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

Chapter 144 "Medicinal Herbs"

Upon hearing Erzai's voice, Gu Qingzhou disregarded her third brother, who had brought her back, and hurried into the courtyard.

Upon seeing the four cubs, he froze on the spot.

"...Second son?"

The boy was utterly shocked.

Where did his skinny little monkey go? How come he's turned into a fair-skinned, chubby city boy?!

Hengbao was very close to his uncle and rushed up to hug Gu Qingzhou. Upon hearing his uncle's address, he solemnly corrected him, "Uncle, I'm not called Erzai anymore. My name is Gu Zhiheng now. You can call me Hengbao."

Yu Bao said, "My name is Gu Zhiyu. My uncle can call me Yu Bao. It's the formal name that my grandfather gave us."

He sighed softly, frowning slightly. "My uncle hasn't been back for a long time and has missed many important family events."

Iron Hammer said regretfully, "We ate so much meat, but Uncle didn't get to eat any. It's such a pity."

Gu Qingzhou: "???"

Seeing her uncle staring blankly with worry on his face, Yu Bao stood on tiptoe and waved her little hands in front of him, "Uncle? Uncle? Why aren't you saying anything? Don't you recognize us?!"

Gu Qingzhou pulled down his hand; it was plump and soft, and she subconsciously squeezed it.

"Big..." Remembering that all the kids in the family had changed their names, he readily changed his address, "Yu Bao, you've all gotten so fat, I almost don't recognize you!"

Yu Bao smiled happily, cupped her face, and squeezed her cheeks together. "Yes, we've gotten fat! We've eaten so much meat, we can eat our fill every day, of course we're going to get fat!"

Her bright eyes sized up Gu Qingzhou.

"Uncle hasn't gained weight, is he not eating enough?" he asked worriedly. "Is your uncle reluctant to let you eat meat?"

Gu Qingzhou shook her head, "No, my uncle's family doesn't have meat."

Hengbao interjected, in a boastful tone, "My great-uncle's family has meat. My great-uncle is so good to us. He treats us to ice cream and meat, and he even gives us gifts. He gave my brother and me a cat-shaped radio that can play stories and songs..."

Gu Qingzhou stared in disbelief, "A radio?"

"Yes, it's the radio! I'll go get it!" Hengbao went back inside to get the radio and quickly ran out.

Gu Qingzhou caught a glimpse of the strange-looking thing, her expression inscrutable.

His tone was also full of doubt, "Is this a radio?"

He's educated; don't try to fool him. Radios don't look like that!

Yu Bao turned on the switch, and a clear, resonant voice came through, just in time for the weather forecast.

"...A new week has begun, let's check the weather this week, right now it's..."

Gu Qingzhou was extremely curious, "I've never seen a radio like this before!"

He was somewhat saddened. Was it really because his education level was insufficient?
Third Brother's disdain was absolutely right; junior high school students really are nothing.

Yu Bao explained, "This cat radio is different from the ones sold outside. My great-uncle found the parts and made it for us. He is a very skilled technician; he can do everything."

Hengbao opened her bright eyes wide, "My great-uncle is the most amazing!"

Gu Qingzhou knew what the twins wanted to hear, and a faint smile appeared on his dark, thin face. "Your great-uncle is really generous to you."

The two brothers were very satisfied.

When her youngest son returned, Gu's mother was overjoyed. However, seeing that he had lost weight and his spirits were not as strong as those at home, she felt bad. She hurried into the kitchen and brought out the food that had been saved for her third and fourth sons.

"Third brother, fourth brother, finish eating first, I saved some food for you."

Lin Zhao instructed the twins, "Yu Bao and Heng Bao, make a bowl of hawthorn water for your father and uncle."

"Hey!" The twins quickly got to work, and Gu Lan, worried that her younger brothers wouldn't be able to reach the things, quietly followed.

Gu Chenghuai splashed water to wash his face, his handsome face was wet, and his sleeves were also stained with water.

He was a young, old-fashioned man. The most he would wear in public was a military green vest, and most of the time he would wear a military green shirt. He stood there with his back straight, as upright as a bamboo or a pine tree.

It was so hot that she unbuttoned two buttons on her collar, revealing her Adam's apple.

