Chapter 44 - 044 Zhong Shouliang
"Rest assured, our entire family won’t tell outsiders," Zhong Juying earnestly promised, knowing that if people found out that Tian Sisi and her brother brought things for her family with their status, it would definitely be a big trouble.
Tian Xinhua cleverly scanned the surroundings and saw Tian Sisi carrying a bundle. He quickly grabbed it and left. Zhong Juying bowed towards the backs of Tian Sisi and Tian Xinhua, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, swiftly closed the door, and latched it.
"Juying, who was that?" A hoarse voice came from the inner room, followed by an old-faced woman with a stooped body. This was Granny Zhao’s maternal cousin, Zhao Manxiu, who, worn out from toil and malnourishment, had her hair completely grey and wrinkles as deep as Granny Zhao’s, even though she was not yet forty.
"Mama, it was Tian Sisi from Uncle Tian’s family who brought these over for us," Zhong Juying pointed at the heap of clothes, about ten eggs, a pack of sugar, and more than ten strips of rice cakes on the table, and whispered.
"Tian Sisi? Isn’t she the Tian family’s Zhaodi? How could she bring so much stuff over? No one saw it just now, right?" Zhao Manxiu got nervous. Even in the hardest times, she had never asked for help from Granny Zhao, fearing to bring trouble to her household. She never imagined that Granny would send her granddaughter with so much stuff. Granny... she’s truly...
Moved yet worried, Zhao Manxiu feared her little daughter might let someone discover this without knowing the severity. Seeing her Mama so anxious, Zhong Juying hurriedly whispered in reassurance, "No one saw. I checked carefully."
"That’s good! That’s good!" relieved, Zhao Manxiu finally calmed down. Looking at the pile of items on the table, her eyes welled up with tears. Nevertheless, she took out one of Tian Sisi’s cotton-padded jackets and urged her daughter to put it on quickly. Over the years, being constantly busy, she didn’t even have the time to make clothes for the children, let alone have extra cloth or cotton at home. All the children were underdressed and underfed, especially Juying, who had never worn a cotton jacket since she was born. What a useless Mama she was!
Zhong Juying treasured the small floral cotton jacket, feeling its warmth spread through her body as she put it on. Satisfied, Zhong Juying sighed contentedly, "Mama, this is what it feels like to wear a cotton jacket. So comfortable!"