Lin Xia looked at him with a smile, warmth in her eyes, "How could I not know?" She took the opportunity to rub his prickly head and whispered, "I also know you want to eat meat!"
"Hehe!" Lin Dong felt like she had read his mind as he scratched the back of his head with a silly laugh, but he was really curious, glanced toward the doorway, and muttered softly, "Big sister! What on earth did you go and do?"
How did she come back with so many good things!
Lin Xia patted his forehead, "It's a secret for now! I'll tell you later!"
Lin Dong uttered a sound of agreement, thinking that it would be fine if she told him later.
Lin Xia glanced at the table, which only had a dish of cabbage stewed with vermicelli and a small pot of cornmeal pancakes. She didn't see the canned meat she bought.
She whispered, "Big brother, why don't we open that can of meat?"
"I was waiting for you to come back so we could eat it together!" Lin Chun put down his chopsticks and hesitated before saying quietly, "Xiaoxia, you bought four cans, so why don't we keep two for Dad?"
Keep two cans for Lin Aiguo?
In your dreams!
Lin Xia suppressed the surge of anger in her heart and concealed the fury in her eyes as she spoke softly, "Does Dad lack this can of meat? I bought four cans so each of us could have one to satisfy our craving! Besides, how do we leave some for Dad, and how do we explain where this canned meat came from?"
She knew she shouldn't speak like this to her older brother, who was just such a person, kind-hearted and filial.
But she just couldn't control her temper.
Lin Chun, confronted with Lin Xia's rapid-fire words, moved his lips but didn't say anything.
He had noticed that since the day Big Sister woke up from that fever, she had become filled with dissatisfaction toward their dad, speaking with a tone of resentment whenever she brought him up.
Although Xiaoxia had complained before, it had never been this intense.
Seeing his brother and sister like this, Lin Dong hurriedly asked Lin Xia in a whisper, "Big sister, where is it? I'll get it!"
"Okay!" Lin Xia looked around the room; their room had only one red box that could be used for storage.
And it turned out, Xiaoqiu had indeed hidden everything in there.
Lin Dong went to the kitchen to get a kitchen knife.
Lin Xia called Xiaoqiu to come in to eat, "Xiaoqiu, what are you still fussing with? Come eat!"
Xiaoqiu was tidying up around the stove, "Sister! You guys eat first! I'll come as soon as I'm done!"
She was more cautious; by staying in the kitchen, the two in the Eastern House wouldn't be able to eavesdrop even if they wanted to.
Lin Xia instantly understood Xiaoqiu's intention and couldn't help but feel emotional, thinking how great it would be if it were just the few of them living together, where they could speak of what they wanted to eat without having to tread so carefully!
"Alright then! We'll save some food for you!"
Lin Xia entered the room and closed the door, Lin Dong had just opened a can and put down the kitchen knife.
"Dongzi! Open them all!" Lin Xia sat down and whispered to him, "What's there to save? We'll finish them all right now to avoid trouble!"
What she really meant was to avoid them ending up in someone else's stomach.
Lin Chun at this moment bowed his head to eat his cornmeal pancakes in silence, not saying a word.
Lin Dong looked at Lin Xia, then at the bowed head of Lin Chun, and in the end, heeded his big sister's advice, opening all four cans of the canned meat.
Actually, he also felt that what Big Sister said made sense, it was better to eat everything now and avoid hassle than to save some for Dad, who would then interrogate and curse about it!
Lin Xia saw Lin Chun chewing mouthfuls of cornmeal pancakes; she knew her behavior had made her big brother uncomfortable, and she herself felt uneasy about it.
But that was the reality—if her brother gave Lin Aiguo two cans of the meat, she could guarantee Lin Aiguo wouldn't be grateful for the filial piety but would immediately make a fuss, demanding to know where the canned meat came from and what money was used to buy it!
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Then, it's quite likely that part of those two cans of preserved meat ended up in the stomachs of Lin Qiang and the others.
Lin Xia encouraged Lin Dong to start eating, and she pushed one of the cans toward Lin Chun. "Big brother! You eat!"
Lin Chun didn't look up, and he pushed the can back toward Lin Xia's direction. "Xiaoxia! Big brother is full, you guys eat!"
Sitting next to Lin Chun, Lin Xia spoke in a low voice, "Big brother! Don't be mad at me! I know that right now nothing I say will get through to you, but in time you'll understand... If you don't eat, I won't eat either!"
Lin Chun looked up, helplessly gazing at the stubborn Lin Xia. When his big sister got obstinate, there was really no managing her.
He sighed, "Alright! Big brother will eat, is that okay?" He picked up a large piece of braised pork with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth, immediately oozing with grease.
So delicious!
Lin Dong, seeing big brother eat, happily gobbled down his own food.
Lin Chun, watching Lin Xia quietly eating the meat, whispered an explanation, "Xiaoxia! I'm not mad at you, I'm mad at myself! I just feel that I'm indecisive, not as decisive and straightforward as you are!"
These past few days, he was increasingly feeling that he was no match for his big sister's ability to get things done.
Lin Xia smiled, seizing the moment to say, "Big brother! That's nothing, once you go work in another place, toughen up a bit, you'll definitely become different!"
Lin Chun nodded earnestly, "Alright! I'll think about it carefully!"
Perhaps, it was time for him to make some changes too.
"Big brother! It's great that you can think this way!" Lin Xia heard a different tone in Lin Chun's agreement this time.
"Yeah! Big brother!" Lin Dong also noticed, and their sibling eyes brightened as they exchanged looks, both brimming with excitement.
But no one continued to speak too much, afraid it might backfire.
Lin Xia whispered with a laugh, "You guys eat fast! Is it delicious or not?"
Lin Dong swallowed the braised pork in his mouth, his face split with happiness. He nodded vigorously, whispering, "Delicious! Big sister! It's so delicious! This is the best thing I've ever eaten in my life! When I start working and have money, I'll buy a bunch for you all to have your fill!"
Lin Xia took a piece of meat from her own can and gave it to Lin Dong, softly laughing, "Alright! We'll wait for you to make money and buy us a bunch! But Dongzi, you need to study well and get into university first!"
Lin Dong nodded with determination, "Big sister, big brother, don't worry! I will definitely study hard and get into a university!"
Lin Chun also gave Lin Dong a piece of meat, "Okay! Dongzi, as long as you study hard and get into high school next year, big brother will give you something as a reward too!"
Lin Dong became even more excited, patting his chest with a slap, "Big brother! You have to keep your promise!"
Lin Chun laughed, "Is there any doubt?"
Lin Dong turned to Lin Xia, "Big sister, you be our witness!"
Lin Xia grinned, "Sure! I'll be the witness!"
As the three of them talked and laughed, their faces were all adorned with brilliant smiles. Lin Xia watched this scene with both joy and delight.
She took a piece of meat and placed it on top of the can for Lin Qiu, then quickly finished her meal, got up, and went out to call Lin Qiu in for dinner.
Lin Xia didn't want to stay idle in the kitchen either, so she picked up a small hatchet and began to chop up some pine kindling.
Just after a few chops, the door of the Eastern House opened, and Lin Yu walked out carrying two sets of bowls and chopsticks.
Seeing Lin Xia squatting there working, she raised an eyebrow, and left the bowls and chopsticks by the stove, "Did Lin Xia come back today? Did she bring back any wedding candy or anything from the wedding she attended?"
Just now, she and Lin Qiang were whispering in their room about how there was always some noise from the Western House, wondering if they might be sneaking some tasty treats.
But with Lin Qiu busy working in the kitchen, they didn't feel it was right to come out and look.
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