Lin Zhao got up and went over to roll up the man's sleeves.

A strong arm was exposed, with prominent veins running through it.

Gu Chenghuai stared intently at Lin Zhao's face, a hint of surprise in his voice, "What hawthorn water?"

Lin Zhao looked at him and smiled gently, "Your son picked hawthorns on the mountain and said they were sour, so I made them into hawthorn jam. Hawthorn water is just water used to make hawthorn jam. It's sweet and sour and tastes very good."

"You've worked hard," Gu Chenghuai said.

He has no particular requirements for food or drink, as long as it fills his stomach. Hawthorn jam and the like sound like too much trouble, only his wife would think of that.

Lin Zhao asked Gu Chenghuai about what he had done that morning, "Have you inquired about the situation of my two nephews?"

Gu Chenghuai calmly replied, "I've inquired. I'll call again tomorrow to ask."

"Shall I go with you tomorrow?" Lin Zhao asked him with her eyes, asking if it would be convenient.

"Okay," Gu Chenghuai replied gently.

Mother Gu called out loudly, "Chenghuai, Qingzhou, come and eat! Today we have cured meat."

Gu Qingzhou hadn't eaten meat for a while and was really craving it. She rushed over and saw so much meat in the bowl, her eyes lit up with joy.

“So much meat!”

Mother Gu said, "Your third sister-in-law gave it to you, saying that since you're back, she'll treat you to a good meal."

"Thank you, Third Sister-in-law." Gu Qingzhou was deeply moved.

He quietly asked his eldest and second sons, and heard that his third sister-in-law was treating them very well now, which made him very happy for them.

The boy was surprised that his third sister-in-law would be willing to give him meat.

Lin Zhao laughed and said, "Our family has taken over your house, leaving you with no place to live, so we must treat you, the host, well."

Qingzhou was surprised that his sister-in-law, who never smiled before, would joke around. He paused for a moment and said, "If we're talking about the owner of the house, it originally belonged to you two, Third Brother and Third Sister-in-law. I only had my own house after you moved out, so you can stay as long as you want. Don't be polite with me."

"As long as I have a place to stay, that's fine."

He's not picky about where he lives; he's fine with just a straw mat in the yard, it's cool there.

You mean mosquitoes? Haha, there are mosquitoes everywhere, even indoors.

Mother Gu said, "You can stay in your sister's room."

"Where's Gu Xing'er?" Gu Qingzhou asked, her mouth full of rice, looking surprised.

"...She has a place." Gu's mother spoke vaguely, not wanting to talk about her youngest daughter. Just mentioning it made her angry and annoyed.

"Oh."

Gu Qingzhou didn't ask any more questions. He wasn't familiar with Gu Xing'er, and they didn't get along well. He couldn't be bothered to care about her.

The boy's dark eyes shone as he happily ate his spicy pork rice.

"Mom, the spicy pork rice is so delicious."

Gu's mother looked at her youngest son with heartache.

Hoshino exclaimed, "Uncle, you're late! We had chicken and chicken soup earlier, and oh right, there was also pickled fish, which my mother taught my third aunt to make. It's so good with rice!"

Huang Xiulan: "It makes the rice more palatable; everyone in the family can eat an extra half bowl of rice."

She was so heartbroken that she couldn't sleep.

Gu Qingzhou kept swallowing.

He sighed, "Sigh, I didn't make it either."

Lin Zhao was amused. "What's the big deal? If you want to eat it, I'll make it tomorrow. I'll have your third brother get a different chicken tomorrow morning."

Before anyone else could speak, Hengbao's eyes lit up, and he asked expectantly, "Mommy, are we having chicken tomorrow?"

"Keep pestering your father to go and get the chickens replaced." The chickens at home lay only one egg a day, and my mother-in-law couldn't bear to kill them.

Hengbao pestered Gu Chenghuai, "Dad?"

"Change it." Gu Chenghuai readily agreed, picking up a piece of cured meat and feeding it to him.

Hengbao never has too much meat; he opens his mouth and eats it all with a big smile.

He didn't forget his brother either, saying, "Dad, and brother too, give my brother a bite."

Gu Chenghuai glanced at him coldly, "Your mind is full of your brother. Why don't you think about your father when you have something good?"

