Old Lady Kong wanted money, but she was afraid Zhou Lihua would stab her with a knife. "That slut has a knife."
"Then there's nothing we can do." Actually, the knife was still at home. However, Battalion Commander Kong didn't plan to tell them. "Mom, I'm leaving. I'm leaving things at home to you. If I don't go soon, the leaders will criticize me."
"Wait a minute." Old Mrs. Kong was unwilling to give up: "Just go quietly and don't let anyone see you. You're a soldier, that bitch won't dare to lay a knife on you."
“I can go quietly, but if Zhou Lihua makes a fuss…” Battalion Commander Kong paused for a moment and then continued, “Mother, do you want me to go back home and farm?”
"I...then...then I don't want it?"
Battalion Commander Kong thought to himself: That's someone else's money anyway. "I can't go. If you want to go, then go. Mother, I'm leaving."
"Um."
Battalion Commander Kong went straight to Zhou Lihua's place after leaving home. Zhou Lihua frowned when she saw him: "What's wrong?"
"Hmm." Battalion Commander Kong was embarrassed to say in front of the fourth and fifth brothers that Old Lady Kong was eyeing the money in Zhou Lihua's hands. "Fourth brother, take your sister out to play for a while. Your father and mother have something to talk about."
The fourth brother agreed and then took the fifth brother out.
After the children left, Battalion Commander Kong told Zhou Lihua everything. Zhou Lihua remained calm. After listening, Zhou Lihua looked at Battalion Commander Kong and said, "I will not give it to her."
"You don't need to give it to her." Battalion Commander Kong took out all the money he had and handed it to Zhou Lihua. "If she comes over asking for it, just take the money from here and give it to her, so she won't cause trouble for you."
“Okay then.” Zhou Lihua looked at the large amount of money: “I didn’t give them this much money that day.”
“I know. You can have the rest. You know I’m often on missions. If the eldest, second eldest, or third eldest need anything, they’ll definitely come to you.”
"Didn't your mother come?"
"My mother has more than one son." Who knows who will benefit from this money if it ends up in her hands? This time, not only Zhou Lihua felt heartbroken, but he did too. He was usually good to his older and younger brothers. But this time, when his mother wanted to come, they not only didn't stop her, but they also didn't tell him. If they had told him, his family wouldn't have fallen apart. "Even though the eldest, second, and third sons are scoundrels, we parents can't just watch them die, can we?"
Zhou Lihua didn't say anything.
Battalion Commander Kong gave the money to Zhou Lihua and went to the army base. Once there, he went straight to the leader's office. Given the commotion at his home, if he didn't explain things to the leader, he'd definitely be called in for a talk.
On the other side, Wang Erni and Ma Xiumei were also talking to Xiaoman and Tang Huihui about the Kong family.
Wang Erni: "Today, Battalion Commander Kong's mother came. She started beating the children as soon as she arrived. Later, I don't know how, Battalion Commander Kong's mother, along with the eldest, second, and third sons of the Kong family, and the young man she brought with her, ran away from Battalion Commander Kong's house."
Ma Xiumei: "Everyone thought Zhou Lihua had kicked them out. But after a while, Zhou Lihua came out with her two daughters. She was carrying quite a few things. Judging from her demeanor, it seemed like she wasn't planning on staying with Battalion Commander Kong. Xiaoman, you're familiar with Zhou Lihua, did she tell you that she didn't want to stay with Battalion Commander Kong anymore?"
Xiaoman: "No."
Wang Erni: "Really? I didn't hear that they were getting a divorce. I heard that today, Battalion Commander Kong not only built a shack for Zhou Lihua, but also gave her a lot of things. I guess Zhou Lihua must have had a fight with her mother-in-law and didn't want to stay at home, so she came out to hide for a few days. Once her mother-in-law leaves, she will move back."
Ma Xiumei: "I don't think so."
Tang Huihui: "Is her mother-in-law very formidable?"
