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

Chapter 349 "There's Never a Short-Sighted Person"

"Maybe Qingzhou is to your uncle's liking," Lin Zhao said casually.

“That’s a possibility, but not very likely,” Song Yuncheng said directly. “My dad is really picky and has a lot of requirements. If it weren’t for that, he would have at least seventeen or eighteen apprentices.”

"Give it a try. Surrendering before even stepping onto the battlefield is not my style." Lin Zhao believes that everything should be tried. Do your best and leave the rest to fate. No matter how much you overthink it, it's better to take a gamble.

"Okay." Yun Cheng still didn't think it was a good idea.

He had seen his father's strictness many times. If his father was unhappy, even if the eldest son came to beg, he would only leave disappointed.

His sister, his sister has never seen his father at work. He truly lives up to his nickname "Engineer Song," he is extremely serious, and it's no exaggeration to say that he is meticulous.

"It's good that you agree." Lin Zhao didn't care what Yun Cheng thought; as long as he agreed, that was enough.

They also arranged a time, "When would be a convenient time for Qingzhou to come see you?"

Yun Cheng pondered for a moment, then his eyes lit up slightly as he looked at Lin Zhao expectantly, "Would it be alright if we met again at noon tomorrow?"

Lin Zhao smiled knowingly, "You still want me to bring you food, don't you?"

Yun Cheng chuckled, "My sister's cooking is delicious."

This is an opportunity we must seize.

"Okay, I'll bring Qingzhou tomorrow at noon." Lin Zhao looked away and agreed to his cousin's request.

"Sister, can we order some food?" Yun Cheng asked in a slightly coquettish tone, her cheeks bulging with food.

"……able."

Yun Cheng didn't dare to go too far, and revealed the two dishes he wanted to eat the most: candied sweet potato and crispy pork with scallions.

"I'll also bring you some radish and bone soup," Lin Zhao said.

"That's great, hehe." Yun Cheng laughed and reached into his pocket to take out his wallet.

Without counting, he stuffed all the money he was carrying into Lin Zhao's hand.

"Sister, please keep these banknotes..."

Before he could finish speaking, Lin Zhao slapped his hand.

"Snapped!"

Yun Cheng was dumbfounded, "Sister?"

"Don't call me 'sister.' You're being so distant and calculating with me. I thought you didn't want to acknowledge me as your sister," Lin Zhao said sarcastically.

"How could that be!" Yun Cheng denied it outright. "I was just worried that you didn't bring enough money and didn't have enough tickets. You're my sister, why would I be so formal with you? You're being unfair. If I were being formal, would I have the nerve to order food?"

He looked aggrieved as he spoke.

“Brother-in-law is going for further studies, but his military allowance will continue to be sent. We need to wait a while before he has to pay for living expenses. Didn’t you say that yourself? I’m worried you might be short of money.”

Lin Zhao said she appreciated it, "It's alright, I'm quite well-off."

She glanced at Yun Cheng, a smile playing on her lips as she uttered chilling words, "Unlike you, I'm not a little mute. I can tell you what I need or what I want. Keep your money safe. If I ever need money, you'll be the first person I come to."

Yun Cheng was pleased with himself after his sister's last sentence, feeling that he had outdone Yun Jin. As for his sister's first part of the complaint, he completely ignored it.

His family and his aunt's family of three talked about it until the New Year, saying it was okay and they were mentally prepared.

"I have to go to the textile factory. Take your time eating. Leave it at the gate when you're done, and I'll come back for it later." Lin Zhao said to Yun Cheng, then rode away on his bicycle.

Seeing how fast she was riding, Yun Cheng frowned slightly, but then he saw that his sister was riding quite steadily, so he swallowed the words that were about to come out.

Lin Zhao rushed to the textile factory and went straight to the canteen. When he arrived, Gu Chan was busy, standing in front of the window serving food and occasionally maintaining order so that the workers could line up properly.

Once the bowl of vegetables was empty, Gu Chan finally stopped to rest. She wiped her sweat and was about to have a few bites when she looked up and saw her younger brother and sister-in-law.

A smile bloomed on her face. She wiped her hands with the apron she had made herself, served the food, and quickly went out.

"Zhaozhao, you're back! When did you get back? Why didn't you let me know? I could have come to pick you up. Have you eaten? If not, here's some food for you. I just got it, but no one's touched it..."

Lin Zhao pulled her sister-in-law to find a seat, saying, "I came back yesterday, I've already eaten, you should eat quickly. I know you're anxious, I'll tell you about Xiao Shitou's situation slowly."

Gu Chan was so hungry after a busy morning that she didn't stand on ceremony with her younger siblings and started eating.

His expectant gaze unconsciously drifted toward Lin Zhao.

Obviously.

I want to hear her talk about Little Stone.

"Little Stone has adapted well to the environment at the base. The coaches and the older kids at the base are all very kind to him." Lin Zhao told her sister-in-law all the details of meeting Little Stone.

