Chapter 292: Zuo He’s Gift

Wang Qian sang the song first, and Mingcheng was deeply moved by it. Being a soldier himself, the fiery passion within him resonated with the song. “Sister, this song is so touching. It must be heard by everyone, even if just to honor the frontline warriors. I must learn to sing it.”

Mingcheng’s voice was crisp and clear. In no time, he managed to sing the entire song flawlessly, impressing Wang Qian. She expressed some regret, “Brother, you would be great at singing. It’s a shame to not use your voice.”

Mingcheng chuckled and patted his sister’s head. “Qianqian, everyone has their own path. Singing isn’t my calling. Now, you should get some rest. We are all tired after the journey.”

After a restful night’s sleep, the three travelers, exhausted from their train journey, finally enjoyed a peaceful night’s sleep in their own beds at home.

Wang Juan and her family came over to help after dinner, only to find that their two nieces and nephew had already completed the work ahead of time.

“Wang Juan praised her nieces and nephew for their excellent work ethic. “You’ve raised such well-rounded children. How did you teach them so well? If I have grandchildren in the future, I’ll be coming to your house every day for lessons. Our three children don’t seem destined for academia, so I’m counting on my future grandchildren to earn a college degree and bring honor to the family.”

The sisters-in-law chatted while boiling water, and the butcher had arrived to slaughter the pig. Mingcheng and Mingshan were assisting in preparing the pig for slaughter.

“Wang Juan, what happened to our mother-in-law in the end?” Zhang Lan had been concerned about the situation, wondering how the old lady’s actions played out.

Thinking about the old lady’s antics, Wang Qian felt irritated. “That woman, does she even have any shame left? If she had any shame, she wouldn’t have the audacity to have you serve her. She’s a disgrace, causing a scene even in her old age, treating our filial piety as a joke. Wang Zhenguo sent her to the city. I didn’t hold back when informing Han Cui. You know how she is – she loves to gossip. This incident even led to a scuffle between Wang Zhenguo and Ma Fenqing. But Wang Zhenguo didn’t get off easy; he faced a lot of trouble from Second Brother and his wife. I heard Second Brother even kicked him. He must have really gotten on their nerves.”

For Zhang Lan, the fact that Wang Zhenguo and his second brother resorted to physical altercation wasn’t surprising, but she was puzzled about why Ma Fenqing had argued with Wang Zhenguo.

“Juan, why did Ma Fenqing argue with Fourth Brother? Has the old lady returned?” Zhang Lan inquired.

Wang Qian sighed. “Sister, Ma Fenqing, well, she’s always been a bit aloof, perhaps due to her family’s better circumstances. She tends to look down on ordinary people. Maybe back when she was with Wang Zhenguo, Fourth Brother didn’t treat us well, so she doesn’t have a close relationship with us now. Time reveals true colors. Ma Fenqing felt Wang Zhenguo crossed a line this time. I think this sister-in-law is not bad; she knows what’s good for her. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have entrusted her child to her mother for care. She used to be blinded by material comfort, but that old lady really brings bad luck. She went to the city and caused trouble with the Li family over the adoption of a child. After a falling out, she was back. Now, she’s probably at home, behaving herself, expecting us to wait on her. Let her dream on.”

Zhu Qiyu causing trouble in the city didn’t surprise Zhang Lan at all. Her mother-in-law was known for being restless and full of mischief, with questionable intentions. It’s best to keep a safe distance from such individuals.

Outside, the sounds of pig slaughter could be heard, making Wang Qian uncomfortable. She and her elder sister decided to retreat indoors.

Mingyuan and the others were outside assisting with the intestines and preparing the pork.

A car’s horn sounded on the street, drawing everyone’s attention outside. Wang Zhenhe and his sons were delighted to see a large truck arriving with both families present, none left behind.

Quickly, Wang Zhenhe and his two sons rushed to assist the visitors in getting off the truck. “Big brother, your arrival is wonderful. It must have been cold on the road. Come inside quickly and warm up. The heated brick bed is ready, and we’re almost finished with the pig slaughter.”

Smiling, Cong Wei and Yang Mingxuan led the children from their family to watch the pig slaughtering, while Ge Yun and Zhao Ru went inside with some elders.

“Sister, we’ve come to visit again. Is there anything we can help with?”

Zhang Lan pushed everyone into the house, saying, “Sister-in-law, please sit with the aunt and uncle on the heated brick bed. Everything is prepared here; we’re just waiting for the pork to cook.”

Wang Xuan and Wang Yu, the sisters, had begun stuffing the sausages, while Wang Qian helped with stoking the fire. Zhang Lan waited until the meat was almost cooked before adding the blood sausages to the pot.

At noon, Zhang Lan sent Mingyuan and Wang Qian to invite the old master for lunch. Upon arriving at the old residence, they fell silent upon seeing Zhu Qiyu.

Upon seeing her grandson and granddaughter, the old lady only pursed her lips, her gaze somewhat unkind as she looked at the two of them.

Wang Qian bypassed Zhu Qiyu and shouted directly into the house, “Grandpa, Mom sent us to call you for dinner.”

