Chapter 38
"There's no need to pass a bowl of noodles around like that. It's ready, let's eat it quickly." Gu Kai turned his head and looked at Shi Chen and said.
Shi Chen also realized that he had to eat, so he bit his lip and walked over to hug his sister again, saying, "Cancan and I will eat together. Auntie, you guys eat first."
Chen Cong and Gu Kai then ignored him and started eating noodles together again.
Realizing that no one was paying attention to him anymore, Shi Chen picked up the lunch box.
At this end, he was caught off guard and his hand sank, and the lunch box fell straight down, which scared him!
He quickly stretched out his hand to pick up the lunch box, only to find that the box was filled with a whole box of noodles, without even much soup.
It looks like there were at least two packs.
His lips moved and he wanted to say that this was too much, but seeing that none of the three people next to him paid any attention to him and they were all eating their own meals, he pursed his lips again, picked up a piece of food with chopsticks, blew on it, and fed it to his sister's mouth.
When he picked up the noodles, he discovered that there were several pieces of ham and a boiled egg hidden under the noodles.
This time Shi Chen said nothing, but buried his head even lower, trying hard to hold back the tears that were about to overflow.
This meal can be regarded as the most filling meal that Shi Chen and Shi Can have eaten since the natural disaster.
Their family was basically the first group of people to feel the hardship in this disaster.
Because there had been several aftershocks in Qingzhou before, most families had participated in large-scale purchases to a greater or lesser extent, and most had some surplus food at home.
But they used to live near No. 1 Middle School. It was only because of the earthquake that the school stopped allowing tutoring and the family moved back to Fulin after evacuating the students.
Before that, they hadn't been back for half a year.
In this situation, what can we eat at home?
Otherwise, my parents wouldn't have gone out to buy things even though they knew that aftershocks could occur at any time.
Mom and Dad left their lives in the supermarket, but they didn't bring back anything eatable for them.
After experiencing the initial panic, despair, and struggle, Shi Chen began to receive government relief with his sister.
But only a few days after receiving the relief, the government changed the rules, and except for those who were completely unable to work, everyone else had to earn food on their own.
Shi Chen is only sixteen years old, and he still has half a year until his seventeenth birthday. He was not a sports talent in school before, so you can imagine his physical fitness.
He tried his best, but the food he got was not enough for him and his sister.
What's more, Cancan is still so young, he doesn't dare to go far away to work.
Even if he found a job, he would run back to check on his sister after working for a few hours.
Taking all these reasons into consideration, their lives would definitely not be good, as they would live in a state of hunger and fullness every day.
Shi Chen was finally full and drank up all the noodle soup.
He wiped the sweat from the tip of his nose and let out a long sigh of satisfaction.
He put down the lunch box while feeling the feeling of fullness that he had almost forgotten.
Only then did he realize that his sister, who had already been fed, had snuggled into Chencong's arms, drinking the mineral water in her bottle sip by sip.
Just as Shi Chen was about to speak, Gu Jiashu came over and patted him on the shoulder, pointing the kettle in his hand towards him.
Shi Chen quickly handed over the lunch box containing instant noodles.
Jiashu poured half a box of water into his lunch box, poured some into his own box, then sat back at the coffee table, held the box and took a sip.
Seeing that they had all finished eating, Gu Kai finally spoke.
"Are you done eating? Then let's discuss something together."
Hearing that they wanted to discuss something, Shi Chen put the lunch box that was handed to his mouth back down and revealed a very serious expression.
Seeing him like this, Chen Cong smiled: "Don't be nervous, it's not a big deal. It's just... Shi Chen, we heard Cancan say today that you are going to repair a bridge? Which bridge, South City Interchange?"
Hearing her ask this, Shi Chen was embarrassed: "Auntie, don't listen to Cancan, she is just talking nonsense."
Cancan was immediately unhappy. She puffed out her chest and looked at her brother angrily, but she did not refute and gave her brother enough face in front of outsiders.
Watching the interaction between the two little siblings, Chen Cong felt more and more that these two children had good family education, and at the same time, he felt more distressed for them.
