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

Chapter 238 "...Visiting Relatives"

"Mommy, I don't know it!!" Hengbao, always impatient, immediately sought help, his little voice full of resentment, "Cat Egg is so annoying, he won't write pinyin!!"

Yu Bao nodded his little head, looking very much in agreement.

Lin Zhao couldn't suppress her laughter.

“Cat Egg doesn’t know that you two don’t recognize those words,” she said.

The two children's faces froze, their expressions becoming even more resentful.

Hengbao, hands on hips, exclaimed, "Mommy! Whose mommy are you anyway?!"

Qianbao looked up and said in a childish voice, "My mommy."

After answering, without waiting for her mother and brother to say anything, she lowered her little head and continued looking at her picture book.

Lin Zhao saw her son's long eyelashes flutter and his chubby cheeks in profile. She couldn't help but gently stroke his face with her fingertips.

"Yes, I am Qianbao's mother."

Hengbao wrapped his arms around her waist and exclaimed, "She's my mom too!"

Yu Bao: "It's still my mom."

Hearing her brothers' words, Yao Bao, who was playing with her dolls, looked over and asked in a soft voice, "Mommy?"

Yu Bao was arguing with his younger brothers. He felt embarrassed at first, but when he heard his younger sister speak up, it seemed like he had a way out.

He said to Yaobao, "You go play your game."

Yao Bao didn't understand, but didn't pay any attention. She just said "oh" and continued to change her little doll's clothes. She was busy but not irritable. She was slow and leisurely, like an old lady doing needlework.

Hengbao handed the letter written by Maodan'er to his mother and said in a spoiled tone, "Mom, can you read it for us?"

"Okay." Lin Zhao took the letter and began to read it.

[Yu Bao, Heng Bao:]
Greetings! This is Cat Egg. I miss you all very much. I wonder if you think of me?
I am doing well in the military family compound, and so are Jingmo and Guangbai.

The military district also has its own plot of land where people can grow vegetables. My grandma wanted to grow some too, but my dad disagreed, worried that she would get too tired. My grandma said she had nothing to do all day, but my dad still managed to cultivate a small vegetable garden in our yard.

We've gradually gotten used to life in the military region; it's much easier than in the village. Everything is so convenient here. Jingmo and I sometimes go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy candy; it's very close, just a short walk away. We'll go together when you come.

You'd never guess who I saw at the military region—it was Lu Baozhen.

You haven't forgotten Lu Baozhen, have you? She's from our village, the one who always bothered you two. You didn't like playing with her because you thought she cried too much.

I have a new problem now, sigh, I don't know how to explain it...

Lu Baozhen always followed me around and loved to come to my house. I've chased her away several times, but she wouldn't listen and would even cry, which made Aunt Wang misunderstand and think I was bullying the little girl. Now I ignore her whenever I see her, as if she doesn't exist.

Uncle Meng told me your birthday is coming up soon, so Jingmo, Guangbai, and I went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy you a gift and sent it to you separately. We hope you like it...
The letter was neither too long nor too short, and it was about everyday things. It was read in no time.

Yu Bao frowned and said angrily, "Lu Baozhen is bothering Mao Dan'er again. She's so annoying."

Hengbao raised her little fist, "She should be beaten up! If we beat her until she cries, she won't dare to follow us anymore!"

"Who should we beat up?" Lin Zhao squinted.

"Can a man raise his fist at a little girl?"

"You've forgotten what I taught you?"

She asked, word by word, her expression serious.

Hengbao could tell that his mother was really angry, so he stood up straight and said, "I haven't forgotten."

“A real man shouldn’t hit a girl, I remember that.” He solemnly repeated what Lin Zhao had said before.

"I just spoke too quickly, Mom, please don't be angry."

Hengbao looked at Lin Zhao nervously, stretched out his right hand, palm up, and said, "Mom, hit me."

Lin Zhao knew that Erzai was a carefree boy who sometimes spoke without thinking, and that he wasn't a malicious little boy. She wouldn't hit the child for this.

"Just remember that. I won't hit you, but if you throw a punch at a little girl, I will. Not only will I hit you, but I'll also have your dad hang you up and beat you." She threatened him.

There are many bad habits in the countryside, and beating one's wife is the worst. She can't control what others do, but it's unacceptable for her children to raise their fists against the weak!
Hengbao quickly pulled his arm back and put his hands in his pockets, as if he might be punished with a ruler at any moment. He hurriedly assured him, "I remember, I really remember."

Lin Zhao ruffled his hair. "It's good that you remember. Remembering means you're a good boy."

Hengbao felt his mother's warm hand and unconsciously nuzzled against her.

Seeing that Lin Zhao was no longer angry, she frowned again and asked, "What if my brother and I encounter something like that again?"

Lin Zhao's expression became complicated.

Gu Erzai is so confident he's gotten too big for his britches.

"Mom! Don't look down on people!" Hengbao felt that her mother's eyes were strange and fell into the trap of self-justification. She said indignantly, "My brother and I are good-looking, our clothes and backpacks are nice, and we have snacks. Lots of girls love to play with us."

