I Became a Vicious Supporting Role in the '70s
Chapter 49: Such Big Hand-Stitching

Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Such Big Hand-Stitching

After seeing off Wang Jine, Cheng Yufen returned to her office and saw that Shen Meng was still sitting there steadily without speaking for a long time.

"Don’t mind me, Dr. Cheng, nor feel burdened. I simply can’t stand it," said Shen Meng with a light chuckle, trying to soothe her.

"Mr. Shen, as a doctor myself, I can understand your husband who is a soldier. I’m sure he wouldn’t want you using his name to help others either. Though you mean well for me, I must say a word to you."

Shen Meng: "..."

Is your brain even normal?

"Dr. Cheng, I guess your relationship with your spouse and children isn’t that great, is it?"

Cheng Yufen’s expression stiffened.

"It seems so. Well, Dr. Cheng, I’ll thank you not to worry or judge my husband and me. In the future, your family won’t leech off you like locusts, so you better think about how to mend your relationship with your husband and children instead!"

Having said that, Shen Meng left the office.

She wasn’t in a hurry; saying anything now would seem desperate on her part. Even if Cheng Yufen turned out to be a dead end, her husband and children would still remember her kindness. After all, who wouldn’t want to toss aside a blood-sucking burden?

The kids waiting outside in the bullock cart were getting a bit restless. If their mother hadn’t told them to wait, they would have definitely gone to the hospital to look for someone.

"Brother, brother, Mom’s coming out, heh, what’s in Mom’s hand?"

"Mom, are we still going to the photo studio?"

Shen Meng shook the bag in her hand: "Let’s go to the Cooperative Society first, then grab some food, and head to the photo studio in the afternoon. Uncle Guai will have to work a bit harder."

"No trouble, no trouble, hehe!"

Uncle Guai happily untied the rope binding the ox, pondering where to squat later when they went to the State-Owned Restaurant for a meal. He certainly couldn’t dine with them; that would be shameless.

After Shen Meng boarded the cart, Lu Mingkai naturally sat in her lap and asked again.

"Mom, what’s that you’re holding?"

Shen Meng pinched his little cheek and opened the bag to show all the kids.

"What’s inside here is medicine I got for you, to supplement calcium so you can grow stronger. They taste like oranges. Each of you gets a bottle, enough for several months. Xiao Gang gets some too, Jinghao, take it for him and hide it well. Give him one every morning."

"This is really too much..."

Shen Meng stuffed the calcium tablets into her hand and gave her a side-eye.

"What’s there to feel embarrassed about? Don’t forget, you’ve still left money with me. Besides, it’s for the kids’ good, no need for polite talk."

Hearing they were orange-flavored, Lu Mingkai eagerly held them up to Shen Meng.

"Mom, open it, Xiao Kai wants one!"

Shen Meng clicked her tongue, lightly tapped his little nose, and got him giggling gleefully.

After opening the lid, she placed a tablet into his little mouth.

"Is it good?"

"Yummy. Give one to Mom too, let Mom have one and get stronger as well!"

Shen Meng opened her mouth and leaned toward Lu Mingkai’s little hand to catch one between her lips and smacked them together.

"Mmm, the calcium tablet given by our Xiao Kai is really sweet!"

Lu Mingkai had a calcium tablet in his little mouth, saliva dripping down from the corner of his lips, but he didn’t care and giggled in agreement with Shen Meng’s words.

"Really sweet, hehehe..."

Xiao Gang, seeing his older brother enjoying his food, turned to look at his own mom. Xie Jinghao sighed, took the bottle of calcium tablets from his hand, unscrewed it, and also put one in his mouth.

"Eat slowly, good boy!"

The little fellow’s eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously.

Lu Mingyang didn’t dare to eat, gripping the bottle tightly in his hand. Lu Mingfang put hers in her clothes pocket, carefully patted it, only Lu Mingliang excitedly opened his bottle and stuffed two or three tablets into his mouth at once, took a big suck of air through his mouth, the sweet taste of orange filling his mouth, delicious beyond measure.

"Ouch, son, these are for calcium supplement. You can’t eat them like this, just one every morning, I will weigh you some fruit-flavored candies later."

"Okay, mom!" Lu Mingliang responded very briskly, sucking on the calcium tablet more forcefully.

When they arrived at the Cooperative Society, Shen Meng, worried about the children getting jostled, took Lu Mingyang with her. He was older and could help carry things.

As usual, the Cooperative Society was crowded, and it took the mother and son great effort to make their way to the front.

Shen Meng looked at the shirts in the counter and said, "Mingyang, let’s buy a shirt for your dad, what size does he wear?"

Lu Mingyang: "...Mom?"

Seeing the bewildered look on the kid’s face, she realized she had asked the wrong person.

"Forget the shirt, comrade, I’ll take five pairs of socks, two pounds of fruit candy, three pounds of egg cake, two pounds of corn cake, three boxes of these shortbread, and also two pairs of size 43 Liberation shoes."

Lu Mingyang listened, his face numb. He tugged on her several times, but his mom didn’t pay attention. Oh well, just go with her!

After buying these things, Shen Meng went on to buy meat, ribs, pork feet, pork tails, and also five pounds of pork belly, along with many other items... In total, she spent nearly thirty yuan.

With hands full of items, they piled everything onto the back of the ox cart. Uncle Guai’s eyes widened in surprise. In the countryside, people might not eat meat for ten or half a month, but Zhenping’s wife certainly did well for herself, buying what many couldn’t finish in a year. Her pockets must be really deep!

"Jinghao, I bought some pig’s feet. Later on, let’s soak some soybeans and I’ll stew them for you. Now is the time for you to nourish yourself."

"Ah, thank you, elder sister-in-law!"

Uncle Guai thought to himself, so it was for Jiasheng’s wife, not just reckless spending. He had heard the children saying that they eavesdropped through the door cracks; Jiasheng’s wife’s pregnancy seemed to be not going well, so she really needed to be nourished.

Leaving the Cooperative Society, they went to the State-Owned Restaurant. Shen Meng pulled Uncle Guai to go eat, but the old man was so scared that he clung to the ox cart, refusing to go.

Shen Meng did not insist any further and entered with Xie Jinghao and the children. The State-Owned Restaurant was not small, and the children, as well as Xie Jinghao, were extremely reserved, following Shen Meng closely, not daring to leave her side even for a moment.

Although Xie Jinghao was an adult, the furthest she had ever been was the commune’s elementary school.

Today, following Shen Meng to eat at the State-Owned Restaurant was quite an eye-opening experience for her.

Shen Meng ordered a plate of braised fish, a plate of hot and sour shredded potatoes, ten buns, and five bowls of noodles.

In those days, the portions were large. Just finishing the noodles was a huge effort for the children, with not a single meat bun touched and more than half a plate of shredded potatoes left.

Shen Meng then ordered ten plain steamed buns, got another portion of braised meat, and took it all away for takeout. She didn’t have the energy to cook that evening.

After leaving the restaurant, she gave two meat buns to Uncle Guai, still letting Xie Jinghao do it; he didn’t dare to refuse since she was pregnant and could not be jostled.

Uncle Guai, starving, devoured the meat buns in no time, savoring the delicious taste, his tongue swept over his gums back and forth several times.

In the afternoon, they hurried to the photo studio. Everyone had a black and white photo taken, as well as a family portrait, before returning home in the ox cart!