Chapter 16

The mosquito net was pulled down, and the room became even darker. On this summer night, only the buzzing of mosquitoes could be heard.

Cheng Cheng did not know why. Perhaps it was because people were especially vulnerable when they were injured.

She lay alone on the dark bed. She thought of her parents, Fourth Brother Cheng, and Qin Xiuxiu. There was an indescribable sense of suffocation in her heart.

She was originally a carefree person who would charge around like a little calf. She had never cried when she was wronged. But now, tears were flowing out of her eyes for no reason.

She wiped her tears with her hand and told herself that she had to be strong.

It was her greatest fortune to be adopted by the Tang family and to be able to meet such good parents. She should not cry.

As she thought about it, more and more tears flowed out of her eyes.

She closed her eyes and fell asleep for a while. In her sleep, she vaguely heard her brother's voice.

Tang Yanhua came home. The first thing he asked when he entered the house was, "Mom, where's my sister?"

Tang Yanhua's voice was still in the puberty stage. His voice was a little youthful, but it already had the mature and steady feeling of a man.

Cheng Cheng was very happy when he heard that his brother was back.

He heard Tang Huaijin's wife outside the house say, "Your sister is sleeping. Don't disturb her."

Tang Yanhua said, "She's sleeping so early?"

Tang Huaijin's wife sighed. "Sigh, she met Fourth Brother Cheng today. She was beaten up and her head is bleeding.

I was worried that we should send her to the hospital. "

Tang Yanhua's expression changed. "Huh?"

As he spoke, he pushed the door open and came in.

Seeing that the room was a little dark, he lit the oil lamp on the table with a match.

Tang Yanhua walked to the bed and pulled the mosquito net aside. He saw Cheng Cheng lying under the quilt. His cheeks were a little pale, and there were a few bruises on his temples and the corners of his mouth.

Tang Yanhua was shocked. "What happened to you?

Who hit you? "

Cheng Cheng turned his head and called out to him in a hoarse voice, "Brother."

Tang Yanhua's heart ached when he heard her call him brother.

In recent years, Tang Yanhua and Cheng Cheng slept in separate beds.

Tang Huaijin and his wife said that their children had grown up, so it was not appropriate for them to sleep together. Therefore, they let Cheng Cheng sleep in a room alone and prepared a new room for Tang Yanhua. They also warned Tang Yanhua not to go to his younger sister's room, although Tang Yanhua did not listen to them very much.

Now that her parents were not around, Tang Yanhua took off her shoes and quietly climbed into her sister's bed.

He leaned against the pillow and reached out to touch Cheng Cheng's face.

Cheng Cheng was so happy to see him that he even forgot about the injuries on his body. He took the initiative to snuggle into his arms, stretched out his arms to hug his waist, and said in a hoarse voice, "Brother."

Tang Yanhua lowered her head, hugged her shoulder, and stroked her arm. "Does it still hurt?"

Cheng Cheng rubbed her head against his neck. "It won't hurt if you hug me."

Tang Yanhua whispered, "I picked two pears for you.

I saw them on the way back. I secretly picked them from someone's tree.

They look delicious. Wait for me to wash them and bring them back. "

Tang Yanhua got out of bed, washed the pears, and tiptoed into the room with a fruit knife. He climbed back into bed again.

Cheng Cheng leaned into his arms and watched him peel the pears. "Brother, what did you do in the county today?"

Tang Yanhua said, "Nothing much. I just helped Dad bring some medicine, and then I went to the purchasing station to sell the herbs."

"You didn't go to Eldest Uncle's house?"

"I did."

Cheng Cheng said, "Every time mom asks you to go to the city, she doesn't let me go.

I want to go with you. "

Tang Yanhua peeled the pears for her to eat. "Eldest Uncle's family doesn't recognize you.

Our family doesn't have a good relationship with Eldest Uncle's family. I feel a little embarrassed to go alone. If you go too, it'll be even more embarrassing.

