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

Chapter 257 "Being Needed is Also a Kind of Happiness"

Lin Zhao was unaware of what was happening in the county.

She prepared the meal at a leisurely pace and then went to the door to call her son to eat.

As soon as I stepped outside, I saw Hengbao carrying a soccer ball, walking over with Yubao and other children, their arms around each other's shoulders.

Tie Niu even took off his coat.

Upon seeing this, Lin Zhao said, "Tie Niu, put on your coat, be careful not to catch a cold."

Strangely enough, all the children in the village, young and old, were rebellious by nature and extremely impatient with adults' lectures. Those with bad tempers would argue back, while those with good tempers would turn around and run away, never willing to listen. But they were happy to listen to what Lin Zhao said.

Tie Niu was stunned for a moment, then obediently put on his coat and looked up at Lin Zhao.

"?" Lin Zhao hesitated for a moment, then said, "...Great."

The little boy was very satisfied and gave his friends a smug smile.

"Yu Bao, Heng Bao, come home for dinner. Look at you two, all sweaty." Lin Zhao wiped the sweat from her two sons' heads, her face full of disdain.

The twins didn't seem to mind their mother's disapproval at all, and even grinned.

Hengbao said nonchalantly, "I'll just wash it off when I get home. A real man is afraid of sweating, or he'll bleed."

Lin Zhao pinched his mouth, "You just start talking non-stop. Neither your father nor I are like that. I don't know who you take after."

Even with his mouth pinched, Hengbao wasn't angry; the optimistic little boy's eyes crinkled with laughter.

Who else could it be? Its parents.

Waving to his friends, Hengbao clutched his rumbling stomach and headed home.

"Twins, let's keep playing later!" Yuanbao shouted.

"Okay," Yu Bao replied, turning around before going back into the house.

When I got home, I planned to feed Dahuang and Hupo, but the two dogs were already eating.

He didn't say anything, but called his younger brother to wash his hands and face.

Hengbao smelled the aroma and couldn't wait any longer. He wanted to rush into the kitchen and beg his mother to feed him a small piece of crispy pork. He had just lifted his foot when his brother called him back.

He smiled sheepishly and obediently followed Yu Bao.

Lin Zhao noticed the two boys' movements, and a smile flashed in his eyes.

……

While the Gu family was enjoying their meal, a young man from the supply and marketing cooperative panicked.

"Ding Shun, everyone's off work, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and go home, your home isn't far." The purchasing agent, Huang, saw Ding Shun standing there and waved his hand in front of his face a few times.

Ding Shun snapped out of his reverie and smiled sheepishly, "Oh, I was just thinking about something, I'll be leaving soon."

"...Thank you." He fidgeted with his fingers and thanked him awkwardly.

Purchasing agent Huang waved his hand, "It's alright, go ahead and leave. The weather changes quickly, be careful on the road. I've checked the windows, they're all closed. Lock the door before you leave, I'm off now."

Just as I lifted my foot, I remembered that Accountant Ding was on holiday and wouldn't be back until after the New Year.

He smiled and said, "Happy New Year to you and your family!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he left with light steps.

Ding Shun stared blankly at his departing figure until it became a dot.

As if just coming to his senses, he murmured, "...Happy New Year."

In previous years, no one had wished Ding Shun a Happy New Year.

Life in the countryside is tough; even filling your stomach is difficult, and happiness seems a distant concept for everyone.

All they knew was to work, searching for anything edible; gathering wheat and peanuts; collecting firewood, which could be used for cooking and keeping warm...

But this year is different.

He got a job at the supply and marketing cooperative, a secure job, and became the hope of his family. His father's hard work in supporting him finally paid off.

Ding Shun's eyes suddenly stung as he thought about the hardships he had endured.

As I bowed my head to wipe away my tears, I caught a glimpse of the things my father had asked me to bring, and a pang of bitterness instantly welled up in my heart.

Uh.

He failed to complete the task his father had asked him to do.

However, he didn't know that Comrade Lin had started his vacation yesterday.

The items on the ground: a cured chicken, twenty eggs, and some dried wood ear mushrooms.

These were all New Year's gifts that his father had asked him to deliver to Comrade Lin.

His father always said, "Comrade Lin was a good comrade. She treated us old farmers like human beings. She didn't look down on us. The first peach shortbread you ever ate was given to you by Comrade Lin..."

Ding Shun could already imagine what his father would say to him when he got home.

With no other option, Ding Shun could only take the basket of things he had brought, along with the New Year's gifts from the supply and marketing cooperative, and return home with a considerable haul.

Ding Shun returned a little late today. Seeing that the weather wasn't looking good, Old Man Ding sent his eldest son to fetch his younger brother.

Ding Laoda brought rain gear to pick up his brother.

After walking for a short while, they saw that Ding Shun's hands were full of food, so they hurried over to greet him.

"Shunzi, why are you so late today?" Brother Ding said, taking the things from his younger brother's hands.

"Oh my, it's so heavy! What is all this stuff? It's even heavier than when you went there this morning."

Ding Shun's arms were already sore from walking all the way, so he didn't stand on ceremony with his elder brother and handed over the things.

