It was a letter from Cen Zhengnian.

Chuxia opened the letter, and there were only seven words in it: Be well, don't worry.

Cen Zhengnian.

That's it?

Chuxia shook the envelope to make sure there was only one letter in it, nothing else.

"An'an, do you want to read your father's letter?"

"No."

Cen Huaian watered his vegetables and lay beside the earthenware basin looking at the soil: Why haven't they grown yet?

When he was hungry before, he hoped that his father would show up and feed him like other people's fathers so that he wouldn't be hungry.

But his father never showed up, so he had no expectations at all, and even hated the father who had been living in the letter.

Since you don't support him, why do you want him?

Chuxia looked into the inner room, the curtain blocked her sight, but Cen Huaian's tone was wrong. What child doesn't miss his father?

But if she were Cen Huaian, she wouldn't miss him either. After all, this father was not around when Cen Huaian was hungry, so he was not qualified as a father.

Chuxia felt that he was good at being an ATM, and his letters were not sincere.

I heard that the Li Guang apricots in the northwest are very sweet and delicious, and the grapes in the northwest are also famous for their sweetness, as well as watermelons.

No, the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to eat it. Watermelons are cool in nature, and she and Cen Huaian are not going to buy them before they get better, otherwise they will easily get diarrhea.

Chuxia took out the pen she bought specifically for studying, and since there was no special letter paper, she used the notebook paper she used to take notes when studying.

"Zhengnian:

Zhan Xinjia. An An and I are relieved to know that you are doing well in the northwest. An An is five years old now and looks very much like you."

She didn't know if he looked like you or not. The Cen Zhengnian in the original owner's memory was very vague. After all, they hadn't seen each other for four years. But it was not wrong to write it this way.

"He is very smart, just like you. I teach him to read every night, and he always learns very quickly, which makes me feel no sense of accomplishment. I will send you a copy of his handwriting.

He can now help me with some housework within his ability. I gave him the vegetables planted on the windowsill at home, and he is doing well."

Although the vegetables have not grown yet, considering Cen Huaian's dedication, it is only a matter of time before they grow. She just said it in advance, and when the letter arrives, the vegetables will definitely grow.

"It's been so many years since you left that An An doesn't even remember you. I can't remember what you look like either. I wanted to show An An your photo, but I can't find any at home. But don't worry, I'll tell him about you. An

An and I are planning to eat more meat to replenish our bodies. We used to be reluctant to eat and wear, but now we think we should keep ourselves healthy so that you can rest assured when you're out.

Today I'm going to make a crucian carp soup. The crucian carp is fresh and tender, so I'll just put in some simple ingredients. Just the scallions, ginger and salt are very delicious. Add some wolfberries to improve eyesight and nourish the body. It's a pity that you are not at home and cannot taste this delicacy.

But I heard that the Northwest is rich in cattle and sheep. You must have no shortage of cattle and sheep to eat. And I saw in a book that the Li Guang apricots and grapes in the Northwest are very sweet. I wonder how sweet they are? An An and I have not tasted the beef, mutton and fruits in the Northwest. I hope we will have the opportunity to eat them in the future.

Finally, I hope everything goes well for you in the Northwest and you can return home soon.

Luo Chuxia."

"An An, I have written a reply to your father. Are you really not going to write a few words for your father to see?"

An An frowned and thought for a long time after hearing this, and finally said, "No."

If she doesn't want to write, then don't write. She can just tear a piece of his writing on the notebook.

The knot between father and son has to be untied by themselves. Cen Zhengnian has not returned for four years. No matter how much he has contributed to the country, he is absolutely irresponsible to his family.

Chuxia put the letter into a blank envelope, sealed it, and asked Cen Huaian to put it in the mailbox downstairs.

After writing the letter, Chuxia took advantage of the good weather to take down the curtains in the inner room, and the sheets and quilt covers in the room had to be washed.

She first put the mattress and quilt on the railing outside to dry.

Then she took a basin and called Cen Huaian to go to the bathroom together.

Cen Huaian didn't like these jobs either, but working could make him full.

Washing sheets and quilt covers is a big job. On Sundays, the bathroom was crowded with family members on the second floor, all washing and rinsing.

This was the only day of rest in the whole week, and everyone basically spent it busy with housework.

Seeing Chuxia and Cen Huaian coming together to wash the sheets, the women who had previously made fun of Cen Huaian changed their words one after another, praising Cen Huaian for being sensible and knowing how to help adults at such a young age.

Chuxia smiled and continued, "Yes, I didn't let him come, but he insisted on coming. It's because my body is not doing well and he feels sorry for me."

Cen Huaian raised his head and looked at Chuxia in confusion.

It was obviously his mother who asked him to come.

But he said nothing, and silently lowered his head, rubbing the sheets in his hands.

These people's conversations soon turned to their own children. One said that the child was too playful at home and ran away to play in a week.

Another said that their own children were the same, and some said that their own daughter was diligent. Anyway, they all praised other people's children and belittled their own children.

Chinese parents are all like this.

In the bathroom, besides Cen Huaian, there were a few little girls washing clothes, but no other children or boys.

After drying the sheets and quilt covers, Chu Xia felt as if she had just worked in the fields for a day.

Her health was really bad. In her previous life, she often went to the mountains with her grandfather to collect herbs, let alone wash clothes, and they spent the whole day there in a relaxed manner.

She sat on the chair to rest again, and took out her high school math book to read.

Cen Huaian wanted to go out and play.

If it were in the past, he would not care about anyone and would go out whenever he wanted.

