Thinking of the two rejected children, she subconsciously quickened her pace and walked to the end of the alley where she saw the children catching cicadas.
The group of children were all black, some were naked, some were wearing vests and shorts, and most were barefoot. Two of them stood out, about six or seven years old, with fair skin and pretty looks.
Jiang Lin didn't say anything, standing not far away and looking at them carefully. Not to mention that they look a bit like her childhood photos, this feeling is magical.
The two children look very similar, but they are quite different. The taller Cheng Dabao purses his lips and looks serious, while the shorter Cheng Xiaobao is innocent and happy.
When Cheng Xiaobao saw her, he immediately smiled even brighter, "Mom!"
Cheng Dabao stared at Jiang Lin with a wary look on his face.
Don't underestimate him because he is small. He is very smart. Due to his poor family background and delicate situation, his grandma taught him a lot about how to behave. He is more sensible than the older children.
He and his mother were not close. In his opinion, she did not treat them as her own children, and she did not love them as much as other mothers. Ever since he knew about it, he only remembered her disdain, so he did not like to get close to her.
He thought his brother was silly, and every time he saw her, he would smile like a silly roe deer. She would be fond of Xiaobao for a while, but when she got annoyed, she would turn her face and scold him, and if she was in a bad mood, she would even hit him.
Xiaobao was only sad for a moment, then he forgot about it and came back again the next time. He is the typical person who only remembers the food but not the beating.
He had clearly just been scolded, but he had forgotten it again!
This morning she said she would take him and Xiaobao back to the city to visit their sick grandparents. He didn't want to go with her at all, but grandma said it was okay and repeatedly assured her that she would be home in a month at most. Only then did he and Xiaobao follow her out.
They took a tractor halfway and ended up in this village instead of the county town. She sent them to watch other people catch cicadas here, while she herself went into a house.
Grandma said that grandpa and grandma were in the provincial capital, definitely not here in the countryside. What was she going to do? He had been watching her since she entered the house. Now that Jiang Lin came out of the alley, he felt something was wrong.
She never looked them in the eye, so why was she staring at him now? Although her eyes were not friendly, they did not show the disgust and impatience as before.
As my grandma said, when something is out of the ordinary, there must be something strange going on.
Cheng Xiaobao had cried a few times because he was slapped in the face for asking to go to Zhao's house, but now he had forgotten all about it and ran over happily when he saw Jiang Lin.
Jiang Lin got goosebumps all over her body because someone called her mother, and she almost turned around and ran away. Now she saw a pink ball running towards her. Her short legs were not very nimble, so she was afraid that the boy would fall, so she reached out to catch him.
When Cheng Xiaobao saw her reaching out her hand, he thought she was going to hit him. He was so scared that he immediately covered his eyes. As a result, he tripped and fell to the ground.
Jiang Lin: “…” These two brothers seem to be quite different.
She quickly helped Cheng Xiaobao up and brushed off the dirt on his body, "Did you get hurt?"
Hearing her soft and concerned voice, Cheng Xiaobao's eyes lit up and he smiled sweetly, "It doesn't hurt at all! I won't cry, and mother won't mind!"
Jiang Lin felt a suffocation in her heart, for both him and herself.
Such a sensible child is actually despised by others. But think about it, I was also naughty when I was a child, but I became sensible after my parents divorced.
Thinking that she was going to be a mother was simply too terrifying, she smiled bitterly: "I don't mind. Let's go, let's go home." She took Cheng Xiaobao's little hand and then went to hold Cheng Dabao's.
Cheng Dabao dodged and looked at her warily, his big dark eyes full of surprise: She is so gentle, it's impossible!
Jiang Lin looked at him, "What's the matter?"
"Aren't you going to visit grandpa and grandma?"
Jiang Lin looked at him. Cheng Xiaobao didn't know anything, but he was a smart little kid. If he was really sold, he might be able to run back home.
She teased him deliberately, "I can only go after I sell you two." Instead of others making rumors later, it was better for her to make a joke first.
Cheng Dabao's face changed and he immediately snatched Cheng Xiaobao back, glaring at her angrily.