Wipe the sweat from your forehead.

"It's a New Year's gift from the supply and marketing cooperative," he said.

"So many!!" Brother Ding was both delighted and surprised.

"Ah."

Ding Shun responded with a deep voice, "I didn't give Comrade Lin the New Year's gift that Father asked me to give him."

"Huh?" Brother Ding paused slightly, looking at him. "Why? Does Comrade Lin dislike it?"

As soon as he said it, he felt it didn't make sense. The cured chicken that his father asked his mother to make, as well as the eggs and wood ear mushrooms they had saved up, were all good things. Even if they weren't rare, they weren't anything that couldn't be served in a proper table, were they?

"No," Ding Shun explained as he walked into the village with his head down, "Comrade Lin is on holiday."

"Huh?" Brother Ding exclaimed again.

"This... is really unfortunate," he said. "There's nothing we can do about it. Let's go back and ask Father what he has to say."

Old Man Ding, of course, had nothing to say.

The boy took the items, but they didn't find the rightful owner; it wasn't his fault.

He took a puff of his pipe, which his youngest son had bought for him with his salary. "Never mind, we'll talk about it after the New Year."

"I told you to send it over as soon as possible, but you insisted on dawdling. Now look what happened, you've missed your chance," Old Mrs. Ding muttered.

Old Man Ding: "..."

It's not that he's dawdling; the cured chicken wasn't prepared properly, so how could he deliver it?

He looked at the girl; she didn't seem like someone who could cook.

Can't you fix it for me?

Old Man Ding ignored his wife and looked at Ding Shun, asking, "What good stuff did the supply and marketing cooperative distribute?"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the Ding family became excited, their eyes shining.

"I bought oil, meat, towels, soap, several kilograms of high-gluten flour, and some cheap, defective goods," Ding Shun explained.

He looked at Brother Ding and said, "Brother, you and your wife need a thermos, right? I bought one, here you go."

The defective thermos was not in short supply; the purchasing agent, Huang, gave it to him.

Brother Ding was stunned. He subconsciously looked at his parents, and seeing that they had no objections, he happily said, "Okay, thank you, brother."

He took the thermos from his younger brother, looked at it from left to right, and was as happy as a child.

"That's great, at least we can have hot water when it's cold."

The elder brother's smile was bright and genuine, and Ding Shun felt satisfied.

He studied hard, worked hard to pass the junior high school entrance exam, and always came in first place, all for this moment.

Being needed is also a kind of happiness.

Sister-in-law Ding touched the thermos a few times with amusement, her dark face full of smiles.

"Thank you for your trouble, little brother." She couldn't find any nice words to say, and thought about making the sausages she had hidden later.

The elderly couple, Mr. and Mrs. Ding, looked at their children and grandchildren, and the wrinkles at the corners of their eyes eased a little.

"Life is getting better and better," Old Ding remarked.

That's why he was very grateful to Lin Zhao.

That girl gave the Ding family a glimmer of hope.

Next, Ding Shun told the whole family the news that Lin Zhao had been featured in the newspaper. Old Man Ding was so happy his teeth practically stood out. "Great, really great! That girl is truly wonderful!"

After praising him, he also urged his son to study hard.

"Shunzi, you should learn from Comrade Lin."

"Your father doesn't expect your articles to be published in the provincial newspaper; even a small newspaper would be an honor."

Ding Shun pursed his lips, feeling a slight heaviness in his shoulders.

It's also difficult to get published in small newspapers.

At least, the articles written by the comrades in the publicity departments of those big companies can't get published.

The propaganda department colleague who was mentioned: Are you being polite?
“…I will try my best,” Ding Shun said, feeling immense pressure.

Grandma Ding carefully hid the New Year's gifts her son had brought back and patted him on the shoulder.

"My son is a worker, he can do anything." She was very proud.

Chong Dingshun said, "Shunzi, if you work hard, one day you'll be in the newspaper too, and Mom will stew a chicken for you, and you'll get both chicken legs."

Food-themed attacks, is that even acceptable?
Ding Shun swallowed twice, and thinking of the conditions his mother had mentioned, he suddenly came to his senses, his heart as calm as still water.

The chances of him getting a chicken leg by appearing in the newspaper are smaller than the chances of him ousting Director Jiang and becoming the head of the supply and marketing cooperative.

“…I will try my best,” the young man said helplessly.

They dressed up to entertain their parents!

……

The impact of that article went far beyond these points.

Meng Jiusi and others, who were far away in the military region, also saw it.

"Dad, is it Auntie?" Meng Jingmo asked proudly, his eyes bright.

"It should be." For some reason, Meng Jiusi felt that the signature under the article title was his younger sister.

Meng Jingmo stared at the two characters "Lin Zhao" and said with pride and admiration, "Auntie is really amazing."

After saying that, he turned to Xiaobai and rubbed his younger brother's face.

"Auntie is amazing, isn't she, Xiaobai?"

After arriving at the military region, life became comfortable. No one bullied their family, and no one looked at them with strange eyes. Meng Jingmo's personality gradually returned to its former cheerfulness, and now he even teases his younger brother.

