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Speaking of the matter, the elderly lady had a mysterious look on her face. “Well, you can go out today without any trouble. Yesterday, the ideological faction emerged victorious, and they defeated the doctrinal faction. It’s unlikely that there will be any trouble for a while, but still, be careful when you go out. It’s not entirely peaceful yet. Be cautious. Also, don’t forget that you can come to me next time. People in our area all recognize your goods. The prices are fair, and you are good people. Don’t forget that.”
The elderly lady’s words were because the mother and daughter rarely haggled over the weight at the scale. A few extra ounces were not a problem, which made some elderly people who liked to take advantage particularly fond of them. Although it didn’t cause a big fuss, frugal elderly people still preferred to see the true weight on the scale. Those who didn’t use deceptive practices naturally gained their approval. It was as simple as that. Trust between people could be established over small matters and could disappear over minor issues. Perhaps this was what the elderly often referred to as “losing the forest for the trees.”
Knowing that their goods were popular, Zhang Lan and her daughter naturally hoped to come back more often. It was a mutually beneficial relationship, so why not take advantage of it?
“Grandma, we’ll take our leave now. If we have goods in the future, we’ll come to you. We might trouble you in the future,” Zhang Lan said.
After processing the flour and cornmeal at the grain processing place, the mother and daughter went directly to the store to buy things for everyone.
The store was no longer as bustling as it used to be, and there were fewer shoppers. Wang Qian carefully examined the items inside. Although the variety wasn’t extensive, they were all essential items for daily life. However, the selection was still more diverse compared to the goods available at the local supply and marketing cooperative.
Zhang Lan bought shoes for everyone and also purchased some cakes for the children at home from the grocery section. While everyone had enjoyed snacks, Mingyuan and the others had never tasted cake before.
When the mother and daughter returned in the afternoon, Hao Lianchun had already started preparing dinner. “Auntie, I’ll cook. You can rest. Take a look and see if the shoes I bought for you fit,” Zhang Lan said.
Upon entering the house, the elderly lady saw the kang filled with shoes of various sizes, indicating that everyone in the household likely had a pair.
“Why did you spend money on this? You could have just mended the old shoes. It’s better to save money and buy some food for the children. Why would an old lady like me need such good shoes?” Hao Lianchun said, although she had been smiling all along.
Wang Qian pulled the elderly lady onto the kang and whispered, “Grandma Zuo, we were supposed to come back yesterday, but there was a shooting in the city. It was terrifying, and we heard that people died. So, we stayed at your place for a day. It seems that the streets are safe today, so we came over.”
“Oh, there’s shooting again? I told you to come back. It’s better to hide. Those bullets have no eyes. We should be careful. It’s non-stop every day. How will the parents of the deceased cope? They’ve raised their children, only to lose them just like that,” the elderly lady sighed repeatedly, expressing her deep concern.
As Wu Changyong entered the room, he heard Hao Lianchun’s sighs and asked, “Comrade Old Hao, who has upset you? Why are you sighing so heavily?”
Hao Lianchun gave him a look, “There was trouble in the city again yesterday, and it seems quite serious. I was sighing for those who died in vain. They were so young, and now they’re gone. Who wouldn’t feel heartbroken? Their parents probably woudn’t know how to cope. By the way, all of you come and try on the shoes. Lan’er bought them for us, one pair for each person. Do we have enough?”
Wu Changyong tried on a pair of shoes that were about the same size as his feet. They fit well and would be ready to wear in a while. He put them away, saying, “Old Hao, I feel like I’m back in the days of war. Back then, we were each given a pair of shoes, and it felt really good.”
As they reminisced about the past, the three old comrades sighed. The shoes fit the elderly men well, and everyone praised Zhang Lan’s good judgment. Not a single pair was a wrong choice.
“Mom, we’re back,” Mingyuan announced loudly, indicating that the four boys had returned.
Mingyuan and Zuo Hao each brought back some firewood, and Zhang Lan quickly poured hot water for the three of them to wash up.
After dinner, Wang Juan came to visit. Wang Qian knew that her aunt was basically there to pass on some news. It seemed that something had happened over there.
“Sister, there’s a commotion over there. Han Cui has finally had enough. Haha,” Wang Juan said, looking particularly pleased, with a different agenda in mind. This time, she realized that taking advantage wasn’t as easy as it seemed.
“Sister-in-law, slow down. What’s the reason for the commotion? There must be a cause. Weren’t things fine before?” Wang Qian asked.
