Chapter 3
Chapter 3: The Liu Family
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Just as she was in a daze, Zhou Yu rushed over to pull Zhou Guihua away.
Zhou Xiaoli panicked and subconsciously grabbed Zhou Yu.
Zhou Guihua took the opportunity to snatch the money bag. At the same time, she pushed Zhou Xiaoli back. After cursing loudly, she turned around, ran back to the Zhou family courtyard and closed the door.
At the same time, Zhou Xiaoli felt a wave of dizziness washed over her. It was as if all her strength had been sucked out of her as she went limp.
“Xiaoli, Xiaoli…”
Zhang Lan’s voice became more and more ethereal to her, and she finally fell into a coma.
—
When she woke up again, she saw Zhou Xiaoyu’s swollen little face. Her almond-shaped eyes were already big, but because she was too thin and weak, they seemed rounder and bigger. She looked less adorable as a result.
When the little kid saw her open her eyes, she cried out excitedly. She immediately got up and ran to find Zhang Lan. “Mother, Mother, Sister is awake.”
Due to her chronic malnutrition, Zhou Xiaoyu was very thin and small. This also made her head look very big and she was very unstable as she ran. Seeing this, Zhou Xiaoli was on tenterhooks. She was worried that she would fall to the ground as her head was disproportionate to her body. Fortunately, this did not happen.
Zhou Xiaoli propped herself up on the ground and observed her surroundings. She found that they were now in the straw shed at the end of the village. At this moment, Zhang Lan was sitting beside the shed and was repairing the straw shed with Zhou Yu.
Hearing Zhou Xiaoyu say that Zhou Xiaoli had woken up, Zhang Lan asked Zhou Xiaoyu to take good care of her.
Zhou Xiaoyu nodded and said slowly, “I’ll take good care of my sister.”
After saying that, she ran to Zhou Xiaoli’s side and began to ask questions.
“Sis, are you still dizzy?”
Zhou Xiaoli shook her head and said with a smile. “I’m not dizzy anymore.”
Zhou Xiaoyu blinked and said cutely, “Then can I accompany you?”
Her childlike voice was clean and lively. Zhou Xiaoli’s eyes turned gentle as she reached out and patted Zhou Xiaoyu’s head.
Zhou Xiaoyu turned four this year, but because of malnutrition, she did not look like a four-year-old at all.
Looking at her little face, Zhou Xiaoli planned to nourish the little one so much that she would become fat after earning money.
She looked up again at the grass hut that had gaps in all directions.
Zhou Xiaoli pursed her lips. There was still a long way to go, but she was still optimistic.
Thinking of this, Zhou Xiaoli wanted to get up and help, but after struggling a few times, she couldn’t get her up. In the end, she gave up and sat up to observe the straw shed.
The straw shed was supported by four pillars and the roof was inlaid with straw. The straw under her was very fluffy and it seemed that it was just brought in.
Right now, Zhou Yu and the others were tying thatch and bamboo together. It seemed like they wanted to use it to cover the surroundings of the straw shed.
Due to how everyone thought of her as a jinx, the villagers avoided her family as much as possible. Therefore, no one came to help them, but there were some idle people nearby who were watching.
Right now, only Zhou Yu, the eight-year-old Zhou Junjun, and the sickly Zhang Lan were working. They were afraid that by night time, not even a wall would be erected by then.
It was the middle of July of the lunar calendar, and the weather was still very hot. It would be fine to stay in this shed for a few days.
The only thing she was worried about was Zhang Lan’s health. She was already weak and staying in such a house for a few days would probably kill her.
At this moment, a voice came from outside the straw shed and interrupted Zhou Xiaoli’s thoughts.
“Really? Thank you so much.”
Zhang Lan’s cautious and excited voice sounded out. She turned around and called Zhou Xiaoli and the others over. “Children, come out quickly and kowtow to your Uncle Liu.”
