Coming back from her grandfather’s house with so stuff, Xu Mumu and Li Caixia sorted them out together: more than ten salted duck eggs and so homade pickles from her aunt.
"Sweetheart, I’ll boil a salted duck egg for you to eat tonight," Li Caixia said while putting away the salted duck eggs. As for the pickles, she put them directly into the jar, and would take out a small bowl to eat at breakfast.
"Okay," Xu Mumu replied with a smile. She hadn’t eaten salted duck eggs since arriving in this world.
Seeing her little brother salivating nearby, Xu Mumu felt amused. She didn’t say much, knowing she would share with him later.
The next day, after having lunch, Xu Mumu went to the county early and arrived at the post office, where she sent out the manuscript she had revised multiple tis.
There was still plenty of ti, and Xu Mumu didn’t linger much in the county, as she had little money, and tickets were even scarcer—which were required to buy things here. The only alternative was the black market, but things there were much more expensive than outside.
Xu Mumu walked into the shoe factory and greeted the gatekeeper, who already knew her.
"Little girl, here to tutor Du Yu again?" The gatekeeper, an old man, was reportedly a retired soldier.
"Yes, grandpa," Xu Mumu nodded with a smile.
"Why are you here so early today?" the gatekeeper asked with a smile, having a good impression of this smart girl with a righteous look.
"I ca after lunch, nothing much to do at ho, so I ca early. Grandpa, I’ll go ahead now," Xu Mumu replied warmly.
"Go on, go on," the gatekeeper waved her off with a smile.
Xu Mumu hadn’t gone far when she ran into her third aunt. She initially wanted to pretend not to see her, but Lin Juan called out to her first.
"Third aunt, any reason for calling?" Xu Mumu asked indifferently.
Lin Juan was holding Xu Dongbao. She seed to have lost so weight and didn’t look as healthy as before.
"Just wanted to have a chat after seeing you here. Even if we split the family, it doesn’t an we’re strangers," Lin Juan said with a smile.
"That’s true," Xu Mumu nodded, waiting for Lin Juan to continue.
"You’re going to tutor the director’s son?" Lin Juan asked eagerly.
"Yes."
"Dongbao is your cousin. Why don’t you take him to play along? I have sothing to do in a while," Lin Juan said with a smile.
"What’s keeping you so busy, third aunt, that you can’t even take Dongbao? I heard you resigned, and Dongbao still has his grandma, so why do you need , his cousin, to take care of him?" Xu Mumu laughed.
"The family is just busy, that’s all," Lin Juan’s face turned awkward, completely unprepared for Xu Mumu’s refusal.
After she and her mother lost their jobs, though the money they were deceived of was repaid, they still had debts borrowed from relatives and friends. The only ones earning a wage now were Xu Hai and Dongbao’s grandfather. It’s unclear when they would pay off those debts.
This was the reason she approached Xu Mumu again. Xu Mumu had a good relationship with Du Yu, after all. If she could speak a few good words for them to Du Yu, even if they couldn’t get a formal job position, a temporary position would still be nice.
With only two people earning a wage and needing to repay debts, the family was under significant pressure.
"Third aunt hasn’t shared what’s going on, and I need to get busy. If third aunt doesn’t want to talk, I’ll be off," Xu Mumu smiled.
"Mumu, can’t you help third aunt?" Lin Juan lowered her stance; it was almost work ti, and there was nobody else outside.
"In what way should I help third aunt?" Xu Mumu smirked slightly. Help them? Not a chance—as long as she didn’t step on them, consider it gracious.
"Could you please speak to Director Du and get a temporary job position? I am, after all, your third aunt. If I’m doing well, how could I forget you in the future?"
"Ha, I don’t have that kind of influence. Even if I did, if I were to recomnd soone, it would be my own family. Wouldn’t you agree, third aunt?" Xu Mumu’s smile grew even brighter.
"You—" Lin Juan’s face turned red and pale, unable to refute Xu Mumu’s words.
"Third aunt, people should have self-awareness. Don’t look for for such matters in the future; I won’t help. I need to be busy, and won’t disturb you anymore," Xu Mumu smiled and turned to leave.
She glanced at Xu Dongbao being held by Lin Juan. Since she had co here, he hadn’t once called her "sister"—still carrying that haughty little chubby attitude, unlike the more obedient Xu Jiaojiao and Xu Tao.
Lin Juan’s issues didn’t affect Xu Mumu’s good mood at all. When she arrived at Du Yu’s house, Du Yu’s cousin was still there.
Xu Mumu nodded at him and then started talking to Du Yu.
Qin Hao, observing Xu Mumu tutoring his cousin, found himself unable to focus on his newspaper. He thought the girl explained things well—simple and easy to understand. No wonder his cousin had improved significantly in his studies lately; she definitely contributed a lot.
Xu Mumu naturally noticed Qin Hao’s gaze but didn’t pay it any mind.
Qin Hao was also a senior in high school this year, and in over two months, he would graduate.
On the way back, Xu Mumu ran into Yin Yang by the village entrance, seemingly waiting for her specifically.
"Waiting for ?" Xu Mumu raised an eyebrow.
"Yes," Yin Yang said with a faint smile.
"Got sothing to say?" Xu Mumu looked at Yin Yang, a bit puzzled. She had just sold him so grain not long ago; did he finish it already?
"Let’s talk over there," Yin Yang pointed to a relatively secluded path.
Xu Mumu followed, curious to see what Yin Yang wanted to do.
"Can you tell now?" Xu Mumu asked with a smile.
"My grandfather lives in the cowshed over there. He’s old and not in good health; he can’t handle carrying dung every day. I want to ask you for help to get him so easier work," Yin Yang said, slightly pursing his lips, head lowered. He knew it was audacious, but his grandfather’s frailty couldn’t endure the hardship of heavy labor.
He ca to this place as a volunteer largely because of his grandfather.
Besides asking Xu Mumu, he had no other options. He didn’t dare reveal his relationship with his grandfather to the brigade leader, lest it complicated matters due to his own identity and brought more trouble onto his grandfather.
"Your grandfather is Professor Song?" Xu Mumu asked with so surprise.
Several intellectuals lived in the cowshed, and Xu Mumu rembered that Yin Yang seed to have a good relationship with Professor Song, having assisted him several tis.
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