Chapter 19 Gossip from the Family Compound
As Xu Zhili stepped out of the state-run restaurant, the scorching afternoon sun shone down on her, but it did nothing to dispel the warm, almost unreal feeling of fullness in her heart.
She subconsciously touched her slightly protruding belly, her fingertips still feeling the rich and tender texture of the braised pork, and the savory aftertaste of fish mixed with sauce still lingering on her lips and teeth.
Two bowls of hearty, glistening white rice bring a sense of comfort and contentment that spreads from the stomach to every part of the body.
I haven't felt this at ease in years. Back in the apocalypse, I didn't even have a hot meal. Now, being able to hold a bowl of white rice is a blessing I never dared to dream of.
"call……"
She exhaled a long, satisfied breath, feeling as if even the air she inhaled carried the intoxicating aroma of sunshine and food.
In the forty years of struggling in the apocalypse, being "full" was a luxury that was almost legendary.
Hunger is an instinct etched into our bones; every bite of food is accompanied by struggle, calculation, and even bloodshed.
At this moment, this pure, unburdened sense of fullness and happiness brought by delicious food felt so unfamiliar that it made her soul tremble slightly.
The sunlight seemed to soften, no longer the scorching weapon that baked everything in the post-apocalyptic ruins, but instead enveloping her warmly, giving her a lazy urge to squint and bask in the sun.
An indescribable sense of ease and a subtle joy rose from the depths of my heart, like tiny bubbles.
She subconsciously hummed a melody, a tune she had heard by chance from an old radio before the apocalypse. She couldn't remember the lyrics anymore, but it inexplicably resonated with her current mood:
A great river with wide waves
The fragrance of rice blossoms wafts from both banks of the river.
My family lives on the shore.
I'm used to hearing the boatman's calls
Having grown accustomed to the white sails on ships…
Her voice was soft, sweet like a young girl's, yet it also possessed a timeless, indescribable quality.
The song flowed through the quiet streets and alleys in the afternoon, as if coating the vast and unknown Northeast wilderness in her heart with a hazy and hopeful warm color.
However, beneath this relaxed facade lies a subtle complexity that is not easily detected.
The lyrics "My home is on the shore" were like a tiny thorn, gently poking me.
Her "home"?
The Lin family, which she was about to completely sever ties with?
Or is it the time when my mother was around, a time that has long since faded from my memory?
The song carries both longing and a resolute farewell to everything behind it.
The singing stopped abruptly as they stepped into the gate of the family compound.
On the red brick wall, the ivy that should have been lush and green was now drooping under the scorching sun, its leaves curling slightly at the edges, showing a listless and tired look.
Several tall sycamore trees spread out their dense shade, and under the shade is the most vibrant "information exchange center" in the family compound.
Several elderly women were sitting on small stools, fanning themselves with palm-leaf fans to cool off.
As soon as Xu Zhili appeared, she immediately attracted their attention.
Aunt Wang spoke first, gently fanning herself with a palm-leaf fan, creating a slight breeze, her eyes filled with undisguised concern.
"Oh, Little Pear's back? It's the middle of the day, the sun's blazing. Have you eaten yet? Why are you so late?"
She emphasized "eating" and her gaze lingered on Xu Zhili's face, trying to discern something.
Aunt Li, who was standing nearby, spoke quickly and directly, fanning herself with a palm-leaf fan. Her face showed a mixture of understanding and sympathy as she pointed out the truth.
"Do you even need to ask? Look at her coming back empty-handed, do you think her stepmother would leave her any food? The sun must have risen in the west, Little Pear, are you hungry again?"
She had a loud voice, which attracted the attention of the others.
Xu Zhili immediately smiled sweetly, a smile tinged with helplessness, and walked over with light steps, as if the singing and satisfaction from before had not faded away.
“Aunt Wang, Aunt Li, Aunt Liu, Aunt Zhang, you’re all here! Don’t worry, I’ve already eaten at the state-run restaurant outside. I’m very full. I had braised pork, braised fish, and two big bowls of rice.”
She spoke in a light, slightly boastful tone, cleverly avoiding the topic of "stepmother" and only emphasizing her own well-being.
"A state-run restaurant?!"
Aunt Li raised her voice in surprise, forgetting to even fan herself with her palm-leaf fan, "Oh my! You child, how can you be so willing to spend money!"
His tone conveyed concern about the money spent, but also a hint of relief that "it's good that they didn't go hungry."
Aunt Wang smiled contentedly and gently patted Xu Zhili's arm with her palm-leaf fan.
"It's good that you've eaten, it's good that you've eaten. Take good care of yourself while you're away, don't go hungry. Your stepmother..."
She paused, then shook her head helplessly, the meaning of which was self-evident: "Let her be busy, we don't count on her."
Xu Zhili felt a warmth in her heart.
These neighbors are one of the few sources of warmth outside of the cold Lin family home.
They may love gossip, but their simple concern is genuine.
Her smile became more genuine.
"Thank you for remembering me, aunties and grandmas. I remember all your kindness. I'll treat you to something delicious next time!"
This was half a joke and half the truth.
"Oh my, this child has such a sweet tongue!"
Aunt Zhang responded with a smile.
At this moment, Aunt Liu, who hadn't said much until now, suddenly had a glint in her eyes. She leaned forward slightly, lowered her voice, and spoke with an excited sense of curiosity.
"Little Pear, have you heard? There was quite a commotion at your house yesterday! Did you and your dad, and your stepmother... have you been fighting again? What happened? Tell your auntie."
She stopped fanning herself with the palm-leaf fan, her thoughts written all over her face.
Xu Zhili's smile faded slightly, and her brows furrowed imperceptibly.
She hates gossip that digs into everything and wants to expose other people's dirty secrets.
She lowered her eyelids, her tone becoming perfunctory and distant: "Aunt Liu, it's nothing serious, just a small family squabble, it's all over. Don't worry about it."
She didn't want to give these people something to talk about.
Aunt Liu was clearly dissatisfied with the answer, pursed her lips, and wanted to ask further: "A minor dispute? I don't think so, do I? I heard..."
"Alright, alright!"
Aunt Wang immediately interrupted her, pointing her palm-leaf fan in the direction of Aunt Liu with an air of elder authority.
"Why do you keep forcing the child to talk when she doesn't want to? Xiaoli is sensible and knows what she's doing; we don't need to worry about her!"
She helped Xu Zhili out of the predicament and also shut up Aunt Liu.
Xu Zhili looked at Granny Wang with gratitude.
"Auntie is right! I'd better go home now, or I'll get nagged!"
She winked playfully, waved to the elders, and turned to walk towards her apartment building.
The air froze instantly.
A long-brewing storm has finally arrived.
Her boundless pity and protectiveness for her younger brother had now transformed into the hardest armor and the sharpest weapon.
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