Cheng Xiaobao laughed out loud, looking like a silly roe deer. He was probably helping to count the money after being sold.
Jiang Lin smiled and said, "You are too fierce. I don't want you. Xiaobao is too expensive. I can't afford it. So, there is no way. I can only go home first." She spread her hands, looking helpless.
"Haha," Cheng Xiaobao rushed over to hug her legs, tilting his fair little face up and smiling, "Mom, how expensive am I?"
Jiang Lin pinched his nose and said, "It's ten thousand yuan. I can't afford it."
He naturally didn't know how much 10,000 yuan was, but it was very expensive anyway. Cheng Xiaobao pointed at his brother and asked, "Where's Dabao?"
Jiang Lin snorted and glanced at Cheng Dabao, "He's so fierce, no one dares to buy it. If he does, he'll break the pot."
When she said that, Cheng Xiaobao thought she was joking. In the countryside, adults often tease children by saying "send you to someone's family" or "you were sent from someone's family", but the children don't take it seriously.
Seeing Jiang Lin like that, Cheng Dabao actually felt relieved. If she really sold them out, she would never say that.
In fact, Jiang Lin wanted to sneak away, but her household registration was in Shuihuai Village. She had no long-term letter of introduction and no money or food, so she couldn't move forward. She couldn't live without this status, nor could she ignore her two children. She decided to go home first.
Their family lived in Shuihuai Village next to Hongqi Commune, and the buyer was from Dachedianzi, a village under Chengjiao Commune in Shangtang County. It was already past noon, so they hurried to the county and could catch a ride back.
The local economic conditions are much better than before. Many communes have tractors, and there are trucks traveling back and forth in the county. If the members happen to be there, they can catch a ride when they go out to do business.
Seeing that Cheng Xiaobao was shorter than his brother, she picked him up.
This time, not only Cheng Dabao, but also Cheng Xiaobao was stunned.
Mother actually hugged him!
So happy!!!
He became so excited that he took the initiative and put his arms around Jiang Lin's neck, rubbing her neck.
Jiang Lin: “…” It really looks like a little Husky.
Cheng Dabao followed Jiang Lin and observed her carefully. She actually smiled at them and walked with Xiaobao in her arms! The sun was rising from the west! She didn't know how much she disliked them in the past.
Her educated youth friend always said that the two of them were stains. He didn't understand what stain was, but it was not a nice word anyway.
Jiang Lin didn't know that Cheng Dabao was so cunning. She walked in front of him holding Cheng Xiaobao, looking back at Dabao from time to time. Cheng Dabao was taller than Xiaobao and walked very agilely, but he didn't make a sound.
After walking out of the village, Jiang Lin looked up and was suddenly confused.
She looked up at the sun in the sky, her mind was confused, why was the sun hanging in the north? Reason told her that the village was facing south at this time, and the sun must be in the south in broad daylight, but she felt that it was in the north, and she felt indescribably confused and uncomfortable.
Is it a side effect of time travel?
She was notorious for being blind to directions. She was afraid to drive out at night. She once walked into the wrong neighborhood on a rainy night and couldn't find her home! She cried because of her own stupidity.
According to her body's memory, she knew that the county town was to the west, but she subconsciously walked east towards the bright sun.
Cheng Dabao was a little confused when he saw her walking around like an idiot at the intersection. "What are you doing?"
Jiang Lin: "Let's go to the county town and take a bus."
When Cheng Dabao took the bus here in the morning, he heard the driver talk about the county town. He pointed to the other side and said, "Go there!"
Jiang Lin: ...I am not as good as you? Then she walked in the direction Cheng Dabao pointed.
The inn was not far from the county town, so I took a horse-drawn carriage to the city to buy fertilizer, which saved me the trouble of walking.
By the time they arrived at the supply and marketing cooperative, Jiang Lin's dizziness and nausea had mostly subsided. She took her child and said goodbye to the people there, then went to find a bus to the Hongqi Commune. At this time, many villages and communes came to buy fertilizers, and anyone heading in that direction could get a ride.