"I was just thinking about it and said it casually that day. Who knew she would remember it. It's actually impossible for me to go there. It's too far away."
When Jiashu heard that there was work to be done at the South City Interchange, he became excited.
He moved the stool in front of Shi Chen and asked excitedly, "Are they really going to start repairing over there? Where can I sign up? Have they told me what kind of people they are recruiting?"
Shi Chen saw that he was interested and asked, "Brother Gu, do you want to go? You have to hurry up. Registration is open these two days! They said they want to recruit 300 people, with food but no accommodation, and the work will take about 15 days.
But it doesn’t matter if accommodation is not provided. I know someone whose family is originally from the south city.
He said there was a parking lot not far from the overpass, which wasn’t damaged much during the earthquake, and many people who went there to work slept on the floor, and they didn’t charge any money.”
Hearing him say this, Gu Jiashu became even more interested.
"Well, I'll go check it out tomorrow morning. I've been thinking about this for a long time! Building the South City Interchange is a big project in North City. If I can participate in it, I'll have experience in the future. I'll have something to talk about when I take on other jobs."
“Yes, and they also need a large number of skilled workers, preferably those who can do plumbing or masonry work. They said that the food rations they will be given will be doubled.
I happen to know a master who said he is willing to teach me about plumbing and electricity, and he only wants one steamed bun a day..."
Shi Chen stopped talking here, and a look of embarrassment appeared on his face.
Who is the fool sitting in this room?
Naturally, everyone could hear that the boy really wanted to go, but he had to give up this opportunity because he had a younger sister at home and he was worried about her.
Chen Cong cleared his throat and said, "Shi Chen, do you want to hear Auntie's advice?"
Shi Chen looked at her blushingly and said, "Auntie, go ahead and talk. I'm listening."
"Shi Chen, after seeing you and Can Can, to be honest, your uncle and I have been feeling very uncomfortable these past two days. I can't say that I've watched you grow up, but when I first met you, you were only this tall."
Chen Cong gestured beside him: "Still in junior high school. Cancan was just over one year old at that time. In the impression of your uncle and I, you were still two children. I didn't expect that when we met again, you had become the pillar of the family."
Chen Cong did not mention the Shi couple, but just these two sentences were enough to make the boy lower his head again.
"Shi Chen, we don't see each other often, but we have been neighbors for so many years, so we know each other well. Your uncle and aunt's house is right here, so they will definitely not run away. Besides, your brother Gu will live here in the future, so you can see him every day."
Shi Chen heard that there was something wrong with the tone of the words. He looked up at Chen Cong and asked, "Auntie, what do you want to say?"
"Don't be nervous. I just discussed it with your uncle and felt that since you have met each other and you and Cancan have grown up together, I have to help."
"Don't refuse yet, just listen to me." Seeing that Shi Chen was about to speak, Chen Cong made a gesture to stop him.
"We originally thought of another way, but at that time we didn't know your true thoughts, and we didn't know that you wanted to go to the South City Expressway.
Actually, your idea is right. Once you go there, you will gain some experience, which will open up a wider path for you in the future. And if you can learn some skills, that would be even better.
If you really want to go, we would like to discuss with you, how about we take Cancan away and raise him in the countryside?
I have told you about our family situation these two days. You also know that we have a house in the countryside, and the conditions there are pretty good.
We brought Cancan over there because my sister's two children were there. They are about the same age as Cancan and they can keep each other company. Cancan doesn't have to be locked up in the room every day.
Then you can go to work without worrying about her safety."
Gu Kai also interrupted at this time: "We are not going to separate you and your sister, you can go see Cancan anytime, if you want to go, let Jiashu take you.
I can also write the address to you, or you can go back with us this time to see the situation.
When you finish your work here, you can go and pick up Cancan. "
When Shen Cong said he wanted to take Cancan away, Shi Chen immediately sat up straight, his whole body was in a tense state, and he was about to refuse.
