Chapter Sixty-Seven: Ya Ya's Affairs
Shen Yuming made a pot of sauerkraut, vermicelli, and pork rib stew. The large iron pot was covered with corn cakes, and the aroma was so enticing that you were momentarily overwhelmed by the smell as soon as you entered the yard.
"Yuzhu is here! Come in quickly, I'll be done soon, let's eat now."
"Okay!"
As soon as Shen Yuzhu entered the room, the children who were doing their homework inside quickly dropped everything and came out.
"Auntie, let me pour you some hot water to wash your hands."
"I'll get you a towel."
Seeing the little ones busy at work, Shen Yuzhu smiled and said, "Alright, stop busying yourselves. Go get a tea mug. Auntie made you some corn juice, it smells so good, go quickly."
Qiancheng walked slowly. He moved a stool for Shen Yuzhu before thinking about getting his own teacup. Before he could leave, Panpan brought it to him. The little guy held his cup and lined up behind his sister.
One cup for each person, just right. Shen Yuming's cup was placed in her seat.
The lunch was delicious, probably because Shen Yuming was trying to make sure her younger sister ate well. She was very generous with the oil and salt in her cooking these days. Sometimes she would even take the children to the mountains to dig up wild ginger and onions. She wanted to get anything that could enhance the flavor and aroma for Shen Yuzhu to try.
“Yuzhu, have Xiaojie and the other kids come to your place this afternoon. You can watch over them for a while. The village is going to repair houses for some elderly people who are on welfare. Guo Rou and the others want to go and help. I want to go too. Before, Zhang... they were having a hard time themselves, but they still remembered to give Xiaojie and the other kids something to eat. I want to do my part.”
"Go ahead, I'm free this afternoon anyway, you can go and do your thing."
"Okay, eat more meat, you've gotten so thin."
Shen Yuzhu: "........."
Can't you be objective? She's clearly gained weight!
After finishing her meal, Shen Yuzhu took a bunch of children home. Not long after entering the house, she gave them some comic books to read on their own. After thinking for a moment, she took out a chess manual, made a game of Gomoku (Five in a Row), taught them how to play, and then let them play by themselves.
Shen Yuzhu continued her translation work. When she got tired of writing, she would adapt a few short stories, thinking that she would send the manuscript over when Ren Baobei's letter arrived.
After working for a while, she took her nieces and nephews out for some snacks.
Seeing that it was getting dark outside, she told them to play inside while she went to make dinner.
Once in the kitchen, I washed the pot and boiled some water. Then I took out a few dishes from the food storage in the space, scooped out the water from the pot, poured in a large clay pot of sour soup, added a steamer basket, and put several plates of dishes in the steamer. On the top layer were ten large steamed buns.
When Shen Yuming came over, she could tell from the smell that there was no need to cook dinner. She paused in the yard, forced a smile, and then went into the house.
After dinner, the children were a little tired, and it started raining again outside. Shen Yuzhu told them not to go back that night, but to stay there. She had cleaned the room next door before, and all they had to do was heat the kang (a traditional heated bed).
Shen Yuming was preoccupied with other things and didn't even realize when he had nodded to his sister.
After washing up, Shen Yuzhu pulled Shen Yuming into the room.
"Sis, did something happen to you today? You seemed a little off towards the end."
"No, it's nothing. Qiancheng hasn't washed his feet yet, I'll go get them for him..."
Shen Yuzhu pulled Shen Yuming, who was about to get up.
"Xiao Jie will take care of the foot massage business. Don't change the subject. What's wrong? Is there anything you and I can't talk about?"
Shen Yuming's eyes reddened, and she bit her lip before saying, "Yes, it's Yaya. Today I heard an old lady talking about Yaya. She said that when I gave birth to Yaya and Qiancheng, Zhang Lixiang drowned the child. My mother-in-law was soft-hearted and gave the child to her so she could give her away. A few days ago, she heard that the family moved to the county. My poor child, I still don't even know what she looks like, sob sob..."
Seeing her sister crying so bitterly, Shen Yuzhu felt bad too.
Qianqian and Panpan were twins. Before they were born, Zhang Li kept boasting that they were twin dragons playing with a pearl, or at least a dragon and a phoenix bringing good fortune. But after they had two girls, many people in the village mocked him for having two daughters. He was resentful. Shen Yuming was still recovering, and he started to abuse her again. After she became pregnant again, he kept saying that if it was another girl, he would drown her.
Shen Yuming was terrified. After Qiancheng was born, Zhang Li became very proud. As for Yaya, he really intended to kill her, but Granny Zhang couldn't bear it and took the child away to give her away.
"Sister, it's alright. Since the child is in the county town, we can keep asking around and find him sooner or later."
Shen Yuming shook his head. "When I gave her away, they said I could never go back to her. They would raise her as their own. But... but in my heart... I'm an outsider myself. How could I not know what kind of life I've led? She's only three years old. If she were to live like I did when I was a child, wouldn't that be like tearing my heart out?"
"Don't be afraid, I'll go find Zhou Congsheng later. He has connections in the Public Security Bureau. Do you remember him? He's the police officer Liao who helped you change your name. They'll definitely be able to find out."
"Okay, okay, waaaaah..."
After this incident, Shen Yuzhu took leave the next day and went to the county town. On the way, she met Lü Jianshe and a few others. When Lü Jianshe learned that Shen Yuzhu was going to the county town, his eyes lit up.
"Shen Zhiqing, I'm riding my bicycle, let me give you a ride!"
"Why don't you ride on Zhou Li's bike, and I'll ride mine?"
Lü Jianshe: ".........That works too."
"Thank you!"
Shen Yuzhu rode off on her bicycle without waiting for them at all.
"Ah, Chen, the educated youth, Chen..."
"Brother Jianshe, stop calling her that. Shen Zhiqing has a fiancé. If you keep chasing after her like this, won't you ruin her reputation?"
"Aren't we friends now? We were doing just fine before."
Zhou Li rolled his eyes. How could that be the same? Just because you ride a bicycle with a guy doesn't mean you're friends! If someone sees you, it looks so ambiguous!
“I reckon Shen Zhiqing might have something urgent to do. Brother, let’s not make things worse.”
"Let's go take a look, maybe we can help."
Zhou Li: "........."
My ears are stuffed with donkey hair, I can't hear anything!
When Shen Yuzhu arrived at the police station, she went directly to Officer Liao and told him about Shen Yuming's situation. As for which family they were from, they really didn't know, but they believed that if they started with Granny Zhang, they could find out soon.
Liao Gonggong assured Shen Yuzhu that he would personally lead a group to find Granny Zhang.
After leaving the police station, Shen Yuzhu checked the time, found a secluded spot, took out a large bag from her spatial storage, and rode towards the garrison.
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