The mother of the era is reborn to support her cannon fodder children!

Chapter 334 "The Old Drunkard's Intention Is Not in the Wine"

Gu Lan explained in a low voice, "I'm not confident I can get first place again in the provincial capital. What else would that be but a waste of money? Dad doesn't earn money easily, and I don't want to waste it."

Gu Yuanshan felt a surge of comfort, but disagreed, saying, "What's the big deal if we don't get first place? Getting second or third place is an honor too. Even if we don't get any, it's not a loss. At least we've gained some experience."

He laughed and said, "Your mother and I probably wouldn't even have enough money to take you to the provincial capital. What a great deal! You're getting a good deal. Silly girl, you can't do any math."

Gu Lan: "..." Is that so?

After hesitating for a moment, she looked up and asked, "Then... shall I go?"

"That's right." Gu Yuanshan patted his daughter's head and called his wife and children to eat. Tiedan couldn't wait any longer and pulled his younger brother's arm to sit down.

“Your third aunt is going with Yu Bao and Heng Bao, and she wants you to come with her. I don’t mind if she takes care of you,” Huang Xiulan said, then gave her daughter a series of instructions, telling her to stay close to her third aunt and not to talk to strangers.

Gu Lan agreed to each of them.

She was happy and looking forward to it.

Tie Dan cast an envious glance at her, "Sis, bring me some candy when you come back from your trip to the provincial capital."

"It's not for fun, it's for a competition," Gu Lan explained, then agreed with her brother, "I'll buy it for you."

She has pocket money, but she hasn't spent it.

"What candy do you want? You want candy?" Huang Xiulan snapped at Tie Dan. "If you could also become number one, wouldn't it be more convenient to buy it yourself?"

Tie Dan wasn't discouraged at all, and ate the egg with relish, sprinkling it with scallions. "Your son isn't that clever, Mom, you should rely on Li Bao instead."

He was self-aware; he had already struggled immensely to barely pass, and getting first place was harder than climbing to heaven!
Li Bao patted his chest, his voice clear and crisp, "Rely on me."

"I'm a big idiot, and you're a little idiot. Don't forget, you didn't even get first place." Tie Dan got upset again and huffed.

Before she could finish speaking, Gu Yuanshan lightly slapped her, saying, "You can say you're stupid, but stop making things up about your brother."

"Dad, you're being unfair." Tie Dan rubbed the back of his head, but he still ate every single bite of rice.

Gu Yuanshan looked speechless and deliberately said, "There's nothing we can do. You're neither the eldest nor the youngest, so your mother and I don't like you. There's nothing we can do about it."

Tie Dan didn't even look up, his heart as big as a boat, "My third uncle is just like me, neither the eldest nor the youngest. My grandparents both like my third uncle the most. Dad, why don't you learn from my grandpa?"

"...Then why don't you say that your third uncle is the most capable, the best-looking, and filial? Which of those qualities do you possess?" Gu Yuanshan didn't give way to his son at all.

Tie Dan thought about it, but of course, he couldn't come to a conclusion.

He changed the subject without saying a word, "Sis, have a good time in the provincial capital, and tell Li Bao and me about it when you get back."

Huang Xiulan rolled her eyes at him and said to Gu Lan, "Alan, your third aunt will bring a camera. She'll take pictures of you. Don't be shy, ask your third aunt to take lots of pictures of you. You're almost a grown woman now, so take lots of pictures of yourself now."

"Listen to your mother, don't worry about the money." Gu Yuanshan smiled.

“I have something important to do. Every time I go out with your grandfather, I earn money. Our family isn’t that poor. Besides, making money is an adult’s business. You should all study hard and try to get into high school so you can become educated people.”

“What’s the use of being educated? You still have to farm.” As Tiedan grew up, he loved to do the opposite of what adults did. “Several high school students among the educated youth also had to work.”

"Stop talking nonsense!" Gu Yuanshan glared at him coldly.

“If you don’t want to study, that’s fine too. Come home, work in the fields, and earn your own food.”

After hearing his father's words, Tiedan immediately became obedient.

"Dad, I was just saying, I want to go to school." Seeing Gu Yuanshan's disbelieving expression, he quickly explained, "I even asked my uncle some questions, Dad, you have to believe me."

"Xin, swallow your food before you speak, you sprayed it in my face," Gu Yuanshan said, somewhat speechless.

Tie Dan chuckled and leaned closer, "Dad, let me wipe it for you."

Gu Yuanshan did not refuse his son's filial piety and offered his face.

……

Upon learning that Gu Lan would be going to the provincial capital with them, Yu Bao and Heng Bao smiled especially brightly.

"Hengbao, we need to be more careful and try to bring home three certificates of merit," Yubao said to his younger brother.

"Hey~!!!" Hengbao responded cheerfully.

"Son, does your grandma know that we're going to the provincial capital soon?" Lin Zhao asked, turning her gaze to her two sons as she remembered the most crucial question.

If the old family doesn't know, who will take care of the two little ones?!
Her reminder made the twins realize that they had forgotten to tell their grandparents that they had won first place in the abacus competition and were about to go to the provincial capital to participate in the competition.

