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“Ah, Sister, Wang Mei has moved to a new house and invited us over for a meal. Look at the kind of life I’m leading. Just when I’ve managed to save a bit of money, someone comes asking for it. Sometimes I feel like cutting ties with them,” Wang Juan lamented. She felt the pinch whenever she had to spend money, as every penny was hard-earned. If those people were decent, she wouldn’t mind, but they were all heartless. Even after Zhang Lan had been so good to them, they still treated her this way. It was as if the money she had given them had been thrown to the dogs.
After venting her feelings, Wang Juan left with Zhang Lan to go weed the hillside. Meanwhile, after waking up from his nap, Hao Lianchun and Wang Qian tidied up the house and went to the river to wash clothes. They also went to the place where they had found crabs to catch some for dinner. When the two of them returned, one carrying a washbasin and the other a basket, they were surprised to find Peng Ziyun waiting outside the door.
“Mom, where did you go? I’ve been waiting for a long time. Let me take the basin. Can you open the door?” Peng Ziyun said, taking the washbasin from Hao Lianchun. However, when she saw the contents of Wang Qian’s basket, her face lit up with a smile.
“Mom, did you know I was coming, so you went to catch crabs? Hehe, I love eating them the most,” Peng Ziyun said, her smile growing even sweeter.
The old lady patted her daughter-in-law and said with a smile, “You, you. If you had told us in advance, we could have caught more. Look, is this enough for you to eat? If not, I’ll catch more for you later. Both of you love eating this. Has your husband come over from the city?”
Peng Ziyun, holding the basin, affectionately held the old lady’s hand. “Mom, your son has gone to work. We’re staying here tonight and will take the work vehicle back tomorrow. Hehe, Qian Qian, Auntie is here to bother you again.”
Peng Ziyun, despite having three sons, still acted like a young daughter in front of the old lady. Wang Qian found her aunt quite interesting. She was full of vitality, and despite her age, she had a youthful spirit.
“Auntie, please don’t be so polite. You can stay at our house as if it were your own. By the way, I’ll go pick some persimmons and cucumbers for you to eat. It’s the perfect time for them now,” Wang Qian said.
Peng Ziyun couldn’t resist the temptation. Last time, the ones she took back were particularly delicious. She had wanted to buy some more, but hadn’t had the chance to go out. Now, she had the opportunity to enjoy them again.
“Qian Qian, thank you. Hurry and go pick them. Auntie will be waiting for you at home,” Peng Ziyun said.
Seeing how eagerly her aunt was anticipating the fresh produce, Wang Qian nodded. She put the basket of crabs and shrimps in the kitchen and then took another basket outside.
In the vegetable garden, various vegetables were ready for harvest. Wang Qian pulled out a few radishes, picked some cucumbers and tomatoes, and also gathered some green beans. While rural people might not think much of these items, Peng Ziyun couldn’t get them easily. When Wang Qian returned, Peng Ziyun eagerly took the produce, not even bothering to wash them, and took a bite of the tomato.
“Mmm, it’s delicious. Qian Qian, have some too. Eating these vegetables is good for your skin,” Peng Ziyun said.
Hao Lianchun looked at his somewhat childish daughter-in-law and shook his head helplessly. She was becoming more and more carefree, almost like a child.
After returning from school, the three brothers from the Zuo family were overjoyed to see Peng Ziyun. “Mom, why did you take so long to come? Did you forget about us? If you don’t come to see us, I won’t recognize you as my mom,” Zuo Yu complained with a hint of resentment as he hugged Peng Ziyun.
Holding her adorable son, Peng Ziyun pinched the little one’s nose. “My son, your mom is really busy. I don’t have time to come see you. I miss you too. Tell Mom, what good things have you been up to lately?”
Zuo He squatted next to his mother and grinned. “Mom, we’ve been well-behaved. Besides going to school, we’ve been feeding the pigs. Oh, and Uncle’s family is raising pigs this year. I even picked the number one and had the chance to pick the pig first. How’s that? Your son is amazing, right?”
Seeing his mother, Zuo He also reverted to his mischievous self. Wang Qian believed that children should not be separated from their mothers, as it could leave a void in their hearts. She still remembered the first time she saw Zuo He. The timid little boy standing shyly in the sun was etched in her memory. Now, Zuo He was no longer the same as before.
During dinner, the men sat together, chatting as they ate. Zuo Hao attentively poured wine for his father, while Zuo Xiangcheng held his young son and ate. Being away from his child for so long, he might not say much, but the absence of his son had always been a source of pain for him. Leaving the child at such a young age had left him feeling a sense of guilt.
He slowly opened the crabs and picked out the crab roe to feed his young son. Zuo He obediently stayed in his father’s arms, smiling as he ate the food his father fed him. The sight of the two handsome men, one big and one small, eating together, created a warm and heartwarming atmosphere.