Done.

Finally, he relayed a message from Little Stone: "He asked me to tell you that he is well-fed and warmly clothed there, and no one is bullying him."

He also said... he misses you and your brother-in-law.

Upon hearing this, Gu Chan's tears immediately fell, mingling with the food in her mouth, which tasted extremely bitter.

She thought of the little stone.

How could she not think about it? She only has two sons, and Little Stone is the younger one, with that kind of personality. How could she not worry about him?!
Lin Zhao knew her older sister was strong-willed, so she pretended not to see it, took out the photos she had taken of Xiao Shitou, placed them on the dining table, and silently pushed them towards her.

The top photo was taken at the entrance of the training base, showing a large iron gate, a clean and wide road, and dormitory buildings in the distance... everything is clearly visible.

A shy, smiling little boy stood at the door.

Gu Chan could picture the environment where her son lived in her mind, and the bitterness in her heart was soothed by Xiao Shitou's smile, and the corners of her mouth turned up.

"You heartless little brat, you're laughing so happily."

Lin Zhao disagreed, saying, "Big sister's words are biased. Little Stone is quite concerned about the family. He asked about you, brother-in-law, and Big Stone's recent situation, and even asked about our parents. He said he would train hard, win a gold medal, bring glory to the country, and become your pride."

"Is a gold medal so easy to win? You silly boy," Gu Chan said indulgently, feeling very proud of her son.

She was very frank, “It’s not that my husband and I haven’t dreamed of Xiao Shitou winning a gold medal, but we don’t force him. We send him abroad simply because he wants to and likes it. Xiang Dong and I don’t have much education, and we don’t know what the point of practicing that stuff is. We just know that there are few opportunities for children in the countryside, and it’s rare to find a relatively smooth path, so let’s give it a try. If it goes well, great; if it doesn’t, it’s okay. Your brother-in-law and I will cover for him.”

That's a good way to think.

Lin Zhao's heart stirred slightly.

She will always be moved by such selfless maternal love.

Gu Chan sensed that Zhao Zhao's expression was strange, and tightened her grip on the chopsticks.

"What, what's wrong?"

Lin Zhao smiled and said, "I felt the love of parents who plan far ahead for their children. My older sister said that you and your brother-in-law are uncultured, but I don't think so. In the matter of Xiao Shitou... you showed the simple wisdom of the working people, which I admire very much."

Gu Chanzhen remained where she was.

This……

Was Zhao Zhao praising her?
She was a little at a loss.

"What's there to admire about this? It's all just petty thinking, not something to be proud of. I was just telling you about it."

No one in their brigade understood.

instead.

Rumors were rampant that she and Xiang Dong had sold small stones for money. Her mother-in-law's explanations were useless, which was frustrating. "What's so shameful about it?" Lin Zhao said disapprovingly.

“I can’t stand those people who keep their children by their side because of selfishness.” She said firmly, “What’s the difference between that and breaking the wings of eaglets so they can’t fly?”

Lin Heling was good to Lin Zhao, but not like a hothouse flower, keeping her from all the storms of life. She knew from a very young age that there are hundreds, thousands, and thousands of kinds of people, and that human nature is the most vulnerable to test.

Her father told her a truth he knew—

That happened when Lin Heling was young.

A young man from the countryside was admitted to university. His parents were afraid that he would fly away and never come back, so they tore up his admission notice and locked him at home, destroying his only chance to change his fate.

Years later, Lin Heling saw the young man again. His face was old and no different from anyone else's. The image of the spirited young man with bright eyes was no longer visible.

No one knows that he once said his life's wish was to create powerful weapons to protect the health and well-being of the Chinese people, so that the great powers would no longer dare to underestimate China.

pity.

The person who stopped him from pursuing his dream was his closest relative who brought him into this world.

Lin Zhao believed this was not an isolated case; the world has never lacked short-sighted people.

Therefore, Gu Chan and Wei Xiangdong's choice is truly precious.

Gu Chan looked at her sister-in-law's indignant face and guessed that she was thinking about something unpleasant, so she changed the subject.

"This photo... how dare Little Stone get so close to Big Worm?"

She was horrified when she saw a photo of her son standing less than a meter away from a tiger.

Lin Zhao explained a few words to her.

“They were raised by humans.” Gu Chan accepted it well. She always felt that pets raised by humans would absorb human characteristics and have less animalistic instincts, making them easier to control.

"You can even see tigers in the provincial capital. It's truly worthy of being called the provincial capital."

She carefully examined her son's photo, and as she looked at the smile on Little Stone's face, the corners of her mouth curved up wider and wider.

"Can I have these photos?" Gu Chan asked shyly.

"Look at what you're saying, these were originally meant for you. I kept four copies; I gave two to my parents and put the other two in our family photo album," Lin Zhao said.

Gu Chan knew that taking photos cost money for film and developing them, so she didn't think of taking advantage of her younger siblings. She planned to give them to them later, but she only had two yuan on her, which definitely wouldn't be enough.

