Hua Li put Qian Zhaodi on the kang (a heated brick bed) and took out an apple from the bag for Xiao Xiu.
Xiao Xiu went out to fetch water to wash himself clean and returned to the room to hand the clothes to Qian Zhaodi.
It was the first time Qian Zhaodi had ever eaten an apple, and she cried as she held it and ate it.
Hua Li asked for hot water to make malted milk powder for Qian Zhaodi, and even gave Qian Zhaodi a pretty dress to change into, which made Sun Huizhen wince in pain.
Hua Li used a wooden comb to smooth Qian Zhaodi's messy hair, then took the butterfly hair clip from Luo Yan and pinned it to Qian Zhaodi's head.
The little girl was as pretty as a flower bud, and with just a little dressing up, she was very beautiful. Hua Li praised Qian Zhaodi, "She's really pretty."
Qian Zhaodi carefully picked up the mirror on the windowsill and looked at herself. She was wearing a pink bubble dress, with her hair in pigtails and a pair of purple butterfly hair clips. She looked neat and beautiful like never before.
"Thank you, Auntie..." Qian Zhaodi said, crying.
Hua Li's gaze fell on the ligature marks on Qian Zhaodi's neck, and her nose stung with tears.
"You're welcome. If you have any problems in the future, just tell your parents. Don't keep them to yourself."
Qian Zhaodi nodded.
Hua Litong said to Sun Huizhen, who was standing at the door with a grim expression.
"All the things I give to Qian Zhaodi are exquisite items, so if you want to give them to others or use them for your other children, I won't object, but you have to pay me the original price."
For example, Qian Zhaodi's dress was bought for Yan Yan by her grandmother for 108 yuan. If you want to give it away, you have to give me back 108 yuan.
Sun Huizhen had originally planned to take off Qian Zhaodi's clothes after Hua Li left so that they would be a bit too big for Daya, but now she had given up on that idea.
"What are you saying? What you gave to Zhao Di is Zhao Di's. How could I just give it away to someone else?"
"That would be best."
Hua Li got up to leave, and Qian Zhaodi got off the kang (a heated brick bed) to see him off, but Hua Li pressed her down.
"You stay home and rest well. Come and play with Yan Yan and Xiao Xiu when you're better."
Qian Zhaodi nodded and did not insist further.
Before leaving, Luo Yan gave Qian Zhaodi a painting she had made herself, as well as a set of colored pencils and drawing paper that she had used.
Qian Zhaodi opened the painting Luo Yan had given her. The painting depicted only a radiant golden sun, but the sun itself was Qian Zhaodi's own smiling face. Above the painting was a large line of text: "Be your own sun, and smile every day."
Hua Li left the Qian family's house and returned to her original home.
After unlocking the door with her key, Hua Li went to the backyard to tend to the vegetables she had planted.
After picking the bok choy, hang it on a rope under the shade to dry. It's especially delicious when blanched and dipped in sauce in winter.
Wash the chili peppers and cucumbers, sprinkle with salt and marinate for about an hour. Squeeze out the water, add ginger slices, garlic slices, sugar and soy sauce, and marinate overnight. They are crisp and fragrant, and very appetizing when eaten with porridge.
Stuff persimmons into an IV drip bottle, seal it, and boil it in a pot until it's soft. It won't spoil even after a whole winter. When you want to eat it, use one bottle at a time for cooking.
All the vegetables in the garden had been picked and processed; it was nearly noon.
Hua Li planned to plant another crop of vegetables while the weather was still warm, only to find that all the seeds she had saved were gone.
"It's gone, it's gone. I'll just buy some more when I go to work at the supply and marketing cooperative tomorrow." Hua Li didn't care where the rapeseed went. She took the pickled vegetables she had made and went home with her child for dinner.
When Shen Suyin heard that Hua Lixin had made some pickled vegetables, she didn't care whether they were ready or not. At noon, she asked Aunt Shi to pack a small dish for her to eat.
Luo Yan and Xiao Xiu also wanted to try some, but Shen Suyin wouldn't give them any. Hua Li was both amused and exasperated, so she went to the kitchen and put a few pieces on a plate for the two little ones to eat.
Luo Yan picked up a piece of cucumber and ate it. Although it wasn't very flavorful yet, it was crisp and refreshing.
