The second day of the Lunar New Year is the day when the Xu family brothers reunite.
Before nine o'clock in the morning, Xu Shi'an and his wife came back first with their son. After a while, Xu Shixian, Xu Shide and Xu Shixiang came in together.
It turns out that Xu Shide, his wife and children arrived in the county last night and stayed at Xu Shixian's house. They took a car back from the county together this morning.
The train they took happened to pass by Xinglong Commune. When they arrived at Xinglong, Xu Shixiang and his wife got on the train with their daughter in their arms. The three families took the train together to Songjiang River and then walked to Donggang.
"Dad, Mom, we are back.
Oops, I was really busy this year. The leaders of my unit were in meetings all day long, and I had to come to me for many manuscripts and other matters.
I got a call from home that day and wanted to ask for leave to come back, but the boss wouldn't give me leave. I really couldn't help it." Xu Shixian walked in and explained quickly.
"Isn't that right? The Chinese New Year is approaching, there is a joint security operation in the county, and our commune is also very busy, with meetings every day."
Xu Shixiang was seconded from the civil affairs assistant to the public security assistant. Now he is wearing a uniform and is quite energetic.
"Yeah, our commune is the same. We are busy day by day with year-end summaries and accounting.
It is not true at all to say that serving people's bowls is under the control of others.
When I go to work, I am exhausted and struggle to do everything I want to do. The boss may not approve whether I ask for leave."
On the other end, Xu Shide also looked helpless. He was now seconded to Daying Commune as an accountant and would no longer teach.
As soon as the three brothers came in, they didn't say anything. They first explained why they hadn't come back before.
When Xu Chenghou heard it, he just snorted and didn't answer.
When Zhou Guilan saw it, she knew that her husband was feeling uncomfortable, so she could only cough softly, then stretched out her hand to tug on Xu Chenghou's shirt.
No matter what happens, the children are back on the second day of the new year. They have just entered the house, so don't be too stiff.
"I know you are all busy. You have work and you are not free. It's okay. Come and sit down."
Xu Chenghou remained silent, and Zhou Guilan had no choice but to smile and greet her son and daughter-in-law to come into the room and sit down.
"Hey, where are Lao San and his wife, Lao Liu and the others? What are they doing? Aren't they here?"
Everyone sat down and realized that Xu Shiyan, his wife and Xu Shiqin were not there.
In previous years, when they came back at this time, the third daughter-in-law would be busy in the kitchen. Why didn't she see anyone today?
"Oh, Lao Liu went to her master's place.
Didn't she go to Han's family yesterday to pay New Year's greetings and stay for dinner? She didn't have time to see her master.
I'll go to Master Qin's place early today to pay my New Year greetings, and I'll be back later."
"The third child and his wife will be here soon. They are busy taking care of the four children. They are probably cleaning up at the moment."
Zhou Guilan saw that her husband didn't speak, so she had to speak.
By this time, Xu Shixian's brothers all realized something was wrong.
When they came back during the Chinese New Year, their father didn't even have a smile on his face, his mother wasn't preparing food in the kitchen, and the younger sister, the third child, and the rest of the family weren't around either.
Why does this look wrong?
"Dad, Mom, um, is there something wrong?"
Xu Shixian hesitated and asked tentatively.
Xu Chenghou raised his eyelids and glanced at his son, took out the pipe and pot, and knocked it twice on the edge of the kang.
"Well, I have something to tell you."
Nonsense, he deliberately sent the old girl away today, and asked Zhao Jianshe and others to go to the third son's house, blocking the third son and his wife from getting out for a while, just to settle the score with these bastards.
"Well, when Lao Liu went to the provincial capital for treatment, he spent a total of 3,500 to 600 yuan, including the cost of materials, surgery, medical expenses, and other expenses.
A few days ago, my employer gave me some medical subsidies, which amounted to seven or eight hundred yuan.
You figure out how to calculate the rest of the money."
Xu Chenghou didn't care about that anymore, put on a bag of cigarettes, lit it, took two puffs, and looked up at his four sons.
Originally, the old couple had discussed that they would pay for their daughter's medical treatment, and the son would not have to pay for it.
The sons all have their own families and careers. They have their own homes and their own lives to live. It is not easy to give money and food to their parents every month.
The old couple don't have much expenses now, Xu Chenghou can still earn, and the old couple are in good health, so they don't want to cause too much trouble to their sons.
The old couple thought wholeheartedly about their son, but what was the result?
It had been twenty days since Xu Shiqin came back from the provincial capital. Except for Xu Shi'an and his wife who were here on the day they returned home, the rest of them had not seen each other.
Their biological sister went out for surgery and treatment. When she came back, she called them specifically to tell them, but no one came back to see her.
Xu Chenghou had been angry for a long time, but he just kept it in and didn't get angry.
It’s the Chinese New Year, and it’s not good to make a fuss.
Especially in front of the third son and his wife, Xu Chenghou couldn't get angry.
The third child and his wife really have nothing to say about their family. No matter how stupid Xu Chenghou is, he can still tell the difference between good and bad.
During the Chinese New Year, I didn’t want my third son to be too upset, so I kept holding it in.
At this moment, the old man really couldn't hold it in any longer.
None of these bastards are good, they are all white-eyed wolves.
"Of the more than three thousand yuan, Lao Liu saved one thousand himself, and the rest was borrowed by your mother and I from outside.
The money returned from medical subsidies has paid off part of the famine.
What's left, you guys can figure out how to pay for it, I have to pay it back."
Xu Chenghou is too old to say that the money came from him and Xu Shiyan.
If you say that, these sons will have an excuse.
He only said that it was borrowed from outside, and it would cause a famine, so it would depend on what his sons would say.
"As for the third child, he accompanied the sixth child to the provincial capital and was busy taking care of him. If he was delayed, he would not make any money for two or three months.
It's not easy for him on the other side. He has no job and has to work all day long to earn a small amount of money. Not making any money for two or three months is enough for him.
Therefore, he will not be allowed to spend this money.
I don’t want more from the four of you, just give me 1,600 yuan, and I’ll pay for the famine outside.”
We can't let our son pay all of it, but the old couple also have to take some.
Xu Chenghou's words were impeccable, which made his four sons dumbfounded.
Especially Xu Shixian, Xu Shide, and Xu Shixiang. The three of them had discussed on the phone in advance that if they did not come back before the year, they would come back after the year.
I originally thought that during the Chinese New Year, the house would be bustling and my parents would not be able to mention these things.
Unexpectedly, when I came back today, this was the scene.
"Dad, my little sister is out for medical treatment. As brothers, we should really help."
As soon as Xu Shixian opened his mouth, he felt pain in his waist. Needless to say, his wife secretly pinched his lower back while others were not paying attention.
"Ahem, well, I was too busy at the time and didn't make time.
This has to be the case with the third child. He doesn't work and has more freedom than us.
No matter what you say, I really have to thank Lao San for taking care of everything on his own."
Xu Shixian coughed twice and changed the topic directly, not daring to talk about sharing.
"Lao Wu, please say something." Xu Shixian really didn't know what to say and turned to look at his younger brother.
"Dad, Mom, that little girl's treatment is a serious matter.
But I just bought a house and I don’t have much money.”
When Xu Shixiang saw his elder brother kicking the ball, he couldn't help but not express his opinion. After thinking about it for a while, he could only say this.