Chapter 526: Deep Brotherly Affection

Yan Jiefang handed the train ticket to Liu Guangtian: "Hurry up and give me thirty yuan!"

Liu Guangtian was very generous and gave all the money in his pocket directly to Yan Jiefang.

Yan Jiefang took it, counted it for a long time, discovered there was only fifteen yuan and sixty cents, and cursed: "I was wondering why you were being so generous; turns out you didn't have enough money. Remember, you owe me fifteen yuan!"

"Don't we always have a rule? When we go do a job together, no matter who goes in and who keeps watch, we split it fifty-fifty? Why doesn't that count this time?" Liu Guangtian said with a slightly roguish smile.

Yan Jiefang kicked Liu Guangtian, "What you said isn't wrong."

"Yan Jiefang, I think you really have a bit of talent; I didn't even see you make a move," Liu Guangtian praised.

Hearing Liu Guangtian praise him like this, Yan Jiefang also became happy. He patted his own chest and said: "Before, I cursed Siqiang every day, thinking he had led me down the wrong path, but only today do I feel that if it weren't for him, I reckon I would have starved to death."

Liu Guangtian nodded: "I think about the same as you."

When the two of them returned home, it was already dark.

As soon as Liu Guangtian got home, he handed a train ticket to his mother, Sun Yumei.

"Where did you get this train ticket?" Sun Yumei asked, staring into Liu Guangtian's eyes.

"I bought it, obviously! You say every day that you miss my dad, isn't it just because you're unwilling to spend money to buy a ticket to go see him? Anyway, you don't have a job, so take advantage of the good weather now, go over and see my dad, stay for a few months and then come back, it won't delay anything," Liu Guangtian said with a blank expression.

"If I leave, what will happen to your older brother?" Sun Yumei said without a second thought.

"You really are biased. My younger brother is only ten, you didn't even think of him, and my older brother is already sixteen, yet you're still fretting over him!" Liu Guangtian said.

Liu Guangqi walked out of the room and said: "Lao Er, don't you go sowing discord. Mother, go ahead and leave without worry, I can take good care of my younger brothers, but you must leave behind the living expenses."

Sun Yumei rolled her eyes for a long time, then slapped her thigh, "Fine, I'll go find He Yushui right now and ask her for your dad's address."

"Liu Guangtian, this time, you actually did something human," Liu Guangqi said, sitting with his legs crossed.

Liu Guangtian didn't pay him any mind at all.

Liu Guangqi gave him a sinister look, feeling very pleased with himself.

If he were allowed to manage the household, he would definitely make Liu Guangtian suffer a bit. This little brat, although not old, had a physique that was getting stronger by the day; he was almost unable to beat him anymore. If he didn't discipline him now, in two years he wouldn't be able to handle him at all.

Ever since He Daqing went to the south, He Yushui had not been living in the Zhongyuan.

She called Xiaomi, Dahua, and Xiaoqi to the East Cross Courtyard to live with Chen Xueru.

Chen Xueru had to go to work during the day, so most of the time she would prepare lunch and dinner in advance in the morning for them to eat, or she would give He Yushui some money to let her and her friends buy something to eat outside.

Today, the four young girls had discussed it and decided not to go to a restaurant, so they bought two roasted chickens to gnaw on.

When Second Uncle's wife Sun Yumei arrived at the door, she saw the four girls sitting in a circle, gnawing on two roasted chickens.

All the meaty parts had been gnawed clean, leaving only the chicken feet and chicken heads uneaten.

However, the little black dog on the ground was watching them like a tiger eyeing its prey.

Smelling the scent of the roasted chicken, Sun Yumei forgot what she wanted to say for a moment, her gaze glued tightly to the leftovers on the plate, unable to move away.

He Yushui looked up and asked her: "Second Aunt, do you have business with us?"

Only then did Sun Yumei sit down at the table and say: "I want to go to Guangzhou to see your Second Uncle. Didn't you all just go? Give me an address, and tell me what I should pay attention to on the road."