Two children who look alike but have completely opposite personalities look at each other and their pupils dilate slightly.

"I forgot..." Yu Bao said awkwardly, looking at Lin Zhao with a questioning gaze, "Should Heng Bao and I go tell them now?"

Lin Zhao waved his hand, "Go, take that piece of meat from the kitchen with you."

"Yes!" Hengbao responded, and his body had already rushed to the kitchen, grabbed the piece of meat, and put the hat on Lin Zhao after he came out. "Mom is so good. I will be filial to you in the future."

"Thank you..." Lin Zhao closed her eyes to rest, not wanting to look at the brat who was always making empty promises.

"You're welcome, hehe."

The boy, who was laughing heartily, was pulled away by his brother.

It was only at the old house that Mr. and Mrs. Gu learned that their grandson had won first place in the abacus competition and was about to go to the provincial capital to continue competing.

Gu's father went back into the house and came out with a large 10,000 yuan note, which he handed to Yu Bao.

“This money is a reward for the two of you!” he said.

His gaze shifted to Bangbang and Laimei, "You two are the same. No matter why you won the award, I'll give you a reward."

Bangbang and Lai Mei's eyes lit up.

"Grandpa, do you get a bonus if you get first place in the final exam?" A glint flashed in Lai Mei's eyes; she'd found a way to increase her allowance.

Father Gu nodded. "There are some, but not many."

Lai Mei wasn't greedy. "Just enough is fine. Grandpa, get the money ready, and I'll definitely get first place in the final exams!"

I'll give it my all for the prize money!
"it is good."

Yu Bao accepted the reward from his grandfather and thanked him in a clear voice.

He then reminded him, "Grandpa, Sister Lan is the top student in the senior grades, she's going too."

"Alan is also number one? She didn't say anything." Father Gu was both surprised and happy.

After learning the reason from Yu Bao, Gu's father felt sorry for his granddaughter for being so sensible. "What's the big deal? It's just two yuan... you can scrape it together. What's there to be reluctant about? What could be more important than your future?"

Bangbang thought it was an exaggeration and laughed, "It's not that exaggerated about the future, is it? The teacher said it's at most one chance."

"Life's various opportunities are hidden within a series of chances," Mr. Gu said with emotion. "Like your grandfather..."

He then recounted how meeting a benefactor changed the course of his life.

The children of the Gu family could recite what he said by heart; there was nothing new about it. However, every time Grandpa talked about it, the children listened attentively and never said anything unpleasant.

Gu's mother cut up the melon her daughter had brought and shared it with her grandson. She also remembered her eldest son's family and went to deliver it to them, slipping Gu Lan five yuan along the way.

Gu Lan hurriedly refused, but her mother used a little force to shove it into her pocket, saying, "Not only do you have one, but Yu Bao and Heng Bao also have one. Your grandfather gave it to them."

He then told her about the new rules that the Gu family had introduced.

"Compete well. If you get first place again, your grandpa will give you a reward. If you don't, it's okay. Just consider it a chance to broaden your horizons. Your grandpa says that it's always good for boys and girls to see more of the world." Gu Lan was an introverted person, unlike her grandmother, and besides nodding, she didn't know what to say.

The money in her pocket was burning hot; the heat traveled to her heart.

How lucky she was to be born into the Gu family.

After Gu's mother left, Gu Lan took out the money from her pocket and looked at Huang Xiulan helplessly, "Mother?!"

"Keep it for yourself." Huang Xiulan's eyes were full of complicated emotions. She had never received so much money from her elders in her life. "Your grandparents are good to you, so you should be filial to them in the future."

Her in-laws treated all of their daughters-in-law like their own daughters, and they showed no favoritism towards their grandchildren, treating them all equally. No wonder she valued the Gu family's good family tradition and begged her parents to help her find a husband—it was worth it!
"I will," Gu Lan said earnestly. Looking at her mother's wrinkled face, the girl felt a pang of sadness and couldn't help but say, "Mom, when I start working and earn money, I'll buy you a floral shirt to wear with a skirt and little leather shoes."

Huang Xiulan was slightly taken aback, but her face was full of smiles. "By then, I will be an old woman, wearing a floral shirt and skirt. People will think I am an old witch."

“She’s not an old hag, she’ll definitely look great,” Gu Lan retorted.

Seeing her daughter's earnest face, Huang Xiulan relented and said, "Okay, Mom will wear it. Even if you buy Mom a bright red one, Mom will wear it. After all, it's your daughter who bought it for you."

No one can predict the future, but at this moment, her heart is very warm.

……

Before Lin Zhao and the school teachers left for the provincial capital, Gu Chan finally delivered the things she had asked her younger brother and sister-in-law to give to her youngest son.

It was a fairly large net bag, bulging and full, but you couldn't tell what it contained.

"What are all these things? There are so many," Lin Zhao said.

