Chapter 66 - 23: A Happy Event

Chapter 66: Chapter 23: A Happy Event

The movie was called "Tunnel Warfare." It was 96 minutes long and had just been released on New Year’s Day.

-

「Meanwhile, at the Lin Family home.」

In the rooms of the family’s second branch.

It was time for a break, but Lin Shisheng didn’t lie down. He sat on the edge of the bed, watching the woman mending clothes. "I was just looking at Xuanyuan and Zhengzheng’s clothes," he said. "They’re in tatters. Didn’t Mother give you fabric to make them some new outfits?"

Hearing this, Qiu Lian’s hand trembled, and the needle pricked her left index finger. A sharp pain shot through it.

She gasped. Her downcast eyes betrayed a flicker of guilt, but she struggled to remain calm, forcing a smile. "There’s no rush. I’ll make them when it gets colder."

"Make them now," Lin Shisheng said. "As I recall, their padded winter jackets are still wearable, but their summer clothes are shot. Besides, that bit of fabric isn’t enough to make winter clothes."

"Make them in the next few days. Mother said she wants to see them." His tone was firm.

The color drained from Qiu Lian’s face.

’She’d given the fabric to her niece. What was she going to use to make the clothes?’

’And her mother-in-law wanted to see them...’

Her heart pounded with fear, and despite the sweltering heat, a violent shiver ran through her.

"Is there a problem?" Lin Shisheng pressed, a cold glint in his eyes.

Qiu Lian stammered, "N-no, nothing. I’ll make them. I’ll make them."

Lin Shisheng had checked last night. The fabric his mother had given for their two daughters was, indeed, gone. ’For Lin Xuan and Lin Zheng’s sake, he couldn’t do anything to this woman for now. But however much she had stolen, she was going to return every last bit of it.’

-

Before long, the movie ended, and people in the theater began to get up and leave.

Lin Zhao and her two children weren’t in a rush to leave. They waited until the theater was mostly empty before she led her sons out.

On the walk out, neither Da Zai nor Er Zai said a word. The two little boys were still completely immersed in the film’s plot, unable to snap out of it for a long while.

’So cute,’ she thought. ’They’re just like I was after watching my very first movie.’

’Completely in a daze.’

"It’s getting late, and we have a long way to go. We need to hurry back," Lin Zhao said.

Da Zai snapped out of his trance. "Okay."

Er Zai’s eyes were bright as he wheedled in a soft voice, "Mom, I want to see more. Can we watch it again tomorrow?"

"No!" Before Lin Zhao could even speak, Da Zai shot down his little brother’s request. "Mom has work to do tomorrow!"

His expression was dead serious. "Mom’s work is important. You’re not allowed to cause trouble!"

Er Zai remembered his mom was busy tomorrow, so he stopped insisting. He tilted his cute little face up to her and pleaded, "Mom, when you have time, can you bring me and Big Brother to see it again? I want to see more."

This was a small request, and Lin Zhao doted on her boys, so of course she wouldn’t refuse.

"Of course. I’ll bring you guys again when I have time. Don’t be so impatient. There are plenty of good movies. As long as you behave and don’t cause trouble, I’ll take you to see every new movie the moment it comes out."

Er Zai was so happy he threw his arms around his mother.

"You’re the best, Mom! You’re the bestest mom in the whole Fengshou Team!" His voice was practically floating with joy.

Da Zai wanted to hug his mom too, but the tips of his ears turned red before he could even move, and in the end, he didn’t.

Lin Zhao led her two sons back to the team. By the time they arrived, the sun was slowly sinking, painting half the western sky in the fiery, stunningly beautiful colors of sunset.

At the entrance to the village, a group of aunties were gossiping animatedly, so worked up that spittle flew as they spoke. It was impossible to tell which family was the topic of their discussion.

When they spotted Lin Zhao and her sons, their conversation paused, and they smiled and called out greetings.

"Chenghuai’s family is back from the county seat."

"Da Zai, Er Zai, did you have fun in the county seat?"

"You were gone all day, I bet you went to a lot of places!"

"Did your mom take you to eat at that, what’s it called, the state-owned restaurant?"

"The two boys from the Lin Family’s third branch look so handsome in their new clothes. They look just like their dad."

...

Fengshou Team wasn’t terribly far from the county seat, but it wasn’t close, either. A round trip took the better part of a day, so few people made the journey. If a family needed something, they’d usually ask an acquaintance to bring it back for them.

People are naturally inquisitive, and the women were curious about everything in the county seat.

Faced with the women’s barrage of questions, Er Zai wasn’t the least bit shy. With a smile on his face, he answered them one by one. "The county seat was really fun! Mom took me and my brother to the state-owned restaurant, and we went to see a movie! The movie was so good!"

Da Zai added, "We even talked to our dad on the phone! We talked for a long time!"

As for what they talked about, Lin Zhao had reminded her two boys not to go blabbing, and Da Zai and Er Zai naturally obeyed their mother.

"My mom also bought us popsicles! Do you know what a popsicle is?"

He gestured with his hands to show its size. "It’s this big! When you first hold it, it’s so cold that steam comes off it. It’s icy-cold in your mouth and cools you right down."

Lin Zhao looked on with a resigned expression.

’She’d always known that Er Zai loved to show off, but when did her steady Da Zai start loving it too?’