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Today, the siblings and the elderly men had a good harvest, and all the money from selling items was handed over to Zhang Lan. They claimed it was for buying New Year goods.
However, this time Zhang Lan only kept a small amount and gave each of the elderly men two yuan as pocket money.
“Uncle Zuo, you should keep this money. The elderly men should have some money on them, and you might need money to buy cigarettes. Let’s save up the money we earn in the future. Besides, we still have our annual bonus for buying New Year goods,” Zhang Lan said.
Two yuan may not be much, but the elderly men felt the weight of the money in their hands.
“Thank you, niece…” Old Chen took the money, his eyes a little red. He didn’t say anything else, but everyone knew what he wanted to say. They all wanted to express their gratitude for the warmth she had brought to their family and the selfless care she had given to them. However, they couldn’t bring themselves to say it out loud. They felt that saying it would make it less meaningful, so they buried these feelings in their hearts, letting them blend into their blood.
Zhang Lan smiled and said, “Uncle, what are you saying? We are all family. Don’t say such things. Besides, this money is hard-earned by all of you. Let’s not stand around. Let’s eat quickly. We’ve all been tired this afternoon, and our stomachs must be empty by now.”
The family quickly finished their meal, and after dinner, Wu Changyong took the three boys out for a walk to aid digestion. The women stayed on the kang, shelling corn. Hao Lianchun mentioned that she wanted to make a trip back to the city. After staying at the Wang family’s place for such a long time, she felt the need to go back and check on things, as she wasn’t entirely clear about the situation there.
“Grandma Zuo, have you talked to Granpa Zuo about this?” Wang Qian asked.
Hao Lianchun nodded. “Yes, I’ve talked to him, and he agreed that I should go back to take a look. I’m worried that if people over there see me not going back, they might come looking for me, and that could be troublesome.”
“Grandma Zuo, I’ll accompany you to the city tomorrow. I’ll take care of you and we’ll come back if there’s nothing to attend to. Let’s consider it as a short break,” Wang Qian said. She was genuinely concerned about the elderly lady going to the city alone. Although Wang Zhenhe had informed the people there, it wasn’t ideal for her to remain out of sight for too long. Therefore, she planned to personally accompany her and see if she could sell some items to supplement the household expenses.
The next day, the grandmother and granddaughter boarded the bus. Wang Qian had already sent a basket of pine needles over during her last trip to the city, so she wasn’t worried about the household running out of fuel for the kang.
When Hao Lianchun entered her old home, she was surprised to find that it was very clean and everything was neatly organized. There was even a large pile of coal cinders neatly arranged under the wall. The elderly lady was puzzled. “Qianqian, could this be something your father arranged?”
After thinking it over, Hao Lianchun realized that only Wang Zhenhe could have done such a thing. No one else would anonymously provide her with burnable coal cinders without leaving a name. It was most likely Wang Zhenhe, and he still had the key to her house.
Wang Qian also took a look around. There hadn’t been any coal cinders during her last visit, so she figured it must have been her father’s doing. ” Grandma Zuo, this should be something my dad did.”
The elderly lady found it amusing to watch the little girl pacing back and forth with her hands behind her back. “Qianqian, stay at home. I’ll be back soon. Later, I’ll take you to the store to buy some treats.”
After Hao Lianchun left, Wang Qian took out the vegetables prepared in her space. Taking advantage of the time when everyone was out shopping for groceries and cooking lunch, she set up her vegetable stall again.
It was winter, and few people were out and about, but Wang Qian had a plan. She found Shan Shuzhen’s house, and since it wasn’t yet noon, Shan Shuzhen hadn’t returned. However, she saw a few elderly ladies sitting under the wall, basking in the sun near Shan Shuzhen’s house. They had bought her goods before.
“Grandmothers, would you like to buy some vegetables? They’re very fresh,” Wang Qian said, waving a bunch of leeks in front of them. The elderly ladies who were basking in the sun immediately perked up and gathered around her.
In the winter, there weren’t many vegetables in the city. It was basically the same as in the countryside, with just cabbage, potatoes, radishes, and pickled vegetables. Fresh vegetables were scarce, so when they saw the green in her hands, they couldn’t help but be interested.
“How much are you selling these for, girl? We’re worried they might be too expensive for us,” someone asked, concerned about the price.
