Chapter 2: Sitting to Witness the Splendor of the Verdant Moss

Grandmother's house consists of two adobe rooms, one of which is propped up with a stick at the back wall, even worse than the Ling family's house

"It's nothing." Ling Er felt quite powerless

He could even imagine how much effort his mother had put in to gather the money needed for their escape

The sound of barking dogs can be heard from outside

Unfortunately, he has changed, yet his mother remains the same, just as in the previous life, leaving nothing behind

His father is still receiving the imperial rations, with meals provided regularly, and he has never had any concept of family. During the era of strict crackdowns, he expressed regret that he had not yet been shot.

It can only be a mere formality, hoping for a miracle; what if the Ling family has the money to pay the fine

Ling Er took the little girl to her grandmother's place

"Uncle, come in and have a cup of tea." Ling Yi appeared much more nervous.

Ling Er had not yet left the house when five or six people suddenly appeared at the entrance of the Ling family home

"Aren't you my father?" Ling Yi retorted, then murmured, "Indeed, it will be by the end of this month."

"Then it's up to you." Ling Yi thought for a moment and said with a serious expression, "I need to perform well in the high school entrance examination; otherwise, neither of us siblings will have a future."

The elderly couple exchanged a glance, as if they understood something.

Ling Yidao, "Do you take me for a fool"

He originally hoped for a miracle to occur, after all, such a rare event as rebirth had happened to him, and it was not impossible for a sudden influx of money to appear in his home

It is merely a matter of money; if there is no money, life can be quite difficult

Elder sister has already prepared breakfast, while Ling San and Ling Si each guard one side of the threshold, holding their bowls and drinking porridge, occasionally taking turns to feed a little into Ling Wu's mouth.

Is it really necessary to be so harsh?" Ling Er shrugged indifferently and said with a smile, "I will definitely show you that I can come in first.

Looking at the backs of Liu Guangxing and others, Ling Yi complained, "You, at your age, still do not understand, being stubborn with them will not lead to anything good"

If you do not study, my sister will definitely not agree

Unconsciously sighing and expressing regret

"You cannot have any expectations of him, can you?" Ling Er asked

Feeling bored while sitting, he scratched his head and helplessly got up to rummage through the cabinets. In the end, as he expected, there was not a single cent at home.

"Boss Ling, this is not your style," Ling Er teased, "Our family is already in this state; they can't do much. Moreover, Liu Guangxing is truly not a fool."

A woman, supporting a family, finds it incredibly difficult. In moments of psychological breakdown, it is only natural to think of escape

Ling Yi took out a musty blanket and hung it on the rope at the door, then said, "Alright, stop worrying about useless matters. Take Xiao Wu to the milk lady, I need to go to the field to cut grass, you stay at home and read."

Moreover, deep down, he truly does not wish to avoid studying

Even as an adult, he still has no way out

Her father is a petty thief, constantly on the run

"Uncle, please do not be angry, do not hold a grudge against a child." Ling Yi shot a glare at Ling Er and quickly moved a stool, inviting several people to sit down

In fact, this impoverished family has nothing of value to retain

Ling Er squeezed the toothpaste while saying, "I won't go these days; the high school entrance examination is coming up soon. There's nothing to do at school, just self-study in the classroom. I might as well read at home."

"Xiao Wu, put this down, you go to school now." Grandpa took out a cigarette, tapped it twice on the back of his hand, and said, "Child, remember, studying does not necessarily guarantee success, but not studying will definitely lead to failure."

Ling Er cannot fall asleep; his bed is made up of two broken-legged chairs put together, making it impossible for him to turn over.

This elder sister's temperament is well understood by him

"Gone out to work." Ling Er still appeared languid.

Upon seeing Ling Er get up, Ling Yi said, "Hurry up and eat, we need to go to school."

Why didn't you go to school? Only then did Grandma remember this question

The Ling family is well-known for their poverty within several miles, and he knew there was nothing of value to take even before entering the house.

Since their birth until now, their father has never inquired about their affairs

Ling Er took a towel to wipe Ling Wu's mouth, then casually tossed his dirty clothes into his sister's laundry basin, saying, "I calculated with my fingers, your father is coming back."

"Mother has gone to work." This statement was made by Ling Er to his grandfather

"Have you gone out to work?" Liu Guangxing frowned and said, "Do you know that your family has exceeded the birth limit?"

"You know, why don't you just carry her away and stuff her back in?" Ling Er pointed at Ling Wu, who was playing happily over there, displaying an attitude of indifference as if a dead pig is not afraid of boiling water.

Hello, where is your mother

Liu Guangxing helplessly waved his hand towards the person beside him, "Let's go, let's go, to Huang Guoyu's house."

From a realistic perspective, he understands his mother, a woman who manages five children, toiling both inside and outside the home, her lips adorned with white sores throughout the year, her hands covered in calluses like a man's, often unable to help but hold her head in the fields and cry for half a day

Ling Yi shot her a glance, urging Ling San and Ling Si to hurry to school, "The books are all packed, yet you keep forgetting things all day long"

I understand. Ling nodded slightly; in reality, he could read at the level of the third year of junior high school, and it was mainly due to the efforts of the elderly couple.

With a change of tone, he sighed and said, "You cannot blame your mother; she is also helpless in this situation"

He vowed that he absolutely could not live in a state of despair and anxiety like he did in his previous life, relying on his sister for everything

In the stillness of the deep night

"Uncle Liu." Facing the village's team leaders, Ling Er did not even raise his eyelids. It goes without saying that they were here to collect the family planning fines

She is still young, and it should be this way, there is no reason to pick on her. The old lady sighed and said, Your father is such a fool

I have eaten already," Ling Er replied weakly

"Are you talking to me? Where is your mother?" The brigade secretary Liu Guangxing was quite displeased

How should the path ahead be navigated

After much difficulty, I finally dozed off in a daze, but the roosters crowed, and the day broke.

Relying solely on her mother, there is not a single person who can read.

After finishing a bowl of porridge, I wanted to serve a second bowl, but upon looking at the bottom of the pot, there was only a little left, so I had to put down the bowl to leave some for my elder sister

Indeed, she has no choice." Ling Er scoffed at this remark

Ling San, in the second year of junior high school, and Ling Si, in the fifth grade of elementary school, ignored their sister's incessant chatter and ran off with their backpacks.

The high sun was somewhat bothersome, almost as if it were trying to kill someone. Sitting on the threshold, Xiao Wu clung to him. He wanted to scold her, but in the end, he held back, allowing her to tug at his hair and pick her nose.

He is very hesitant

"There is porridge in the pot, would you like some?" the old lady asked

"Why are you rummaging around instead of reading?" Ling Yi asked discontentedly

However, the mistake lies in why they were brought into this world only to be neglected thereafter

"You child!" Liu Guangxing was taken aback, but for a half-grown child, he had no way to deal with it; he could neither hit nor scold.

I went to the corner of the chicken coop and found a bamboo pole, chopped it into five or six sections with a kitchen knife, then went into the main room to find a bundle of string. I wrapped the string around each section of the bamboo pole, saying, "I am going to catch crayfish."