They'll say that we're a family that went to his house to beg for food. "

Cheng Cheng said, "Then I won't eat at his house. I'll wait outside.

I just want to see what the county is like. "

Tang Yanhua said, "I'll ask mom to bring you along next time."

Cheng Cheng really wanted to eat the pears, but her face hurt. She tried it and couldn't bite it. She shook her head and said to Tang Yanhua, "Brother, you should eat it.

I have a toothache. "

Tang Yanhua said, "Did your teeth move?

Let me see. "

Tang Yanhua opened her mouth and saw that her mouth was bruised in several places. She guessed that Cheng Cheng hit her in the afternoon.

Tang Yanhua touched the tooth that she said hurt. It was bleeding a little.

Fortunately, the tooth was still intact.

She had replaced her last baby tooth last year. Now, all her teeth were permanent. If they fell out, they wouldn't grow back in the future.

Tang Yanhua originally wanted to play with her for a while and comfort her. But seeing her like this, she didn't dare to disturb her anymore. She covered her with a blanket and let her sleep.

Cheng Cheng said in a low and hoarse voice, "Brother, tell mom not to cook dinner for me. I want to sleep. I don't want to eat."

Tang Yanhua said, "Okay."

Tang Huaijin's wife cooked Cheng Cheng's favorite noodles. She asked Tang Yanhua to wake her up, but Tang Yanhua said that his sister didn't want to eat.

Tang Huaijin's wife said, "What's wrong?

You don't want to eat? "

Tang Huaijin's wife went to the house worriedly. Cheng Cheng still said that she didn't want to eat. Tang Huaijin's wife had no choice but to go back to the kitchen and let Tang Yanhua set the table. "Forget it if she doesn't want to eat. She's not feeling well, so let her rest.

Let's eat. "

The village was electrified two years ago. The Tang family also installed light bulbs and wires in the house.

However, the wattage of the light bulbs was not high, only five watts. The brightness was pitifully weak, but it was better than nothing.

Tang Huaijin's wife turned on the light and put the noodles on the table. Tang Huaijin also washed his hands and came back.

Tang Yanhua sat on the stool, holding the bowl and using the chopsticks to pick up the noodles one by one. She thought about Cheng Cheng's injury and saw that his mother's face was tense and did not smile at all. His father's expression was gloomy and ugly. She only felt very depressed.

At the dinner table, Tang Huaijin and his wife discussed unrelated matters.

Tang Huaijin's wife said that they would plant corn in a few days, but she was worried that they wouldn't be able to finish plowing the fields.

Tang Huaijin said that he would go to the village to ask Liu Laosan for help and borrow some of his family's cattle. After this period of work, he would help his family harvest wheat.

They talked about money again. Their family had no money, and they didn't have any fertilizer.

They didn't talk about Cheng Cheng.

Tang Yanhua listened for a while and felt very upset. She thought about how Cheng Cheng was injured and how his parents didn't seem to have any plans for him. She couldn't help but interrupt, "Dad, Little Sister hasn't eaten dinner yet. She doesn't look well."

Tang Yanhua complained a little. He felt that his parents didn't care about his sister.

He was just a child and couldn't do anything.

Tang Huaijin's face was gloomy and he didn't say anything.

Tang Huaijin's wife lowered her head and put some leftover meat slices into Tang Huaijin's and Tang Yanhua's bowls. "Don't worry, she should be fine. She'll be fine after a few days of rest."

Tang Yanhua said, "But Little Sister doesn't look like she's fine."

Tang Huaijin's wife said, "Why are you so talkative? Mom knows what I've said.

You don't have to worry about this. "

Tang Yanhua said, "Then what should we do about Little Sister now?"

Tang Huaijin's wife frowned. "Your dad fought with Fourth Brother Cheng in the afternoon. That person won't dare to come again in the future."

Tang Yanhua said, "How many times have they fought in the past? He always comes back after the incident.

