My family updates weekly.

Chapter 67 On a hot Sunday morning

The movie starts playing, and the familiar background music begins...

Jiang Ning sat cross-legged on the sofa, holding a bag of potato chips in her arms, staring intently at the screen.

Jiang Yu sat next to her, glancing at her every now and then.

He was initially worried that a 12-year-old girl would be frightened by watching zombie movies.

As it turned out, his worries were completely unnecessary.

Jiang Ning was smiling the whole time.

Especially when you see zombies hopping around chasing people, actors frantically sticking on talismans, and all sorts of hilarious blunders...

She laughed so hard she almost fell over, leaving potato chip crumbs all over the sofa.

"Haha, look at that zombie! Its face is so funny!"

"Oh no, I put the talisman upside down, hahaha!"

"Pfft! This master is such a jerk, he's always the one who ruins things."

Jiang Yu leaned back on the sofa, watching her smile until her eyes were squinted into slits, and suddenly felt a little dazed.

He had never seen anything like it before.

A little girl named "Sister" sat next to him, smiling like a silly little girl.

He could feel the other person's body temperature and smell their youthful, fresh scent...

Unlike before, he was no longer sitting alone on the cold sofa.

Perhaps this is what "family" feels like.

It lacks the grand, heartwarming sentimentality found in charity work...

Instead, they are small, insignificant moments.

Just like now, eating snacks together, watching movies together, laughing together...

Jiang Yu looked at her profile and hesitated for a moment.

"Little Ning".

"Um?"

"How have you been at school lately?"

"It's fine," Jiang Ning replied without turning her head.

"Didn't you have any conflicts with your classmates?"

"no."

"Didn't the teacher criticize you?"

"no."

"Why do you seem a little unhappy lately?"

Jiang Ning paused for a moment while chewing potato chips, but quickly resumed her normal chewing.

"Brother, I'm very happy right now, it's just too hot, I don't have an appetite."

"No appetite?" Jiang Yu asked, looking surprised.

"Hmm."

"You haven't gotten into a diet, have you?"

Jiang Ning burst out laughing at the joke.

"Stop messing around, bro. I really just don't have an appetite."

"Alright."

Jiang Yu didn't ask any further questions.

Actually, he wanted to talk to Jiang Ning about how his scribbling and drawing on his essays annoyed the teacher.

After trying to probe a couple of times, he decided to put it aside for now.

After all, we just had a parent-teacher meeting today, so let's not make the atmosphere too tense.

Just like Wang Li said.

These things can't be rushed; we have to take it slowly.

……

Jiang Ning was still not satisfied after watching the zombie movie.

"Bro, are there any more movies like this? I want to see more!"

Jiang Yu browsed through the movie library and found another one, "Happy Ghost".

"This is also a comedy, about a ghost from the Qing Dynasty who helps a group of girls solve their problems..." Jiang Yu read the movie synopsis.

"A ghost helping? Then isn't he a good ghost?"

"Hmm, it's a good ghost."

"Hurry up and release it! I like watching good ghosts, hehe!"

The movie has started playing…

Jiang Ning started her "hahaha" mode again.

Especially when she saw the Happy Ghost possessing the girl and making all sorts of exaggerated movements, she laughed so hard she almost rolled off the sofa.

Happiness is contagious.

Jiang Yu couldn't help but smile as he watched Jiang Ning laugh without any regard for her image.

After the two finished watching "Happy Ghost," it was already quite late.

Jiang Yu glanced at the time on the screen; it was almost ten o'clock.

"It's too late, it's time to go to sleep."

"Tomorrow's Saturday, bro, let's watch one last one, just the last one!" Jiang Ning clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling.

"Alright, this is the last one. I have to go to sleep after watching this."

"Uh-huh!"

……

Jiang Yu then took Jiang Ning to see a comedy zombie movie.

It was past eleven o'clock when I finished watching.

He turned off the computer and pulled Jiang Ning, who was laughing and joking, up from the sofa.

"Go brush your teeth, wash your face, and go to bed."

"Okay..."

Jiang Ning dragged out her words, looking like she hadn't had enough, and went to the bathroom to wash up.

Jiang Yu returned to his room and glanced at WeChat.

In the parents' group chat, Liu Xudong posted photos of tonight's dinner gathering.

The private room at the Shangri-La was opulent, the table laden with exquisite dishes, and a group of people were raising their wine glasses with beaming smiles…

Those present were all highly educated parents who supported him.

Sun Hongda and the local nouveau riche did not appear in any of the photos.

Around 9 a.m., Wang Li shared some videos and articles about communicating with children with him.

