Chapter 54

Ning Shu said, “You don’t need to spend money or use a ticket. Yibao and Erbao said they can share their portions with you.”

“No, that won’t do.” Lin Xiaojing almost immediately refused without hesitation. “Yibao and Erbao are still growing, how can I eat their saved rations? I’ll pass, you guys go ahead.”

She then smiled at Yibao and Erbao and said, “Thank you, but I have to go back to class. You guys enjoy your meal.”

Ning Shu knew that Lin Xiaojing treated Yibao and Erbao well, as per the impression left by the original owner. However, she hadn’t witnessed firsthand how Lin Xiaojing treated them kindly, and neither had the original owner.

The original owner hadn’t seen it because she didn’t go to the old house.

But now, judging by Lin Xiaojing’s reaction, Ning Shu was sure that she genuinely cared for Yibao and Erbao.

“Let’s go. I also have something to discuss with you related to the job at the clothing factory. Are you coming?”

Lin Xiaojing didn’t really want to miss the chance to go to the state-owned restaurant, which was a dream place for everyone in that era.

But she didn’t have a ticket, and she couldn’t bring herself to ask Ning Shu for one.

However, given that it was related to work, she was a bit conflicted for a moment.

“Let’s go. I have a ticket, my treat. When your winter vacation starts, just help me gather a few bundles of firewood.” Ning Shu also understood that Lin Xiaojing might feel embarrassed.

When Lin Xiaojing heard this, hope flickered in her eyes. “Really?”

It should be no problem to gather a few bundles of firewood during the winter break.

“Yeah, just ask for a leave. Yibao, Erba and I will wait for you at the entrance.” Ning Shu added.

“Okay.” Lin Xiaojing hurried back to the school.

After running a few steps, she looked back and saw Ning Shu smiling and chatting with Yibao and Erbao.

This scene reminded Lin Xiaojing of when she first met Ning Shu.

Back then, Ning Shu was so gentle, and she would give her candy. So when Ning Shu asked her to be her sister-in-law, she naturally thought it was a good idea.

Even when Ning Shu asked her to give Third Brother medicine later, she didn’t realize the seriousness of the issue.

She had no idea what kind of medicine it was, but Ning Shu said that by adding it, she could become her sister-in-law.

Lin Xiaojing didn’t understand why Ning Shu, who was so good at the beginning, would ask her to do such things.

Shaking her head, Lin Xiaojing stopped thinking about these things.

As long as Ning Shu treated the children well now, and treated Third Brother well in the future, she would forgive her.

Lin Xiaojing asked for leave from the teacher and then informed her good friend, “Xiaomian, I’m going out to eat. I won’t go to the cafeteria with you today.”

Xiaomian naturally had no problem with it, but she was curious. “Where are you going to eat?”

Since they were both students from families with financial difficulties, they usually ate together and were quite thrifty.

So when Lin Xiaojing said she was going to eat out, she couldn’t help but be curious.

Lin Xiaojing leaned in and whispered in her ear, “I’m going to the state-owned restaurant.” She felt a bit shy saying this.

Xiaomian widened her eyes. “Here? Do you have a ticket?”

Lin Xiaojing shook her head, feeling a bit embarrassed as she explained, “It’s… my sister-in-law is taking me.”

“Wow, Xiaojing, your sister-in-law is so nice,” Xiaomian said, feeling envious.

“I’ll go now.”

“Yeah, go ahead. Tell me what you ate when you come back.”

“Got it.”

Worried that Ning Shu might get angry if she waited too long, Lin Xiaojing ran over instead of walking.

When she arrived at the school gate, she was still panting. “I’m here.”

“Let’s go.” Ning Shu didn’t ride her bike but pushed it alongside Lin Xiaojing.

Because this meal was Ning Shu’s treat, Lin Xiaojing, although not as confrontational as before, still couldn’t let go of her pride and talk to Ning Shu, so she just followed quietly.

When they arrived at the state-owned restaurant, the door was already open. Since they had come early and it wasn’t yet lunchtime, there were only a few customers scattered around.

Ning Shu said, “You guys go find a seat, and I’ll go order.” She also asked Lin Xiaojing , Yibao and Erbao to go together since it was their first time here and they probably wouldn’t know what to order.

“Mum, I want to go too.” But Erbao clearly wanted to go and see.

Ning Shu said, “Then you can come with me.”

“I’ll take Yibao and Sanbao to save seats.” Lin Xiaojing picked up San Bao.

Yibao followed Lin Xiaojing, occasionally looking back at Ning Shu.

When they reached the cashier, Ning Shu glanced at the menu and asked Erbao, “What do you want to eat? Today we have braised tofu, cabbage soup, braised pomfret, pickled vegetable and shredded pork noodles, and fried potatoes.”

Erbao’s eyes lit up. “Mum, I want noodles. I’ve never had noodles before, but I heard from other kids that noodles are delicious.”

The cashier couldn’t help but look at them a few more times after hearing Erbao’s words.

Looking at both the big and small ones, all chubby, they didn’t seem like people who were doing poorly and lacking vitality. They’ve never had noodles before?

“Then let’s have noodles. Excuse me, two bowls of shredded pork and pickled vegetable noodles, and also a serving of braised tofu and braised pomfret,” Ning Shu ordered.

