The mother of the era is reborn to support her cannon fodder children!

Chapter 138 "Getting the Money"

Yun Jian found Meng Jingmo and Meng Guangbai in a dilapidated factory.

The two children huddled together under the rotten wooden planks riddled with holes.

His clothes were so dirty they shone, his face was grimy, and he couldn't even hold a pound of flesh on his body; he looked like a little beggar.

It's hard to imagine that these two kids used to have no worries about food and drink and were the most dazzling kids in the lighting factory's staff quarters.

Yun Jian was a soldier before, and had completed various missions and seen all kinds of pitiful people. The Meng brothers' situation was not the worst, and it did not stir any waves in his heart.

He looked at them indifferently.

"Are you Meng Jingmo and Meng Guangbai?"

Xiao Jingmo was surprised to see someone here. She suddenly stood up and blocked her younger brother's path, her expression wary. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

This is the secret base he and Xiaobai found. How did this person end up here?

His face was full of offended displeasure.

Yun Jian disregarded the child's wariness and asked again, "Are you Meng Jingmo and Meng Guangbai?"

Meng Jingmo stared at him with his dark eyes, "So what if it is?"

There are thorns all over the body.

Yun Jian seemed to smile slightly.

"Little hedgehog, come on, I'll treat you to dinner."

Gu Chenghuai didn't say much on the phone. He didn't know what the relationship was between these two guys and his comrade-in-arms, but the fact that his comrade-in-arms asked him to inquire about it meant that the relationship was quite close.

He had to take good care of these two for his comrades.

...

The Yuan family was vicious; they seized everything from the Meng family and wouldn't even give Xiao Jingmo and Xiao Bai a steamed bun. Yuan Jinbao went even further, throwing half a steamed bun on the ground and stomping on it twice before forcing the Meng brothers to pick it up and eat it.

Enraged, Meng Jingmo overturned the dining table with a series of crashes. Before his enemy could react, he grabbed his younger brother and ran out of the house, hiding here.

The two little brothers were very hungry.

Ignoring the nickname 'Little Hedgehog,' Meng Jingmo looked at the strange man in front of her and calmly asked, "Why?"

"Someone asked me to inquire about you two. I think you two are agreeable, so I'll treat you to a meal," Yun Jian said casually.

Meng Jingmo's eyes lit up slightly. "Who?"

Is that Dad?
Thinking of his father, the little boy's bravado crumbled, replaced by a surge of grievances. His throat tightened and he felt like crying.

He held it in, turned his head to the side, and quietly sniffed to hide his vulnerability that was about to be exposed.

“You don’t know him,” Yun Jian said.

Meng Jingmo didn't believe it. "I don't know him... Why is he asking about me?"

"How would I know?" Yun Jian shrugged. "I'm not one to meddle."

"Come on, I'll take you two out to eat."

Ignoring this, Meng Jingmo continued, "Who are these people inquiring about us?"

Although Yun Jian thought this kid talked too much nonsense, a hint of admiration flashed in his eyes.

"soldier."

soldier?

Meng Jingmo lowered his eyes.

He didn't know any soldiers, and neither did his father.

Just then, Meng Guangbai's stomach made a rumbling sound.

The child quickly covered his stomach and pursed his dry lips. "Brother, I'm not hungry, it's just that my stomach is acting up."

Meng Jingmo patted his younger brother's head, his eyes filled with self-reproach. He hadn't taken good care of his brother and had failed his father's expectations.

He looked at Yun Jian and asked, "May I see your identification?"

Yun Jian clicked his tongue and laughed, "Okay."

Show him your ID.

"Can you read?"

Meng Jingmo nodded, "I can read."

Dad said that people need to be literate so they won't suffer losses. When he was a little over four years old, his father held him in his arms and taught him to read.

Thinking about how her father had been forcibly taken away and who knows where he was sent, Meng Jingmo felt a bitter taste in her mouth and her heart ached terribly.

Those people said his father was a communist, and Yuan Jinbao also cursed them as bad seeds, but... he didn't blame his father, he just hoped to see his father again.

After confirming that the documents were correct, the wariness in Meng Jingmo's eyes lessened somewhat.
"Are you relieved now? Come on, I'll take you to eat." Yun Jian sneered, "I have no interest in selling children."

Xiao Jingmo: "..."

He led his younger brother and followed the man, asking, "Aren't you afraid we'll drag you down with us?"

Yun Jian raised an eyebrow and said slowly, "Your parents are divorced, and your mother even published a statement on your behalf severing ties with your father. In essence, there is no problem with your identities."

Meng Jingmo's face darkened, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "That statement doesn't count! I don't recognize it!"

He doesn't want to sever ties with his father!
Meng Guangbai was too young to understand, and looked at his older brother blankly.

Yun Jian chuckled. "You've got guts."

The bones are hard too.

But such children are endearing. He heard that Dr. Meng treated his two sons very well, and it would be disheartening if they didn't respond.

Meng Jingmo remained silent.

Meng Guangbai obediently let his brother pull him along, silent and well-behaved.

