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墨書 Inktalez
"I want to, but..."
Jiang Yizhou waved his hand and turned his head, suppressing his sister's worries. "There's no 'but' about it. If you want to go to school and continue your studies, what's wrong with that?"
Imagining the way elders impart life lessons to the younger generation, he patted Xiao Ya on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Brother is working Outside. It really feels like a disadvantage not having an education. Having a diploma is much better than working manual labor. You must study hard; otherwise, you'll spend your whole life in this countryside without any prospects..."
He sighed dramatically, pretending to be someone who had left his hometown for the big city and realized the importance of knowledge.
"Mm! Thank you, Brother! I will definitely work hard!" A strange light flashed in Jiang Xiaoya's eyes. She knew her brother supported her education, even if it meant he would be burdened for a few more years.
Feeling that he had made an impact, Jiang Yizhou happily carried a bucket of water back. After walking a few steps, he suddenly remembered the letter and turned back to Xiao Ya. "Actually, I wrote you a letter to reassure you about high school. But I had to come back for something. It should arrive soon; don’t be surprised!"
With that reassurance, Jiang Yizhou felt much better. He picked up the bucket he had placed on the ground and poured it into the water tank before heading back to the Well.
...
Jiang Maoqiang was working in a nearby village, helping several people build a house. He preferred not to stray too far from home, so this job was one of his main sources of extra income besides farming.
The main construction work needed to be done before spring farming began since they were rebuilding on their original foundation. Delaying too long would lead to various problems; just finding accommodation for one family could be quite challenging.
"Everyone stop! It's time for lunch!" With that statement from the homeowner, everyone set down their materials and walked toward a makeshift shelter made from common plastic film used for vegetable greenhouses.
The homeowner stored unused and unimportant items inside the shelter, which was next to a mud-brick house filled with two beds and various furniture—temporary accommodations for the family.
Just as Jiang Maoqiang was about to start eating, Gao Qingzhen came out from behind the house carrying a bag of eggs. Seeing him, she quickly approached. "Maoqiang, our son is back! Hurry home!"
When Gao Qingzhen spoke, her accent resembled Mandarin mixed with local dialects—something she learned from radio hosts.
Jiang Maoqiang didn't find it strange and apologized to the man from the house. "Sorry, I have something at home; I won't be coming back this afternoon!"
The man was very understanding. "No problem at all! When someone's child comes home, it's only right to celebrate. You can go home without worry!"
Half a person's workload wouldn't cause any issues; if they really needed help, he could always pitch in for half a day himself.
After the couple left, a man next to them, holding a bowl of rice, scooped up the grains with his mouth and then handed the empty bowl to the hostess, saying, "I remember their eldest son just went out to work after the New Year, I remember it clearly!"
"Who knows? Maybe he missed home or couldn't stand the hardship and came back?" In the countryside, during farming off-seasons, people loved to gossip like this.
...
The chill of early spring still lingered, especially in the countryside where one had to rely on themselves for warmth. At least their home didn't have a coal stove yet; sitting behind the stove was a way to warm up.
The main room was empty, with a table set up on one side that had an incense burner on it. There were no incense sticks or statues displayed, but there was a tea tray beside it with a thermos and an enamel cup on top, while various odds and ends cluttered the bottom. The earthen house wasn't large, so space had to be utilized effectively.
In the middle stood an old wooden table. Mother Gao Qingzhen brought over the last dish she had hastily prepared—steamed egg custard—and spooned it into Jiang Yizhou's bowl. "Come on, come on! I remember you love steamed egg custard the most; don't be polite with Mom!"
"Mom~~" Jiang Yizhou could only elongate his voice to express his opinion to his mother but still extended his bowl for her to keep adding more custard.
With the fragrant rice accompanying it, Jiang Yizhou's appetite opened wide. He hadn't eaten three meals and had only filled his stomach with two sausages; he was indeed quite hungry.
"Son, isn't homegrown egg better? Those sold in the market are from chicken farms; they can't compare to these free-range ones!" Gao Qingzhen kept talking. Seeing her son eat heartily made her feel even better.
This was one of the few sources of pride for villagers—no smog, green mountains and clear waters, and completely organic vegetables. Except for being irrigated with manure water; if one got used to that, it was truly something to reminisce about.
Most of the big matters at home were managed by Mother. As for the other three, Father was honest and easygoing; he used to be quite simple-minded.
Xiao Ya was on the edge of being ignored; if she weren't in sixth grade, she wouldn't be able to do much work. Plus, since she was starting junior high school without any loss, she might not even get to attend junior high.
"By the way, son, why are you back? Did something happen over there?" Gao Qingzhen asked the question she most wanted to know.
"Mom, I'm actually back because I need some money..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Gao Qingzhen looked completely unconvinced. She reached out and pinched Jiang Yizhou's face and then tugged at his ear as if he were wearing a human mask.
"Mom, what are you doing? What do you take me for?" Jiang Yizhou put down his chopsticks and bowl, pushed her hand away in complaint; it hurt!
"I'll see if you're still my son," Gao Qingzhen exaggeratedly asked Jiang Yizhou. "Son, have you been deceived by someone, or are you dating someone, or have you been dazzled by the glamorous world outside? I remember my son wasn't the kind of person to spend money recklessly!"
Jiang Yizhou suddenly felt that deceiving his mother was quite easy. He explained, "Mom, I'm using it for business, you wouldn't know." He pretended to be afraid of being overheard and glanced at the door, lowering his voice. "I found a good business opportunity in the capital. After borrowing three thousand from Uncle and investing it, guess how much I've made?"
"At least five hundred!" Before his parents could react, he revealed the result. "And that's just in one month!"
His mother's lowered voice took a turn as she responded, "Son, you haven't turned to any shady dealings, have you? You absolutely cannot get involved with that!"
Bang~~
"Can't you two keep your voices down? It sounds like you're up to no good!" Jiang Maoqiang slammed the table, reminding them that they were at the dinner table.
Gao Qingzhen shot her husband a sideways glance. "Son, what kind of business are you really doing?"
Jiang Yizhou pouted. "As long as it's not shady dealings, that's all that matters. Mom, do you not trust me? Have I ever done anything bad since I was little?"
He wore an honest expression, widening his eyes as he looked at his mother.
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