“Second Brother!”

Upon entering, a young man in his twenties was sitting inside, smoking a cigarette and sulking.

Hearing the voice, he suddenly turned his head around.

His face lit up with surprise: “Qingsong, Xiaomai, what brings you here?”

“Second Brother~”

Seeing this, Xiaomai happily threw herself into her second brother’s arms.

When he saw Xiaomai’s face, Wang Qinghe’s expression darkened: “What happened to you? Why is it so swollen?”

Seeing this, Xiaomai didn’t speak but instead looked at her third brother, Wang Qingsong.

Noticing her gaze, the second brother asked sternly: “What exactly is going on?”

This situation was undoubtedly due to hunger.

Seeing this, Wang Qingsong explained what had happened.

Hearing this, Wang Qinghe slammed the table and gritted his teeth in anger, “Damn it, that bitch Sun Xiuhe, I’ll go back and kill her. Is this how she treats you?”

Wang Qingsong smiled upon hearing this: “Alright, if you go kill her, you’ll be executed soon after. That’s not worth it!”

“But we can’t just let her off so easily. Why should everything go to them? Who does she think she is? Big Brother and I are still here! We all have a share in the family division. No, I’m going to find Big Brother.”

With that, he stood up.

Seeing his fiery temper, Wang Qingsong quickly grabbed him.

“Enough, I proposed this. I don’t want to argue with her. Life will be better after the division.”

Hearing this, the second brother looked him up and down.

Frowning, he said: “This isn’t like you! Where’s the reckless, daring Wang Qingsong from before? How come you’ve become so timid now?”

He had raised this younger brother and sister himself. Since childhood, he loved taking him to climb trees for bird eggs and fish in the river.

They were famously mischievous in the village.

Wang Qingsong also gave a bitter smile; he wished he could be like that too!
He used to have the same temperament as this second brother.

But the pressure over the past few years had been too great, and he had gradually changed.

“Qingsong, chat with your second brother. I have something to do and need to go back to my parents’ home. Qinghe, there are some biscuits there, give them some.”

Wang Huiru said with a smile and was about to leave.

Seeing this, Wang Qingsong quickly said: “Hey, sister-in-law, don’t go. We just came to visit and will leave soon. I still need to go to Big Brother’s place!”

How could they let Wang Huiru leave because of the argument with their second brother!
As he spoke, he took out a cloth bag he was carrying: “By the way, here’s some noodles and four eggs for sister-in-law to nourish herself, and some white noodles too.”

As he spoke, he took out the eggs and noodles.

Wang Qinghe was surprised: “Where did you get these?”

Everyone knew how precious flour was these days.

If rationed, it was sixteen cents a pound, but without rationing…
“Second Brother, don’t worry, I didn’t steal or rob. There are six eggs in total. Since sister-in-law is pregnant, you keep four. Take the remaining two eggs and half the noodles to Big Brother when you have time. I won’t go over; I have to leave soon.”

Hearing this, Wang Qinghe pressed him several times, but Wang Qingsong didn’t give a direct answer.

Seeing that his younger brother didn’t want to say, he finally gave up: “Alright, the kid has grown up. But I don’t want the eggs and noodles. Take them back to eat. It’s almost New Year.”

“Don’t worry, we have enough at home. If you don’t believe me, ask Xiaomai. Did she eat an egg today?”

The second brother then looked at his younger sister.

“Yes, I eat and egg this morning!”

“This~~”

Wang Qinghe hesitated, unsure if it was true or not.

After thinking for a while and looking at the calm eyes of his third brother, he sighed.

He probably heard the argument earlier.

No matter what, he had to accept these things.

“Alright, I’ll take them then.”

Then he smiled: “You’re quite capable! Your brother has been craving for two months, and your sister-in-law hasn’t had an egg for over a month. Finally, we get to eat some today.”

After saying this, seeing his doubtful look, he laughed: “What? You think your brother is fooling you? Eggs are hard to come by now. They’re not available every day on the black market. Only a few appear every now and then, and they’re snatched up immediately. Unless you’re lucky, you can’t buy them.”

Hearing this, Wang Qingsong suddenly understood.

He thought his second brother was just comforting him!

Then he smiled: “Alright, Second Brother, we should head back. Sister-in-law is pregnant, shouldn’t you, as a man, escort her when she goes out?”

“Smack!”

Wang Qinghe slapped the back of his head and said: “You’ve grown some guts, haven’t you? Daring to lecture your brother now!”

Then he straightened his clothes and smiled: “But you really do look like a little adult now! Quite the figure!”

Wang Qingsong rubbed his head and glared at him in annoyance.

“Alright, Brother, we’ll head back now. We’ll come to see you another day!”

With that, he prepared to leave.

“Hey, I’ve got something prepared for you. Take it with you.”

Wang Qinghe stopped him and brought out a pile of things.

Vermicelli, dried mushrooms, wood ear fungus…

The quantities weren’t large, totaling just over a pound, and there were also about three taels of sorghum candy.

Wang Qingsong looked at them and shook his head: “Second Brother, don’t worry about me. We have enough at home. You keep these for yourself. Oh, but I’ll take the candy.”

Without standing on ceremony, he cheerfully took out a small packet of sorghum candy.

This stuff used to not require coupons, but now it needs candy coupons.

In the countryside, these are no longer available. Even in the city, each household only gets half a pound of candy coupons during the New Year.

It’s quite a rarity.

As for biscuits, the city issues two taels of biscuit coupons per month.

As for whether Second Brother’s father-in-law, being wealthy, could obtain these through special channels, that’s another matter.

“Alright, that’s enough. Keep the rest for yourselves.”

These items are all rationed now, and unlike grain, which is available every month, these are only available during festivals and in limited quantities.

If he took them, it would likely cause a huge argument.

He couldn’t let his second brother endure grievances in his own home because of him and his younger sister.

And given Second Brother’s temperament, he wouldn’t tolerate it, which would naturally lead to a big fight.

“Hey, since when do you stand on ceremony with your second brother? You’re just a kid trying to act like an adult.”

Wang Qinghe looked displeased and tried to force the items into his hands.

But Wang Qingsong just smiled and didn’t take them, simply looking at him.

“Take it!”

“Take it!”

Wang Qinghe tried several times without success.

After seeing Wang Qingsong’s smiling eyes for a while, he finally sighed: “Alright, if you won’t take it, you won’t take it. The kid has really grown up. Ah…”

With his wife present, he couldn’t ask too much. He planned to ask his younger brother more after his wife returned to her parents’ home.

Where did all these things come from?

Hearing this, Wang Qingsong finally smiled: “Brother, I’m not being polite with you. I’m not stupid. If I really run out of food someday, I’ll just mooch off you at your place.”

Then, looking at the silent Wang Huiru, he smiled: “Sister-in-law, we’ll head back now. If you go out in this snowy weather, make sure Second Brother escorts you. You’re pregnant, after all!”

“Ah! Oh! Okay!”

Wang Huiru snapped out of her thoughts and responded with a smile.

“Xiaomai, let’s go. We’ll come back to Brother’s place for the New Year.”

Wang Qingsong called out to his sister.

Xiaomai obediently followed, holding his hand.

“Brother, Sister-in-law, we’re leaving now!”

After saying goodbye, they left the room.