Wang Qian smiled and said, “Grandmothers, the price of these greens is only slightly higher than what we paid in the summer. After all, there are some losses and expenses involved in preserving them at our home.”
After quoting a price, several elderly ladies immediately went home to get money to make a purchase. A few others hesitated, but Wang Qian wasn’t worried. As long as someone bought the vegetables, she was confident they would all sell.
When Shan Shuzhen returned from work, she saw a crowd gathered in front of her house, which surprised her. Upon squeezing through the crowd, she saw that it was none other than Wang Qian, the little girl.
“Qianqian, where did you get such fresh vegetables? They look so appetizing,” Shan Shuzhen said, crouching down to inspect the produce. There were several different types of vegetables in the basket, and everyone bought according to their preferences. When it was Shan Shuzhen’s turn to pay, Wang Qian offered her a significant discount, and the two exchanged a knowing smile.
As the basket began to empty, the remaining onlookers hurried to make their selections. Each of them quickly grabbed a handful of their favorite vegetables and paid before leaving.
“Girl, come back again around the New Year. We need some fresh vegetables to entertain our guests,” a few of the elderly ladies reminded Wang Qian as they left.
After arranging a return visit, Wang Qian swiftly left with the empty basket and returned to the Zuo family’s courtyard to prepare lunch. Unexpectedly, as she was starting the fire, the courtyard door was pushed open, and Wang Zhenhe, who hadn’t been seen for a long time, appeared in the yard.
Excitedly, Wang Qian rushed over to her father, who looked thin and dark. “Dad, how come you’re here?”
Wang Zhenhe was puzzled to see the courtyard door open, but when he saw his daughter running towards him, his wide grin couldn’t hide the joy on his face. “My girl, I’ve missed you so much. Let me have a good look at you.”
Wang Zhenhe carefully examined Wang Qian, who looked healthy and energetic. Yes, this was the precious child he had been yearning for day and night.
“Daughter, why did you come over today?” Wang Zhenhe carried his daughter into the kitchen and saw that his little girl had already started the fire. It seemed she was planning to cook.
“Dad, I came with Grandma Zuo to visit. She went to the Commune committee, and I’m preparing lunch. Dad, you can have your meal here and taste your daughter’s cooking. I’ll take care of you. Look at how thin you’ve become,” Wang Qian said as she chattered away in his arms. Wang Zhenhe particularly enjoyed listening to her. He had never realized how heartwarming it felt to hear his daughter chatter.
“Qianqian, what delicious dish are you planning to make for me at lunch?” Wang Zhenhe had been eating quite simply lately, and the communal meals were just enough to fill his stomach. Seeing his daughter’s caring expression, he couldn’t help but tease her.
Wang Qian raised her little head and said, “Dad, I’ll make some meat for you at lunch. Mom brought some smoked meat for us. I’ll go stir-fry the vegetables for you.” With that, she slipped out of Wang Zhenhe’s embrace and went to the kerosene stove to start heating the water. Meanwhile, the large stove was also being prepared to heat water for Wang Zhenhe’s bath.
She cleaned the potatoes and cabbage brought from home and stewed the meat. Wang Zhenhe neatly arranged the coal cinders brought from home under the window and quickly came in to help make pancakes.
When Hao Lianchun returned, she was delighted to see Wang Zhenhe, and her smile grew even wider upon seeing him.
“Zhenhe, thank goodness for you. Next time, I’ll bring more materials with me. The person you found has been really helpful. I won’t have to come here so often in the future,” Hao Lianchun said. This news was undoubtedly good for the father and daughter.
“Auntie, you can stay with us in peace from now on. I’m counting on you to help take care of the family,” Wang Zhenhe said.
After washing up, the three of them began to eat. However, seeing how Wang Zhenhe’s eats, both the Auntie Zuo and his daughter felt sorry for him. “Zhenhe, eat slowly. There’s more in the pot. Later, Auntie will give you some smoked meat to take back. Your wife made sure I brought plenty back this time. It’s a pity. Your meals must be lacking in oil and water. It’s not good for doing physical labor without enough nourishment,” Hao Lianchun said, hurriedly adding more meat to his bowl. After wolfing down his food, Wang Zhenhe let out a long sigh. “Daughter, I didn’t expect this food to be so delicious. Home-cooked meals are the best.”