New ink fragrance in old times

When Lin Mo suddenly received these gifts that day, he was a little confused. He thought these gifts meant that he would be sent to school soon. Lin Mo was sighing at the time that he was going to experience the imperial examination of the ancients.

Only later did he realize that it was the original body's birthday. If Dalang and Erlang hadn't mentioned it, Lin Mo wouldn't have known about it. After all, the elders of the Lin family would cook an egg for the children on their birthdays as a token of appreciation. Lin Mo didn't get to eat any eggs that day.

Seeing that Lin Mo always practiced calligraphy on the ground with a branch, Lin Sixuan and Lin Siyuan decided to make a pen for him to encourage him to continue studying hard.

Everything they did was seen and remembered by the elders in the family. They were thoughtful and considerate. Their love for Lin Mo was like a trickle of water that converged into the sea, silent but deep. The gifts they gave just made up a perfect set.

Lin Mo's mother, Han Suniang, was very clever and skillful. She sewed a cloth bag with needle and thread, embroidered auspicious patterns on it, which was both practical and beautiful.

Lin Mo's father, Lin Xuejin, used his craftsmanship to make a brush holder for Lin Mo, which was simple yet elegant.

……

Each member of the Lin family gave Lin Mo a gift, which was just enough for Lin Mo to have all the necessary school supplies.

Lin Mo was moved to accept this heavy love. However, when he tried to put all the gifts into the cloth bag, he found that the cloth bag seemed a little unable to hold all the items.

At this time, Lin Mo thought of his uncle who was a carpenter at home. He plucked up the courage and found Lin Xuebao, asking him to help him make a box that could hold all the items he needed.

What surprised Lin Mo was that his uncle actually made such a box, and he did it so quickly. Lin Mo touched the carvings on the box and felt warm in his heart.

Lin Mo gently opened the box and put the stationery in one by one. Every time he put an item in, Lin Mo felt the love of the Lin family for his original body.

In the kitchen, Shen Xin gently fiddled with the flames, then turned his gaze to Lin Xuebo, who was busy sorting out his tools, with a smile on his face.

"Oh, Third Brother, your craftsmanship is simply amazing! Look at the wooden box you made for Sanlang, it's so exquisite that it's hard to take your eyes off it. Even though I'm a rough man, I can see the effort put into it. It really took a lot of thought."

Lu Yue nodded in agreement upon hearing this: "That's right. I think the carvings look just like real ones. If I were to sell them in town, I'm sure they'd fetch a good price."

Lin Sizhe and several other children sat around, their eyes full of admiration for Lin Xuebao's craftsmanship.

Lin Sizhe's envy of Lin Mo gradually turned into a hint of resentment. He mustered up his courage and muttered softly, "Uncle San, you are biased. Why did you only make such a beautiful box for my third brother and not for me?"

As soon as these words came out, they immediately resonated with the other children, who also started to make a noise:

"We want it too, we want it too!"

They gathered around Lin Xuebao, some pulling his sleeves, some tugging at the corners of his clothes, each of their faces filled with anticipation and coquettishness.

Lin Xuebo looked at the children beside him. He gently patted Lin Sizhe's shoulder and said with a smile:

"You little brats, what are you so anxious for? I'm busy buying some things for the house. Once I finish the work on hand, I'll naturally need your help."

Tangshan was impatient. Upon hearing this, he immediately asked unwillingly, "But, uncle, we really want it! Can you make one for us first?"

Lin Xuebao smiled and shook his head, his eyes full of doting: "Okay, okay, I promised you, isn't that enough? After I'm done with this, I will make one for each of you, and I guarantee you'll be satisfied. However, you also have to promise me that during this time you will be obedient and help me well, and not make trouble for me."

When the children heard this, they immediately quieted down and their faces bloomed with bright smiles again. They nodded one after another, saying that they would obey and help.

Lin Sizhe patted his chest, looking confident: "Uncle San, don't worry, we will be obedient and will definitely not cause any trouble for you!"

Shen Xin watched this scene from the side, and a warm feeling surged in his heart.

She smiled and said, "Look, Third Brother, how close these little ones are to you."

