Chapter 53

“Daddy, how do I look?”

Back home, Ling Jingxuan and his brother started to tidy up the things they bought today. Ling Wen and Ling Wu went back to their room to try on their new clothes under command. After a while, Ling Wu, the younger boy, rushed into the kitchen excitedly and found Ling Jingxuan who was preparing something to eat. The navy blue robe was a little big on him, making him look thinner. Ling Jingxuan smiled, “Oh, my son is handsome.”

While speaking, he stretched out a hand to pinch the boy’s cheek, looking smilingly toward Ling Wen who came in. He chose navy robes for both children. This color was a bit unfit to their age. Besides, their thin body made the robe look like a quilt. Luckily, they were young and were still growing, navy blue was dirty-resistant, though a bit old-fashioned.

“Daddy!”

The two buns, which had never been praised by anyone, flushed at the same time hearing their dad’s remarks. The little buns even turned and ran out embarrassedly.

“Haha, shy boys, but he is truly handsome.”

Ling JingPeng, who was standing aside, duly added, making Ling Wen feel more embarrassed. “I’ll go to take care of Xiaowu,” Ling Wen said in a very low voice and then ran away in a hurry.

The two men made a silent exchange of smiles. The two boys’ rich reactions proved that they were gradually getting out of their once gloomy life.

“Ge, you put too much oil. Xiaowen would nag you later.”

Packing up all the things, Ling Jingpeng turned around and saw Ling Jingxuan scoop a big spoonful of fresh lard and put it into the pot. He couldn’t help but feel it was a waste of food. When they lived together, their parents only dropped a few drops of vegetable oil at most. How could his brother waste food like this? No wonder that Xiaowen always nagged him! The man was a black sheep!

“Hehe…Don’t worry. We made money this time! A little extravagance now and again does not matter. We won’t be like this every day.”

Compared with Ling Jingpeng, Ling Jingxuan didn’t care it at all. He stir-fried the brown scallion cake in the pot skillfully. As for why it was dark, the white flour was too expensive so the steamed bun didn’t let him. Thus, he could only take the brown flour as the substitute.

“Fry these meats too?”

Ling Jingpeng felt helpless seeing the sliced marbled meat leftover and the cleaned wild vegetable. It seemed the materials for the cook were ready.

“Well, we have to go to the mountains for some rough work. How can we not eat something good?”

“Save them for the children and you. The wild vegetables would be enough for me.”

Ling Jingpeng really loved the two children and wanted to leave more food to them, but Ling Jingxuan turned his head and said seriously, “What do you mean, save it for children and me? Jingpeng, you’re my only younger brother. Do we still need to have such a clear division? I made money so I cooked a nice meal for you. If you have to be clear about everything like this, should I pay you money since you helped me sell fish?”

“No, I didn’t mean that, I…”

Hearing this, Ling Jingpeng waved his hand nervously to explain, but was interrupted by Ling Jingxuan, “I know what you want to say, Jingpeng. My family is poor, but our destiny is in our own hands. As long as we have a striving mind, are willing to study hard and work hard, we will get rid of poverty and become rich sooner or later. One day, I’ll let our family eat rice and have a big meal of wine and meat every day.”

Looking at his brother’s slender side face, Ling Jingpeng clenched his fist quietly. Ling Jingxuan was right. As long as they were willing to work hard, they would live a better life soon or later.

Knowing that his younger brother was smart, Ling Jingxuan didn’t say more. A word to the wise was sufficient. He would understand what it meant.

“Ok, Jingping, go and ask the children to wash their hands and eat. When they take a nap, we will go to the mountains.”

“Rat-tat…”

About half an hour later, the sweaty Ling Jingxuan finally made ten scallion cakes, and the twice-cooked pork was also ready. Suddenly, there was a rude knock on the door outside, more precisely, kicking on the door. The brothers looked through the door of the humble kitchen, and the broken and fragile wooden door seemingly going to down under such heavy blow.

“You tell the kids to wash their hands. Whatever happens outside, don’t come out. I’ll go check it out.”

The gate-crasher must come to find trouble. Ling Jingxuan lowered his tone, wiped his hands, and went out. Looking at his brother’s back, Ling Jingpeng was worried. But he knew his brother’s temper had changed and wouldn’t let himself be bullied again. So he just turned around and took the two steamed buns to the backyard.

“Hey, are you dead? My hand is broken knocking your broken door. Do you still have your third aunt me in your eyes?”

Opening the door, a rude female voice almost broke his eardrum before Ling Jingxuan had time to see the outside situation clearly. At the same time, she came forward while cursing, trying to enter the yard. Ling Jingxuan rolled his eyes feebly and moved slightly to the middle to block their way. “Well, I was wondering who it is. It turns out to be Aunt Ling and Sister Ying. What has brought you here, dear old chaps?”

Ling Jingxuan’s long and narrow eyes rendered unabashed ridicule looking at the mother and her big daughter Ling Xiaoying standing in front of him. Almost at a glance, he recognized their identity.