Chapter 59: Love the House and the Dog

"I found a job making matchboxes and wanted to give it to my elder sister," said Lin Zhao.

Gu's mother had heard that the match factory in the city would occasionally send work out.

But.

Isn’t this job very difficult?

Many city people want it but don't have it.

"Is this true?" Gu's mother excitedly took two steps forward, staring at Lin Zhao with fiery eyes.

"Of course it's true. Sister Fen, who works as a salesperson with me, helped me find the job. I brought back the materials for making matchboxes and will deliver them to eldest sister this afternoon." Lin Zhao said slowly.

Huang Xiulan and Zhao Liuniang walked out of the house with dust all over their heads.

"There is such a good thing." Zhao Liuniang's eyes lit up, and she was glad that she didn't care about it and had a good relationship with her third brother's wife.

Look, here comes the opportunity.

"Lucky." Lin Zhao smiled.

"Zhao Zhao, if something good like this happens again, don't forget us." Zhao Liuniang said frankly.

While speaking, he looked at Lin Zhao nervously.

She knew how much Achan cared about the third wife and had been helping her continuously for more than four years. It was only right that the third wife should give her the job of making matchboxes.

She is not greedy.

I just thought that since there was work making matchboxes, maybe they would come across other things, so I hope they will have a chance.

"Okay." Lin Zhao nodded.

The two sisters-in-law in her husband's family are clear-headed and grateful. If there is a good opportunity, she would certainly be willing to help without any effort.

"Thank you, thank you." Zhao Liuniang was delighted and thanked him repeatedly, "Every income counts. Money is needed everywhere. I also want to save up a nice dowry for Yuyu."

Lin Zhao looked at her with a ridiculous look in her eyes, "Are you...thinking too far ahead?"

"Not far, not far at all." Zhao Liuniang waved her hand. "Children grow up quickly. They will be big in the blink of an eye."

"There are still ten years or so left." Lin Zhao emphasized time.

"Oh, it's only been ten years, it's gone very quickly." Zhao Liuniang still felt that they should prepare in advance.

Huang Xiulan also felt that it was fast. In her impression, Tiedan and Tiechui were still little monkeys crawling on the ground, but in the blink of an eye, they were able to run around the village!

Lin Zhao did not comment.

Sizi is not in a hurry to get married. She hopes that Sizi will consider the issue of marriage after seeing the vastness of the world.

Girls should not be short-sighted, it will lead to tragedy.

Lin Zhao respected her sister-in-law's opinion and said nothing more. Instead, she took out some papers and said, "Mom, this is the picture I drew. What do you think of it?"

Mother Gu sat down, took it and looked at it.

On the paper is the courtyard painted by Lin Zhao.

The painting is very good, and even she, a layman, can understand it.

There are several grand rooms with two sliding windows that open wide, so you can imagine that the light in the rooms is good during the day.

The kitchen is still planned to be built in the original location. The stove and large chopping board inside are made of bricks and smoothed. A large cabinet is placed against the wall, making it look bright and clean.

What catches the eye is the toilet, which is divided into two areas. The left area is for taking a shower, and the right area is a modified dry toilet. This pit is different from those in the village.

The pit is very deep, the bottom is treated for seepage prevention, and ventilation pipes are installed to reduce odor and fly breeding.

"Is this a toilet?" Gu's mother held up a piece of paper with a picture of a toilet on it, her face full of confusion.

"Yes, this is a clean way." Lin Zhao said.

She told her mother-in-law the benefits of improving dry toilets.

Gu's mother said convincingly, "You have to be educated to know this. Wait until you make it and I'll take a look at it. If it works well, I'll make one for our family."

"Gu Chenghuai should have extra bricks. We'll bring them here when the time comes," Lin Zhao said.

Knowing that she never spoke empty words, the three women in the old house were very happy.

"Thank you, Third Sister-in-law." Zhao Liuniang's face was full of smiles, and she praised Lin Zhao, "Big Sister, your new hairband is so beautiful."

