HLnovel Chapter 876: The Flesh-Swapping Incident
Chapter 876: The Flesh-Swapping Incident
"Mom, this meat smells so good!"
Can Xiaobao have a small piece?
"Is it okay if it's just a small piece like my little fingernail?"
Hearing the longing in her son's voice, Dahai's wife felt a pang of sorrow.
This child was born during a famine.
To be honest, I've hardly ever eaten anything good.
In fact, the number of times they eat meat can be counted on one hand.
Listening to the child's words, she didn't know how to refuse.
Nearby, Sun Dahai, Sun Laohai, and others also heard Sun Xiaobao's words.
But at this moment, no one knew how to respond.
When Sun Xiaobao didn't hear a response for a long time, his lips trembled and he began to cry softly.
"Waaaaah~ Mommy, I'm hungry, so hungry!"
It feels like there's a caterpillar in my tummy, and it keeps biting me.
Grandma said that after I ate the food, the caterpillars stopped biting me.
"Mom, Xiaobao doesn't want to feel pain anymore."
When Dahai's wife heard her son's kitten-like cries, her heart felt like it was being torn apart.
Sun Erhe was the first to lose his temper, and he slapped himself hard across the face.
"It's all my fault! I'm the one who caused the family to lose so much grain!"
"I... I shouldn't be alive!"
Before he could finish speaking, he staggered to his feet and tried to run outside.
Sun Laohai and Sun Dahai were startled and quickly pulled the person away.
But they had been hungry for quite some time.
The meager amount of thin soup they ate each day was just enough to keep them from starving.
As for any extra strength, there was none left.
Fortunately, Sun Erhe was in the same situation.
The two men pulled him down onto the kang (a heated brick bed).
Sun Erhe struggled, but he had no strength to break free.
Sun Dahai, panting heavily, advised:
"Erhe, we are one family."
That's all in the past. From now on, our family will continue to live well together!
In fact, since the incident, Sun Dahai and Sun Laohai have advised Sun Erhe many times.
But he just couldn't get over that hurdle.
In particular, seeing the whole family eating such a small amount of food every time I eat makes me feel even more guilty.
He always tries to drink only soup when he eats.
Leave the area at the bottom, which contains a little grain, for the family.
My family knows too.
His mother was worried that he would have problems from hunger, so she started to divide his food into portions.
Feeling guilty, Sun Erhe would secretly keep a portion of his drink until the very end.
When no one was looking, I gave this little bit of food to my nephew.
Sun Xiaobao didn't know anything about his family; he only knew that his second uncle was good to him and fed him.
Just then, I heard that my father and second uncle seemed to be arguing.
Slowly, she crawled out of bed and went to the two of them.
"Dad, Second Uncle, don't make a fuss, good baby!"
Hearing his grandson's innocent voice, tears welled up in Sun Laohai's eyes.
He turned his back, wiped away his tears, and said in a hoarse voice:
“Wife, go and scoop three bowls of grain. I’ll take them and exchange them with Uncle Zhuang and the others for half a bowl of meat.”
Dahai's wife became somewhat anxious upon hearing this.
"Dad, we don't have much food left."
Xiao Bao is still young and doesn't understand, which is why he's shouting for meat.
It's okay if he doesn't eat the meat now. We'll cook him meat again once things calm down at home.
Sun Laohai could only sigh.
"Alright, wife, go scoop it up!"
......
Old Zhuang was gnawing on a chicken wing when he heard a commotion outside.
At this moment, Lu Qingqing and Qin Lang had also stopped eating.
"Someone's knocking?"
Old Zhuang, sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), stopped the three men who were about to get up when he heard this.
"Alright, you guys sit and eat, I'll go check the door."
Sun Yue, fearing he would open the door carelessly, said urgently:
"Master, don't rush to open the door. Look at the wall to see who it is before you open it."
"Okay, you guys eat first."
Old Zhuang pulled his thick cotton-padded coat tighter around himself, pulled his leather hat over his head, and went out the door.