Hengbao chuckled and massaged his dad's back. "Dad, let me massage your back."

The little fist landed repeatedly on Gu Chenghuai's back.

The man, who rarely smiled to outsiders, had a smile in his eyes.

The other three children rushed forward as well, and the two younger ones followed suit.

Yao Bao pinched her father's arm and found it hard as a rock, impossible to squeeze. The little girl's beautiful eyes showed a confused expression, and she said in her childish voice, "Stone, it won't move."

Gu Chenghuai spent a few days with his daughter and could understand her childish words. He was saying that his arm was as hard as a rock and the baby couldn't pinch it.

His features were broad and clear, and his hand, which was used to handling guns, gently ruffled Yao Bao's hair. His voice was deep and gentle, "Go play, sweetie."

Yao Bao found it boring and obediently went to play with Sister Fish.

Yu Bao was still thinking about what her mother had said. While massaging Gu Chenghuai's shoulders, she asked, "Dad, Mom said she's going to take us to the provincial capital?"

Gu Chenghuai looked at Lin Zhao, and when he met his wife's smiling eyes, his gaze softened.

“Yes,” he said. “Your mother’s birthday is coming up soon, and I’m taking her out for a stroll. You guys are benefiting from this. Your mother doesn’t want to leave you behind, so she insisted on taking you along.”

Yu Bao paused slightly, staring at his father's excessively handsome profile, and said accusingly, "Dad, you didn't want to take us in the first place?"

Gu Chenghuai raised his eyes, "Otherwise what? It's your mother's birthday, why would I bring you all along? It's too much trouble."

Having four children means spending most of your attention on them, so it's definitely not as comfortable as being with just the two of you.

If Zhaozhao wants to bring it, that's another story.

In family matters, Battalion Commander Gu's principles all revolve around his wife.

Yu Bao's cheeks puffed out.

He's a generous kid and doesn't hold grudges against his awful father.

He argued forcefully, "Hengbao and I are very capable; we can help Mom carry things."

Gu Chenghuai raised an eyebrow. "You two carry the stuff, what else do you need me to do?"

Yu Bao choked, his eyes burning with a little fire, and said reluctantly, "I can help Dad carry it too."

"No need." Gu Chenghuai teased his son on purpose, looking at Yu Bao's little face, which dared not speak out in anger, and felt that his eldest son was very energetic at this moment.

Hengbao withdrew her hand, grabbed her brother's hand, ran to Lin Zhao, massaged her back, and angrily complained, "Mom, you have to do something about Dad! Dad is bullying the other kids, he doesn't want to take care of us!"

Lin Zhao felt the slight pressure on her shoulder and chuckled, "I'm the boss in this family."

The silly boy got led astray!
That's right, Dad's opinion doesn't count, Mom's opinion does!

The two brothers were all smiles.

Hengbao became even more arrogant, hands on his hips, "Dad, Mom, take us!!"

Gu Chenghuai ignored him.

Mosquitoes buzzed past under the tree, and Lin Zhao couldn't stand it anymore. Remembering the insect-repelling herbs her fourth brother had given her, she went back to the house to get some scraps of cloth and began to sew a sachet.

"Mom, what are you doing?" Yu Bao asked, leaning closer.

"Make mosquito-repellent sachets. Once I've finished them, you can carry them with you at all times, and the mosquitoes will stay far away from you!" Lin Zhao had great confidence in the herbs her fourth brother had given her.

It really works.

She put the herbs in the house and finally got a good night's sleep last night.

Yu Bao opened his eyes wide.

Noticing the little one's stunned eyes, Lin Zhao couldn't help but chuckle, "Why are your eyes so wide open? Didn't you see the mosquito repellent sachet before?"

“It’s different,” Yu Bao gestured. “I didn’t know I could make it myself.”

Lin Zhao's smile deepened. "No matter what, everything is made by people."

"Mom is so amazing." Yu Bao's eyes still shone brightly. In the heart of a five-year-old, his mother was the most amazing person.

Lin Zhao was quick and efficient at everything she did. She sewed a mosquito repellent sachet in a few minutes and casually hung it on the recliner.

