Zhao Mo left the female educated youth dormitory.

She was also pondering her aunt’s words.

“Hey, Zhao Mo, over here!” Er Gouzi waved. He had a slender body, a large round head, and black hair that lay flat like a pot lid. His round eyes and chubby cheeks gave him a cheerful appearance.

“I’ll go grab a basket. Wait for me, and we’ll go up the mountain to pick wild vegetables together.”

“Okay, hurry up!”

Er Gouzi urged.

Zhao Mo jogged home. Fortunately, no one was home at this time. She grabbed a basket and a sickle and ran toward the back mountain.

At the foot of the mountain, Er Gouzi was also carrying a basket and wearing straw sandals. The two children began their ascent.

Other children noticed and immediately followed.

Er Gouzi made faces at the group of kids and then asked Zhao Mo, “How’s your aunt?”

Zhao Mo raised her chin proudly: “My aunt is amazing!”

“Alright.” Er Gouzi wasn’t particularly interested in Zhang Yunxi. Instead, he asked curiously, “Where did you go in town?”

“We went to the post office, the supply and marketing cooperative, and the state-run restaurant.”

“So many places!”

Er Gouzi was envious.

His father had only taken him to the supply and marketing cooperative once, and they had only stood outside the state-run restaurant for a while.

“Yeah, and I ate braised pork, fish-flavored shredded pork, and white rice!” Zhao Mo recalled the flavors of the state-run restaurant and swallowed her saliva.

(╯▽╰) So delicious~~
It was the best meal she had ever eaten!
The children from the brigade listened with envy, wishing they had an aunt like Zhang Yunxi. But that didn’t stop some from feeling jealous of Zhao Mo and starting to curse her.

“Zhao Mo, you’re just a girl! How could you go to the state-run restaurant!”

“Yeah, you should’ve given that spot to me! I’m a boy!”

Yuan Dabao was Yuan Guixiang’s eldest son from her previous marriage. At nine years old, he had once been the favored child at home. But yesterday, he had lost his room and was beaten by his stepfather—all because of Zhao Mo.

His mother had said that girls were just things to be married off for a bride price someday, not worth caring about. Once Zhao Mo grew up, she’d be kicked out.

Given that, the good things in the house shouldn’t go to Zhao Mo. As a boy, he had never even been to town. Why should Zhao Mo get to go?

And she even ate braised pork and some other dish he didn’t know the name of!

Er Gouzi, hearing this, was furious. He kicked Yuan Dabao in the stomach: “Screw your dad!”

Yuan Dabao was knocked to the ground and pointed at Er Gouzi, cursing: “You’re a boy playing with a girl. You’re shameless!”

Er Gouzi grabbed him by the collar, lifting him off the ground, his eyes turning fierce: “Say that again, I dare you.”

Yuan Dabao was terrified and started wailing.

Er Gouzi found the noise grating and tossed him aside, calling to Zhao Mo: “Let’s ignore him. Let’s go this way.”

Zhao Mo nodded.

She turned back and gave Yuan Dabao the middle finger!

Yuan Dabao, furious, cursed: “I’m telling my mom! You’re done for!”

Zhao Mo turned her head, completely ignoring him.

Er Gouzi said to Zhao Mo: “Your brother needs to be taught a lesson. Don’t be afraid of him. If he bullies you, just tell me.”

“I don’t need you. I can beat him myself!”

Zhao Mo wasn’t afraid of that idiot.

But she was afraid of Yuan Guixiang. Yuan Guixiang was an adult. The last time Zhao Mo had hit Yuan Dabao, her butt had been beaten numb by Yuan Guixiang, and she had been locked in the woodshed without food for a full day and night.

She didn’t want to go hungry again, so she had to endure Yuan Dabao.

But now she wasn’t afraid anymore. Her aunt had given money to the brigade leader, and Yuan Guixiang wouldn’t dare hit her.

Her father didn’t like her, but he didn’t like Yuan Dabao either. If Yuan Dabao caused the loss of a yuan, her father’s explosive temper would surely have Yuan Dabao strung up and beaten!
Zhao Mo didn’t want to talk about Yuan Dabao anymore and changed the subject: “I’m going to school in about ten days. Er Gouzi, are you going to school?”