Upon hearing that his third son’s family was slaughtering a pig, Wang Deshan felt uneasy about going over. He thought it was inappropriate after the incident caused by the old lady.

Since his daughter-in-law asked his grandson to call him, the old master gladly went over, holding his tobacco pouch.

Fuming, Zhu Qiyu stared blankly. Every year during the pig slaughter, her son never invited her for the meal. Instead, he invited unrelated people, leaving her feeling overlooked. She thought her third son lacked insight, unable to differentiate between family members and outsiders, just like in his childhood, a bit dim-witted.

At the dining table, the men were boisterous with their drinks, while the children enjoyed their meal. Zhang Lan and her elder daughter kept serving dishes to the guests. Wang Qian brought out grape wine from the space she had made for everyone to enjoy. Cong Wei tried it and instantly liked it, “Qian Qian, is there any more of this wine? Please give me two bottles before we leave.”

Yang Mingxuan also enjoyed the wine and thought it would be perfect to bring home for his wife and elders to enjoy. “Qianqian, don’t forget about us. Save some for your aunties.”

Embarrassed, Zhao Ru and Ge Yun kicked their respective spouses, gesturing for them to be more considerate. “You both have some nerve, always asking for more. Qianqian, just ignore them.”

With a smile, Wang Qian addressed the two, “Uncles, I’ve already prepared some for you. Don’t forget to take it when you leave.”

Yang Nuo and Cong Tao had tasks to attend to, so they finished their meal quickly. They took Wang Xuan to the adjacent room where they had brought the accounts for the goods Wang Zhenhe sold. They handed the money to Wang Xuan with care.

After finishing the accounts reconciliation, Wang Xuan looked up and said to the two, “Brother Yang Nuo, we’ll wait for my dad’s accounts to come out at year-end, and we’ll calculate our bonuses together. I reckon we can make another trip before the New Year.”

While Yang Nuo and Cong Tao were eager for their bonuses, they didn’t want to rush the discussion, especially with guests around. Financial matters were sensitive and best discussed after the guests had left.

“We’re not in a hurry. Let’s discuss the bonuses once you’re in town,” Yang Nuo replied.

Glancing at Wang Xuan’s attire for the day—a lovely small cotton jacket complementing her delicate complexion—Yang Nuo couldn’t help but admire her beauty.

“Sister Xuan, what are your next plans? We have some money on hand, and we can work on something together,” Yang Nuo inquired.

As soon as money was mentioned, Cong Tao started pondering what the Wang family might venture into next. If they could join in and make money together, it sounded like an excellent opportunity, as they were now considered affluent.

Wang Xuan shook her head, unsure of her sister’s next steps. “Brother Cong Tao, let’s not rush. Having money is good, but let’s wait for the right business opportunity to come along for us all to profit together.”

After everyone had left, the family finally sat on the heated brick bed to rest. Mingcheng took out a large bag of items from his luggage.

“Mom, these are gifts from Uncle Zuo and Aunt Zuo. I forgot to give them to you yesterday. I had planned to bring Uncle Zuo to come over, but they are still up in the northeast. The three brothers are returning to spend the New Year with their parents, so they couldn’t make it. They asked me to send their regards to you both.”

Wang Qian was curious to see what gifts Zuo He had brought for them. Upon opening the package, each item was labeled indicating who it was for.

Wang Qian received a journal, with a note from Zuo He on the first page: “I hope this notebook will record every single thing you do each day.”

Although not one to frequently write in a diary, Wang Qian decided to give it a try since it was a gift from Zuo He. Perhaps looking back on it in the future would bring some joy.

Wang Xuan received a beautiful scarf, likely chosen by the old lady. The young girl immediately wrapped it around herself and went to the mirror to admire it.

Mingyuan’s gift was a set of foreign language dictionaries, which Wang Qian found very practical. She thought it would come in handy even when they went to university. Zhang Lan and her husband received clothes, and the rest of the gifts were food items. Mingcheng took out a letter from Zuo He, expressing apologies for not being able to visit as planned. The letter included two photos—one of Zuo He in military attire and another of the three brothers together.

After carefully examining the photos, Zhang Lan remarked, “Zuo He is still handsome and charming. Look at him in his military uniform, so impressive. He has grown taller too, probably taller than your elder brother now. Zuo Hao appears as steady as ever, while Zuo Yu seems more mature than before. These three children have grown up in the blink of an eye. Thinking back to their time in our home feels like just yesterday. Time really does make us age. Even if we don’t age, our children make us feel old. Zhenhe, look at how spirited these three young men are. They would definitely attract attention when out together.”

One by one, they passed around and examined the photos. Mingyuan, seeing Zuo He’s bright smile in the photo, felt annoyed. “Next time I see him, I’ll give him a good scolding. He’s younger than me and already in university, how irritating.”

Mingyuan had always harbored some resentment towards Zuo He for being a year younger. Zhang Lan smiled and pulled her son closer. “Mingyuan, you are also amazing. Mom has always been proud of you.”