He's hanging around the village every day. What if Little Sister gets beaten up by him again? "

Tang Huaijin's wife said, "We can't do anything about it.

We can't afford to offend that kind of scoundrel, but we can avoid him.

Don't bother with him in the future. I'll ask your sister not to go out these few days. Follow her wherever she goes, lest she meets that bastard again. "

Tang Yanhua was a little annoyed by his mother's behavior. She always felt that his parents were too weak.

It was like this every time before. Fourth Brother Cheng brought people to make trouble at their house, and they chased them away. The next time he came, he would come again a few days later. This person was like a mangy dog, like a fly that couldn't be chased away. There was no end to it.

Tang Yanhua said, "But we can't let Little Sister stay at home forever just because of him, right?

Even if she doesn't meet him, she's scared out of her wits every day. "

Tang Huaijin had been eating his own food without saying a word, but it was obvious that he was very angry.

Tang Yanhua had grown up in the past two years. He had his own ideas and dared to talk back to his parents and make demands.

Tang Huaijin and his wife were sometimes happy and felt that their son could take on responsibilities, but sometimes they felt angry.

His wings had hardened, and he started to pick on his parents.

Tang Huaijin's wife pulled a long face and lectured Tang Yanhua, "Mom told you to stay out of it, so stay out of it.

What can you do?

Our family is like this.

Your dad is old and his health isn't good. He doesn't have any brothers or relatives at home. Don't tell me they want you to stand up for him?

How capable do you think you are?

Or do they want you to go to his house with a knife and chop him up?

Let's see who's the unlucky one, you or him?

You only know how to ask for this and that. You don't even use your brain when you speak. "

Tang Yanhua defended himself and said, "I didn't say I want Dad to fight with him, nor did I say I want to chop him up with a knife.

I'm saying that we have to think of something. Why don't we go to the police station?

If he hit someone, the police station will have to take care of it, right? "

Tang Huaijin's wife rolled her eyes at him and said, "You child, why are you so naive? There's no money to be made. Do you think the police station has nothing better to do than to take care of your trivial matters?"

Tang Yanhua said, "The police station won't take care of it, but we can use our connections."

Tang Huaijin and his wife looked at their son with a stunned expression. They were very surprised that he could say such things.

Using connections and whatnot seemed to be something that only adults would understand. They didn't expect him to say it out loud.

He was really a boy who matured early. He was only in junior high.

Tang Huaijin's wife shushed him and said, "Go away.

Your family's ancestors have all been poor farmers for eight generations. What connections do you have?

Who cares about you? "

Tang Yanhua said, "I'm looking for Eldest Uncle."

Tang Yanhua said, "I went to Eldest Uncle's house today. Eldest Uncle was quite nice to me and even asked me to stay for dinner.

Eldest Uncle is the county secretary. He can definitely handle this kind of matter. He just needs to give the police station a call.

It's a piece of cake for him to do something like this. Why don't we go and look for him? "

Tang Huaijin's wife said, "Do you think it's so easy to use connections?

If you don't have the money to give them, why should they help you?

Don't come up with such bad ideas. "

Tang Yanhua didn't explain. "It's not that bad, right? Even if we don't have the money to give them, Eldest Uncle is my father's biological elder brother. He won't go so far as to not help with such a small matter.

Let's go and give some gifts, say a few nice words, and talk about our family's difficulties. Eldest Uncle won't sit idly by.

Let's just give it a try. If he really doesn't help, then forget it. But it's better than doing nothing. "

Tang Huaijin hadn't said anything all this time. When he heard this, he suddenly threw down his chopsticks and said angrily, "What nonsense are you talking about? Your father is already so old, and I still want to kowtow and kneel to him!"

Tang Yanhua didn't know if his father was old or something, but he was stubborn. "Dad, when did he say that he wanted you to kowtow and kneel?

We're all family. There's no need to act like enemies. "