Chapter 35(1)
Local people like to eat outside with their bowls or just sit down anywhere. But Gu Yan’s living habits were different, so when conditions allowed, the family always ate at the dining table.
There are two more people today, so the table is full with eight people sitting at the table. The little girl in Li Zhongxia's arms didn't know what was wrong with her. She shook her head and refused to eat, and kept whining.
Take a look at the dragon beard noodles in the child’s bowl. The soup is slightly yellow, the noodles are white, the spinach is emerald green, and the aroma is fragrant. It is specially made for children. She is over one year old and can eat this. Why doesn’t she eat this? Didn’t you see Gu Yanlei eating his own food while taking a look at this bowl? If you don't eat it, he will snatch it away.
"What's wrong with the child? Is he feeling well?"
"She has a slight fever, probably a cold. She has been in poor health since she was young, so don't worry and eat quickly." The man handed the little girl's portion of dragon beard noodles to the two sisters, "Share it between you two."
The two sisters glanced at Gu Yan, and only started eating when they saw her nod. They often had their own special meal, so they didn't have the greedy look that rural children of that era should have.
The child in Li Zhongxia's arms kept crying anxiously, making it impossible for him to eat. Old Mrs. Li wanted to help hold the baby, but the baby cried even louder as soon as she stretched out her hands, so Li Zhongxia had to politely refuse. He listened to his mother speaking well of Gu Yan this afternoon. Now seeing them getting along, he felt relieved but also a little sorry.
He was not able to see his father off on his final journey, nor was he able to be by his mother's side to show filial piety. I have been feeling guilty for so many years. So when he was criticized for having □□ ideas, he simply chose to return to his hometown and even refused to accept his leader's suggestion to transfer to a local job.
After returning home, he can take care of his mother and fulfill his responsibilities as a son. As long as political thought remains in this circle, it cannot be separated. A storm soon came. After so many years of working in ideological and political work, he still had some political awareness.
His wife repeatedly advised him to be more patient, but he just shook his head and said nothing. Is that a question of tolerance? That is a principle, and he will not give up his principles for anything. Rather than not knowing where you will be sent to, it is better to prepare yourself and return to your hometown to take shelter temporarily.
The only thing that worries him now is the housing problem. Although the house has three main rooms and two side rooms. But he, a divorced man, lived under the same roof with Gu Yan, a divorced woman. Even if we live in separate rooms, there will be gossip after a while.
He was worrying about how to explain the situation to Gu Yan, while Gu Yan had already quickly finished his meal and walked around the table to come to him.
"Give me the child and eat your meal. We can talk after dinner."
Before he could react, she had taken the child from his arms. The little girl who had been struggling when her grandmother hugged her actually stayed still in her grandmother's arms, and her sobbing gradually subsided as she patted and comforted her.
Of course, you are worthy of being a mother of four children. She has more experience in coaxing little kids than him. What did she mean by what she just said? Did you see that he was staying for a long time this time?
That’s right, with so many big and small bags, the neighbors in the yard could guess it, so how could she not have thought of it? This is good too. Let’s talk about whatever we want to say and then we can discuss how to solve it.
"Have you given the child medicine?"
"Yes, no, no."
"Did you feed her?" You seem gentle and considerate, but how come you are so unreliable? Are men naturally unsuitable for raising children?
"I fed it, but it didn't go in."
He was quite friendly just now, why does he seem so much colder all of a sudden? Is it because of the children? But this isn’t your child, why do you care about him more than my wife does?
Anyway, you have time when you return to the countryside, but I’m too busy with work to take care of you. The older one goes to school with me, and this one is for you.
She didn't care about her child in the first place, and she didn't care at all about this unexpected pregnancy that couldn't be aborted. Since she was born, her sister and sister-in-law have been helping to take care of her, and they spend more time taking care of her than she, the mother, does. So I didn’t worry at all about whether my child would be unable to adapt to the countryside because he is still young. It was like throwing away a burden to him.
"Then you guys eat, I'll take the child to next door to give him medicine."
