Quick Wear: Cousin, Come to the Bowl Quickly

Chapter 488: The Educated Youth Cousin in the Historical Literature (58)

Zhao Youde smacked his cigarette, his face flushed red as he hesitantly explained to Song Guanwen, "A can of malted milk, two large front-door cigarettes, and a bag of brown sugar." He blew out a smoke ring and added, "That girl told me not to tell you."

"She's already finished half a can of malted milk, but the cigarettes and candy are still there... How about you take some back to her?" Zhao Youde felt embarrassed as he spoke, and his rough fingers kept rubbing the cigarette stem.

This was the first time in his life that he had accepted a gift. Now he was being caught and interrogated. He felt uncomfortable all over.

Song Guanwen had a clue in his heart, but he remained calm on the surface. He just shook his head and said gently, "Uncle, don't think too much. The things were given by that girl Lin Xi as a gift to you two elders. There is no reason for her to take them back."

Having said that, he paused and lowered his voice. "But I also want to ask you for one thing. She's frail and sensitive. If she knew I was asking about this, she'd definitely be unable to sleep at night. So, don't tell her about this today..."

Hearing his polite words, Zhao Youde's originally embarrassed mood finally eased a lot. He exhaled a puff of smoke, squinted his eyes to look at Song Guanwen, and suddenly spoke.

"You two, brother and sister, are really interesting. Each of you misses me so much, yet you both keep it a secret, never letting the other know." He suddenly laughed as he spoke, revealing a row of smoke-yellowed front teeth. "Doesn't this prove the old saying, 'If you're not from the same family, you won't marry!"

Hearing the word "brother and sister", Song Guanwen couldn't help but pursed his lips, a strange look flashed in his eyes, but he didn't respond to the conversation. He just smiled and nodded, "Thank you for your trouble."

"Don't worry! I'm grateful for what I have done to help others. I'm keeping my mouth shut." Zhao Youde waved his hands, but muttered in his heart: Of course, if someone like you comes to me and asks questions on your own, it can't be considered that I'm not keeping my mouth shut.

Watching Zhao Youde leave, Song Guanwen stood there for a long time, until dusk began to fall, then he slowly drove the cattle back.

The next morning, before daybreak, Song Guanwen went to the small hill outside the Youth League compound with a book in his hand as usual.

This is a habit he has developed over a long period of time. The air is good and quiet at this time, so he can calm down and read without worrying about other people's eyes.

But today was a little unusual. He sat on the big rock where he usually sat, lost in thought for a long time, but did not open the book in his hand.

After an unknown amount of time, he heard the crowing of chickens in the distance. It was as if he had finally made up his mind and he opened the cover of the book.

Without concentrating on the words as usual, Song Guanwen stretched out his fingers and took out a palm-sized object wrapped in oil paper from the concave page.

As the oil paper was slowly opened, the object inside revealed its true appearance.

If someone were here, they would be shocked by what was in Song Guanwen's palm - the object was two fingers wide, three inches long, golden and shiny, and was obviously a heavy gold bar.

Song Guanwen held the gold bar in his hand, gently stroking the uneven texture on it. After a while, he put it back into the book.

This was one of the few things Zheng's mother left him - a small box of gold bars, hidden in the interlayer of the shabby box in Song Guanwen's room.

After Hu Yun married into the Song family, the things left by Zheng's mother became fewer and fewer. She either dragged them into her own room or sold them. Only this old box, which looked tattered and completely inconsistent with the identity of Staff Officer Zheng's daughter, survived and was kept.

On the night that Song Guanwen learned that he was on the list of people going to the countryside, he accidentally discovered this unexpected fortune hidden in the bottom compartment of a box while packing his clothes.

This was obviously prepared by Chief of Staff Zheng and his wife for their daughter. When they knew that the Zheng family was about to collapse, they not only took great pains to find a man for their daughter who they thought could protect her, but also prepared such a wealth for Zheng's mother in this shabby box that would be enough for her to live a worry-free life for the rest of her life.

Song Guanwen was not sure whether his mother, who had passed away early, knew about the gold bars hidden in the box, but judging from his few vague memories of her, even if she knew about the existence of these gold bars, it would only cause her to shed tears of worry and sorrow.

When Song Guanwen left the Song family, he took away half of the family's money, which almost completely broke off with Song's father and others. Not to mention the fatherly love and filial piety, he was afraid that he would not even have his own room when he returned, so he naturally could not leave the gold bars there.

However, if he carried five or six heavy gold bars on his body, they would be too conspicuous, so Song Guanwen bought several books, hollowed them out, and stuffed the gold into them.

In those days, people would steal anything, but the only thing they wouldn't steal was books. He was not a sociable person, and although the educated youth who lived with him knew that he loved reading, they would not borrow from him. Therefore, these gold bars were hidden in his box until now.

Although these gold bars were enough to make his life in the countryside prosperous, he was afraid that they would be too conspicuous and attract attention, so he put a few more hats on him. Or perhaps he thought that these were things left by Zheng's mother, and he didn't want to use them up just like that.

From the moment his name appeared on the list of people going to the countryside, he had no home and no one to shelter him from the wind and rain. In these days when the future was uncertain, these gold bars were his only support and retreat.

Song Guanwen had originally made up his mind that he would not touch the gold unless he was really at the end of his rope.

But in recent days, he has been shaken again and again.

Lin Xi is a very cute girl, with a small face but big eyes, two pigtails and rosy cheeks. When she smiles at you sweetly, you can't help but want to hold her in your hands.

But he is too thin and not tall. He had a serious illness a while ago and finally recovered a little, but after a busy farming season, he became thinner again.

But she was still silly and never slacked off while working. She was not much taller than a carrying pole, but she always wanted to be at the front when working. If others asked her to help, she would do it with a smile.

When you like someone, you can't help but want to give her the best.

He wanted Lin Xi to eat good food, not those coarse grain cakes that would stretch her neck two miles after eating a bite, or drink those wild vegetable soups that would turn her face green.

He wanted Lin Xi to wear good clothes, colorful blouses, spotless white shirts, and shiny leather shoes. As long as she liked, she could wear something different every day.

He also wanted Lin Xi to use good things, such as fragrant lotion on her face, a flowing red scarf around her neck, and various exquisite hairpins.

He wanted to get Lin Xi all the good things he had ever seen or heard of, and she only needed to keep herself plump and happy, and she didn't have to worry about anything else.

And all of this requires money and tickets.