"Big Stone will be happy to see his brother's photo. Although he doesn't say it, I know he misses Little Stone too."

Lin Zhao smiled and said, "Da Shitou is at the age where he's all talk and no action, so of course he won't admit it."

"That's it."

That afternoon, Gu Chan took her youngest son's photo back home and called out. The man and Da Shitou both came over.

"Let me see if our son has gained or lost weight!" Wei Xiangdong said proactively.

Big Stone remained calm, his hands slightly clenched in his pockets, and a hint of anticipation flashed in his eyes.

Gu Chan didn't tease her proud eldest son. Instead, she carefully took out the photos and looked at them with the man.

In the dim light, the three of them huddled together, creating a warm atmosphere in the room.

After looking at the photos, Wei Xiangdong suddenly spoke up, "Achan, shall we buy a bicycle?"

Gu Chan looked at him and said, "Bicycles are expensive."

“We have to buy it, even if it’s expensive. It’s getting colder and colder, and it gets dark earlier and earlier. We can’t keep borrowing our third brother’s bicycle. If you think it’s too expensive, we can buy a second-hand one. It doesn’t matter if it looks good or not, as long as it’s rideable. What do you think?” Wei Xiangdong asked his wife for her opinion.

"How much does a second-hand one cost?" I work in the county, and it would be convenient to have a bicycle to go home.

"It depends on how old it is. If you agree, I'll go ask around." Wei Xiangdong sensed the hesitation in his wife's words, his heart stirred slightly, and expectation appeared in his eyes.

No man doesn't love cars.

Gu Chan thought for a moment, calculated the family's savings, and finally nodded.

"You should ask around."

Wei Xiangdong said excitedly, "I'll go tomorrow. Don't worry, I definitely won't lose out."

"I trust you to handle things," Gu Chan said.

Big Stone was overjoyed, "We're going to have a bicycle?!"

"Yes, once we buy a bicycle, I'll ride it to take you to school." Wei Xiangdong ruffled his son's short hair, his eyes shining brightly, as if he couldn't wait for the next day.

“Okay.” Big Stone agreed, not out of vanity, but purely to satisfy his father.

Harvest Brigade.

Lin Zhao went to Xiao Niu Du's house and arranged for Yu Zhen to make clothes for him.

She was a benefactor, so Yuzhen readily agreed, but she did have some ideas about the compensation.

"I don't want money, I want to switch to milk powder, is that okay?" Yuzhen asked nervously.

"No problem, Sister Yuzhen, do you want to give it to the calf?" Lin Zhao asked.

"You guessed it." Yuzhen didn't deny it, speaking politely. "The little calf is two years older than Yubao and Hengbao, and about the same height as them, which is really worrying. I heard that drinking milk powder can help him grow taller, and his father and I have wanted to get him milk powder for a long time, but unfortunately we can't get milk powder coupons. We wanted to ask you to exchange coupons before, but we didn't find a suitable opportunity."

Lin Zhao smiled and said, "Drinking milk powder does work. Yu Bao and Heng Bao grew taller by drinking milk powder. If you can't buy milk powder, goat milk is fine too."

Yuzhen laughed and cried, "I know, but the little rascal is picky and complains that goat milk has a strong smell."

“Boiling it with ginger can remove the gamey smell,” Lin Zhao said.

"Really? I'll try it another day." Yuzhen said with delight. "If it really works, my husband and I won't have to worry about formula anymore."

"Okay, give it a try. Our deal is still valid. I'll have Yubao deliver the milk powder later."

Yuzhen hurriedly said, "No need for him to bring it, I'll have Xiaoniudu fetch it. Xiaoniudu is weak, and the doctor said he needs to move around more. But with his personality... I told him to go to your house, and he'd be happy to, so it'll be good for him to get some exercise."

Lin Zhao smiled and agreed, "Yu Bao and Heng Bao are at home. If the little calf is willing, let him come to my house to play."

Yuzhen looked grateful. "I'll tell him thank you later."

She knew that most families in the village were reluctant to entertain children, thinking they were tactless and greedy. Her calf had been rejected before, and afterwards it became even more reluctant to go out.

"What's wrong with that? The little calf is cute and adorable," Lin Zhao said nonchalantly.

Being shy and quiet doesn't affect the fact that he's a lovable child.

Yuzhen glanced at the swaying curtains in her son's room, her heart pounding with excitement.

Their own family's advice was useless; they hoped that the young calf would change his mind after hearing Lin Zhao's words.

After comparing the clothing styles for the four children with Yuzhen and leaving the fabric behind, Lin Zhao left the Zhang family.

As we neared home, Yu Bao came running up, followed by the family's two dogs.

"Mommy, Aunt Xiang is looking for you. She's waiting for you at our house!" the child's clear voice rang out.

Sister Xiangxiang is here?
"Coming, coming!" Lin Zhao quickened his pace towards home.

(End of this chapter)