Chapter 100 Cracking

"You've recovered quite well. Rest well for a while. I'll take you to school when the new year comes."

"go to school?"

Wu Xiaocao didn't even dare to think that she would be able to go to school in her lifetime.

“No…I can’t.”

She quickly denied it. "I'm already embarrassed living at my sister's house. Going to school would cost a lot of money. No, I don't really like studying at all."

Ye Surong found a ginger tea nightgown and put it on Wu Xiaocao and gestured for a moment.

The child was too small. Jiang Cha wore a knee-length skirt, which reached Wu Xiaocao's ankles.

She only wears two sets of clothes, which she changes over and over again every day.

The collar, cuffs, chest and knees had been worn out beyond recognition. The rags in their home looked more presentable than the clothes Wu Xiaocao was wearing.

And Wu Xiaocao's hair was tangled in clumps, and it was probably impossible to comb it even with a comb.

"At your age, it's time to study and learn. Why shouldn't you go to school?"

Ye Surong couldn't bear to see her child being spoiled like this. "I'll send you to the military school when the new year starts. Your sister Cha Cha used to get first place in every subject at school. You can't let her outshine you, okay?"

"Is my sister so powerful?"

Wu Xiaocao's eyes became brighter as she looked at Jiang Cha.

The person she likes most and admires the most is Sister Cha Cha.

"But my grandmother and... my stepmother, they all said that girls are just money-losing goods and there's no need for them to go to school..."

"Don't listen to their nonsense. Because you're a girl, you must read more, be more sensible, and see more of the world. That way, you won't be easily deceived in the future. Do you understand?"

Jiang Cha touched her little head and said, "Our lives will get better and better!"

Wu Xiaocao couldn't imagine what life would be like when things got better and better, but she knew that following Sister Cha Cha, she would definitely get better and better.

"Well, together we will get better and better."

Ye Surong prepared everything, and seeing that it was almost time, she smoothed Wu Xiaocao's hair.

"I'll help you with your hair first, then we'll take a nice bath and change into new clothes. Later, I'll take you shopping for new clothes, okay?"

Ye Surong's gentle appearance is exactly the same as the mother in Wu Xiaocao's dream.

She glanced at the ginger tea nervously.

Jiang Cha shook her hand.

"From now on, my mother is also your mother."

Wu Xiaocao called out crisply, "Mom."

Ye Surong said "eh" and responded with a smile.

"Your sister Cha Cha still has to go to work. You follow me today. When your sister Cha Cha comes back from get off work, we will give her a surprise."

"What surprise?"

Huo Tingkun came back with breakfast. The excitement outside had died down and there were only faint discussions. Huo Tingkun didn't pay much attention.

The weather is cold now, so every time he goes to buy breakfast, he deliberately brings an insulated bucket with him so that he doesn't have to heat it up a second time when he gets home.

At first glance, there was an extra person in the room, and Huo Tingkun roughly understood what was going on.

A few days ago, when Ye Surong came back from the hospital, she told him about this matter.

Huo Tingkun felt that it was quite boring for Ye Surong to be alone at home during the day, so it would be nice to have Xiaocao at home.

He can chat with Ye Surong to relieve her boredom, and he can also help Ye Surong with things like grinding medicinal herbs.

But Wu Xiaocao didn't know whether Teacher Huo agreed to let her live in their house.

If Commander Huo disagrees, she will definitely not be able to stay here.

Wu Xiaocao quickly stood up from the sofa, her small body straight, which scared Jiang Cha.

"Xiaocao, what's wrong with you?"

"I……"

Wu Xiaocao gritted her teeth and bowed politely to Commander Huo.

"Hello, Commander Huo."

Ye Surong rolled her eyes at Huo Tingkun and asked, "Look how scared you are of the child."

"Don't be afraid, Xiaocao. Your Uncle Huo isn't scary at all. He'd love to see you, right?"

"Yes, I welcome you. Come on, come on, everyone, hurry up and have breakfast. Luckily, I bought a few extra big meat buns today. Xiaocao, you can have the biggest one later!"

When Wu Xiaocao heard the word "big meat bun", his mouth started to drool like crazy.

Even so, she shook her head sensibly, "I'll just have some porridge."

It’s already great to be able to eat porridge.

"In our family, sons eat porridge and daughters eat big meat buns. Come, take it."

Huo Tingkun picked up a big bun with chopsticks and handed it to Wu Xiaocao. The bun seemed to be as big as her face.

The plump white buns exuded the aroma of flour and meat, and Wu Xiaocao couldn't wait to take a bite.

But she can't.

Aunt Ye and Sister Cha Cha took her in, and she was already very content. How could she deserve such a good thing?

Unfortunately, before she could say no, Huo Tingkun stuffed the bun into her mouth while she was opening her mouth.

"Is it delicious? Is it fragrant?"

Wu Xiaocao was holding a big bun in her mouth, blinking her big black eyes, looking so cute.

This bun came so suddenly, and the arrival of Commander Huo...seemed...even more sudden.

Jiang Cha and Ye Surong laughed so hard that they fell forward and backward.

