Chapter 25: Registering Lu Lin

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“Even if we aren’t your biological children?” Lu Lin asked softly.

“Blood ties have nothing to do with it. This is a promise and a responsibility. Since Lu Feng adopted you, he is your father in name and must take responsibility for you. I promised him that I would take good care of you, which naturally includes letting you attend school like other children. Of course, if you do something wrong, I’ll discipline you strictly as well.” Fu Xiaoxiao nodded and spoke frankly.

“I want to study. When I grow up, I’ll repay you and Father Lu.” Lu Lin gazed at Fu Xiaoxiao, expressing his feelings for the first time.

He longed to study.

But he had always known that their present life had not come easily. It was already far better than the days when the brothers had wandered the streets. He had never dared hope that he could attend school. As long as he could raise his younger brother, he was not afraid of hardship or exhaustion.

“If there’s anything you want in the future, just say so. Don’t be afraid, and don’t stand on ceremony with me.” Fu Xiaoxiao could not resist reaching out to rub his head.

Lu Lin froze. Slowly lowering his head, he deliberately leaned it toward her hand.

Fu Xiaoxiao paused. She had originally intended to withdraw her hand, but instead she gently ruffled Lu Lin’s hair, a trace of satisfaction flashing through her eyes.

Lu Lin’s ears turned red, and he spun around and ran back to his room.

Watching him flee in embarrassment, Fu Xiaoxiao smiled and went to the kitchen.

She had brought back quite a few things from Aunt Li’s house. Since she would be taking Lu Lin to school the next day, Fu Xiaoxiao thought for a moment and decided to bring some white sugar.

She took out two sets of new towels and toothbrushes. Just then, Lu Lin and Lu Chen finished putting their things away, and Fu Xiaoxiao waved them over.

“Xiao Lin, Xiao Chen.”

“Aunt Fu!” Lu Chen called happily. After learning from his brother that Fu Xiaoxiao was willing to let him attend school, Lu Chen’s eyes shone whenever he looked at her.

“These are the new towels and toothbrushes I bought for you. I could only buy one tube of toothpaste and one bar of soap, so you’ll have to share them.” Fu Xiaoxiao handed the items to Lu Lin.

“We don’t need new ones. We have old ones.” Lu Lin looked at Fu Xiaoxiao. He had never expected her to make the special trip to the town supply cooperative, walking two hours just to buy these things for them.

“Use them. I’ve already bought them, and that one of yours deserves an honorable retirement.” Fu Xiaoxiao thought of their black, filthy rag and shook her head helplessly.

It was probably the most durable rag full of holes she had ever seen.

“...Thank you.” A wave of guilt welled up inside Lu Lin.

Fu Xiaoxiao had thought of everything for them, yet they had played a trick on her and deliberately led her all the way to town.

“I’ll take you to school to register tomorrow. Come over in a little while, and I’ll give you both a bath. You’ll be meeting the teacher, so you need to be clean. Otherwise, people will look down on you.” Fu Xiaoxiao smiled. “I’ve already heated the water. Come out to the courtyard.”

“We... we can wash ourselves!” The moment they heard that Fu Xiaoxiao intended to bathe them, both boys flushed crimson and shook their heads shyly.

“Let me help you wash.” Fu Xiaoxiao remembered the way Lu Feng had bathed them. That had been more like pouring water over them than actually washing them.

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The water had simply fallen from the sky, splashed onto their bodies, and flowed onto the ground, while not a speck of mud had come off them.

“All right, I’m going to fetch the water. Hurry up!” Fu Xiaoxiao gave them no chance to refuse and got up to go to the kitchen.

“Brother, what do we do?” Lu Chen’s cheeks flushed. Were they really going to let Fu Xiaoxiao bathe them?

“...Let her.” Remembering Fu Xiaoxiao’s words about meeting the teacher clean, Lu Lin gritted his teeth and resigned himself to it.

When Fu Xiaoxiao carried out the basin of warm water, she saw two smooth, naked little boys standing in the courtyard, covering their lower bodies as if they were awaiting execution.

Fu Xiaoxiao burst out laughing. She brought over the soap and towels, poured warm water over them to wet their bodies, then took Lu Chen’s little arm and gently scrubbed it.

