"Knock, knock!"
The brisk knocking at the hallway entrance interrupted the quiet of the room.
After a mont.
A warm voice, slightly marked by ti, floated from behind the door: "Who is it?"
Standing outside the door, Qingqing and Weiwei wore sweet smiles on their little faces and answered in unison: "Grandma Jiang, it’s us, Qingqing (Weiwei) here to see you!"
"Oh, it’s Qingqing and Weiwei, those little girls!"
Granny Jiang’s voice imdiately carried more joy and surprise, like spring sunshine breaking through clouds, warm and bright: "Wait a minute, grandma’s coming to open the door for you."
As she finished speaking, the door’s hinge gently turned, making a faint creaking sound as it slowly opened inward...
In the next second.
Huang Jun and Qingqing and Weiwei’s figures entered her view.
They held heavy fruit baskets and various nutritional products, smiling kindly at her.
Faced with such an array, Granny Jiang paused, a hint of confusion in her eyes.
Oh dear!
What are you all doing?
Why suddenly bring so many things, it’s not even a holiday.
Indeed.
She felt this formality was sowhat too formal, making her rather uncomfortable, as they usually mingled like family, and such politeness seed distant.
Huang Jun, looking at Granny Jiang’s expression, was not surprised; it was what he expected.
He smiled faintly and said, "Granny Jiang, I brought Qingqing and Weiwei to see you and Uncle Jiang! I also brought so things, hoping you’d like them."
Qingqing looked up, her beautiful big eyes blinking, with a sweet smile: "Grandma Jiang, we just ca to see you and Grandpa Jiang, to say goodbye."
Say goodbye?
Granny Jiang’s face showed a hint of confusion, but before she could react, Weiwei also looked up, smiling at her with curved eyes, interrupting her thoughts: "Yes, Grandma Jiang, these are carefully chosen by us, hoping you’ll be healthy and happy."
Granny Jiang’s wrinkled face gradually relaxed into a smile, her eyes filled with loving light, her tone mildly reproachful yet full of fondness: "You kids are really... why spend this money? Co in, co in, don’t stand at the door."
"Oh, okay!"
Huang Jun led the two little ones over the threshold and in.
Granny Jiang kindly took Qingqing and Weiwei’s little hands, asking with concern: "Qingqing, Weiwei, how have you been at kindergarten these two days? Did you miss grandma? I went traveling for a few days recently and didn’t see you; I really missed you!"
"Qingqing really missed Grandma Jiang too."
Qingqing said softly: "Grandma Jiang, I’m doing well at kindergarten, don’t worry~"
"What a good girl!"
Granny Jiang bead as she stroked Qingqing’s little face.
"Weiwei missed Grandma Jiang too!" Weiwei expressed her inner world, unable to help but share: "Grandma Jiang, let tell you, we went on an autumn trip to Xuann Bay Park this week, there were so many beautiful maple leaves, lots of fun gas, and dad even made roast George for us..."
Roast George?
What’s that thing?
Can this be eaten?
Though slightly puzzled, Granny Jiang didn’t ask further, instead she gently stroked Weiwei’s tender cheek with her signature smile, warmly saying: "Ah, that’s wonderful! Wait here, I’ll get you so nice candy."
Qingqing and Weiwei smiled sweetly at Granny Jiang, their eyes curved: "Thank you, Grandma Jiang!"
"Such sensible good kids... but no need to be so polite with grandma."
Granny Jiang responded, full of kindness.
She then slowly walked to a corner of the living room with an antique wooden cabinet, gently opened the cabinet door, and took out a package of exquisite chocolate candies.
She carefully unwrapped the plastic packaging, grabbed a handful of candies, and handed them to Qingqing and Weiwei: "These are specially brought back from abroad by your Uncle Jiang during National Day, he said they’re particularly delicious, try them quickly."
The Uncle Jiang she referred to is her son, who’s long since established his family and career but doesn’t live nearby; he visits the elderly couple almost every week, bringing rice, oil, fruits, snacks, and the like.
But most of those snacks usually end up being given by Granny Jiang to Qingqing and Weiwei.
Qingqing and Weiwei tightly held the candies in their hands, thanking her again: "Thank you, grandma!"
"Eat up, kids!" Granny Jiang lovingly urged, then invited: "Xiaojun, don’t just stand there, sit down..."
"Okay!"
Huang Jun gently placed the baskets filled with fruits and nutritional products on the coffee table, took a seat on the sofa, and was about to start chatting when the sound of a key turning ca from outside the door, followed by Uncle Jiang’s familiar hearty voice: "Old partner, do we have guests?"
"Old man, you’re back from your walk!" Granny Jiang turned and replied, her face overflowing with a joyful smile: "It’s Xiaojun and family, they brought fruits and supplents to see us."
"Just coming is enough, yet bringing so many things; it feels too formal." Uncle Jiang laughed heartily and said: "Your granny and I have decent monthly pensions, we can’t use them all. Next ti, just don’t go to these lengths, you’re working hard and earning money isn’t easy, you should save well, plan for your little family, for the children’s future..."
Huang Jun’s lips curled into a gentle smile: "Uncle Jiang, don’t worry, my inco is pretty decent now, plus bonuses, it’s around twenty thousand a month."
"Twenty thousand a month?!"
Uncle Jiang and Granny Jiang, upon hearing this, couldn’t help but show a mix of surprise and relief on their faces, genuinely happy for Huang Jun’s achievent: "That’s really great, Xiaojun, your hard work has paid off. We can be more at ease now."
Huang Jun felt the imnse care and encouragent from Uncle Jiang and Granny Jiang, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart.