Being praised is always a happy thing. Lin Zhao was in a good mood. She took out two red hairbands from the storage ring in her pocket and gave one to Gu Lan and the other to Zhao Liuniang. "Second sister-in-law, this is..."

Before she could finish, Zhao Liuniang took over the conversation with a smile while putting on the red hairband: "I know everything about the one for Yuyu. I thank you on behalf of Yuyu. Our Yuyu also has a red hairband."

A red hairband cost two cents at the supply and marketing cooperative, and she had originally planned to buy one for her child during the New Year.

The one her third aunt gave her was better looking and looked more expensive.

"You're welcome. I'll have to trouble my elder and second sisters-in-law next." Lin Zhao said politely.

Mother Gu carefully put away the drawing drawn by the third daughter-in-law, "Third daughter-in-law, I'll give it to your father when he comes back, and ask him to find a craftsman to build a house for you. I guarantee that it will be spacious and beautiful."

I don’t know where the old man has gone. He disappears when something important happens.

Father Gu, who was taking care of the child: "..." As the opera says, if you want to accuse someone of a crime, you can always find a pretext.

"My parents are both capable and careful people. I feel at ease leaving this to you." Lin Zhao said with a smile.

Country people are reserved in their speech, unlike her who praises people so directly, but...

Mother Gu couldn't stop smiling when she was praised.

Lin Zhao didn't stay in the old house for long. She left after talking for a while.

After walking a few steps, I saw Ercui and the other kids lying on the ground with their butts sticking up, seemingly digging something. Little Amber next to them imitated them and dug with her claws, sending dirt flying everywhere and covering several of the kids.

"Second cub?"

Erzai heard a familiar voice, turned around and saw his mother.

It's bad!

His body stiffened and he got up from the ground in panic, looking innocent and standing well-behaved, totally unlike the dirty little kid who was playing in the mud a second ago.

Lin Zhao said nothing, just stared at his hands.

The second child immediately put his hands behind his back and explained logically, "I waited until the medicine dried before playing. If you don't believe me, ask my brother."

Although the eldest son did not play, he felt guilty for not keeping his younger brother in check. He lowered his head and scratched his hands without saying a word.

"Just have fun." Lin Zhao was in a very good mood, "You can wash your own clothes anyway."

"Where are the third and fourth cubs?"

The eldest child replied, "My grandfather took him for a walk."

The second child wiped the dirt off his cheek with the back of his hand and directly exposed his grandfather's thoughts, "I know, my grandfather thinks that the fourth child with a bow tie is good-looking, and he took the fourth child to show off to his old friend."

"You know it again." Lin Zhao said slowly.

Erzai swung his legs and raised his chin high, "That's right, I know everything."

The kids around looked at the pretentious little guy with admiration.

"Who did you learn this leg shaking from?" Lin Zhao squinted at him.

"If your father sees this, he will have to discipline you before tomorrow morning."

Gu Chenghuai was not as easy to talk to as she was. That man was old-fashioned and serious, and he couldn't stand the gangster behavior such as shaking legs and whistling. If you see Erzai like this, you would at least call him over and make him stand in the corner for half an hour to reflect on himself.

Erzai blinked his eyes, "What is training?"

Lin Zhao smiled and said, "You'll know when your father comes back."

"Brave boy, don't be afraid of difficulties." The second boy raised his arms, held his head high and puffed out his chest, instantly becoming cool, "Any test given by the organization, I can complete it perfectly!"

The fair and tender little face was dotted with mud, but her smile was brighter than the sun and she was in high spirits.

Lin Zhao couldn't argue with him and was about to leave.

Suddenly he remembered that he had to go to his eldest sister-in-law's house, so he stopped and looked back at his two children.

"You two stay at home. I'm going to your aunt's house and will be back before dinner."

The eldest took two steps forward and asked, "Mom, can I go with you?"

