Chapter 122: The Matter with Old Maozi

Geng Lianhua quickly took out sunflower seeds and peanuts from the cupboard to entertain the guests, and she joined everyone on the kang after Hao Lianchun’s invitation.

Zuo He was eager to see the sea, but Zhang Lan estimated that it was still a while before low tide, so she suggested that the children warm up on the kang for a while before heading out.

Upon learning that the visitors had come to go clamming, Geng Lianhua hurriedly got off the kang to prepare. “Elder brother, elder sister, the tide is about to ebb. Let’s go now. We can talk as we walk. My son mentioned wanting to come and see you these past few days, and it just so happens that you’re here. If he knew you were coming, he’d be overjoyed. He’s been talking about wanting to ask you questions these past few days.”

Geng Lianhua had noticed a change in her son recently. He had never been interested in studying before, but suddenly, he had become engrossed in books and spent his days studying. Seeing her son’s newfound love for learning and ambition made her happy. Unlike other rural elderly women, she understood the difference between being literate and illiterate. She was well aware of the impact of education, and she was pleased to see her son’s progress.

Last time, her sister’s actions had upset her, but this time, she had made up her mind. She was willing to do anything as long as her son succeeded.

Seeing the grandeur of the guests today, she had a better understanding of why her son had undergone such a significant change.

Geng Lianhua and Zhang Lan led a group of fully equipped elderly men and women towards the seaside. The weather was chilly, and Geng Lianhua didn’t want the elderly guests to catch a cold, so she made sure they were all dressed in warm padded jackets. Clamming was not like walking; it required staying in one place without moving, making it easy to get cold.

The children, including Zuo He, each carried a small basket. Their confident demeanor made Wang Qian feel like they were going to battle rather than clamming.

When they arrived at the seaside, the tide had just begun to ebb, and the rocks were starting to emerge. After admiring the scenery and exchanging a few lighthearted remarks, they seemed to shake off their usual worries. Perhaps it was the sight of the vast and ever-changing sea that lifted their spirits, making them feel that this kind of life wasn’t so bad after all.

The elderly men and Zuo He enjoyed eating small conches, so they gathered around the rocks to pick them. Wang Qian, on the other hand, roamed the beach, searching for sea cucumbers and other valuable items. As the weather grew colder, clamming became more challenging. After a while, everyone’s hands began to stiffen from the cold, but no one complained. They warmed their hands by breathing on them and then continued searching for edible items.

The elderly men learned from Geng Lianhua how to dig for clams and harvest oysters, while the others were free to explore and pick up whatever interested them.

Zhang Lan and Wang Xuan focused on gathering seaweed, while Mingyuan, Mingcheng, and the other children roamed the sandy shore, picking up anything they recognized from their usual meals and tossing them into their baskets. Meanwhile, Wang Qian combed the beach for kelp, sea lettuce, and sea cucumbers, collecting almost everything she found on the vast stretch of sand.

As more people arrived at the beach to go clamming, they were surprised to find that the sea seemed to have become stingy, with little to be found on the shore. Those living nearby could only gather some oysters and clams to take home. Little did they know that it was the work of Wang Qian.

Mingcheng and the others filled their baskets and used the cloth bags they had brought to collect conches. They picked up various types of conches, not being picky at all. They saw it, they picked it. They were not selective, as anything edible was considered delicious in their eyes. Even if it wasn’t delicious, Zhang Lan could turn it into a delicacy.

Geng Lianhua felt it was time to head back, concerned that the guests might catch a cold if they stayed out too long. However, the elderly men were in high spirits and didn’t want to leave just yet. They were enjoying the rare opportunity to be out and about, not knowing when they would have another chance.

“Sister, you go back and start cooking. We’ll come back later. The more we gather, the more we can eat,” one of the elderly men said.

After finishing her own tasks, Wang Qian joined Zhang Lan and the others. Zhang Lan signaled to her daughter and took charge, gathering the excess items that couldn’t fit in the baskets. She then asked Wang Qian to head back first, as there were still things to be done at home. Wang Qian left her empty basket behind and carried her mother’s basket back home. Along the way, when no one was looking, she secretly stashed away some of the items. She then returned to her maternal grandmother’s house, swinging the half-filled basket of seaweed.

In the kitchen, Geng Lianhua was boiling water and plucking the wild chicken. When she saw her granddaughter return, she quickly asked her to warm up on the kang and offered her some sunflower seeds to snack on before the meal. She felt sorry to see her young granddaughter clamming and wanted to make sure she was comfortable. “Qianqian, are you hungry? If you are, have some sunflower seeds first. Grandma will start cooking soon.”