Xiao Bai nodded several times, "Yes, yes, Auntie is amazing."

He spoke with great seriousness.

"Hello, Auntie." Xiaobai smiled sweetly. "Auntie will make cotton-padded clothes and shoes for Xiaobai."

Hearing this, Meng Jiusi felt a warmth spread through her heart.

Over the past few months, he has maintained constant contact with his sister and family members in the Dongfeng Brigade.

A letter every two weeks helped rebuild family ties that had been broken for many years.

He sent back many packages, and his parents and sister also gave him gifts in return.

"Your aunt is good to you, so you should be good to her when you grow up," Meng Jiusi taught her son.

“Of course,” Jingmo said matter-of-factly.

He will always remember that it was his aunt and uncle who brought them to his father's side, sparing him and his brother from the hardships they might have faced.

Their aunt is their guardian angel.

Xiao Bai nodded earnestly.

A familiar young voice rang out from outside.

"Jingmo! Meng Jingmo!!"

Meng Jingmo walked out, saying, "I'm here."

Cat Egg pushed open the door and entered the yard. Seeing that Meng Jiusi had called for help, she said to Meng Jingmo, "Have you read the newspaper?"

"Yes, I saw it. Did you see my aunt's name?" Meng Jingmo asked.

Cat Egg didn't know that was Aunt Lin's name until his grandma and dad told him. That's when he found out that Aunt Lin was in the newspaper.

"Yes, I saw it."

Meng Jingmo put his hands behind his back and raised his chin high, "Isn't my aunt amazing?"

Cat Egg nodded. "Impressive."

Aunt Lin is also a great cook.

he thought.

Jingmo felt that her behavior just now was a bit childish and slightly embarrassing, so she subtly changed the subject.

"Cat Egg, are you going back to the brigade for the New Year?"

Cat Egg lowered its head, its voice muffled, "I'm not going back. My dad is busy with work and can't leave, and my grandma isn't well, so she can't go back either."

He's too young to go back.

He longed to go back; he had so much to say to the twins.

Jingmo knew that Maodan'er was always thinking about going back, and he didn't know how to comfort her. After thinking for a moment, he said, "How about this, you write a few more letters, and I'll take them back to Yubao and Hengbao for you, okay?"

That's the only way. Cat Egg looked at him, "You have them write me a reply."

He'd been in the army for so long, but he hadn't made many friends. They were either arrogant to the point of being annoying, or petty and awkward; he didn't like any of them.

He still prefers the twins from the Gu family.

If only they could have come to join the army sooner!
“Okay!” Jingmo readily agreed.

……

Gu Chenghuai returned to the army unit with a scruffy beard to report to his superiors.

Upon entering the office, I found the regimental commander looking at me strangely several times.

"?"

He had some doubts in his heart, but he didn't show it on his face.

He quietly checked his clothes but found nothing wrong, which only made him more puzzled.

Gu Chenghuai was a steady person; he wouldn't move unless others did.

He gave his report as usual.

The middle-aged man at the desk nodded from time to time and occasionally asked a question or two, as if the strangeness he had just noticed was just his imagination.

After the report is over.

Gu Chenghuai bowed respectfully and prepared to leave.

Then I heard the leader say, "Your application to accompany your family to the military has been approved. When do you plan to have your family accompany you?"

Gu Chenghuai narrowed his eyes.

Not knowing why his boss suddenly asked this, he vaguely replied, "It's not confirmed yet."

"Let's make arrangements as soon as possible," said Lü Guozi. "Don't worry about the job. With your wife's abilities, she can choose any job she wants in the military."

Ok?
Gu Chenghuai's sharp black eyes showed a hint of confusion.

Zhao Zhao's abilities?
What skills do they have?
His wife is very capable; I wonder which aspect the regimental commander is referring to.

Before Gu Chenghuai could ask, Lü Guozi tossed him a newspaper.

“Take a look at that article,” he said.

Gu Chenghuai looked down.

Zhao Zhao's article has been published in the newspaper!!
He said that his wife would definitely be fine.

"We actually made it!" Gu Chenghuai's voice was filled with joy, and the imposing aura that seemed to point to the heavens instantly melted away, replaced by a smile in his eyes, and his demeanor became more relaxed and easygoing.

Seeing his change in expression, Lü Guozi almost lost control of her stern face.

It was as if he were seeing the scouts below for the first time.

"...Go ahead."

Gu Chenghuai didn't return the newspaper. Instead, he folded it several times without ceremony, put it into his uniform pocket in front of the regimental commander, and even pressed it down with his hand.

After finishing everything, he thanked Lü Guozi and then left the office.

Lu Guozi chuckled and cursed, then rubbed his temples as if he had a headache before continuing to read the documents.

Gu Chenghuai had submitted an application to accompany his wife and children to the army, but he did not plan to have them come immediately. Firstly, it was almost the New Year, and secondly, the courtyard was not yet ready and needed to be furnished.

I don't need it to be perfect, but it should at least be like home.

Zhao Zhao came to join the army, not to suffer hardship and toil.

(End of this chapter)