Chapter 129: Homecoming

Wang Qian took her sister to heat up the water, while the two elderly gentlemen talked to Wang Zhenhe about the shooting.

Wang Zhenhe was surprised to learn that his two sons were even better than the militiamen. He felt excited and proud. “Good sons, well done.”

He then remembered the biscuits and candies he had brought for the children and quickly got up to unpack his luggage. The package that had fallen at the door had already been brought to the kang by Mingcheng.

Hao Lianchun noticed that the blankets and quilts brought back by Wang Zhenhe were extremely dirty. She sighed, realizing that without a woman to look after him while he was away, the cleanliness was lacking. She quickly took the items and began to unpack and clean the bedding.

Wang Zhenhe took out a packet of biscuits and candies and handed it to the elderly lady. “Auntie, don’t rush. Have a biscuit first. I’ll unpack later. There’s no place to put it in the bathing area, and it’s so dirty.”

“Zhenhe, I don’t eat those. They’re too dry. Give them to the children. I’m fine with just drinking plain water.” Since all three adults refused, Wang Zhenhe had no choice but to hand the biscuits to the three children. “Mingcheng, share these with your sisters and brothers.”

He then turned back to help Hao Lianchun unpack the bedding. They worked quickly and soon finished. The elderly lady took the soiled bedding to the bathing area, soaked it in water, and began to scrub it with soap. She had asked the old man to buy the soap, as the Wang family had always used wood ash for laundry, which even she found distressing.

“Grandma, leave it there. We’ll use the water to wash it after Dad finishes bathing,” Wang Xuan said as she added wood to the stove.

Hao Lianchun just smiled and said, “It’s okay, Let  grandma just lather the soap first. It will be easier to wash later.”

“I’m back, Auntie.”

Zhang Lan returned from the post office, pushing a handcart, and as soon as she entered the courtyard, she began to call out. The bag she was carrying was quite heavy, and she struggled to manage it alone.

Upon hearing her voice, the elderly gentlemen and Wang Zhenhe hurried out to help. Seeing his wife return with such a large bag, Wang Zhenhe was surprised. “Wife, have you struck it rich? Where did you find this?”

Zhang Lan was pleased to see her husband back, but she gave him a look in response to his comment. “You’re just hoping for good news. Go and try lifting it yourself. This was sent by Brother Zuo. Hurry and carry it inside. It’s quite heavy.”

The two elderly gentlemen followed Wang Zhenhe into the house, curious to see what was inside. Wu Changyong was eager to see the contents.

Hao Lianchun emerged from the bathing area and said, “Lan, you must be tired. Go inside and rest for a while.”

Zhang Lan smiled and replied, “Auntie, I’m not tired. I’m happy to see the brothers being so filial. I’ll return the cart first and then we can chat later.”

As Zhang Lan left with the cart, the sisters heated up the water and entered the house. They found the three men eagerly opening the package. The contents made Wang Qian’s mouth water—a large package of sausages, clothes, fabric, socks, and various snacks, all quite diverse.

Wu Changyong couldn’t wait to tear open a package of snacks. “Delicious! It tastes just like I remember. Old Zuo, you should try it too. This is the famous osmanthus cake. It’s fragrant and delicious. The children should come and taste it. This was sent by Uncle Zuo. We don’t have these here.”

Hao Lianchun opened the large package of sausages and gave each of the siblings one to nibble on. The pure meat sausages tasted much better than the ones sold in modern times. Although Wang Qian occasionally cooked rabbit, there were many people to feed, and the meat was lean. As they savored the fragrant sausages, their mouths watered.

“Dad, the water is ready. Hurry up and take a bath. It’ll be much more enjoyable to eat later,” Wang Zhenhe’s daughter said.

Wang Zhenhe happily grabbed a snack and hurried to the bathroom. He needed to clean up quickly, or else he would be scolded by his daughter.

Hao Lianchun gave a piece of sausage to each of the two elderly gentlemen. “Try it. It’ll replenish your energy. We’ll have dinner with Old Chen and the others when they come back.”

When Zhang Lan returned, the elderly lady arranged the items on the kang.

She showed Zhang Lan the items that had been sent. “Lan, you and Zhenhe can each make a piece of clothing from these fabrics. You’ve both worked hard all year, so don’t overwork yourselves. Keep these snacks for the children as treats. Share some of the sausages with your mother’s family, and we’ll keep the rest for ourselves.”

“Auntie, these were bought as a token of respect for you by the brothers. It’s not appropriate for me to take them,” Zhang Lan said, touched by the elderly lady’s arrangement.

“Silly girl, they were bought for me, so I have the right to decide who gets them. Keep them. You’re young, so wear some new clothes. You’ll regret it when you’re older. I’ve decided. Both of you should make new clothes. Save some of the snacks for the next time Weiguo visits. I like that child. He’s respectful and well-mannered, unlike the two from your mother-in-law’s family,” the elderly lady said.

Zhang Lan handed the money she had retrieved to Hao Lianchun. “Aunt, this is the money Big Brother sent back. You keep it for now. Don’t give it to me. Our family is still managing, and we’ll slowly repay those few debts. Besides, if we sell a few more things, we’ll have enough.”

