Chapter 38 The Two Children Are Missing
As soon as it was dawn, Zhao Fei got up.
The fire in the stove was lit, and a large pot of water was boiled.
When Zhao Yidi rubbed her eyes and got out of bed, hot water for washing her face and breakfast were already prepared.
"Eat quickly, I'll take you to school after you finish." Zhao Fei peeled the boiled egg and put it in his daughter's bowl.
Zhao Yidi is now in the third grade. She has become a bit bolder and can walk to school with several other children.
But Zhao Fei was still worried. He had to go to the pig farm every day, and his van happened to pass by the school, so he would take her there every day without fail.
The van drove out of the alley in the morning mist.
Zhao Yidi sat in the passenger seat, peering out the window.
She suddenly asked in a low voice, "Dad, is Grandma not coming back?"
Zhao Fei tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his voice steady: "Grandma went to take care of my little brother, she'll be back in a while."
"Oh." Zhao Yidi nodded as if she understood, and didn't ask any more questions.
Children have an instinctive avoidance and a vague perception of the complexity and cruelty of the adult world.
After dropping off the children, Zhao Fei went straight to the pig farm.
I was busy all morning, but I always felt uneasy, thinking about the woman at home who was so thin she was just skin and bones, and her two kitten-like daughters.
Just after 3 p.m., he finished giving instructions and drove to the department store.
When they returned, there were several more bags in the van.
There was fresh beef with red and white stripes, donkey-hide gelatin blocks bought from a pharmacy and wrapped in oil paper, two cans of "Wandashan" infant formula which were rare at the time, and a bag of red dates and a bag of dried longan.
When he carried the things into the main room, Wen Xiaoxiao was sitting under the jujube tree in the yard, holding her child.
Seeing him come in carrying so many bags, she quickly stood up: "Brother, why did you buy so much stuff again? How much did this cost..."
"It's not much money." Zhao Fei put the things down, picked up the beef and some medicinal herbs, and headed to the kitchen. "Wait here, I'll start stewing it."
"Big brother, really, there's no need!" Wen Xiaoxiao followed to the kitchen door with the child in her arms, her voice a little anxious, "I...I can eat anything...Besides...besides...the child is Qingda's, I...I can't afford for you to spend so much money."
Zhao Fei's hand, which was washing the meat, suddenly stopped.
He turned his head and looked at the woman at the door, who was holding a child and looked uneasy and embarrassed. The anger that had been suppressed in his chest rose up again, but he felt more helpless and heartbroken.
“Wen Xiaoxiao,” he called her by her full name for the first time, his voice low but heavy, “even now, you’re still deceiving yourself.”
Zhao Fei took a deep breath, his tone softening, each word crystal clear: "You know better than I whose child it is. Even if it really is Zhao Qingda's,"
He paused for a moment, then said, "This is also your child, Wen Xiaoxiao's child, the one you risked your life to bring into this world. What's wrong with buying some things? I'm happy to."
He spoke the last three words very softly.
Wen Xiaoxiao didn't say anything more, but simply held the child and slowly retreated back into the house.
The beef was simmering in a clay pot, and the aroma of herbs mixed with the meat filled the courtyard.
Zhao Fei stewed the meat, washed his hands, and went to the east wing to check on the children.
The two little ones had just finished nursing and were lying side by side on the kang (a heated brick bed), waving their little hands and enjoying themselves.
He looked at them, his expression softening unconsciously. He stretched out his finger, and Yizhen immediately grabbed it, holding it tightly.
"It's pretty strong," he muttered to himself, a faint smile playing on his lips.
As expected, Li Yugu did not show up all day.
In the evening, Wenbin came over.
He was carrying two crucian carp that he had caught in the ditch, saying he was making soup for his younger sister to help her produce milk.
Upon entering the courtyard, one could see Zhao Fei with his sleeves rolled up, clumsily but earnestly washing a large basin of diapers by the cement pool in the yard.