When Shi Chen heard her say that Cancan didn't have to be locked in the room every day, his shoulders slumped again and he showed a hesitant expression.
It can be seen that he is also very worried about leaving his sister alone at home every day.
"You don't have to answer right away. How about listening to our second plan?"
Seeing the child's confusion, Shen Cong didn't want to embarrass him, so he continued.
Shi Chen nodded immediately: "Okay."
"Then come up with us."
Chen Cong and Gu Kai stood up at the same time and took the three of them up to the second floor.
Chen Cong's house is the same as Shi Chen's, except that they face different directions.
So when Shi Chen first came up, he didn't feel anything different.
But after they opened the balcony door, the young man immediately felt something different.
"Uncle, aunt, are you going to build a flower garden?"
He looked at the flower bed on the balcony, and the whole row of large plastic and antiseptic wooden flower pots and flower boxes.
"Yes, I wanted to build a flower garden before. My uncle's house was going to be relocated, and he said he wanted to move in with my brother and sister-in-law.
Since the old man is a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, he wanted to grow some Chinese herbs after moving here. But the earthquake happened before he even moved.
Didn’t you notice that this house has been renovated? My sister-in-law cleaned it up because she thought my uncle would move in. I didn’t expect…”
I didn't expect that I would benefit from it in the end.
Jiashu sighed silently in his heart but was too embarrassed to say it out loud.
"That was our previous idea. Now we are thinking of using this place to grow vegetables and crops," said Chen Cong.
When Chen heard about growing vegetables and grains, his eyes lit up and he immediately asked, "Auntie, do you have vegetable seeds at home?"
"Yes, our home is in the countryside after all." Chen Cong smiled at him.
“This is the second plan I want to tell you. We would like you to help Jiashu grow vegetables.
Of course, you don't have to watch it all day long. You can go out to work when you are free. But in the first few days, you will help Jiashu move soil, find fertilizer, and maintain it with him.
We will also pay you in grain at the market price.
The beginning is the hardest, as you have to find soil, transport it, and carry it upstairs. We will give you five kilograms of rice that week.
If I maintain it normally afterwards, it won't take up too much time. Two pounds a week, is that okay?"
Eleven kilograms of rice a month is really not enough for two children, but this is the amount determined by Chen Cong and Gu Kai after repeated discussions.
Because food is so hard to come by now, even if they have enough, they can't just take it out casually, and certainly not so easily.
And it was said that Shi Chen was going to help Jia Shu grow vegetables, but how big could the balcony be? Even with the rooftop terrace, Jia Shu could do this job alone.
They just couldn't bear to see their two children suffer and wanted to give them some help.
But Shi Chen is such a proud child, and she doesn't want to make him sad or feel like he is being treated like a charity.
For this purpose, the two of them really considered all the details.
Although they did not greet Jiashu in advance, they all believed that given their cousin's character, he would understand what they meant without much explanation.
Can't the amount of rice given be changed at any time?
If the two children really have no food to eat, he will naturally find a way to help them. In this respect, Jiashu is trustworthy.
Just as the couple was still arguing about——
“Isn’t the food given too little? Will the two children not have enough to eat?
That silly boy wouldn't even go out to look for work, would he really just concentrate on moving dirt and digging soil to fill the flowerbed?"
While he was struggling, Shi Chen had already started shaking his head violently.
"No, no, it's too much. Auntie, you are not hiring me to work, you are just hiring me to give us food. This won't do!"
As he spoke, he backed away, and it looked like he was about to pick up his sister and run away.
Chen Cong was almost mad at this kid, and he held him back.
"I just want to help you, what's wrong, no?"
She unceremoniously stretched out her finger and poked Shi Chen's sweaty forehead hard.
"You are a top student in No. 1 Middle School. What did you learn every day in school? You are not that old, why is your brain so old-fashioned?
How old are you? You are not yet an adult! You call me auntie, I am your elder, elders should help the younger, why can't I? Why is it so unacceptable?
Put away your inexplicable insistence. If you don't eat, our Cancan will eat. How old is Cancan? You can endure being hungry, but she is so young, are you willing to let her endure it with you?
