Regarding the question of love or not, Lin Nianhe asked directly.
Comrade Wen Lan and Comrade Wang Shumei also gave answers gently and patiently:
"Are you three years old? You can't order what you want to eat?"
"I can't even eat any more meat. There is no room for you in this world."
At this moment, Lin Nianhe really wanted to fight with them.
Look at Wang Shumei, then look at Wen Lan...
Friendship, your name is tolerance!
Lin Nianhe coaxed himself, wiped his hands, and used chopsticks to eat.
Niu Wa opened her big eyes and looked at them carefully, eating quietly without making a sound.
Wang Shumei, the eldest sister with rich experience in raising children, took care of him naturally, helping him pick fish bones and picking up vegetables. Her movements were natural and did not make him feel uncomfortable at all.
The hot steam of the pimple soup hit his face, and Niu Wa ate the rice with big mouthfuls. His tears fell into the bowl, and he swallowed them whole.
The meal was finished quickly. Niu Wa sat on the stool and looked at Lin Nianhe carefully. She held the corners of her clothes with her little hands and wanted to speak but didn't dare.
Lin Nianhe asked Wang Shumei: "Where is the bathhouse in the town?"
Wang Shumei was confused: "How could I know?"
Lin Nianhe: "Well, it's impossible to expect you to share my worries. I still have to rely on myself as a human being."
She took Niu Wa's hand and stood up, raised her chin and walked towards the police station not far away. She didn't see the big white eyes of the two people behind her who gave her free gifts.
Wen Lan and Wang Shumei pushed their bicycles behind her. This was Wen Lan's first time in the town. She was curious about everything she looked at. From time to time, she would drag Wang Shumei to ask a few questions.
Lin Nianhe ignored the two of them and went to the concierge of the police station with familiarity. He greeted Uncle Liu inside with a smile: "Uncle, have you eaten?"
"Ouch?" When Uncle Liu saw her, there was a smile on his always stern face, "Eat, why are you here free today?"
"I came to town to buy some things, and I happened to meet a child from a neighboring village." Lin Nianhe took Niu Wa's hand and waved to Uncle Liu, "I want to ask you, where is the bathhouse in our town?"
"There is one in the courtyard of the police station." Uncle Liu leaned forward and glanced at the little clay baby being dragged by Lin Nianhe. "This kid is not taller than a stool. Can he wash it by himself?"
"Then why don't you get hurt and help me find a reliable gay to help take him a bath?" Lin Nianhe asked with a smile as he followed the snake stick.
"Sure." Uncle Liu agreed, glanced at Lin Nianhe, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Fat Feng! Come here!"
"Hey, hey, it's coming!"
Feng Wei rolled over like a ball.
When he saw Lin Nianhe, he was about to call her "sister-in-law", but changed it to "Sister Lin" when he reached his lips.
"Hello, Brother Feng." Lin Nianhe said with a smile, "Can you please take this child to take a bath?"
"Ah, I'm at work..." Feng Wei said and looked at Uncle Liu.
Uncle Liu rolled his eyes and said, "You still need someone to answer the phone? Hurry up and say I let you."
"Okay, let's go now!"
When Feng Wei went back to greet his colleagues, Lin Nianhe knelt down and said to Niu Wa: "Niu Wa, you follow that brother to take a shower first. I will wait for you here, and then we go to see grandpa, okay?"
Niu Wa was a little nervous, clutching the corners of her clothes and looking at her eagerly: "You... aren't you going?"
"I can't wash with you." Lin Nianhe said with a smile, "Don't be afraid, he is a good person."
"Yeah." Niu Wa pursed her lips and nodded.
I was still a little scared when I looked at it, but I didn't dare to express my opinion.
Lin Nianhe took out a candy from his pocket and stuffed it into his mouth, pinched his cheek and said, "Wash it clean, don't be afraid."
"Um."
Feng Wei came out quickly and took the calf away.
Lin Nianhe watched them go away, then looked at Uncle Liu with a smile: "Uncle, can I ask you a favor?"
Uncle Liu shook the newspaper: "What's going on? Is there anything else?"
Lin Nianhe held his chin in his hand and explained the cause and effect in a nonchalant manner, making the old man's eyes turn red.
"Look, Uncle Niu has already been sentenced. He cooperated with Brother Yun Cheng in his work some time ago. This can be regarded as meritorious service. How about letting them meet? Otherwise, the elder will be worried and the younger one will not live well." Lin Nianhe explain.
Uncle Liu let out a long sigh, feeling quite moved.
He took a sip of tea and nodded: "Fatty Feng will come back later, let him take you there."
"Okay, thank you." Lin Nianhe smiled and rolled his eyes, thanked him and asked cautiously, "Do you need to apply?"
"No, I'll call them later." Uncle Liu waved his hand, "Go and do your business, don't be an eyesore to me."
"Okay, then just rest, I'll come over later."
Lin Nianhe waved his little hands and walked to the bicycle. He took Wen Lan's arm and sat on the crossbar. He raised his chin towards her and said, "Let's go to the supply and marketing cooperative."
Wen Lan looked at her puzzled: "What are you doing?"
Lin Nianhe: "Eat?"
"You're such a melon girl, how can you eat in the supply and marketing cooperative?"
"Then let me ask you, what else can you do besides buying things at the supply and marketing cooperative?"
"..."
Feng Wei first took Niu Wa back home, got things for bathing, and found a pair of clothes from his childhood, and then took him to the bathhouse.
Niu Wa didn't say much the whole way, holding the candy that Lin Nianhe stuffed into her mouth, not even wanting to swallow more saliva.
Feng Wei cleaned him from head to toe and put him into clean clothes. He was happy: "Hey, the little boy is pretty good-looking."
Niu Wa is good-looking, with thick eyebrows and big eyes like a little girl, but she is too thin, with well-defined ribs, and her thin body is dangling in Feng Wei's clothes.
When Lin Nianhe saw him, he raised his hand and poked Wen Lan's waist: "Sister Lan, go back and make some clothes for Niu Wa first."
Wen Lan nodded and patted the cloth he just bought from the supply and marketing cooperative in his bag: "I'll make it tonight."
The prison in Lan County is not far away. It is ten miles north of the town and takes about ten minutes by bike. It is said to be a prison, but in fact it is more like a farm. The prisoners have to work every day and have fixed time for education.
Feng Wei braked at the door and said to Lin Nianhe: "Sister Lin, you girls, don't go in. I'll take Niu Wa there, and you just wait here at the door."
Lin Nianhe nodded, took the big bundle from Wang Shumei's arms and handed it to Feng Wei: "Brother Feng, please bring these things to Uncle Niu."
After saying that, she rubbed Niu Wa's head and said to him: "Listen to brother, and you can come again in the future."
Niu Wa's eyes were filled with tears, and she pursed her lips and nodded.
Feng Wei led Niu Wa in one hand and carried the baggage in the other. He went to say a few words to the colleague guarding the gate. Because Uncle Liu had called, they met Uncle Niu smoothly.
Uncle Niu is older.
Before he left, he left all his money to Niu Wa, so his life was naturally difficult. In just one month, he seemed to have aged ten years.
He came here following the order and didn't know who wanted to see him this time. When he saw Niu Wa, he froze on the spot and stared blankly at the child he fed with rice cereal, not even daring to open his eyes. Wink.
He would have such a dream every night.
He was really afraid that if he moved, he would wake up from his dream.
"grandfather!"
Just like in the dream, the little kid ran towards him while shouting, with tears and snot all over him.
But today, this dream feels particularly real.
