The boy took off the towel from his face and held it tightly in his hand. His dark eyes in the dim light of the early morning seemed to hide the most turbulent waves of the deep sea.
The little girl tossed fearlessly in the waves until the boy lowered his brows and continued to fiddle with the unextinguished firewood, then she gave up the courage she had been trying to maintain.
"Brother Li, I want to go to the county town to buy some things today. Can you go with me?" Mo Yutong took the towel he handed over, her eyes full of anticipation.
"I have to go to work..." But I can accompany you.
Unfortunately, before Yan Mingli could finish his words, he saw the little girl force a smile and then said dejectedly: "Oh! It's okay, I can do it alone."
"Okay!" Having said this, Yan Mingli had no other words to say and could only lean the extinguished firewood against the innermost part of the ash pit.
"Then can I take Chengcheng and Xueer with me?" Then she could take the two children to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy delicious cakes and beautiful clothes.
"You have to take them to the county town." Reason told him that he had only known this little girl for the second day, and based on his life experience over the years, he should not leave his younger brothers and sisters alone in her care.
But the little girl's eyes were too bright and clear, and he couldn't classify her as one of the vicious women in the village.
"Brother Li..." His eyes were inquiring, and Mo Yutong knew that he was examining whether she was trustworthy.
This is a process of laying a solid foundation, and it takes time to build this trust into an indestructible wall.
"Take Uncle Yang's ox cart. He'll be waiting at the village entrance before work every day. It's two cents per person. I'll give you the fare later."
Yan Mingli finally decided to trust his little girl. Although he had seen many people taking advantage of others' misfortunes in the past nine years, because of the warmth from his second aunt and others, he was still willing to try to embrace the little warmth that still existed in the world.
"Brother Li, you forgot! I haven't given you the resettlement fee yet!" Mo Yutong blinked at him, feeling delighted by the trust her young man had given her.
"Okay!" Yan Mingli did not insist. He always felt that caring too much about the gains and losses of these four points would push the girl away, and he didn't want that.
"Brother Li, I'll take out the leftover braised dishes from last night." After getting his promise, Mo Yutong immediately stood up and walked to the cupboard.
It was August, and in a hot city like Chongqing, it was difficult for meat to be kept overnight. She had faintly smelled a strange odor when she took the bowl just now.
Based on her experience of spending a night with them, they would probably be reluctant to throw away the braised meat which only had a slight odor, so she had to step forward and replace it in time.
Sinking her consciousness into the space, Mo Yutong quickly ran to Cao Ji Braised Meat Shop, poured the braised meat in the bowl into the trash can on the side of the road as quickly as possible, and then replaced it with the braised pig ears and braised pork elbows she had cut.
Just staring at the meat slices of varying thickness in the bowl, Mo Yutong felt a little nervous, hoping that they would only focus on the deliciousness of the meat and not notice the difference in the knife skills at all.
He took the bowl out of the kitchen and handed the towel to Yan Mingcheng, "Hurry up and wash your faces. I'll take you to the county town later."
“Sister, are you going to take us to the county town?” Really? Is this true? Is she not dreaming?
Yan Mingxue felt that since she met her sister yesterday afternoon, her life has been filled with countless surprises. She is so happy!
"Sister, does big brother agree?" Yan Mingcheng wiped his face with a towel, washed it again and handed it to his sister.
Yan Mingxue took it and sighed comfortably. It was so comfortable!
"Well, your elder brother agreed. After dinner, we will go to the village entrance and take the ox cart." Mo Yutong chuckled and brought the bowl into the bedroom.
"Brother, brother, can we really go to the county town?" Although Yan Mingxue got the affirmation from her sister, she still couldn't help but find her brother to confirm.
"Well, follow Mo Zhiqing and be obedient. Don't get separated. If you meet a stranger talking to you, ignore him. Do you understand?"
Yan Mingli picked up the bowl on the lid of the jar, rinsed it with cold water and reminded his younger brothers and sisters that they were still young and he had to teach them some simple principles from time to time.
"Brother, we will always follow our sister." Yan Mingcheng was also very happy, with sparkling stars in his eyes.
He and his sister had never been to the county town and rarely even went to the commune.
This time, he and his younger sister were able to go to the county town with his older sister, and he really felt very happy.
"Well, take the chopsticks to the bedroom." Yan Mingli looked at the happiness that could not be concealed on his brother and sister's faces, and his eyes involuntarily turned towards the bedroom.
Mo Yutong, who was placing a high bench and chairs in the bedroom, seemed to notice his gaze and couldn't help but look up at the open bedroom door.
"Sister, chopsticks!" Yan Mingxue's cheerful voice rushed into the bedroom, interrupting Mo Yutong immediately.
"Xue'er is so good!" Mo Yutong took the chopsticks and placed them on the high bench, with the tips of the chopsticks exposed on the bench surface, trying to keep them clean.
"Sister, rice porridge." Yan Mingcheng held a bowl of rice porridge that was eight-tenths full in both hands and handed it to Mo Yutong with a happy look in his eyes.
"Chengcheng is also very good!" Mo Yutong took the rice porridge with a smile and placed it between the bowl and chopsticks.
"Let's eat quickly!" Yan Mingli, who followed the two of them in, held a teacup and a rice bowl in one hand and another rice bowl in the other hand.
"Brother Li, give it to me!" Mo Yutong hurriedly walked over, took the two bowls from his hands, and placed them on the stool.
But when I saw that he was still holding the pair of simple chopsticks made of tree branches from last night, my heart still ached.
"Sister, it's time to eat." Yan Mingcheng brought in the bowl of the thickest rice porridge and placed it in front of Mo Yutong.
"Thank you, Chengcheng." Mo Yutong didn't want to refuse the child's kindness, so she immediately picked up the bowl of rice.
"Is this the half bowl of meat left over from last night?" Yan Mingli stared at the tempting braised dish in the bowl, his heart and eyes full of doubts.
The color is wrong, the knife skills are wrong, and even the quantity is different. Did the little girl change the bowl?
But where did she take the meat from last night?
"Yes!" Mo Yutong felt guilty, but pretended to be calm. As long as she gritted her teeth and refused to admit it, he couldn't do anything to her.
"Hmm!" Yan Mingli was speechless. The little girl needed to practice her ability to lie with her eyes open. His sincerity could be seen through at a glance.
He seemed to not believe in himself, so he had to argue with her even if he was wrong.
"Brother, your knife skills have deteriorated!" Yan Mingxue picked up three pieces of braised pork elbows connected together and protested against Yan Mingli's knife skills.
"Well! Brother, practice some more!" Yan Mingli did not deny it. Instead, he humbly accepted his sister's opinion and helped her pull two pieces of meat into the bowl.
Wuuuuu... Mo Yutong felt that Li Ge had framed her, but she had no evidence and felt very upset!
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