The second child couldn't sit still and slid in front of Lin Zhao. Because he ran too fast and stopped too suddenly, his little body leaned forward and he fell to his knees.

"Me! Me! And me!! I want to go too."

"..." Lin Zhao raised his hand and pinched his brow, "I have something important to do."

I don't want to take care of the children, but it would be so troublesome to take care of two.

"I can help mom with her work. I'm really useful!" The eldest boy tried hard to promote himself and spoke twice as fast as usual.

Erzai stood up and tried to hug his mother, but Lin Zhao dodged him with disdain, "Stand there and talk."

"...Okay." Erzai looked down at his dirty clothes and sighed. Other kids in the village would have been spanked if they did this a long time ago. His mother just disliked him, which was considered good enough.

"Mom, it would be so boring if you go alone. Take me and my brother with you. We can talk to you and you can use us if you need anything, right?"

He didn't mention a single word about going, but every sentence was about wanting to go.

"...It doesn't seem to be necessary." Lin Zhao refused again.

"I need it! I definitely need it!" Erzai twisted his head like a pretzel, "Mom, please, I miss my aunt..."

The passerby didn't know what was going on and interrupted, "Second son, your aunt is not at your second uncle's house. If you want her, go to your second uncle's house. Your aunt does nothing but eat and sleep. Oh, and you can also go to the educated youth sites to look for male educated youth. You can go to these two places and you will find the one you like. You don't even have to walk a lot."

Having said this, he carried his hoe and left.

Second child: “…”

Erzai's expression was simply indescribable.

The child's face showed disgust that anyone could see.

Feeling very suffocated, I put my hands around my mouth and said to the person who was talking, "I'm talking about my aunt!"

Erzai was so angry that he emphasized again, "My aunt!!"

The uncle paused and waved his hands behind him to indicate that he understood and said, "Just go ahead."

But didn’t his aunt just come a few days ago?

Lin Zhao looked at Erzai angrily and repeatedly emphasized the issue, and laughed secretly in her heart.

This really means he has become an enemy of his aunt.

The eldest child stood in front of Lin Zhao and pulled at the hem of her khaki floral shirt. "Mom, I miss Brother Shitou and Brother Shitou."

After saying this, he said no more and just stared at his mother with his pair of dark and bright eyes.

"Okay." Seeing that the two little brothers really wanted to go, Lin Zhao thought for a moment and simply agreed, and then said, "Go tell your grandma that we'll go now. We have to move after lunch."

"What are you moving for?" Erzai asked quickly, with a confused look on his face.

"We'll build the house next week. Let's move back to the old house first," Lin Zhao explained.

The twins' eyes lit up.

Erzai clapped his hands and said excitedly, "Great! I can see the hammer as soon as I open my eyes without having to walk any further!!"

His hands were covered in mud, and when he clapped his hands, mud spots flew everywhere. Lin Zhao stepped back, "If you want to go, clean yourself up quickly, or I'll take your brother with me."

Erzai was afraid that his mother would really not take him with her, so he ran home as if he was on hot wheels and hurriedly washed his face and changed his clothes.

Lin Zhao ignored him, hung the materials for making matchboxes and a cloth bag on the front of the bicycle, and pushed the bicycle out.

The second child was about to go back to the house to apply baby cream, and he anxiously grabbed the door and shouted, "Mom, wait for me, I'll be right there."

After saying that, he hurried into the house, opened the baby cream, scooped a small amount with his fingers, and smeared it on his face while rushing out.

The eldest son came back from the old house running, holding something in his hand.

Seeing the bicycle at the door, he ran even faster.

"mother."

Lin Zhao looked at him and asked, "What are you holding?"

"My grandma made this straw mat so that my butt wouldn't shake when I sit on the back seat of a bicycle." The eldest boy smiled.

"Your grandma really cares about you two." Lin Zhao sighed. He could even think of this and must have prepared in advance. He is worthy of being his grandma's beloved grandson.

The older boy smiled even more.