From the original memories, she knew that the state-owned restaurant had a wide variety of noodles, so she ordered one for herself and Erbao, and one for Lin Xiaojing.

The two brothers could share one.

Actually, even She and Erbao might not finish one serving, so they could save some for Yibao and San Bao later.

After ordering the food, Ning Shu remembered that Yibao and Erbao liked soda, so she asked Erbao, “Do you want soda?”

Er Bao was open to anything when it came to food. “Yes, please. You’re so nice, Mum.”

He hugged Ning Shu, his little face full of admiration.

“You’ve got a sweet mouth.” Ning Shu paid and handed over the money and ticket, then got two bottles of soda.

“Mum, I’ll take the sodas.” Er Bao acted very manly.

“Okay then.” Ning Shu gave him one bottle. It was great that he was willing to help, and it would also be good for him to start carrying things from a young age.

Er Bao, unaware of his mother’s sinister plan, saw that she still had a bottle in her hand and said, “Mum, can I have that bottle too?”

Ning Shu naturally didn’t mind. The sodas in this era were very small, even smaller than the small bottles of mineral water.

So, Ning Shu followed behind Er Bao, who was carrying two bottles of soda, walking with great determination.

He even shouted to Yi Bao, “Bro, Mum bought sodas, and they’re really good.”

Hearing the crisp voice of the child, the few customers in the state-owned restaurant looked over and smiled knowingly.

Although Yi Bao and the others had found a seat and sat down, their eyes were still on Ning Shu.

When they saw Ning Shu buying soda, and then heard Er Bao’s call, they were all very excited.

Lin Xiaojing felt conflicted again.

Would Ning Shu offer her some of the soda? If she did, should Lin Xiaojing drink it?

If Ning Shu knew what Lin Xiaojing was thinking, she would definitely say, “You’ve got quite the imagination.”

“Mum… Mum…” San Bao saw his mother coming and struggled in Lin Xiaojing’s arms, wanting his mother to hold him.

Ning Shu: “Can I open a soda? Is it okay if you hold the baby?”

Lin Xiao Jing gently patted his bottom. “Are you trying to avoid holding the baby? I used to change his diapers for you.”

Sanbao was born in October last year, and Ning Shu was not very helpful, so Lin’s mother basically took care of him at the old house.

Lin Xiao Jing would come back on weekends to help her mother, and during the winter vacation, she took care of Sanbao.

Not to mention Sanbao, even the Yibao and Erbao was taken care of by her.

Feeling guilty towards herself, Lin Xiaojing made up for it with the children, being especially good to them and taking care of them meticulously.

It seemed like Yibao could sense his aunt’s grievances, as he showed a cute smile to her.

“You little clever ghost.” Seeing his smile, Lin Xiao Jing surrendered.

Ning Shu also felt that Yibao was clever. Despite being so young and not understanding much, he still had a sense of cleverness.

His cleverness was different from Erbao. The Erbao was carefree, while he was more like a thoughtful little coat.

“You are indeed clever.” Ning Shu praised Yibao as he opened the soda.

“Mom, am I clever too?” Erbao asked, not wanting to show weakness.

Ning Shu replied, “Ask your aunt.”

Erbao looked at Lin Xiaojing. “Auntie, am I clever?”

Lin Xiao Jing thought for a moment. “You were silly when you were little, not as clever as Yibao. Especially when I took care of you and Yibao during the summer vacation, you would dirty several diapers, and they were smelly. Every day when I washed them, I had to cover my nose. Yibao was different, he and Sanbao would remind me when they needed to go to the toilet.”

Erbao: “…” feeling defeated.

Ning Shu: “…” Oh no, he had just dealt a blow to Erbao. However, he quickly realized that he was overthinking it.

After a moment of silence, Erbao spoke with a smile, “Big brother is big brother, he must be smarter than me. When Sanbao grows up to be as old as me, he will also not be as clever as me, definitely less clever than me.”

Now it was Ning Shu’s turn to be stunned. Where Erbao inherit this self-explanatory ability from? She couldn’t help but ask Lin Xiao Jing, “Was Lin Guodong like this before? Is the second child like him?”

Lin Xiao Jing: “…” Finally coming back to her senses, she immediately retorted, “No, my third brother is the smartest among us, the Erbao is not like him.”

When it came to the question of who the children resembled, Lin Xiao Jing looked at Ning Shu suspiciously, thinking, could Erbao be like her? But she immediately denied it.

Ning Shu was also clever, and Erbao was not like her.

So would children born by a Clever parents be not clever?

Erbao pursed his lips unhappily and said, “Mom, I was born from you, of course I am like you. How could I be like Lin Guodong, that outsider?”

When Yi bao heard his aunt say that he was clever when he was little, he felt very pleased.

But when he heard about Erbao, that Erbao would not be clever when he grew up, he was stunned.

He looked at his brother with an incredulous expression, his little brain also wondering if this was really his brother.

Meanwhile, Ning Shu couldn’t help but laugh, “Erbao is right, you’re not like Lin Guodong, that outsider.”

Lin Guodong, who was rarely at home, was finally not recognized by his son.

Lin Xiaojing tried hard to hold back her laughter, but in the end, she couldn’t help it and burst out laughing, “Pfft…Erbao, you silly child, Lin Guodong is your dad’s name, not an outsider!”