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

Chapter 198 "Publication in the Newspaper"

The courtyards in the city are quite different from those in the countryside. They are square, with three rooms, and the kitchen is a semi-open enclosure.

To the left of the entrance are clusters of red and yellow ornamental chrysanthemums, each plant simple and beautiful, attracting attention.

On the other side is a small well, covered by bluestone slabs, with a large water vat placed on top, and next to it is a washbasin equipped with a faucet.

The path from the gate to the house is paved with broken tiles; it's not very regular, but it's pleasing to the eye.

A bamboo wind chime hangs under the eaves, tinkling in the wind. Directly below is a recliner with embroidered puppy cushions, and next to it is a small square table.

When the Stone Brothers entered the yard, they didn't know where to look.

At this moment, Yu Bao and Heng Bao ran out of the house, scurried over, and pulled the two stones into the house.

"Brother Stone, Little Brother Stone, you're finally here! Come in and see our room, it's just like the ones in the village, our great-uncle decorated it for us." Talkative Hengbao kept chattering.

"My great-uncle is my mom's uncle. He's so kind; he even brought us roast chicken. The roast chicken was so delicious, unlike any chicken we usually eat..."

He wasn't full.

Tuk-tuk-tuk.

There were a few knocks on the door.

Lin Zhao interrupted Hengbao's nagging, "You guys stay home, I'm going to buy some food. Don't go out and wander around, okay?"

“Okay.” Yu Bao obediently replied, interrupting his younger brother’s rambling and asking the Stone Brothers about their uncle.

Knowing that the twins were sensible, Lin Zhao gave them some instructions before leaving home.

He didn't return until half an hour later.

When she returned, she brought a roast chicken and two meat dishes, which she bought from a "small restaurant." The restaurant was run by an old acquaintance of Uncle Song. It was said that the man's ancestors had cooked for the emperor. He ran the restaurant quietly in his own home and only occasionally entertained acquaintances. Lin Zhao had the privilege of tasting many classic dishes because of her uncle's influence.

I just begged Uncle Na to make roast chicken because the twins were craving it.

Upon seeing the roast chicken, Hengbao's eyes widened. He pinched his chubby cheeks and exclaimed, "Roast chicken! It's roast chicken!!!"

Yu Bao swallowed the saliva that kept overflowing from his mouth, and laughed, his eyes shining brightly, his whole face flushed with excitement.

He shook Little Stone's hand, "Little Stone, the roast chicken is delicious. I'll give you my chicken leg later, and I'll eat the chicken wings."

Upon hearing this, Hengbao grunted a few times and said to the big stone, "Brother Stone, here's my chicken leg for you."

Those words, how reluctant they were to part with them, how much they were reluctant to let go.

Waaaaah, he loves chicken drumsticks so much.

Thinking about how Stone Brother and Stone Brother's father was injured and still hospitalized, my reluctance subsided a bit.

"...I also eat chicken wings."

Lin Zhao: “?”

These two boys are eating chicken wings, and what is she eating? She loves this so much! It's made by a descendant of the imperial chef, the taste is absolutely amazing, but she can't eat it all the time...

He patted Hengbao's head, pressing down his soft, fine hair.

"And me?"

The twins' identical little faces showed signs of guilt; oh dear, they'd forgotten about their mother.

Yu Bao's eyes flickered a few times, then he gave a particularly obedient smile, "Mom, you can have the chicken wings, I'll eat the chicken butt."

"I'll eat chicken butts too!" Hengbao shouted. "I can eat anything, even chicken heads. I'm not picky."

"Then you'll eat all the carrots in the dish?" Lin Zhao teased him.

In an instant, Hengbao's face fell.

"Mommy~~"

When a child can't win an argument, they can only draw out their "Mommy" in a drawn-out tone.

Hmph, acting all cutesy again.

Lin Zhao couldn't help but laugh. He put down the food he had bought and invited the Stone Brothers to sit down. "Are you hungry? Let's eat first."

