AD [QT] Chapter 6

(Word Count: 1504)

 

Mrs. Han has always been proud of her eldest son’s honesty and filial piety. She never dreamed that this filial eldest son, who made her proud, would not let her taste the dumplings and gave them all to Wu Hongmei. Is he still her filial son?

 

At that moment, Mrs. Han’s face was full of anger, as if she couldn’t believe that her eldest son dared to be unfilial to her, but the empty pot showed that the eldest son did not leave her even a dumpling.

 

Mrs. Han had six children in her life, three of whom were sons. If the eldest son was unfilial, she still had the second and third sons. There would always be a son who would be filial. She thought so and looked at the pot again. Her dissatisfaction reached its peak. This son was unreliable. She wanted to go to the second son’s house.

 

Han Ze came out of the room without seeing Mrs. Han. He thought she was out for a walk again, so he didn’t take it seriously and just washed the rice and cooked. The children were coming back from school soon. There was still some meat left, so he planned to make braised pork for them.

 

When he came here, he found that not only Wu Hongmei and Wu Yatou were thin, but the three daughters who were already in school were also so thin that there was no meat on their bodies. Even the head of his family looked severely malnourished. He didn’t know how this family survived until now.

 

Han Ze felt that the tasks in this world were not too difficult. The children were sensible and he didn’t need to worry about them. He just had to earn enough money to support their studies and find a way to raise them plump and white so that they could get married and have children in the future.

 

Thinking of this, he quickly cut the meat into pieces and started to roast the meat. While the meat was simmering in the pot, the three daughters came back. Before they got home, a smell of meat rushed into their noses. They thought someone else was stewing meat, but when they looked at the house, it turned out to be their own. The three children swallowed their saliva.

 

The third girl ran to the pot, poked her head and looked into the pot eagerly. She sniffed at the rich smell of meat.

 

Han Ze came over and covered the pot, pointed at her black little paws, and said, “Go get a basin of water and wash your hands with soap. You are not allowed to eat without washing your hands. Do you understand?”

 

The third girl did not move, staring at the pot lid tightly, as if he wanted to stare a hole in it. Han Ze chuckled, patted her head gently, and whispered, “The meat is not cooked yet. You still can’t eat it if you stare at it. Go wash your hands quickly, and you can eat it after washing your hands.”

 

The third girl twisted her fingers and looked at her father in surprise, “Can I eat meat too?”

 

“Why can’t you eat meat? Go wash your hands and wash your face too.”

 

Han Ze urged. He knew that when the family cooked meat in the past, Mrs. Han would not allow them to eat it, saying that it would be a waste if the girls ate it, leaving some for herself and her son, and the rest was taken to the second son’s house. There was no share for the girls and Wu Hongmei at all, but Han Ze didn’t think there was anything wrong.

 

“Really?” The innocent face was half surprised and half doubtful. The surprise was because her father seemed to have become kinder recently, and what he said should be trustworthy. The doubt was because the memory of eating meat in the past was too deep, making her dare not believe that she could eat meat.

 

“If Dad says it is, it is. You should believe Dad.”

 

Han Ze’s tone was not gentle, but when the third girl heard his tone, she did not hesitate. With the expectation of meat, she walked quickly to the water well with her calves and drew water to wash her hands.

 

Han Zhaodi put down her schoolbag and went to her parents’ room to see her mother and sister first, and then went to the kitchen. She was about to help cut vegetables, but Han Ze waved his hand, “Just help to light the fire.”

 

Han Zhaodi sat obediently behind the stove, holding the fire tongs, looking at her father several times, hesitant to speak. Han Ze noticed her look and said, “Just say it if you have something to say. Why are you hesitating?”

 

Han Zhaodi pursed her lips, looked up at Han Ze, and asked, “Dad, did you go to school today?”

 

“Well, what’s wrong?”

 

Han Ze took two cucumbers and smashed them on the chopping board, put them on the plate, and said with no expression on his face.

 

Han Zhaodi held the fire tongs tightly, put her feet on the ground, and asked in a very uncertain tone: “Dad, the teacher said you want me to take the junior high school entrance examination?”

 

Han Ze glanced at her and said, “Isn’t it normal to take the junior high school entrance examination after elementary school? Do you still need to ask?”

 

The problem is that it is abnormal when it is too normal, okay? Han Zhaodi frowned.

 

Han Ze put the kitchen knife in his hand on the chopping board, looked at Han Zhaodi and said: “Girl, your dad is destined to have no son in this life, and I can only rely on you sisters from now on. So you have to study hard and get into college in the future. Dad is counting on you to support him in his old age.”

 

Han Zhaodi: “…”

 

Han Ze looked at her expression and thought she was unwilling, so he said unhappily: “Why, you don’t want to support me and your mother in our old age?”

 

This child must not say she doesn’t want to, otherwise he will have to educate her well. How can she not provide for her parents in their old age?

 

Han Zhaodi was speechless. She never knew that her father was still like this: “Dad, I didn’t say I don’t want to take care of you in your old age. I just think, is it really good for you to believe in the old blind grandfather’s words. Maybe mom will give me a brother in the future?”

 

Han Ze said seriously: “Nothing will happen. Your old blind grandfather’s fortune-telling is so accurate. He also said that you sisters will be both promising and filial in the future. Dad doesn’t want anything else. Raising you up is Dad’s biggest wish now.”

 

Han Zhaodi should be happy that her father gave up the plan to have a son, but she was very amused. Her father actually gave up his persistence of more than ten years because of a word from the old blind man? It’s so ridiculous.

 

The meat and vegetables were served on the table, but Grandma Han still hadn’t come back. Han Ze frowned: “Girl, go and see why your grandma hasn’t come back yet. Look for the neighbors around.”

 

Han Zhaodi responded and went out. Han Ze shouted from behind: “Wait, go to your second uncle’s house first.”

 

Ten minutes later, Han Zhaodi ran back, panting: “My grandma said that from now on, she will live with my second uncle.”

 

Han Ze frowned and said with heartache on his face: “Your grandma must be tired from taking care of your mother during the confinement period. Your mother has been in poor health since she gave birth to the fifth child. I was planning to let her do the confinement period for two months. Well, I’ll pack up some of her clothes and send them to her later, and let her rest at your second uncle’s house. You guys should work harder in the future and come back to help take care of your sister, okay?”

 

Han Zhaodi looked at her father in confusion. She felt that her grandma didn’t want to go home for this reason.

 

But thinking of the way grandma usually scolded or beat them, she was unwilling to explain, so she let her father misunderstand, and it would be best if grandma would live in the second aunt’s house forever and not come back.

 

Mrs. Han sat in the main hall of her second son’s house, waiting for her eldest son to take her back, but she waited for a bag of clothes from her eldest granddaughter, saying that she should live in the second son’s house with peace of mind, and go back when Wu Hongmei, the wife, is out of confinement and doesn’t need her care anymore.