After her figure left, he remembered that she didn't bring any medicine. What should she feed the child? He turned around and took the medicine on the box. Before he could move, Xiaohua had already taken it quickly.
"I'll go get it for mom. Uncle Li, please eat quickly. It's getting cold."
Aunt Li looked at Xiaohua with loving eyes, then pointed at the bowl of rice in front of her son and told him to eat quickly. "The boiled dumplings made by Xiaohua are delicious, and they go perfectly with the pickles pickled by Gu Yan. I even mixed some cucumbers for you today."
Li Zhongxia smiled at his mother, then lowered his head to eat. His many years of military service had made him very organized and quick in his work. In less than five minutes, a large bowl of cornmeal dumplings was eaten.
"This tastes better than what our kitchen staff makes. The porridge is sweet and the pickles are delicious."
Gu Yan and Xiao Hua were praised, and the old lady and everyone present felt proud of it. The Dahua sisters laughed silently, and the old lady patted her son excitedly.
"Of course, Gu Yan and her daughter are very capable. Everyone in the surrounding area praises them."
Gu Yan, who was sitting on the other side of the wall, had no idea that she was being praised. At this moment, her mind was only on this pitiful, sobbing little girl. The body temperature is 38.4 degrees, not too high, but not low either. Ibuprofen cannot be taken and further observation is required. The child didn't have a cough, but after examination, she found that her throat was inflamed and the redness and swelling were very obvious.
That stupid dad said it was a cold. The inflammation has already caused a high fever, and I don’t know what will happen if we delay any further. Seeing her daughter come in, she pointed at the door. Xiaohua nodded silently, closed the door with her backhand and stood there.
Gu Yan has already taken out the medicine. Cefixime, a third-generation antibiotic, is a very safe anti-inflammatory drug for children and has almost no toxic side effects. She carefully reduced the amount by one third as instructed, in case people of that age couldn't handle it.
This medicine tastes sweet and is much easier to swallow than those extremely bitter pills of this era. It wasn't difficult to feed the baby. After that, he held the child and rocked him back and forth. After a while, the little baby who had been crying non-stop fell asleep peacefully.
Xiaohua had already made the quilt on the kang without her mother's instructions. After settling the baby down, Gu Yan asked her daughter to look after the child and she turned and left the house.
The main room had been cleaned up. Dahua went to wash the dishes, while the two younger ones played with building blocks on the kang on the west side. Gu Yan came in and went straight to the kang on the east side, sitting down as if he wanted to have a conversation.
"I changed my job and went home to farm." Without her asking, the man had already explained his situation fluently. "I'm going to live at home more often in the future. So..."
"You want us to move out?"
"Of course not."
Four years have passed, and Li Zhongxia is still as gentle and elegant as before, speaking in a low and pleasant voice. Men in their thirties are at their most charming. From being a military leader to returning to their hometown to farm, there is no trace of decadence. The curvature of the mouth corners is exactly the same as before.
"I'm sorry to disrupt your life. I'm sorry again. Here's what I want to do: let me live in the side room, and you and my mother can live in the main room, okay?"
The ear room also had the responsibility of cooking in winter, and there was only a small kang, which was far too small for the five of them to live in.
"Okay." Gu Yan nodded and agreed to the proposal without any hesitation. "I'll come back and clean it up for you. You can sit with Auntie for a while."
"Wait a minute, there's something else." Gu Yan stopped and spoke a little embarrassedly. "Even if I don't have a salary anymore, I'll have to live on my annual work points. So..."
"I told you long ago that you don't need to give it to me. Godmother is very good to us, I volunteer to take care of her."
The man wanted to say, Mother, I will be filial to you in the future, so why should I trouble you all the time? But these words sound like you are looking down on others and as if you are no longer needed here. So I said nothing.
Gu Yan turned and left. The old lady began to explain, "She went to feed the pigs. Gu Yan is capable. She feeds two big fat pigs a year. Hundreds of kilograms of pork are enough for her. In the first year she moved to our house, the team leader no longer said that she would not give her food if she did not have enough food."