Shen Suyin stopped eating vegetables, but ate two plates of pickled vegetables, and was then given a long lecture by Aunt Shi.
"Eating too much pickled vegetables is bad for your health. Besides, it's your daughter who made it, so you can only eat a little bit at every meal. How can you eat so much at one meal?"
Shen Suyin snorted, "Only you dare to talk about me like that. Try talking to someone else."
When she was abroad, any maid in her household who dared to say a word was fired on the spot.
Aunt Shi wasn't going to put up with it. "You're sick, and it's the leaders and Hua Li who are worried and anxious. I'm paid by the leaders, so of course I have to say something, whether you like it or not."
Hua Li quickly changed the subject, "Mom, why are your chicks squawking so loudly? Could they have been bitten by rats? Go check on them."
As she spoke, Hua Li pushed Shen Suyin to the backyard.
Shen Suyin cherished the chicks Luo Yan gave her, circling the chicken coop again and again. Finally, she decided that it was not safe to keep them outside, so they had to be kept indoors.
Hua Li, who had caused the trouble, quickly ran away to avoid her father coming back to find his room turned into a chicken coop and coming after her.
Luo Yan and Xiao Xiu followed Hua Li back to their original home. This time, Hua Li didn't bother with the vegetable garden anymore. Instead, she took out a thick quilt that was not used at home and carried it to the Qian family.
Sun Huizhen did not expect Hua Li to launch a surprise attack. Just as she moved Qian Zhaodi back to the storeroom, Hua Li caught her red-handed when he came to deliver bedding.
Hua Li didn't say anything, and turned to walk out.
Sun Huizhen chased after Hua Li, begging for mercy and promising to send Qian Zhaodi back to Qian Daya's room immediately, but Hua Li ignored her and went straight back to the East Courtyard.
In the evening, after Sun Bailing returned, Hua Li told him what had happened, and Sun Bailing immediately questioned Luo Shicheng and Chen Yuanshan.
Luo Shicheng and Chen Yuanshan were reprimanded and went directly to settle accounts with Qian Song.
At dinner time, the entire Qian family was present. Qian Daya was wearing the dress that Hua Li had given to Qian Zhaodi, and the hair clip that Luo Yan had given to Qian Zhaodi was in her hair. Qian Erpang was drinking malted milk powder that Qian Zhaodi had only drunk once.
Luo Shicheng and Chen Yuanshan immediately recognized that it was a gift from Hua Li and asked Qian Song directly.
"What, your deputy battalion commander's salary isn't enough to support your child? Do you need someone else to help you raise him?"
Qian Song's forehead was covered in cold sweat.
Yesterday, Luo Shicheng and Chen Yuanshan came to talk to Qian Zhaodi about her mistreatment and even saved her from hanging herself.
When he returned today, Qian Zhaodi was moved back to the storeroom. Sun Huizhen said that the extra food and clothing for the children were sent by relatives from her maternal family, but judging from Luo Shicheng and Chen Yuanshan's reactions, Qian Song knew that was not the case at all.
But husband and wife are one, and no matter how he said he didn't know, no one would believe him. Qian Song was speechless.
Sun Huizhen does not believe she has done anything wrong.
“This is a family matter. Even if you are Qian Song’s superiors, you can’t interfere in everything.”
Luo Shicheng nodded, "That's right, so I don't care about anything else. My wife said that if any of your family members eat or use the things she gave to Qian Zhaodi, you should pay her back the price. It's a total of 229 yuan. Here you go."
Hua Li had said this when he delivered the gifts. Sun Huizhen thought Hua Li wouldn't really accept them, but Luo Shicheng turned out to be ruthless.
Chen Yuanshan said, "If you don't compensate us, we'll go to the political commissar. If the political commissar can't solve it, we'll go up to the higher-ups and see if you're the ones who are just freeloading and abusing your own daughter, or if we're just meddling."
"Go get the money right away."
Qian Song shouted, and Sun Huizhen trembled. She went inside, took out some money, and handed it to Luo Shicheng.
Luo Shicheng took the money and pointed at Qian Song.
"If you can't even protect your own daughter, do you even deserve to call yourself a soldier? You should apply for demobilization and go home on your own. Don't make me go through all that trouble."
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