Jiang Cha was delayed by this incident in the morning and was almost late when he arrived at the clinic.

Huo Jingye almost pedaled his bicycle to the point of sparks before he managed to get her to the infirmary before Jiang Cha arrived late.

Jiang Cha straightened her hair and went into the infirmary.

Before going in, she saw Bai Shuyao turning around and leaving.

This woman, still wants to find her?

Jiang Cha felt that he had to think of a way. It was not a good thing to be pestered by Bai Shuyao all the time.

Thinking of this, Jiang Cha made a suggestion to Hou Liping at work.

"Auntie Hou, doesn't our art troupe provide a unified physical examination program for all employees at the end of the year?"

Hou Liping thought for a moment and said, "It seems there is no such rule."

"I think we can propose to the leadership that we arrange a comprehensive physical examination for our art troupe staff every year. This way, we can not only ensure the health of the staff, but also prevent any problems as soon as possible. What do you think?"

"I think it's good."

The more Hou Liping thought about it, the better she felt about this suggestion.

"I went to a meeting a few days ago, and Director Yang happened to mention the issue of institutional reform for the art troupe. Other departments have opinions to raise, but even though we have fewer people here, we still have a place to play, right?"

Hou Liping did what she said and immediately took out a stack of letter paper from the drawer, took out a pen, and prepared to write a letter of opinion.

The opinion letter was written in the morning.

Yang Wenbin was also decisive and the notice was sent out in the afternoon.

All staff of the Chuncheng Military Region Art Troupe will undergo a collective physical examination at 8:00 am tomorrow, divided into departments.

This can also be considered a kind of New Year's return.

Everyone was talking about this matter, but Bai Shuyao was so panicked that she even sang out of tune several times in the afternoon.

After work, she had no mood to look for Jiang Cha, and waited early at the door of the house that Cen Yu's grandmother left to him.

When Jiang Cha got off work, she looked around again and again, confirming countless times that Bai Shuyao was really not there. Only then did she quickly pedal her bike home.

As soon as she got home, she was stunned by Wu Xiaocao's appearance.

Wu Xiaocao's messy hair was cut into a doll-like style that reached her ears, and the neat bangs made her facial features look more delicate and petite.

The new clothes, socks and shoes she wore made her look very different from the dirty little girl she used to be.

At first, I couldn't recognize Jiang Cha.

It was not until Wu Xiaocao threw herself into her arms that she was sure that the refreshed little girl in front of her was Wu Xiaocao.

"Oh, our little grass is so beautiful."

"My sister and mother are the best looking ones."

"Yes, yes, we are all good-looking."

Jiang Cha's tense mood all the way was relieved at this moment.

She thought, tomorrow, after tomorrow, Bai Shuyao's time bomb should explode completely, right?

At night, Wu Xiaocao slept with ginger tea.

The next morning, before Jiang Cha woke up, Wu Xiaocao got up secretly, cooked porridge, wiped the table and swept the floor.

After a busy period, people at home got up one after another.

Huo Tingkun is the first one to get up in the family.

He was surprised when he saw Wu Xiaocao holding a broom.

"Xiaocao, why are you up so early?"

"Uncle Huo, I've already made the porridge. You can eat it when you come back from buying breakfast."

Huo Tingkun saw the uneasiness in the little girl's heart at a glance.

"Xiao Cao, we adopted you because we want you to grow up healthy and happy, not because we want you to work in our house."

"Uncle Huo, is there something I did wrong?"

After all, little girls and brats are different. Huo Tingkun gave a kind smile.

"No, you're doing very well. It's just that you're still young and growing. You need to eat more and sleep more so that you can grow well."

What kind of life did such a tiny little kid live in the past few years?

Wu Xiaocao sniffed, "Uncle Huo, you are so kind."

When she was at home, she had to prepare breakfast, wash clothes and finish housework every day before Ma Yanni and Wu Tianbao got up.

Otherwise, Ma Yanni would beat her, scold her, and not give her food.

The habits she has formed over the years cannot be changed in a day or two. She needs to get used to it and adapt to it slowly.

Huo Tingkun figured this out and didn't dwell on it any more.

"Do you want to eat anything today? I'll bring it back for you."

"No, everything you brought back is delicious."

Wu Xiaocao really felt so.

The big meat buns yesterday morning, the hand-rolled egg noodles at noon, and the big chicken legs in the evening, everything was delicious.

"Then I'll..." Huo Tingkun turned around with a smile, "and bring you some big meat buns?"

Sure enough, Wu Xiaocao's eyes lit up again.

Very good. Now, after Jiang Cha and Huo Jingye, two foodies, there is another foodie in our family.

It’s so lively at home!

Huo Tingkun hummed a little tune and went out.

I got up after the alarm clock rang and drank ginger tea.

Today, she has to give physical examinations to the comrades in the art troupe. When she got off work yesterday, she and Hou Liping agreed that she had to go there half an hour early to prepare.

Jiang Cha quickly dressed himself up, not even having time to eat breakfast, and rode away on his bike.