Xiao Yang fearfully grabbed Sweet Girl’s arm. Sweet Girl instinctively pulled Xiao Yang behind her.
"Grandma, there’s nothing on the mountain. We didn’t find anything."
After the heavy snow, most of the edible things were ruined. Only the adults went up the mountain to try their luck. Even if they couldn’t catch wild pheasants or rabbits, they could still catch a few sparrows for a change of taste.
Sweet Girl didn’t know how to catch sparrows, so she didn’t bring any food back.
When Jin ifeng heard they had brought nothing back, she opened her mouth to curse, "You two little brats, you..."
"Mom, Sweet Girl and Xiao Yang have been on the mountain for half the day. They must be tired. Let them co inside to talk."
Hearing Lin Jiandong’s words, Jin ifeng suppressed so of her anger and snorted coldly.
"Get in!"
Sweet Girl didn’t dare to resist, pulling Xiao Yang into the room.
The mont they entered, a feather duster swung over, landing squarely on Sweet Girl’s arm.
"You two useless things! You couldn’t even find a scrap of food. What good are you? The bit of grain you brought with you isn’t even enough to feed yourselves!"
"Stinking beggars! Born to be poor! All you know is how to be lazy. Just watch how I’ll teach you a lesson today."
The one hitting her was Chen Shulan, Lin Jiandong’s wife. She was short and had a harsh face. When she cursed at people, she liked to clench her teeth, which was a frightening sight.
Sweet Girl burst into tears from the beating.
Chen Shulan imdiately barked.
"What are you crying for? Shut your mouth! If you dare to make a sound, I’ll beat your brother, too."
Afraid her brother would be beaten, Sweet Girl covered her mouth and let Chen Shulan hit her.
Lin Jiandong was squatting to the side, smoking his dry pipe. Only when Chen Shulan was just about done hitting her did he speak up to stop her.
"That’s enough. Sweet Girl and Xiao Yang are still young. A few hits are enough."
Only then did Chen Shulan stop.
Then, cursing and grumbling, she stomped off to the kitchen to cook, banging things around.
"You two debt-collecting, short-lived ghosts! You brought nothing back to eat, yet you still want to eat my food? Watch out, or you’ll eat yourselves to death!"
Hearing this, Jin ifeng shot Sweet Girl and Xiao Yang a glare. "Find so food next ti, or you’ll go hungry."
Now that the beating and scolding were over, she felt satisfied and turned to go into her room.
Only Lin Jiandong, Sweet Girl, and Xiao Yang were left in the main room.
Lin Jiandong glanced at Sweet Girl and sighed.
"Sweet Girl, it’s not that Dad won’t help you. But look at you two—you run out for half the day and bring nothing back. It’s only right that your mother gets angry and hits you a few tis."
"Go up the mountain again this afternoon and have a look. This ti, you must bring back so food, understand?"
Sweet Girl didn’t dare to refuse. Wiping away a tear, she nodded.
Seeing her compliance, Lin Jiandong nodded in satisfaction.
"Go wash your face, then go next door and get your younger sister and brother up. Tell them to co over for the al."
Even though Sweet Girl and Xiao Yang had to go up the mountain at the crack of dawn, Lin Jiandong’s other children, Lin Daya and Lin Tie Dan, could sleep in until almost noon.
Moreover, they didn’t have to do any work; they just had to wait to be fed.
Sweet Girl washed her face, making sure no one could tell she had been crying, before pulling Xiao Yang next door.
Lin Jiandong also ca out and stood in the courtyard, watching the two of them go to the neighboring yard.
Just then, a next-door neighbor also ca out. Spotting Sweet Girl and Xiao Yang in the yard, they smiled and called out.
"Sweet Girl, Xiao Yang, where are you two off to?"
Before Sweet Girl and Xiao Yang could speak, Lin Jiandong chid in with a beaming smile.
"It’s about ti for lunch, and Sweet Girl and Xiao Yang saw their little sister and brother hadn’t co over yet, so they went to get them."
"I told them I’d go get them, but these two kids just insisted on helping."
The neighbor heard this and didn’t suspect a thing.
"That’s for sure. Those two are hard workers."
In these tis, you wouldn’t live this long if you weren’t hardworking.
Even adults couldn’t get enough to eat, let alone two children.
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