Chapter 567: Cannon Fodder Daughter and Her Cannon Fodder Dad (7)

The other party was too tall, and his face was obscured by coal dust, making it hard to see, but he seemed to be around fifteen or sixteen years old.

About the same age as Jiang Li.

The boy didn’t speak, but after glancing at Jiang Lai, he turned to help his companion.

"Brother Gao!! This woman hit me!! Brother Gao, avenge us!"

The boy slapped the other’s head with a clean and brisk motion, then made a gesture.

[I don’t hit women]

"Brother Gao, what about our coal cinders? This is our territory, and this kid keeps coming back to steal!"

Jiang Lai understood.

He directly kicked over the basket next to Jiang Li, sending coal cinders rolling everywhere.

"Since there’s a rule, let’s follow it. We won’t take these coal cinders. You hit my brother, so we’re even."

With that, Jiang Lai picked up his basket and turned to leave.

Jiang Li stumbled and scrambled to catch up.

Behind them, the tall boy silently watched Jiang Lai’s back, while his companion sighed and picked up the coal cinders from the ground.

"The harvest is getting worse, Brother Gao, I heard the steel mill is hiring laborers, should we give it a try?"

[You go ahead, I won’t]

"Come on, Brother Gao, we all know about your situation, but it’s been so long, you can’t just hold onto it forever, right? If you speak up, all us brothers could get jobs at the plant as official workers."

The boy cast a sidelong glance at him, his eyes cold, and without any response, he turned and walked away.

Behind him, a few youths blamed each other.

"It’s all your fault, bringing up Brother Gao’s past for no reason."

"I didn’t do it on purpose, and what I said was true. The former director of the steel mill was Brother Gao’s grandfather, and there are plenty of former subordinates there, why can’t they arrange for us to get in?"

"Stop talking nonsense. If Brother Gao wanted to, he wouldn’t still be picking coal cinders with us. Could you keep bullying Jiang Li? Stop thinking aimlessly. Aren’t our lives better now?"

There’s food, drink, and a place to live. Isn’t that better than the days of constant hunger?

The youths gradually dispersed, covering up the places where they had dug for coal cinders before they left.

Meanwhile, Jiang Li noticed that Jiang Lai wasn’t heading home, but instead was heading toward a different coal pile.

"Where are you going? Aren’t we going home?"

"Next time, Jiang Li, you better listen carefully. If you just call out ’hey hey hey’ again, I’ll hit you."

In the past, if Jiang Li heard that, he’d surely laugh.

But now, recalling how Jiang Lai threw coal cinders at people, he kept his head down and remained silent.

Jiang Lai fought better than their older brother, leaving an unforgettable impression in Jiang Li’s mind.

After a while, Jiang Lai gestured.

"Come here, put the basket down, and finish digging up the coal cinders here."

"This pile is leftover from before, there won’t be any coal cinders."

As he spoke, he continued to dig with pliers.

Just then, a solid coal cinder fell out.

He stared at it in shock for a long time before falling silent.

Jiang Lai sat nearby watching him, urging.

"Hurry up."

Jiang Li dared not waste more words this time, bending and digging with renewed vigor, his eyes brightening as he dug, and the pain from being hit seemed to fade.

"Jiang Lai...Sis, there’s really quite a bit!"

Soon, one basket was full.

Jiang Li’s basket was larger than Jiang Lai’s, able to hold more.

Jiang Lai nodded, picked up his basket and called out.

"Let’s go."

Starving.

Jiang Li reluctantly covered up the traces of digging and followed closely behind Jiang Lai.

"Mom will be so happy to see this."

"She won’t see it."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Jiang Lai glanced back at him, her expression indifferent and cold.

"I mean, she won’t see these coal cinders because I want you to sell them with me, understand?"

Jiang Li looked at Jiang Lai, disbelief written all over his face.

"How did you...how did you know?"

He dug a lot but secretly sold part of it, bringing just a small portion back home.

Although Jiang Lai has accompanied him to dig many times, he thought he was quite furtive about it.

"When did you find out?"

"When you bought that hair band for Shen Yaoyao."

"..."

Jiang Li didn’t dare speak.

Previously, he thought it was no big deal, but after what just happened, he suddenly felt guilty towards Jiang Lai.

"This time, when you sell it, I’ll buy you one too."

"No, all the money from this sale will go to me."

Jiang Li looked at her, hesitated for a while, and then nodded in agreement.

It’s fine to give it to her.

After all, she discovered these coal cinders, so it’s only right to give them all to her.

Jiang Li skillfully walked behind the state-run restaurant and bargained with the clerk.

Finally, they settled at a price of 24 cents, with nearly 80 pounds of coal cinders in their baskets combined, sold for three pounds of white flour tickets, three pounds of meat tickets, and 15 dollars and 63 cents cash.

All in small bills.

It was Jiang Li’s first time seeing so much money.

He felt his palms warm as he held it.

If not for Jiang Lai, he probably wouldn’t have ever dug up so much coal in his life.

As he handed it to Jiang Lai, he felt a bit envious.

"Jiang Lai...oh no, Sis, you’re the richest among us now."

Jiang Lai expressionlessly packed the five-dollar bills away and clenched the loose change in her hand.

"Let’s go home and eat."

It’s mealtime, and if they don’t return soon, they’ll be scolded again.

But Jiang Lai walked straight into the state-run restaurant and ordered a bowl of lard noodles with a side of stir-fried shredded potatoes.

Jiang Li stared.

He’s seen things this good before, but it’s his first time seeing them fresh from the pot, steaming hot with thick lard floating on the surface of the noodle soup, smelling utterly delicious.

No way, he needed to get a bowl too.

Jiang Li had money; he’d saved quite a bit from collecting coal cinders.

The lard noodles were served, and Jiang Lai had almost finished her portion.

She ate quickly but without seeming desperate or hurried, making Jiang Li feel like she was somewhat unfamiliar.

"Why do I feel like you’ve changed from before?"

Jiang Lai, unfazed, continued eating.

"What? You bully me every day, and the first time I see you getting bullied, can’t I show off a little?"

"You sure know how to fight."

At that moment, Jiang Lai finished her last bite of noodles, even drinking the noodle soup, before putting down her bowl and calmly saying to Jiang Li.

"Otherwise, what did you think? How do you think I survived these years wandering outside?"

"..."

After the initial shock, there was prolonged silence.

Suddenly, the noodles in front of him seemed less appealing.

Jiang Li felt somewhat tasteless as he recalled that during the days Jiang Lai was gone, although their home was tight, thanks to their dad’s connections, they still ate meat every day.