Chapter 55 - 19: "Living Off Parents

Chapter 55: Chapter 19: "Living Off Parents

So tiny, so cute, and so pitiful.

The Third Child sat next to his little sister and joined in the wailing. He was just making noise, not shedding a single tear. He even stole a cautious glance at Lin Zhao, far too clever for a toddler who was just over a year old.

The little twins were incredibly loud, and the sound brought the other Gu Family members out of the house.

Lin Zhao was mortified.

Clearing her throat, she crouched in front of the twins and tried to pacify them with a White Rabbit creamy candy.

"Don’t cry, don’t cry. I’ll take you with me next time."

But the twins, young as they were, weren’t so easily fooled.

The Fourth Child’s crying hitched. Her big, tear-washed eyes were full of seriousness. With an adorable, solemn expression, she adorably but fiercely spat out a single word: "Take!"

Her meaning was clear: she had to be taken along.

Lin Zhao quickly replied, "Okay, okay, I’ll take you!"

The Fourth Child’s tears of sorrow turned to tears of joy. She reached out, took the candy from her hand, and began clumsily unwrapping it with her chubby little fingers. The Third Child scooted closer to help.

As she watched the children, Lin Zhao asked Huang Xiulan, "What’s gotten into the twins today?"

An awkward expression crossed Huang Xiulan’s face. She chose her words carefully, saying with some embarrassment, "It was Tie Dan. He was just joking around and told them you took Da Zai and Er Zai back to your parents’ house without them. The little ones overheard. I’m so sorry. I’ve already scolded Tie Dan..."

As she was speaking, she caught sight of Tie Dan using his younger brother, Tie Chui, as a shield, slinking along the wall toward the house like a little thief.

Huang Xiulan’s head nearly exploded. A sharp cry burst from her lips: "Gu Tiedan!"

Tie Dan instantly snapped to attention, covering his rear with a guilty look. "...Mom."

Huang Xiulan strode over, grabbed him by the ear, and dragged him in front of Lin Zhao. She lectured her son, "What do you say to your Third Aunt?"

Tie Dan obediently apologized. "I’m sorry, Third Aunt. I didn’t mean it. I was just teasing the Third and Fourth Child. I didn’t think I’d make them cry. I know I was wrong."

He was scared to death and didn’t even dare to look at Lin Zhao, because he knew just how formidable his Third Aunt could be.

Even though Lin Zhao had seemed pleasant and gentle these past few days, her previously awful temper had left an exceptionally deep impression on the Gu Family children.

Lin Zhao didn’t take it to heart. "As long as you know you were wrong. I’ll forgive you this time."

Tie Dan’s tense body suddenly relaxed. He grabbed the hand Huang Xiulan had clamped on his ear. "Mom, let go! Third Aunt isn’t mad at me..."

Huang Xiulan was about to let go when she spotted the big hole in the seat of his pants. Her anger flared up all over again.

"Gu Tiedan, you’ve torn your pants again!" She was furious, raising her hand and smacking his bottom. SMACK, SMACK. For a tough little rascal like him, it didn’t really hurt, but it was a huge loss of face—especially in front of his little brother. It was mortifying!

"Mom, stop hitting me! If you’re going to hit me, do it inside! Not out here!" Tie Dan howled, covering his face.

Lin Zhao almost died laughing, seeing how much the seven-year-old cared about his pride.

’Hilarious.’

As she left with the twins, she could still hear her sister-in-law scolding Tie Dan.

The Third and Fourth Child were being very good now, holding their mother’s hand. Their short little legs scrambled along, clearly quite frightened by Huang Xiulan’s booming voice.

Lin Zhao had just gotten home with the twins and was about to give them a bath when a man’s voice called from outside.

"Lin Zhao? Is Lin Zhao here?"

Puzzled, Lin Zhao told the twins to stay put and hurried to the door.

Outside stood a young man next to a bicycle. There were green mailbags on the front and back racks, the cloth sacks bulging with letters.

"I’m Lin Zhao."

The mail carrier said, "You have a telegram."

He handed Lin Zhao a slip of paper along with a receipt form. "Sign on the line," he told her.

"Okay." After signing, Lin Zhao handed the form back.

The mail carrier glanced at the signature, confirmed it was fine, then put the receipt back in his bag and rode away.

Lin Zhao looked down at the telegram and saw that it was from a military district.

It read:

[Tomorrow. 12. Call.]

This meant to call tomorrow at 12 o’clock.

She didn’t mind the brevity. Back then, telegrams were charged by the character and were quite expensive.

Lin Zhao figured it was probably news about the bricks and tiles. Her face immediately lit up with joy. She went back inside and kissed each of the twins on the cheek. The little brother and sister giggled and gurgled, leaning in to kiss Lin Zhao back, slobbering all over her face.

As their mother, she didn’t mind one bit. She said with a cheerful laugh, "My little ones, we’re going to be living in a new house soon! Aren’t you happy?"

The Third Child grinned, revealing a few tiny teeth like grains of rice, and chirped, "Happy."

The Fourth Child clapped her hands excitedly, her baby talk soft and breathy, "Hou... hou... house..."

’She’s so adorable,’ Lin Zhao thought, kissing her daughter’s cheek again. ’I’ll give her all the kisses she wants now, but if she grows up to be a lovestruck fool, she’ll still get a spanking.’

The moment Da Zai and Er Zai walked in, they saw their mother kissing their little brother and sister.

The two boys froze on the spot. After snapping out of it, they rushed to Lin Zhao and looked at her expectantly.

"Mom, what are you doing?" Er Zai asked, tilting up his mud-splattered little face, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"What have you two been up to? How did you get mud all over your faces?" Lin Zhao retorted, gazing at her two little dirtballs and feeling the exasperation that comes with having mischievous children.

Er Zai wiped his face with the back of his hand and giggled. "Me and my brother went to throw mud poppers!"

Mud poppers?

No wonder they reeked of piss.