Just two days after returning from the vast grasslands, one morning, the heart-wrenching cries of Aunt Wang were heard from next door at Wang Dasheng’s house.
Old Huang had died.
The proud ancestral dog of Aunt Wang’s family ultimately couldn’t escape the hands of at lovers and was reduced to just a pile of fur.
Neighbors gathered around to watch the spectacle, stifling their laughter, wondering if they’d be beaten up by the Wang family. Zhang Guoqing had just thought there’d been a death in the Wang family, and he rushed out in fright.
Who would have expected such a dramatic twist?
A human life didn’t matter much, let alone the death of a dog. This was truly hard to console; you can’t exactly tell the Wang family to ’mourn and move on.’ Soon, everyone dispersed and headed ho.
Old Huang died, but life for the Wang family had to go on. Before noon, a aty fragrance wafted from next door; it was unclear if it was Old Huang’s remains or his rations.
Zhang Guoqing was filled with curiosity but felt uncomfortable going into the Wang family to observe. He and the Wang family were two peas in a pod—no difference.
At this mont, his own kitchen was also simring at in a clay pot on the stove, with beggar’s chicken beneath it.
To avoid mixing flavors, the couple tried all sorts of ways. After experints, this thod was still reliable, but sadly the speed was too slow to consu the raw food in the space.
"Looks like the family still has to go back to the village. It’s more convenient to burn a few tis in the mountains."
Zhang Guoqing nodded. He didn’t say it, but it was convenient in the mountains; however, the more they burned, the more wild animals appeared. His wife and son just wanted to pocket whatever they saw. Why was there so much raw food in the space now? It was because they kept storing it, till he couldn’t kill it all now.
"Whenever I think about going back to Beijing, I feel a strong sense of crisis. Looks like there’s sothing wrong with my mindset. I know it’s enough. But I still can’t calm down, always worried you and our son might starve to skin and bones."
Zhang Guoqing knew this couldn’t be solved, so he could only let her fulfill her wish. Whatever she wanted to do, he’d support her. When they returned to Beijing, she’d naturally recover.
After a while, Zhou Jiao sighed softly and said, "There’s also Grandma Zhou; I plan to see her once. This ti, it might just be the last ti for us grandparents to et."
Zhang Guoqing hesitated whether to tell her the truth.
People change, after a long ti, a biological granddaughter will always be more important than an outsider’s granddaughter, especially since Zhou Xue is still in prison. Comparing the two, the old lady has already forgotten the suffering Zhou Jiao endured in the old Zhou family.
The last ti I went to see the old lady, she already said not to visit her; the old Zhou family owed Zhou Jiao enough. At that ti, I was surprised and thought I had the wrong person.
What does "almost enough" an? My father-in-law sends her money every month; I see her every month. So this is what’s known as almost enough.
"Perhaps things will change and you still support it?"
Zhou Jiao laughed, "Even if you don’t say, I can guess; people are naturally like this. She hasn’t co to see once these two years, how can I not understand? After moving away from the Zhou family, she’d be even more resentful towards . I don’t stop you from seeing her, also to repay her past kindness. I just want to see her one last ti, to end past grievances."
Zhang Guoqing smiled and shook his head. She clearly already understood in her heart. Indeed, without expectations, there’s no disappointnt. He couldn’t figure out what the old lady was thinking; nurturing a pet for over ten years fosters attachnt, let alone a human.
The next day at noon, Zhang Guoqing accompanied his wife and son to the neighboring county.
At the hotel, after settling his wife and son, he was about to turn and leave.
Zhou Jiao stopped him, handing him a package, "If she doesn’t co, give this to her. Just say I thank her for raising all these years."
Zhang Guoqing knew it contained a set of clothes handcrafted by Zhou Jiao, along with a compilation of the Huang family’s traditional dicine and prescriptions, also stitched by Zhou Jiao.
In the village, he found an acquaintance to call out the old lady.
Over half an hour later, Mrs. Zhou finally arrived. Upon learning that Zhou Jiao was waiting with the child in the county town, she pondered for a long ti but still shook her head.
"Grandma, why don’t I bring her and the child over? You just wait a while here."
The old lady hurriedly grabbed Zhang Guoqing, "Xiao Wu, I don’t want to see her just yet. Maybe later."
Zhang Guoqing felt very displeased upon hearing this; This old lady’s mind was really muddled.
He helped the old lady sit down and said softly, "Grandma, are you blaming Jiao Jiao? What wrong did she do? Doing this to her isn’t fair."
"I know this isn’t right. But my heart aches. If it weren’t for Jiao Jiao, we would be living well in the village, not having to leave our holand. Snow wouldn’t have aged like ; her man took another wife, and what will she do in the future? If it weren’t for Jiao Jiao, my old son would still be my old son; he wouldn’t hate us. But Jiao Jiao, whom I raised with my own hands, she ruined the old Zhou family. How can I face my in-laws and ancestors?"
Zhang Guoqing looked at the teary old lady helplessly. He didn’t know how to argue. Once a person gets stuck, it’s hard to pull them out. Wasn’t it all clear how things happened? How is it Jiao Jiao’s fault?
"Grandma, how can you bla everything about my dad on Jiao Jiao? From beginning to end, Jiao Jiao only found out later. When Zhou Xue approached her, Jiao Jiao didn’t do anything; it was her own cri being caught. Don’t you know best what kind of life Jiao Jiao led? Don’t you understand Jiao Jiao’s character? How did Jiao Jiao ruin the old Zhou family? It was the old Zhou family that ruined itself. What did you do wrong? From beginning to end, it was them reaping what they sowed. Why do you bear all the bla!"
Mrs. Zhou looked at him with confused eyes, after a while, shaking her head, "I still don’t want to see her. I need to think about it. Just go back, don’t co again in the future."
Zhang Guoqing shook his head and sighed. When you get old, you really beco muddle-headed. The old lady was so sensible before. He didn’t want to explain further.
"Grandma, we’ve been accepted into Beijing University; we don’t have the ti to co back often. In the future, I’ll send money and things to Aunt here for you to collect, okay?"
"I’m not muddle-headed; you don’t have to talk to like a child. I know you can’t bla Jiao Jiao; it’s just a knot in my heart. In ti, it will be alright."
Isn’t this not muddle-headed! Zhang Guoqing checked the ti, guessing Zhou Jiao was getting anxious. After hesitating for a mont, he decided to let it be; if she didn’t want to et, so be it.
He handed the package to the old lady, "Everything inside was made by Jiao Jiao herself. She says thank you for raising her all these years. If you don’t get by well, rember to send a word to my parents, and my dad will provide for you."
The old lady picked up the package and walked out, "No need. The two families are even now; no one owes anything. Don’t send anything in the future; I have a salary to spend."
Zhang Guoqing watched as she quickly stepped out with her small feet.
What is all this about? What did his wife do wrong? Is the old lady just getting senile with age, or is she really confused? Should he honestly tell the truth to Zhou Jiao and her father?
Bidding farewell to the female owner of this house, Zhang Guoqing, full of thoughts, returned to the county town. Facing Zhou Jiao’s knowing eyes, he opted for honesty.
Zhou Jiao smiled, "Let’s go. Let her have her wish, let her feel at ease, consider it even!"
On the way back, Zhou Jiao asked herself, feeling lost? Regrets? Then she laughed to herself. She was really silly, even if she could do it again, she would still unhesitatingly choose what she deed right. What regrets!
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