A long strip of black grime instantly rolled off.

“...Impressive. You could roll noodles with this.” Fu Xiaoxiao blinked in shock. Just how dirty were these two boys?

Lu Lin and Lu Chen exchanged a glance. Seeing the black grime that had come off in Fu Xiaoxiao’s hand, they lowered their heads in embarrassment.

“Good grief. This is going to be a major undertaking.” Fu Xiaoxiao rolled up her sleeves, picked up a towel, and scrubbed both boys from head to toe.

Half an hour later, Fu Xiaoxiao tossed aside the pitch-black towel, soaped them up, and rinsed away all the mud and soap. Looking at the two boys before her, now several shades fairer, she was filled with a profound sense of accomplishment.

Though it had cost her hands, water, and—oh, her entire self.

After bathing the boys, Fu Xiaoxiao returned to her room and collapsed onto the bed.

“Brother, you’re so fair!” Back in their room, Lu Chen and Lu Lin looked at each other in their freshly washed state, finding it utterly miraculous.

“She likes cleanliness. From now on, we’ll bathe every day,” Lu Lin told Lu Chen.

“Hehe, I like it too. Brother, smell me. I smell wonderful all over.” Lu Chen lay in his little bed, where the cramped space made the scent of soap even stronger.

“Mm.” Lu Lin looked at Lu Chen and secretly gave him a sniff.

He smelled good too.

They were no longer stinky little beggars.

“Brother... I like... her,” Lu Chen murmured, stifling a yawn.

By the time he finished speaking, his little eyes had already closed, and he was asleep.

Lu Lin looked in the direction of Fu Xiaoxiao’s room and whispered, “...Mm.”

When Fu Xiaoxiao woke the next morning, Lu Lin was already in the kitchen.

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“Morning.” Rubbing her eyes, Fu Xiaoxiao had not expected Lu Lin to be up even earlier than she was.

“Mm, morning.” When Lu Lin saw Fu Xiaoxiao, he answered, “I’ve got vegetable porridge simmering in the pot.”

“This early? Don’t tell me you didn’t sleep all night.” Fu Xiaoxiao glanced at the clock. It was six, and the porridge was nearly done. That meant he must have gotten up at five.

“...I slept for a while,” Lu Lin answered guiltily. The thought of going to school that day had excited him so much that he had been unable to sleep all night.

“Lying makes your nose grow longer,” Fu Xiaoxiao teased with a soft laugh.

“...I couldn’t sleep.” Lu Lin lowered his head, afraid to look at Fu Xiaoxiao in case she became angry.

“Have you ever studied before?” Fu Xiaoxiao asked curiously.

“I learned a few characters from Grandpa Bai.” Lu Lin knew only his and his brother’s names, along with the names of a few medicinal herbs.

“You’ll learn many more from now on!” Fu Xiaoxiao ruffled his hair and laughed softly. “Since I have a little helper to make breakfast today, I’m going to be lazy and sleep a little longer.”

“Remember to wake Xiao Chen at half past six. We’ll leave at seven.”

After saying this, Fu Xiaoxiao returned to her room to catch up on her sleep.

Lu Lin watched her retreating back, then sat before the stove and gazed into the fire, excitement surging in his eyes.

When half past six arrived, Lu Lin eagerly dragged Lu Chen out of bed. Lu Chen yawned sleepily, but Lu Lin could not wait any longer. He simply squeezed toothpaste onto the brush and brushed Lu Chen’s teeth for him.

“Brother, I’m so sleepy...” Lu Chen passively finished brushing his teeth and washing his face. By then, a bowl of vegetable porridge had already been set before him.

“Eat quickly.” Lu Lin’s eyes sharpened. Sensing that his brother was angry, Lu Chen instantly woke up, obediently picked up his spoon, and hurriedly began drinking the porridge.

After enjoying a wonderful extra nap, Fu Xiaoxiao stretched and walked out of her room. She discovered that Lu Lin and Lu Chen had already finished getting ready and were waiting for her to leave.

Two pairs of eyes gazed at her expectantly, as if asking:

Can we go now?

Can we go now?

Can we go now...?