At that moment, Li Fangting, who had eaten only half the bun suddenly shouted, “Elder Brother Jiang Xun, this bun is for you.”
She handed the remaining half of the bun to him.
Jiang Xun glanced at it with a warm expression. “No need, you eat it yourself! Take care of yourself when you get home!”
“Then you bring it back for your younger brothers.”
Gu Qingyao jumped down from her cart and took up her basket. She handed a meat bun to Jiang Xun. “This is for you!”
Jiang Xun looked at the soft, white meat bun. He could tell it was delicious, but he was too shy to take it.
“No need. Aunt Gu has always taken care of us. If not for her, my younger brothers might have starved to death. Keep it for Younger Sister Fangting! I’m going home now!”
Gu Qingyao simply stuffed the bun into his hand. Then she took out five kilograms of cornflour, two kilograms of rice, and six hard-boiled eggs from her basket, and placed them in a gunny sack.
No one in the Poplar Brigade had dared to take them in. It was this child who had run to tell her father and Third Elder Brother. She would not forget that.
In these times, there was no better gift than food.
“Take this and bring it home. I’m off!”
She stuffed the things into Jiang Xun’s hands, then climbed back into the cart. Gu Yunshen pushed the cart as he said, “Child, go home! Thank you for what you’ve done today!”
Jiang Xun dumbly looked at the things in his hands. It was a long time before he could react.
He had not thought of taking their things. Gu Yunshuang had always been a great help to them. This time, no one in the Poplar Brigade would help, so he had come over to give them a hand. He had not expected the Gu family to give him so many things just for running over and calling for them.
The sack contained bright yellow cornmeal. It was very clean and fine.
The cornmeal he had seen before was very coarse, a darker shade, and contained many impurities.
The other bag contained some rice. Soft, white rice, each grain plump and full.
And six eggs!
It was too much.
By the time Jiang Xun recovered his wits, he hurriedly turned to look at the Gu family, only to find that they were now far away.
He stood gaping in the snow for a long while, but was unable to say anything to refuse.
He needed food. Desperately needed it. He had no adults in his family and he and his brothers relied on each other to get by. He still had three younger brothers.
When Gu Qingyao and the others reached home, Gu Conghua and Wen Ruyu were ready. They immediately carried Gu Yunshuang into Gu Ruoqing’s old room.
The bed was made and a small brazier stood burning by the side.
There was plenty of hot water in the kitchen. Gu Conghua was a doctor, and Wen Ruyu had learnt some simple medical care after many years with him. She had also acted as a midwife before. They knew how to deal with these matters.
Gu Qingyao wanted to help but Wen Ruyu refused to allow her to enter.
“You’re just a young girl. Hurry up and leave. Your grandfather and I can handle this.”
They were unwilling to allow a young girl like Gu Qingyao to enter.
Mo Beihan pulled her aside. “Don’t worry. Your grandparents are here and nothing will go wrong. You’re covered with blood. Go change your clothes.”
Gu Qingyao looked behind her. She had carried Gu Yunshuang for so long that the back of her clothes was covered in blood.
Gu Qingyao went to change, but saw that Li Fangting was still standing in the snow. She looked through her clothes. She had a quilted jacket that would do, but no thick trousers.
She was just ten years old. They did not have any cotton trousers for a girl of her size.
