After my stepmother was shot, I took my brothers to the countryside

"Shen Zhiqing, I have something else I want to trouble you with." Goudan's mother smiled shyly.

"What's the matter, auntie?"

Seeing that Goudan's mother had no intention of investigating who took the firewood, Shen Nian didn't say anything more.

"It's the cloth you bought for me last time. Can you buy some more for me? Just like last time, I don't have cloth coupons. Can you pay more money?" Goudan's mother hesitated for a moment, but still said it.

"Buying cloth?"

When Shen Nian heard what Goudan's mother said, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

"Auntie, you buy some cloth..."

"I want to make a few more sets of clothes for Goudan. Boys grow up quickly, so it's always good to have a few more sets to keep."

Goudan's mother glanced at the patched clothes that Goudan had placed on the kang and explained.

Shen Nian looked at the sadness in Goudan's mother's eyes and was a little confused. Why did she have a bad premonition?

Shaking his head, Shen Nian got rid of the sudden thought in his mind.

"Okay, Auntie, I'll buy some for you when I go to town again in a few days."

"Aunt, it's getting late. Xiao An and Xiao Le should be back by now. Jiao Jiao and I will go back first."

Shen Nian stood up. Seeing Shen Nian stand up, Ye Jiaojiao also stood up quickly.

After hearing this, Goudan's mother also stood up and said a little embarrassedly:

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Shen Zhiqing, look at me, I've been chatting and forgetting the time. You guys should go back soon, Xiao An and Xiao Le should be home soon."

"Aunt, we'll go back first. You and Goudan should take care of your health and don't be too frugal with firewood. If you need any help, just come and tell me." Shen Nian said.

Goudan's mother nodded gratefully and walked Shen Nian and Ye Jiaojiao to the door.

"Aunt, it's cold outside. You just stay here and we'll go out by ourselves." Shen Nian said.

Goudan's mother smiled and shook her head: "It's okay, I'll see you off."

Shen Nian and the other person walked out of Goudan's house. Goudan's mother stood at the door, watching their backs gradually walking away until they disappeared from her sight.

Shen Nian and Ye Jiaojiao were on their way home, and they were still discussing the situation in Goudan's family.

"Jiaojiao, do you think Goudan's mother was a little strange just now?" Shen Nian suddenly asked.

Ye Jiaojiao was stunned for a moment, recalling the scene at Goudan's house just now. Nothing made her feel wrong.

"No, I didn't notice anything wrong."

Ye Jiaojiao shook her head: "Did you find anything wrong?"

"I do feel like something is wrong, but I can't put my finger on what it is."

Shen Nian was also trying hard to recall. She felt a little depressed when she was at Goudan's house just now. This depressed feeling disappeared after she left Goudan's house.

Shen Nian frowned, trying to figure out the source of that inexplicable feeling of depression.

"Jiaojiao, do you think Goudan's mother's eyes are a little... empty?" Shen Nian said hesitantly.

Ye Jiaojiao thought about it and shook her head: "No, I think she is quite normal. Maybe she doesn't get along with the villagers very much, so she talks less?"

Shen Nian sighed, perhaps he was worrying too much.

As soon as the two opened the gate, Shen Nianle ran out.

"Sister, Sister Jiaojiao, are you back?"

After saying that, Shen Nianle shouted towards the kitchen again: "Brother Gaoxuan, my sister and sister Jiaojiao are back! We can make dumplings now!"

Gao Xuan's voice came from the kitchen, and his voice was filled with a hint of laughter: "Okay, I'll make dumplings right away."

Shen Nian and Ye Jiaojiao walked into the yard and couldn't help laughing when they saw Shen Nian jumping around happily.

"Xiao Le, what kind of pistachios did you eat today that make you so happy?" Ye Jiaojiao joked with a smile.

Shen Nianle giggled: "Jiaojiao! In half a month, we will have winter vacation! I will definitely be happy about the winter vacation!"

Shen Nian and Ye Jiaojiao also laughed when they heard this.

Indeed, what children look forward to most is the winter and summer vacations, when they can play carefree, without having to go to school or do homework every day.

Several people walked into the kitchen. Zhao Gaoxuan had already put the dumplings into the pot, and Shen Nian'an was standing by.

"Zhao Gaoxuan, are the dumplings ready?" Ye Jiaojiao shouted as soon as she walked into the kitchen.

Zhao Gaoxuan turned around and looked at Ye Jiaojiao's greedy look and couldn't help laughing.

"It's almost done. Go sit down first. It will be ready soon."

Shen Nian and Ye Jiaojiao walked into the house and climbed onto the warm kang to sit down. Shen Nianle walked around the kitchen, occasionally looking in to see if the dumplings in the pot were cooked.