He said gratefully, "Thank you, Uncle Jiang and Granny Jiang, for your concern. Actually, I’ve always been very grateful for how you’ve cared for , Qingqing, and Weiwei, like your own children and grandchildren. Over the years, whenever I’ve faced difficulties at work or in life, you’ve always helped just like family. This kindness, I and the two kids will always rember..."
"Oh, you child, why say such things? It makes us feel embarrassed."
Uncle Jiang and Granny Jiang waved their hands with a smile, but soon, they noticed the odd look in Huang Jun’s expression, causing a bit of doubt in their hearts: "Xiaojun, is sothing troubling you? Or is there sothing important you want to discuss with us?"
A trace of reluctance flashed in Huang Jun’s eyes, and he slowly said, "Uncle Jiang, Granny Jiang, I’ve co this ti to tell you that Qingqing, Weiwei, and I are moving out tomorrow."
"Moving out?"
Granny Jiang was montarily stunned, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes: "Where are you planning to move?"
"Yes!" Uncle Jiang frowned slightly, asking out of concern, "Why the sudden thought of moving? Is it uncomfortable living here?"
Huang Jun quickly clarified: "Uncle Jiang, Granny Jiang, please don’t misunderstand. Actually, Director Liang saw how tired I was commuting every day, so she specifically let live in the apartnt near the kindergarten to make it easier for to go to work."
"Oh, I see! That’s really great!" Uncle Jiang said with a comforting smile, then turned to Granny Jiang and said, "Dear, hurry and do the math, return the unused rent to Xiaojun."
Granny Jiang responded with a smile, "Don’t worry, even if you hadn’t ntioned it, I’d know what to do."
Huang Jun hurriedly waved his hand to refuse: "No need, really. There’s only a little over a month of rent left, it’s not much, don’t bother."
"How could that be!"
Granny Jiang and Uncle Jiang insisted in unison on refunding the remaining rent.
After so calculation, they finally refunded the remaining rent to Huang Jun in full.
Unable to resist the two elders’ kindness, Huang Jun could only accept it with a smile, planning in his heart to choose so quality health products for the two elders next ti to express his gratitude.
"Xiaojun, rember to bring Qingqing and Weiwei to visit us when you have ti," Granny Jiang lovingly advised, her eyes filled with reluctance.
Huang Jun smiled and nodded in promise: "Granny Jiang, rest assured, we’ll definitely co back often to visit."
"That’s good!"
Granny Jiang held Qingqing and Weiwei’s little hands again, saying earnestly, "Qingqing, Weiwei, be good and listen to your dad at the new house. If you miss Grandma and Grandpa, rember to call us, okay?"
Qingqing obediently replied, "Okay, I will, Grandma."
Weiwei also nodded: "Yes, Granny Jiang, if you miss us, you can call us too!"
"Alright!"
Granny Jiang smiled and asked Qingqing and Weiwei, "Do you two know Grandma Jiang’s phone number?"
Qingqing shook her head, but then confidently said, "Although I don’t rember it, I know Daddy’s phone has Grandma Jiang’s number, I can use Daddy’s phone to call you anyti!"
Weiwei quickly chid in, "Yes, yes, Daddy’s phone really has Grandma Jiang’s number!"
"Qingqing and Weiwei are the smartest..."
Granny Jiang tenderly touched Qingqing and Weiwei’s hair, her voice carrying a barely detectable tremor: "Tomorrow, Grandma and Grandpa won’t see you off, but we’ll always be thinking of you."
She couldn’t bear to part...
She was afraid of goodbyes...
After all, the taste of farewell was hard to bear...
Qingqing and Weiwei looked at Granny Jiang’s expression, their faces full of confusion and wonder, they turned to Huang Jun.
They hoped for him to explain!
Understanding, Huang Jun let out a long breath and said, "Qingqing, Weiwei, Grandma and Grandpa have things to do tomorrow, so they can’t see us off."
"Oh!"
Upon hearing this, Qingqing and Weiwei suddenly understood, imdiately showing their sensible side, comforting in unison: "Granny Jiang, Grandpa Jiang, if you’re busy, you don’t have to see us off, it’s okay. We’ll miss you, and when we have ti later, we’ll co back to visit you."
Granny Jiang felt a warmth in her heart, trying to calm her emotions, and with a smile, said, "Good children, Grandma Jiang and Grandpa Jiang always welco your return. Rember to call often so we know you’re doing well."
Seeing this, Huang Jun tily reminded: "Alright, Qingqing, Weiwei, it’s getting late, we should head ho. Co, say goodbye to Grandma Jiang and Grandpa Jiang."
Qingqing and Weiwei obediently went to Uncle Jiang and Granny Jiang, waving their little hands: "Granny Jiang, Grandpa Jiang, goodbye! We’ll miss you!"
"Goodbye, Qingqing, Weiwei, Grandma Jiang and Grandpa Jiang will always be thinking of you too."
Granny Jiang couldn’t help but hold Qingqing and Weiwei tightly in her arms, gently patting their backs, lifting her hand to wipe away the tear that inadvertently slipped from the corner of her eye.
After a mont of embracing, she gently nudged Qingqing and Weiwei towards Huang Jun: "Go on."
Huang Jun took Qingqing and Weiwei’s little hands, saying, "Granny Jiang, Grandpa Jiang, we’ll head back now."
Granny Jiang turned her head away, unwilling to watch them leave, waving her hand: "Go on, go on."
Huang Jun felt the heaviness of this farewell, his throat as if tightly gripped by sothing, wanting to say sothing, but the words wouldn’t co out.
Finally.
He simply took Qingqing and Weiwei’s hands silently, turning to walk back ho...
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