Chapter 56

After lunch, Ning Shu parted ways with San Bao, Erbao and Yi Bao to Lin Xiaojing at the entrance of the state-owned restaurant.

Lin Xiaojing watched Ning Shu ride away on her bicycle and suddenly shouted, “Ning Shu…”

Ning Shu’s feet paused as she rode and then came to a stop. She turned around.

Lin Xiaojing ran over. “If you continue to treat the three children well from now on, I’ll forgive you.”

Ning Shu raised an eyebrow. She found this amusing.

Lin Xiaojing continued, “It’s not because you introduced me to a job that I’m forgiving you. As long as you continue to treat the children well, even if there is no job, I’ll forgive you. I was wrong to San Ge, so I hope San Ge is happy, and I hope his children have a good life. As long as they are all well, I’ll forgive you. You Calculated my San Ge, you… you must also like my San Ge, right? Now that you have my San Ge, I hope you will cherish him.” Her voice trembled a bit, but her eyes showed determination.

After saying this, she turned and ran away.

Ning Shu: “…”

She hadn’t said anything yet. So, she got back on her bike, feeling puzzled, and went home.

On the way, an unruly Er Bao asked, “Mom, who do you like the most?”

This was a difficult question. She had three children, and she couldn’t choose a favorite.

However, this question didn’t stump Ning Shu.

“I like myself the most,” she answered matter-of-factly.

When Yi Bao heard his brother’s question, he was a bit nervous because he also wanted to be his mom’s favorite.

But when he heard his mom’s answer, he felt relieved. Of course, Mom should like herself the most, because he also liked Mom the most.

Er Bao had the same opinion as his brother. Mom must like herself the most, because he also liked Mom the most.

It had to be said that Yi Bao and Er Bao were indeed twins, thinking the same way.

“Then who is Mom’s second favorite?” Yi Bao asked, his small hand unconsciously clenched into a fist, very nervous.

Would it be him? Or did Mom like Er Bao the most? Or maybe San Bao?

Ning Shu thought for a moment. “Of course, it’s Money and your dad.”

Yi Bao widened his eyes at her words. “Why Money and Dad?”

Ning Shu smiled slightly. “Because for the second favorite, ‘second’ means there are two. I like Money because Money can buy us lots and lots of food, and can buy us bicycles and meat. I like your dad because I liked your dad, so I had you with your dad. If I didn’t like your dad first, there wouldn’t be you guys.”

So, you were born under the love and expectation of your parents.” Ning Shu added.

That’s what they say, but in reality, Lin Guodong was just an afterthought. If it weren’t for Yi Bao, she wouldn’t have bothered with him.

Sure enough, upon hearing that they were born under the love and expectation of their parents, Yi Bao’s mouth curved up, smiling so much that his mouth almost reached his ears.

Of course, Yi Bao’s sentimentality was lacking in Er Bao.

He didn’t hear his own name and continued to ask, unwilling to give up, “Then what about the third favorite?”

Dad was really annoying. Mom’s second favorite should be Money and him, Lin Er Bao.

“The third favorite is, of course, you guys.” At this moment, Ning Shu was like a big bad wolf. “For the third favorite, there should be three people. Besides Yi Bao, Er Bao, and San Bao, who else is there?”

Yi Bao’s smile couldn’t close anymore.

Er Bao smiled like a little fool.

San Bao hugged his mom’s waist, not understanding what they were talking about, but said, “San Bao likes Mom.”

“I like Mom the most.”

“I like Mom the most.”

The three brothers said in unison.

“Thank you for liking me.” Ning Shu also smiled heartily.

They returned to the village in the afternoon.

The village was quiet, with few people around, only some children playing at the village entrance and along the road.

“Yi Bao… Er Bao…”

Lin Haicai sat at the village entrance, from morning till noon, had lunch, and continued sitting there.

Finally, he saw Third Auntie riding back on her bicycle and excitedly went up to her.

When Ning Shu arrived at the village entrance, she stopped and took San Bao out of the basket. “You guys play here, I’ll take San Bao home.”

“Okay.”

“Yi Bao, I heard from Haicai that you guys went to the county town. Was it fun?”

“Er Bao, your clothes are very nice. Are they new?”

Erbao : “The county town is very big, and we even ate at the state-owned restaurant. We had noodles.”

“Lin Er Bao, you’re lying.” Zhuang Xiaopang didn’t believe it. “How could you guys eat at the state-owned restaurant?”

“Er Bao didn’t lie.” Yi Bao said, “Our mom took us to eat at the state-owned restaurant, and our little aunt was also there.”

“Yi Bao, is the food at the state-owned restaurant delicious?”

“Er Bao, what is the state-owned restaurant like?”

Ning Shu rode her bike a bit farther, still able to hear the children’s chatter.

The happiness of children, it’s so nice.

Back home, San Bao’s eyelids were already fighting to stay open. She put San Bao on the bed, let him sleep, and then sat on the edge of the bed to look at today’s app.

She had been with the three children all day, so she hadn’t had time to look yet.

Egg yolk pies: 15 yuan per box, 30 pies per box, 6 boxes left.

Wuxian instant noodles: 8 yuan per box, 10 bags per box, 26 boxes left.

Milord biscuits: 10 yuan per pack, 20 biscuits per pack, 18 packs left.