But now, for some reason, he always felt uneasy without telling Chu Xia.

He ran to the door and then ran back, "Mom, I want to go out."

"Go ahead." Chu Xia waved her hand casually, "Don't leave the family compound."

It's normal for a five-year-old child to be playful. Chu Xia would not deny him any rest time. He would only be forced to work and study. How miserable the child would be.

Chu Xia didn't know that Cen Huaian didn't go downstairs to play, but ran directly to the hole in the family compound wall and imitated the cat's meow twice.

A boy wearing the same ragged clothes as Cen Huaian before came in. He looked about eight or nine years old, with a fierce look in his eyes.

"Eh? Little ragged boy, have you been doing well recently? I was wondering why I didn't see you."

He circled around Cen Huaian, looking at his clean and well-fitting clothes, with envy in his eyes. He

reached out to touch him, but Cen Huaian quickly dodged, looking at him as if he was guarding against thieves.

"I'm going to school."

The boy didn't care, took back his hand and said, "Why would your mother send you to school?"

Cen Huaian shook his head. He was happy and uneasy about the changes in early summer. He was always afraid that he would wake up and go back to the time when he didn't have enough food.

"Tsk! Then will you come with me to pick up rags?"

"Yes."

Without any hesitation, Cen Huaian carefully took off his new clothes, changed into the tattered old clothes in his backpack, and followed the boy out of the cave.

During lunch, Chuxia always smelled an indescribable odor on Cen Huaian's body, not the smell of sweat.

Chuxia poured a bowl of crucian carp soup for Cen Huaian and placed it in front of him, and asked casually: "An An, what did you do when you went out today?"

Cen Huaian carefully drank a sip of the fish soup, and it was so delicious that he wanted to drink the whole bowl of soup immediately.

Hearing Chuxia's words, he lowered his eyes, tapped the bowl with his fingers and said: "Playing marbles."

Chuxia took a look at Cen Huaian's clothes, which were clean. To play marbles, you have to kneel on the ground, so it is impossible for his clothes to be so clean.

But Chuxia didn't ask any more questions. She lowered her head to drink soup to hide the deep thoughts in her eyes.

"Don't go out to play in the afternoon. Come with me to your grandma's house."

Cen Huaian raised his head instantly, and his eyes were full of ferocity, just like the look when Chuxia first saw him, like a wolf cub.

"I'm not going!" His tone was hard.

Chuxia swallowed the fish in the crucian carp soup and said, "Is it going to cost money? I really don't want to go?"

Cen Huaian's little eyebrows wrinkled, with distrust in his eyes: "Is it really going to cost money?"

"Yes. Are you going or not?"

"Yes." Cen Huaian felt that the soup was not very hot anymore, so he drank it in one gulp and went to get more.

Fish soup is really delicious, just as delicious as chicken soup.

If this is a dream, let the dream last longer.

After the afternoon break, Chu Xia took Cen Huaian straight to the family compound of Textile Factory 1.

Chu Xia didn't know the time at this time, but the sun was still shining brightly. People walking on the road felt stuffy and uncomfortable even under the shade of the trees.

Add to that the constant chirping of cicadas, and it was even hotter.

Textile Factory 1 is not far from Factory 3, but it would take more than half an hour to walk there.

So Chu Xia took Cen Huaian on the bus.

If other people in the family compound knew about this, they would definitely scold her for being a spendthrift and taking the bus for such a short distance.

It was also hot in the bus, but it was faster than walking.

The structure of the family compound of Textile Factory 1 is similar to that of Textile Factory 3, but Factory 1 was built earlier, and the family buildings are close to each other, and they are all cramped and dark tube buildings.

In the afternoon, many people were talking and fanning themselves in the shade of the trees under the building.

After all, it was hot inside, and there was still a little wind outside.

Some people recognized Chuxia and greeted her with a smile, and Chuxia nodded in response.

It was even more stuffy inside the tube building. It was hotter here than the family building where she and Anan lived, and the design was even more unreasonable.

But it was normal, as such tube buildings were the most common in this era.

Wang Yulan heard the knock on the door, opened the door and saw Chuxia and Cen Huaian. She was stunned for a moment, then immediately smiled: "Chuxia and An'an are here, come in quickly, your father and I are just talking about you."

Chuxia went in without being polite: "Talking about me not giving you money?"

"How do you talk to your mother!"

Luo Dafu, the father of the original owner, is an extremely patriarchal man. He believes that men should be in charge of the outside world and women should be in charge of the inside world. He doesn't care about anything in the family, including his children.

At this time, he was sitting on the mahogany sofa, holding a newspaper in his hand, not reading it, frowning and looking at Chuxia with a stern look.

Because he had fought in the war, he had a murderous brutality in him, and all the original owners and their brothers and sisters were afraid of him.

Sitting opposite him was her eldest brother, a mama's boy who listened to Wang Yulan completely.

The eldest sister-in-law heard the noise and came out holding her two-year-old nephew, but her younger brother and sister never showed up.

Chu Xia did not answer Luo Dafu's words, and sat on the sofa holding Cen Huaian.

This set of mahogany sofa did not exist when she got married, including the TV and refrigerator in the house, which were all purchased in the past two years.

Moreover, these things were purchased with the original owner's money, but the original owner starved to death, and An An was also severely malnourished due to hunger.

These people are the murderers who killed the original owner!

Chu Xia squeezed her hands, calmed herself down, and looked directly at Wang Yulan: "Mom, you should pay back the money you borrowed from me these years. And brother, you use my money to support your family. Don't you feel comfortable spending this money?"