He put the soft straw mat on the back seat of the bicycle. "My grandma said that she loves the whole family and the whole family, and that we are close to each other even though we are of different generations."

"Mom, what does it mean to love someone and love his dog?" The eldest child looked over with puzzled eyes, "I was in a hurry and forgot to ask!"

"Love someone and love his dog too. If you like someone, you will also like his dog." Lin Zhao helped him tie the straw mat, and her eyes swept over her eldest son's round head.

The eldest child got the point, his eyes widened, and he said in disbelief: "My grandma likes daddy more?!"

The kid received a second critical hit of 10,000 points and almost broke his defense.

「!!!」

Without waiting for Lin Zhao to speak, the eldest boy lowered his head and fiddled with the grass strands of the straw mat with his hands, like a blade of grass that could not stand up straight after being beaten by wind and rain.

"Mom likes Daddy second, and Grandma likes Daddy first. Why? What's so good about Daddy?"

Every time, grandma would pinch her throat and shout, my darling, my good little cub, it turns out that I like daddy more too.

His younger brothers and sisters are just incidental, because he loves the whole family and also loves everyone else... "Wo".

Before Gu Chenghuai even got home, his eldest son had already made two notes on him.

Lin Zhao bent down slightly and looked at him with amusement, "Mom, write a letter to your father and ask him to come back. You can see for yourself what's so good about him?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the eldest boy shook his head violently.

The long and curly eyelashes blinked quickly a few times.

"Dad has to defend his country, so let's not cause any more trouble." He turned his eyes away and said proudly.

Lin Zhao gently flicked her son's eyelashes and praised him sincerely, "What a thoughtful child you are. Your father will definitely bring you gifts when he comes back."

The eldest child looked over suddenly, his clear eyes showing a little expectation that he tried to hide but couldn't hide, "What gift?"

"I don't know, maybe it's a surprise." Lin Zhao said casually.

A surprise, it must be something he has never seen before.

The older one was even more excited, his pink little mouth pouted up and he hummed a tune softly.

Listen carefully, this is the song that was played on the loud speaker somewhere when she took her two children to the county to watch a movie.

Erzai ran out in a hurry and tiptoed to lock the door.

After a click, he pulled the lock with his little hand, and after making sure it was locked, he rushed to the bicycle and climbed onto the back seat.

He lifted his short right leg and pushed hard, but it was almost there.

No matter how hard I try, I’m still almost there.

Lin Zhao half-hugged his waist to help him, and the child sat on it immediately.

"Thank you, mom. When I grow one finger taller, I can get up by myself." While saying this, Erzai moved his butt forward until his soft belly touched the seat in front of him.

He turned to the eldest and said, "Brother, come up too. Is there enough space? If you get squeezed, tell me. I can hold my breath and pull my stomach in. I can hold my breath for a long time and won't squeeze you."

As he spoke, the little kid who seemed to have endless energy said in a tone of secret satisfaction: "Ah, who made me have a mother who is super good at cooking? I'm gaining weight in my belly, hehe."

Erzai raised his hand and pinched his soft little face, smiling brightly enough to break through the mist, "Grandpa said that I look more and more blessed."

The eldest boy secretly pinched his belly.

Well, it’s also soft. I’m finally gaining weight.

Give them more time and they will definitely become the most blessed children in the whole village, oh no, in the whole brigade.

With a lot of random thoughts in his mind, the eldest boy did not forget to use his hands and feet to climb onto the back seat of the bicycle.

Lin Zhao helped impartially.

"Adjust your sitting position, we are about to set off."

The eldest child grabbed the wheel mat and held the second child in his arms, raised his feet, and reminded his younger brother: "Second child, you have to raise your feet, like me, otherwise your feet will be caught in the wheel."

Erzai listened to the advice and raised his feet.

The two brothers look alike. They sit on a bicycle, one in front and one behind, with the older one holding the younger one in his arms.

Two loving brothers.

(End of this chapter)