He quickly put down the firewood he was holding and stepped forward to grab his younger brother.
“Younger brother, you can’t eat that!”
“Last night we both satisfied our cravings, and Grandma said the eggs are for Little Aunt to nourish herself.”
Saying this, Gou Dan glanced at Lin Tang’s cloth-covered head.
They were still young; eating it occasionally was enough. They couldn't harm Little Aunt.
Lin Tang was deeply moved by the warm-hearted and sensible Gou Dan. “It’s fine, Auntie is full. Besides, it will be lunchtime soon.”
Her injury was fine long ago.
She wasn't that eager for the eggs anyway.
Saying this, she picked up Chou Dan and placed him on her lap, feeding the egg to her little nephew.
He was a four-year-old child, yet incredibly light.
Lin Tang sighed inwardly, wishing she could quickly get some good things to fatten up all the children in the family.
The little schemer Chou Dan saw his older brother stop trying to stop him and immediately his eyes curved into a smile.
He swallowed the egg in one gulp.
The egg white, like white jade, and the yolk that made one’s mouth water.
In this era where oil and meat were scarce, it was a delicacy one never tired of eating.
“So good, so delicious!” Chou Dan’s bright, clear eyes widened roundly, his face full of praise.
Lin Tang’s heart melted from the child’s cuteness. She reached out and rubbed his head, then turned her line of sight toward Gou Dan.
“Gou Dan, come, you have a bite too.”
Gou Dan swallowed his saliva, lifted his leg, and ran outside, saying as he ran,
“I won’t eat it, Little Auntie, you eat it.”
If he ate one more bite of such a small egg, Little Auntie would have one less bite.
Watching the small, thin figure disappear at the doorway, Lin Tang sighed, her affection for the little fellow growing even more.
Good and sensible children always soften people’s hearts.
“Your brother isn’t eating, so we’ll eat it ourselves,” Lin Tang said.
Chou Dan, however, refused to stay put and twisted his small body off the ground.
He cast a reluctant look at the fragrant egg in Little Auntie’s hand.
Then he turned and ran toward the doorway too.
Lin Tang watched the little fellow stumble in the direction Gou Dan had disappeared, her feelings complicated and hard to describe.
Sigh!
She wanted to go to the county!
She wanted to go to work and earn money!
She wanted to buy meat, buy sugar, buy good things...
But she didn't need to think to know that she probably wouldn't be able to leave the house anytime soon, let alone go to the county.
After eating breakfast, Lin Tang returned to her room and took out the things her father had sent over last night.
Her father said this was the severance gift sent by the Liu Family.
A piece of fabric too small to even make a child’s piece of clothing, and a few pieces of mung bean cake.
The mung bean cake looked soft and mushy, likely bought from the supply and marketing cooperative.
At this time, food wasn't about refinement; having something to eat was already good enough.
Over there, Gou Dan figured Little Auntie had finished eating and brought his younger brother Chou Dan back to the yard.
Seeing his younger brother’s dirty hands, Gou Dan sighed like a little adult.
“Younger brother, stop playing in the mud all the time. If you get your clothes dirty, Dad will spank you.” This was clearly a threat.
Chou Dan was small, and his face, like Ning Xinrou’s, was small, very delicate and refined.
Faced with his older brother’s displeased expression, he just smiled softly.
Gou Dan met his younger brother’s soft smile and felt helpless.
He resigned himself to being a little nanny.
Lin Tang couldn't help but smile when she saw this scene of 'brotherly harmony.'
She didn't step forward to help. After the two children were done cleaning up, she took the small paper packet and walked over.
“Gou Dan, Chou Dan, I have something to eat here, you two eat it.”
Gou Dan looked up and saw that it looked soft and glutinous, with a sweet scent.
“Little Auntie, what is this?” The child’s eyes were very bright.
How come this looks even more fragrant than sugar water?
In Gou Dan’s eyes, sugar water was the number one delicacy.
Sweet!
Taking a sip made one feel wonderful inside.
Lin Tang handed him the paper packet. “This is mung bean cake. They have it at the county’s supply and marketing cooperative. You two eat it.”
“Gulp...”
The two boys looked at the small paper packet in their hands and swallowed their saliva.
Gou Dan reluctantly pulled his line of sight from the packet and looked at Lin Tang. “Little Auntie, aren’t you eating?”
This was a good thing.
Lin Tang: “I already ate. This is for you two, hurry up and eat. I’m going to boil water; your grandparents will be back soon.”