When the old lady mentioned this, she shook her head and sighed, "This girl is really capable. Our brigade has 20 pigs to be raised. Other people's pigs are as thin as chickens, but hers are fat and big. When we weighed them, they were almost 200 kilograms. Our commune ranked first and won the title of model.
I don’t know what she fed the pigs. People had nothing to eat, so the pigs only ate bran and pig grass. How could they grow so big? ”
"There's no pigpen in our yard, where does she feed it?"
"It's in the yard across from us. They have a piece of land behind it, but it's surrounded by cliffs on three sides, so you can't build a house on the triangular corner. They used to grow vegetables there, and I don't know how Gu Yan talked to them, but they agreed to let her use it to feed the pigs."
Li Zhongxia naturally knew that place. At the moment, he was as confused as everyone else, wondering what Gu Yan had fed the pigs to grow so big.
What else can it eat? Pig feed, of course! On the surface, it is slop and rice bran, but in reality, every time I go to feed it, my daughter will keep an eye on it. Feed the pigs secretly when no one is around. In later generations, a fat pig can be slaughtered in six months. If she doesn't feed it too much, the pig will become extremely fat in a year.
There are also chickens, whose egg production is the envy of everyone. There is a small piece of vacant land on the east side of their yard, which belongs to the Li family. There was already a chicken coop there, and after she took over, the number of hens has grown from one to more than ten.
"I'm back to influence you." It seemed that this woman could live well without his help. Taking care of his mother for so many years actually helped him a lot.
"What are you talking about? This is your home, and I'm your mother. It's only natural for you to go home. But...son, what do you think of Gu Yan?"
Before Li Zhongxia could respond, the old lady continued, "This girl is capable and kind. She takes good care of me and the children. She is raising four children by herself, but she is always so patient.
For several years, she didn't take action easily. Whatever the problem is, just talk and teach nicely. Much better than your daughter-in-law who never comes home. Look at who you married. Husband and wife should share weal and woe, but she is different. She divorced you as soon as you returned to your hometown to farm. Xiao Nier is so young, her mother doesn’t want her, so she gives you a grown man…”
"Mom, what do you want to say?"
Li Zhongxia felt helpless and interrupted his mother who was complaining for who knows how many times today. He is busy with work and is often not at home. His wife is also a workaholic and it is common for her to go on business trips. The marriages introduced by the organization back then did not have a deep emotional foundation. The couples had been living apart for so many years and had rarely been together, so they had not developed any feelings for each other. Nowadays, when faced with disasters, it is normal for couples to separate.
"We're already divorced, so don't be upset with me. We were close friends, but now we're strangers. Apart from our children, there's really nothing to talk about. Don't mention her anymore, and don't be angry about this."
The old lady sighed and brought the topic back to what she had said before. "That's why I told you to marry a woman who is suitable to be your wife. Gu Yan is kind and gentle, and she is very capable in taking care of everything at home and outside. You see, she was so distressed when she was holding Xiao Ni'er just now, and she will definitely treat the child well in the future..."
"Mom," Li Zhongxia was at a loss whether to laugh or cry when she heard this, "I just got divorced, there's no need to talk about this in such a hurry." Fortunately, she didn't say it in front of others, otherwise it would be so awkward for the two of us to live under the same roof.
"Why not? How can a grown man live without a woman? I think Gu Yan is a good match. You can marry her and have a wife, and your daughter will have a mother. Dahua and Xiaohua sisters now have a father to love them. Who will dare to laugh at them for not having a father to love them?"
Gu Yan didn't hear what the old lady said. After she came back, she tidied up the side room and brought bedding from the main room to give to the father and daughter. The quilt cover was blue with white flowers, and inside it was the new cotton she had changed.
"There's hot water in the thermos. If the child wakes up at night, you can give her some water or malted milk."
Before leaving, she looked at the little girl and told her foolish father about this. Only after she saw him nod did she turn around and leave. Li Zhongxia looked at Gu Yan's back and remembered his mother's previous suggestion. I couldn't help but look at this ordinary rural woman in my mind.
She is not short at a height of 1.6 meters. She has a slim figure, unlike the stocky bodies of other rural women. She works skillfully and meticulously. He has regular features and delicate skin, and looks even younger than his ex-wife. The whole person gives people a heroic feeling, and it should not be at all out of place for her to put on a military uniform and become a female soldier.