Big Stone smiled at her, but the heaviness in his eyes hadn't dissipated.

Seeing that the boy was still worried about his father, Lin Zhao gently comforted him, "Don't worry, have some faith in the doctors. They said your father is out of danger, so he's basically fine. He just needs to take good care of himself and he'll be alright. Don't be so tense."

She patted Big Stone on the shoulder; the boy was tense all over, every nerve on edge.

Sensible children are thoughtful.

Big Stone and Yu Bao are very similar. The difference is that Yu Bao gradually sheds responsibilities that are not his own and regains his childlike innocence.

Big Stone pursed his lips slightly and said, "Thank you, Third Aunt."

He knew that his uncles and aunts had all lent money to his family, and he knew that it was not a small amount. He was very grateful and would definitely repay his uncles and aunts for their help when he grew up.

"You're welcome," Lin Zhao said casually.

The twins told the Stone Brothers to wash their hands, and after they finished washing their hands, the group started eating.

Yu Bao and Heng Bao tasted the meat and still ate with gusto. The Stone Brothers, who don't usually eat much meat, had their eyes light up when they tasted the meat made by the descendants of the imperial chef. They couldn't think of anything else, like their injured father or the family's debts.

All they know is stuffing meat into their mouths.

Big Stone insisted on not having the chicken leg, so Yu Bao and Heng Bao shared it. The other one was for Little Stone, a dark-skinned little boy with a shy yet bright smile.

"Is it delicious?" Hengbao's mouth was greasy, and she turned her head to look at Xiaoshitou.

Little Stone nodded vigorously, repeatedly saying, "Mmm-hmm-hmm."

"Delicious." He swallowed the meat in his mouth, grinning. "I've never eaten such delicious meat in my life. I'll never forget the meat I ate today."

Lin Zhao: "Pfft—"

Her eyes were full of laughter, and her voice was gentle and amused, "How old are you? How come you've lived this long?"

The little girl's tone was so funny, it made me laugh until my stomach hurt. She rubbed her cheeks and continued, "You'll have so many delicious things to eat in the future. This is just the beginning. When our little stone grows up, he will become a professional table tennis player and win glory for the country. He will be able to eat all kinds of delicious food from all over the world."

I heard that Xiao Shitou is very persevering. He practices according to the method Yun Jian sent him, persisting every day, rain or shine, without needing any adults to urge him. He can endure more hardship than older children, and he is down-to-earth and diligent.

Lin Zhao believes that as long as Xiao Shitou perseveres, he will eventually have a place on the national table tennis team.

A talented and hardworking child will never be let down by fate.

Little Stone tightened his grip on the chopsticks, his face flushed, and his tone was slightly excited, "Can I?"

"Sure," Lin Zhao said encouragingly. "You're talented and hardworking. As long as you keep at it, you'll make it big sooner or later."

"Hmm!" Little Stone's eyes shone even brighter.

He practiced every day because of his love for it, but his little mind would sometimes wander, pondering the meaning of his practice, and the more he thought about it, the more confused he became...

Lin Zhao's words made young Shi Tou even more determined.

For the next two years, when he was ridiculed by the villagers, the boy just kept working hard and ignored their malicious words.

Hang in there, just a little longer, he can do it!

At this moment, Lin Zhao looked at Xiao Shitou's shiny face and smiled. How cute!

……

When Gu's mother returned home, she drank some water to quench her thirst. Gu's father came over and kept looking at her.

The two had been married for decades, and they could tell how their son-in-law was doing just by looking at his expression.

The old woman looked relaxed, so it seemed she was alright.

The old man relaxed his brow and felt relieved.

"Why don't you ask how your son-in-law is?" Mother Gu stared at the old man.

Father Gu chuckled, a hint of smugness on his old face. "No need to ask! If I had to ask, all these decades of marriage would have been for nothing. I could tell from your expression that my son-in-law is fine."

"I'll give you what you can do," Gu's mother retorted rudely.