Hao Lianchun had kept the matter of selling things a secret between the two of them. No one else knew. She hoped that Zhang Lan would tell Wang Zhenhe about it. Up to now, she hadn’t mentioned it. She felt that Zhang Lan still had some reservations about it. After all, they were dealing with these relatives who could be difficult. She wouldn’t have said anything either.

When Wang Zhenhe returned today, the family had to have something delicious to celebrate. There were still three rabbits in Wang Qian’s space. Zhang Lan took her daughter out and managed to catch a rabbit, which they would have for dinner.

The family was naturally delighted to have meat for dinner. Even after Old Chen and the others returned from selling, they handed over the money as usual. However, Zhang Lan only accepted the small change and gave the larger sum to the elderly gentlemen as pocket money.

Dinner was particularly lively. Not only had Wang Zhenhe returned, but the meal included not only meat but also sausages. Zhang Lan had specially fried a large plate of sausages, making everyone’s mouths water.

After dinner, the elderly men sat aside, peeling corn cobs. Zhang Lan took out some fabric she had bought and planned to make underpants for the elderly men. It was easier for old Wu and old Zhou, as someone had sent them some, but old Chen and old Cui were in a different situation. Their underpants were worn out, so Zhang Lan had to quickly make two pairs for them.

Hao Lianchun helped with the cutting, and the two of them worked quickly. After cutting the fabric, they began sewing. The siblings went next door for their lessons, while Old Wu and Wang Zhenhe discussed how they could earn some extra money.

“I wonder if that guy surnamed Yu is reliable. If he is, we could have something to do and earn some money. It’s quite a good deal,” Wu Changyong said.

Wu Changyong had never been concerned about money before, but now he had to consider it more. Although the family could send some money, he still wanted to earn more to help the Wang family a bit. The two elderly gentlemen had nothing, and they really relied on Wang Zhenhe and his wife. Fortunately, the couple were good people. Not only did they take care of them, but they also give them money. They were really kind to them without saying a word.

“If you feel bored, just go and guide them. If they don’t pay, forget it. Just train them hard and let off some steam,” Wang Zhenhe said.

Wang Zhenhe didn’t care about any of that. As long as it wasn’t him being trained, it was fine. After all, those people were usually so arrogant. Now, it was finally their turn to be under the control of his family. A little revenge was not a bad thing.

The next day, the loudspeaker on the mountain broadcasted some good news. Every household was going to install a small radio. Mingcheng and the others didn’t know what the small radio looked like, but they were all excited and looking forward to it.

The people came to the Wang family in the afternoon to install the radios. It was a small box hung on the wall. Mingyuan came back from school and stared at the radio on the wall, hoping to hear some sound from it. However, after waiting for a long time, there was still no sound, and he sat there feeling disappointed.

Wang Zhenhe patted his son’s head and said, “Son, the radio won’t work until it’s installed in every household, and the wiring needs to be done. I’m sure you’ll hear something in the next couple of days.”

Mingyuan looked disappointed. “Dad, I just wanted to hear what our radio sounds like. Is it the same as the loudspeaker?”

Zhang Lan chuckled and said, “Silly boy, the radio is also operated by others, just like the loudspeaker.” Upon hearing this, Mingyuan’s enthusiasm waned, and he shook his head. “Then what’s the point of the radio? What a waste.”

He then went off to play with Zuo He, leaving his parents to exchange a smile. “You see, he’s becoming more and more like an old man,” Zhang Lan said, watching her son’s retreating figure.

Wang Zhenhe quickly deflected the responsibility. “That’s not like me at all.”

The next day at noon, the radio finally emitted its first sound—a precise time announcement. Mingyuan finally heard something, but he had lost interest in the device.

After the family finished lunch, an unexpected visitor arrived at their home. Zhang Lan’s elder sister, Zhang Hua, had come, but she seemed to have been crying, and half of her face was swollen.

“Sister, what happened? Did you get into a fight?”

Zhang Lan didn’t ask at first, but when she did, it brought out all of Zhang Hua’s grievances. She burst into tears, “I can’t go on like this. I might as well be dead. There’s not a single good person in the Old Qu family.”

Zhang Lan gradually learned the whole story from her elder sister. The reason for the fight between her brother-in-law and sister was also due to the family’s issues.

The two elderly parents were under their care, while the other siblings provided the elderly support money. However, they kept delaying the support money and didn’t want to pay up. Additionally, the brothers often came to their parents’ home under the pretext of visiting, but they were actually freeloading. Over time, Zhang Hua became increasingly dissatisfied. When accumulated grievances reached a certain point, she exploded. Today, when these people came to freeload at their home again, and each time they came empty-handed, it was the last straw.

The key issue was not just this. Every time the brothers visited, Qu Cungeng acted like a big shot, ordering his wife around. Over time, Zhang Hua became unwilling to tolerate it. Today, she finally exploded, overturning the dining table in front of so many people. Qu Cungeng lost face and got into a physical fight with his wife. Zhang Hua’s current state was his doing.