After a while, the dumplings were ready. Zhao Gaoxuan first served a bowl to Shen Nian'an and Shen Nianle, and then put the remaining dumplings into two large plates.

Zhao Gaoxuan walked into the house carrying two plates of steaming dumplings, and the aroma of the dumplings immediately filled the entire house.

"Wow! It smells so good!"

Ye Jiaojiao twitched her nose and reached out to grab the chopsticks.

Zhao Gaoxuan smiled and clapped his hands on the ground: "Don't be impatient, wait until the dumplings cool down a little before eating, otherwise you will burn your mouth."

"I can eat it just by blowing on it!" Ye Jiaojiao shouted unconvinced.

"Here, sis, is your dipping sauce."

Shen Nian'an went up to the kang with his dumplings in one hand and a small bowl in the other.

Shen Nian took the dipping sauce, smiled and touched Shen Nian'an's head: "Thank you, An'an."

Zhao Gaoxuan and Shen Nianle also got on the kang. Everyone sat around the kang and began to enjoy the dumpling dinner.

The dumplings were made by Shen Nian himself, and he was willing to add seasoning, so the skin was thin and the filling was full, and the taste was great.

Dipping it in Shen Nian’s homemade sauce makes it even more delicious.

Several people ate with gusto, and exclaimed with satisfaction from time to time.

"Sister Nian! Your dumpling filling is so delicious!"

Ye Jiaojiao burped and leaned against the kang with a satisfied look on her face, her eyes still fixed on the empty plate. It was obvious that although her stomach was full, her mouth was not yet full.

Shen Nian smiled and shook his head: "If it tastes good, just eat more. We packed so much today, I'm sure you can eat enough."

Ye Jiaojiao smiled and shook her head when she heard this: "No! My stomach is full! If you eat any more, it will explode."

"Sister Jiaojiao! My stomach won't explode, it just feels uncomfortable."

Shen Nianle corrected Ye Jiaojiao's words seriously, making everyone laugh.

Ye Jiaojiao pinched Shen Nianle's little face and smiled.

"Okay, okay, you're right. My stomach won't explode, it will just feel uncomfortable. Next time, Sister Jiaojiao will eat more slowly."

Shen Nian'an was eating dumplings quietly on the side, looking up at everyone from time to time, his eyes full of happiness.

"Goudan, you're back. Come over for dinner." Goudan's mother looked at him lovingly.

"Mom, I can't find out who took our firewood."

Goudan walked into the house dejectedly. He had originally hoped to get back the stolen firewood, but unexpectedly found nothing.

Goudan's mother walked over, gently touched Goudan's head, and comforted him, "It's okay, Goudan. We just need to save the firewood if it's gone."

"But……"

"Don't say but, Goudan, just listen to your mother. Your sister Nian Nian and the others brought dumplings over today. Are you sure you don't want to eat them first?"

Goudan's mother's words diverted Goudan's attention from his loss, and he looked at the steaming dumplings on the table.

"Are you talking about the dumplings that Sister Nian sent?" Goudan asked in a low voice.

He walked to the table, sat down with his mother and started eating dumplings.

Although he was still worried about the stolen firewood, the delicious dumplings made him forget his worries temporarily.

"Goudan, from now on, no matter what, you must listen to your sister Nian Nian, understand? Mother has seen that your sister Nian Nian is a good person."

Goudan nodded seriously while chewing the dumplings, with a determined glint in his eyes.

"Mom, I know. Sister Nian Nian is so good to us, I will definitely listen to her."

After hearing this, Goudan's mother showed a relieved smile on her face.

She knew that although her son was still young, he was sensible and obedient.

"Goudan, Mom wants you to know that kindness and sincerity are the most precious qualities in this world. Can you go to school at the beginning of the spring? Sister Nian Nian and her family have been so kind to us, we should also learn to be grateful and learn to give back, right? If you don't go to school, how will you repay Sister Nian Nian in the future?"

Goudan's mother continued to say that she hoped Goudan could go to school and make more friends instead of staying at home with her, a useless mother.

"Mom, I don't need to go to school. Didn't you teach me to read? I can recognize a lot of words, and I have done the homework you assigned. Mom, you can teach me at home." Goudan shook his head and refused to go to school.

"What if one day, mother can no longer teach you?" Goudan's mother blurted out.

Goudan's mother's words made Goudan fall into silence. He never thought that there would be a day when his mother would not be able to teach him.

In his heart, his mother is the strongest and most powerful.

"Mom, you will always be with me, right?"

Goudan raised his head with a hint of uncertainty and worry in his eyes.

Goudan's mother looked at the worry in her son's eyes and felt a pang of sadness in her heart.

She knew that she would not be able to stay with Goudan forever, so she hoped that Goudan would stop staying with her.

Goudan's mother suddenly hugged Goudan and said, "It's all my fault for dragging you down."