred was a lot to him!

Dacai stared seriously at his brother. “Ercai, my goal is to buy Mom a dress—why are you stealing my goal? Buy something else.”

He was furious, rarely refusing to yield to Ercai, shouting: “I’ll buy Mom a whole airplane full of dresses!”

Ercai looked slightly wounded. “...But Mom loves dresses the most. I don’t know what else to buy.”

Lin Zhao hesitated.

Did she love dresses the most? How did she not know?

Dacai was wavering.

He furrowed his tiny brow in thought, propped his arms on the windowsill, and leaped hard, half his body thrust inside.

“Mom, besides dresses, is there anything else you love the most?”

Wait a moment.

Lin Zhao’s expression turned peculiar. “Who told you I love dresses the most?”

Dacai glanced cautiously at his mother. “Little Aunt said so.”

Of course, it wasn’t just that one thing—he didn’t remember the rest.

“Don’t you like dresses?”

Lin Zhao suspected Gu Xing’er hadn’t meant it literally—she’d probably used dresses as a veiled insult.

The thought flashed through her mind and was immediately discarded.

Someone unimportant—what did she care what she did?

“I don’t dislike them, but they’re not my favorite.”

“Then what’s your favorite, Mom?” Dacai stuck his little butt out, maintaining his leaning-in posture.

Beside him, Ercai copied him exactly.

Two identical faces stared expectantly at Lin Zhao.

What could Lin Zhao say? An idea struck her. “I love myself the most.”

Dacai and Ercai had no objection.

They thought it made perfect sense.

Lin Zhao glanced at the boys’ expressions, surprised to see them both nodding.

She’d expected disappointment.

Dacai smiled at his mother. “Same as you—I love Mom the most.”

Lin Zhao believed him.

A child’s world is so small—Mom matters the most.

Ercai added: “I love Mom the most—even more than white rabbit milk candy.”

“...Thanks, I guess,” Lin Zhao replied half-heartedly.

“No need to thank me. What’s your second favorite?” Ercai asked, eyes blazing with anticipation.

Lin Zhao spoke gently. “Of course, it’s your father.”

Without your father, where would the four of you come from?

Hearing this, the two boys felt something precious inside them shatter again and again—the light in their eyes vanished, replaced by sorrow.

“Why?” Ercai exclaimed in shock.

“Why what?” Lin Zhao laughed in exasperation. Gu Chenghuai hadn’t done anything—why had he made the boys react like this?

Ercai still couldn’t accept it. “Why is Dad your second favorite?”

“Your father is my husband. It’s natural for me to love him—why shouldn’t I?” Lin Zhao smiled, her hands still moving as she lifted the lid and dropped dumplings into the pot.

“Dad doesn’t help Mom with chores. Why does he get second place? Neither me nor my brother got second!” Ercai complained, stretching his voice plaintively. “Mom, don’t! Move Dad down and put me up—I’m Ercai, I should be second!”

Before Lin Zhao could respond, Dacai argued fiercely: “Ercai, I’m older—you should be third. Second place is mine.”

Ercai thought his brother had a point. He pouted and muttered: “...Fine. Then I’m third. No one can take third from me.”

The two children had sorted out their rankings in their mother’s heart, both utterly satisfied, their invisible tails wagging wildly with joy.

Lin Zhao had nothing to say.

Fine.

As long as you two are happy.

The topic was dropped.

The two boys slid down from the windowsill, brushed dirt off their clothes and pants, and ran into the kitchen.

“Mom, we’ll help you watch the fire!” the twins chorused.

Lin Zhao didn’t stop them.

Soon after the water boiled.

She said: “It’s ready.”

“So fast!” Ercai blurted.

“Because they’re little dumplings—thin skin, one bite each,” Lin Zhao explained.

The dumplings had been drawn from a lottery the night before.

A little package of noodle treats.

Small dumplings, steamed buns, flower rolls, baked flatbreads, sesame cakes, red sugar sponge cakes...

Luckily, she’d taken a family photo earlier and earned 200 points.

She was closer than ever to the 500-point lottery.

“Little dumplings?” Ercai tiptoed to look, seeing the steaming bowl—through the mist, the dumplings’ shape entered his pupils. “Mom, I’ve never eaten these. Are they good?”

“Of course they’re good—noodles and meat. How could they not be?” Lin Zhao swiftly ladled the dumplings into bowls and carried them outside.

The twins were still young—she had to be careful. She crushed the meat and dough, waited until they cooled, then let them eat on their own.

Items from the lottery were always high quality—the dumplings tasted excellent, and the whole family ate happily and contentedly.

After eating, Dacai went to wash the dishes. Ercai tried to follow, but Lin Zhao called him back.

“Ercai, wait. Let me see your hands.”

Ercai turned, walked over, and held out both hands. “What for?”

Lin Zhao ignored him, studying the tooth marks on his skin.

