"Thank you for your trouble, Jiaojiao. Um, the children's clothes from last night are in the basin by the water vat. Take them and wash them. Thank you for your hard work!"
Zhou Jiaojiao smiled slightly, placed breakfast on the table in the main room, and without saying a word, told Lu Jiaxuan to quickly pick up the sand basin by the water vat and leave, afraid they'd have to do some work again.
After they left, Shen Meng stood there stunned. She went to the table and lifted the lid of the breakfast Zhou Jiaojiao had brought. Sure enough, there were only a few black bean cakes and a bowl of thin soup so watery it was almost invisible.
She knew that stingy old woman, Liu Sanjin, wouldn't always give them good food. She certainly wouldn't eat this, and the children certainly wouldn't let them eat it either.
Before the children woke up, Shen Meng hurried to the kitchen. After washing the pot, she took a bucket of millet porridge from her spatial storage and poured half a bucket into it. She placed five eggs on a steamer basket, and two cabbage and vermicelli dishes in the pot. After covering it, she lit a fire in the stove.
Lu Mingyang and Lu Mingliang ran to the east room after getting up. Seeing their younger siblings still sleeping, they were relieved.
"Brother, why did you run over to see Mingfang and Xiaokai so early? Hey, where did Mom go? She's not well yet, why is she running around like that!"
Lu Mingyang: "..."
Silly boy, why didn't you check on your younger siblings? What if they got sold? Mother, Mother, all you ever think about is your mother, you're such a simpleton!
"Food, brother, there's food on the table in the main room. It must have been brought over by Auntie Si, hehe, there's definitely chicken too... Ah, why is there only dark bread and thin soup!" "It's
good enough that there's anything to eat. Don't move, wait for Mother to come back. Go wash your face first, I'll watch over Mingfang and Mingliang here."
In the past, he would have been overjoyed to have something to eat, but after eating good food all day yesterday, he thought there would be more today.
Lu Mingliang walked out listlessly, but suddenly stopped. There was movement in the kitchen!
He crept over, sniffed hard, and thought, "Goodness, there's something delicious."
Shen Meng lit a fire and lit two bundles of firewood. The millet porridge was already hot, and after heating it in the pot, it immediately started steaming. She thought it was almost ready, so she stood up.
Just as she was about to go out, she met a pair of bright eyes.
"Mother, have you cooked?" The expectant expression showed that she couldn't wait to know the answer.
Shen Meng did not disappoint him.
“Yes, your fourth aunt brought breakfast this morning. I knew you wouldn’t like it. Luckily, we still have some millet, so I cooked some porridge. Your Aunt Tian brought some cabbage, so I made two side dishes. Hurry up and wash your face, we’ll eat now.”
Lu Jialiang jumped around happily. “Mom, I’m going right now. Hehe, Mom, you’re so good. I saw the food your fourth aunt brought. You guessed right, I don’t like black flour buns!”
He took a few steps back and forth barefoot and decisively ran back to the main room.
"Brother, hurry up and wash your face. Mom didn't run off; she made something delicious. Let's eat and then get to work. Don't look after Mingfang and Xiaokai; they'll wake up soon."
He finished speaking and, seeing Lu Mingyang hadn't moved, turned to see Shen Meng smiling at him. His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly said, "Mom!"
Shen Meng waved to them and went into the east room. Mingfang and Mingliang were already sitting up; Lu Mingliang's voice had been too loud, waking them instantly.
"You're awake! Get up and eat. Mingfang, your third aunt is coming over today to make you some clothes. You and Xiaokai stay home; don't go anywhere, okay?"
Lu Mingfang got up from Shen Meng's kang (heated brick bed) for the first time, looking very shy.
Shen Meng looked at the thin, frail child and just wanted to raise him well and make him healthy as quickly as possible.
"Come here, let Mom do your hair!"
Lu Mingfang was stunned for a moment, then her hair was gathered up by Shen Meng's large hand. She used to just tie it up casually.
Mingkai, wearing a shirt and bare legs, watched his mother do his sister's hair, not daring to say a word.
Shen Meng placed the breakfast Zhou Jiaojiao had brought aside. She and the children ate what she had made. Two cabbages were cut into six pieces; she ate one herself, and the rest were eaten by the children.
Thick millet porridge, fragrant cabbages, and boiled eggs—the children ate their breakfast to their hearts' content. Lu Mingliang ate two and a half cabbages by himself, his little belly round and full.
"Mom, how much food do we have left? Will we go hungry later?" Although he was enjoying his meal, he couldn't be so wasteful. Although the black flour buns weren't tasty, many families ate them; they were enough to fill their stomachs. No family could afford to eat like this. "
You just eat what you need to eat. Don't worry about what we eat at home."
Just as she finished speaking, there was a knock at the door.
"Are Lu Zhenping's family members home? There's a letter for you!"
"Someone's home, just a moment, coming right away!"
It was already past eight in the morning, and the sun was so hot that everyone was sweating. Shen Meng picked up the thin soup Zhou Jiaojiao had brought and sprinkled a pinch of brown sugar into it.
"Hello, comrade, thank you for making the trip. We're having some thin soup at home right now, this is extra, comrade, have some to quench your thirst!"
The postman had come many times, but this was the first time he had seen Shen Meng's smiling face. Looking at the brown sugar on the soup, his heart stirred slightly.
"I can't accept this, comrade. Here's your letter and the money order. Please sign here."
Shen Meng handed over the thin soup, took the things from the postman, and signed as she said, "This little bit of soup isn't worth it. You'll be riding your bike later, comrade. It's so tiring in this sun. Sign here, okay? Alright!"
The postman wiped the sweat from his brow, finished the soup in a few gulps, took the things from Shen Meng, and just as he put them down, he heard a door open nearby. Seeing it was the old lady from the house, he quickly gathered his things, got on his bicycle, and rode off without hesitation. Liu
Sanjin, who had just opened the door with a smile, watched the postman's retreating figure, seething with resentment. Was it really worth avoiding her like this just because he had stopped her a few times to ask her questions?
Liu Sanjin stamped his foot and quickly walked a few steps to Shen Meng.
"Mingyang's mother, bring the letter the eldest son wrote to you and let Jiaxuan see it. I'll read it to you in a bit. Give him the remittance slip so he can get the money for you. Is there a receipt for the package in this letter? Together..."
Shen Meng rolled her eyes, clutching her head, and said, "What? Mother, what did you say? I can't hear you. My head hurts so much. I'm going home to lie down."
"You..."
*Slap!*
Liu Sanjin was slapped on the door, nearly getting his face slapped by that little bitch Shen Meng. That heartless woman, trying to steal the money her son gave her! Humph, she'll write a letter! This time, she'll definitely write to the eldest son and make him come back and divorce his wife!