After asking, she found out that none of the carriages were going in that direction, so she decided to wait. There happened to be a state-owned restaurant next to the supply and marketing cooperative. It was fine until she saw the restaurant, but when she saw it, Jiang Lin's stomach started to growl.
She asked Cheng Xiaobao: "Are you hungry?"
Cheng Xiaobao chewed his fingers and shook his head: "Not hungry." His mother was so nice to him today. As long as his mother was nice to him, he was not hungry at all, even though his stomach was rumbling.
At this time, few villagers were willing to go to restaurants, but Jiang Lin didn't want to starve, so she had to calm herself down!
Cheng Dabao resisted, "No, we can't go to a restaurant!" He heard adults brag in the village that if they had money, they would go to the city to eat out. His family had no money, so why would they go to a restaurant? It would be a waste!
Although Jiang Lin was frugal, she had never suffered so much. After all, modern materials were abundant and hard work paid off. Besides, Mrs. Zhao gave her a few dollars, so she could have a meal and calm down.
The state-owned restaurant was not big. To Jiang Lin, it was a small place. The decoration was… not decorated at all. There were white walls, mud floors, and a few greasy black tables and stools. There was a small blackboard hanging at the entrance of the restaurant, with a few menus written on it. They served noodle soup, steamed buns, and dumplings.
Jiang Lin led the two children in. There was a woman wearing a blue work suit and a greasy white apron. She was sitting against the wall, taking a nap without even opening her eyes. She said impatiently, "It's past dinner time. There's no food."
At that time, anyone who could work in a state-owned unit, whether it was a salesperson in a supply and marketing cooperative or a restaurant, was very popular and considered themselves superior to others.
After receiving the memory, Jiang Lin understood the situation at that time. She put Xiaobao on the stool and asked Dabao to sit down as well. Then she walked towards the woman and said with a smile: "It's summer, we don't mind the food being cold. You can buy two steamed buns. You see, the two children are starving."
No matter when, women will always be more patient and sympathetic towards such pink ball-like dolls.
The woman opened her eyes and saw that she was beautiful, with fair and delicate skin. She was wearing a white Dacron short-sleeved top, blue pants, and brand new cloth shoes. She did not look like a country woman, but rather a city girl.
The woman immediately smiled and said, "I'll make you a bowl of noodle soup."
Jiang Lin: "Then give me... three more buns."
She originally wanted to say two, but then she thought that she would be full after just one meal.
At that time, if you ate in a restaurant, you not only had to give food coupons but also had to pay money. To put it bluntly, the meals were expensive.
Three big buns cost three taels of silver and nine cents in total, a bowl of noodle soup cost two taels of silver and six cents, and they were also given a plate of pickles.
Cheng Xiaobao was always so happy and silly. His mother didn't despise him. She hugged him and bought him delicious food. It was like a dream.
Cheng Dabao was so shocked that he was speechless, but unfortunately he was still young and couldn't figure it out, and there was no one to discuss it with, so he could only keep it to himself.
The vegetable and tofu buns are mixed with lard and taste delicious. The flour is yellow, but it is much better than the bran flour and corn flour eaten in the countryside.
A handful of dried shrimps and some green vegetables are put into the noodle soup, which is fresh and refreshing, and can relieve heat and fill you up.
Jiang Lin had just come here, and this kind of food was not attractive to her, but she was so hungry that she didn't have to be picky. After the two children were full, she finished the big bowl of noodles and the soup.
So delicious!
Seeing that Cheng Dabao was still holding a bun and not eating it, she said, "If you don't want to eat it, give it to me."
Cheng Dabao put it back and said, "Take it back to grandma."
Jiang Lin: “…” I didn’t realize you were such a filial boy.
Suddenly, a young man came in from outside, stretched out his hand to pull Jiang Lin's arm, and said anxiously and dissatisfiedly: "Linlin, why didn't you come to me? What's wrong with these two children?"
The author has something to say: Cheng Xiaobao: I am not a silly roe deer, I always smile at my mother, and she will love me one day. Look, I succeeded.
Cheng Dabao: Silly~~~ Roe deer~
…
Prices and other things are made up based on data and needs, so don't take it too seriously.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
