Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 496 Aunt

Because they needed to go to the city, Xiaowei and the others couldn't leave at night. After making arrangements, they took Xinghai and Liuliu and set off back. Time was a bit tight, as they still needed to meet Li Zhongguo in the county.

After saying goodbye to Zhang Wang and his wife, Xiu'er, who was heading back to school, set off in two cars.

First, we went to see Xiaohong's maternal grandmother. The old lady was still quite healthy; apart from being a little hunched over and aged, she had no other ailments. She ate and slept well and even grew her own vegetables. Xiaowei and Xiaohong secretly slipped her five hundred yuan, but it was practically useless. Old people can't hide money; she'd probably take it out and share it with her grandchildren in a few days.

Then we turned onto Xiaowei's house.

I should come and visit since I'm back. I can't show favoritism to others, lest people gossip.

Xiaowei, Xiaohong, and Xiuer got out of the car and went into the old man's yard.

The old man was actually a hard-working and capable man. His family was considered wealthy in the surrounding villages. Otherwise, the matchmaker wouldn't have come knocking on the door so soon after the old woman left. The new old woman was still a girl when she married into the family.

Among Xiaowei's cousins, his uncle's eldest sister is the oldest. She got married long ago and rarely comes back, maybe once every year or two.

Then there was Zhang Jun from Xiaowei's family, then Zhang Wang, and then the two sons of Xiaowei's third uncle. Xiaowei doesn't remember their names. It was when Xiaowei was a child that his whole family came back once. After Xiaowei's grandfather passed away, the family never returned to the village.

Xiao Wei vaguely remembered that there must have been some conflict among the adults.

Then came the old man's second son, Zhang Fu, followed by Xiao Wei, then Xiu'er, and then Xiao Wei's son, Xiao Bing. Zhang Fu and Xiao Wei were actually about the same age, only about a month apart.

"Grandpa." Upon entering the house, both the old man and woman were home. The old man was sitting on the edge of the kang (heated brick bed) smoking his pipe, while the old woman leaned against the pile of quilts, seemingly talking. Xiao Wei called out. Xiu'er and Xiao Hong followed in, both greeting him.

The old lady is actually a bit younger than Xiaowei's mother; she's not even forty yet. She was only a teenager when she married into the family. She's quite pretty, otherwise the old man wouldn't have taken a liking to her. Her only flaws are her aloofness and laziness. In the countryside, laziness is a recipe for disaster.

The old man glanced at him, then said, "Xiao Wei's back. Are your parents doing well?"

Xiao Wei said, "That's good. My dad's back is almost healed now."

The old man nodded and said, "That's good. His back must be so sore. Don't make him do any work. You're all grown up now. Did you come back for something?"

Xiao Wei said, "My parents don't need to do anything now, and there's not much work for them. I was just passing by and came back to see you all; it's been more than half a year since I left."

The old man said, "Just do your job well, as long as you have the heart. Don't bother coming all this way back and forth. If you achieve great things and become rich in the future, just don't forget your grandpa, hehehe." The old man laughed a few times. To be honest, he was really good to Xiaowei and Xiuer, not much different from his own children.

Xiao Wei laughed and said, "Of course it can, just you wait, grandpa."

The old man glanced at Xiao Hong and said, "Is this Jianshe's girl? She's always been calling me 'little wife,' so you two are together now?"

Xiao Hong blushed, a rare sight for her. Xiao Wei said, "Yes, it's her. Grandpa, I need to talk to you about something. I'm having my older brother Xiao Wang come to my place after the autumn harvest. He can work outside for a couple of years to try it out. Don't stop me, okay?"

The old woman, who had been lazily leaning against the pile of quilts, immediately sat up. The old man was taken aback and asked, "Where are they going? Can they manage?"

Xiao Wei said, "Go and take a look. If my brother wants to do something, I'll help him find a place to learn a trade. If he wants to open a shop, I'll lend him the capital. You don't need to worry about anything else. I just wanted to let you know."

