"Alright, stop fooling around." Xing Zhaozhao pulled the two little ones apart and asked about the situation at home while she was away, "Mommy's not here, is everything alright? How's your little sister?"
“No, Xiaoyu saw that you disappeared in the cellar, so she stayed here and didn’t go anywhere. I’ve been watching my sister in the room. She peed in the middle and woke up once. I changed her diaper and played with her for a while, and then she fell asleep again,” Hongfei said.
Xing Zhaozhao peeled a banana for each of them and said, "Mom will need to go to the other side of the door often in the future, so I'll have to leave the house and my sister in your care."
Hongyu took a big bite and squinted his eyes happily: "Mom, don't worry, my brother and I will take good care of the house and my sister."
Hongfei ate in small bites and nodded, "Mmm."
Xing Zhaozhao brought back quite a few things this time, but she didn't dare take them into the house. She hid them all in the cellar, since they were all things that were not suitable for people to see. Even if it was Aunt Hao, she had to avoid them.
We need to take Xiao Hongling's formula and bottles and lock them in the cabinet later.
Take two big apples.
Grab a handful of White Rabbit candies.
Bring along a hot, large meat bun.
Xing Zhaozhao picked up a bag of odds and ends and headed straight out of the cellar: "Let's go back inside. We'll have boxed lunches for lunch, and each of us will get a big chicken leg."
The two little ones followed behind, cheering, "Yay!"
Halfway there, Xing Zhaozhao suddenly remembered something and turned to look at the two little ones behind her: "Oh right, Little Feather, go get another bottle of Coke."
Hongyu looked completely bewildered: "What's cola?"
“It’s that bottle containing the black liquid,” Xing Zhaozhao said.
Hongyu went back to retrieve it, looked at the dark water in the bottle, and asked with disdain, "Is this drinkable?"
"I think so." Xing Zhaozhao wasn't too sure either. She had never tried it before. When she was shopping at the supermarket, she passed by the beverage section and saw a four or five-year-old child pestering his mother to buy him a Coke. When his mother refused, he threw a tantrum. Seeing how much the child liked it, she bought a bottle, intending to let the two little ones try it too.
If neither child likes it, she'll figure it out herself; after all, it cost money, and she doesn't want to waste it.
Back inside, Xing Zhaozhao went to see her daughter first.
The little one just woke up, pooped, is uncomfortable, and is crying.
Xing Zhaozhao quickly went over to wash her bottom, change her diaper, feed her milk, and play with her for a while before putting her back on the kang (heated brick bed).
Back in the main room, the two little ones had already set out their bowls and chopsticks and were eating. Each of them had a small bowl in front of them, half-filled with cola, and they were happily drinking it, completely without their previous disdain.
When Hongyu saw Xing Zhaozhao come out, his eyes lit up and he immediately looked over: "Mom, this cola is delicious."
Beside him, Hongfei slowly took a sip, smacked his lips, savored it carefully, and said, "It's really good. It tastes almost like soda, but soda tastes better."
Xing Zhaozhao understood.
Oh, it's just soda.
No wonder the kids love it.
What child doesn't like drinking soda?
"Mom, let's buy it next time," Hongyu said, looking at Xing Zhaozhao expectantly.
"Oh, we'll talk about it next time," Xing Zhaozhao replied casually.
I like it, but kids shouldn't drink too much of it, so I won't buy it next time.
The boxed lunch was something Xing Zhaozhao bought casually on the roadside when she came back. She could choose the dishes herself, and it was a good mix of meat and vegetables with plenty of oil. Since returning to their hometown, the two children hadn't eaten so well in a long time. They ate until their mouths were greasy, and then drank a sip of cola. They felt that there was probably no happier moment in their lives than this. The only regret was that their father wasn't there.
Hongyu thought to himself, but before he knew it, he blurted out, "I'm so happy today. It would be even better if Dad were here too."
Thinking of Gao Mingcheng, whose fate was still unknown, Xing Zhaozhao's heart tightened, and her hand holding the chopsticks paused.
Seemingly sensing his mother's sudden drop in mood, the sensible Hongfei touched Xing Zhaozhao's hand and comforted her, "Don't worry, Mom, Dad will definitely come back and reunite with us."
Xing Zhaozhao looked up at her son, forced a smile, and nodded: "Yes, Mom knows."
Unfortunately, in her past life, she and her two children did not live to see him return.
Hongyu, who was happily drinking his cola, suddenly noticed that the atmosphere at the dinner table seemed a bit off. He looked up at his mother and brother, puzzled, and asked, "What's wrong?"
Xing Zhaozhao quickly forced back the tears in her eyes, looked at her son, and shook her head with a smile: "It's okay."
As she spoke, she seemed to remember something and quickly changed the subject, saying, "By the way, I need to go into the mountains this afternoon."
The two little ones stared at her, their eyes filled with doubt.
She said the same thing when she left this morning.
Xing Zhaozhao: "..."
Oh no, we're facing a crisis of trust.
Xing Zhaozhao quickly explained, "I'm serious this time. The wild goods on the other side of the gate are selling very well. I want to go into the mountains to see if I can find anything to take over and sell."
Hongyu's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he said, "I want to go too."
Hongfei opened his mouth, as if to say something, but the words remained unspoken.
Regardless of whether Hongyu can go or not, he definitely can't go; he still has to stay home and look after his younger sister.
Xing Zhaozhao shook her head and refused: "No, it's winter now, and everything that can be picked in the nearby woods has been picked clean. This time, I have to go deeper into the mountains to look for more. You're still too young, it's too dangerous for you to come with me."
Hongyu became anxious and said, "I'm not afraid of danger. Besides, if I can go with them, there will be one more person carrying the basket, and we can bring back more things."
Xing Zhaozhao: "..."
Is this a question of whether or not one is afraid of danger?
Moreover, with his small frame, even if he could help carry the basket, how much more could he bring back?
Xing Zhaozhao was a little disgusted.
"Mom..." Hongyu called out anxiously.
Xing Zhaozhao still did not agree.
Unexpectedly, when Xing Zhaozhao refused to agree, the boy resorted to pestering her. After finishing his meal, he stayed close to Xing Zhaozhao's legs, following her wherever she went, never getting more than a foot away. This annoyed Xing Zhaozhao so much that she almost couldn't hold back and kicked him.
Finally, Xing Zhaozhao had no choice but to agree, but she specifically instructed him: "Stay close to Mom and don't run around. Otherwise, if it happens again, Mom will just tie you up and leave you at home."
As long as he could go out with her, Hongyu readily agreed, nodding repeatedly, "I understand."
Xing Zhaozhao and Hongyu each carried a basket on their backs and prepared to go out.
Fearing that two baskets wouldn't be enough, Xing Zhaozhao also folded the bed sheet she had brought back from the Gao family's house and stuffed it into the basket, just in case. If there was anything she couldn't fit in the basket, she could simply put it in the bed sheet and carry it back.
Before leaving, Xing Zhaozhao patted Hongfei's head as she saw them off and said apologetically, "It will be hard for Dafei to stay at home and help Mom take care of my sister again."
Hongfei smiled and said, "I'm the older brother, it's only right."
"If your little sister is hungry, make her some formula. Mom already taught you how. If you encounter something you can't handle, go down the mountain and find your Granny Hao," Xing Zhaozhao instructed.
Hongfei nodded seriously: "Yes."
Xing Zhaozhao then led Hongyu into the mountain.
Hongfei watched Xing Zhaozhao and Hongyu leave for a while before withdrawing his envious gaze. He then returned home and locked the door.
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