Chen Hong glared at Gu Jin as her body trembled with anger. "You turned a deaf ear to what I said earlier? We have to feed another mouth while we already have difficulty feeding ourselves? How could you be so heartless toward us?"
Gu Jin looked down, her lips curling up slightly.
She would be heartless not to adopt An Mingji.
Back when she died and no one claimed her body for seven days, it was An Mingji who had given her a dignified burial. He had given her the most extravagant funeral that shook the rich and powerful in the city.
What their grandfather said struck Gu Jiajie and Gu Minmin dumb, though they were accustomed to their mother's attitude.
The two of them looked at Gu Jin, thinking that she must be mad, especially Gu Jiajie, whose lips were curled up in an evil smile.
He was not sure if he was just imagining things; he had sensed something off about Gu Jin ever since she came home. Her gloomy aura was gone, and she had become more outspoken.
She even had the guts to adopt a wild child from the village; that really caught him unawares.
Gu Jiajie stuffed the bun in his hand into his mouth. His eyes then on the last bun on the table, and he grabbed it.
Just like that, he sat aside and watched the drama unfold.
He treated it as a spectacle.
His young cousin would have to go through his mother if she wanted to adopt that wild child.
The old man glanced at his eldest son, who had remained quiet the whole time and then at Chen Hong, his daughter-in-law. He tapped his pipe lightly on the table.
"Jin told me that she would apply for a separate household registration. She will not take any food from the family but share her own rations with the boy."
Chen Hong had initially wanted to reprimand Gu Jin. When her grandfather spoke, however, she relented.
Feeling indignant, she looked at her husband, who was keeping his head low and eating his congee. He seemed unconcerned about what was happening around him.
Chen Hong could not be angrier. She forced herself to calm down by taking a deep breath.
"Screw it! Do whatever you all want!" She stomped her foot and left with reddened eyes.
She was being calculative for the sake of the family, which was now facing hardship. Yet, they had to feed another mouth. Life would only become harder.
After Chen Hong left, the old man shot his eldest son a look.
"What do you think, Son?
Gu Dechang put the bowl in his hand down and looked at the old man who was sitting in the main chair. "You make the call, Father."
"Mmm."
The outcome did not surprise the old man at all.
He blew some smoke into the air and looked Gu Jin in the eye. "We have all agreed, Jin. But remember that we will not allocate any rations to the boy, and his share will only come from yours."
"Understood. Thanks, Grandpa."
So, it was decided, and Gu Jin would adopt An Mingji.
Next, she would have to see the village head and pay a visit to the police station.
"She isn't eighteen yet, is she?" Gu Dechang suddenly asked.
"Yeah, she said that she would overstate her age by two years and would liaise with Mr. He, the village head."
Gu Dechang nodded and said nothing more.
Gu Jiajie and Gu Minmin looked at Gu Jin in astonishment.
In their eyes, Gu Jin had always known her place and remained quiet all this while. Nothing had ever aroused her interest.
Yet, not only had she caused their mother to blow her top off today, but she had also made their grandfather and father agree to her adoption of the wild child.
On top of that, she would have half the amount of rations from now on.
Gu Jiajie rubbed his full belly, thinking that Gu Jin was an idiot.