He was watching a movie with Jiang Ning at that time.

Jiang Yu replied to Wang Li with a "received" emoji.

Then I casually swiped through the group chat a couple more times and then exited WeChat.

……

I don't know how long I slept...

Jiang Yu felt someone crawling under his blanket.

In a daze, he turned over and sat up halfway.

"Brother, I'm scared..."

In the darkness, Jiang Ning's soft, sweet voice came from beside him.

Jiang Yu couldn't see her face clearly, only her blurry little figure.

"Hmm? Scared?"

"I...I'm afraid ghosts will come and get us..."

Jiang Yu, yawning and half-asleep, replied, "Don't be afraid, there are no ghosts in this world..."

"But you said they exist, and ghosts are terrifying..."

"what?"

"Brother, I'm scared, I want to sleep with you..."

"Alright..."

Jiang Yu assumed Jiang Ning had a nightmare from watching a horror movie the night before.

So he moved his body forward a bit to make room behind him.

Jiang Ning climbed into bed and lay under the covers, stretching out her little hand to rest on Jiang Yu's waist.

Jiang Yu could feel her little hands trembling.

He gently patted Jiang Ning's small hand to comfort her.

"I told you not to watch horror movies late at night, but you wouldn't listen. Now you know the consequences..."

"My son, I miss you..."

"..."

Jiang Yu felt the back of his hand, which was patting him, suddenly transform into the hand of an adult woman.

His foot touched the other person's knee.

He's 185cm tall, and with his legs straight, his feet could only touch the other person's knees...

The woman behind me is incredibly tall!

Jiang Yu didn't dare to turn around, and just stood there with his back to the other person.

next second...

Suddenly, his vision was filled with a sea of ​​fire.

By the light of the fire, he found himself lying in a huge crib.

The long, slender hand slowly moved up and tightened around his neck.

"My son, if you won't come looking for your mother, then your mother will come looking for you!"

"Grass!!!"

Jiang Yu suddenly sat up in bed.

A bright future lay before us.

A familiar bedroom, a familiar home…

It was all a dream.

Jiang Ning, wearing her pajamas, ran over excitedly and leaned against the door frame.

"Brother, what's wrong?"

Jiang Yu sighed: "It's nothing, just a nightmare..."

"Haha, were you scared by watching a zombie movie last night?" Jiang Ning said with a smug look on her face.

"You scared me."

Jiang Yu threw off the covers, got out of bed, and went to the bathroom to wash his face.

When he came out, he saw Jiang Ning busy with something in the kitchen.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm making soup, bro."

"..."

Jiang Yu pulled her out of the kitchen and turned off the "millet porridge" on the stove.

"Don't make breakfast anymore."

"Oh, so what should we eat?"

"I'm going to order takeout."

……

After breakfast, Jiang Yu wanted to take Jiang Ning out for a walk.

He was worried that Jiang Ning would be bored staying at home since she rarely had a break.

As a result, the little guy became obsessed with watching those mind-bending movies with him.

He insisted on staying at home by himself, showing off his snacks while watching movies.

So the brother and sister stayed at home and watched all day.

No horror movies today.

Jiang Yu took Jiang Ning to watch some old comedies to calm her down.

I saw "A Chinese Odyssey" among various classic comedies.

When Jiang Ning watched "A Chinese Odyssey", she laughed so hard she almost fell over.

When Zixia died at the end, he remained silent again.

"Brother, what did she mean by 'I guessed the beginning, but I couldn't guess the ending'?"

"It's just that...she knew her beloved would come to marry her riding on a colorful cloud, but she never expected to die."

"Did she still love him even knowing she was going to die?"

"You're only 12 years old. You'll understand when you grow up."

"Okay, fine..."

……

Sunday arrived in the blink of an eye.

Jiang Yu was awakened by a wave of heat in the morning.

He had that nightmare of Gouba in the sea of ​​fire again.

Then I was woken up by the heat without any further contact.

He glanced at his phone…

It's only a little past seven.

The window was open, but there wasn't a breath of wind.

Sunlight squeezed in through the gaps in the curtains, making the room feel as stuffy as a steamer, and even the air felt sticky.

"What the hell is this weather...?"

Jiang Yu muttered as he got out of bed, walked to the window, and pulled back the curtains.

The sky outside was a deep, almost white blue, without a single cloud.

The sun hung brightly in the sky, the asphalt road below reflected the sunlight, and the distant scenery was distorted and deformed by the heat.

Jiang Yu glanced at the weather forecast—38℃.

"..."

It's almost October and it's still so hot?

Is this place haunted?

He walked out of the room wearing shorts, and the door to Jiang Ning's room was open when he passed by.