Lin Zhao said, "The little girl likes your clothes, backpacks, and candy, not you. What are you so smug about?"

Hengbao was speechless.

His brother said weakly, "But our clothes, schoolbags, and candy are ours."

It belongs to them, so why isn't it theirs?!

Yu Bao's little head popped up with a big question mark.

"Yes." Lin Zhao didn't know what to say.

"If you don't want to attract too much attention, how about you be more discreet when you go out in the future?" she suggested.

In fact, the twins have rosy complexions and bright eyes, indicating that they are not lacking in material things. They also always have candy in their hands, so not only little girls but also little boys like to come up and play with them.

Putting aside personal charisma, the appeal and attraction of sugar are undeniable.

“No way!” Hengbao shook his head like a rattle drum. “I think I heard my grandma say something about respecting this and that first, then that and that, which means clothes are very important.”

...Yes, we should respect the clothes first and then the person, right?
“That was before, who would dare now?” Lin Zhao said.

No matter what you think in your heart, it won't work; at least on the surface, the more patches you have, the more glorious it is.

But the children don't understand; they envy... the children who are doing well.

"They dare to do that?!" Yu Bao was so angry her hair almost stood on end. "The grandpa who came to Mom to sell eggs... was bullied by the previous rude salesperson!"

The thought of his grandfather being bullied made the child's eyes blaze with anger.

Lin Zhao: "..."

Ever since learning about the old man selling eggs, Yu Bao has been a little depressed and has been studying even harder, saying that he wants to be successful, to bring honor to his grandparents, and not let anyone look down on his family...

"That's because she didn't run into her boss, otherwise she would have been in trouble long ago," she explained.

Yu Bao said with a serious face, "I still have to work hard. Dad said that people have to take the initiative. It's not a smart thing to put your hopes on others."

Lin Zhao was both amused and exasperated. "You're only a few years old, why are you thinking so deeply and far ahead? You have your father."

“My dad lives so far away, he can’t help me,” Yu Bao said in his grandfather’s usual tone.

Lin Zhao's smile deepened. "Then do your best."

We shouldn't become stumbling blocks to our children's progress, right?

but.

How did we get to this point?!
Just as she was thinking, Hengbao steered the conversation back on track, "Mom hasn't answered me yet. What if a little girl clings to me and my brother? What will we do?"

Lin Zhao casually said, "Either use their strength against them, or run away. What else can we do?"

The two children exchanged a glance, as if they had reached a tacit understanding, and nodded emphatically to each other.

Lin Zhao: “?”

"What decision have you made?" she asked.

Yu Bao blinked, "Let's run!"

Hengbao nodded.

correct.

Using someone else's strength against them is too much trouble, I'll just run.

"...You two are indeed good friends with Cat Egg, making the same choices." Lin Zhao commented calmly.

The two children suddenly became excited and nodded vigorously.

Lin Zhao: "..."

"Mom, I'm going to write back to Cat Egg!" Hengbao excitedly rushed back into the house.

Yu Bao helped Qian Bao, who had almost been knocked over, and rushed in as well.

Lin Zhao shook her head helplessly, picked up Qianbao, and held the sweet-smelling baby in her arms. "Your brother runs fast. I'll read Dad's letter to Qianbao and let them regret it."

Qianbao looked at his mother, showing his tiny teeth.

Lin Zhao kissed her son's soft little face, "You're such a good boy."

"Read it," the child said softly. "Okay, read it."

Lin Zhao began to read.

What is being recited is what can be recited.

Gu Chenghuai didn't read the letter he wrote to himself.

Qianbao listened attentively, his little face puffed up.

The twins only found out after they finished writing their letters that their father had also sent one. Their mother read it to the younger brother first, and the two boys looked like the sky had fallen.

Lin Zhao couldn't help but chuckle. "Why that expression? The letter is still here. It's not like you just read it once and then it was gone."

Yu Bao said, "We weren't the first to see it."

Lin Zhao retorted, "Can't I be the first to read the letter your father sent back?"

The child shook his head.

"No."

Unable to argue with his mother, Yu Bao sighed, picked up the letter, and sat down with his younger brother on small stools, obediently reading the letter.

The two boys seemed to be sulking; when they saw unfamiliar characters, they didn't ask Lin Zhao for help anymore, but instead looked them up in the dictionary themselves.

Lin Zhao ignored it, took out the little notebook she used to record her life, and started writing and drawing on it.

The drawing depicts two red-haired, five-headed little boys reading a letter.

The child's expression went from sulking to brow relaxing, to a broad smile, and finally to giggling...

Beside them were two even younger children.

“Dad misses us,” Hengbao said. “I miss Dad too.”

Lin Zhao casually said, "When the weather gets warmer, I'll take you two to visit your relatives."

The twins' eyes sparkled.

It suddenly charged forward.

It stopped in front of Lin Zhao.

"Mom?" Yu Bao called out uncertainly.

