When Ma Hua heard the director say there would be no entertainment that evening, he breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't like Sha Zhu, who enjoyed working overtime.
When Ma Hua reached the door of his house, he heard a child crying inside. Ma Hua was a little surprised and quickly ran a few steps to lift the curtain and look inside.
Only then did Ma Hua notice. His sister-in-law, Wang Fang, was sitting in a chair, holding up a shoe sole, with a little boy lying on her lap. Ma Hua stared at him and recognized him as his nephew, Ma Ziming, whom he had never met before. Ma Ziming was sobbing on his sister-in-law's lap, while his older brother, Ma Hao, stood helplessly to the side.
Seeing Ma Hua enter, his elder brother Ma Hao said casually, "Little Hua's back?"
Before Ma Hua could reply, he felt something fasten around his leg. Looking down, he saw it was his niece, Ma Zishan, who was clinging tightly to his leg, crying, "Uncle, Uncle, my brother hit me! Waaaaah, it hurts so much!"
"Ouch, ouch, it doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt. Let Uncle take a look. Where did Ziming hit you? Uncle will blow on it for you," Ma Hua looked at Ma Zishan, who was acting coquettishly towards him, with a doting expression. Then he bent down and held Ma Zishan in his arms with his left hand.
Ma Zishan snorted before speaking in a soft, sweet voice, "I was playing with Ma Ziming just now, and he threw clods of dirt at me. It really hurt, Uncle."
"Really? Then how about Uncle helps you beat up Ziming?" Ma Hua originally wanted to take out another piece of candy to coax the child, but then he realized that he had nothing on him except money.
Ma Zishan, held in Ma Hua's arms, first nodded and then shook her head before saying, "Uncle doesn't need to hit him anymore. Mom already hit him. If you hurt him, no one will play with me."
Hearing Ma Zishan's words, the three adults in the room exchanged glances. The sister-in-law said irritably, "You still have the nerve to say I hit Ziming? I was just watching him bully you. Honestly, Ziming, do you remember this? You can't throw clods of dirt at your sister anymore, understand?"
Ma Ziming rubbed his bottom, then choked out, "I know, I just wanted to play beanbag toss with my sister, but I didn't have any, so I thought of using clods of dirt instead. I was wrong, I'll never do it again, sob sob sob."
Ma Hua glanced at his nephew speechlessly. "Luckily you used clods of dirt. If you had used stones, your backside would be a bloody mess."
Sister-in-law Wang Fang glared at Ma Ziming, who immediately stopped crying. Seeing the child had stopped, she said gently, "Next time if you don't have it, remember to ask me for it, okay? That clod of dirt hit your little sister; how much pain must she have felt? Go apologize to her, okay?"
Ma Ziming walked awkwardly to Ma Hua's side, looked up at the arrogant Ma Zishan and said, "Little sister, I was wrong. I shouldn't have thrown the clod of dirt at you. Please forgive me."
"Fine, I forgive you, hmph," Ma Zishan nodded arrogantly.
Seeing that Ma Hua was still holding onto Ma Zishan tightly, the older sister-in-law said, "Xiao Hua, put her down quickly. We can wash our hands and eat soon."
Ma Zishan continued in her soft, sweet voice, "I don't want Uncle to put me down! I want Uncle to carry me! Humph, I won't get down, hehehe!" She even made a face at her sister-in-law, which made Ma Ziming on the ground incredibly envious. He wanted to be carried too. His bottom still hurt from walking.
Ma Hua said to his elder brother and sister-in-law, "I'll take them out to play, we'll be back in a bit."
After speaking, Ma Hua led the two children toward the supply and marketing cooperative at the entrance of the alley. There weren't as many supermarkets as there are now; people usually bought things at the supply and marketing cooperative.
Ma Ziming, limping behind Ma Hua, asked, "Uncle, where are you taking us? Grandma said it's time to eat soon."
"Oh, it's almost time to eat. Ziming, why don't you go home first? I'll take Zishan out to play," Ma Hua teased Ma Ziming deliberately.
When Ma Ziming heard that Ma Hua said he wouldn't be taken, he immediately became anxious: "No, I want to go too. Don't leave me behind."
Ma Hua looked at Ma Ziming with a helpless expression, thinking, "If you don't take me, I'll cry." This chubby boy was quite annoying. "Fine, then you can follow me from behind."
Ma Ziming followed behind with a pout and an unhappy expression, while Ma Zishan, in Ma Hua's arms, saw her brother's expression and quickly made a face.
Ma Hua led the two children to the supply and marketing cooperative at the entrance of the alley before stopping. Ma Ziming, who had been pouting and angry just moments before, immediately exclaimed happily, "Uncle, Uncle, you didn't bring us here to buy things, did you?"
Still angry with Ziming, Ma Zishan's eyes lit up when she heard about the supply and marketing cooperative. She hurriedly asked, "Uncle, are you going to buy us candy after you get paid?"
Ma Hua nodded and walked directly towards the supply and marketing cooperative. The full name of the supply and marketing cooperative is the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, which is equivalent to a modern store or supermarket. The operating hours were adjusted to make it easier for residents to buy daily necessities after work. Otherwise, they would have already closed at this time.
Upon entering the room, you'll see a row of shelves against the wall, filled with everyday items like cigarettes, alcohol, candy, tea, needles, and yarn. At the very top of the shelves hangs a portrait of the instructor.
In front of the shelves was a one-meter-high cement counter, on which sat a glass cabinet filled with various items. Despite its small size, the supply and marketing cooperative was fully equipped, stocked with everything from cooking oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea to condiments and small hardware items.
Thermos flasks, washbasins, pastries, candy, canned wine—basically anything residents need for daily life is available here. If not, you can buy it at another supply and marketing cooperative.
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