It was during working hours, and they didn't encounter many people on the way. Yun Jian took the Meng brothers directly to the state-run restaurant.

When Meng Jingmo saw the sign for the state-run restaurant, he thought of how his father used to bring him and Xiaobai there often, and his eyes welled up with tears.

"Brother, I miss Dad." Meng Guangbai also remembered this place. He grabbed his brother's hand as if it were a lifeline, and large tears rolled down his cheeks.

The little child knew that no one was protecting him now, so he raised his hand to wipe away his tears and took a deep sniff.

"Don't be afraid, little brother. I promised Dad I would protect you. Once I find out where Dad is, I'll take you to find him." For the first time, Meng Jingmo shared his thoughts with his younger brother.

His father and grandfather both left him money, which he carefully kept without telling anyone.

Meng Guangbai's eyes lit up, and his voice, soft and expectant, asked, "Go find Dad?"

“Yes, let’s go find Dad.” Meng Jingmo said seriously with a solemn face, “Dad’s situation is not good. We might suffer if we go to find him. Xiaobai, are you scared?”

"Don't be afraid!" Meng Xiaobai seemed to understand but not quite, not knowing what her brother meant by saying that their father was in a bad situation.

The timid boy raised his voice and said, "Brother, I'm not afraid. I can endure hardship. I miss Dad and want to be with him."

Meng Jingmo said solemnly, "Yes, I will find out about Dad!"

Xiao Bai smiled and said, "Brother is the best."

With something to look forward to, the child became happy.

He thought that when he saw his father, he would definitely tell him how bad his mother and grandmother were, and make his father get revenge for him and his brother.

Yun Jian overheard the entire conversation between the two brothers.

Go find that Meng Jiusi?
It is indeed a solution.

but.

It's no wonder these two little ones can't possibly find out where someone is.

Although Meng Jiusi's surname is Meng, he was picked up by Old Man Meng halfway through life. Those heartless people in the Meng family don't even recognize Old Man Meng anymore, so why would they care about the two children left behind by Meng Jiusi?

Not to mention, they themselves were also in deep trouble and had no time to deal with anything else. Yun Jian didn't say anything for the time being, and took the two children inside. He glanced at the chalk writing on the blackboard and said, "Two servings of fresh meat dumplings, one meatball soup, one Kung Pao chicken, one sauerkraut stew with vermicelli, and five liang of rice."

He often came out for a treat, and they were very familiar with the place. After paying the fare, he gestured for the Meng brothers to find a place to sit.

The two brothers were acquainted, so they sat in their usual spot.

Meng Xiaobai missed her father again and whispered, "Dad said he would bring us to eat dumplings."

Meng Jingmo also recalled—

Dad was carrying his younger brother on his back when he asked him if he wanted to be carried too. He stubbornly refused, so Dad sighed and said, "MoMo's grown up; he's not as close to me anymore." Xiao Bai hugged his father's neck, laughing sweetly, and said, "I'm close to Dad!" Dad was very happy and said, "When I get paid, I'll take you to the state-run restaurant for dumplings, and I'll buy you both a bottle of soda."

Finally, Dad muttered to himself, "After dinner, let's go to the state-run shopping mall. Momo and Xiaobai's birthdays are coming up soon. Let's see what they want, and Dad will give it to them on their birthdays."

But who knows.

They had just arrived home that day when several menacing-looking men burst in and took Dad away.

Without their father, he and his younger brother were like drowning in bitter water. Their mother disliked them, their older cousin bullied them, and they didn't even get an egg for their birthdays.

The more Meng Jingmo thought about it, the more his chest burned with rage, while the more he thought of Yuan Qin, the less turmoil stirred in his heart.

That's not his mother, that's a henchman of the Yuan family.

He patted his younger brother's head and comforted him, "If Dad doesn't come back, we'll go find him. Your brother won't abandon you."

Xiao Bai breathed a sigh of relief, a faint smile curving her lips.

"Brother is so nice."

Yun Jian chuckled, propping his arm up as he looked at Meng Jingmo, "Are you so sure you can find out about your father?"

"Heaven helps those who help themselves; I have plenty of time." He certainly wouldn't give up.

Yun Jian shook his head, shattering the child's beautiful expectations, "You certainly have plenty of time, but..."

He paused, then continued, "Will your uncle give you a chance to catch your breath?"

"You're so small, he could easily crush you."

"Besides, who are you going to talk to? Few people dare to get involved in your father's affairs, and you can't even meet the people who know about it. How are you going to find out anything?"

Yun Jian's words hit the nail on the head, and Meng Jingmo knew it. His face turned pale, his eyes turned dark, his hands clenched into fists, and his body trembled with hatred.

He didn't resent the person in front of him for exposing him; he only hated the Yuan family for pressing him relentlessly, leaving him and his brother no way out.

"Brother?" Xiaobai felt uneasy and grabbed her brother's clothes.

Once Meng Jingmo regained her senses, she didn't have time to panic and comforted her younger brother, "It's alright."

He thought fiercely to himself, "If the Yuan family goes too far, I'll burn their house down and make sure no one survives!"