Wenbin stood frozen at the doorway, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him. "This... how can I let you wash this..." he hurriedly stepped forward.
"It's nothing, just a quick grab." Zhao Fei shook the water off his hands. "You've come at the perfect time. The beef stew is ready, let's eat together. We'll save the fish for soup tomorrow."
The dinner table was a bit livelier than last night.
Zhao Fei's stewed beef is tender and flavorful, with the addition of astragalus and angelica, giving it a wonderful aroma.
He first filled an enamel basin to the brim and placed it in front of Wen Xiaoxiao: "Yours, finish it."
Looking at the large bowl of meat and soup, Wen Xiaoxiao hesitated, "There's too much, I can't finish it..."
"Eat slowly if you can't finish it. You can eat more if you get hungry at night." Zhao Fei said without waiting for a reply, and then put more food on his daughter's and Wenbin's plates.
"Dad's beef is so delicious!" Zhao Yidi praised sincerely, her little mouth glistening with oil as she ate.
Wenbin ate heartily, smiling憨厚ly, "Brother Zhao's cooking is really good, much better than mine."
Wenbin felt that his brother-in-law was truly a rare find, a kind and warm-hearted person.
My sister has such an unreliable husband, and my mother-in-law is unreliable right now. Luckily, I have such a reliable relative who can lend a hand.
Seeing Zhao Fei busy taking care of things, he felt only gratitude and didn't think of anything else.
He even took the initiative to soothe the child so that Wen Xiaoxiao could eat in peace.
Wen Xiaoxiao ate the stewed beef, which was tender and soft, in small bites. The rich broth warmed her stomach and also quietly soothed her aching heart.
Listening to her older brother and daughter's usual conversation, and looking at the two sleeping children beside her, the tranquility of this moment gave her an urge to cry.
At night, Zhao Yidi still slept alone in the west wing.
Wen Xiaoxiao lay on the kang (a heated brick bed) in the east wing with her two children. Perhaps it was the beef soup that had replenished her strength during the day, or perhaps it was the weight of her heavy helplessness that had been lifted, but she soon became sleepy.
In her dazed state, she felt someone gently push the door open and come in. It was Zhao Fei.
He walked to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) and whispered, "You go to sleep, I'll watch over them."
Wen Xiaoxiao was too tired, too tired to even refuse. She mumbled an "Mmm" and then drifted off into a deep sleep.
She was sleeping soundly, without even dreaming.
She didn't know how long she had slept, but physiological engorgement woke her up in a half-awake state. She subconsciously reached out to touch the space beside her—it was empty!
A sudden panic gripped her, and she instantly became fully awake, propping herself up. She was alone on the kang (heated brick bed); her two daughters were gone!
She threw back the covers and was about to get out of bed when she heard a very faint rustling sound coming from the main room, along with the soft smacking of a child's lips.
A thought struck her. She put on her clothes, went barefoot, and quietly walked to the door, pushing it open a crack.
A small energy-saving light was on in the main house, casting a soft glow.
Zhao Fei, wearing the same old shirt he wore during the day, sat in his usual dining chair, holding his child in his arms.
He lowered his head slightly, his expression focused and gentle, as he held a baby bottle and fed them milk.
His movements were somewhat clumsy, yet he was extremely careful.
After finishing their milk, Yizhen and Yibao nestled against his broad chest, their eyes closed, sucking contentedly.
Occasionally, milk stains would spill from the corners of his mouth, and Zhao Fei would immediately wipe them away gently with the soft cloth draped over his shoulder.
He sat there like a silent and reliable mountain.
A sliver of moonlight streamed in through the window, outlining his quiet profile.
Wen Xiaoxiao leaned against the door frame, watching quietly.
She gently retreated back to the bed and lay down again.
She hadn't had a good night's sleep in a very, very long time.
She knew that the man in the main room, with his strong shoulders, had temporarily provided her with a small patch of peaceful shelter.
That night, Wen Xiaoxiao slept soundly and peacefully.
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