“Dad, when will the air-raid shelter be finished?” Zuo He asked with concern, fearing that his parents would leave soon.
Peng Ziyun watched her son’s expression and felt a pang of sadness. Her child was afraid of them leaving.
Zuo Xiangcheng gently patted his son in his arms and said with a smile, “Hehe, the cave will probably be finished by the end of the year. Dad will still be able to spend the New Year with you. How does that sound?”
Upon hearing that his father wouldn’t leave right away, Zuo He vigorously nodded his little head. “Okay, Dad, I’ll bring back more pig feed with my brother tomorrow. I’ll make sure you get to eat some fatty pork. Dad, can you cuddle with me tonight?”
Zuo He, sitting in his father’s arms, began making requests again. Zuo Xiangcheng wouldn’t refuse his son’s small wishes. He gently patted Zuo He’s little face and said, “Good boy, Dad will cuddle with you tonight.”
After dinner, Zhang Lan arranged separate rooms for the couple. Zuo Hao and Zuo Yu also moved to their parents’ room to sleep. After helping to arrange the bedding, Zhang Lan went to the bathroom to heat water for the couple. She knew that it would be inconvenient for the women to bathe at the construction site.
“I’m heating water for you. You and your husband can take a bath later,” she said.
Peng Ziyun smiled like a flower when she heard about the bath. “Sister, you don’t know. We don’t have a place to bathe at the construction site. We can only use hot water to clean ourselves. It’s easier for the men, as they can just wear a vest and shorts to bathe. But I can’t do that. Sometimes, I can’t stand it and have to ask your brother to watch over me while I go to a spring in the mountains to bathe. But the water there is cold. Women should avoid using cold water for bathing. I have no choice. There are few women at our site. This time, I’m determined to bathe thoroughly.”
Zhang Lan liked Peng Ziyun’s straightforward personality. Despite being beautiful, she didn’t put on airs. She smiled and said, “Sister, please don’t be so polite. We treat each other like sisters here. I like your personality. Just consider this place your home. Go and get some clean clothes. If you don’t have any, I have some new ones that haven’t been worn.”
Peng Ziyun felt embarrassed by Zhang Lan’s words and chuckled, “Sister, I brought my things here intending to take a bath. I’ll go now.”
Zhang Lan smiled as she watched the cheerful sister leave. Meanwhile, Wang Qian and her siblings went to the next room to study. Seeing her daughter heading to the bathroom, Hao Lianchun felt it was inappropriate to stay and quickly returned to the house. She chatted with Zhang Lan and mended a few pairs of shoes for the children.
The couple stayed overnight and left early the next morning in their work vehicle. Although they felt reluctant to leave, they were soldiers and had to fulfill their duties.
Before leaving, Peng Ziyun left the allowance she had saved during her stay as a contribution towards the children’s expenses. However, Zhang Lan refused to accept it, as the family still had the old lady caring for them, and the brothers hadn’t cost her anything. She insisted on not taking the money.
“Sister, the boys don’t spend much money now. They just eat at home. Besides, you bring food over, so I can’t accept this. If there are any expenses, I’ll take care of them. You can focus on your work,” Zhang Lan said.
Unable to persuade Zhang Lan, the couple had to leave in a hurry.
However, around midday, there was a commotion on the main road. Wang Qian curiously opened the back door and her heart sank when she saw the disheveled widow being led away to the west.
“Xiu Li? What’s happened to Xiu Li?” Zhang Lan knew the widow. They lived in the same village and often worked together. They got along well with Xiu Li.
Xiu Li, the widow, just glanced over and smiled before being led away. Zhang Lan didn’t know what was happening and quickly followed to find out more.
Wang Qian had a sinking feeling that something had gone wrong with the man involved in the affair. However, she found it strange that she didn’t see the man anywhere.
The group of people who apprehended Xiu Li were part of the village’s patrol organized by the local public security bureau. They were responsible for maintaining law and order, especially in the fields to prevent theft and to prevent crimes.
“Comrade, can I ask what mistake Xiu Li made?” Zhang Lan cautiously inquired about the situation.
The man next to her gave her a cryptic look and said, “What else could she do? She was caught in an affair. She’s quite bold to do that in broad daylight.”
The mention of an affair left Zhang Lan feeling bewildered. She couldn’t understand how Xiu Li could be involved in such a situation. She had always seemed like a very modest person, and Zhang Lan had never noticed any suspicious interactions between her and any of the men in the village.
“Comrade, are you sure there’s no mistake? Xiu Li is from our village, and I haven’t heard of any such thing happening. Besides, if it’s an affair, wouldn’t there be two people involved? How could it be possible for just her?” Zhang Lan questioned.
The man glanced at Zhang Lan, who was still puzzled. “We didn’t catch the man involved in the affair. He managed to escape. But we saw them together, but, the man was able to flee before we could apprehend him.”