As the sun gradually rose, I still needed to find my third brother and bring him food.
Lin Yun, holding her father Lin Rushan's hand, walked through the narrow alley towards the school.
The breakfast stalls on the street have just been set up, steaming hot air is rising from the steamers, and golden fried dough sticks are being fried in the oil, filling the air with their aroma.
Lin Yun bought four steamed buns, ate one herself, and gave three to her father.
Mr. Lin waved his hand and said he wasn't hungry, but Lin Yun insisted that he eat one, so he reluctantly agreed. And sure enough, it was really delicious.
Lin Yun touched the oil paper package in the basket again. Inside was the braised pork that her mother had specially left for her third brother last night, and it was still warm.
"Father, how is Third Brother doing at school?" Lin Yun asked softly.
Lin Rushan sighed, his brows furrowed: "Yan'er is stubborn and never complains to his family. I went to see him the other day and saw that he was very thin and his clothes were faded from washing..." Before he could finish speaking, his voice choked.
Lin Yun felt a pang of sadness and quickened her pace.
The school was located on the east side of the county town, with blue bricks and gray tiles. Two old locust trees stood in front of the gate, and a few stone benches were scattered under the shade of the trees.
It was not yet time for class, and students in twos and threes were reading aloud under the trees with their books in hand.
Lin Yun's gaze swept across the room and quickly locked onto a slender figure in the corner.
The boy was about thirteen or fourteen years old, not very tall, and wore a faded blue cloth long gown with fine patches on the cuffs and hem.
He lowered his head, staring intently at the book in his hands, occasionally raising his hand to tuck a stray hair behind his ear, revealing a handsome but slightly pale face.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting a faint silhouette on him and making him appear even thinner.
"Yan'er!" Lin Rushan called out.
The boy looked up at the sound, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, which then dimmed.
He strode over and bowed respectfully: "Father, Second Sister."
Lin Yun carefully examined her younger brother, Lin Yan. His eyebrows and eyes resembled his father's by about 70%, but he appeared exceptionally thin due to long-term malnutrition, with faint dark circles under his eyes.
Although his clothes were shabby, his demeanor exuded the refined elegance characteristic of a scholar. When he bowed, his back was ramrod straight, showing no sign of dejection.
"Yan'er, this is braised pork that your mother made for you. Eat it while it's hot." Lin Yun stuffed the oil paper package into his hand.
"Why have you lost weight again? Have you not been eating properly?"
Lin's father also stuffed two steamed buns into his son's arms.
Lin Yan held the oil paper package, her fingertips trembling slightly.
The aroma of braised pork wafted through the oiled paper and into his nostrils. His Adam's apple bobbed, but he said in a low voice, "Father, Second Sister, we're not well-off at home. Let's take these back with us..."
"Nonsense!" Lin's father said sternly. "Our business has been doing well lately. You're at a crucial stage of your growth, and studying requires a lot of brainpower. How can you not eat well?"
Without a word, he stuffed the oil paper package into Lin Yan's book bag. "We'll come to see you every month from now on and bring you some food. You have to eat well and study hard, okay?"
Lin Yan's eyes reddened slightly, and he nodded emphatically: "Father, don't worry, I will definitely study hard."
Lin Yun also gave a few instructions, and seeing that it was getting late, she took her father's leave.
After walking a few steps, she looked back and saw Lin Yan still standing there watching them go, his slender figure appearing particularly lonely in the morning light.
Her heart softened, and she waved to him, "Go back and eat!"
Lin Yan then turned and left, his back straight, like a stubborn sapling.
---
Leaving the school, Lin Yun pulled her father straight to the market. The market was already bustling with people in the early morning, with shouts and bargaining sounds rising and falling.
Clutching the 20 taels of silver she had just exchanged, Lin Yun mentally calculated what she needed to buy. Of the 100 taels, she would keep 80 taels to pay off her debts, and Lin Yun planned to spend the rest.
My family is really too poor.
"Dad, let's go buy some rice, flour, oil, and salt first, and then get some cloth." She said as she walked. "The quilts at home need to be replaced, and your shoes are all worn out..."
As Lin Rushan listened to his daughter's rambling arrangements, he felt both gratified and bittersweet.
He silently followed behind Lin Yun, watching her haggle with the vendors and carefully calculate the price, and his eyes couldn't help but well up with tears.
Lin Yun first bought fifty catties of high-quality white rice and twenty catties of flour, and then picked out a few catties of lard and salt.
Passing by the butcher's stall, she didn't hesitate to buy two jin of pork belly and a fat chicken. The butcher recognized Lin Rushan and jokingly asked, "Brother Lin, did you strike it rich today?"
Lin's father smiled awkwardly, unsure how to respond.
Lin Yun gracefully took over the conversation: "It's been a long time since we've had any meat at home, so let's treat ourselves today."
Next, she went to the cloth shop and picked out several bolts of cotton and fine linen.
The shopkeeper, seeing that she had chosen only the finest fabrics, couldn't help but glance at her a few more times: "Young lady, you have excellent taste. This fine linen is the most comfortable for making undergarments; wealthy families in the city love to use it."
Lin Yun smiled and added another piece of indigo silk: "Wrap this up too."
Seeing this, Lin's father quickly pulled her back: "Yun'er, this silk is too expensive, we don't need it..."
“Father, have you forgotten? We’re going to reopen the clothing shop, so we need some decent fabrics to make a good impression,” Lin Yun said in a low voice. “Besides, we can earn the money back quickly.”
Lin's father thought to himself: That's true. We've always made coarse cloth clothes at home, and we've almost forgotten what silk looks like.
As they bought more and more things, Lin Yun simply hired an oxcart. The driver was an honest and simple farmer who helped them load the large and small packages onto the cart.
Lin Yun and her father sat on an oxcart piled high with goods, swaying and making their way home.
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