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Qu Wan is a few months younger than Mingcheng, so Mingcheng asked, “Cousin, why don’t you and your brother come to our house to play?”
Qu Dong, whose voice was starting to change, replied, “Cousin, we still have to pick grass at home. We don’t have time. I also want to play, but there’s no one to do the work at home.”
Understanding the situation, Mingcheng nodded and said, “Cousin, come over when you have time. We have a big house now, so you can stay. It’s not like before when we didn’t have space.”
Having their own house was always their pride, and with so many elderly people in the family treating them well, Mingcheng and the others hoped to have someone to share their excitement and joy.
Zhang Wanyou and Zhang Weiguo chatted with the two brothers-in-law on the kang. Not seeing their eldest brother’s family, Qu Cungen casually asked, “Dad, isn’t our eldest brother’s family coming today?”
The old man took a puff of his cigarette and said, “They probably won’t come. Their eldest sister and her family came back today, so they must be somewhere else. It’s better if they don’t come. It’s annoying to see them. They don’t understand any manners, even though they’ve been raised well. I’m better off not seeing them.”
Wang Zhenhe added, “Yes, Dad, if you miss having children around, let our kids come and keep you company. When you have time, come to our place. Our elderly folks are quite interesting. When they get together, they always have something to talk about.”
Zhang Wanyou’s eyes lit up when his son-in-law mentioned visiting. He truly enjoyed chatting with the elderly men. “Hehe, I think that’s a good idea. When I have time, I’ll also stay at daughter’s house for a couple of days. I want to see how things are at your place. By the way, Zhenhe, don’t get upset if there’s a shortage at home. Take it easy. If you run out of money, let me know. I don’t have much, but I can still manage to buy some oil and salt.”
Wang Zhenhe couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. This man was truly incomparable. He saw how sincerely his in-laws treated his family, and then he thought about his own family. He felt like he was born into the wrong family.
“Dad, everything is fine at home. We earn money slowly and spend it as needed. Your grandchildren are sensible and don’t cause trouble. They even help around the house. With these children, I’m not worried even in the face of a severe shortage. They give me the motivation to keep going,” Wang Zhenhe said.
Wang Zhenhe’s proudest achievement was his children. When he talked about the siblings, even Zhang Wanyou could sense his happiness.
In the kitchen, the three women were busy preparing lunch. There wasn’t much, mostly seafood from the seaside. Geng Lianhua had prepared everything in advance, so it just needed to be steamed.
Seeing her sister in a new outfit made from fabric not available at the local supply and marketing cooperative, Zhang Hua expressed some envy. “Sister, your living standards haven’t declined despite building the house. Look at your outfit. It’s beautiful. What do you think, Mom?”
Geng Lianhua smiled and said, “Of course, my daughter is beautiful. She looks good in anything. Even if she wore a sack, she would still stand out.”
Their mother always saw her daughter as beautiful, and Zhang Lan knew her sister was envious of the outfit.
“Elder sister, this fabric isn’t available here. It was sent for the elderly couple to make clothes by their son’s and daughters. She didn’t want to accept it, so she made an outfit for each of us,” Zhang Lan explained.
Zhang Hua was surprised to hear this news. “Ah, they haven’t left yet? How long are you going to support them? Even if you’re given a piece of fabric, it’s not worth much. They consume a lot of grain in a year. You, oh you, what can I say? You’re too soft when people give you things. Have you forgotten about our own situation? Are you being foolish? How did you raise such a naive daughter?”
Geng Lianhua didn’t want to hear her eldest daughter’s words and gave her a disapproving look. “Your sister isn’t naive. She’s blessed. Having an elderly person at home is a treasure. Those people have noticed it too. They’re not like what you’re saying. They’re all intellectuals with strong self-esteem. Maybe our daughter is benefiting from their blessings.”
Geng Lianhua didn’t have the same narrow-minded view as Zhang Hua. She had observed those elderly men and women, and they were not ordinary people. Her daughter benefited greatly from living with them. Who was benefiting from whom was still uncertain.
Zhang Hua shook her head at the seemingly foolish mother and daughter. “You two, I don’t know what’s gotten into you. You’re praising them even though they’re living off us. I don’t understand your thinking. Let me tell you, don’t come crying to me when you run out of food.”
“Sister, they bring their own food, and the elderly man also helps with the household chores. They’re really good people. You haven’t spent much time with them. They treat me just like their own child. I feel fortunate to have met them,” Zhang Lan said.
