Chapter 25 The Best Mother in the Village
Eldest Sister-in-law Lin examined it and mentally calculated it. She felt that it was enough to make two warm clothes for her two-year-old son and extend the length a bit, so it would be possible to wear it next year. (T/N: the Lin is a typo in the raw)
"Last time I requested Third Sister-in-law, I gave two jins of brown sugar because I had a good bit of brown sugar then. Now I don’t have much left at home. This small bag of rock sugar is for Eldest Sister-in-law to bring back and treat Da Ni and Er Ni." Lin Qing He used oil paper to wrap the small package of rock sugar and stated.
"Leave it for Da Wa and his brothers to eat." Eldest Sister-in-law politely said.
"There’s still some left at home, take it." Lin Qing He stuffed it to her.
Eldest Sister-in-law accepted it, and then returned with the cloth to start working.
Then Lin Qing He turned to ask, "Mother, this time I saw a new kitchen knife in the black market. Exactly the same as the one I used in my kitchen. I recall that the old one in old Zhou’s house has gaps and isn’t efficient to use, so I bought it back. Five yuans and no coupon needed. Do you want it? I didn’t profit a penny from you. "
"Show me." Mother Zhou hesitated before uttering.
The kitchen knife at home indeed had a few chips. It was really easy for her to chop the meat with Lin Qing He’s knife for Da Wa’s breakfast in the morning.
Lin Qing He showed it to her. Mother Zhou took out five yuan to give it to her. Lin Qing He accepted it without embarrassment, and mentioned, "It’s because I have an acquaintance, otherwise I can’t buy this knife for five yuans. I’m not boasting. The things in the county city are very expensive, but it’s really good quality. Like, my pot and casserole pot."
It was only then Second Sister-in-law noticed that there was a second pan in the kitchen, and it was a double-eared pot fully equipped with a spatula lid.
The casserole was also brand new.
"How much money have you spent!" Mother Zhou couldn’t hold back.
"When the grain gets distributed tomorrow and I buy the grain from the production team, the family will wait for the next time our Da Wa’s father to send money back." Lin Qing He’s words made Mother Zhou turned around and returned steaming.
She carried a kitchen knife like she wanted to chop someone.
Second Sister-in-law secretly uttered, It goes without saying, no matter how able Fourth Brother-in-law is, and it can’t withstand Fourth’s wife, this family destroyer?
She didn’t think Lin Qing He would lie, because it was not necessary at all since they would not request to borrow money from her.
A coal stove, coals, a new pot, a new casserole pot, and also fabric, which were all seen. What about those unseen things placed in her room?
These all cost a lot of money.
Second Sister-in-law’s relationship with her was normally lacking. Since Mother Zhou went back, she didn’t stay any longer. She returned in a prideful mood.
What kind of eyesight Lin Qing He had? How could she not know what this Second Sister-in-law thinks?
She let her be.
Truthfully, this time she didn’t spend much money. A coal stove this big including coal was exchanged with a pot. The double-eared pot and casserole didn’t cost money. Just the bolt of cloth required money, which was gained from selling meat in the space. She didn’t add much.
The rest was food. The enamel and foot basin didn’t cost much. Lin Qing He had tallied it up on the way back, she didn’t spend more than 20 yuan.
It was very worthwhile to buy so many things with this much money.
"Go call your elder brother back to eat apples." Lin Qing He said to Er Wa.
Er Wa immediately went out to fetch him. This time Da Wa didn’t run far, and soon came back with Er Wa.
Lin Qing He cut the apple for them, each get a quarter.
"Mother, is there more in the cupboard?" Er Wa asked.
"Yes, and others too. Pears, white rabbit candy, sweet glutinous-rice stick, malted milk powder, canned food, etc. If you are obedient, you will have a treat. If you run out every day and get your clothes dirty, then don’t think about eating it. "Lin Qing He gave a little meaningful glance at Da Wa as she spoke.
Da Wa was dumbfounded. Same with Er Wa. No wonder they were born from the same father and mother. Their expressions were the exact replica.
Not just saying this, Lin Qing He also took them into the room to tour.
"Mother, mother, you are so wonderful." Er Wa was anxious to hug Lin Qing He to act spoil.
Er Wa blushed and uttered, "Then ... I will play less in the future."
"Alright." Lin Qing He nodded. She wrapped an estimate of half a jin piece of big fatty meat in oil paper. The old Lin Family would like it: "Send it over to your grandpa and grandma to eat." (T/N: Lin??? Another typo. Should be Zhou...)
"I will go there." Da Wa took the big fatty meat and delivered it to their grandpa and grandma.
Afterward, he can’t wait to go home and anticipate for food.
Tonight, Mother was going to make them stewed pork belly and bean, it sounds very fragrant. And the soup poured over rice! He can eat two and a half bowls of rice!
Sure enough, when he came back, his mother had soaked the rice.
"Da Wa, call your little Xi Jie Jie over," Lin Qing He said.
Zhou Da Wa did what she told him to do now. He had no objection at all when she ordered him around because his mother bought so many delicious things for them!
Their mother was simply the best mother in the world. Adding all the mothers in the whole village together still can’t be as good as their mother!
Zhou Xi had heard from her elder brother, so Lin Qing He gave her the rest of the cloth: "Make a pair of shoes for each of them, and then make two pairs of socks. The rest, make two pairs of big socks, around three sizes bigger than your brother. "
Naturally, it was prepared for Zhou Qing Bai.
As for her, she didn’t need it, the original owner’s socks were good and there were five pairs.
Zhou Xi confirmed.
"Around half-past eight in the evening, come over with your brother to take the quilt back," Lin Qing He asserted.
Naturally, it was better to sneakily take the quilt back late at night.
That quilt weighed almost four jins, which was also very good.
"Thank you Shenzi." Zhou Xi understood how important a quilt is this period. Even if one had money, one may still not be able to get it.
"No need to thank. Your brother has worked hard today. There’s no rush on the shoes and socks. So you don’t need to work and spend kerosene at night." Lin Qing He said.
As for others, she didn’t give more. Although she tired Zhou Dong for the whole day today, she did give him three white buns to eat. For Zhou Dong who hadn’t eaten much white flour and meat in a year, this was enough reward.
As for making shoes and socks, it wasn’t counted. After all, she gave such a large quilt. Any more, it wasn’t Lin Qing He’s style.
In the evening, Lin Qing He had dinner with her three sons. The two eldest ones bathed in delight eating the rice. The little one, San Wa, also had a mouthful of oil.
After eating, she let the brothers play in the yard, while Lin Qing He ate by herself.
At eight o’clock in the evening, Zhou Dong and Zhou Xi came over. Lin Qinghe gave the quilt that had been replaced to them and then closed the door and went to bed.
Now the days are really chilling. Last night wasn’t so bad, but tonight she can really feel it.
The three children were called by her to sleep in her Kang because it was really cold tonight.
There are two four-jin quilts at home, which remained from the time of marriage. Plus the one given to Zhou Dong siblings, it was a total of three. The original owner enjoyed what can be considered sufficient supplies.
As for the two seven-jin large quilts, those were placed on kang head by Lin Qing He. They still don’t need to use such a large quilt yet.
For the four of them, it was enough to only use one large four-jin quilt.
After all, the three boys are all like heaters. So their bodies were extremely warm.
Jie Jie: Older Sister-don’t have to be related