The old man nodded and said, "Okay, it's good to go out and see the world. There's no future in digging in the dirt at home."

Xiao Wei reached into his pocket, and the old lady laughed and said, "Xiao Wei, what about your brother Xiao Fu? Why don't you help him find something to do? Your brother Xiao Fu is so smart, he can do everything, right?"

Xiao Wei took out five hundred yuan and handed it to the old man, saying, "This is a gift from Xiao Hong and me to you. Uncle Si also has some."

The old man glanced at it, and the old woman had already come over and taken the money, saying, "Xiao Wei has really made something of himself this time, earning a lot of money. Xiao Wei, why don't you take your brother Xiao Fu with you and let him come to the city to enjoy the good life? It's so hard in the countryside, such a good kid has been wasted."

Xiao Hong turned her head and glanced at the old lady counting the money. It was quite unusual that the money given by her nephew and niece-in-law could be counted on the spot.

"Auntie, did you say something wrong?" Xiao Hong asked.

The old woman, who had happily pocketed the money after counting it, was taken aback by Xiao Hong's question. She said, "What did I say wrong? Xiao Wei, do you think I said anything wrong? Zhang Wang is your brother, and Xiao Fu is your brother too. You can take that blockhead Zhang Wang to the city, but you can't take our Xiao Fu to enjoy some good life? Xiao Fu is such a clever kid, he'll definitely accomplish great things. When he makes a lot of money, will he forget about you? Right, Xiao Wei?"

Xiao Wei glanced at the old lady and said to the old man, "Then I'll head back now, sir. I have some business to take care of in the county, and then I need to go to the city."

The old woman watched the group leave the house, and said "hey hey" a few times, but no one paid any attention to her. She sullenly leaned back against the pile of quilts and muttered something.

Once outside the house, Xiaowei said to the old man, "Recently, there have been people running around the village selling ant-raising products to scam people out of money. Be careful, sir, don't fall for it."

The old man turned his head and asked, "Are they scammers? They came to our house. Your aunt seems to have signed some kind of agreement with them."

Xiao Wei asked, "Did you pay?"

The old man shook his head and said, "No, I didn't ask for any money. I haven't even seen the item, why would I give you money?"

Xiao Wei said, "Then it's alright. I guess he won't be able to come again; he's been arrested. Be careful in the future. Keep an eye on my aunt; she's too greedy and always manages to scam people. There's no such thing as a free lunch."

The old man chuckled, patted Xiaowei on the shoulder, and said, "I know you guys don't like her, but she's still your aunt. Just leave it to me. You can worry about Xiaowang going to the city; I know you're smart, and I'll feel at ease if he goes with you. As for Xiaofu, forget about her. Don't take anything she says to heart. I'm not old yet; I know what I'm doing."

Xiaowei said, "Here's what I'm thinking about Xiaofu. Since Brother Xiaowang came with me, Xiaofu can farm the vegetable gardens in front of and behind my house next spring, as well as Brother Xiaowang's land. As long as he stays home and farms for two years, I'll take him out. If not, then forget it. If something really happens to him outside, it'll be hard to explain, and I won't have the face to come back and see you."

The old man said, "Forget it, he's just a piece of trash, he won't amount to anything. It's just that I raised him, so I can't kill him or bury him. Let him fend for himself, whatever he becomes is his own business, I don't care. I can still work for a few more years, I can't rely on him for my old age. Just take Xiao Wang out and take good care of him, that couple is reliable."

Xiao Wei nodded and said, "I've asked my fourth uncle to help me collect mountain produce starting last autumn. If you have time, you can go out and collect some too, Uncle. Just leave it with my fourth uncle when you get back, and I'll settle the bill with you when I return. The important thing is that I don't dare let my aunt get involved in this, so please don't be angry with me."

(End of this chapter)