"Brother, Mom is actually pretty mean to you, brother."

Lu Yuanchao suddenly said something in a sullen tone.

Although his memory was not very good, he still remembered many things. His father was often not at home, so there were only four people at home: him, his brothers, his mother, and Lu Ye. The clothes Lu Ye wore were all old clothes that his brothers had given away. They were either too short or too tight, and none of them fit him.

Lu Yuanchao remembered that one time his mother took him and his brother to a department store to buy new trousers. He deliberately picked out a long pair. After he got them home, he found that the trousers were much too long, so he said he would give them to Lu Ye, but was scolded by his mother.

In the end, Lu Ye didn't get to wear that pair of pants, and his mother took it to a department store to exchange it for a pair that fit him better. Lu Yuanchao was very depressed at the time.

However, he was not depressed for too long, because Lu Ye's pity was soon transferred to him and his brother.

Every time his mother bullied Lu Ye, Lu Ye would beat them up very hard. Ever since the first beating, the good days for him and his brother were gone forever.

"After all, she is our biological mother. She is very nice to us."

Lu Jiefang sighed and tried to save Lin Manyun's face.

Although they were hurt by Lin Manyun before coming to the border, she was their biological mother after all. She was always kind to them brothers and never deprived them of food and drink.

But Lu Jiefang felt very unhappy. His memory was better than his brother's, and he was two years older than him, so he remembered a lot of things.

Often, the three of them, mother and son, would eat in the house, while Lu Ye would be left standing outside alone, hungry as punishment. He and his brother were not allowed to speak up for Lu Ye, as they would be scolded by their mother if they did.

Later, they were severely beaten by Lu Ye, and he no longer sympathized with Lu Ye. His own life was almost gone, so how could he have the right to sympathize with others?

Ruan Qiqi's first letter brought back many past events for the two brothers, and their feelings towards Lu Ye became more complicated.

I was just afraid before, but now I feel more guilty.

After all, Lin Manyun, who bullied Lu Ye, is their biological mother.

When they were in trouble, their own mother didn't care about them. Instead, it was Lu Ye's guest who sent them money. Alas!

The two brothers had a pretty good time during this period. They would go to the canteen to cook for themselves every two days. Although patrolling was still hard and leeches were still scary, they were probably satisfied as long as they could have a big meal every now and then.

Unexpectedly, just a few days later, I received another package from Ruan Qiqi and a letter from Lin Manyun.

"Brother, which one should we open first?"

Lu Yuanchao asked.

The two brothers have been looking at the package and the letter, struggling for a minute.

"Unpacking."

Lu Jiefang made a decisive decision that his sister-in-law must have sent some delicious food.

"Mom might have put money in the letter."

Lu Yuanchao muttered.

"Then take it apart and have a look."

Lu Jiefang opened the package neatly. He also thought that his mother would send money. He and his brother had been at the border for more than a month, and even his sister-in-law had sent money and things. It wouldn't be that his mother would not show any appreciation at all, right?

Lu Yuanchao quickly tore open the envelope, and a piece of letter paper fluttered to the ground. He shook the envelope, and it was gone.

He shook it a few more times in disbelief, but still nothing fell out. Lu Yuanchao opened the envelope and looked inside with wide eyes. It was empty, without any money or tickets.

"Brother, no money!"

Lu Yuanchao's tone was depressed, his heart was bitter, his head was drooped, and he looked like a Samoyed abandoned by his owner.

"My sister-in-law sent me malted milk, luncheon meat, and milk powder!"

Lu Jiefang's voice became more and more excited. He took out one thing after another from the package, including a can of malted milk, four boxes of luncheon meat, and a packet of milk powder, all of which were his and his brother's favorite foods.

"Ouch... luncheon meat!"

Lu Yuanchao's frustration suddenly disappeared, and he even forgot to pick up Lin Manyun's letter on the ground. He rushed over, picked up the luncheon meat, and was about to open it and eat it.

"Read the letter first. My sister-in-law also wrote a letter."

Lu Jiefang stopped him and told him he could only eat after reading the letter.

Lu Yuanchao put down his luncheon meat and read the letter with his brother. The letter written by Ruan Qiqi was very short and they finished reading it quickly. The brothers felt even more mixed emotions.

They only knew that their parents were divorced, but they didn’t know the hidden story behind the divorce. Their mother actually wrote down the ten major sins of their father. How could she do that?

That’s dad!

Although their father either beat or scolded them and never had a good face, they still admired their father very much. They had heard others talk about their father's heroic deeds since they were young, and they were very proud.

How could mom stab dad in the back?

What is the difference between this and a traitor?

The two brothers instantly lost the mood to eat luncheon meat. They snuggled together in grief for at least half an hour before they forced themselves to continue reading Lin Manyun's letter.

However, after reading the letter, they felt even more upset.

At the beginning, my mother only said a few perfunctory words of concern to them, and then she asked them to take the initiative to apply for difficult tasks and strive to win a second-class merit so that she could leave the cadre school.

Although my mother didn't say it directly, this was what she meant, otherwise she wouldn't have to cite the example of the old man in the cadre school.

Lin Manyun's ulterior motive was so obvious that even Lu Yuanchao, a blockhead, could see through it.

And my sister-in-law said that my mother would send something, but now there is only a cold letter.

"Brother, does mom know that first-class merit requires life, and second-class merit results in disability." Lu Yuanchao said in a buzzing voice.

Before coming to the border, he and his brother had found out all this clearly. The two brothers had discussed it and decided not to seek merit, but only to stay alive!

"She works at the military hospital, how could she not know?"

Lu Jiefang had a mocking expression and his eyes became much colder.

He finally understood that his mother only cared about herself. When things got bad, she could betray her husband and abandon her son.

The two brothers looked at each other and continued to be sad.

Another half an hour passed before they felt better. They threw Lin Manyun's letter aside and continued to study Ruan Qiqi's letter.

"My sister-in-law said leeches are meat dishes. Is that true?"

Lu Yuanchao's thick eyebrows were twisted into a straight line, and he was extremely confused.

"Really, I don't want to eat it. I'd rather eat porridge."

Lu Jiefang's tone was full of disgust. He couldn't eat such a disgusting thing even if it was Tang Monk's flesh.

"I don't eat them either. Leeches are not as delicious as luncheon meat."

Lu Yuanchao opened a box of luncheon meat and shared it with his brother using a spoon. They then opened a box of malted milk and ate it dry, taking you and I spoonful at a time. They loved eating this way when they were little, and they still love it when they grow up.

"Maltese is delicious. Brother, did sister-in-law receive the beef jerky we sent?"

After eating luncheon meat and malted milk, Lu Yuanchao felt very happy and was filled with gratitude towards Ruan Qiqi.

"You should have received it. Eat less and don't eat it all in one go."

Lu Jiefang put away the malted milk. There was only one can in total, so he had to eat it sparingly.

"Next time Eunuch Cui makes malted milk, I will make milk powder to make him so greedy!"

Lu Yuanchao snorted proudly. He was woken up every morning by the smell of Cui Xiongwei's malted milk. Now he won't have to be craving for it anymore.

Lu Jiefang's eyes lit up and he suddenly came up with a bad idea.

"Let's go catch some leeches, make a stew with meat, and invite Eunuch Cui to eat."