Chapter 46 - 16: "So Fortunate

Chapter 46: Chapter 16: "So Fortunate

"So generous? If you give it all away, you won’t have any for yourselves, you know," Lin Zhao said, smiling as she teased her two sons.

Da Zai said, "Brother Da Dan and the others shared their eggs with me and Er Zai. They gave us candy during the New Year, too."

"My brother’s right. We want to share with them," Er Zai chimed in.

It was a given that they’d be a little reluctant, but both boys were generous kids, happy to share with their relatives.

Lin Zhao said, "If you want to bring some, bring some. It’s up to you. The candy I gave you is yours to do with as you please."

"Thanks, Mom!" Er Zai shouted.

Lin Zhao ruffled his hair and went inside to pack.

A can of preserved meat, two pounds of fresh meat, a jar of oil, a package of dried noodles, some salted duck eggs, three bottles of soda, and a small bag of candy. After a moment’s thought, she also grabbed the new jar of snowflake cream.

She packed everything into a string bag, left the room, and locked the door.

"Da Zai, Er Zai, are you ready?"

Da Zai and Er Zai came out of their room, their pants pockets bulging.

"Ready," Er Zai said, patting his pocket to make sure the candy wouldn’t fall out.

Lin Zhao could tell with a single glance that the two boys had taken their entire stash.

’Truly my sons,’ she thought. ’So generous.’

"Let’s go!" Lin Zhao said.

Something must have struck Er Zai as funny, because the little boy started giggling, his laughter crisp and clear.

The mother and her two sons walked out the front gate. After locking it, Lin Zhao led her boys to her parents’ home.

The young boys were bursting with energy. They didn’t complain of being tired once along the way. From behind, they looked just like birds freed from a cage.

"Mom, can you sing?" Er Zai asked, turning to look back at her as he plucked a stalk of foxtail grass from the side of the road.

"I can’t," Lin Zhao said.

"Can you?"

Er Zai shook his head. "I can’t either."

"Can Da Zai sing?" Lin Zhao asked, not forgetting her older son.

Da Zai, who was holding his mother’s hand, said, "I can’t either."

Lin Zhao remembered the movie theater in the county. She thought the film *Tunnel Warfare* was playing, so she asked, "Do you want to go see a movie?"

The two little ones’ faces lit up with joy.

Er Zai tossed aside the foxtail grass in his hand and rushed toward Lin Zhao. He stopped short, his little body lurching forward before bouncing back, his voice urgent and excited. "Mom, you’re taking me and my brother to the movies?"

"That’s right." Seeing her son’s face filled with anticipation, Lin Zhao made the grand promise.

Er Zai let out a cheer, his laughter startling the sparrows resting in the trees.

"The movies! We’re going to the movies!!"

He chattered excitedly about the movies for the rest of the walk, not stopping for a moment.

Watching the two little brothers so happy, a smile softened Lin Zhao’s eyes.

Chatting and laughing the whole way, the mother and her two sons arrived at the entrance to the Dongfeng Team’s village.

Lin Dadan was waiting at the village entrance with his younger siblings. Seeing their aunt, the group of children ran over excitedly.

Da Dan and Er Dan, who were already ten years old, were the fastest. They appeared before Lin Zhao in a flash, shouting in unison, "Auntie!"

Lin Xibao came running after them, her light-colored hair flying in the wind. She was grinning from ear to ear, looking like a little wild child. "Auntie!!"

Trailing behind them were Second Brother Lin’s two daughters, Lin Xuan and Lin Zheng, aged nine and seven.

"Auntie, I missed you so much." Xibao hugged Lin Zhao’s waist, her smile brighter than the sun.

Lin Zhao was carrying the bags and, afraid of hitting her niece, quickly lifted them up. "Easy there, slow down."

"Did your grandma tell you to wait at the village entrance?" she asked. "How long have you been here?"

"Not long. We came right after we finished eating," Lin Dadan replied, though his eyes kept darting to the string bag in his aunt’s hands.

’He could see it, alright. There were plenty of goodies inside.’

Noticing her eldest nephew’s stare, Lin Zhao shoved the bag into his hands. "What are you staring at? Don’t you know to help? My arm’s getting sore."

Lin Dadan took it gleefully. With a silly grin, he said, "I was afraid you’d think I was being pushy, Auntie."

"What, are you treating your aunt like a stranger?" Lin Zhao feigned anger.

Lin Dadan grew flustered and quickly shook his head. "No, no, Auntie! Let’s hurry home. Grandpa’s waiting. He’s been thinking about you a lot."

Hearing this, Lin Zhao picked up her pace.

Like a pair of loyal bodyguards, Lin Dadan and Lin Erdan flanked their beloved aunt, one on each side, as they walked toward the house.

Along the way, they ran into a woman from the team. The auntie asked a casual question, and Lin Dadan, the social butterfly, expertly handled the small talk. The boy’s smile was brighter than any flower as he took the initiative. "That’s right, my aunt’s come home to visit."

"What’s that? You’re asking what my aunt brought? Here, look—this entire string bag."

"Is my aunt a good daughter? Of course she is! My grandma says my aunt is the most dutiful daughter for miles around."

Lin Zhao, who hadn’t been able to get a word in edgewise: "..."

She nudged Er Dan with her elbow and whispered, "I haven’t seen you guys in a while. When did your brother suddenly become such a chatterbox?"