"Pa", Li Zhongxia raised his hand and hit himself, feeling a little amused and helpless about his own behavior. I was really influenced by my mother's words and actually evaluated others secretly. This woman is bold and careful, and she dares to think and act. She hasn't looked for another partner for so many years after her divorce, and she probably doesn't want to remarry.
"Snap" he hit himself again. What's wrong with you today? Can't you get out of the circle of your mother's words? Why evaluate others? They have nothing to do with him. It's not right for him, a single man, to think about others in secret.
I stopped thinking and went to sleep. Not long after I lay down, the child next to me started crying. He sat up again, holding the child and coaxing him patiently. I touched her forehead and it seems she still has a fever. How about giving her some warm water?
Holding her daughter in one hand, she poured half a bowl of water from the thermos and scooped it out with a spoon to let it cool. The little girl in my arms didn't cry loudly, she just sobbed softly as if she was feeling wronged.
The boiled water is ready, but the child won't drink it. He shook his head and sobbed softly, feeling aggrieved. What's going on? Or try malted milk.
The child still refused to drink the malted milk. He looked at him with a strange look, and his big eyes showed anxiety. The man felt sorry again.
He has only taken care of this child a few times since the child was born. He suddenly handed the child to him and treated the child like a stranger. How could she feel safe? He is not a qualified father and has been negligent in his duties over the years. Sometimes during military life, he only goes home once every few months. Not to mention the younger one, even the older one is not close to him.
He had discussed this issue with his wife, but unfortunately they failed to reach a consensus in the end. He wanted her to join the army, and she wanted him to retire. The two people refused to give in to each other, which led to this result. Now that they are divorced completely, I wonder if his son will still recognize him when they meet again?
"Don't cry, little girl. Daddy is holding me. I am your dad..."
I tried to comfort the child in a soft voice, but the little girl still kept crying. He was worried and distressed, and didn't know what to do for a moment. The child kept crying on the train, and he was really afraid that if this continued, the child would get hurt.
"Dong, Dong," along with the sound of footsteps, there was a very low knock on the door in the dark night. "What's wrong with the child? Is he still having a fever?" It was Gu Yan's voice, and he spoke in a low voice as if he was afraid of scaring the child. "Why don't you open the door and let me see. The child can't cry like this, or his throat will be damaged."
Her throat is already inflamed, so how can you let her use it like this? If you keep crying, the inflammation won't go away. As she spoke, the door opened. The man looked at her with an embarrassed smile and handed the child to her.
"I'm sorry to bother you guys with your sleep. I can't get him to sleep no matter what I do. He won't drink water or malted milk. I really have no other choice."
Gu Yan didn't respond to his polite words. She held the child in her arms and gently shook it, rocking it back and forth like a cradle.
"Don't cry, don't cry. Auntie, can you sing a song for me? If you keep crying, your throat will get inflamed. It's very uncomfortable to have an inflamed throat..."
You know what, the little girl who had been sobbing in her father's arms strangely stopped crying again when she was in Gu Yan's arms. He looked at her with his big eyes and clenched her sleeves with his small hands, as if he was afraid that she would run away.
I touched my forehead and it was still a little hot. After remaking the malted milk, she sat in a chair and fed the child with a spoon. The little guy hesitated for a moment, then opened his mouth and took the spoon. She looked at her with her big eyes, and her rosy little mouth curled up and actually gave her a smile.
"Good boy, give me another spoonful. Baby needs to eat. Only by eating can he grow up. When he grows up, he can play with his brothers and sisters..."
A mother who raises a child has to remain silent for three years (until no one responds), and Gu Yan has not lost this skill. With each soft whisper, the child became quieter. I obediently ate half a bowl of malted milk, closed my eyes and dreamed of Zhou Gong.
"Why don't I take care of the child? She's still having a fever and seems a little uneasy. Was she frightened on the way? Or is she not used to the strange environment?"
