Chapter 19 Going to the Post Office to Collect Your Allowance

“But now that I have the remittance slip, I have to go to the town post office to collect it. I need to buy some things for the two kids and myself. Otherwise, I wouldn’t dare to use the things in my space. Thinking about this, Lin Yuexi took Lu Ziyan and Lu Xiyun’s hands and was about to head to town.

 At this moment, Captain Li caught up to her and handed her a piece of paper, “Yuexi, you’re going to the town post office to collect money, right? You can’t collect it without an introduction letter.

 And it’s too far for you to walk to town with two children. Wait a minute, Old Man Xia’s oxcart will be here soon. Take his oxcart, collect the money, and give him five cents.” Lin Yuexi took the introduction letter and said gratefully, “Thank you, Captain Li. I was just going to collect the money to buy two sets of clothes for the two kids. To be honest, they don’t even have a decent set of clothes to change into, and all the bedding at home is old. Besides, I need to buy some other things…”

 “Well, Yuexi, you’ve finally come to your senses. You have such great skills, why hide them? Look at how you’ve been living these past few years… Your aunt often nagged me to help you, but you couldn’t stand on your own two feet, so how could I help you? Now it’s good that you’ve woken up. When Lu Cheng returns from the army, you two can have a good life.” “Yes, Captain Li, thank you. Thank you, aunt, for caring about me. I won’t forget your kindness…” “Yuexi, that’s all. Live a good life from now on.

 If you need anything, just come to me…” As they were talking, Old Man Xia’s oxcart arrived. There were already two older women sitting on it. Captain Li greeted him, and Old Man Xia stopped the cart. Captain Li waved for Lin Yuexi to get on. Lin Yuexi didn’t hesitate. She first put Ziyan and Xiyun on the cart, then got on herself.

The oxcart slowly started, creaking along the dirt road. Lin Yuexi sat on the cart, holding her two children tightly in her arms. Her mind was filled with thoughts about what to buy in town after collecting the money, and then taking some things out of her space to use.

Lu Ziyan and Lu Xiyun were going out for the first time, and both of them looked around curiously with wide eyes. They would point at the cows and sheep grazing by the fields and excitedly share with Xiyun.

 Xiyun leaned against Lin Yuexi’s shoulder, her small hand clutching her mother’s clothes, and she whispered, “Mom, can we really buy new clothes?” Lin Yuexi smiled and touched her head, “Of course, we’ll pick out pretty ones.” “Mom, will I have some too?” Lu Ziyan asked, looking up. “Yes, you will. We’ll all have some. When Mom collects your father’s allowance, we’ll buy them…” Lin Yuexi smiled as she touched his head. The two older women on the cart saw Lin Yuexi talking to her children and joined in the conversation.

One asked, “Third wife of the Lu family, I heard that your husband hasn’t been home for five years. Now he finally sent you money. It seems he still cares about you and the kids. Your husband should be discharged from the army soon. You’ll have something to look forward to in the future.” Lin Yuexi didn’t mention that she had gotten the remittance slip back from her eldest brother, Lu Jian Guo. Instead, she nodded with a smile, “Yes, auntie.

It’s been hard these past few years, but seeing that Lu Cheng still remembers us, it makes me feel good.” The other older woman said, “Your two kids are so well-behaved. It’s a pity that your mother-in-law isn’t a good person. She always makes you three starve and makes them thin and pale. Now your husband has sent you all the money directly. You have to make them fat and healthy now!” Lin Yuexi hugged her two children, “Thank you, auntie. Of course. In the future, I will not only make Ziyan and Xiyun fat and healthy, but I will also dress them up beautifully. I will also teach them to read and write…

” The two aunties praised her, “Third wife of the Lu family, you’ve finally come to your senses! It’s good that you’ve come to your senses. Your life will only get better from now on.” “Yes,” Lin Yuexi replied. At this moment, two more older women got on the cart halfway through the journey. They were surprised and said, “Third wife of the Lu family, you finally decided to take the children out for a walk…”

 “Yes, my husband’s allowance has arrived. I thought I’d go collect it and buy some things for the family…” Lin Yuexi said. “Third wife of the Lu family, you should have done this a long time ago. Otherwise, your husband’s allowance would have been used to support your mother-in-law and eldest brother’s family…” Lin Yuexi nodded vigorously after hearing this. She felt sorry for the original owner.

 As the saying goes, “The bystander sees most clearly, while the person involved is blinded.” She was bullied so badly, everyone knew it, but she didn’t know how to fight back. She was tortured to death, and it was a good thing that she took over.  Lu Ziyan looked at his mother chatting with the older women and aunties, and then he rubbed against Lin Yuexi’s side, “Mom, can I buy a slingshot? Erbao in the village has a really good one. It can shoot really far.” “Okay, we’ll pick out a good one, but don’t use it to shoot at people’s windows.

” Lu Ziyan nodded eagerly. Lu Xiyun pulled Lin Yuexi’s arm and acted cute, “Mom, I want a hair tie too. A pretty one, to match my new clothes.” Lin Yuexi smiled and pinched her cheek, “Xiyun, don’t worry, you’ll have one. We’ll buy them all. We’ll pick out the prettiest ones.” Lu Ziyan and Lu Xiyun both laughed happily.

Old Man Xia drove the oxcart forward, shaking slowly. Two more people got on the cart, two young intellectuals. They glanced at Lin Yuexi and her two children, but didn’t say anything and sat down quietly. The oxcart continued forward, getting closer to the town entrance. The two older women and the two older women got off the cart one after another. Lin Yuexi said goodbye to them all, straightened her children’s clothes, and took one child by each hand as they got off the cart. Old Man Xia said, “Third wife of the Lu family, after you finish shopping, I’ll be waiting here for you. Remember to come back when the sun starts to set. Otherwise, it will be too late to get home…” Lin Yuexi said, “Okay, Old Man Xia…” Then, relying on the original owner’s memory, she took her two children to the post office.

Lin Yuexi took Ziyan and Xiyun into the post office. The door hinges creaked as they turned. The light inside was dim, a few rays of sunlight struggled to penetrate the dusty windows, barely illuminating the space. The walls were old and dilapidated, the paint was peeling and flaking, revealing the dull yellow underneath.

 There were already several people lined up in front of the counter, mostly villagers from nearby villages. They were dressed simply and looked hurried, coming to collect remittances or send letters. Occasionally, they would whisper to each other, their voices kept low, as if afraid of disturbing the quiet and somewhat solemn atmosphere in the room. Lin Yuexi pulled Ziyan and Xiyun to the end of the line, quietly telling the two little ones not to run around. Lu Ziyan held her clothes tightly, his eyes wide open as he curiously looked around.

Lu Xiyun obediently leaned against her mother’s leg, her small hand clutching her mother’s pants.