Chapter 10: Finding Treasures

The old lady, with a beaming smile, wiped away her tears and said, “Missed your grandpa and little uncle, didn’t you?”

Wang Qian nodded.

 “They’re all at work, earning money to buy candies for little Qian Qian. When it gets warmer, let your older siblings take you to Grandma’s house to play. By then, ask your little uncle to take you all to the seashore, and Grandma will cook delicious food for you.”

They chatted on the kang. Meanwhile, on the other side, lunch was ready. As soon as the pot cover was lifted, a fragrant aroma filled the room.

“Mom, what delicious dish did you make that smells so good?” Mingyuan, with his keen sense of smell, noticed that today’s meal was different from the usual.

When Zhang Lan, holding the curtain, arrived at the kang, the old lady realized that there was no dining table tyet, sighing inwardly.

“Mom, we haven’t made a dining table yet. Let’s make do for now. Next time, we’ll make sure you eat at a proper table,” Zhang Lan apologized to her mother with regret.

“It’s not a problem. We’re all family, no need to be so particular. The days ahead will be better, as long as you and your husband live in harmony, raise the child, that’s stronger than anything.”

Although the old lady didn’t impart profound wisdom, her words were sincere, and they made Wang Zhenhe admire his mother-in-law even more. In a different scenario, another mother-in-law might hold him accountable for such an incident, but his mother-in-law didn’t. Aside from providing support, she didn’t utter any unpleasant words about the in-laws.

At noon, Zhang Lan cooked oysters stewed with cabbage, along with a pot of clams, and the main course was cornmeal pancakes.

“Grandma, have some more,” Mingcheng added a spoonful of dishes for the old lady. The old lady, with a smile, patted Mingcheng’s little head, “Okay, okay, Grandma will eat. Everyone, start eating; you must be hungry since you didn’t have breakfast.”

A meal where the old cared for the young, and the young cared for the old, was heartwarming.

After the meal, Wang Xuan got up to clean the dishes and asked her mother to spend more time with Grandma. Suddenly, Grandma thought of something, “Look at me, getting forgetful as I age.”

Geng Lianhua took out a few pieces of paper from her pocket, “Lan’er, keep these cloth coupons for your use.”

Holding the cloth coupons handed over by her own mother, Zhang Lan, who had endured grievances for days, burst into tears upon seeing her mother like this, hugging Geng Lianhua and crying.

The old lady held her daughter and cried together, saying, “Silly child, Mom knows you’ve suffered. It’s good to let it out. You know the temper of your in-laws; don’t get upset with them. It’s you two who are living your lives together. If they don’t provide, you still have your own hands. Let’s earn our living, show them what we’ve got, and let our old Zhang family’s daughter demonstrate her backbone. Even without their support, we can raise the child. Don’t be angry with them. Getting upset harms your own health, and you still have a big family to support. Wipe away your tears; don’t let the children laugh at you.”

Wang Zhenhe sat there not knowing what to say. He felt a bit guilty towards his mother-in-law. Back when they were so poor, she didn’t complain and even married her daughter to him. His mother-in-law didn’t make any demands, just asked him to treat her daughter well.

“Mom, I…”

“Zhenhe, Mom knows it’s tough. In the future, you two should live your lives well. Respect the elderly and, if there’s anything Zhang Lan does wrong, you should speak up. But, children, you must take good care of them. No matter how the adults quarrel, you can’t harm the children. Look at the big bump on Xuanxuan’s head. If her brain gets injured, you’ll regret it.”

The old lady wasn’t without temper, but she rarely got angry. Seeing the bump on her granddaughter’s head, she couldn’t help but say a few words. Fortunately, it was just a bump; if it had opened up, it would be troublesome.

Wang Zhenhe knew that their family had gone too far this time, so he respectfully listened to his mother-in-law’s words. “Mom, we will definitely pay attention in the future.”

As the family was talking, a voice came from outside, “Is Geng Lianhua here?”

 Upon hearing that the car owner was about to leave, the old lady hurriedly called out, “Here, here, Brother Lao, wait for me, I’ll be right there.”

 After some parting advice, the family reluctantly bid farewell to the old lady.