Since becoming a mother, she has read all the parenting books in her space. Including early childhood psychology. The child was obviously frightened. She was so restless that she held on to her clothes tightly while sleeping.
"It's all my fault." The man looked at his daughter and felt very sorry. "The child has always been taken care of by her aunt and uncle. I... I am not familiar with her. It was so sudden that a stranger like me took over the child, and the environment was changed. She was sobbing all the way and didn't eat the food well."
Gu Yan nodded to show that he understood. So this is the situation. No wonder the child didn't look at you with any affection. It's just like that nowadays. If it were the era in the future when human traffickers were rampant, you would be looked after and investigated as a human trafficker on the train.
No matter how busy you are with work, you can't neglect your children like this. I look down at this fair and pretty baby. Does she treat me as her aunt, so she trusts me so much?
"Then I'll take care of the child for you for a few days, at least until the child gets better." Her throat is inflamed, and she can't be allowed to cry like this.
"Okay, thank you for your help. I..."
"Don't be so polite. After all, it's okay to raise one child, so having another one won't hurt."
The female man pulled a thin blanket over the child and carried the child out of the house. The wind at night is still quite cold, don't let the children catch a cold.
Li Zhongxia looked at her carefully caring back until she disappeared from his sight, and he did not take his eyes away for a long time.
I heard that she once beat her ex-husband's family so badly that they begged for mercy. No one dared to bully her when she was working in the team, and no man was her match in a fight. Was this really the woman he heard about? Why doesn't it seem to match? She is so gentle and patient, even more serious than the child’s biological mother. What you are holding seems to be a priceless treasure that should not be wasted or neglected.
I lay back on the kang and tossed and turned for a long time before falling asleep. Years of biological clock made him wake up on time at five in the morning. He got up, folded the quilt, picked up the bucket and went to the pool.
When Gu Yan came back from exercise, the water tank was already full. Both wooden barrels were filled with clear blue water. The yard has been swept and the side room is tidy.
"What a good habit this person has." She murmured to herself, then picked up her hoe and went to work in the morning.
Dahua and Xiaohua schools have morning reading and school ends at around 7 o'clock. They get off work earlier than her, so they come back to make breakfast. The two little ones sleep with the old lady, and today there is also a little granddaughter from the Li family. The child woke up again in the middle of the night last night. When he saw her, he didn't cry. He just peed once and then went to sleep obediently. Now she lies side by side with her daughter.
We worked on an empty stomach for the whole morning. This kind of work that drags on time day by day but is inefficient and unproductive has made everyone lose their enthusiasm after being repeated year after year.
Seeing that the captain was too far away to be seen, Sister Xu pulled Gu Yan to sit behind the ground. He pointed to the middle of a row of terraced fields and gossiped with her.
"Did you see it just now? Han Laoer's wife has two dark eye sockets and that...what was that thing called in the newspaper? Didn't they say it was a treasure? It's called..."
“Giant panda.”
"Yes, it's a giant panda." Sister Xu said with great joy, "She is skinny and bony, with bruises here and there. Seeing that others are paying attention to her, she quickly makes excuses for the Han family. She says that she got it from knocking on the chin. Well, she really knocks on the chin. She never has a good time all year round."
"Is there something wrong with this woman's brain? Otherwise, why didn't she resist after being beaten, and instead kept covering up for the Han family?" The original body was also subjected to domestic violence, but she was cowardly and timid, and she wasn't stupid enough to cover up for the abuser and say good things about him.
"She said that it was her fault that she didn't give birth to a son for the man. It was all her fault." Sister Xu said this with gritted teeth, full of regret. "We are not reproductive machines. What's wrong with not having children? If we don't have children, we won't live. I really can't stand her behavior. She is just as useless as the women with bound feet in the old society."
"This has nothing to do with bound feet. Look at Old Lady Han, she also has bound feet, she's amazing."
"That's right. How come we are in the same team with her? We often see each other. She looks like a bullied young wife, which is disgusting to see."
"Just don't look at her. These terraced fields are all in pieces. If you really can't stand it, just tell the captain and don't share with her."
Sister Xu sighed and suddenly whispered to her, "I haven't had my period for two months. I might be pregnant again."