"I made the sauce, the pancakes, the dried sweet potatoes for teething, and the fried dried fish..." Gu Chan explained one by one, "I don't know if Xiao Shitou can eat them. Keep the little cloth bag for him, and you can eat the rest on the road. Eat them as soon as possible so they don't spoil."

She worked in the cafeteria, and as her cooking skills improved, the food she made gradually became more and more delicious.

Lin Zhao's eyes widened in surprise. "We still have ours. That's perfect, we don't need to buy any more. Thank you, big sister."

"No need to thank me, I still need you to go and check on Little Stone." Speaking of her youngest son, Gu Chan's face showed worry and longing. "Zhao Zhao, if he's not doing well or has been wronged, please bring him back for me."

“I know, but I don’t want to see him suffer.” Lin Zhao’s expression was serious and earnest.

"Don't worry, big sister, I brought my camera. I'll take lots of pictures of Little Stone when we get back, and you can see them for yourself."

Joy appeared in Gu Chan's eyes, "It's great to have photos to look at! Zhao Zhao, take a few more, I'll pay for the film and developing."

"This is something."

After saying goodbye to her sister-in-law, Lin Zhao caught up with the rest of the school group.

There were a total of twelve students and three teachers traveling together.

The school paid for the train tickets, which were all hard seats.

There are many children, and the teachers take turns looking after them.

It was a rare opportunity for them to go out with their classmates, and most of them had never been far from home before. They were both nervous and excited. Even though they all spoke in hushed tones, the carriage was still noisy. However, since everyone in the carriage was chatting, the children's voices didn't seem too loud.

Lin Zhao sat by the window, with two wads of cotton stuffed in his ears, gazing at the receding shadows of the trees outside the window, lost in thought.

The difference between sleeper berths and hard seats is huge.

She yawned, her eyes gradually losing focus.

"Mom, are you sleepy?" Yu Bao noticed Lin Zhao yawning and leaned closer.

Lin Zhao removed the cotton, thinking it wouldn't be of much use. "A little, are you hungry?"

Yu Bao replied, "A little bit too."

“Your aunt has prepared a lot of food, including pancakes she made, dried sweet potatoes, and fried small fish… What would you like to eat?” Lin Zhao asked.

Hengbao replied on behalf of his brother, "We want to eat them all."

Lin Zhao glanced at him, "You little greedy thing."

Despite saying that, she still satisfied the two kids.

"Is Alan hungry?"

As soon as Gu Lan boarded the train, she stiffened up, her eyes revealing her unease.

Hearing Lin Zhao's question, she looked away and shook her head, "I'm not hungry."

For some reason, she dared not eat or drink anything. She was afraid she would need to use the restroom, but she didn't know where or how to go... So many questions plagued her.

Lin Zhao said, "Then drink some water, otherwise it will be too dry and your throat will hurt."

Looking at the little girl's upright posture, one could guess that Alan was unfamiliar with everything here, and was probably very uneasy or just not used to it.

"I'll show you around later."

Gu Lan was stunned. "Can I just wander around?"

"Yes." Lin Zhao nodded.

Yu Bao asked, "Mom, are you going to take Sister Alan to see the sleeper berths?"

"Since we're going to watch, we certainly won't miss it," Lin Zhao said with a smile. "You two, stop talking and hurry up and eat."

Hengbao looked aggrieved. "I didn't say anything!"

Yu Bao covered her mouth and chuckled, obediently eating the pancake, then taking a bite of the dried fish, her eyes lighting up at how delicious it was.

"Mom, aren't you going to eat some? The dried fish is delicious." He said with delight.

"I don't want to get my hands dirty."

Yu Bao: "I can feed Mommy."

After speaking, he steadily picked up the dried fish and put it to his mother's mouth.

Lin Zhao opened her mouth to take it, chewed and tasted it, "Not bad, your aunt's cooking is getting better and better! Don't just eat it yourself, let your sister Alan eat some too."

Upon hearing this, Yu Bao slipped a pair of chopsticks into Gu Lan's hand and shared the food with her cousin.

Knowing that her aunt would take her around later, Gu Lan's attention shifted, and her body was less tense, so she started eating.

After finishing their meal and tidying up a bit, Lin Zhao handed the twins over to the teacher and then took Gu Lan's hand, systematically leading her around.

After walking around like this, the more Gu Lan learned, the brighter her eyes became. The helplessness and tension in her heart slowly dissipated, and instead, she felt that it was nothing special.

"Thank you, Third Aunt," she whispered to Lin Zhao.

Lin Zhao smiled and shook her head, "It's nothing. Everyone gets nervous when they first encounter something new. You'll get used to it."

"Mm." Gu Lanxin felt relieved.

The train rattled along, and before nightfall, the group arrived in the provincial capital.

Everyone checked into the guesthouse with their letters of introduction.

Lin Zhao lived with her three children. The room had two beds and a separate toilet. After teaching Alan how to take a bath and use the toilet, she packed her luggage and started fiddling with her camera.

"Mom, when are you going to see Little Stone?" Hengbao sat down next to Lin Zhao, his real intention not being to ask her a question.

(End of this chapter)