After Grandma Zhou’s matters were settled, there was nothing in the Northeast that the couple was attached to. Before leaving, they decided to return to the village to accompany their parents and take care of their backyard.
In the small courtyard in town, in the master bedroom, Zhang Guoqing put down his sleeping son and pulled Zhou Jiao out of the room. He whispered, "We should start packing up everything now."
Zhou Jiao nodded, following him from behind, starting from the study room, "You first consider how long the food supply should last. I’ll pack up everything in the study except for the furniture."
"It should be enough for them until the end of the year. Too much isn’t safe, and they might not consu it all. Apart from the belongings in their room, we’ll leave a couple more quilts and the phonograph for them. I’ll take the bicycle with . Whatever’s left, you decide."
Zhou Jiao had already thought it through. She needed to prepare food, at, firewood, coal, and daily necessities for them. Give them more money and tickets; if anything’s missing, send it back later.
After cleaning up, the couple exchanged smiles. Once everything in the village was settled, they would really be leaving this ho. Looking at the familiar furniture, they felt quite reluctant.
On their return to the village, the North Mountain Foot was quiet. A group of people was working hard in the distant fields.
As they passed the old yard, they found no one inside, suggesting their parents were probably in the fields helping out. Seeing the backyard confird that they were working with the others.
Zhang Guoqing didn’t bother looking for his parents, leaving Zhou Jiao to clean the house while he took their child to the backyard.
"Daddy, everything here is ours."
Zhang Guoqing chuckled, "Yes, it’s not for others."
After a glance around, he noticed the corn wasn’t doing great, but it was still sothing, better yet were the sweet potatoes. He had no ti for the autumn sowing this year; otherwise, he could harvest more in two months.
"Son, stay here and don’t move, Daddy’s going to work."
Ping’an effortlessly dragged a bamboo basket in front, "I’ll watch Daddy work, so I can help when I grow up."
"Good, my son is really great."
When Zhou Jiao ca to the backyard, Zhang Guoqing had already done most of the work, while Ping’an was crouched playing with the sweet potatoes.
"Don’t rush the work; we’re not in a hurry."
"Mommy, Daddy said those vegetables won’t grow big and just need to be pulled out."
Zhou Jiao looked in the direction the child pointed and laughed, "Yes. They just don’t have enough nutrients to grow big. You need to eat more to grow faster."
Then, she spoke regretfully, "It’s a pity about these fruit trees; they haven’t yielded much yet wasted a lot of your dad’s effort."
Ping’an frowned and shook his head, "Sour!"
"Alright, we won’t eat sour ones. Tomorrow, Daddy will take you up the mountain to pick wild fruits, looking for sweet ones just for Ping’an." Seeing the child’s expression, Zhang Guoqing couldn’t help but laugh.
Zhou Jiao looked ahead and silently clicked her tongue. Seeing his pace, this man was really suited to be a farr.
"Are you planning to finish all the work in one afternoon?"
Zhang Guoqing shook his head, smiling, "Not that fast. We’ll have visitors at ho these next few days, so we need to speed up, to clear it early and not make a show."
Zhou Jiao nodded and took the child to pick vegetables. The remote managent and the rain had wasted this vegetable garden.
The family stayed in the village for three days but rarely saw the parents. The helpful Mr. and Mother Zhang were busy assisting the village with the wheat harvest, worn out each day, eating sorghum porridge in the fields before crashing to sleep upon returning ho.
Zhang Guoqing watched with frustration as his parents’ carefully nurtured health dwindled again, and could do nothing but try to supplent their diet.
He didn’t oppose them helping voluntarily, but it didn’t make sense for them to be working themselves to the bone.
Mr. Zhang patted him laughingly, "Just a few busy farming days. The yield isn’t good in the fields, and if it rains again, the whole village will be in trouble. Your mother and I are just doing our part."
Mother Zhang nodded cheerfully, "Even the elderly in their seventies and eighties are helping out in the fields. You leave for town tomorrow; don’t stick around the village."
"I just thought since we’re leaving soon, I’d like to spend more ti with you."
"Silly son. Once you settle down, your dad and I will co to Beijing. It’s not like we have to wait for you to co back. Rest assured, we’ll definitely visit you."
Zhang Guoqing nodded at her helplessly. This ti they wouldn’t go with him, and who knew when they’d next visit Beijing? Seeing their recent actions, they’d have to be tricked to co earlier. Otherwise, no amount of grain would be sufficient.
In the evening, Zhou Jiao began packing everything clean, removing everything from the house to erase any obligations. If soone ca to borrow, the parents wouldn’t refuse, so it was better to cut all ties.
By morning, the couple began working again, bidding farewell to the parents.
This ti Zhang Guoqing hauled a cart full of items, followed behind by Zhou Jiao holding the son. By halfway through, a little wood was left, and Zhou Jiao was already sitting on it with the child in her arms.
Soon after they got ho, Zhao Yuanyuan was outside knocking loudly at the door.
"I’ll get it, you watch the child." Saying so, Zhou Jiao anxiously glanced at the sleeping Ping’an.
Upon opening the door, she found Li Qinglin and a few others smiling outside.
Before Zhou Jiao could ask, Zhao Yuanyuan counted off on her fingers, "Swimming crab, abalone, scallops, clam, fancy snail... Oh my, my mouth is watering. Want so?"
Zhou Jiao remained unmoved, letting them in before talking. Speaking so loudly might lead the neighbors to misunderstand.
Once inside the living room, Zhao Yuanyuan’s eyes lit up upon seeing Zhang Guoqing, "Brother Xiao Wu, Jiao Jiao loves seafood. So, what do you say? I’ve found a place. Will you go?"
Zhou Jiao chuckled to herself. It seed the wild yak Zhang Guoqing hunted last ti had left them wanting more, and now they turned to seafood.
Zhang Guoqing turned to Li Qinglin and the others, "Really found a place? You know the fishern sell their catch to the fisheries, right?"
Zhang Yuntao rolled his eyes at Zhang Guoqing, "Who doesn’t know that? Rember Wang Hai from our class? His aunt’s family is from a fishing village. Now they’re exchanging for grains with their village."
Zhou Jiao had little interest in going to the seaside, knowing that fishery was surely far. The cooking sll was too strong, and she still had plenty in her space.
Zhang Guoqing, seeing their excitent, stood up smiling, "I’ll go with you to check it out. If it works, have them send it over, and we’ll eat at ho. Going back and forth is too much hassle."
Seeing them eager to go, Zhou Jiao quickly had him take a small bag of cornal. Otherwise, it was too much trouble to run back again.
Less than two hours later, Zhang Guoqing returned alone with a bucket and a basket of goods. After removing the seawater, the total was less than thirty pounds, and it was exchanged for five pounds of cornal.
Learning that Zhao Yuanyuan and the others exchanged five pounds of cornal too, Zhou Jiao knowingly nodded. No wonder their share was also five pounds of cornal.
Zhang Guoqing laughed as he recounted what happened earlier. When they arrived, Wang Hai’s aunt’s house was crowded, but everyone had nothing to exchange. In the end, the village canteen exchanged so, while so villagers notified their relatives in the county.
He figured it wouldn’t happen again. The journey was too far, and riding would depend on whether the unit planned to visit here. Moreover, these seafoods were for tasting fresh, not filling the stomach. Aside from these few spendthrifts, no one would be willing to exchange these things.
Zhang Guoqing sent two crabs to each of the neighboring families and inford them of the news. Barely had he stepped back inside when spendthrifts Old Chen and Wang Dasheng were already riding quickly off on their bikes.
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