Chapter 11

As they got closer to the house and looked at it, even someone as mentally strong as Xu Huaizhi couldn’t help but change his expression. He felt embarrassed as he looked at the whole family.

The Old Residence was in such a state. Their parents didn’t even try to fix it up a little; they just brought the person over directly.

“Little sister-in-law, maybe you should move back to our house. I’ll go talk to Mom. This house is too run-down; it’s not suitable for living, we don’t want something bad to happen.”

No! Living under the same roof with you, that’s like entering a den of tigers and wolves, where you’re at the mercy of others.

Gu Qinghuan quickly waved her hand. “Big brother, there’s no need to trouble yourself. I already spoke to Dad this morning, and we’re moving to Wang Laocai’s house at the foot of the village. Huai’an’s illness is pretty scary, and it’s better to be a little farther from the village. But I’ll need your help to find someone to carry Huai’an over.”

Xu Huaizhi heard this and agreed that it seemed like a good idea. Wang Laocai’s house was fine, still a tile-roofed house. He immediately rolled up his sleeves. “No need to find anyone, I can do it by myself.”

Without saying a word, Xu Huaizhi went into the house, directly picking up Xu Huai’an and hoisting him over his shoulder.

Xu Huai’an was now as thin as a stick, probably weighing less than a hundred pounds, so Xu Huaizhi easily lifted him.

When Gu Qinghuan saw Xu Huaizhi carrying Xu Huai’an, ready to head out, Xu Huai’an was draped over his shoulder with only a towel wrapped around his waist, barely covering him, nearly exposing his backside. His long, thin legs dangled like two chopsticks on Xu Huaizhi’s shoulder.

At that moment, she felt as if she saw many complicated emotions in Xu Huai’an’s eyes—shame, anger, pain, and helplessness…

“Big brother, wait a moment.” Gu Qinghuan said, quickly rushing into the house. She rummaged through her luggage and pulled out an old bedsheet.

She wasn’t sure if Xu Huaizhi had done this on purpose or if he thought that his crazy younger brother had already lost all dignity, but he didn’t even bother to cover him before carrying him out.

Gu Qinghuan carefully wrapped the old bedsheet around Xu Huai’an’s waist, covering his entire lower body.

“All set, let’s go.”

Xu Huaizhi, feeling a bit embarrassed, said: “You’re really thoughtful, comrade. I was too careless.”

Xu Huaizhi went out the door first.

Gu Qinghuan bent down and waved her hand, signaling for the two children to come over.

Da Bao, holding his little sister’s hand, walked up to her.

He had just overheard their conversation and understood what was going on. Seeing that Gu Qinghuan had brought so much food and supplies back, it seemed like they weren’t planning to leave, and his heart settled.

“The food in your uncle’s bicycle is our food supply for the time being. You two stay here and keep an eye on it. I’ll move some things over first, and then come back for you on the second trip. Is that alright?”

Gu Qinghuan tried to explain patiently to them.

Both children nodded earnestly.

“I’ll watch over it properly. No one will take it.” Da Bao said seriously.

Seeing his serious expression, Gu Qinghuan couldn’t help but laugh and patted his back. “Good job, little man. I’ll make you something delicious tonight.”

Though they hadn’t exchanged many words, it seemed like there was now a little more connection between them.

Gu Qinghuan pushed the bicycle and followed Xu Huaizhi to the house at the mountainside.

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The courtyard gate had a rusty lock, and Xu Huaizhi threw a stone at it, breaking it open.

Wang Laocai had only been gone for a year, but the courtyard was already overgrown with weeds and needed to be cleared.

The small courtyard wasn’t large, but it had everything one needed. It was a thousand times better than Xu’s Old Residence.

The main house was for receiving guests and eating, and there were rooms on the east and west sides that could be used for sleeping, each equipped with a stove bed. The kitchen was in a corner next to the main house.

What pleased Gu Qinghuan the most was that, in this era where hygiene wasn’t a priority, Wang Laocai’s house actually had a relatively decent outhouse, unlike others who simply built a straw hut and dug a hole to solve the problem.

The house itself wasn’t dirty or messy, just dusty, and it needed a good cleaning.

