Chapter 10 Mother and Son

When I got to the market, I happened to see someone selling a few carps that had just been caught. There were also a bunch of small crucian carps next to them, which would be great for making soup at home.

The crucian carp was still very fresh and the price was not cheap. Du Ruo ordered a crucian carp for two yuan, weighed it in his hand, and it seemed to weigh about one kilogram.

Fish soup requires scallions, ginger and other seasonings. After walking around, Du Ruo bought all of them. As soon as she came out of the market, she saw a small stall next to her selling children's toys.

I walked over and looked around for a while, and I found that the toys were rather crude, just simple plastic balls, mini trains, mini pistols and the like.

Han Zhe has never had any toys. His only toy is a broken rubber ball thrown by his cousin Han Chong, which is already in a shattered state.

Xiaozhe was held in his arms like a baby every day. When he played with it, he would blow air into it with his mouth. When it was half inflated, he would kick it a few times. When it was flattened, he would hold it up and blow air into it again.

Du Ruo watched in silence. The time spent on kicking was not even as much as the time spent on blowing.

Du Ruo picked up a colorful ball and a small train and asked the boss, "How much is it in total?"

The boss blinked and said, "Five dollars!"

Du Ruo said crisply: "I'll take the two dollars. If it doesn't work, forget it."

The young boss blinked his eyes and said that buying toys is not like other things. If there are children with you, you can raise the price. If it is only adults buying by themselves, they can buy it or not. If they ask for it too much, they will leave.

The young man also said readily: "Okay, when I was buying goods, I bought two pieces for you. Two yuan, take them."

Du Ruo couldn't help laughing. This line was so familiar. She had heard it several times in just a few days since she came back here.

The young man found a plastic bag, put all her toys in it, handed it to her and said, "Next time you come, pick whatever you want and I'll give you a discount."

Du Ruo took the things and left with a smile. In fact, these people were quite interesting. They had only been in business for a few years and were slick, but they had not yet evolved into cunning.

Carrying things, Du Ruo went to the grocery store. When Mrs. Sun saw her carrying so many bags, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes.

The things Du Ruo bought in the past two or three days are almost catching up with what he bought several months ago, which is quite rare.

Sun's wife smiled and greeted, "Sister-in-law is here? Hey, this crucian carp is so fresh and still alive. How much is one pound?"

Du Ruo said, "I didn't ask. These pieces cost a little over two yuan."

Mrs. Sun said: "It is fresh, but not cheap."

Du Ruo said, "Sister-in-law, please give me four packs of instant noodles, a few fruit leathers, a box of luncheon meat, and a few ham sausages."

She has to go to work tomorrow. She hasn't been there for three days. If she doesn't go again, her boss will be dissatisfied.

She had to make arrangements for her son so that these things would be convenient to eat, and bring some to Xiaozhe to eat at Mrs. Chen's house next door.

Du Ruo paid, picked up her things and went home. Behind her, Sister-in-law Sun looked at her from behind and muttered, "This little Du looks a little different from before, I can't tell why."

When Du Ruo entered the house, she bumped into Han's mother. Han's mother looked at Du Ruo carrying a lot of bags and almost fainted because of her.

She remembered what the old man had told her yesterday, telling her not to meddle in the second brother's family affairs from now on.

If Du Ruo finds out something, it will ruin the second brother's plans and their family's future.

The second brother also said on the phone that Qu Xin had been in poor health since childhood and had always been spoiled by his family, so he had a bad temper. If they knew that he had an ex-wife and son at home, they would definitely not forgive him.

At least we have to wait until Qu Xin gives birth to a child, then we won’t have to be afraid anymore and the family will have to be extra careful.

Han's mother gritted her teeth and hurried over. They were leaving anyway, so who cared whether the mother and daughter were dead or alive?

Since Han's mother pretended not to see it, Du Ruo naturally couldn't rush in and make herself bored. She pushed open the door with her things in her hands, put them down, drank a glass of water to calm her breath, rested for a while, and then went to Chen's house to pick up her son.

Mrs. Chen saw that she came early again today and said with a smile, "Isn't your factory busy? Why do you get off work so early every day?"

Du Ruo said, "I haven't been there for a few days. I feel a little uncomfortable. I have to go to work tomorrow. I will pick up Xiaozhe after get off work."

Mrs. Chen nodded and said, Xiao Du came to pick up the children a little early these days and didn't look like he was going to work.

Xiaozhe skipped into the house and saw the bag on the table at a glance. The bag was filled with colorful toys. He shouted with joy and hugged the bag tightly in his arms.

He turned to Du Ruo and asked, "Mom, are you buying this for me?"

Du Ruo glanced at him, stretched out her hand and pinched her son's cheek: "Can I still play by myself? Of course it's for you."

Xiaozhe smiled and threw himself into her arms, kissed her on the cheek and said, "Thank you, Mom."

Du Ruo felt the warm touch on her cheek and felt happy. She thought that her son was still her own.

After cleaning the fish and cooking a large bowl of fish soup, Du Ruo picked out the fish bones for her son and served him half a bowl of rice. She said to Xiaozhe, "Mom, I have to go to work tomorrow. Be good and don't leave Aunt Chen's yard. I will send you to kindergarten in a while. There are many children there and you can play with them."

Xiaozhe slowed down his eating. He glanced at Du Ruo secretly and whispered, "Mom, can I not go to kindergarten?"

Du Ruo asked in surprise: "Why?"

Xiaozhe lowered his head and said, "My cousin told me that kindergarten is very expensive and I can't afford it in my lifetime. I don't want to make my mother too tired, so I don't have to go to kindergarten."

Du Ruo's nose felt a little sour, and she said softly: "Mom can make a lot of money, Xiaozhe doesn't have to worry."

Xiaozhe stared at his mother with eyes wide open. He said, "Won't you be very tired? If you are very tired, you will get sick. Mom, you must not get sick."

Du Ruo put down her chopsticks, held her son in her arms, patted his back gently and said, "Don't be afraid of getting sick. Haven't we bought medicine? You can also go to the hospital to ask the nurse for an injection. If you get sick, it can be cured. Don't be afraid, Xiaozhe."

At the beginning of the year, the daughter-in-law of the Wang family at the entrance of their alley died. Han Chong threatened Xiaozhe, saying that his mother would die of exhaustion sooner or later, and then he would drive him out to the street to beg for food.

Xiaozhe was always scared, especially when he saw Wang Xiaohu, who was about the same age as him, being beaten by his stepmother all day long. He became even more scared.

Xiaozhe put his arms around his mother's neck and snuggled in her arms. His heart gradually calmed down.

After the mother and son finished their meal, they cleaned up the dishes and went to bed. The next morning, Du Ruo got up early. After the meal and after she cleaned up the child, she carried her cloth bag and went to work at the jade factory.