Do you know that children will feel stomachache when they are hungry? Are you willing to let your sister have stomachache every day?"
It would have been fine if I didn't mention Cancan, but as soon as I mentioned Cancan, Chenwu burst into tears.
He hugged his sister tightly, but he was so sad that his legs were weak and he couldn't stand. He could only lean his whole body against the wall.
He pressed his face against his sister's small chest, sobbing silently. His whole body was shaking because he was holding it back so hard, and his tears soaked Cancan's clothes.
Cancan was frightened by her brother.
She didn't know how to comfort him, so she could only hold her brother's head and rub it hard, crying and saying, "Cancan, it doesn't hurt. Cancan's stomach doesn't hurt at all. Brother, don't cry, and we won't cry either."
When Chen Cong said those words just now, he actually couldn't swallow them all in one breath.
She was too worried.
As the saying goes: Too rigid will easily break.
Shi Chen stretched himself too tight. If he continued like this, the child would not be able to hold on for long.
Let alone his sister, he couldn't even take care of himself.
After a few days of interaction, she really liked these two children and didn't want Shi Chen to continue like this, so she wanted to wake him up.
But I didn't expect the blow was so great that the child cried like this.
She stood there helplessly for a while, not knowing how to persuade him, so she could only look at her husband for help.
Gu Kai's eyes were also red at this time.
No one would feel good seeing the brother and sister like this.
Jiashu also turned his back and kept wiping his tears.
But after receiving his wife's gaze, Gu Kai stepped forward and patted Shi Chen on the shoulder, saying to him, "Don't cry, you scared Can Can."
Hearing that he had frightened his sister, Shi Chen finally regained his composure.
He glanced at his sister who was also sobbing, reached out to wipe her tears, and then rubbed his face hard on her clothes again.
Then he tried hard to force a smile and said, "Don't cry, brother is fine, don't be afraid."
After persuading his sister, he looked at Shen Cong again and said, “Aunt Shen, don’t be angry. I know you are doing this for our own good.”
This sentence made Shenchong's eyes turn red.
She walked over and gave the two children a big hug without saying anything.
Then he patted Shi Chen on the back and said to him, "Don't cry, it's too dark here, and there are mosquitoes. Let's go downstairs and talk."
So Jiashu took the lead, holding a candle, and everyone followed him back to the living room.
Chen Cong told Shi Chen about his thoughts again.
"Shi Chen, don't blame your aunt for speaking harshly just now.
In fact, the more difficult the situation is, the more we should help each other. In front of nature, human beings are very small, and there are very few things we can do alone.
At this time, we must help each other, unite, and fight against natural disasters together. It is not enough to rely on our own abilities.
You feel that we are helping you now, so just remember our kindness, and when we encounter problems in the future, you can help us in return.
There's really no need to push this good intention away.
What's more, you helped us keep this house, which is a big help to us. No matter how much we thank you and Cancan, uncle and aunt are willing to do so."
After that, she asked Jiashu to bring the food that she had brought up earlier to show Shichen.
"We are helping you within our capabilities, we are not forcing ourselves, and we are not trying to be too proud.
Although food is difficult to get now, it is not impossible to get it if we think of a way, so there is no need to push yourself into a desperate situation because of this.
Don't underestimate our flower garden upstairs. Let's try growing vegetables first, and then grow food when we have experience. If the food is grown, no matter what happens outside, at least we don't have to worry about food.
Besides, growing crops is a technical job. If you really master it, it won’t be difficult to find a job in the future.”
Chen Cong rarely opened up and said a lot of things, which made Shi Chen and even Jia Shu's eyes sparkle.
The author has something to say:
This is today's extra update, it will be updated as normal in the evening.
See you tomorrow, my friends!
Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated nutrient solution during 2022-07-10 01:10:14~2022-07-10 11:19:30~
Thanks to the little angels who irrigated the nutrient solution: 1 bottle of Yanchu and Miss Qianjin;
Thank you very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!
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