Lin Xuebao laughed and joked: "They are kissing me, kissing the things I make."

In the kitchen, the fire was roaring, dispelling the winter chill and warming everyone's heart. After putting the box away, Lin Mo hurried back to the kitchen. His hands, red from the cold wind, unconsciously reached towards the fire, trying to draw a little warmth from it.

"Oh, Sanlang, why are your hands so frozen?"

Han Suniang asked with concern, her eyes full of love for Lin Mo.

Lin Mo smiled and shook his head, saying, "It's okay, Mom, it's just too cold outside. I just came back to warm myself by the fire."

Han Suniang sighed with heartache when she heard this.

Zhao Yue'e suddenly asked, "By the way, does anyone know when the second brother will be back? It's freezing cold out here, and I'm afraid the road won't be easy to travel on."

Shen Xin was sitting nearby, busy knitting something. Upon hearing this, she looked up at the snowy scene outside the window and said, "Yes, Mother. It's cold and the roads are slippery. It will naturally take my second brother a while to go to town and back. But judging by the time, he should be back soon."

Han Suniang was staring at the sky outside the window nervously at this moment, her brows full of worry.

"Calculating the time, it's time to come back."

Han Suniang spoke softly, with a barely perceptible tremor in her voice.

Lin Wenhong stood up, his gaze passing through the flickering firelight in the kitchen, and said to Lin Xuebo, "Third brother, let's go and pick up your second brother. The road isn't safe, so if we go and meet him, we can help him get home earlier and save your mother from worrying about him."

Lin Xuebo unconsciously stopped what he was doing. He looked up at Lin Wenhong and nodded in agreement: "Okay, Dad, I'll pack up and we'll be leaving right away."

After they finished speaking, the two of them tidied themselves up briefly and left the kitchen. They walked on the snow outside the door and along the winding path towards the village entrance.

Lin Wenhong stopped frequently along the way, gazing into the distance, as if searching for Lin Xuejin. His brows furrowed slightly, and a worried glint flickered in his eyes.

"Third brother, your second brother has always been a steady person. No matter what he does, he is always well organized. I am very relieved."

Lin Wenhong suddenly stopped and turned to Lin Xuebao, with a hint of imperceptible worry in his tone.

Lin Xuebao couldn't help but feel an inexplicable worry in his heart, but he quickly adjusted his emotions and tried not to let this emotion affect his father.

He whispered soothingly, "Dad, don't overthink it. Second brother must have been delayed by something. Maybe he ran into someone he knew in town and chatted with them for a while. Let's walk a little further. Maybe we'll see him soon."

The two continued to move forward, and the snow under their feet made a squeaking sound, breaking the silence of the night.

Finally, not far away, they saw two familiar figures, Lin Xuejin and Lin Xueqin.

Lin Xuebo immediately shouted happily: "Brother, Brother, we are here!"

Lin Xuebao's voice sounded particularly loud in the cold wind.

When Lin Xuejin and Lin Xueqin heard the shouts, they looked up at the same time and smiles appeared on their faces. Lin Xuejin quickened his pace and walked towards the two of them with Lin Xueqin.

Lin Xuejin walked closer and was a little surprised: "Dad, third brother."

Lin Wenhong looked at his two sons who had returned safely, and the heavy stone in his heart finally fell to the ground.

However, Lin Xueqian, who was beside Lin Xuejin, was a little surprised and couldn't help asking, "Boss, you're back too?"

Lin Xueqian smiled and nodded: "Dad, I just happened to meet my second brother on the road, so we came back together. I didn't expect you to come out to pick us up. You must have worked so hard."

Lin Wenhong: "How could we not come? It's freezing cold, and the roads are unsafe. Your mother was getting anxious waiting at home, so your third brother and I came out to look for you. Now that you're all back safely, let's go back."

Lin Xuebo rubbed his red, frozen hands and agreed, "Yes, big brother, second brother, it's too cold outside. Let's go back quickly. If you have anything to say, let's talk about it back home. Mom is still waiting for us at home."

Lin Wenhong echoed, "Yes, yes, yes. Go back quickly, Boss. Your mother would be absolutely delighted if she knew you were back."