Xiaoqi said vaguely while gnawing on a chicken wing: "Second Aunt, you must hide your money well! There are a lot of pickpockets on the train; we ran into them three times on the way. One time, a person came up and started feeling the passengers' pockets. If Ershuan hadn't scared them off with a gun, all our things would have been taken!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Yumei was startled, "Then I can't bring anything, I'll just bring some clothes to change into so they have nothing to rob."

He Yushui wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, "If you leave, what will happen to the children at home?"

"Their older brother is watching them, it's fine. I'm only going for two months," Sun Yumei said airily, her eyes drifting again to the four chicken feet and two chicken heads on the plate.

He Yushui followed her gaze: "Do you like eating chicken feet? Take them with you in a moment."

"Oh my, then thank you!" Sun Yumei beamed with joy and nodded repeatedly.

He Yushui reminded her again: "Before you leave, it's best to send a telegram to Second Uncle and have him meet you at the station."

"Got it, got it. Is there anything else I need to pay attention to?" Sun Yumei asked.

"That's all!" He Yushui shook her head.

Just as Sun Yumei walked out the door carrying the plate, she bumped into Yi Zhonghai, who was carrying his son Yi Xiaotian, who had been born a few months ago, as he walked out of the Deaf Old Lady's room.

She smiled at Yi Zhonghai: "First Uncle, you're here to bring food to the Old Lady again? I'm going to Guangzhou in two days to see Old Liu. There are only three children left at home, so I'll have to trouble you to help look after them."

"No problem!" Yi Zhonghai stopped in his tracks and asked curiously, "Why aren't you taking the children with you?"

Sun Yumei shook her head: "All three children are in school, they can't leave. My oldest is sensible, he can take care of his two younger brothers."

A flash of surprise crossed Yi Zhonghai's eyes. He thought to himself that this woman really had no brains; although Liu Guangqi was smart, he was the type to only sweep the snow from his own doorstep. How could he possibly take good care of his younger brothers? It would be a miracle if they didn't end up beating each other's brains out. However, as an outsider, he didn't want to meddle in other people's business, so he just nodded, "Then sister-in-law, be careful on the road!"

Sun Yumei nodded in agreement and carried the plate back home.

As soon as she entered the door, she shouted inside: "Guangqi, come over quickly and eat some chicken feet!"

Liu Guangqi ran out to look, and seeing they were leftovers from someone else, he curled his lip: "I don't eat leftovers from other people's houses."

"He Yushui hadn't finished eating, so I brought them over, how are they leftovers?" Sun Yumei said.

At this time, Liu Guangfu came over, shouting: "Mother, I want to eat!"

Sun Yumei gave a light hum and glanced at Liu Guangqi: "You've got quite the backbone! Then the two of us will eat."

Three days later, Sun Yumei stepped onto the train heading south.

Ever since Liu Guangqi started managing the household, this home had completely changed its flavor.

His first act was to burn the food supply; he would steam a pot of corn buns and insist that the three brothers eat them for three days.

Of course, he also gnawed on the corn buns himself, but whenever school let out, he would always use studying as an excuse to linger at school and not leave. When everyone else had left and he went home alone, he would always buy himself peach cakes and sponge cakes on the way.

Liu Guangtian didn't care. At every meal, in front of his older brother, he would slowly break off half a small corn bun, take a few symbolic sips of porridge, and then put down his bowl.

Every day, he would take advantage of when his classmates were in class to sneak out and eat at restaurants, either eating steamed buns or braised offal.

The only one who suffered was the youngest, Liu Guangfu. He was at the age where he was growing, yet he could only gnaw on cold, throat-scratching corn buns day after day. In less than ten days, his cheeks, which had been somewhat round, became sunken, and he had lost a whole lot of weight.

He discovered that his two older brothers were silent about this.

His older brother didn't care about anything other than studying every day, and his second brother was elusive.

This evening, facing the last cold and hard corn bun on the table, Liu Guangfu finally lost his temper. He slammed his chopsticks down with a "clack" and cried: "Older brother! When Mother left, how much money did she actually leave you? Let's... split it! I can't go on living like this. I want to take my share and go join the First Uncle's household to eat!"

Upon hearing this, Guangqi suddenly sprang up, "Mother took all the money away; in a few days, we won't even have steamed corn buns to eat!" He raised his hand, making a gesture to strike.