Chapter 100: Everyone Knows Each Other

The commune members had a night of excitement and tranquility. Today, Wang Qian and the others went to the station to pick up Grandma Zuo. It had been a long time since Zuo He had seen his grandmother, and as soon as she got off the car, he rushed into her arms. The grandmother and grandson spent an unforgettable time together, deeply attached to each other. Zuo He’s affection for his grandmother was extraordinary.

“Grandma, I told Grandpa last night, and he said he would come over for lunch with us,” Zuo He said.

Seeing her grandson, who had turned into a little dark-skinned boy, Grandma Zuo affectionately patted his head and joked, “Zuo He, your skin color is just like that of the working people. Where did my fair-skinned grandson go?”

Zuo He pouted, “Grandma, I’ve integrated with the working people. Look at me now, don’t I look like Grandpa when he was fighting in the war?”

The grandmother was amused by her grandson’s appearance, and Zuo He became increasingly happy, making Grandma Zuo feel that she had no regrets about sending him down here in the first place.

“Grandma Zuo, should we go see Grandpa Zuo first, or should we go home and wait for him?” Wang Qian asked Grandma Zuo for her opinion on the way back.

“Let’s go home. We’ll see him at noon, so there’s no rush,” Grandma Zuo replied.

Accompanied by Zuo He, they all headed home. Upon seeing the tall cornfield, Grandma Zuo took the hands of the two sisters and advised, “Qianqian, Xuan’er, look at how tall the corn has grown. In the future, if you need to go anywhere, always have an adult accompany you. While there aren’t many bad people, we still need to be cautious, especially since you are both girls. Learn to protect yourselves and don’t wander into the cornfield easily.”

Although Grandma Zuo didn’t say much, the two sisters were deeply grateful for her kind words. Zhang Lan had also discussed such matters with them before.

In special circumstances, in case of an accident, preserving life is the priority. This is a mother’s only expectation for her children. As long as they can stay alive, that’s all that matters. Of course, no mother wants such a thing to happen to her children.

The kind-hearted old woman’s words made the two sisters feel even more inclined to be close to her, and they were eager to express their gratitude. “Thank you, Grandma. We understand,” they said.

The old woman gently patted the hands of the two girls and smiled meaningfully. It seemed that Zhang Lan had raised these children very well. She felt truly at ease leaving her grandson here.

As they walked, the siblings reported to the old lady about what they had recently learned. When they arrived home, Zhang Lan had already returned early to prepare lunch. Today, she had specially steamed a pot of steamed buns, not only for Grandma Zuo, but also because Wang Zhenhe had invited the other elderly people to join them for a rare meal. Wang Zhenhe had already informed Zhang Qiang about it.

“Mom, we’ve brought Grandma Zuo back,” Mingyuan shouted as soon as he entered the yard. Zhang Lan quickly wiped her hands and went out to greet them. “Auntie, come inside and sit down. It’s really hot outside.”

She led Grandma Zuo into the house, and Wang Xuan and the others brought out prepared cucumbers and tomatoes to help quench Grandma Zuo’s thirst.

“Don’t rush, children. I can manage on my own. This isn’t my first time here. I consider this place as my own home. Niece, don’t bother yourself too much. Just prepare something simple to eat. It’s so hot, and cooking is uncomfortable. I’m sweating all over,” Grandma Zuo said.

The old lady was aware of the hardships of cooking in the summer, so she didn’t want to cause any trouble for the family.

Zhang Lan smiled and said, “Auntie, even if you didn’t come, I would still have to cook. Today, I took the opportunity to invite a few people over. They’ve kindly taught our children, so it’s only right to invite them over for some good food. You just rest, I’ll go cook.”

The old lady offered to help, but Zhang Lan insisted that she could manage on her own and pushed her into the house.

Wang Qian went to the kitchen and brought out the steamed buns, dividing them among the siblings and the old lady. She was concerned that the old lady might not have eaten breakfast, so she wanted to fill her stomach with something warm.

The old lady grew fonder of the considerate girl. She took a bite of the steamed bun and said, “Mmm, it’s delicious and fragrant. It seems your mother is quite skilled. Not everyone can achieve this flavor.”

In Wang Qian’s view, the steamed buns made from the newly ground wheat were indeed fragrant and had a good texture, similar to those made from the bag of white flour she had found in the space.

“Grandma, if you like it, please have some more. My mom steamed a large pot, enough for our whole family to eat,” Wang Qian said.

Wang Qian vividly gestured the size of the pot, and although they didn’t often eat steamed buns, Zhang Lan would occasionally make noodles or pancakes to improve their meals. As a result, the siblings’ manner of eating the steamed buns was very polite, and the old lady nodded in satisfaction.

As Zhang Lan was almost done with the cooking, Wang Zhenhe returned with a few elderly men. “Mmm, it smells delicious. It looks like my Niece has made something tasty today. We’re in for a treat today,” Old Wu joked as soon as he entered the yard.

Wang Qian and the others, along with the old lady, heard the loud voice outside and knew that everyone had arrived.

