Lu Xiaosi can walk and jump, and he's restless when he eats. He circles around the table, grabbing rice with his hands and making a mess of rice everywhere.
Two greasy little hands ran over and slapped Granny Guo on the back, leaving a greasy handprint on her brown clothes.
Qin Xiaozhou, leaning on his crutch, was about to grab him when Zhao Fang grabbed him first and slapped him twice on the bottom. "I'll teach you to be disobedient! You're always causing trouble! Is it because your father didn't teach you that you're so disobedient!"
After saying that, tears streamed down her face, startling everyone in the room.
Grandma Guo was at a loss and stood up awkwardly. "Sister, don't cry, and don't scold the child. I'm fine. It's just a coarse cloth garment. It's not worth much money. It's not worth beating the child like this."
Zhao Fang seemed to only then realize her lapse in composure, wiping away her tears, "No, it's nothing."
Granny Guo still looked nervous, covering her face, "I just... I just feel that the child won't listen to me if he doesn't have a father..."
Wang Lan's face was also pale. She sighed. Her son had passed away when her daughter-in-law was only thirty-four, and now she was only thirty-seven or thirty-eight. It was only natural that she would miss her husband. She then called to Granny Guo, "Hurry up and sit down to eat."
Granny Guo was embarrassed. She didn't know whether to sit or leave, but there was still half a bowl of rice and a piece of chicken in her bowl. It would be a waste not to eat them, so she had no choice but to sit down and finish the food in her bowl.
The people at the table finished their meal in silence and then went about their own business.
Qin Jinxiu conscientiously scooped hot water from the stove into a wooden basin for Lu Xiaosi to wash his hands, and only let him go to play after he was clean.
She then took the warmed goat milk to the backyard, where Stone woke up whimpering. She skillfully picked him up and fed him.
Little Stone struggled to drink milk with his big eyes wide open. The little girl loved to laugh; after a few sips, she would look at her second sister and smile, revealing a tiny bit of her milky white lower tooth.
Qin Jinxiu pinched her little face, her mind a jumble of thoughts; she actually missed her mother a little too.
Du Juan abandoned her sister and ran away with her. Actually, she had secretly inquired about it last year when she was in the county town.
Her mother did not leave Fenggu County, but went to the countryside with an old man. She did not know which village it was.
"Sigh." She couldn't help but sigh, "It's been eight months. Maybe Mom already has a new younger brother or sister. She really doesn't want us anymore. From now on, there will only be an older sister."
Actually, when Du Juan first ran away, she was still unwilling to give up. She held onto a sliver of hope that Du Juan would come back for them once she found a stable place. But since she hadn't come for so long, it meant she really didn't want them anymore.
After all, Du Juan didn't abandon her when she became a widow, and even took her with her when she remarried to the Qin family. Why would she abandon her this time?
The younger sister is too young to be taken care of. If it weren't for the older sister, she might be able to survive by becoming a beggar, but the younger sister wouldn't survive.
Qin Xiaozhou stood on one leg outside the door, looking quite comical, but didn't go in. Tonight was strange; it seemed like everyone was missing their loved ones.
She moved at a snail's pace, trying to get to the front yard. As she passed Zhao Fang's house, she heard hushed voices coming from inside.
Wang Lan grabbed Zhao Fang's hand, "What's wrong with you today?"
She knew her daughter-in-law best; she was weak and indecisive. Except for the time when she suddenly learned of her son's death and cried loudly, she would only cry quietly in her room afterward. She would never suddenly cry at a dinner table like today.
Zhao Fang lowered her head and said, "It's nothing, it's just that Xiao Si is being naughty, and I suddenly feel sad."
Wang Lan sighed. Perhaps she was overthinking it. Her daughter-in-law was really just sad that Xiao Si had never met her father. "Try to be more positive. When someone is gone, there is no one left. We who are alive still have to live our lives well."
"Yes, Mother, I know." Yes, those who are alive should always live their lives well, but now she is being pestered by someone.
She was terrified and didn't dare to sleep all night. The next day, she got up with dark circles under her eyes and absentmindedly waited until the afternoon. While everyone in her family was taking a nap, she quietly came out through the back door and ran frantically towards the woods to the north.
Qin Xiaozhou yawned. He had drunk too much soup during the meal and now he urgently needed to urinate, so he had to use his cane to go to the toilet in the backyard.
I had just come out of the restroom when I saw Zhao Fang rushing out, tripping and falling on the threshold without even noticing.
Qin Xiaozhou was about to call out when the person had already disappeared. She could only follow after them to see what had happened.
Seeing Zhao Fang walk past Qingzhugou and climb up the woods to the north, Qin Xiaozhou looked completely bewildered.
Not understanding why Zhao Fang had that expression, and even less why she was going to the woods to the north, she couldn't follow her and could only go back to find Qin Jinxiu.
He whispered, "You do it quietly, come back as soon as you see it, and don't tell anyone."
Qin Jinxiu was quick-witted. She nodded and ran out the back door, nimbly climbing up the woods north of Qingzhugou like a little monkey.
About ten minutes later, Qin Jinxiu returned, her lips pursed, her face pale.
Qin Xiaozhou waited at the back door. "What's wrong? Why do you look like that?"
Her mind raced, and she exclaimed in alarm, "Is my mother-in-law in danger? Quickly go and call Aunt Guo! Let me see who dares to bully our family!"
Qin Jinxiu stopped her, "Don't go."
She pleaded, "Sister, let's go back. Auntie went over there to pick pear blossoms."
Qin Xiaozhou didn't believe this. Why pick pear blossoms now? The buds are just emerging from the branches. It's hard to tell whether they are buds or leaves. Besides, why pick pear blossoms without a sickle and a basket?
Did you bring it back empty-handed?
Qin Xiaozhou became extremely anxious. "What on earth happened?"
Qin Jinxiu bit her lip and remained silent.
This is going to drive her crazy! Qin Xiaozhou hates people who hesitate when they speak. "Jinxiu, things can only be resolved if you speak out. If you keep quiet, things will only get worse and harder to resolve. You have to believe me. Many things that happen here can be resolved. They are not big problems."
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