Seeing her sister’s happy and peaceful smile, Zhang Hua suddenly felt envious. “Little sister, are they really as good as you say?”
Zhang Lan added some firewood to the stove and said, “Of course. They are kind and gentle. They’re nothing like my mother-in-law. Where else can you find such good elderly people? They help with cooking and housework even when there’s nothing to do. It’s wonderful.”
At this point, Zhang Hua definitely felt foolish for feeling envious. What was there to envy about such people? She could manage the household chores herself. With so many people at home, she could rely on her daughter to do all the cleaning. It seemed that her younger sister was truly naive. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have treated those useless people like ancestors.
On the kang, Wang Qian learned that there would be another tide after lunch. She discussed it with her siblings and decided to go catch some fresh seafood after the meal to bring back for their grandparents.
“Grandpa, did you finish the wine I brought last time? If it’s finished, I’ll bring some more next time,” Wang Qian asked.
Zhang Wanyou nodded in response to his granddaughter’s question. “Qianqian, we still have some left. Your grandma, your uncle, and I have a little every night. I feel like the wrinkles on my face have softened. Look, do you think your grandpa looks younger now?”
The old man was most proud of feeling increasingly youthful. Previously, he used to suffer from leg and back pain on windy days, but this winter, he hadn’t experienced any discomfort. He attributed this to the wine.
Wang Zhenhe carefully observed and noticed that his father-in-law did indeed seem more energetic than before, with a healthy glow on his face.
“Dad, is this because of the wine? We’ve been drinking it too, but I haven’t experienced the same changes,” Wang Zhenhe asked.
Zhang Wanyou patted his shoulder. “You’re still young. What changes could you possibly have? I can feel these changes because I’m getting older. If you start feeling like this, it means you’re getting old. By the way, Zhenhe, how has Zhang Lan been feeling lately? My daughter isn’t in good health. She tends to fall ill in winter. Has she been okay this year?”
The concern for their daughter’s health prompted Zhang Wanyou to inquire. His daughter had suffered greatly from heart disease in the past, and she would catch a cold with every change of season. She had practically grown up in a medicine jar, and the thought of her made him ache.
When the old man brought up the topic, Wang Zhenhe realized that his wife had been healthy throughout the year. “Dad, do you think it’s because of the sea cucumber? Zhang Lan hasn’t fallen ill this winter. Maybe you should consider picking more of it in the future. I think it has a significant impact. I’ve never heard of alcohol being a cure for illnesses.”
Uncertain about his son-in-law’s suggestion, Zhang Wanyou assured him that they would ensure Zhang Lan had a steady supply of sea cucumbers. “Rest assured, with us here, Zhang Lan won’t run out of sea cucumbers. Your elderly folks also eat them. And Cungen, your parents are getting older. When you have time, go to the seaside and pick some for them to try.”
Qu Cungen smiled helplessly. “Dad, last time my sister mentioned it, but my parents don’t eat that stuff at all. Zhang Hua and I have tried it, and to be honest, it’s not very tasty. Besides, we don’t have any health issues. Eating that stuff isn’t as practical as having a few more bites of bread. We won’t try it again.”
The siblings often played Ga La Ha on the kang when they had free time. The sandbags were sewn by Hao Lianchun for the sisters, and Qu Wan also joined in. The game involved throwing the sandbags onto the kang or table, quickly catching the matching sandbags, and then catching the bag to earn points. The one with the highest score within the set time was the winner.
As the girls were engrossed in their game, Geng Lianhua instructed Zhang Weiguo to set the table. The people on the kang quickly tidied up, making space for the adults to have their meal.
Zhang Wanyou cheerfully brought out some wine to invite the two brothers-in-law to join them for the meal. Wang Zhenhe, being perceptive, quickly fetched wine glasses for his father-in-law when he saw the wine being brought out.
Lunch mainly consisted of seafood, with a plate of stir-fried pork belly. Seeing the meat, the Qu siblings’ chopsticks were fixed on the plate. Geng Lianhua quickly picked up a piece for Zuo He and the others. “Zuo He, take your time. When you’re at Grandma’s, don’t be shy. If you’re too polite, it’s your loss.”
The Wang siblings thanked their grandmother. The pork belly was delicious, but despite their desire to eat, they maintained basic table manners. They didn’t fixate on any particular dish but sampled each one. Zua He occasionally praised the food, which not only pleased the grandmother but also made Zhang Lan feel proud. It was a testament to how well-behaved the children were. Their sweet words warmed her heart.