Wang Juan had an expression of “you don’t understand.” “Well, Han Cui used to cook porridge and pickles for them every day. Even a good person can’t stand it. So, Wang Zhenguo went over to watch his sister-in-law cook even before mealtime. Han Cui couldn’t tolerate it. She couldn’t even sneak a bite. He didn’t leave until midnight. I couldn’t help but say that it’s not easy to take advantage of the old lady. The couple even started persuading the old man to come home. It’s funny to think about. The old lady was probably waiting for this day, wasn’t she?”
Wang Qian, not hearing the end of the story, quickly asked, “Auntie, what happened next? Did they continue arguing, or did my grandpa go back?”
Wang Juan chuckled, “With your grandmother around, could they keep arguing? You know what she said. It’s funny to think about. She said, ‘Daughter-in-law, I’m not saying this because I’m your mother-in-law, but what are you two doing? You’ve separated us, an old couple. Those who know the truth think we’re having a conflict, and those who don’t think we’re up to something. You shouldn’t say such things. It’s embarrassing. You should stop. Do you think I’m blind? It’s time to end your little tricks. Don’t embarrass yourselves.'”
Hearing this, Wang Qian couldn’t help but admire the old lady’s decisiveness. After all, Han Cui was a daughter-in-law. If such words were spread, it wouldn’t sound good.
Wang Juan continued, “Do you think your second aunt could continue arguing after hearing that? They both persuaded your grandpa to go back, but he was stubborn and refused to budge. Do you know what the old lady said?”
Everyone wondered what she could have said to hold the old man back at that moment. “Auntie, stop beating around the bush. Please tell us,” Wang Xuan urged.
After listening for a while without hearing the conclusion, Wang Xuan urged her to continue, “Do you know what the old lady said? She said, ‘If you’re not afraid of delaying your son’s marriage, then stay. Zhenguo’s future mother-in-law is about to come to discuss the marriage. It’s up to you. If you don’t want your son to resent you for the rest of his life, you should go back.'”
Wang Qian couldn’t help but shake her head for the old man. This was a trump card that no responsible parent could escape, especially someone like Wang Deshan.
Mingyuan followed up with a question, “Auntie, are you saying that my grandpa went back with her?”
Wang Juan nodded, “That’s right. Your grandpa wouldn’t want to prevent your younger uncle from getting married. Besides, the other party’s conditions are much better than your grandpa’s family. It would be a pity to give up. Your grandpa wouldn’t want the marriage proposal to fall out, so he had to obediently go back with your grandma. The old lady’s tactics are quite ruthless. What else could your grandpa do if he didn’t go back?”
Everyone felt some sympathy for Wang Deshan. It was no wonder he had been suppressed by such a formidable wife all his life.
“Well, it’s a good thing for him to go back. We can’t have the old couple separated. It wouldn’t sound good if this got out. I hope they can live in peace from now on,” Hao Lianchun sighed.
Wang Deshan’s return temporarily quelled the family conflict. Wang Qian felt that her grandpa going back wasn’t a bad thing. At least he could manage those two unruly children at home.
Wang Juan didn’t stay long and left. The brothers began trying on the shoes that Zhang Lan had bought. Zhang Lan had mostly bought white shoes for the children who were studying. Sometimes, the school required students to wear white shoes, white clothes, and blue pants for certain activities. Any type of shoe was fine, but cleaning white shoes was a bit of a hassle.
“Auntie, the shoes fit well. Do they look good?” Zuo Yu showed off his new white shoes, extending his foot for everyone to see.
Hao Lianchun hugged Zuo Yu and said with a smile, “Yes, my grandson looks good in anything.”
Zhang Lan brought out the cakes she had bought that day and shared a piece with everyone, regardless of age. Both the elderly and the children didn’t necessarily long for treats, but being able to eat together with the children made them feel a little happier.
Mingyuan savored the soft, oily cake in small bites, his face beaming with happiness. The adults on the kang found his expression amusing but also felt a pang of sadness.
“Mom, the cake is delicious, even better than the snacks. When I grow up, I’ll buy you cake every day,” Mingyuan said.
After finishing his cake, Mingyuan hesitated to lick the oil off his fingers. He didn’t even touch the cake that was meant for Wang Qian. She held it in her hand for a while, wanting to eat it but feeling reluctant to do so. One piece wasn’t enough to satisfy her, and seeing Mingyuan’s expression, she handed her piece of cake to him.
“Brother, you eat it. I ate too much during dinner and I’m not hungry now. Hurry and eat it, or it won’t taste good once it dries out,” Wang Qian said, offering the cake to Mingyuan.
The other elderly men only tasted a small piece and gave the rest to the children.