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When it came to their younger siblings, Peng Ziyun and her husband were eager to meet Wang Zhenhe and his wife. They had truly done a great service for their family, taking care of their parents and raising a successful son. As a result, the couple felt deeply grateful to the hosts.
“Mom, where are Zhenhe and his wife? Why aren’t they at home?” Peng Ziyun inquired.
Hao Lianchun sighed and replied, “It’s unfortunate. Zhenhe and his wife went out, Zhenhe went to work on the mountain caves while Zhang Lan took Mingcheng and Wang Xuan to school this morning for their grade-skipping. They should be back soon. You can sit on the kang for now, and I’ll go prepare some food for you.”
As Hao Lianchun was about to leave the kang, her daughter-in-law stopped her. “Mom, there’s no rush. We’ve already eaten. We’ve come to work on the mountain caves, and Xiangcheng has brought the troops here. I, as the accompanying military doctor, have come along. There’s no one to take care of the children at home, so the organization arranged for us to bring them here.”
Hao Lianchun was pleasantly surprised to hear this news. She had thought that the couple wouldn’t be able to stay for long, but now they could have a proper family reunion.
“By the way, Xiangcheng, where are you digging the air-raid shelter?” This wasn’t a secret, so Zuo Xiangcheng had no reason to hide it. “Mom, we’re digging it near the county town, at Heshang Mountain. The troops have already arrived. I took leave to come and see you, and we’ll return to the troops tomorrow.”
Concerned about her grandsons, Hao Lianchun asked, “Xiangcheng, what about Hao and Yu? They can’t just hang around with you in the army every day. They need to go to school.”
The couple had considered this issue. “Mom, we want to find a school near the garrison for them to attend,” Zuo Xiangcheng replied.
Upon hearing this, Hao Lianchun shook her head. “No, the area you’re talking about, I know it. There are no schools nearby, and it’s all in the mountains. If you want to send the children to school, you’ll have to go quite far out of the mountains. I don’t think it’s appropriate.”
Hao Lianchun’s hesitation made the couple feel conflicted. Wang Qian chimed in, “Why not leave the two brothers with us? They can keep Zuo He company, and our home is close to the school. When you have time, you can come and visit. It won’t be a problem. What do you think, Grandma?”
Hao Lianchun had considered this, but with many people already in their home, adding two more grandchildren seemed unreasonable.
Observing Hao Lianchun’s hesitation, Wang Qian understood their family’s situation. She knew that they wouldn’t have any trouble providing for the additional two children.
“Grandma, how about this? When my mom comes back at noon, I’ll talk to her. She’ll definitely agree. Uncle, Auntie, you can rest assured and leave the two brothers here. We’ll have a lot of fun here,” Wang Qian suggested.
As she spoke about the fun they could have, the eyes of the two boys lit up. It sounded like a great idea, and they would get to be with their younger brother.
The two boys held their parents’ hands and began to plead, “Mom, Dad, please let us stay. We haven’t seen our brother for a long time. We’re afraid he’ll forget about us if we’re not with him.”
Peng Ziyun and her husband also felt the same way, but they had already caused a lot of trouble for the Wang family. Adding the children to their burden would be unfair, not to mention the guilt they felt themselves.
“Ha’er and Yu’er, look, Grandpa, Grandma, and your brother are all at your aunt’s house. Your aunt’s family isn’t wealthy, and having so many of us there would be a burden. Besides, your aunt’s health isn’t good, and taking care of you would be very difficult for her,” Peng Ziyun explained.
As they were talking, Zhang Lan returned. Seeing her mother back, Wang Qian opened the window and waved to her from outside.
“Mom, Zuo He’s parents and his brother are here. Come and see them,” Wang Qian conveyed the message to her mother, Zhang Lan.
Upon receiving the news from her daughter, Zhang Lan hurried to the room where the elderly couple was staying. When she saw Zuo Xiangcheng’s family, she was almost stunned. Her first impression was that it was no wonder Zuo He was so good-looking; with such parents, it was no surprise that they had such a child.
Looking at Zuo Xiangcheng, she sensed a certain aura of authority, perhaps due to his military background, which made Zhang Lan feel somewhat uneasy.
“Hello, Third Brother, and Sister-in-law, you’re here. Zuo He has been talking about you all the time,” Zhang Lan said suddenly, feeling a bit awkward upon seeing unfamiliar faces. It was their first meeting, and she didn’t know their personalities. She couldn’t remain silent, so she chose to say something they would like to hear.
Upon seeing their benefactor return, Zuo Xiangcheng and Peng Ziyun quickly came down to greet her. Peng Ziyun even affectionately took Zhang Lan’s hand.
“Sister-in-law, we don’t know how to thank you. You’ve taken such good care of our family, from the old to the young. You’ve relieved us of a lot of worry. I have to thank you again in person, or I’ll feel guilty. Thank you, Sister-in-law. Thank you very much,” Peng Ziyun expressed her gratitude sincerely.
