Gu Jin stared coldly at her, her voice calm: "Fine, go ahead."
As soon as she spoke, the little child lying on her clenched his small fists, glaring fiercely at those people.
After giving the rice and suitcase to his mom, Gu Jiajie walked over to Gu Jin, raising an eyebrow at her unusual compliance.
His cousin seemed a bit too easygoing.
Without waiting for him to speak, Gu Jin beckoned him over with her finger.
Gu Jiajie leaned closer, a questioning look in his eyes: "What’s up?"
Gu Jin whispered a few words into his ear.
His eyebrows jumped fiercely, and he hesitated slightly: "This, this will work? Don’t let it cause trouble."
"Don’t worry, just go ahead." Gu Jin took out a roll of large bills from her coat, discreetly slipping it into her cousin’s hand, "Go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy two packs of good cigarettes. We’ll fill up the gas for the government car we’re using."
"Alright! I’ll go right away!"
Gu Jiajie pocketed the money, turned, and left with his bicycle.
Chen Hong came out of the kitchen and saw her son cycling away again. She called after him: "Jiajie! Where are you going?"
"Mom, I’m just heading out for a bit!"
Gu Jin, holding the child in her arms, said to the three women led by the widow Chen: "Whatever it is, let me take care of my child first, then we can talk."
Upon hearing this, the three women thought Gu Jin was going to close the door and punish the child, so they didn’t stop her.
With their gloating eyes watching, Gu Jin took the little brat into the house.
An Mingji knew Sister Jin wouldn’t hit him, so he wasn’t scared at all.
He raised his bruised face seriously and said, "Sister Jin, just let them hit me once. That way, we won’t have to pay."
Gu Jin set him down by the bed, frowning, "Don’t talk nonsense, this isn’t something you should worry about. Just stay put."
With that, she left the room.
When she returned, she was holding a black suitcase.
Placing the suitcase by the bed where the child was sitting, Gu Jin took out the clothes she had bought for the little one.
It was a blue tracksuit, very comfortable for the child to wear, with soft and loose material, a white long-sleeved shirt with a pattern, and several pairs of white shorts.
Gu Jin stripped off all the dirty clothes from the child, leaving none.
At this time, An Mingji knew what shame was, and he shyly covered his unmentionables.
This made him feel embarrassed, his head drooping with a flush spreading across his face.
His actions eased the anger in Gu Jin, her eyebrows lifted slightly, and a teasing look appeared in her eyes.
"What hasn’t been seen of you by me? Come, put on the clothes."
"Sister Jin, I-I can put them on myself..."
The child didn’t move, his face flushed red, his already bruised face became even more pitiable.
Seeing him so embarrassed, Gu Jin placed the little shorts beside him on the bed and turned her back, "Alright, dress yourself."
Soon, there was a rustling sound behind her, and a soft smile curved on Gu Jin’s lips.
Actually, the child looked small only because of malnutrition that delayed his development, so she always felt the little one was like a child in need of care.
An Mingji had been living well for these years without adult supervision. Why would he need her care when he was only three years younger and already understood things?
"I’m done dressing—"
Behind her came the little one’s uneasy voice.
Gu Jin turned around, seeing An Mingji wearing the blue tracksuit she had bought, looking quite spirited.
She smiled, walked over, and squatting down, adjusted his clothes for him.