After saying that, she went to the kitchen.
Gou Dan carefully pinched a piece for his younger brother and instructed, “Younger brother, you eat first. I’m going to help Little Auntie.”
Chou Dan’s dark and thin little hand accepted the not-so-large piece of mung bean cake and licked it.
The sweetness made his eyes curve into crescents.
“Brother, it’s delicious.”
“This is from the supply and marketing cooperative, of course it’s delicious. Alright, you eat slowly, just stay here at home. Don’t go out, Brother is going to the kitchen,” Gou Dan said, patting his younger brother’s head.
“Okay~” Chou Dan replied softly.
Lin Tang was busy in the kitchen when she saw Gou Dan and paused in surprise.
“Why are you here?”
“Little Auntie, I’m here to help you.” Saying this, he sat down by the stove and started building the fire himself.
Children from poor families mature early.
In the countryside during this era, a child of Gou Dan’s age could already be considered half a grown-up.
He skillfully placed dry, easily flammable leaves into the stove.
He struck a match and slowly ignited them.
Then he added small pieces of firewood, and the fire in the stove was started.
Lin Tang gave him a thumbs-up and praised, “Gou Dan is so capable.”
She still had so much to learn!
Gou Dan’s dark face flushed, and he said shyly, “Little Auntie is capable too.”
“Of course, I’ll be the pillar of this family in the future.”
“Alright, you’re not needed here. Hurry up and go watch Chou Dan, don’t let anyone bully him,” Lin Tang dismissed her nephew.
Seeing there was nothing for him to do, Gou Dan took the small paper packet and prepared to leave.
“Then I’m leaving. I’ll be in the yard. If you need anything, don’t forget to call me.”
Lin Tang couldn't help but chuckle at his little adult-like words.
When Gou Dan went out, he saw that Chou Dan had already finished his piece of mung bean cake.
The little fellow was currently licking the cake crumbs off his hands.
Seeing his brother arrive, the little fellow’s eyes lit up. “Brother, it was delicious.”
His bright, clear eyes stared fixedly at the paper packet in Gou Dan’s hand, his face clearly showing he wanted another piece.
“There are only these few pieces. We can’t eat them all. Grandparents, Parents, and the others haven’t eaten yet; we have to leave some for the family.”
Gou Dan looked at his pitiful younger brother and his heart softened. He said, “Brother will share a small half with you, and we’ll save the rest, okay!”
Saying this, he took out one of his pieces.
He broke off half and gave it to his younger brother.
The two brothers ate contentedly.
“It’s so delicious!” Gou Dan ate slowly, treasuring it.
It was sweet and soft, absolutely delicious!
Chou Dan also said from the side, “Delicious!”
On the way home from finishing work at noon.
Li Xiuli was walking with her two daughters-in-law when she saw Zhao Honghua.
“Honghua, why do you look thinner again? Is there no food at home?”
Li Xiuli looked at her friend’s pale face and frowned.
Only a few days had passed, but Honghua looked even thinner.
A gust of wind could blow her away.
Ning Xinrou and Zhou Mei smiled and greeted Zhao Honghua, then quickened their pace, walking ahead.
Zhao Honghua smiled and explained, “There is still food at home; it’s just that my appetite hasn't been very good these past couple of days.”
She then changed the subject. “Your two daughters-in-law turned out to be quite good!”
She hoped her Ziqiang could also marry a good wife.
Ziqiang was already eighteen; it was time for him to get married.
But the family was poor, and the children’s father didn't care about anything. Good daughters wouldn't look favorably upon their family’s situation.
Thinking of this, Zhao Honghua felt worried.
At night.
Chou Dan was wearing a small vest, revealing his fair little belly.
He said softly, “Brother, Brother, when can we eat eggs again? Chou Dan wants to eat eggs.”
The little fellow was still thinking about the eggs they ate during the day.
Gou Dan scratched his head.
After thinking for a moment, he replied, “...If older brother and older sister vote a few more times, we’ll have eggs to eat.”
Chou Dan’s little face lit up, his clear eyes curving into small crescent moons.
“Votes, votes, Chou Dan wants votes.”
“Brother wants them too,” Gou Dan chuckled slyly, suddenly inspired, and said, “...Then you shout asking for votes with me first.”
Chou Dan nodded seriously, stood up, and put on a solemn little face like a little adult.
“Chou Dan also asks for votes, thank you older brother and older sister~” （bows ）