The old man who was rebuked wasn't angry; instead, he became even more smug.

The old woman was furious and embarrassed.

Ignoring the old man's ulterior motives, Gu's mother sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) massaging her lower back and talking about how the third wife had a house in the city.

"...The Lin family is really wealthy; they're even willing to give their daughter a house in the city."

To be fair, if the house were hers, she wouldn't be willing to give it to her daughter. Old ideas are at play, and she still feels that... the property should go to her son.

Because of this, Gu's mother felt that the Lin family was truly different.

"?"

A row of question marks appeared above Gu's father's head. "What city house?"

"The third son's family has a house in the city. I heard from the third son's wife that it's a courtyard house, which her father gave to her." Gu's mother sighed. The Lin family really doted on their daughter; some people in the city probably couldn't compare.

Mr. Gu looked completely stunned, and it took him a while to find his voice, "You've seen it?"

“No, I was in a hurry to get home. The two stones went, and I heard that Yu Bao and Heng Bao were there too,” Gu’s mother replied. “The Lin family are both capable people. The third son’s wife’s father comes from an extraordinary family. Back then…” Gu’s father stopped mid-sentence, changed the subject, and continued, “Her mother was also quite formidable. Back then, she had a very good reputation, so it’s no wonder that her family was wealthy.”

"Don't tell anyone about this, not even the eldest and second eldest sons and their spouses, it's too eye-catching."

"Just say they're staying at the house of the third son's wife's uncle."

Gu's mother retorted, "Do you need to remind me? I know perfectly well!"

“The third branch is already eye-catching enough. If people find out they own a house in the city, who knows if someone will have bad intentions? Wealth should not be flaunted. The old saying is always true.”

She never intended to say it.

I just wanted to tell the old man so he would know.

That old geezer underestimated her!
Gu's father was wronged.

He just said it casually.

He felt that his wife was like a bomb, and dared not provoke her, so he went to the yard to weave bamboo curtains.

Two days have passed in the blink of an eye.

Early in the morning.

Group Headquarters.

As usual, the brigade leader looked at the newspaper he had brought back from the commune and noticed a statement in the corner severing ties.

First, shake your head.

The world is in such chaos.

Father and son, mother and daughter, brothers and sisters, teacher and student, master and apprentice... any close relationship can be severed.

I hadn't intended to look any further, but my gaze fell upon a familiar name—Gu Feng.

Eh?
Isn't this Old Man Gu?
Looking at the other name, it was clearly Cheng Huai's mother's name.

What's going on?

A few breaths later, the captain looked at the protagonist of the newspaper advertisement...

Gu Xing'er.

(⊙⊙；)？ ？ ？

It's absurd yet not entirely unexpected.

"Ugh."

The brigade leader suddenly sighed, and the brigade accountant looked over, "What's wrong?"

He didn't answer, but handed the newspaper over, gesturing for his old friend to look down.

After the accountant finished reading it: (⊙﹏⊙#丿

After several seconds of silence, he exclaimed in shock: "Gu Xing'er published a notice in the newspaper, severing ties with the Gu family?!?!"

The captain thought to himself, "Looks like I wasn't mistaken."

It really is……

"This is insane!" he scoffed. "What is Xing'er trying to achieve? She's only a few years old, not even an adult yet, and not married. How dare she sever ties with her family!"

The accountant shook his head. "Who knows?"

He looked over and asked, "Do you think Old Gu knows about this?"

The captain felt a pang of sympathy for Old Man Gu for a second, but then, thinking of his successful third son, his filial sons, and his considerate eldest daughter, he withdrew his unnecessary emotions.

"Probably don't know."

I felt I had to tell the Gu family about this, so they wouldn't be caught off guard.

He took the newspaper and left the brigade headquarters.

Without stopping, we arrived at the Gu family's residence.

"Old Gu? Are you there?" the captain called out twice, peering into the Gu family's courtyard.

Gu's father emerged from the corner, "Just go in, what are you peeking around for?"

