"I've thought it through."
"Thought it through? You're making it sound too simple. You plan to take your sister to school with you, but have you considered what will happen when you're in class and your sister is with you?"
The speaker was a frail woman with short hair, Mo Jingchun and Little Candy's aunt, Zhou Yun, the elder sister of their mother.
Holding Candy, who was gazing around the room, Mo Jingchun felt a warmth in his heart. Despite the fact that the house was filled with his father's and mother's siblings, Mo Jingchun knew if he really had to leave his sister with anyone, it would be with his aunt's family.
It wasn't that his uncles didn't care, but in his uncles' houses, not everything was under their control.
Mo Jingchun held no resentment; he understood the situation in his uncles' households. They weren't affluent, and taking in a child would be like losing a source of labor.
"Auntie, I've already discussed it with the school, and considering my special circumstances, they have made arrangements so I can focus on my studies."
Zhou Yun frowned, her face full of concern, and finally let out a helpless sigh.
"You're such a stubborn child."
Mo Jingchun played with Little Candy, smiled, and said nothing.
After a long silence, Mo Jingchun's uncle finally spoke: "Since that's the case, it's settled. When the child isn't at home, I'll be here. If Xiaochun finds it too hard at school, just call me, and I'll bring the little one back."
"That's right. How can we let the mother's family raise them when we, the siblings, are still here?"
Everyone chimed in, as if all the problems were already solved. Even if the sky was falling, they would hold it up first.
Mo Jingchun didn't even lift his head, let alone respond, to the exchange between his father's brothers.
Thud, thud, thud—
His uncle, Zhou Xing, knocked on the yellowed octagonal table with his rough hand, his eyes sharp like a protective lion's.
"Mo Family brothers, let me make this clear first: although my niece and nephew have lost their parents, if anyone dares to take advantage of them, they'd better be ready to face our hammers." Zhou Xing spoke with no hint of politeness.
"Of course! Anyone who dares to mess with the kids will have to deal with us first."
"Exactly, exactly."
"Yes, indeed."
Zhou Xing replied meaningfully, "I hope so, too. I don't want to hear any rumors around our community that would fall into my ears."
"I can't tolerate even the slightest grain of sand in my eyes."
Next to him, Mo Jingchun slightly curled the corners of his lips, and Little Candy in his arms giggled along.
Boss Mo and his brothers, no matter how slow to react, understood at this moment that Zhou Xing was worried they might try for the inheritance meant for the kids.
In truth, Zhou Xing wasn't worried about other inheritance, but when it came to the fields, land, and mountains, it was a different matter. Zhou Xing couldn't possibly believe the Mo Family brothers had no thoughts about it.
Everyone knew the usual tricks in the countryside, right?
Not to mention now, even when their parents were alive, there was always quarrels over fields, land, and mountains.
Seeing that the Mo Family brothers remained silent, Zhou Xing took the opportunity to pull out a stack of red bills from his pocket and placed it on the yellowed octagonal table.
Mo Jingchun's younger uncle and aunt, as if they had planned it, followed suit and also placed a stack of red bills on the table.
The thickness of each stack was about the same, and each stack contained at least 5,000.
This was beyond Mo Jingchun's expectations, leaving him with a stunned expression.
"No other meaning, Xiaochun's admission to Jing University is a great honor for our family. By our village customs, we'd normally hold a banquet and celebrate, but given the circumstances, a banquet isn't possible, and Xiaochun wouldn't agree. It's not appropriate emotionally or logically."
"Big uncle is right, we brothers were thinking the same." As he spoke, Mo Jingchun's older uncle pulled out a thick red envelope from his pocket, marked with the name Mo Changyou.
Immediately after, everyone else did the same, taking out red envelopes, each marked with the heads of their family. Clearly, everyone came prepared for this discussion.
Whether these envelopes were initially meant to celebrate Mo Jingchun getting into Jing University was unknown.
Seeing the stunned expression on his nephew's face, Zhou Xing glared at Mo Jingchun, "What are you standing around stunned for? Let your aunt hold your sister for a while, go get the account book!"
Mo Jingchun opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but seemed unsure what to say.
"Go on." His aunt, Wang Qiaoling, patted Mo Jingchun's shoulder, cheerfully taking Little Candy from his arms and making her laugh.
Mo Jingchun looked at the locked drawer in front of him, unlocked it with a key.
Inside the empty drawer, apart from two account books, there was nothing else; to Mo Jingchun, these account books were far more valuable than many things at home.
One account book was a thick softcover, a bit old, and in Mo Jingchun's memory, his mother often took out this book to view, and it bore the mark of a junior high school.
The other account book was thin and new, a common twelve-page exercise book.
In the living room, after Mo Jingchun left, Zhou Xing spoke to Mo Changyou, "Boss Mo, this kid is about to start school soon. Someone has to accompany him to the train station at least, right? We can't let people say there's no one in the Mo family to see him off."
"Brother, rest assured, we've already discussed this among us brothers. When the time comes, the third brother will personally drive him to the train station in the city. The family heads often ask when Xiaochun will leave for school so they can prepare fireworks."
"After Xiaochun leaves, we'll have everyone over for a meal at my place to host a small gathering."
This time, a rare smile crossed Zhou Xing's face.
"Thank you for the trouble, on behalf of my poor sister. This should have been her responsibility."
"It's the least we can do."
Mo Jingchun picked up his mother's often-used account book, locked the drawer again, grabbed a black pen, and returned to the living room.
"Big uncle, I've got the account book."
Zhou Xing glanced at the slightly yellowed book and nodded.
"Count the ones on the table one by one and note them all down."
"These are connections and favors. We may not mind, but you must. Favors need to be returned, and this is today's lesson for you."
Zhou Xing pointed at the account book in Mo Jingchun's hand and said, "Do you see? This book records all the interactions of favors your mother kept, it's more than just numbers."
"Now that this book is passed to you, all the connections and social obligations are on your shoulders too."
"One must never forget one's roots!"