Zhang Lan could feel their sincerity and goodwill, and the initial tension she felt disappeared.
“Sister-in-law, please don’t be so polite. It’s fate that brought us together with your father-in-law, Zuo He, and my daughter. It’s quite a coincidence. By the way, have you eaten? I’ll go and prepare something for you,” Zhang Lan offered.
Peng Ziyun quickly stopped her. “Sister-in-law, we’re not hungry. Let’s eat together at noon. Let’s sit down and talk about the children.”
Peng Ziyun was eager to learn more about Zuo He’s daily life, and Zhang Lan knew that this was a topic that concerned every mother. As a result, the two women grew closer as they discussed Zuo He’s experiences. Peng Ziyun couldn’t help but shed tears as she heard about her son’s life, sometimes feeling joyful and at other times tearful. Zuo Xiangcheng also listened attentively to his son’s growth experiences, showing a great deal of seriousness.
Zuo Hao and Zuo Yu couldn’t help but admire Zuo He when they heard that he had once caught a big fish. “Mom, our little brother is really amazing. Such a big fish must be delicious,” Zuo Yu, the food lover, couldn’t help but think about eating when he remembered the fish his brother had caught. Zhang Lan and Peng Ziyun couldn’t help but laugh at the sudden change of topic.
“Sister-in-law, you’ll get to see your son at noon. Zuo He has grown strong and sturdy now. You’ll see when you meet him. By the way, Sister-in-law, did you come specifically to visit the elderly, or do you have other matters to attend to?” Peng Ziyun’s smile grew even sweeter as she spoke about their visit. “Sister-in-law, we’re here for business. We’ll need to stay in your area for a while. We’ve come to dig an air-raid shelter. We’ll leave when the work is done. This way, we can stay a little longer.”
When the topic of digging the air-raid shelter came up, Zhang Lan looked at the two children on the kang and wondered what to do if the parents took them to work.
“Sister-in-law, how about this? Why don’t you leave the two boys with me? It’s not convenient to take them with you to dig the shelter. If you miss them, you can come back to see them. Since we’re in the same area, the distance shouldn’t be too far, and it would be convenient for you to come and go. You can rest assured leaving the children with me. Their grandmother is here, and I can help take care of them,” Zhang Lan suggested, concerned that they might not feel at ease. Peng Ziyun had been hesitant to bring up the matter, but in Zhang Lan’s hands, it suddenly seemed like a small matter. Moreover, she was insisting that they leave the children there. It was hard to find such a kind-hearted person. She had never met anyone so kind-hearted.
“Sister-in-law, I’m afraid this will be too much trouble for you. Our family, from the old to the young, will all rely on you alone. We, as children, and as parents, are being a bit irresponsible,” Peng Ziyun expressed her concern.
Zhang Lan could tell that they were unwilling to make this arrangement out of consideration for her feelings. She smiled and said, “Brother, Sister-in-law, you can rest assured. You should focus on your work, and leaving the children with me won’t be a big deal. They are old enough to take care of themselves. I’ll just cook for them. Besides, there’s also their Grandma here. You don’t need to feel guilty. Our families are connected by fate. After all, we call you Brother and Sister-in-law. I’ll take care of the children.”
Zhang Lan spoke with great enthusiasm. She wouldn’t have dared to say such things in the past when the family was struggling to put food on the table. Now that they had enough to eat, and with the elderly to care for, she didn’t mind taking in two more children.
“Sister-in-law, I really want to thank you. I feel bad for troubling you, but now that our whole family is together at your place, I feel at ease leaving the children with you. Tomorrow, we’ll bring the children’s luggage and clothes here. They can all attend school here and look out for each other. You have no idea how much Zuo Hao and Yu talks about his brother every day. Finally, the three brothers will be reunited,” Peng Ziyun expressed her gratitude.
As noon approached, Zhang Lan and the elderly couple hurried downstairs to prepare the meal. Peng Ziyun also got busy, unpacking her belongings. She had brought food, clothing, and medicine, including some supplements for Zhang Lan. She had heard from Zuo He that Zhang Lan had a heart condition, and there wasn’t any effective treatment available. All she could do was bring some nourishing supplements.
“Thank you, Sister-in-law. I don’t know how to thank you. You sent so many things before the New Year, and now you’ve brought so much again. I’m the one who feels embarrassed,” Zhang Lan expressed her gratitude.
Zhang Lan was surprised by Zuo He’s thoughtfulness in sharing her health condition with his family.
After exchanging polite words, they went to the kitchen to help with the cooking. Peng Ziyun wasn’t skilled at cooking, but she could manage to start a fire.
Meanwhile, Wang Qian sat on the kang with the two young guests. Zuo Hao and his brother, Zuo Yu, hesitantly approached Wang Qian. Their behavior reminded Wang Qian of Zuo He’s initial shyness, and she couldn’t help but chuckle.