"Uncle." Gong Tao called his son and daughter into their room, and Gong Ruwen was thrilled to see Cai Ming.
"Uncle, why did you co to the Northeast?"
"Uncle, how did you find this place?"
Ah, so this is the uncle who gets along well with Cai ina and sends ssages?
He looks quite frail, fortunately not wearing glasses, otherwise he’d just be a useless scholar.
But how did he manage to get here? Gong Ruini was really curious.
It’s snowing in the Northeast, and there’s no one outside. Everyone is hiding indoors, so how did he manage to get here?
Cai Ming was also startled to see his nephew whom he hadn’t seen in a long ti. He nearly didn’t recognize this round and chubby nephew.
"Looks like Ruwen is living well here." Cai Ming only then noticed how clean his sister’s place was.
And the clothes they were wearing were quite tidy. Although brother-in-law and they weren’t wearing new clothes, Gong Ruini and Gong Ruwen were in new coats.
Especially, Gong Ruini was unrecognizable. "Is this Ni Zi?" Cai Ming couldn’t believe it.
To know, back ho, Gong Ruini was so thin and frail that it seed a strong wind could blow her away, but now she looked joyous.
"Hello, Uncle." Gong Ruini greeted Cai Ming politely.
"Hello, Ni Zi, co, let uncle give you a hug." Cai Ming reached out wanting to hug Gong Ruini.
But as he stretched out, he rembered how dirty he was from the journey, so his hands stiffened in mid-air.
He was an uncle who liked her, and Gong Ruini could see the affection in Cai Ming’s eyes.
Gong Ruini quickly ran into Cai Ming’s arms, "Hello, Uncle, did you miss Ni Zi?"
"Will you leave again?"
Cai ina was cooking, listening to the kids chatting with her younger brother Cai Ming, her heart ward.
"Add two eggs," Gong Tao said to Cai ina as he approached the cooking area.
Cai ina had intended to do so. Her brother must have gone through a lot. His face was so thin there was no flesh visible.
And about his body, needless to say, even in cotton clothes he looked so thin, "He doesn’t look like soone who eats."
People say Cai Ming is too thin because that’s just his build. But Cai ina knows it’s because there wasn’t much food at ho. The first in line were the elder brother’s family, then the Cai parents, and Cai Ming ca last.
"So while he’s here, you should nourish Cai Ming well. Spring plowing is not child’s play," Gong Tao hadn’t experienced spring plowing but learned a lot from their guide Zhao Gang.
For instance, farming is the quickest way for you to integrate into the village. As long as you work quickly and aren’t lazy, the villagers will like you.
Gong Tao knew Cai Ming wasn’t lazy, but given his thin fra, his strength would likely fail him, and even if he didn’t want to be lazy, the villagers wouldn’t like that.
"I’ll speak to Zhao Gang about it," Gong Tao assured, addressing what his wife was concerned about.
Gong Ruini quietly listened in Cai Ming’s arms as he spoke of the interesting things on his journey, and a bit about the old ho.
These were things Gong Ruini knew nothing about. To avoid drawing suspicion, she acted like a quiet child.
Fortunately, she was a child. In a few years, it wouldn’t matter if she didn’t know, and no one would think it odd.
Gong Ruini was all calm, and Cai Ming quietly asked Gong Ruwen, "Is she still the sa as before?"
"Little sister’s health is much better. She’ll even co out to play with us later."
"Little sister is very smart; she’s already studying with us."
"Little sister has forgotten a lot about our old ho." Maybe Gong Ruwen used to think it wasn’t good that his sister forgot many things, but after she rembered sothing from ho and got a high fever, he changed his mind.
It was that fever that made Gong Ruwen stop wishing for her swift recovery. As long as she was healthy, it didn’t matter if she forgot so things.
Anyway, they probably wouldn’t return to the old ho much, and regarding people who didn’t matter, it was fine if she forgot, as long as she was healthy.
Forgetting so things made Cai Ming a bit surprised, but seeing Gong Ruwen’s expression without regret made him understand this was good for Gong Ruini.
"Ni Zi, did you forget about Uncle?" Her previous keen looks weren’t from not seeing him in a long ti and being afraid, but rather from feeling unfamiliarity.
This child, why so naive? Hadn’t he already quietly asked Gong Ruwen? Was it necessary to ask again?
Gong Ruini smiled, "I rember you now, Uncle. I won’t forget again in the future."
"Uncle, will you go back again?" Cai Ming hadn’t said where he was coming from, but it wasn’t from a nearby village as a sent-down youth.
Otherwise, he should have visited long ago, maybe even while asking about people, the news would have reached back already.
"Uncle has to go back, but I’ll co and visit you guys often." In the Northeast, his only relatives were his sister and her family, so of course, he should co often.
As for those so-called relatives back ho, Cai Ming didn’t plan to care for them.
"Really, Uncle, where are you?" Gong Ruini was also delighted to have so relatives to connect with in the future.
That way, she could have so outings, and more importantly, she could have so freedom.
Gong Ruini never imagined her body would be so fragile. After going out once, and feeling fine, she ended up with a fever at night.
Gong Ruini knew that no matter what she requested, Cai ina and the others wouldn’t feel at ease. They feared she might get sick, leaving Gong Ruini feeling various forms of helplessness.
"Oh, it takes about three to four hours to walk from here, over a few mountains, and I’m there." Cai Ming said nonchalantly.
Wow, crossing mountains for three to four hours, Gong Ruini’s little face fell at once. It’s really far, and unless sothing significant happens, Cai ina would never agree to let her visit Cai Ming.
Gong Ruwen felt it was surprisingly close and was happy. "Uncle, since you have no work now anyway, just stay here with us."
This way, they could chat with their uncle and ask him questions. Gong Ruwen had heard Cai ina praise this younger brother’s intelligence countless tis.
Stay here? Cai Ming waved his hand, "No, this ti I’m just familiarizing myself. I’ll co over again in a few days."
Cai Ming rembered his sister’s family had arrived in the Northeast after the autumn harvest, likely they hadn’t received much. He couldn’t allow his presence to leave Gong Ruwen and them hungry.
As for the supply at the commune, even though it was ordinary, it was at least more than what he got at ho, which was already a comfort to Cai Ming.
"Why will a few days pass quickly?" Cai ina brought in a bowl of noodles, "Want so? We’re having dumplings tonight."
"Your brother-in-law is preparing the filling." Cai ina wouldn’t just let Cai Ming leave like that.
She wasn’t sure how things were where her brother stayed, and even if there was a generous village head, the food wouldn’t be much. With so many eyes watching, they wouldn’t allow a young lad who hadn’t worked to snatch grain from them.
Eating dumplings, Cai Ming had forgotten when he last ate at. Ever since his sister’s family left, his treatnt at ho had rapidly declined.
"Sis, let the kids have the at instead." Cai Ming expressed that he, being an adult, could do without at.
"Don’t worry, there’s plenty of at. Your brother-in-law managed to get quite a few hunts before the New Year, all stored in the snow. Once the snow lts, if not finished, it would spoil." Cai ina and her family had been eating at frequently. Dumplings were a regular affair, so they didn’t find dumplings special at all.
Cai ina gave Gong Ruwen a look, signaling him to persuade his uncle.
"Uncle, it’s fine, we eat dumplings often." Gong Ruwen, following Cai ina’s cue, did his duty.
Gong Ruini also joined in the persuasion. The child was really too thin; with spring approaching, would he be able to labor?
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