Hengbao: "What did you just say? You're taking us with you to join the army?!"

His excited tone was almost soaring.

“It’s not accompanying the army, it’s visiting relatives. We’ll visit if we have the chance, otherwise we’ll talk about it later. Don’t get so excited about something that’s uncertain.” Lin Zhao patted the two kids’ heads.

Both kids were so excited to explore the world that they couldn't calm down.

Yu Bao asked, "Mommy, when are we going?"

Lin Zhao: "..."

She said helplessly, "Did you hear what I just said?"

“I heard that,” Yu Bao said. “Mom said that the promise to take us to visit relatives is not guaranteed. We’ll go if we have the chance, and we won’t go if we don’t. I heard that.”

When are we going?

"..." Lin Zhao met his son's bright eyes and saw that they really wanted to go. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "When the weather is warm."

"Spring?" The two boys held hands, leaned against each other, and looked nervous.

"Mm." Lin Zhao nodded.

Hengbao pulled his brother and bounced around, "Brother, after the New Year, Mom is going to take us to visit relatives! Visit relatives! We can see Dad and Cat Egg, and Fourth Uncle, Jingmo and Guangbai, hehehehehehe..."

He was so happy that he couldn't stop smiling for a long time.

Lin Zhao: "..."

Yu Bao and his younger brother jumped a few times, stopped, ran to Lin Zhao, looked at her, and whispered, "Mom, are we all going?"

As she spoke, she glanced at Qianbao and Yaobao out of the corner of her eye.

Lin Zhao pursed her lips and gently shook her head.

The twins are too young to go together, and besides, she can't manage four children.

Yu Bao looked at her younger siblings with sympathy and reluctance, and said, "Can I bring them some good food when I come back?"

"Of course you can." Lin Zhao wouldn't stop her son from being nice to his younger siblings.

Hengbao asked, "Mommy, what delicious food is there over there?"

Lin Zhao had never been there, so of course she wouldn't know.

“I don’t know. You can find out for yourselves when we get there,” she said.

The twins had even greater aspirations.

After regaining her senses, Lin Zhao took Qianbao and Yaobao back to the house.

Instead of going inside, they ran off to collect dog hair.

"Hengbao, you pick them up first, I'll go get the bag." Yubao said this and rushed into the house.

Hengbao shouted, "Okay!"

He placed a cushion at the entrance of the doghouse, stuck most of his small body out, gathered the shed fur of Big Yellow Amber into a ball, and pushed it outwards.

Yu Bao took it and put it into her small bag.

“A lot.”

Hengbao: "Mom said the dogs are shedding their fur, they won't all fall out, and they won't feel cold when it gets cold."

Yu Bao didn't say anything, but worked diligently, cleaning up the fur in the dog bed cushions until they were spotless.

Once he was done, he climbed out and brushed the dog hair off his body.

Put the bag of dog hair back in the closet in the room.

The two children came to their parents' room.

"Mom, I've cleaned up Dahuang and Hupo's fur." ​​Yubao reported to Lin Zhao.

"You're really capable," Lin Zhao praised.

The story of cleaning up dog hair is a long one. The twins felt it was a waste to throw away the fur that Amber, the big yellow dog, shed, as if their own warm clothes were being thrown away, and they were quite dejected.

This is the unique innocence and naivety of children.

Lin Zhao then said that they could keep it and, when they had enough, use the dog hair to make a fur mat.

The two children readily accepted this suggestion.

I collect them every two days.

“There are already a lot of mothers now,” Yu Bao said.

“Not enough,” Lin Zhao said. “Making handicrafts takes time and patience. Let’s wait until it gets warmer.”

It's too cold now, we'll need hot water bottles soon, it's not the time for crafts.

"Okay," the twins obediently replied.

……

School is on holiday after it gets cold.

After a heavy rain, the temperature plummeted.

Pedestrians on the street have changed into cotton-padded coats, and those who are better off are wearing hats and scarves. When the cold wind blows, it makes people want to escape back indoors.

The four children of the Gu family no longer leave the house, preferring to stay inside.

Lin Zhao still has to go to work, and every day before leaving home, she feels incredibly envious of the four babies.

Yu Bao wakes up early every day and makes sure his mother puts on her hat and scarf and brings a hot water bottle before he feels at ease.

"Mom, drive carefully on your way home." He sat up in bed and called out softly in his still-sleepy voice.

"I know," Lin Zhao replied, walking to the bedside and patting the top of her eldest son's head. "Keep an eye on your younger siblings, don't let them go out, only open the door when family members come..." she instructed the steady Yu Bao as usual.

Yu Bao nodded seriously, the tuft of hair on his head sticking up and down.

Lin Zhao touched her son's warm little face.

"It's too early, don't rush to get up. It's cold outside. Wait until the sun comes out before you get up. Breakfast is warming in the pot. Be careful when you stand on the stool to get it. If you need anything, have Big Yellow call me."

Yes, Dahuang can probably do it now, and he can even call for help.

(End of this chapter)