Overnight, the marks hadn’t faded—they still looked swollen, dark blue with bruising.

“Biters really went hard,” Lin Zhao frowned, irritation rising at the name Lu Baozhen.

What grudge? What hatred? Such a little kid, so cruel—what twisted values!

“Stay farther away from Lu Baozhen.”

Ercai nodded obediently, adding: “We’re already far—we run when we see Lu Baozhen. Tie Chui runs too. We don’t play with Lu Baozhen.”

Lin Zhao paused.

She didn’t want her son turning into a bully. The words she was about to say swirled in her mouth, weighed carefully, then came out gently: “It’s fine if Tie Chui imitates you—you three are inseparable. But other kids...”

She placed her hands on Ercai’s shoulders, face serious. “If other children play with Lu Baozhen, don’t sabotage it.”

Ercai beamed. “My brother already said that.”

“He said kids shouldn’t be too domineering. He said if I target Lu Baozhen, I’m a bad kid—and you won’t like me.”

Here, his smile faded. He frowned. “Mom, I don’t even have a needle. Why did he say I’m using a needle against Lu Baozhen?”

“Pfft—” Lin Zhao burst out laughing.

Ercai glared at her.

His voice wobbled.

“Mom~~~” he whined.

“‘Targeting’ doesn’t mean you’re holding a needle at someone,” Lin Zhao explained, barely holding back laughter. “It means you’re fixated on someone, deliberately picking on them...”

If she didn’t explain properly now, there’d be more embarrassing moments ahead.

After speaking, she went inside for ointment, shoulders shaking.

Ercai’s expression grew even more wounded.

Feeling humiliated, he quickly spun a lie as she applied the ointment: “I know what ‘targeting’ means—I was just joking with you, Mom.”

Lin Zhao didn’t call him out. She feigned surprise. “Oh?”

“Yes, yes, exactly!” Ercai insisted.

He frowned at the ointment. “Mom, I don’t like ointment—it stops me from doing anything.”

“What do you want to do?” Lin Zhao glared. “Just rest. Don’t use your hands for everything.”

Ercai instantly sat up straight, obediently replying: “Got it.”

At that moment, Dacai stepped out of the kitchen.

“Mama, I’ve washed the bowls.”

“You’re so capable,” Lin Zhao praised, then turned to Ercai: “Ercai, your brother washed the bowls this morning; you wash them at noon.”

Ercai never shirked chores: “Alright!”

“Woof…” Dahuang suddenly barked.

At the door stood a sharp-eyed little boy.

“Tieniu!” Ercai shouted as he ran toward the door, adding to Dahuang: “Dahuang, this is my best buddy—he’s family.”

Dahuang knew Tieniu; he barked once, just a polite reminder to his master, then curled up in his luxurious wooden kennel and closed his eyes.

Lin Zhao had already returned to the house and fetched the camera.

“Where would you like to be photographed?” she asked softly.

Tieniu had already decided: “Under the big banyan tree.”

Fine.

Lin Zhao had no objections: “Let’s go.”

The group walked out toward the banyan tree, but when they arrived, they found it already crowded.

Unlike usual, it wasn’t just aunts and mothers—there were uncles and grandfathers too. And a whole row of young boys, their hair freshly washed, neatly combed, dressed in their least patched clothes, unusually clean-faced and dust-free.

“...What’s going on?” Lin Zhao asked, surprised.

The team leader’s wife had claimed the best spot, ensuring she’d be captured in the photo.

She smiled: “Oh, just take your pictures, don’t mind us.”

What? Just take your own pictures!

Lin Zhao’s expression of disbelief was unmistakable.

She stared at the front row—each person, for more than two seconds.

Those she singled out beamed with radiant smiles, not shifting an inch, utterly calm—too calm.

Are you kidding?

They knew a photo was being taken, so they rushed over, even washing their hair beforehand—didn’t you see some still damp?

When Yuanbao got his photo taken, he didn’t get in—Tieniu had to be included.

Photos cost money; better to spend it on meat. They couldn’t afford it, so they just came to luck out.

Tieniu: “...”

Lin Zhao looked back at Tieniu: “Tieniu, would you like so many people standing behind you in the photo?”

Tieniu looked over.

So many people—some he didn’t even know their names—staring at him with burning eyes, making the child shiver, nearly blurting out: “Grandpa, there’s a kidnapper trying to steal Niu’er!”

He barely remembered he was on the team.

“...I want to be alone,” Tieniu said.

Grandpa said he’d pay—must get the best photo.

He glanced at the crowd under the banyan tree, face scowling: “Too many people. I want to stand out.”

The crowd under the banyan tree heard this and immediately pulled out their tricks.

A man with a dog-bitten haircut stepped forward, pulled out a palm-sized pink embroidered ball from nowhere, and tied it to Tieniu’s chest.

“Oh, wanting to stand out? Easy—here’s a red ball. You’ll be the most visible.”