"Really?" Gu Yan smiled and looked at her belly. "That's a good thing! You should be more careful when you work recently and don't get tired."
"It's not that precious. When I was pregnant with Da Pang and his three brothers, I did everything the same way."
"That's different. You were young and healthy before, but now after those three years of disaster, your body is damaged. It's been so many years since you got pregnant again, so you have to protect yourself well. Brother-in-law Xu, did you know about this? Is he very happy?"
"Of course he's happy. He doesn't have to get pregnant or give birth."
"None of this matters. As long as he cares about you and helps you with your work, that's enough."
"That's all he can do. He keeps his hands and feet busy and can do anything."
The two women slacked off until the end of the workday, and then parted at a fork in the road, carrying their hoes. Gu Yan didn't have time to pick wild fruits for the children today, so he picked a few newly opened Rehmannia flowers from the cracks in the rocks at the door of his house for the children to play with.
When Gu Yanlei saw that it was a flower, he shook his head and walked away without interest. Gu Yanzhu liked the flowers very much and happily went to find her sister with them.
The crying sound of Li family's granddaughter was heard from the room, and Gu Yan was about to lift the curtain to go in to see what was going on. Li Zhongxia has already come out with her daughter in her arms. When the little one saw her, he wanted to rub against her arms. She reached out and caught him, and the child stopped crying immediately. His fever had subsided by dawn. He sobbed twice in her arms and actually called her.
"Mother."
A cordial call represents the young child's wholehearted dependence and admiration. Gu Yan was confused, and Li Zhongxia was also confused. No matter how many times I taught him to call dad along the way, he never opened his mouth. Now he actually calls mom to a stranger. It seems that he is not qualified to be a father, and the children don't like him!
Seeing that Gu Yan didn't respond, the child raised his little face, which still had tears on it, and called her "Mom" again. After calling her, it seemed that she was still not going to respond. The child pouted and looked like he was about to cry again.
"Oh." Agree first, the child can't cry like this anymore. As soon as she spoke, the child was immediately happy. He put his little hands around her neck and rubbed his cheek against her, looking very affectionate.
"Don't call me that, she's my mother." Before Gu Yan could even open her mouth to explain to Li Zhongxia, her twins got angry. The two men hugged her thighs, one on the left and one on the back, and raised their heads to refute loudly. The little girl even grabbed the little girl's feet and pretended to pull her down.
"Gu Yanzhu, no. My sister is still young, we need to talk properly."
The fact that my mother called me by my full name showed that the matter was very serious. The little girl let go of her sister's feet, but still puffed up her cheeks, looking unconvinced.
Gu Yan squatted down and looked at the two children at eye level. Be prepared to reason with your child. In the eyes of children, having their mother taken away is a very serious matter, and it is normal for them to behave in this way. Children’s possessiveness should be guided correctly and not criticized harshly.
"My younger sister just left her mother, so she is using her mother as a substitute for the time being. Xiaoya and her brother are both grown-up children, so can you lend your mother to your younger sister? Your younger sister is still young, and she feels very pitiful without her mother."
"But... we only have one mother." The little girl was not very old and could not speak complicated words. But Gu Yan could understand. We also only have one mother, not even a father. What should we do if even our mother is lent to her?
"We want our mother." Lei Lei also expressed his opinion. In order to prevent their parents from being laughed at, the children fought with others many times. They only got better under Gu Yan's guidance and no longer cried out of grievance for not having a father. Now that I hear that my mother has also been robbed, I cannot tolerate it.
"A mother can have many children. Lend me to your sister, I am still your mother. You are not lacking anything, right?"
The two little ones thought about it and agreed that it was true that a mother could have many children. Even if I have a younger sister, I am still their mother.
"Then can Uncle Li be our father?"
This guy Gu Yanlei really won't suffer any loss. I lent my mother to my sister, so does my sister’s father have to lend me as well? The child spoke without restraint, and Gu Yan and Li Zhongxia were both speechless, not knowing how to respond for a moment.
"Sure, why not? Leilei likes Uncle Li, so let him be your father."