The blankets on the bed were scattered, but the person was not there.

A rustling sound came from the kitchen…

Jiang Yu walked over and saw Jiang Ning rummaging through the freezer compartment of the refrigerator.

She was wearing a white tank top, pink shorts, and her hair was casually tied in a bun, revealing a small section of fair skin on the back of her neck.

His neck was covered in sweat.

"What are you doing?" Jiang Yu leaned against the door frame.

Jiang Ning was startled: "Brother, you scared me to death!"

What are you looking for so early in the morning?

"Ice pop, I want an ice pop, it's too hot!"

Jiang Yu walked over and rummaged through the freezer compartment of the refrigerator…

It was completely empty inside.

He hasn't stocked up on anything lately.

The freezer compartment contained nothing but a bag of frozen dumplings and half a bag of glutinous rice balls.

"It's gone..." Jiang Yu closed the refrigerator door with a disappointed look.

He actually wanted to get an ice pop too.

I was woken up by the heat early in the morning, and my mouth was dry and sticky. Having an ice pop was like heaven.

"Ahhh..."

Jiang Ning's face immediately fell.

"I'm so hot, bro, I want an ice pop..."

Jiang Yu glanced at the scorching sun outside, then at Jiang Ning's flushed face...

"How about... you go out and buy a few?"

"Why couldn't you go...?"

"I don't want to eat popsicles, so whoever wants them can go buy them."

"..."

Jiang Ning glanced out the window, which was as hot as a steamer…

"Okay, I'll go buy one."

"Since you're already there, don't just buy one. Buy a few more and keep them in the fridge."

"Hmph! I'm not going!"

Jiang Ning put her hands on her hips, with an expression that said, "I've seen through your trick."

After she discovered that Jiang Yu also wanted to eat popsicles, she decisively sat down on the sofa, adopting a "I'd rather die than go" attitude.

Jiang Yu tried to persuade her a few more times, but found that he couldn't fool her at all.

This little guy is very clever.

Having no other choice, he put on his clothes and went outside.

"Sigh, I'll go downstairs to buy it..."

"Brother, you're so great! I want the strawberry flavor!"

"Okay, then you have to finish your homework."

"Then I won't eat it..."

"Stop talking nonsense, if you don't finish writing, I'm not taking you to the movies tonight."

Jiang Ning's face scrunched up, like a flattened bun.

In the end, my cravings won out over my laziness.

"Okay, then hurry back..."

"Um."

Jiang Yu took his phone and went out the door.

Jiang Ning happily ran back to her room, ready to quickly get through her homework.

But the homework was so difficult that she couldn't understand a single word.

Math problems are like gibberish, and when translating classical Chinese, I recognize every single character, but I still can't understand what they mean when put together.

She sat cross-legged on the bed, her brows furrowed, thinking about how to fool her brother later.

"Knock knock knock!"

A knock came at the door.

Ok?

Brother is back so soon?

Jiang Ning ran to the door, stood on tiptoe, and peered through the peephole…

There were two people standing outside the door.

One of them was Zhang Guiqin from the neighborhood committee, wearing that iconic red vest.

The other was a woman wearing a mask; her face was obscured, but her figure looked familiar.

The last time the population census was conducted, it was those two.

Jiang Ning was very familiar with Zhang Guiqin, so she opened the door.

"Aunt Zhang?"

"Hey, Xiao Ning, are you home?" Zhang Guiqin greeted her with a smile.

"Hmm, Aunt Zhang, what brings you here again?"

"Population census..."

"Huh? You're still investigating? Didn't you just finish investigating last week?"

Zhang Guiqin patted Jiang Ning's little head helplessly.

"You talk just like your brother. Sigh, I don't want to investigate either, but this is my job. What can I do?"

"Oh, Aunt Zhang, you've worked so hard..."

Zhang Guiqin peeked into the house and glanced around the living room.

"Huh? Where's your brother?"

"My brother went out to buy popsicles, he'll be back soon," Jiang Ning replied.

Zhang Guiqin lowered her voice with concern, "Has your brother... not had another relapse these past few days?"

"My brother didn't have any episodes before, he was just joking with you, Aunt Zhang," Jiang Ning said with a nonchalant smile.

Zhang Guiqin nodded, then lowered her voice even further.

"And what about your grandma?"

Jiang Ning was stunned for a moment.

grandmother?

What grandma?

What is Aunt Zhang saying?

At this time…

Then I heard an old voice coming from the bedroom behind me.

"Who's here...?"

Jiang Ning was startled.

She slowly turned her head...

An old woman with a hunched back walked out of the house.