Wang Erni: "Yes. I heard that the faces of both of Battalion Commander Kong's daughters were swollen from being beaten."
Tang Huihui: "Isn't that too cruel? Is she even my real grandmother?"
Ma Xiumei: "Yes. I heard..."
Wang Erni, Ma Xiumei, and Tang Huihui gossiped for a while before leaving.
After they left, Tang Huihui looked at Xiaoman and said, "Zhou Lihua is living in a shack with her children now, and she often goes into the mountains with you. If we don't care, people will think we're heartless. Why don't we let her and the children stay at our house for a few days?"
Xiaoman neither agreed nor disagreed: "Let's take the children to see them first."
"No need to bring the kids, we can go on our own."
"Take it with you."
"All right."
Zhou Lihua and her fourth and fifth brothers were enclosing the yard with tree branches when Xiaoman arrived with Tang Huihui, Naonao, Tengteng, and Xiaohei.
The two little ones had never seen a shack before. They were very curious when they saw Zhou Lihua's shack.
Nao Nao: "Aunt Lihua, we've come to your house to play."
Tengteng: "Aunt Lihua, is your house made of straw?"
Zhou Lihua: "Yes, my house is made of straw?"
Nao Nao: "Grass can bloom."
Tengteng: "Does your house bloom too?"
Originally, the fourth sister felt ashamed of living in a shack, but after Naonao and Tengteng said that, she suddenly found living in a shack quite interesting. "Yes, my house will bloom." The fourth sister decided to plant a circle of morning glories around the shack, so that their house would bloom.
Nao Nao and Tengteng had never seen the fourth child before. So they asked Xiaoman, "Mom, what should we call her?"
Xiaoman: "Sister."
"Oh." Nao Nao looked at the fourth sister and said, "Sister, my name is Nao Nao."
Tengteng: "My name is Tengteng."
Fourth sister: "My name is Lanlan, and this is my younger sister, Yanyan."
Nao Nao and Tengteng: "Hello, Sister Lanlan! Hello, Sister Yanyan!"
Yan Yan asked shyly, "You...you all look exactly alike?"
Nao Nao: "We always look alike. Sister Lanlan, Sister Yanyan, your house is so nice. Can we go in and play for a while?"
Lanlan: "Okay. Come on, let me hold your hand."
"good."
Yan Yan looked at Tengteng and asked, "Can I hold your hand too?"
"good."
The adults only started talking after the four children entered the house hand in hand.
Zhou Lihua: "Nao Nao and Tengteng are so polite."
Tang Huihui: "Xiaoman taught me all of these. I just make clothes and shoes for them."
Xiaoman (Grain Buds): "Of the four basic necessities of life—clothing, food, shelter, and transportation—clothing comes first."
Tang Huihui laughed: "It's not as important as you make it out to be."
Xiaoman smiled and said, "Yes."
Tang Huihui wanted Xiaoman to comfort Zhou Lihua: "You two talk, I'll go in and watch the children."
Xiaoman: "Okay."
After Tang Huihui went inside, Zhou Lihua looked at Xiaoman and said, "Your mother-in-law is so kind."
"Okay. Why don't you bring the children to stay at my house? My mother-in-law also wants you to bring the children to stay at my house."
Zhou Lihua's eyes immediately reddened: "Your mother-in-law is so kind."
"Pack your things and come back with me."
"No. You've already helped me a lot." Zhou Lihua sniffed. "I can rely on someone for a while, but not forever."
"Really not going?"
"Um."
Xiaoman smiled: "Okay." Someone who wants to be independent deserves help: "Come with me into the mountains tomorrow."
"tomorrow?"
"Um."
"good."
The next day, Zhou Lihua entrusted her belongings and child to Tang Huihui and went into the mountains with Xiaoman.
In the past, Xiaoman would take Zhou Lihua into the mountains and return in three or four days. This time, ten days have passed, and Xiaoman and Zhou Lihua have not returned yet.
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