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Soon, the meal was served on the kang, steaming hot. The two men accompanied the elderly gentleman at the dining table. Old Wu casually mentioned the idea of the Old men eating dinner with the Wang in the future. Guo Xing and Zhang Qiang had no objections. They weren’t used to cooking for themselves, so eating at someone else’s place wouldn’t be an issue. They readily agreed.
After lunch, Zhang Lan had Mingcheng and Wang Xuan change into their new cotton shoes. All four children were now wearing their new shoes, each with a happy smile on their face.
In the afternoon, Zhang Lan borrowed a handcart and went to the post office with Wang Qian to collect the package and the money.
Zuo He’s parents had put in a lot of effort this time. The bag was full of things, but it was sealed, so they didn’t know what was inside.
Zhang Lan carefully put the stack of banknotes into her pocket while the bag of packages was placed on the on the hand cart.
As they walked and talked, they returned home. When Hao Lianchun saw them return, she quickly opened the door to help them bring the things inside.
“Why is the bag so big?” Even Hao Lianchun was surprised to see her struggling to move it. She wondered what her son and daughter-in-law had sent that was so heavy.
“Come, let’s open it and see. Your uncle and aunt have sent us some good things,” Hao Lianchun said, fetching scissors from the kang to cut open the sealed bag.
The contents were diverse, including food and clothing. They emptied the bag, and Zhang Lan found three letters, each addressed to a specific recipient. Surprisingly, one of the letters was addressed to her. This left her feeling astonished. “Look, there are letters. One is for you, one is for Zuo He, and one is for me.”
The elderly lady didn’t have time to count the items on the kang and quickly took the letters, sitting down to read them.
Wang Qian didn’t know what the letters contained, but she observed the elderly lady’s expressions, which alternated between furrowed brows and smiles. She guessed that there must be some good news in the letters.
After Hao Lianchun finished reading the contents of the letters, she let out a long sigh of relief. Driven by curiosity, Wang Qian asked, “Grandma, are Uncle Left and Aunt Left doing well?”
The elderly lady put down the letter with a smile. “Yes, they are doing well. Your uncle and aunt also send their regards in the letter to you.”
Hao Lianchun didn’t mention some things and decided to discuss them with the old man when he returned. She also wasn’t sure about what her son had said.
Zhang Lan opened the letter from Zue He’s mother, Peng Ziyun. In the letter, Peng Ziyun expressed gratitude for the care provided to their children and the elderly. The letter conveyed a mother’s deep love and concern for her children, along with a sense of helplessness. In summary, it expressed gratitude to Zhang Lan and a request to take care of the elderly, promising to repay the kindness in the future.
Zhang Lan didn’t expect any repayment. She felt that the connection with the Zuo family and the care for the elderly was a matter of fate. Besides, the family’s current situation was stable, and doing good deeds was nothing to be greedy about. She believed that good deeds would be rewarded in the end.
After reading the letter, she smiled and said to the elderly lady, “Auntie, from now on, you have to listen to me. Your son and daughter-in-law have entrusted you to me. You should stay in this house and not worry about anything. We are family. By the way, this is the hundred yuan sent by Zuo He’s father. Please keep it. We can’t accept this money.”
Hao Lianchun and Zhang Lan began to argue over the ownership of the money, but Wang Qian, seeing her mother and grandmother in a dilemma, intervened. “Mom, Grandma, please don’t refuse. Listen to my arrangement. Grandma, you take eighty yuan, and Mom, you take twenty. The twenty yuan can be used to buy something for the New Year. Grandma, you can use the eighty yuan for your future trips to the city, transportation, and meals. You can also secretly buy us some food when you have money. At that time, Mom won’t be able to say anything. Do you think this is reasonable?”
Both of them found Wang Qian’s suggestion reasonable. The elderly lady indeed had no money and couldn’t even afford to buy food for the children. With this money, she would have the freedom to manage it as she wished.
Zhang Lan had voluntarily taken care of these people, and the elderly lady hadn’t caused her any trouble. They had helped each other, and the elderly gentlemen had contributed by teaching the children and assisting with chores. The money was distributed, and the three of them began to unpack the items that had been sent. There were cotton shoes and padded jackets for the children, as well as warm clothing for the elderly couple. Most importantly, there was yarn specifically purchased for Zhang Lan and her husband to knit sweaters.
