Chapter 283
Si Nian hadn't even processed what was happening when Zhou Zedong carefully tugged at the corner of her clothes. Clumsily pulling her, his little face was covered in tears.
Zhou Zedong was truly panicked. He remembered how, just over half a year ago, he and his brother were still at home, never having enough to eat or wear, being bullied, with no one sparing them a glance of pity.
It was Si Nian's arrival that changed the situation for the three siblings. Although she wasn't their biological mother, she treated them very well. She cooked delicious food for them, bought them new clothes, taught them their lessons, and told them stories at night.
He had never been this happy before. His younger brother and sister were so joyful, and Dad was also becoming more and more attentive and caring towards them.
But even though Mom was so good to them, he had secretly done bad things behind her back and disobeyed. How could he be so wicked?
He hated himself to death.
"Mom, please don't abandon us. I'll never do these bad things again..." Zhou Zedong suddenly thudded down onto his knees before Si Nian.
"You can hit me or scold me. I won't get up until you're not angry anymore."
When the teacher got angry in class, making him stand would appease her.
If he knelt down to admit his mistake, Mom would surely calm down too.
Zhou Zedong thought uneasily. He tilted his little face up, tears streaming down from the corners of his eyes. At this moment, he finally showed the demeanor of a child, afraid of being abandoned once again.
His mind was blank. He only knew that he couldn't lose his mom, and his younger brother and sister couldn't lose their mom either.
"Ouch! Get up quickly, Mom isn't abandoning you."
Si Nian was startled by him, but seeing the child's expression as if the sky had fallen, she realized her earlier severity might have scared him.
Although shocked, it seemed he also knew this was a bad thing to do.
What Si Nian had feared was that he wouldn't think it was wrong.
She sighed: "Mom knows you were angry that Teacher Xu bullied you and your brother, but it was also wrong for you to have someone beat her up."
Although Si Nian also wanted to hit the other person, truthfully, she had never actually considered having someone go and beat her up.
Little Boss's method was ultimately too extreme.
It really came down to the parents not giving him enough sense of security.
Just as Zhou Zedong was about to immediately promise he would never do it again, he heard Si Nian say: "No one saw, right?"
Zhou Zedong: "..."
He shook his head.
Si Nian sighed, reached out, and placed a hand on his shoulder, speaking seriously: "Well done, son! Pah, I mean, you mustn't do this kind of thing again. You're only ten years old, you know?"
That incident had always struck her as a bit strange. Teacher Xu got beaten up, and Little Boss, facing someone who bullied his brother—how could he possibly help her?
It would have been good enough if he hadn't gone up and stepped on her himself.
So that was the reason.
But this child was truly terrifying. He managed to both have Teacher Xu taught a lesson and gain protection from the police.
If he grows up to become a criminal, wouldn't that be disastrous?
Si Nian hurriedly shook her head. Pah, what kind of talk was that? Such words only this once, never to be said again in the future.
"Of course, if others don't provoke me, I won't provoke them. This matter started with Teacher Xu being dishonorable first by bullying you and your brother. She deserved the beating."
She wiped his tears: "Mom is just very worried about you and also very sad because you hid these things from us. Because you didn't trust your family."
"Mom is very proud that you could use your own method to teach the bad person who bullied you and your brother a lesson. But hitting people is always wrong. Of course, I have no objection to hitting Teacher Xu."
Si Nian: Sorry, Zhou Yueshen, I'm just a bad woman. How could I possibly teach your son properly? I also think Teacher Xu deserved the beating, qWq.
Zhou Zehan looked bewildered at his mom and brother. What were they talking about? He couldn't understand.
Yaoyao, a little bib around her neck, held a fork in her chubby white hand, blinking her big eyes equally confused, not understanding what was happening.
Zhou Zedong quickly grasped his mother's meaning.
Hitting people is wrong, but Mom's meaning is that it's okay to hit bad people, as long as no one sees.