He reached out his rough hand, affectionately ruffling Tieniu’s hair: “Niu, tell me what else you want—I’ll even help you climb to the top of the banyan tree...”

Tieniu touched the embroidered ball, stunned and flattered.

Another tall old man stepped forward, without a word, hoisted Tieniu onto his shoulders: “How’s this? Grandpa’s carrying you.”

Before Tieniu could react, his view changed—he stood there, utterly bewildered.

“These people!” The aunts saw the old men breaking their word, crowding around Tieniu.

One elder woman even pulled out a broken red hair tie, hastily re-tied: “Tieniu, Auntie will braid your hair—this will make you stand out!”

Tieniu’s face twisted in horror—he scrambled back: “No! I don’t want a girl’s red hair tie!”

“Hahahaha...” Dacai, Ercai, and Tiejui burst into loud laughter.

Hearing his friends’ laughter, Tieniu blushed.

*Click!*

“Done,” Lin Zhao said calmly, putting away the camera.

This one’s free—I just felt it had life, so I pressed the shutter.

Hearing the *click*, everyone turned to look at Lin Zhao.

Everyone knew Chenghuai’s wife was not to be trifled with—no one dared voice loud complaints, but muttered under their breaths, saying all kinds of things.

“Huh? Already done? I didn’t even fix my hair.”

“Me neither—my collar’s crooked.”

“I’m worse—I was blocked just now, stood on tiptoe but couldn’t see Dacai’s mama. If I couldn’t see her, the camera couldn’t have caught me. Oh no—this is my first photo ever, and I missed it!”

Several people pounded their thighs in frustration.

Hearing about this, the team leader rushed over, saw his grandson’s utterly defeated expression, and understood everything.

“No wonder you all worked so fast today—your minds were here! None of this is your business—go, go, go!” the team leader snapped, shooing them away.

The team members knew they’d acted unkindly; they awkwardly smiled and hurried off.

In mere moments, the crowd under the banyan tree vanished completely.

The team leader knew Lin Zhao had a temper; he quickly explained: “These villagers have never had their photo taken—they just came to sneak a glimpse. Sorry for the trouble.”

“It’s fine,” Lin Zhao replied offhandedly, gesturing to Tieniu: “Tieniu, you can go stand under the tree now.”

Tieniu, who had been sulking, instantly brightened—he bounced over to the tree, stood in place, and beamed with a radiant smile.

*Click!*

“Done.”

Tieniu politely thanked her: “Thank you, Aunt Lin.”

“No need to thank me.” Lin Zhao silently added: Your team-leader grandfather paid.

After photographing Tieniu, Lin Zhao told Dacai and Ercai to look after the younger siblings, then headed straight for the Gu family’s old homestead.

When she arrived, Gu Mu was ordering Gu Dasao and Gu Ersa to clear out rooms.

“Ah, Third daughter-in-law’s here? Step back a bit—the dust is thick, don’t dirty your clothes.”

The room they were clearing had been the third son’s—Chenghuai and Lin Zhao’s wedding chamber. After the family split, Lin Zhao insisted on living separately, so Gu Qingzhou now occupied it.

“Why are you clearing rooms?” Lin Zhao asked, and as soon as she spoke, Gu Lan brought her the best stool.

Lin Zhao sat down, made no move to help, and watched from afar.

The three Gu women didn’t think it odd—third daughter-in-law was fastidious and fond of beauty; she’d never touch dirty work. They all knew that.

“First, move everything out, then tidy later,” Gu Mu instructed her two daughters-in-law, then explained to Lin Zhao: “We’re clearing these rooms for you and your four boys. Aren’t you building a house? I thought and thought—I still believe you and your boys are better off living here.”

She added, confirming again: “Is that alright?”

Living at the old homestead was indeed convenient; Lin Zhao nodded: “Fine.”

“When do you plan to move?” Gu Mu pressed.

"After lunch today," Lin Zhao replied. Her job at the supply and marketing cooperative gave her only one day off per week—she had to work tomorrow. After work, she’d be too tired to do anything but lie down.

“Alright,” Gu Mu replied, then turned to Huang Xiulan and Zhao Liuniang: “First daughter-in-law, second daughter-in-law, after lunch, take Da and Er to help. Third son’s away—family must support each other.”

Huang Xiulan smiled: “Do you really need to say that? It’s just a hand’s help—we’ll go after lunch.”

“No rush,” Lin Zhao said gently. “I have something to discuss with Big Sister today—I might step out.”

“Chan?” Gu Mu’s expression hesitated.

“Mm.”

“You’re going to see Chan...” Gu Mu started to say something, then stopped herself.

Lin Zhao sipped the cold boiled water Gu Lan had poured, casually: “It’s not bad.”

So no need to be so tense.

“What good thing?” Gu Mu racked her brain—she couldn’t imagine what good could come from third daughter-in-law visiting Chan.