Chapter 61: Brother’s Reply

Lin Xiangxi scratched his head, not daring to argue. He silently tucked his precious magnet into his pocket.

He hadn’t finished his test papers today, so he couldn’t go out and play with his friends, and his magnet was useless.

But he could eat good food by helping out at the restaurant, so he decisively abandoned his friends and became Lin Xiangnan’s little sidekick, an unofficial staff member of the restaurant. Everyone who came to eat thought Lin Xiangxi was the restaurant worker.

Having someone to help, Lin Xiangnan was happy to be relaxed. She brought Lin Xiangxi to work with her.

Lin Xiangnan was living a good life, not having to work and enjoying delicious food.

But after eating a hotpot, Zhang Dapang, with a pained expression, decided to part ways.

“We’ve been eating and drinking well for the past half month. For the next half month, I’m going to eat pickled vegetables with corn porridge. We’ll eat together again next month.”

Lin Xiangnan’s eating habits were too much for even a landlord to handle. Zhang Dapang had finished his monthly ration and the allowance his daughters sent him in just half a month.

But he wouldn’t starve even if he ran out of food at home.

He would eat a few extra bites of each dish while cooking, and he would be full.

Lin Xiangnan asked reluctantly, “Did you run out of tickets or money? If you still have money, I can help you find a way. I have many relatives, and I can buy anything you want for you. Just add a little money.”

Lin Xiangnan grabbed Zhang Dapang’s sleeve and said earnestly, “Uncle Pang, we can’t break up. What will I do at noon without you!”

Zhang Dapang had bought a courtyard and opened a restaurant before liberation. For so many years, he hadn’t dared to show off his wealth, and he actually had quite a bit of money hidden away. But now, everything was rationed, and he had money but nowhere to buy things.

Hearing what Lin Xiangnan said, Zhang Dapang also took the opportunity to climb the ladder, “Then see if you can get me twenty pounds of lard and twenty pounds of rapeseed oil. Also, get me some rice and flour.”

“Okay, I’ll go and ask around.”

Lin Xiangnan didn’t promise anything, but she got twenty pounds of lard for Zhang Dapang two days later.

With oil to cook with, they had a good meal at noon, and in the afternoon, Zhang Dapang generously gave Lin Xiangnan a small jar of his pickled vegetables.

“It’s just some radish peels and vegetable stalks. It’s not good after being pickled for so long. Take it home and eat it with porridge in the morning.”

Lin Xiangnan didn’t hesitate, “Pickled vegetables alone aren’t enough. Give me three salted duck eggs.”

When Lin Xiangnan got off work and went home with the pickled vegetables and lard scraps, she saw Hu Meili with a gloomy face.

“What’s wrong? Mom, are you going to eat these lard scraps now? Do you want to sprinkle salt or sugar on them?” Lin Xiangnan tried to use food to divert Hu Meili’s mood.

Hu Meili said in a heavy voice, “Your brother wrote back.”

“What did he say?”

Lin Xiangnan reached out to take the letter, and Lin Xiangxi automatically placed the jar of pickled vegetables on the ground and the lard scraps in the cupboard. Then he also leaned in to read the letter.

“Brother isn’t coming back?” Lin Xiangxi exclaimed in shock, “Why?”

Lin Xiangnan doubted herself, “Did I not hint clearly enough in the last letter?”

“Not clear enough? New job! Let him return to the city! It’s almost explicitly stated.” Hu Meili’s face was ashen, and she cursed, “This little rascal must be hiding something from me. He must have found a girlfriend in the countryside.”

Hu Meili had always wanted her eldest son to return to the city. But for the past six years, she had kept it to herself.

She was afraid that giving Lin Xiangdong hope would make him have other ideas, and she wouldn’t be able to fulfill it, which would harm him.

Moreover, the policy was tight in the past few years, and their family conditions were not good.

If Hu Meili gave her job to Lin Xiangdong, the apprentice’s salary wouldn’t be enough to support four people, and they wouldn’t be able to save money to buy a new job. In that case, she could only keep Lin Xiangdong, and the two younger children would be left behind.

Someone had to go to the countryside, and Lin Xiangdong was the oldest and a boy. Besides, the street committee was urging them, and Lin Xiangdong’s going to the countryside was quickly decided. There was no room for maneuver, and Hu Meili had no choice but to accept it.

Now that the two younger ones were older, and they were lucky enough to buy a new job this year, Hu Meili finally thought about getting her eldest son back to the city.

Her original plan was to wait until Lin Xiangxi graduated from junior high school and the factory arranged a job for him before she made a move. But she really felt sorry for her son. Lin Xiangdong had been in the countryside for six years, and she didn’t want to wait another year, fearing that something might happen.

But what she feared happened. Lin Xiangdong didn’t want to come back. There must be something going on in the countryside.

“He didn’t come back to visit last year. Now I wrote to him to come back, and he still won’t come back. He’s really grown wings and doesn’t listen to me anymore.”

Hu Meili was so angry that her chest heaved violently. She said to Lin Xiangxi, “Tomorrow, go and send a telegram to your brother. Tell him that I’m dying and ask him to come back quickly.”

“Okay.” Lin Xiangxi nodded obediently.

Lin Xiangnan was puzzled, “What’s the point of calling him back without knowing the reason?”

A child who grew up in the city, after suffering for six years in the countryside, didn’t want to return to the city. There was definitely something fishy about this.

Lin Xiangnan secretly guessed in her heart that Lin Xiangdong must have gotten married in the countryside, but he didn’t dare to tell his family.

But there was still room for maneuver. It depended on how Lin Xiangdong wanted to handle it.

Actually, Hu Meili guessed the same thing. She cried and scolded, “What kind of sin did I commit? I gave birth to a bunch of devils. All of you love to go to the countryside to farm. Plant, plant, plant, I’ll see if you can plant me a mountain of gold or silver in the fields. You even abandoned your own mother for farming.”

Lin Xiangnan silently pouted: She didn’t like hearing that.

She was scolding Lin Xiangdong, why was she also implying something about her?

She only stayed in the countryside for a few days before coming back, and she wasn’t close to Hu Meili at that time. She insisted on going to the countryside just because she didn’t want to be too involved with her family. It was completely different from Lin Xiangdong’s situation.

To be honest, she admired Lin Xiangdong.

Many educated youths abandoned their wives and children to return to the city. When Liu Hongying returned to the city, she even crippled herself to achieve it.

After spending so many years in the countryside, Lin Xiangdong could remain unmoved in the face of the opportunity to return to the city. He was a tough guy.

But her child was disobedient, and Hu Meili was truly heartbroken. She cried as she walked towards Grandma Hu’s room, finally burying herself in Grandma Hu’s arms, crying and scolding.

“Ungrateful son, unfilial son, bastard, heartless wretch…”