Gu Zi smiled. "That’s exactly what I mean, Su Shen. I know you didn’t mean any harm, but you must understand—children’s hearts are delicate. Sometimes, if we speak too directly, they might misunderstand. They could think that, just because we’re having a baby, we love them any less."
Su Shen paused, the weight of her words sinking in. He pulled her closer, his embrace tender, as though she were the most precious thing in the world. "I understand now, Gu Zi. I wasn’t thoughtful enough," he murmured, his voice laced with guilt.
Later that night, Su Li lay wide awake in bed, his thoughts racing. Clutching his piggy bank, he counted his meager savings for the third time, and his heart sank. He was so poor—far poorer than his older brother, Su Bing.
But with a baby on the way, he would have to become a big brother, wouldn’t he? How could he be a good older brother with so little money? What if the baby, when it was born, decided to follow Su Bing instead? That thought filled him with an overwhelming sense of dread.
"No, no," Su Li thought, his resolve hardening. "I can’t let that happen. I need to save more money!" He made a firm decision—no more unnecessary spending. He’d follow Su Bing’s example and cut back on snacks, which would save him quite a bit of pocket money. But that wasn’t enough. He needed to find ways to earn more.
The next day, as soon as school began, Su Li rushed to tell Gao Ming the good news. "My mom’s pregnant! There’s going to be a little baby, and I’m going to be a big brother! Gao Ming, do you have any ways I can make money? I need to save up for my little brother." freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
Gao Ming blinked, a little confused at first. He hadn’t quite figured out how Su Li’s mom having a baby would make Su Li a big brother, but seeing how serious his friend was, he didn’t question it. He immediately began brainstorming. "How about we use our free time after school and on weekends to collect recyclables? We can sell them at the school gate. Oh, and my dad told me our new house will be ready soon. Su Li, we’ll be neighbors! I’ll help you take care of your little brother."
That struck Su Li like a bolt of lightning. He had completely forgotten that Uncle Gao had bought the house next door—no, not the one that had belonged to the unfortunate Jiang family, but the house on the other side. It was almost finished being renovated, and soon his family would have new neighbors.
Best of all, it meant he and Gao Ming could walk to school together again. The thought made him feel giddy with excitement.
The two friends wasted no time. That very day, they began collecting recyclables—old newspapers, discarded books, torn paper bags, rusty nails—anything that could be sold. After a week of hard work, they had gathered four large bags full of waste. They eagerly brought them to the school gate, anticipating a small fortune.
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