Yun Jian caught a fleeting shadow in Meng Jingmo's eyes and clicked his tongue.

Not just a hedgehog, but a very special one.

He didn't say anything more, saying he'd discuss what to do with his comrades on the phone the next day.

A short while later, the waiter called out, and Meng Jingmo, being very perceptive, went to fetch the food and dishes.

Seeing how self-aware he was, Yun Jian didn't get up.

Meng Jingmo made three trips back and forth before finally bringing all the food Yun Jian had ordered.

Xiao Bai hadn't had a proper meal in a long time, and he was swallowing hard, his eyes glued to the food.

Yun Jian was a bit mean, but he wouldn't bully a little guy who wasn't even as long as him. He put one of the bowls of dumplings in front of him.

"Eat up. You and your brother share a bowl. If your brother isn't full, he can have some more rice."

Xiao Bai took the chopsticks, smiled shyly, and politely thanked him, "Thank you, Uncle."

Yun Jian: "..."

"Don't call me uncle, call me brother."

Is he old?

He's not even married!
Little Bai looked at him suspiciously, her thin, sallow face full of struggle, and said earnestly, "It's Uncle, not Brother."

After speaking, he stuck his chopsticks into the dumpling, blew on it a few times, leaned forward to take a bite, and his eyes lit up slightly after tasting the meat.

"Brother, you eat." The child held a half-eaten dumpling to his brother's mouth.

They shared a single cornbread, neither of them minding the other's saliva.

Meng Jingmo swallowed it in one gulp, her long eyelashes drooping to hide the tears in her eyes.

I wonder if Dad has dumplings to eat?
After finishing their meal, Yun Jian bought four large meat buns for Meng Jingmo to have for lunch. Then he went to the state-run department store and bought some biscuits and other things that could be stored, and told the child to keep them safe before he prepared to leave.

"...Uncle Yun, thank you."

Meng Jingmo expressed his sincere gratitude. This was the first person to lend a helping hand to him and his younger brother after his father's accident. He was very grateful and would definitely repay him when he grew up.

Yun Jian was taken aback.

He waved his hand dismissively and said, "Don't thank me, thank my comrade-in-arms. My comrade-in-arms is named Gu Chenghuai."

After saying that, he raised his hand to touch his forehead and left unhurriedly.

Meng Jingmo murmured, "Gu... Cheng... Huai..."

He hadn't heard of this name before. Was it someone his father had saved?
Because of Yun Jian's visit, the Meng brothers had a hearty meal.

Yuan Qin, who had just hidden the steamed buns and biscuits, belatedly realized that her son, whom she hadn't seen all morning, had come looking for them.

Upon seeing the two children, she ran over, her expression worried and her eyes filled with exhaustion. "Jingmo, Guangbai, what are you doing here? Come home with your mother."

Meng Jingmo avoided her hand, his gaze cold. "Without Dad, this is no longer my home."

Home is never a cold, impersonal container.

He looked at Yuan Qin and said, "Where's the money? I want my money!"

Yuan Qin ignored Meng Jingmo's first words and gently coaxed, "You two go back with Mom first, I'll give it to you when we get home."

Meng Jingmo wasn't swayed and repeated, "I want money."

His eyes were stubborn.

Yuan Qin knew how stubborn her son was; if she didn't give it to him, he wouldn't say anything else.

She sighed and took out a stack of ten-yuan notes. "Here you go. Come back with me. You didn't eat breakfast. Don't you know you're hungry? Mom will make you some noodles when we get back."

Meng Jingmo took the money, "There's no noodles for us!"

Yuan Qin quickly explained, "Your grandparents aren't here. I made noodles for you. Eat them quickly, and they won't say anything once you've eaten them..."

She felt uneasy saying this and awkwardly replied, "If your grandma scolds you, don't argue with her, just admit your mistake."

Meng Jingmo wanted to laugh, and he actually did laugh, his dark eyes reddening with anger.

"I did nothing wrong, why should I admit it? I'm not that spineless!"

Not wanting to argue with Yuan Qin any further, he grabbed the money and ran away as fast as he could.

Xiao Bai hurriedly followed, afraid that his brother would leave him behind, and ran at a new speed, quickly leaving Yuan Qin behind.

"Jingmo! Guangbai!" Yuan Qin called out, but soon the two children disappeared.

She stopped, panting heavily, her mouth bitter, and kept muttering, "Mom can't help it either. Just bear with it and it will get better, so why not?"

Not long after, Yuan Qin left, looking dejected.

She never worried about money after getting married. She didn't care much about money. She would give her son whatever he asked for, and the money her husband left behind was also theirs. She wouldn't be greedy.

As soon as Yuan Qin left, Meng Jingmo led his younger brother out through the dog hole and the two ran towards the 'wooden house'.

After hiding the money, Meng Jingmo felt much more at ease. "Xiaobai, with this money, I can support you."

Xiao Bai asked nervously and expectantly, "Aren't we going back?"

"I don't want to go back. I don't want my brother to be beaten again." He lowered his head, his eyes filled with fear.