Gu Qinghuan moved the items from the bicycle inside, looked around both inside and outside the house, and saw that Xu Huaizhi had already temporarily settled Xu Huai’an on the stove bed in the east room.

The two of them returned to the Old Residence to carry the remaining luggage.

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On the way, Xu Huaizhi hesitated to speak a few times.

Gu Qinghuan didn’t like this kind of indecisive conversation and directly said: “Big brother, if you have something to say, just say it.”

“I know this situation is a bit unfair to you, but I still hope you’ll take good care of Huai’an.”

Xu Huaizhi began. “Actually, Mom and Dad have always been very fond of Huai’an. They’ve been worried sick about him these past two years, but they’ll get old one day. From now on, Huai’an will have to depend on you. If there’s anything you need help with at home, just let me know. I’ll help as much as I can.”

Xu Huaizhi really considered himself a good big brother.

Gu Qinghuan muttered in her mind: You and your good wife should stay away from us. Don’t use that ridiculous Star Absorbing Technique, that would be the best help!

Although that is what she thought what she said out loud was the opposite: “Alright, big brother, if something comes up, I’ll definitely come to you for help.”

What’s all this about love and care? It’s just talk, but I’ll still take advantage of it when needed.

As they were still some distance away, they heard loud noises and children crying from the Old Residence.

Gu Qinghuan quickly hopped on the bike and rushed over, only to see Liu Guifang bullying the two children. The little girl had been pushed to the ground, crying loudly, shouting: “This is my family’s, not yours!”

Liu Guifang had already taken 300 pounds of grain, and it felt like a personal loss to her. After counting the grains in the house again, she thought something seemed off and felt that the grain was short.

Without thinking much, she rushed straight to the Old Residence. Seeing that Gu Qinghuan wasn’t there, she planned to take the two bags of grain from Xu Huaizhi’s bicycle back to her house, leaving no trace. After all, the grain had already been given, and if it got lost, that was her problem.

To her surprise, the two wild kids stubbornly refused to back down. During the scuffle, the troublesome child even bit her. In retaliation, Liu Guifang pushed the child down, but it happened to be at the moment when Gu Qinghuan arrived.

Xu Huaizhi, who had been running behind, frowned when he saw the scene.

“Mom, what are you doing? Why are you picking a fight with the kids?”

Gu Qinghuan furrowed her brows tightly, put the bicycle aside, and quickly helped the little girl up.

She gently wiped away the little girl’s tears, then checked her from top to bottom and confirmed there was no injury or any bruise.

“It’s okay, sweetheart.”

Bei Bei wasn’t physically hurt, but she was crying out of frustration.

Her grandmother had come to steal the food, and her stepmother had told her and Big Brother to watch over it. If the food went missing, they would go hungry.

The feeling of hunger wasn’t pleasant, and if they didn’t complete what their stepmother had asked, she would no longer like them, and there would be no more rice porridge or delicious steamed buns.

Thinking about this, Bei Bei’s sadness overwhelmed her, and she cried inconsolably.

Gu Qinghuan didn’t scold her. Instead, she gently comforted her, and this little girl, who lacked love, buried herself in her arms.

Was this what it felt like to be protected by a mother?

Bei Bei felt like the happiest child in the world at that moment.

She was so happy.

Gu Qinghuan gently pulled her into her arms, patting her back to comfort her, her movements looked like an expert that it seemed as if she had done it a thousand times.

In that moment, it felt as though she was embracing her childhood self from afar—the self that, when feeling wronged, longed most for a mother’s embrace. But her mother had never appeared even once.

Da Bao looked at his little sister enviously and clearly explained what had happened: “Uncle, when Grandma came over, she tried to steal the food. No matter what I said, she wouldn’t listen and even pushed my little sister down.”

Liu Guifang, realizing the situation was turning against her, slapped her thigh and started yelling: “You little brats! Stop crying! Do you really not know what have you done!? It’s really hard to guard against family thieves! Gu Qinghuan, tell me, did you steal my food? In just a short time, several hundred pounds of grain are gone. You must pay me back for this!”

Gu Qinghuan looked at her with an expression as if she were looking at a fool. While what Liu Guifang said was true, who would actually believe it?

Xu Huaizhi felt a dull pain in his temples.

What in the world was going on?