Chapter 33 - 12: Little Yezi’s Birthmark

Chapter 33: Chapter 12: Little Yezi’s Birthmark

The Lin Family didn’t receive commodity grain; they lived entirely off what they could dig from the fields. Fortunately, Lin Shisheng knew how to fish and hunt, so they occasionally got to taste meat, which made them slightly better off than other families.

Hunting and fishing depended on luck, and the Lin Family hadn’t eaten meat in over a month.

Let alone a delicacy like dumplings.

"Sure," Lin Shisheng said, not standing on ceremony with his own sister.

The words had barely left his mouth when Mrs. Lin smacked him on the back, making him grimace in pain.

"Mom," the young man, who already had two children of his own, whined resentfully.

His clowning around made Da Zai and Er Zai roar with laughter. The twins didn’t understand what was happening, but they giggled along anyway.

"Sure? What’s so ’sure’ about it? Are we starving you at home? Are you lacking for drink?" Mrs. Lin scolded with a stern face. "Coming over to Zhaozhao’s to freeload."

When she looked at her daughter, her expression softened. "Your Second Brother and I already ate before coming. We were just worried, so we came to check on you. We’ll be heading back soon."

She caressed her grandson’s thin little face. "As long as you take good care of my grandchildren, I’ll be content."

Lin Zhao put an arm around Da Zai’s shoulder and said earnestly, "My head wasn’t on straight these past few years, and I didn’t know how to cherish my four kids. I’ve woken up now. I’m treating them well."

Da Zai turned his head to meet his mother’s gentle gaze, his own eyes curving into a smile. "Mhm, Mom is very good to us. Don’t worry, Grandma."

"Mom, I want to tidy up the vegetable garden in the backyard. Can you and Second Brother help me out?" Lin Zhao asked without hesitation.

Lin Shisheng had been protective of his little sister since they were kids. He was the type to do whatever Zhaozhao said—a classic doting older brother.

He replied without a second thought, "Just tell me what you want done. I’ll handle it."

"Let’s go to the backyard and talk."

The group went to the backyard.

Lin Zhao glanced at the messy yard and said with disgust, "The backyard is a mess. Second Brother, can you help me build a fence around the vegetable garden? It should be made of bamboo strips, all the same height. I don’t care about the style, but it has to be neat. It has to be..."

"So it looks refreshing and pleasant, right?" Lin Shisheng finished for her.

"I get it, just like at our place. Don’t worry, leave it to your big brother."

’His Zhaozhao has always been a girl with high standards, even as a child.’

Lin Zhao then made a request to Mrs. Lin. "Mom, could you also help me plant some other vegetables? We have too few varieties. Da Zai and the others are tired of eating bok choy."

"?"

A question mark practically appeared over Da Zai’s head.

But he didn’t call his mother out.

"So picky," Mrs. Lin said to Lin Zhao, though she didn’t refuse her daughter. "I’ll go to the Gu Family’s old house to see if they have any vegetable seeds."

She smoothed out her clothes, stomped the dust from her feet, and headed toward the Gu Family’s old house.

Er Zai quickly followed her.

Lin Shisheng went to prepare the bamboo strips.

Lin Zhao looked at the twins, who were sitting in the yard digging in the dirt. The two toddlers, who couldn’t speak clearly yet, seemed to be debating something, which was incredibly amusing.

"Da Zai, watch your little brother and sister. Mom’s going to make dinner. Your grandma and uncle came to see us, so we’re having them stay for dumplings today."

"Okay," Da Zai said happily. "I’ll watch the Third and Fourth Child, Mom. You can go get started."

He was happy about eating dumplings, but he was even happier to be eating them with his grandma and second uncle.

"Having such a well-behaved son like you really makes things easy for me," Lin Zhao said with a sigh of emotion.

She walked toward the front yard.

Da Zai, left standing there, was so overwhelmed by his mother’s praise that he nearly melted into a puddle.

Just as Lin Zhao reached the front yard, she heard a familiar sound from outside.

Someone was shouting that the barber had arrived.

She quickly called out at the top of her voice, "Da Zai!"

Hearing his mother’s call, Da Zai came rushing over, holding the hands of the dirt-covered twins.

"Mom?"

Lin Zhao pressed two cents into Da Zai’s hand and said, "The barber is here. You and Er Zai go get your hair cut."

"Shave it all off," she reminded him.

Da Zai stood frozen on the spot.

Lin Zhao coaxed him gently, "A shaved head will be cooler. Besides, your and Er Zai’s hair grows fast. It’ll be back before you know it."

Da Zai thought what his mother said made sense. "Okay."

So, he led his little brother and sister out of the house.

He hadn’t gone far when he ran into Er Zai, who was trotting happily after Lin Shisheng. Da Zai quickly called out, "Er Zai, Mom wants us to get our heads shaved. Are you coming?"

"No, I’m going to help Second Uncle," Er Zai said.

"Mom said it’ll be cooler. If you’re not going, I am," Da Zai said, starting to lead the twins toward the village entrance.

Seeing this, Er Zai instantly changed his mind. "I’ll go too! We’re brothers, we have to do everything together."

Lin Shisheng shook his head with a smile.

Tie Chui came running from a distance. "Da Zai, Er Zai, where are you guys going?"

"We’re going to get our heads shaved. You want to come?" Er Zai said.

"Sure."

The group of boys headed off together.

Lin Zhao was busy in the kitchen. Mrs. Lin returned, having gotten the vegetable seeds, and called out, "Zhaozhao!" She had been about to tell her daughter what kinds of seeds she had found, but when she glanced into the kitchen, she saw that Lin Zhao had mixed a large amount of dough—all of it from fine grain. Her expression changed instantly.

She rushed inside.