Captain: “…”

Mr. Gu was busy with his work, but he glanced at him when he had a spare moment. "What is it?"

"It's about your family's affairs," the brigade leader said without keeping her in suspense.

Sensing something was off about his tone, Mr. Gu stopped what he was doing and looked up.

He asked again, "What is it?"

The captain didn't know what to say, so he put down the newspaper and said, "Read it yourself."

He left quickly after saying a few words.

Mr. Gu looked bewildered.

"What's wrong with me..." he muttered to himself, picking up a newspaper to read. He started with the headline, which had nothing to do with his family, then scrolled down, still nothing... After several such readings, he couldn't help but curse the brigade leader in his heart for being so mysterious, until...

He saw the small, almost invisible statement.

#Statement of Firmly Severing Ties with Families that Prefer Sons to Daughters#
"I am the daughter of Gu Feng and Xun Chun. After a personal internal struggle, I have come to a profound realization:"

My parents' patriarchal behavior seriously violated organizational requirements and was an enemy of XX document.

In order to completely reform my personal thinking, I hereby solemnly declare:
From this day forward, I will completely sever all ties with Gu Feng (father) and Xun Chun (mother) and cut off all relations!
In the future, I will firmly adhere to the guidance of correct ideology, demand high standards of myself, strive to become a brick in the construction of the motherland, and live up to my youth and the teachings of the school.

Declarant: Gu Xing'er (Signature/Fingerprint)

Date: XXXX year XX month XX day

I read it word by word.

Gu's father's hands trembled uncontrollably, and his teeth chattered, making a clicking sound.

"Fine! Fine, fine, fine..." He suddenly laughed in anger, his face darker than ever before, as if ink could drip from it.

When Gu's mother came out of the kitchen and poured out the dirty water in the basin, she found that the old man was radiating a low-pressure aura and stood there frozen in place.

"What's wrong with you? Why do you look so pale?" she asked.

"Old woman, where is our household registration certificate?" Mr. Gu asked, snapping out of his daze.

Gu's mother was bewildered, "What do you need the household registration certificate for?"

"Move Gu Xing'er's name out!"

Gu's mother thought to herself, "Has this old man gone mad? Xing'er isn't married yet. What will she do if he moves her household registration out?"

Knowing that the old man wasn't heartless, she didn't impulsively blame him, but instead asked, "Why?"

Gu's father revealed the news that Gu Xing'er had published a notice in the newspaper severing ties with them.

Mother Gu found it unbelievable, and her voice was strained, "...Are you telling the truth?"

She was extremely disappointed in Gu Xing'er, and sometimes she wished she had no daughter at all. But she also comforted herself in her heart... the child is still young, maybe things will be better when she gets married. She never expected... she never expected that Gu Xing'er would sever ties with them.

Do you hate them that much?

Gu's mother felt as if she were being hammered, her heart bleeding.

"It's true, it's written in black and white, it's all clearly written there!" Mr. Gu said with a stern face. "Anyone who sees this newspaper knows that Gu Xing'er has unilaterally severed ties with us."

He closed his eyes briefly to hide the disappointment in them. "Don't worry about her anymore. She won't change, and she can't change. We have so many children, we don't need her. Don't let the other children feel disheartened."

After saying that, Gu's father called out towards Gu Qingzhou's room, "Qingzhou."

Gu Qingzhou walked out of the house, "Father."

“Come with me to the county; I have something to take care of,” said Mr. Gu.

"What's the matter?"

Mr. Gu did not answer, but waved his hand and went back into the house to get the household registration certificate.

"Mother?" Gu Qingzhou called out worriedly when he saw that his mother's expression was not good.

Gu's mother's eyes stung terribly, and she forced a smile, "It's alright, it's alright..."

After saying that, he strode into the kitchen.

As she entered the kitchen, a trail of tears slid down her face, a face marked by the passage of time.

Hearing the commotion outside, she gripped the newspaper tightly and refrained from going out to stop it.

So be it.

So be it……