The elderly men warmly greeted the family members of Zuo Zhanshan. Old Wu had known the old lady before, but they hadn’t seen each other for many years. Seeing her playful banter, he felt even more at ease. “Hao Lianchun, do you still remember me?” he asked.

The Wang family members were surprised to learn that the old lady’s name was Hao Lianchun, which sounded quite pleasant.

Hao Lianchun carefully looked at him. Few people could remember her name, especially among the locals. This meant that the person was someone she had known before. Seeing the slightly graying hair of Wu Changyong, Hao Lianchun exclaimed with excitement, “Old Wu, it’s you! How did an old fellow like you end up in this place? You and Old Zuo can keep each other company. I thought Old Zuo was fighting alone, but it turns out you two are together. We’re old comrades, so we should have a good reunion today.”

Hao Lianchun, despite his age, was filled with heroic spirit upon seeing his old comrade after many years, as if he had returned to the passionate years when they fought side by side.

“How’s your younger sister? Hasn’t she come to see you?” She asked.

Old Wu waved his hand dismissively. “Why bother? She’s living with her sons. It’s too far for her to come all the way here. I wrote to them to let them know about my situation. Everything is fine here. I’m in great health and enjoying delicious food. I told them not to worry and to carry on with their lives.”

Finally, the others in the yard met Zuo Zhanshan’s old partner. They all came over to introduce themselves. Those who had been close to their old comrade showed special warmth and respect. After exchanging pleasantries in the yard, Zhang Lan had finished preparing the meal and began inviting everyone to sit down and eat.

With so many guests, the siblings and Zhang Lan set up a separate table with a large curtain on the kang, ensuring that everyone could enjoy their meal without any delay. This way, the children could eat well, and the elderly could catch up with each other.

Wang Zhenhe sat at the table with the guests and Hao Lianchun, while Zhang Lan and the children ate on the kang. Whenever she noticed that the food on the table was running low, she would promptly add more.

Today, Wang Zhenhe specially brought back some alcohol to satisfy the cravings of the elderly men. They couldn’t drink freely while living in the production team, so Wu Changyong had a special fondness for the drink.

After a lively and hearty meal, although it was a simple farm meal, everyone felt warm inside, just like the scorching sun outside. However, after the meal, the others tactfully gave the elderly couple some time alone.

Zhang Lan and Wang Zhenhe led the siblings to the self-cultivated land to thin out the vegetable seedlings. In the evening, she planned to make vegetable pancakes, and leaving the elderly couple at home would make it easier for them to talk.

The vegetable seedlings in the self-cultivated land had grown quite large. The couple thinned out the excess seedlings to allow the remaining ones to absorb nutrients fully.

The adults thinned out the seedlings, while Mingcheng and the others concentrated on gathering and stacking the seedlings in baskets. As they looked at the lush green seedlings, the couple seemed to see hope. They remembered the difficult days when they first split up, and now they could finally have their own vegetables to eat.

“Wife, the potatoes are ready. I’ll come over to harvest them after work,” Wang Zhenhe said.

Zhang Lan dug out some potatoes. “Zhenhe, let’s make potato pancakes tonight, the kind without oil. Mingcheng, this afternoon, you and your siblings can go pick some glasswort. I’ll make potato pancakes for you tonight.”

Excited at the prospect of delicious food, Mingyuan eagerly agreed, “Mom, we’ll go pick it in a while.”

Not knowing what glasswort was, Zuo He asked for clarification, but Mingcheng, although older, found it a bit challenging to explain the concept.

Wang Qian noticed her older brother’s anxious expression and quickly came to his aid. “Zuo He, glasswort is a type of oak leaf. It has a natural fragrance, so people in the countryside like to use it to wrap food. When steamed, the food carries a subtle and pleasant aroma, and it tastes delicious.”

Wang Qian understood why her mother didn’t fry the potato pancakes. Steaming was more oil-efficient, but each method had its own unique flavor.

When they returned home, the three boys went to pick the leaves, while Hao Lianchun and the sisters stayed at home to peel the potatoes. The couple went to work.

At that time, potato peelers had not yet been invented, so rural people typically used glass shards to peel potatoes. Therefore, when peeling the potatoes, Hao Lianchun carefully reminded the sisters to be careful not to cut their fingers.

The peeled potatoes were soaked in a large basin of water to prevent them from turning black. After completing these tasks, Hao Lianchun help the sisters  when they began to feed the chickens and ducks, not considering herself as guests, but rather as typical rural homemakers.

“Grandma Zuo, let us take you to the river for a bath. The water is warm now,” Wang Qian offered.

Wang Qian’s mention of bathing stirred up a strong desire in Hao Lianchun. The hot weather, combined with the stuffy morning spent in the car, made her eager to wash away the sweat and refresh herself.

“Qianqian, go back home and get some clothes. I’ll also get ready. Let’s find a secluded spot to bathe,” she said.

The elderly and the young set off towards the river with their change of clothes. This time, Wang Qian had her eye on a good spot near the water channel where they could catch crabs. The water there was a bit deeper, enough to cover their bodies when they sat down. Although there was nothing to see for the young and old, they still needed to be cautious.