"Zekai, hurry up and leave, I'm still waiting to come back after celebrating the New Year to watch the Spring Festival Gala!" Xia Zelin called him at the gate.
After Xia Zekai handed the lighter and incense to his wife, he said something to her and hurried out.
Xia Zelin was looking at Xia Zekai's blue GL8 parked on the roadside at the door, and he was a little lost.
After Xia Zekai ran to him, he pointed at the car and asked, "It's a lot of money!"
"It's not bad, I bought it from the company." Xia Zekai kept saying the same thing, "It's still cheaper than buying it normally."
Xia Zelin came close to him and asked in a low voice: "Zekai, that company belongs to you, right? I've heard about it. It's said in our village that you are making a lot of money outside. There are people in the village who say that every time you came back last year, you opened a
The cars are all different.”
"Zekai, are you just like the rich people on TV who bought a lot of cars and drove them in rotation without the same kind?" Xia Zelin was particularly curious.
He wanted to know what the life of rich people was like.
After hearing what he said, Xia Zekai rolled his eyes at him on the spot: "Brother Sheng, where did you hear this? It's pure nonsense."
"Yeah, I just said that we grew up together. I don't know what your character is. Zekai, no matter how prodigal you are, you can't be like that. They still don't believe it!" Xia Zelin was still talking, as if to cheer for Xia Zekai.
Unfair.
"..." Xia Zekai stopped talking. This brother also doesn't know how to speak.
If you go straight north from them, there are more than a dozen places you can go to.
The family is full of elderly grandparents, or uncles and uncles who are of the same generation as his father Xia Weicheng. As juniors, Xia Zekai and his cousin Xia Zelin must go over one by one, and every family must be in place.
Every time I go to a house, I sit down and chat.
Drink a cup of tea, then grab a handful of melon seeds and crack them. I ate a lot of sweet, salty, milky, and original melon seeds. Later, my tongue became a little numb, and I couldn’t feel the sweetness after eating sugar.
After coming out of this house, I had already turned to the north end of Xiazhuang. After taking a look to the west, Xia Zekai said: "Brother Lin, I have to go to Uncle He's house to sit for a while. I heard from my mother that the third grandma is very serious now.
"
"Go ahead, I've heard that too. It'll be good if you can survive this year, hey!" Xia Zelin sighed, not knowing what to say.
In real terms, this third grandma is Xia Zekai's grandfather's third sister-in-law, and she has a closer relationship with Xia Zekai.
When you come to this small road at the west end of Xiazhuang, follow the north end to the south until you reach the third house.
When passing by the second house, Xia Zelin pointed to the closed door and said, "Brother Liang is simply not coming back now."
"Well, I talked to him when I went to repair my car a few years ago. The situation at home is already like this. He will have nothing to do when he comes back, and he doesn't want to farm..." Xia Zekai couldn't comment on this matter.
Every family has its own difficulties, and everyone has their own life.
However, Xia Zelin said: "Zekai, have you noticed that there are fewer and fewer young people in our hometown? Basically all our generation have gone out, and there are really not many at home. Most of the rest are
He is a lonely old man."
"Brother Lin, this is inevitable. Unless Xiazhuang is developed and the income is high, people working outside will return home. But as you can see, we don't have anything we want here, and there are no hard conditions for development.
, Difficult!" Xia Zekai said.
There are no local specialties at all, and there are no reliable cash crops. I just want to use a gimmick to soften the economy, and there is no historical legacy to develop the tourism industry. It’s difficult!
On the other hand, it is close to the Yellow River a few kilometers away to the east, but that is not Xiazhuang's unique property. They don't have any sights in this section, so it's all in vain.
Xia Zelin didn't respond, he had already entered the door.
Xia Zekai quickly followed behind and went in.
As soon as I entered the door, I heard the sound of a dog barking, and someone in the room yelled: "Shut up, bite whatever you want, or I will stew you if I bite you again."
