Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Going Home, Warm Moments for Mother and Children

Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Ling Chengyan shook her head: “Just reminding you to be careful these days, don’t injure your hands or get sick, it would affect the competition.”

Jiang Shenglin agreed: “You’ve got to be careful, don’t let anything happen that affects the competition.”

Wang Lianqi added: “I’ll go back and tell the branch secretary, let’s not have them three do heavy labor these few days, let them do some lighter work.”

Zhang Wanxiang and Wu Qingyun nodded repeatedly, assuring that they’d be more careful.

Ling Chengyan silently followed behind, carrying the prizes she won this time: a thermos, a military-style backpack, and a water bottle, along with an enamel washbasin and tea mug given by the Women’s Federation.

Enamel washbasins and thermoses can still be bought at the supply and marketing cooperative, but military style backpacks and water bottles are hard to buy, having one would make many people envious.

Zhang Wanxiang and Wu Qingyun, the two young fellows, were excited to participate in the county martial arts competition. Zhang Wanxiang grinned and said: “I heard if you achieve a ranking in the county, you’ll be given military uniforms and rubber shoes.”

Militiamen aren’t given uniforms; they wear ordinary civilian clothes. The commune’s selection offers military backpacks and water bottles, and the county competition might really offer military uniforms.

At this time, being a soldier was still a highly respectable and revered profession. Having a military uniform or trousers to wear was a great source of pride. For this reason, many young men would borrow military uniforms or trousers to wear when going on matchmaking dates.

Ling Chengyan followed behind the group, not saying much, just looking relaxed and joyful.

She hadn’t seen Xiao Xing and Shi Tou for several days, genuinely worried and missing them, wondering how the two kids were.

As they left the commune courtyard, they saw the mule cart from the village parked by the roadside. Second brother Wang Lianfa was squatting by the roadside, and when he saw them coming out, he quickly jumped up to greet them.

“Hey, I just heard that fourth sister-in-law got first place, that’s amazing!” Wang Lianfa said as he took the luggage from them and loaded it onto the cart, laughing as he spoke.

Wang Lianqi was dismissive of this brother, while Jiang Shenglin was unreserved, giving Wang Lianfa a playful kick to the backside: “You little rascal, you’re poking fun at me and your brother, aren’t you?”

Wang Lianfa laughed awkwardly, dodging and retorting: “Not at all, you two have won awards for several consecutive years, it’s time to encourage others and let the young generation step up this year.”

Jiang Shenglin rolled his eyes almost up to the sky.

Ling Chengyan’s results were truly commendable, no words could do justice, absolutely worthy of admiration! It’s not that they wanted it that way; they simply couldn’t match her excellence!

The mule cart returned to Nanli Village at a leisurely pace, exactly at noon.

The others each went home, third brother Wang Lianfa helped Ling Chengyan bring the luggage home, but Ling Chengyan didn’t even stop at her own home, immediately heading to her uncle’s house with the newly acquired backpack.

Not far after stepping out, she saw several children running towards them. Ling Chengyan had sharp eyes and spotted the small, lean figure at the front, which was Xiao Xing.

She jumped off the mule cart, walked towards Xiao Xing, reached out to hold the approaching Xiao Xing, kissed and cuddled her, and then lifted the little girl, who was hugging her neck and wouldn’t let go, into her arms.

Wang Lianfa was driving the mule cart, watching the scene with a big grin: “Was Xiao Xing missing her mom? Just yesterday she told third uncle she wasn’t… Haha, all right, all right, I won’t say any more. Get on the cart and sit down.”

With Xiao Xing tightly clutching her neck and unwilling to let go, Ling Chengyan gently patted to comfort her, turned to Wang Lianfa, and said: “Third brother, you go return the cart, I’ll carry Xiao Xing over first.”

Ling Chengyan arrived at her uncle’s house, exchanged pleasantries with her aunt and the others, put Xiao Xing down, and went inside to check on little Shi Tou.