There were also some food items, including dried meat, dried fruits, and a few spinning tops. Surprisingly, there were also about ten bullet casings in a small cloth bag, which surprised Wang Qian. She hadn’t expected Zuo He’s parents to send such interesting items for the children to play with.
Seeing Wang Qian’s expression, the elderly lady explained with a smile, “Zuo He’s father is a soldier. This time, he was affected by our situation, but with the help of your grandfather’s old comrade, he was transferred to the north. The bullet casings were probably left behind from his shooting.”
The elderly lady’s explanation helped Wang Qian understand the situation. She guessed that Zuo He’s father probably hoped his son would like such items.
Looking at the items spread across the kang, both the mother and daughter had the same feeling. Zuo He’s parents had spent a lot of money on this shipment.
“Auntie,Big Brother Zuo sent so many things. I feel embarrassed,” Zhang Lan said. Zuo He’s father was a few months older than Wang Zhenhe, so Zhang Lan respectfully referred to him as “Big brother.” Hao Lianchun knew that her son had spent a lot this time, but their family of three had been living with the Wang family, and their grandson had been under their care. Compared to this, the items sent were nothing. Besides, the Wang family had always been there for them in times of difficulty, and such a bond couldn’t be measured in terms of money.
“Silly child, we’ll accept what your Big Brother sent. After all, you’re the one taking care of their child. Look at Zuo He now; he’s much more spirited than before. He used to be quite shy, but since coming to your place, he’s clearly a descendant of our Zuo family. He’s got the same boldness as his father and grandfather. It’s a joy to see,” Hao Lianchun said with a smile as she spoke about Zuo He’s transformation.
Their grandson was the apple of the elderly couple’s eye. Initially, they were worried that his personality was a bit like that of a girl, but after coming to the Wang family, even Zuo Zhanshan couldn’t help but marvel at how much the boy resembled their family.
The three of them carefully stored Zuo He’s letter separately and sorted through the received items, organizing what needed to be stored for the elderly lady and what they would keep for themselves.
When Zuo He returned home from school and saw the letter and gifts meant for him, he eagerly opened the envelope and carefully read the two letters inside—one from his mother and the other from his brother. Reading the letters from his family, Zuo He couldn’t help but shed tears. Hao Lianchun hugged her grandson, comforting him softly, “Grandma, I miss my mom, dad, and brother. When can they come to see me?”
Zuo He’s display of emotion tugged at Zhang Lan’s heart. Despite his usual cheerful demeanor, he still longed for his parents. It was cruel for a child so young to be separated from his parents, and it was equally difficult for his parents.
Mingyuan and Mingcheng, seeing Zuo He cry, felt uncomfortable and gathered around to comfort their brother.
Wang Qian understood that Zuo He was homesick, especially after receiving letters from his family, which stirred up the longing he had kept buried. She walked over and gently patted the little boy’s back. “Zuo He, why don’t you write a letter back tonight? See if your parents are available to visit us for the New Year. If they are, you can invite them to spend the New Year with us. Then you’ll be able to see your parents, right?”
Tears in his eyes, Zuo He, nestled in his grandmother’s arms, asked, “Can I do that, Sister Qian Qian?”
Everyone chuckled at the little boy’s concern. Zhang Lan smiled and said, “Of course you can. If your parents and brother are available to visit, Uncle and Aunt will welcome them. I’ll even make seafood for your parents when they come.”
With Zhang Lan’s assurance, Zuo He immediately went to write a letter to his parents. After finishing the letter, he remembered that he had some items to share with his brothers. He divided the spinning tops and bullet casings sent to him among his siblings, even giving some to Wang Xuan and Wang Qian.
When Grandpa Zuo returned and heard about his son’s letter, he eagerly took it and carefully read it. He furrowed his brows at the contents, which Wang Qian observed closely. However, she noticed that he later smiled, almost in sync with the elderly lady. She didn’t press for details, as long as Zuo He’s parents were fine. Otherwise, the little boy would be upset.
“Old Wu, we’ve really established diplomatic relations with the Japanese, after fighting against them for so many years. This is how it ends,” Zuo Grandpa said.
Wu Changyong and the others had also heard about this news, but initially, they didn’t quite believe it. Now, with Zuo Grandpa’s confirmation, it was a done deal.