King of Kings ham sausages: 10 yuan per pack, 8 sausages per pack, 38 packs left.

Dried shrimp (medium): 18 yuan per portion, 70 shrimp per portion, 60 portions left.

Oh my, did the app hit the jackpot today? Instant noodles, ham sausages, and even a egg yolk pies.

These are soul food, which she hasn’t had in a long time, making her appetite open wide.

Right now, she wanted a bowl.

So, she didn’t hesitate to buy them.

These five products all seem to have a long shelf life.

So, she bought 3 boxes of egg yolk pies, 3 boxes of Wuxian instant noodles, and packed 38 packs of King of Kings ham sausages.

She also got 3 portions of medium dried shrimp.

However, she didn’t really like Milord biscuits, but the children must like them. When she was young, Milord biscuits were made by her grandmother.

First, she would use rice to make popcorn, and then she would make them into Milord biscuits.

There are 20 biscuits in a pack of Milord biscuits, and she bought 3 packs directly.

After buying everything, seeing San Bao sleeping soundly, she wanted to sneakily eat instant noodles.

So, Ning Shu went to the kitchen and took out everything for today, then took out a pack of instant noodles, two ham sausages, six dried shrimp, and an egg.

When she was preparing to boil water, she heard Lin Xiaoshan’s choked voice outside, “Auntie… Auntie, are you there?”

Ning Shu responded from the kitchen, “Xiaoshan, I’m here.” She found it strange. Xiaoshan never came to look for her during the day.

He would either secretly bring bamboo shoots over at night or come last time to get rice.

Why today?

Yes, there was another wave of bamboo shoots growing recently, and Xiaoshan started digging bamboo shoots again, but not as many as before.

Lin Xiaoshan ran into the kitchen and knelt down directly in front of Ning Shu. “Auntie, please… please help me, I will repay you.” As he spoke, he knocked his head repeatedly.

Ning Shu, who was preparing to eat instant noodles sneakily, was startled and quickly helped Lin Xiaoshan up. “Xiaoshan, what’s wrong? Get up and talk slowly.”

Lin Xiaoshan choked up, “Auntie, my mother just fainted, and her nose bled a lot. After being taken to the health center, Doctor Zheng said that my mother’s condition should be taken to the town’s hospital for a check-up because she had bled too much from her nose. But… but my grandmother won’t let her go, saying that we don’t have money.”

His father had already passed away, leaving only his mother.

He didn’t dare to be careless. “Auntie, I… I can mortgage my rice to you, can you… can you lend me money? If it’s not enough, I… I can also go to work, I…”

“It’s okay, it’s okay, don’t worry, I’ll give you the money.” If it were someone else, Ning Shu wouldn’t be so straightforward, but Lin Xiaoshan had over 400 catties of rice at her place, so she wasn’t worried at all.

After thinking for a moment, Ning Shu took out fifty yuan from her room. “Here’s fifty yuan. If you want to take your mother to the town’s hospital, you can’t do it alone. You have to ask the team leader to go with you. It’s best to give the team leader 20 yuan and ask him to help you with the procedures. Keep the remaining 30 yuan for yourself.”

“Oh, thank you, Auntie.” Lin Xiaoshan wiped away his tears, hid the 30 yuan in his clothes pocket, and held the remaining 20 yuan in his hand before running out.

Watching him, Ning Shu frowned and decided to go check on the situation.

With this incident, she didn’t even feel like eating instant noodles anymore.

Since San Bao was sleeping, she could just close the door and at most, he would wet the bed.

With a plan in mind, Ning Shu didn’t hesitate and left after closing the door.

The village had a lot of land, so she might not find anyone working there, but there was only one health center in the village, and she knew where it was.

When Ning Shu arrived at the health center, the team leader was coming out with a few men, pushing a cart with Lin Xiaoshan’s mother lying on it.

There were still many people outside the health center.

“Where do you think Xiaoshan borrowed the money from? He just lay there and managed to borrow 20 yuan?”

“Who knows? We didn’t follow him.”

Lin Xiaoshan’s grandmother was still pulling him and scolding, “You tell me, did you secretly hide the money? Our family hasn’t split yet, how can you hide money?”

“I didn’t.” Lin Xiaoshan was still struggling. He wanted to go see his mother.

“You didn’t? Then where did this money come from?” Lin Xiaoshan’s grandmother didn’t believe he could come up with 20 yuan.

Lin Xiaoshan remained silent about the money.

He was eight years old and knew the importance of keeping money matters private.

He didn’t want to cause trouble for Aunt Ning.

But because he didn’t say anything, everyone started speculating.

“Could his money be stolen?”

“I don’t know, did anyone lose 20 yuan?”

Ning Shu frowned again. These people were casually accusing an eight-year-old of stealing.

Just as she was about to speak up, Lin Xiaoshan broke free from his grandmother and ran out.

He ran fast, and although his grandmother chased after him, she couldn’t catch up.

Seeing Lin Xiaoshan leave, everyone went back to work. Ning Shu, seeing this, went back home.

At the same time, Lin Guodong, carrying a big bag, got on the train.

His heart was not as calm as his face. He hadn’t been home for over a year and didn’t know if Yibao and Erbao would still recognize him!