Well, it’s fun to watch the fun. Old Mrs. Li propped up the window to express her opinion. Her face was full of joy, and she was happier than during the Chinese New Year.
"Hey, what did I hear?" Wang Xiaomai from the east room came out, excited as if he had discovered a new world. "Auntie Li, your son seems to have a wife, what do you mean?"
"Divorced." Old Mrs. Li was not afraid of gossip and explained it straightforwardly. “I’m not…”
"Mom, you're just causing more trouble. Gu Yan is just helping me take care of Niuniu, what are you trying to get into?"
Before Aunt Li could speak, Gu Yan stood up holding Niu Niu and shook his head at the old lady. The neighbors are all in the yard, so don't give them anything to talk about. If you have anything to say, let’s talk about it back home.
The embarrassment caused by little Gu Yanlei ended quietly, and the neighbors who were watching the show couldn't help but start discussing it secretly. It turns out that Old Li's son is also divorced. Now this single man and single woman are living under the same roof. There will be a lot to look forward to in the future.
At breakfast time, the yard was quiet and silent. People must have gone outside to chat. Gu Yan held Niu Niu in his arms and let her drink milk from the bottle herself. The child had no idea of the turmoil among the adults, and she just decided to hold her and refused to let anyone else hold her. Like a good little kitten in her arms.
"Do I look a lot like her aunt?" Otherwise, why would she treat me as her mother? She was raised by her aunt, so she must be closer to her aunt.
I thought Li Zhongxia would answer quickly, but he looked up and took a closer look before shaking his head. "No. Her aunt is fatter than you, and her face is totally different from yours."
Gu Yan smiled, lowered his head and tilted his head to look at the little girl in his arms: "That's strange, Niuniu, why did you decide that you are your aunt?"
"Mother."
Well, she is the kind of person who recognizes her as her mother and would flood the country with hatred if she refutes him. What is this, a psychological projection? Leaving familiar environment and people, so transferring this attachment to another similar person.
Li Zhongxia felt sorry and helpless facing his daughter. Neither parent is qualified and has caused cognitive confusion for their children. What should I do now? This is too disturbing. She has four children of her own and has to work. How can she add to other people's burden?
His apology was clearly written on his face, and Gu Yan would understand it. Holding the child in one hand and feeding with a spoon in the other hand, this skill still works very smoothly.
"The child is too young. Maybe she feels more at home with a woman. I'll take care of the child for you for now. It's easier to take care of several children together. It's easier to take care of them than a grown man like you."
That's so sorry. It’s better not to say this, it doesn’t make much sense. The children are young and can’t understand this at all. He also cannot deprive the child of his sense of security because of his own selfishness. The worst that can happen is that I can just give back secretly and do more work.
When Gu Yan came back from work at noon, there were already ropes full of clothes hanging out to dry in the yard. Most of them belong to them and their daughters. Niu Niu sat in the wooden cart, watching Xiao Ya and Lei Lei play obediently. The twins no longer showed their previous rejection of their sister, but instead played very well with her. I would also tell my sister not to eat the flowers, and then pick them out and give her the cookies.
“This is what you can eat.”
"Silly sister." Xiao Ya was very happy because she was no longer the youngest this time. Stupid sister is not a term exclusive to her.
The old lady sat in a rocking chair nearby, looking at the children with a loving face. Li Zhongxia came back fetching water with a sickle in his hand.
"Tomorrow we'll start harvesting wheat. Take out the sickles you have at home and I'll sharpen them for you."
Gu Yan nodded blankly, found the sickle and handed it to him. I was cooking in the shed, and when I turned around I saw his handsome figure. No need for a woman to nag, think ahead of everything. The grown man actually helped her wash clothes. This was the first time in her two lifetimes that she had received such treatment.
"Mom, what are you laughing at?"
"Let me cook, and you sit there and pick some wild vegetables."
After school, the two children went to pick wild vegetables. When they came back, they were afraid that she would be tired, so they arranged some sitting work for her. Gu Yan smiled and made way, then took the wild vegetables in the basin and sat in the yard.