Er Gouzi was a year older than Zhao Mo, already eight years old. But his family was large, and his grandmother controlled the household finances. It wasn’t certain that he’d be allowed to go.

One of the main reasons Er Gouzi and Zhao Mo got along so well was that neither of them had a mother.

The only advantage Er Gouzi had over Zhao Mo was that his father loved his late wife deeply and had refused to remarry, so Er Gouzi didn’t have a stepmother.

But his father didn’t really consider his future either.

He just drifted along.

“If you’re going to school, I’ll take my dad’s money and sign up too.”

“Huh? Can you do that?”

“It’s the only way. No one in my family goes to school.”

Er Gouzi had over ten siblings. If he told his grandmother, she’d beat him to death.

Zhao Mo: “Then you’ll get beaten.”

“It’s fine. I’m always getting beaten. One beating for over a yuan is worth it, hehe.” Er Gouzi didn’t care. His father held back when he hit him, so he could still move afterward.

Unlike his grandmother, who would beat him so badly he couldn’t get out of bed for three days.

Er Gouzi watched her picking wild vegetables and gathering firewood and asked, “What are you doing?”

Zhao Mo replied: “I’m taking these to Uncle Zhao.”

“Which Uncle Zhao?”

The entire brigade was full of people she called Uncle Zhao.

“The militia captain.” Zhao Mo bent down to tie a small bundle of firewood. The rope wasn’t long enough, so she stepped on it, pressing down with her body to tighten the knot. She picked it up and said, “From now on, I’ll be bringing firewood to Uncle Zhao.”

“Why? He’s so scary.”

Er Gouzi had been scolded by him before.

He was terrified.

“Uncle Zhao has never scolded me.” Zhao Mo was a bit proud. Today, Uncle Zhao had even given her some meat.

“Then I won’t go with you.” Er Gouzi had seen Zhao Rencheng take on eight people from the neighboring militia team by himself. It was cool, but also terrifying!

“Okay.” Zhao Mo finished bundling a pile of leaves and carried her things: “You can go home first.”

Er Gouzi’s round head wanted to nod, but as a boy, he felt he had to protect Zhao Mo. Gritting his teeth, he said, “I’ll walk you to his door. You can go in by yourself.”

“Alright.”

The two walked toward Zhao Rencheng’s house.

Although his house was on the mountain, it wasn’t in a wild, overgrown area. It was situated on a flat piece of land that he had cleared and built on. In front of the house was a large open space, offering a great view of the Zhao family brigade.

Both Er Gouzi and Zhao Mo were visiting for the first time.

They noticed that beside Zhao Rencheng’s house, a hammock was tied between two thick trees!

Er Gouzi’s already round eyes widened in amazement. Without a care for how intimidating Zhao Rencheng might be, he immediately dropped his basket, hugged the tree, and scrambled up. When he fell into the hammock, it swayed, and his body rocked with it. He laughed heartily: “Zhao Mo, this is so fun!”

“Get down! Uncle Zhao didn’t go to work today. He’ll be home soon.” Zhao Mo urged.

Er Gouzi was too excited to care about such things. He loved thrills and, ignoring the height of the hammock from the ground, climbed out of it. Grabbing the fabric of the hammock, he started swinging like a pendulum, his legs kicking in the air. The mountain breeze blew past, and he was utterly carefree, grinning widely: “Zhao Mo, do you want to try?”

Zhao Mo shook her head in terror, stepping back repeatedly. When she saw the tall figure approaching, she tried to warn him: “Get down, quick!”

“No way! This is so much fun. I’ve never done this before!” Er Gouzi started shouting: “Woo-hoo…”

Zhao Mo covered her face.

“Having fun?” A deep, magnetic male voice sounded behind Er Gouzi.

Er Gouzi, his big eyes curved into little crescents from laughter, replied: “So much fun! It’s awesome, you…”

Suddenly, he realized something was wrong. He turned his head and, in fright, let go of the hammock.

Zhao Rencheng caught him by the waist, tucking him under his arm so only Er Gouzi’s head was visible. He pinched Er Gouzi’s ear and asked: “Didn’t I tell you not to mess around in front of me?!”

Zhao Rencheng wasn’t using much force, but Er Gouzi was so scared he started crying.