 Back in the house, Zhang Lan and her family began to arrange the items the old lady had brought, dividing the sea oysters and clams into three portions.

 ”Mind you, Mingcheng, this is for your grandfather, and Mingyuan, take this to Grandma.”

 Mingcheng was a bit reluctant and hesitant. Zhang Lan sighed and gently touched her eldest son’s head, saying, “Mingcheng, no matter how your grandmother treats me, she’s still your dad’s mother, your grandmother. We should show respect regardless, understand?”

 Mingcheng silently took the items and left. Wang Zhenhe, hearing his wife’s words to their child, felt even more uncomfortable.

 Seeing her dad’s despondent expression, lying on the kang, Wang Qian spoke up, “Dad, are the baskets in our house ready? We’ll need them tomorrow.”

 Wang Zhenhe picked up his little daughter and gently pressed his bearded face against her tender cheek. “Qianqian, Dad has already cut the locust branches for someone to help us weave. It’s probably coming back tonight. Why are you in such a hurry?”Wang Zhenhe, unaware of the children’s plans at home, casually inquired.

 “Dad, tomorrow we’ll be using the machinery to plow the fields. My brother and I plan to check for things in the fields.”

 Their plans surprised him a bit, but he advised, “Kids, the fields have been thoroughly plowed by the commune members. There’s hardly anything left. Don’t go out tomorrow. Your illness hasn’t fully recovered; don’t expose yourself to the cold again.”

 ”Oh, got it,” Wang Qian agreed verbally, but in her heart, she was determined to go out and take a look tomorrow.

 In the evening, Wang Zhenhe indeed brought back several baskets—a carrying basket, a basket for grass, and two woven baskets. Along with them came a piece of news: the production team would start working tomorrow. After a winter of idleness, the commune members could now earn work points.

 The next day, the couple started working early. The four siblings locked the doors and headed to the fields with their baskets. Wang Xuan, worried that her sister might catch a chill, wrapped Wang Qian tightly in cotton, covering her head with a cotton hat and putting a mask on her face. She also wore a cotton jacket.

 Wang Qian, dressed up by her sister, looked like a little polar bear and seemed a bit awkward when walking.

 Arriving at the field, where the tractor had plowed a large area, the siblings searched along the turned soil. As expected, they weren’t disappointed; they found quite a few items that had escaped the scrutiny of the commune members wielding their hoes.

Mingchen and Mingyuan joyfully shuttled through the fields, amassing a pile for Wang Qian to fill the baskets. Surprisingly, in no time, the two baskets were full.

“Brother, what do we do now that they’re full?” Wang Qian looked at the large portion of the field still untouched, feeling a bit worried. If others found out, they would certainly come over to pick as well.

Looking at the situation in the field, Mingcheng decisively said, “Mingyuan, you and your little sister continue picking here. Your sister and I will take these things back. We’ll be back soon. Remember to watch your sister and don’t let her go too far.”

Mingyuan nodded, “Big brother, you two go first. We’ll continue picking. Come back quickly.”

The two elder siblings, carrying the heavy baskets, went back first. Mingyuan, pulling Wang Qian, said earnestly, “Little sister, let’s divide the area. You pick in this section, and I’ll pick behind the machine. Remember to pile them up.”

Mingyuan didn’t know that his younger sister had changed inside and actually knew more than him. Nevertheless, he still reminded her again.

Spring brought strong winds, making Mingyuan’s little face blush, particularly in two spots on his cheekbones. “Brother, wear this scarf; otherwise, if you catch a cold, no one will play with me.” Wang Qian took off the thick, soil-colored knitted scarf from around her neck and put it on Mingyuan.

Seeing Mingyuan trying to refuse, she stopped him. After all, she was the older one; she couldn’t let a child be exposed to the wind while she was well-covered.

“Brother, this is called sharing blessings and difficulties. Remember that.”

The siblings went their separate ways. Mingyuan, relying on his agile figure, followed behind the tractor, occasionally bending down. Wang Qian began digging through the large area of turned soil. Fortunately, the machine had plowed deeply, revealing potatoes and sweet potatoes that had not been discovered before. Moreover, they weren’t frozen. The siblings quickly gathered two piles.

Mingcheng and the elder sister had already returned.