"Mom, I understand."
As long as Mom wasn't angry and wouldn't abandon them, he was willing to do anything she asked.
Si Nian took the money from his desk. "Not bad, our Little Dong knows how to earn money now. Mom will save it for you, for when you get a wife in the future."
She counted it. Sure enough, neither more nor less, thirty yuan.
Si Nian stuffed the money into her pocket, reached out, and ruffled his hair, which had grown out a bit prickly and stubbly. "Since this is your first offense, Mom won't blame you this time. Sit down and eat."
Zhou Zedong wiped his tears and sat down beside her, looking up at her with his little face. "Mom, I don't want a wife. I'll give it all to you to spend."
Si Nian's heart felt so sweet. Although it seemed he was still a bit led astray, he was ultimately very filial.
And the child wasn't one to confuse right and wrong either.
Si Nian was satisfied.
"Good, Mom will wait for you to make big money."
It was only then that Zhou Zehan reacted: "Huh? The egg pancake stall I eat at every day outside was opened by you, Brother?"
...
This time, Zhou Zedong might have been truly frightened. He cried even in his sleep at night, saying he was wrong.
Si Nian was just passing by when she heard the child crying even in his dreams, and her heart ached for him.
She sighed. The road of raising kids really was a long and arduous one.
But Si Nian promised him that if he wanted to do business, he could stay out an extra hour in the afternoon.
He could also go out on Saturdays and Sundays.
By laying it out openly like this, he wouldn't be afraid of her getting angry.
Si Nian wrote a letter to Zhou Yueshen, asking if the pig farm was about to go bankrupt, since their son had started setting up a stall doing business to earn money for her to spend.
But after sending this letter, there was no response for a long time.
Si Nian was busy with the two children participating in competitions, so she didn't think much of it.
...
The Fu Family.
The Si Family had come calling again.
Fu Qianqian was very displeased. Ever since her eldest brother went to the northwest, the Si Family came over every few days, as if afraid her brother wouldn't return.
Lin Sisi hadn't been in prison for long, and they were already worried that when she got out, their brother still wouldn't be back.
Although the Si Family couldn't get their daughter out, their influence was enough to cover up this stain once she was released.
Originally, Lin Sisi was sentenced to one year, but because she was actively reforming in prison, her sentence was reduced.
Plus, Lin Sisi told her family she wanted to take the college entrance exams. The Si Family pulled all sorts of strings to get Lin Sisi released just in time for the exams.
The Si Family believed that as long as Lin Sisi could get into university, coupled with their family's connections, she would be more than a match for Fu Yang.
If she became a prestigious university student, everyone would stop caring about her stealing money.
As long as they said the Lin family treated their daughter poorly, and she did it to get back home, people would surely understand.
But who knew Fu Yang would suddenly be assigned to another military region.
When he was here before, they could at least keep an eye on him.
But now Fu Yang had gone to the Northwest Military Region, such a distant place. With Fu Yang's excellent family background and good looks, what if he took a liking to someone else? What would they do then?
Especially when they learned from Liu Dongdong that Fu Yang's mother actually intended to match him with some female regimental commander from the Northwest Military District, the couple could no longer afford their cold war and hurriedly paid a visit.
After all, the Fu Family was their greatest backer.
Without the Fu Family, the Si Family would be nothing in the residential compound.
Now they would drop by every few days to inquire about when Fu Yang would return.
Although Mrs. Zheng found it very annoying, she ultimately couldn't bring herself to be too harsh.
It was only upon hearing that Lin Sisi intended to take the college entrance exam that she was shocked.
"She's taking the college entrance exam? But isn't she still in prison?"
"Although Sisi is still in prison, she has been actively admitting her mistakes and serving her sentence diligently inside. Considering her remorse, her sentence has been reduced, and she'll be out before the exam. That girl knows how to work hard too, studying diligently every day inside. She's sure to get into a good university."