Aunt followed her inside, saying with a smile: “You don’t know how easy this little guy is, hungry or needing a change, he just whimpers a bit. Once fed and changed, he’s comfortably asleep again, not mischievous at all.”

Ling Chengyan looked at the baby sleeping sweetly in the swaddling clothes, amazed that in just a few days, he seemed to have gained weight; his once wrinkled and thin little face now had some plumpness, and his skin looked full and rosy.

“Thanks to Aunt and the sisters-in-law,” Ling Chengyan took off her backpack, handed it over, “the supply and marketing cooperative happened to be clearing out substandard fabric, I bought a piece for Aunt to make a pair of shoe tops!”

The fabric was indigo twill, a piece large enough to make a pair of pants, but the dyeing was flawed, with speckled patterns on the edges, not suitable for pants, hence recommending it for shoes.

Aunt caressed the sturdy fabric, saying, “Such good fabric, what a waste to cut it. I think it’s enough to make a pair of pants. Let your sister-in-laws make you a pair of pants.”

Ling Chengyan laughed: “Xiao Xing and I just made new clothes, this is for you.”

She then cheerfully took out snacks, pencils, notebooks, and comic books from the backpack: “These are little things bought for the kids, let them study well. While I was at the commune, I heard some factories in the county are planning recruitment, and only those who can read and write are eligible to apply!”

When they heard this, the eldest sister-in-law and second sister-in-law didn’t react much.

Aunt, however, sighed: “If we’re talking about jobs, the ages of Hongjun and Hongling are perfect, but they haven’t studied much… Alas, the kids should really study more.”

Ling Chengyan chuckled: “It’s just a rumor I heard, it’s uncertain if it’ll be this year or next year. The kids are young, starting to learn now isn’t too late.”

Aunt glanced at her two daughters-in-law, secretly determined.

In the past, even as apprentices in shops, people would prefer those who could read, while those who couldn’t were left to do hard labor; those who could write and calculate could become bookkeepers or clerks.

Ling Chengyan said a few words, politely declined the meal, and took the two kids back home.

Once home, Ling Chengyan started preparing meals, while Xiao Xing helped by sprinkling water, wiping tables, and sweeping the floor.

Aunt had brought some flatbreads and a bowl of steamed salted fish, which Ling Chengyan warmed in the pot, then turned to see Xiao Xing, whose little pigtails were slightly unkempt from busying herself, beckoning her over to wash hands and face, braid her hair, and offer her a petal-shaped pastry.

“Cake!” Xiao Xing called out joyfully, then offered it to Ling Chengyan, “Mom, you eat.”

Ling Chengyan took a bite, observing Xiao Xing cherishing it with tiny bites, her heart filled with both joy and bittersweetness.

Before the child’s father had an accident, she might have tasted some good things; after the accident, life for the mother and children became hard.

After the meal, Ling Chengyan took out the comic books, pencils, and notebooks bought for the little girl, cuddling her as she told stories. Before one story was finished, both mother and daughter fell asleep.

The days at the commune were extremely tense, fatigue accumulated, making their nap a bit prolonged. When she opened her eyes, the sun had moved westward.

Ling Chengyan decided not to go to work, washed her face, went outside, fetched water, and watered the vegetable garden and her private plot.

The leeks in the garden had taken root, zucchini had sprouted with two small, round, chubby leaves that looked rather cute.

Xiao Xing followed along, digging wild vegetables at the corners. At the beginning of the lunar March, shepherd’s purse, thorny vegetables, and curly vegetables had grown, each tender and vibrant. Boiling them briefly, adding some garlic paste and salt, they became a delicious dish.

In the evening, there was refreshing cold wild vegetable salad and wild vegetable porridge, and she steamed an egg.

Little Shi Tou was now four months old, able to eat a half-egg portion of egg custard. Steaming two eggs, Xiao Xing could have some too.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep