At the dining table, Zhao Chuan Guang bit into a stead bun and sipped so porridge, his attention focused on his two sons. The elder son was handso and already attending Harbin Institute of Technology, so there was no worry about him.
But looking at the younger son sipping porridge nonchalantly, there was worry. How co he still seems like he hasn’t grown up?
Sixteen-year-old Zhao Lihui imdiately straightened his posture under his father’s gaze, though he felt uneasy inside. He really wondered if his dad had another crazy idea to trouble him.
"Most of the sumr vacation is over now, I’m giving you both a task..."
Zhao Chuan Guang’s words were cut short by a knock at the door, much to Zhao Lihui’s delight, he planned to properly thank the unexpected guest, and he winked at his big brother...
"Godfather, godmother, it’s ..."
"Uncle, it’s , Ping’an..."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Lihui bounced up and rushed outside, the chair fell to the floor with a thud but nobody paid attention, as he had already darted to the door, the whole family joyfully ran to the door.
"Sis, brother-in-law, Little Ping’an. It’s really you... oooh..."
Ping’an was picked up by him, laughing gleefully, tightly hugging Zhao Lihui’s neck, and still reproachfully touching Zhao Liyang’s head, "Uncle, why didn’t you write a letter?"
Zhao Liyang: "These past months Uncle has been incredibly busy, planning to visit you during New Year."
"Alright, I forgive you."
Zhao Liyang laughed happily, "Thank you, little nephew! Would Uncle take you out to play, okay?"
Zhao Lihui followed closely, saying, "Big brother, let’s take Little Ping’an to Grandpa’s house, let them see what a handso kid looks like."
"Uncle, I’m a man, not a baby..."
Aside, Huang Hui Min pulled Zhou Jiao and pressed her down onto a chair, chiding, "Why didn’t you tell us to pick you up? Must be exhausted, right?" Saying this, she headed to the kitchen without waiting for a reply.
Zhou Jiao hurriedly followed suit.
Zhao Chuan Guang, with a smile on his face, patted Zhang Guoqing’s shoulder and praised, "Good boy, well done! Your Uncle Wang and others have praised you nurous tis in front of , keep it up!"
Zhang Guoqing smiled, "Godfather, I’m still far from it. How have things been these days? Did the crown prince give you any trouble?"
Zhao Chuan Guang shook his head with a smile, "Don’t worry! Who do you think your godfather is?"
"How are your uncles?"
Zhao Chuan Guang, looking at the concern in his eyes, smiled happily, "All is well! How long are you staying this ti?"
"I also don’t know how things are at ho, I should go and see first."
"I visited the county town so ti ago. Your parents are doing well, still living alone in the small courtyard. Your second brother visits three tis a day, your eldest brother is still in the provincial city, you should go check on him later."
Zhang Guoqing smiled gratefully and nodded. Zhao Chuan Guang treats him just like his own son, words of thanks feel too light, too distant between them.
Thinking of sothing, he irritably slapped his forehead, hurriedly ran to pick up a large hemp sack. This was a gift he specially prepared for Zhao Chuan Guang during a stopover. Otherwise, carrying such a big sack filled with treasures while getting on and off the vehicle, he wouldn’t have ti.
Zhang Guoqing opened the sack, winked at Zhao Chuan Guang, and smilingly took out a twenty-pound wine jar, still with dirt clinging to it. As expected, Zhao Chuan Guang laughed rrily.
"Godfather, take a look inside. I buried it in the courtyard when I went to Beijing. The dicinal properties should have erged now. Rember, only drink a small cup each day."
Hearing this, Zhao Chuan Guang opened the seal on the wine jar, a rich aroma of dicinal liquor wafted up, filling the entire living room with fragrance. He peeked inside, surprised, and gazed at Zhang Guoqing.
Zhang Guoqing whispered to him with a smile, "That year I obtained tiger penis, added it to the ho reserves, and had Mr. Wang configure the dicinal herbs for . This ti I unearthed two jars, buried underground."
Zhao Chuan Guang recalls that year when this kid even gifted a chunk of tiger to him, utterly unsurprised he’s constantly looking for good stuff.
He fondly touched the wine jar, "Can your dad finish twenty pounds alone?"
Zhang Guoqing laughed heartily, knowing he’s been eyeing the wine in the father-in-law’s hands, he quickly reassured, "Don’t worry, there’s more buried at ho. Once you finish it, I’ll bring more. I plan to visit Mr. Wang’s house this ti, maybe there’ll be more gains."
"Forget it, too much trouble. Whatever you get won’t be enough for us brothers. Did your dad also equip so for your Uncle Wang?" Seeing Zhang Guoqing nod, Zhao Chuan Guang cautiously carried the wine jar inside, "Later I’ll pack a pound or two for your uncles, the rest I have to hide."
Zhang Guoqing shook his head with a smile, shouting into the room where the two younger brothers-in-law were hiding, "Why are you guys running inside? Co out first."
Zhao Liyang stepped out first with Ping’an in his arms, laughing, "Brother-in-law, can’t bla us for hiding from you, this wine scent makes worry my nephew will get drunk just slling it."
"Shh... don’t say it outside."
Zhao Liyang nodded with a smile, seeing him take things out of the sack, quickly said, "Brother-in-law, don’t take more, save it for my nephew to eat. We’re grown-ups, don’t eat snacks."
Zhang Guoqing cursed jokingly, "You little brat, acting all grown up."
"Brother-in-law, I’m eighteen."
"In my eyes, even if you’re eighty, you’re still a little brat!"
Ping’an giggled happily.
Zhang Guoqing took out two cans of malt milk essence, two bags of milk powder, and a large bag of unwrapped chocolate, instructing Zhao Lihui to hide them in their room and eat slowly.
"Brother-in-law, these goodies should be for Ping’an..."
Before he could finish, Ping’an smilingly interjected, "Uncle, my dad brought them from far away just for you guys. We have plenty at ho."
Zhao Lihui teased, "You don’t feel bad?"
"For Uncle, I don’t feel bad at all, for others, no way." Ping’an said, not forgetting to remind him, "These are really expensive, don’t give them to outsiders."
"My nephew is so clever, as his uncle, I’m not silly!"
Ping’an watched him carry away the goods with a smile, but inside he felt a pang of heartache. He secretly told himself that the second grandpa’s family is different from others. He had consud a lot of stuff they mailed over. Hmm, as grandpa said, reciprocal courtesy!
Zhang Guoqing carried the remaining large bag of flour to the kitchen.
In the kitchen, noodles churned in the boiling pot, Huang Hui Min busily worked with her hands, still managing to chat with Zhou Jiao, seeing him walk in with goods, she didn’t say anything, only pointed to the cellar for him to place them inside.
Zhang Guoqing didn’t need her instructions, he had already opened the cellar door, retrieved four packets of noodles from the bag placed them on the chair and stored the flour in the cellar jar.
"Why so much stuff this ti? Is there enough to eat at ho?"
Zhang Guoqing clapped his hands, laughing, "Even if it’s not enough, there’s no choice. Godmother, I’ve fulfilled the four wedding gifts, marrying your daughter is a good deal, right?"
Huang Hui Min laughed rrily, nodding repeatedly.
Zhou Jiao laughed, "Godmother, don’t listen to his nonsense. My Auntie said apart from Beijing, there’s still a tight supply of grain outside, we buy so from the black market. Why didn’t you tell the truth in your letters?"
Huang Hui Min shook her head with a smile, "We can still manage at ho. At first, your godfather couldn’t buy much from the countryside, it was Liu Laosan who helped, plus support from the old man at ho, we’re eating well."
Zhang Guoqing’s hands paused, "Didn’t rural areas dissolve the canteens last year, allowing private plots? How co nothing could be bought? Jingjiao can still buy coarse grains."
"There might be regional differences. I heard that this year in the countryside there’s a great harvest, but after contributing to public grains not much is left. Also, within a few villages close to the provincial city, each household at most shares a few fractions of land. How much can be planted with a few fractions? Plus so production teams raised task pigs, the grain shortage can’t be solved quickly, just slightly better than the previous years."
Zhang Guoqing glanced at Zhou Jiao.
Zhou Jiao slightly shook her head. She knew what he was worried about. Regarding Zhang Family Village, they’d better see for themselves once they return. Her godmother stays in the provincial city, not visiting the countryside, also she just hears things.
User Comments
0 comments from readers