Chapter 48 - 17: Seriously Ill

Chapter 48: Chapter 17: Seriously Ill

"A small can of oil. It’s so fragrant, it’ll be delicious for stir-frying."

"And these salted duck eggs. The yolk gets all oily once you poke it, perfect for congee."

"Finally, some soda. I bought a lot, so you all can try some."

The Lin family stared at the things on the table, stunned.

’Any one of these items is hard to come by. Where did Zhaozhao get them?’

Mrs. Lin grabbed Lin Zhao’s wrist and led her into the house, away from everyone. Her expression was grave and her gaze was locked on her as she asked sternly, "Did you go to the black market?"

Lin Zhao shook her head and said earnestly, "Of course not! I don’t even know which way the door to the black market opens!"

"Then where did you get all this?" Mrs. Lin was still worried, afraid her daughter was breaking the law.

"I already told you, from my classmate." Lin Zhao deliberately put on a smug expression and said proudly, "Mom, you don’t think I went to high school for nothing, do you?"

"Some of my classmates work at the grain and oil station, some are at the meat processing plant, and others work at the supply and marketing cooperative. Isn’t it the easiest thing in the world for me to buy things from them?"

"Don’t worry, Mom. I’m not stupid. I definitely wouldn’t go to the black market."

She really hadn’t gone, so of course, she sounded completely justified.

"As long as you didn’t go," Mrs. Lin said. "And don’t go in the future, either. They’re cracking down hard on speculation and profiteering at the black market. Getting caught is no joke."

Lin Zhao’s expression was as firm as someone taking an oath to join the Party. "I’m not stupid. Only people with no connections go to the black market. I have connections, why would I go there? I won’t, I won’t."

Even though she hadn’t gone to the black market, she still got an earful from Mrs. Lin for about ten minutes.

"Why did you bring so much back with you? Didn’t I tell you not to bring anything? With so many nice things, it would be much better to save them for my grandchildren to eat. You’re married into the Gu Family now, so stop thinking about things back here at your maiden home. Your father and I have several sons, you think we’re going to starve? You troublesome girl."

Lin Zhao was unconvinced. She retorted, "You won’t starve, but you don’t have anything good to nourish your bodies either."

Mrs. Lin couldn’t refute that.

Everything required ration tickets. No matter how capable she was, she couldn’t get her hands on dried noodles or canned meat...

"These days... I really don’t understand the world anymore." Mrs. Lin sighed heavily.

Lin Zhao linked arms with her mother and rested her head on Mrs. Lin’s shoulder. "Things will slowly get better," she said. "But before that happens, you have to accept the good things I bring to honor you and Dad. If you don’t, I’ll never come back again."

Mrs. Lin turned her head to look at her and met Lin Zhao’s beautiful eyes, which were filled with sincerity.

"I’m serious!" Lin Zhao emphasized. Her voice was soft, but her tone was firm.

Her father had ruined his health while fleeing the famine, and while her mother seemed perfectly healthy, she was actually overworked.

In the original book, her father died the year after she did. Not long after her father passed, her mother was gone too, less than six months later.

At this thought, Lin Zhao’s heart felt as if it were being squeezed by a giant hand, and she couldn’t breathe.

She would never forgive Gu Xing’er!

Mrs. Lin was helpless and could only say, "We’ll take them! Your father and I will take them!"

Only then did Lin Zhao’s face break into a smile.

Good.

’This life, her father and mother would definitely live to a ripe old age.’

Outside in the courtyard.

Lin Heling called his two grandsons over and asked them a few things about how they were doing lately.

Da Zai and Er Zai were very familiar with this routine. They sat up straight and began chattering away.

They talked about all the good food they had eaten, then stood up to show off their new clothes and shoes, their smiles brighter than the morning sun.

"How are the Third Child and the Fourth Child doing?" Lin Heling asked about the twins.

"They’re doing great too! Mom makes them malted milk and steamed egg custard," Er Zai said.

Da Zai added, "Mom made new clothes for the Third and Fourth Child too. And she said she’s going to take me and Er Zai to see a movie!" When he mentioned the movie, his young voice was filled with delight.

"What happened to your hair?" Father Lin asked with a smile as he patted each of his grandson’s bald heads.

"A barber came to the village yesterday, and Mom had my brother and me shave our heads," Da Zai said.

"Mom said it’s cooler when it’s shaved!" Er Zai said with a grin, rubbing his prickly scalp. In front of his incredibly good-natured grandfather, even his booming voice, which was just like his paternal grandmother’s, became much more restrained.

Lin Heling didn’t buy his daughter’s excuse about it being cooler. ’It’s more likely that Zhaozhao was worried the boys had caught something nasty in their hair and had them shave their heads as a precaution.’

"Bald heads are good. They make your little noggins look even rounder." Feeling gratified that his daughter had grown up, Father Lin’s eyes filled with a smile.

He had a gentle and kind temperament and never spoke loudly, which made him stand out from the rest of the village. Yet, the children all adored him and were always willing to listen to him speak.