The twins didn't ask for it; in their view, the first thing their mother had worked so hard to make should be saved for them.

The two boys rested their chins on their hands and watched, not playing, but simply keeping each other company.

"Why don't you go listen to the radio?" Lin Zhao asked.

"I like watching my mom work." Yu Bao is a mother-centric child; his eyes and heart are always with his mother.

Lin Zhao's expression softened. "But I want to listen to the radio."

Upon hearing this, Yu Bao rushed over to get the radio, moved his fingers a few times, and the familiar storytelling voice began to play.

Gu Qingzhou was incredibly curious about the radio, so she held her rice bowl close to listen, her eyes shining brightly.

He was good-looking, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes. He was 1.78 meters tall, with a short waist and long legs, and his body proportions were excellent, making him appear both thin and tall. Because he didn't spend much time in the sun, his skin was also fair, making him very handsome.

I heard he's very popular at school, and some girls even go up to him and ask him to be their son-in-law, with their families helping them find him jobs.

These are all rumors; no one has confirmed them with him.

Gu's mother approached Gu Chenghuai and quietly asked, "Third son, what are the fourth son thinking? Is he still going to high school?"

Gu Chenghuai nodded, "Study until you graduate from high school."

"That's good, that's good." Gu's mother was overjoyed. She and her father both hoped that their youngest son would finish high school. Just look at their third son's wife and you'll see how useful education is.

Thinking about the chaos at school, she became worried again, "I don't know when the school will be back to normal, it's really worrying me to death."

"It'll be soon," Gu Chenghuai said. "It's been going on for months, the higher-ups should be issuing the necessary documents by now."

Mother Gu had always trusted her third son, so she was no longer in such a hurry.

It would be good if classes could resume.
-
That night.

Gu Chenghuai, carrying the villagers on his back, walked unnoticed towards the foot of the mountain, just like last night.

He handed the gifts sent by the Lin family to Meng Jiusi.

"Fourth brother, these are all things that Father and Mother prepared for you."

Meng Jiusi took it, and felt as if the thing in his hand was as heavy as a thousand pounds.

He had never received parental love since he could remember, and this was the first time that a warm current flowed through his heart.

"Zhao Zhao sent a lot more. Please tell my parents that I don't need anything and that they don't need to worry anymore. They should take good care of themselves."

Their status was special, but the brigade would not abandon them. They would also receive food as a reward for their work. He did a quick calculation and found that the food they received was enough for him and his grandfather.

"Okay," Gu Chenghuai replied.

She also conveyed Lin Zhao's message: "Zhao Zhao said that if you have nothing to do, you can dry some medicinal herbs, and she will sell them to the county hospital later."

Meng Jiusi became serious. "Drying medicinal herbs is fine, but won't it affect Zhaozhao?"

He doesn't have much money in his pocket, so it would be great if he could exchange it for cash; at least he wouldn't have to keep asking his family for money.

"No need, the county hospital already accepts medicinal herbs," Gu Chenghuai said.

We are lacking everything now: food, meat, cloth, and of course, medicinal herbs.

"Okay, I'll sunbathe." Meng Jiusi felt hopeful about the future.

Gu Chenghuai then took out a few more medical books, saying, "Zhaozhao found some medical books in the recycling center; I said they'd help you pass the time."

Meng Jiusi is passionate about traditional Chinese medicine and has been studying it diligently. He was overjoyed to receive the medical book and found it very useful after reading it.

He said happily, "Please thank Zhaozhao for me. With these medical books, the days here won't be so long."

Gu Chenghuai looked relaxed.

"There's one more thing. I've already asked my comrades to inquire about Jingmo and Guangbai. We should have news by tomorrow, and I'll come and let you know as soon as I have it."

Meng Jiusi was very worried about his two sons. Hearing his brother-in-law say that he would get the news tomorrow, he was so excited that his fingers trembled.

He rarely felt the urge to speak.

“I was taken away suddenly. The two children must have been terrified. I don’t know if their mother comforted them properly. My father-in-law’s family isn’t easy to deal with either. I hope they’re alright…”

He didn't want his sons to live the same life as before, as that wasn't realistic. He only hoped they would have enough to eat and wear and not be affected by his status.

(End of this chapter)