The little girl nodded and slowly walked into the inner room where they had placed their belongings. She took out the large bag from the storage space and brought in the space the small bag from outside, making sure it wouldn’t attract anyone’s attention. Then, she climbed onto the kang and warmed up.

“Grandma, do you have enough food at home? Should I ask my mom to bring some over next time?” Geng Lianhua felt overjoyed upon hearing her granddaughter’s words. She was touched that her young granddaughter was concerned about them. She thought about how different her own grandson was, never bothering to visit them.

“We have enough. The food at our place is enough for the three of us. Your family has more people, so keep it for yourselves. If you ever run out, just let me know, and I’ll have your uncle bring some over,” Geng Lianhua replied.

Wang Qian lay on the edge of the kang, chatting with the elderly lady in the kitchen. Despite the vast age difference, the grandmother and granddaughter could still have a good conversation.

“Qianqian, I heard from your uncle that you and the others are learning to speak a foreign language with those old men. Say something for Grandma to hear,” Geng Lianhua was curious about what the children were learning.

Wang Qian casually said, “Grandma I love you,” but Geng Lianhua didn’t understand what her granddaughter meant.

Seeing her grandmother’s puzzled expression, Wang Qian explained with a smile, “Grandma, I just said ‘I love you, Grandma.'”

Upon understanding the meaning, Geng Lianhua blushed a little. “You little thing, I couldn’t understand that. If you spoke like the old Russians, I could understand half of it.”

Wang Qian knew who her grandmother referred to as “old Maozi.” Locals referred to the former Soviet Red Army as “old Maozi.” Wang Qian was curious to hear stories about the Soviet Red Army. “Grandma, have you met the old Maozi? What were they like?” 

“Oh, there’s a lot to say about the old Maozi. When they first came over, they weren’t much better than those little devils. They looted, burned, and harassed women. But things got better later on, after our country was established. They became more honest. But they were still outsiders, and their behavior was really problematic. I didn’t like them. They used to knock on the doors of young women for no reason. It’s not something a good person would do. But we all overlooked it because they helped us fight the devils,” the elderly lady recounted some of the events involving the old Maozi. Wang Qian was surprised to learn that the Soviet Red Army had given her mother black bread to eat. At that time, her mother must have been a child.

“Grandma, is black bread tasty?” Wang Qian had never tasted authentic black bread and was curious about its flavor.

“It’s not that great. It’s not as tasty as our pancakes, but it can fill your stomach,” Geng Lianhua replied.

When Zhang Lan and the others entered, they saw the little girl chatting enthusiastically with her grandmother.

“Mom, you’re back. Hurry up and get on the kang. The kang at Grandma’s place is really warm,” Wang Qian quickly urged everyone to warm up. She could tell that everyone was feeling very cold, especially seeing the red noses of the elderly men.

“Goodness, I’m freezing. I need to warm up on the kang right away,” Mingchen said as he helped Zuo He and Minyuan take off their shoes and climb onto the kang. Their toes were numb from the cold.

“Grandpa, Grandma, you should come up too. Don’t catch a cold,” Wang Qian called to the grandpas and granma and then helped the elderly men and women onto the kang. She knew that older people were more susceptible to catching a cold.

Old Chen stood on the ground, rubbing his frozen fingers. “It’s really cold. Seafood is delicious, but it’s not easy to catch. I need to warm up on the kang quickly. My feet are almost frozen.”

Among the elderly men, Zuo Zhanshan and Old Wu were doing fine. They still had a cheerful demeanor. Even Wang Qian couldn’t help but admire them. Despite their age, their military background made them different from ordinary folks. They could endure hardship. It’s no wonder the Communist Party could win the country. Just look at those two old gentlemen, and you’ll understand.

After warming up on the kang, Hao Lianchun went down to help Geng Lianhua and the others, and the two sisters chatted about family matters.

Zhang Wanyou, accompanied by his son Zhang Weiguo, had just come down from the boat. A neighbor on the shore joked, “Old man, why are you still here? Your family has a big group of people. You should hurry back and take a look.”

Zhang Wanyou was a bit confused. It wasn’t a festival or a special occasion, so he wondered who would come to their house. The old man was unsure of the situation, but Zhang Weiguo was overjoyed. He had caught some fish from the sea and was eager to take his father home. On the way, he also talked about the old men from his sister’s house.

“Wow, these are talented people. Good son, you should really learn from them in the future. Your old man doesn’t have much ability. If you succeed in the future, your mom will be very happy. Let’s go and pay a visit to those people you mentioned.”