The core staff being transferred to the canteen, the spittle almost drowned people. However, without such a transfer, it was impossible to keep me. Other families had their relatives to rely on, but mine had no one. At that time, even if it meant shoveling excrement, I had to endure it.
That year, your eldest brother was ten, your second sister was nine, Third Brother was eight, your fourth sister was seven, and Xiao Rao was five. With the meager salary I earned, it was simply not enough to support all five of them.
I remember one morning, your fourth sister said to me, "Mom, I was dreaming of eating plain rice. It's a pity I woke up before I was full. It would have been good if I had woken up later, then I wouldn't need breakfast." At that moment, I just couldn't stop crying.
Later, it was your eldest brother who helped out by bringing matchboxes from a classmate's home to patch things up a bit, but, it was still a luxury to hope that all five children could be well-fed.