When they climbed over the courtyard wall and found it was Sun Laohai, they hurried down and opened the door.
"Brother Hai, it's you! Come in, come in!"
Sun Laohai was somewhat embarrassed.
"Uncle Zhuang, I won't go in."
I'm so sorry, but my little one started crying because he smelled meat.
See, can I take three bowls of grain and exchange them for some meat?
Just a little bit is enough!
Old Zhuang noticed his unease and readily agreed.
"It's nothing, I'll go scoop some water for you."
It's cold outside, come inside and sit down with me!
Sun Laohai quickly refused.
It's already bad enough that they're exchanging meat for meat.
Once inside, you're bound to be persuaded to eat something.
These days, there's no reason to enter someone's house during mealtimes.
Seeing that he refused to come into the house, Old Man Zhuang had no choice but to take the bowl from him.
Just as I was about to leave, a bag of grain was shoved into my hand.
Old Zhuang sighed, took the grain sack, and went into the house with the bowl.
Inside the house, Lu Qingqing and the other two were listening intently to the sounds outside.
But with the door closed and a thick blanket covering it, I could only vaguely hear a few words.
After Old Man Zhuang finished explaining, they learned that it was Old Man Sun who had come to exchange the meat for Sun Xiaobao.
Lu Qingqing then took a spoon and picked out some meat that was easier to chew.
Sun Yue was also there, helping to pick them out.
Sun Xiaobao is a well-behaved and sensible child; he knows to greet people politely when he sees them.
In this famine year, there were already few children, so none of them hesitated to share some meat with that child.
Old Zhuang picked out another piece of chicken leg meat, sighed, and then discussed it with Lu Qingqing and Qin Lang.
"Qingqing, Xiaolang, we have plenty of meat here."
In the future, we will inevitably have to eat meat again.
Our neighbors on both sides all have children.
Or, how about we each send a bowl of meat to both families?
Do you think it's acceptable to not give a grain gift in return?
Actually, he had thought about this while cooking.
These days, according to the village's custom...
When we cook something delicious at home, we usually share some with people we know.
Previously, when they ate pork, they also delivered it to both families.
But seeing them insist on sending grain as a return gift, it was really difficult.
And so the matter was dropped.
Given the current situation, Old Man Zhuang thought about it and brought up the matter again.
Lu Qingqing and Qin Lang had no objections to this.
They have no shortage of meat to eat.
And the neighbors on both sides are not the kind of people who don't know how to behave properly.
He immediately agreed.
Lu Qingqing put on a thick cotton-padded coat, carried the grain bag given to her by Sun Laohai, and followed Zhuang Laotou out of the house.
When Sun Laohai saw Lu Qingqing follow him out, he was a little embarrassed.
When she received the bowl full of meat from Old Man Zhuang, she hurriedly tried to return it.
"Uncle Zhuang, this won't do."
This is too much, I can't take this much!
"Take it back quickly, just give me a few dollars."
Old Zhuang put his hands behind his back and took a step back.
"Old Hai, this meat is a gift for Xiao Bao."
We all like Xiao Bao.
You can't refuse for Xiaobao.
Lu Qingqing also seized the opportunity and stuffed the grain bag into Sun Laohai's hands.
"Uncle Hai, this meat is a gift for Xiaobao."
We certainly can't accept your grain; take it back now!
When Sun Laohai saw that they had returned the grain, he was eager to put it down.
Old Zhuang, however, went up and pushed people out.
"Brother Hai, everyone has their tough times."
Don't refuse this little something.
It's freezing cold, let's stop passing the buck.
Hurry back, Xiao Bao can still have some hot meat to eat.
Sun Laohai originally wanted to push it back again, but upon hearing this, he choked up for a moment.
After leaving the house, he thanked them in a hoarse voice.
Old Zhuang only told him to go back quickly.
Only after the door behind him closed did Sun Laohai carefully pick up the bowl.
Raise your other arm and wipe away the tears in your eyes.
Their family owes Uncle Zhuang's family too many favors.
Things should be better next spring.
He will definitely try to do more work to repay them.