"Give it to me, I'll pick it." Before she could start, Li Zhongxia, who had sharpened his sickle, had already taken over the job. Pointing to the children playing on the ground, he said, "Play with the kids for a while. They are all looking at you eagerly."
Especially his daughter, her eyes have never left Gu Yan since he came back. Seeing that her mother was busy, she didn't act coquettishly and asked to be hugged. Seeing that she was close now, he stretched out his little arm and wanted to go to her.
"Oh, Niu Niu wants to be held!" Gu Yan didn't bother to be polite with him. He gave him the basket and basin, and got up to play with the child.
"Mom." The little guy was held in his mother's arms, and his pretty little face smiled even more brightly. Seeing that their mother was free, Xiaoya and Leilei also squeezed over to surround her.
"Mom, I want a hug too."
"I want one too. I want one too."
"Okay, okay, okay, give mom a kiss, mom will hold you."
The twins hugged her neck and kissed her cheeks, chin and forehead, leaving her face covered with saliva. Niu Niu in his arms also imitated his brother and sister, and kissed her several times without being outdone.
"Haha..." Gu Yan held all three children in his arms and laughed happily. Kiss this one and kiss that one. The child's love is pure and sincere. Over the past few years, she feels that she has been purified. The soul has been sublimated, no longer so violent, and the hostility in the heart has almost disappeared.
"You all like mom so much?"
"Yeah, I like mom the most."
"I like it the most."
"……I am."
"I am."
The twins, a boy and a girl, would fight over anything and even compete for the word "the best". However, the two children were well taught and they just teased with words and hardly ever used violence. Fighting between the two sisters rarely happens.
Niu Niu didn't know how to express what she meant, so she hugged Gu Yan's neck tightly in a hurry, exerting force with her little arms, and expressing her love and possession with a blushing face and thick neck.
The twins played with their sister for the whole morning and were no longer so averse to her. However, they still occupied their mother's arms, as if they were afraid of being snatched away.
Gu Yan also had enough strength. He stood up with the three children in his arms and raised his legs to walk out. Wang Xiaomai from the east room saw her like this and started to joke.
"Hey, the kids are already calling me mom, when are we going to give out wedding candies?"
"You'll have to ask the child's father."
Gu Yan responded quickly and walked straight out of the yard. Wang Xiaomai was stunned for a moment before she reacted and shouted at her back.
"Why are you asking about the child's father? You are also a party involved. I think it's okay for you to just say it. The child's father has already washed his clothes for you. Why are you still being so shy?"
Gu Yan didn't reply. She just laughed after she shouted, and the other neighbors in the yard also laughed. Li Damu from the south room walked to the north with his pipe in hand. He had a serious expression on his face and it looked like he was talking about this matter. They are close relatives within the five generations of mourning, so this matter is not entirely gossip, but more of a concern for Li Zhongxia, their nephew.
"It's noon now, and the sun is scorching. Sister-in-law, let me carry you into the house."
"I'll carry it."
Li Zhongxia carried his mother back to the house and stood up to pour a glass of water for this uncle from the same family. Li Damu took the cup and put it aside, then tapped his pipe and put it away.
"Sister-in-law, this matter can't be dragged on like this! It's not right for Zhongxia and Gu Yan to live under the same roof alone. This is just the beginning, and people are already gossiping. It will be bad for reputation if it goes on for a long time. In my opinion, they both have children after their divorce, and our little granddaughter is so attached to Gu Yan, so they can live together."
Old Lady Li clapped her hands happily. "I thought the same thing. Zhongxia came back and said she was divorced, so I made up my mind. What kind of person is his wife? When her husband is in trouble, she divorces him immediately. She doesn't even want such a young girl. What kind of wife and mother is she? She is no match for Gu Yan. This child is filial and capable, and he is not much different in age from Zhongxia. The two of them are just right for each other."
Li Zhongxia was speechless. His mother wanted Gu Yan to be her daughter-in-law so much that she would try to bring them together whenever she got the chance. When she was washing clothes in the morning, she took out Gu Yan and the others' clothes as well. He felt that they were helping him take care of the children, so he was doing the laundry for them.
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