Liu Liangcai hurriedly stopped her. “Don’t, don’t. Sister-in-law, you can’t do this. If it weren’t for Big Brother Zhou who disregarded the danger to him and saved me from the wolf back then, I would have died long ago.
“Besides, that house belongs to my uncle’s family. Their family doesn’t live in the village. It’s idle anyway. You can put your mind at ease and stay there.”
Although it didn’t seem much, Liu Liangcai was the only one in the entire village who was willing to stand out to help them. This kindness could not be forgotten.
—
According to the villagers, Liu Liangcai’s uncle was an artist. He was unruly and loved freedom. When he was young, he left home to wander outside. A few years ago, he would still return for the annual ancestral worship. But now, he rarely comes back.
Therefore, this courtyard had always been abandoned.
Liu Liangcai brought Zhou Xiaoli’s family to his uncle’s courtyard and said, “There are only two rooms. One is the main room, and the other is the kitchen. I’ll get my wife to send you some vegetable seeds some other day. You can plant some vegetables in the courtyard or something.”
As Liu Liangcai spoke, he opened the door and handed the key to Zhang Lan.
Their entire family was naturally grateful to him.
Liu Liangcai waved his hand and said with a smile. “Let’s just clean up the house today. There are only two rooms. I’ll help too so it will be quick.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the cry of Liu Liangcai’s wife came from next door.
Immediately after, Liu Liangcai’s youngest son ran over. He stood at the door and craned his neck to look inside. “Father, Father, Mother is looking for you.” he shouted.
Liu Liangcai felt a little guilty. “Then, you guys clean up first. I’ll go and see what’s going on at home first. I’ll help you clean up later,” he said to Zhou Xiaoli’s family.
Zhou Xiaoli hurriedly smiled and said, “Uncle Liu, you’re too polite. We’re already very grateful that you let our entire family live here. How can we trouble you again? We can clean up by ourselves.”
Zhang Lan looked at her eldest daughter and nodded with a smile. “That’s right, that’s right. Don’t make Sister-in-law wait anxiously at home. Go back quickly.”
At this moment, with his son still urging him at the door, Liu Liangcai could only bid farewell and rushed home.
After Liu Liangcai left, Zhou Xiaoli looked around the courtyard. The courtyard was indeed not very big and there were only two straw huts.
There was a large vat in the courtyard, a carrying pole and two wooden buckets in the kitchen, an urn, and some wooden bowls and basins.
Because no one had lived in the courtyard for a long time, there were many weeds growing in it.
It would be a huge project to clean up. Fortunately, she had already recovered some of her strength.
She took a deep breath and said, “Then let’s start. Third Sister, you and Brother Jun help Mother to sit down and rest.”
Then, she said to the confused Zhou Yu. “Father, go to the village to get water. Wash the water vat and fill it up, okay?”
“Okay.” Zhou Yu nodded with a silly smile and obediently went to get the carrying pole.
After Zhou Yu left, Zhou Xiaoli rushed into the house and began to clean up. She had to clean up the place where they would sleep and let Zhang Lan lie on the bed to rest.
After Zhou Junjun and Zhou Xiaoyu helped Zhang Lan to sit somewhere away from the wind, they also ran over to help clean the room.
Although they were small, they worked hard.
Sweeping the cobwebs, dusting, and opening the windows for ventilation, the two little fellows followed Zhou Xiaoli around and did a good job of cleaning up.
Zhang Lan, who was leaning against the wall, covered her mouth and coughed. Her eyes could not help but turn red as she watched her three children work busily.
It was all because of her incompetence that her three children had suffered since they were born.
This was especially true for Zhou Xiaoli. She had not had a good day ever in the Zhou family and now that they had been chased out of the family, it seemed that she had grown up all of a sudden. She was only a 10-year-old child, but she had automatically shouldered the burden of being the eldest sister.
The children’s sensible appearance made her heart ache.
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