Xia Zekai knew right from the voice that this was his aunt.
Uncle He's full name is Xia Weihe, and he also has an elder brother, Xia Weizong. The two brothers work backwards, and each of them supports his mother for a year.
"Aunt, I'm Zekai. I'm here to see you." Xia Zekai called out.
Seeing that he was coming, the people in the room came out with smiles on their faces: "Oh, it's you two brothers, Zekai and Zelin. When did you come back?"
"I just came back the afternoon before yesterday. I left late. There was a traffic jam on the road. It was almost dark when I got home. I have been busy getting New Year's goods and posting Spring Festival couplets. I haven't had time to come over yet. Don't blame me." Xia Zekai said with a smile.
Xia Zelin also said: "Aunt, I just came back yesterday afternoon. There is no holiday in the company. I have two days off today and tomorrow, and I have to go back to work the day after tomorrow."
"Hey, tell me why you young people are so tired. My brother Lei just came back at the end of the year. He can't stay at home for ten days and a half, and he has to leave before the fifteenth day of the first lunar month."
Xia Zekai asked: "Aunt, where is my brother Zheng, hasn't he come back?"
"No, he went to his mother-in-law's house, and we came back together after the Chinese New Year. We couldn't stay for two days, and then left again, saying that we had to go to Xinjiang. I was really worried. The farther we walked, the farther we went, one by one.
All of them are homeless!" Aunt Li Shuying also complained when talking about her two sons.
After finishing her words, Li Shuying remembered that the three of them were still talking in the cold in the yard, and quickly said: "Hurry up and sit down in the house to rest for a while, drink a cup of tea and eat some melon seeds."
"Aunt, I stopped eating melon seeds. I ate too much in my mouth and I still feel bad. Which room is my third grandma in? I'm going to see her." Xia Zekai waved his hand and asked.
When Li Shuying heard what he said, she pointed to the house facing the east door to the west and said: "Where is your third grandma in that house? But she is deaf and can't hear, and her eyes are blurred and can't see. You go and have a look."
Bar."
Xia Zekai passed by, but before he even reached the door, he was greeted by the strong smell of urine.
He subconsciously held his breath, and then felt a sense of sadness in his heart. Is this how people get old?
"Third Grandma, I'm Zekai. I'm here to see you. Can you hear me?" Xia Zekai shouted.
"Ah...ah..." Through the dim light in the room, I could see someone lying on the bed, with messy white hair spread casually on the pillow.
When Xia Zekai's call was heard, the old man lying on the bed seemed to hear it, but after two calls, there was no sound.
Aunt Li Shuying said: "Zekai, your third grandma is deaf and can't hear. She eats, drinks, and poops on the bed. Sometimes she doesn't know how to call out when she wants to go to the toilet. I have to use a small sun to dry her quilt and dry the mattress."
, many times, if you can’t do it alone, your Uncle He can’t go out either, and you can’t work to make money.”
"Well, aunt, where is my uncle? I haven't seen him." Xia Zekai asked.
Li Shuying said: "He went out with your uncle Wei Zong. At this time, he should go to your house to see your grandfather."
Xia Zekai held the third grandma's hand. She seemed to feel it and squeezed it hard, but her hand had no strength. After a while, she let go and fell asleep.
"Let's go, Zekai, Zelin, you two brothers go to the main room to sit for a while and drink some tea." Li Shuying greeted them.
Sitting down on the sofa in the main room, Li Shuying mostly asked about Xia Zekai's stay in Qicheng.
Nowadays, it is very rare for the whole Xiazhuang to say that they don’t know about Xia Zekai’s business outside to make money.
"Auntie, I've been working around all day, and a lot of them are bank loans. Don't look at how much I've been praised in the news. It's hard to pay back hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans a month." Xia Zekai said it sincerely. After all,
This is real.
Li Shuying simply didn't dare to think about the concept of having to repay a loan of more than 300,000 yuan a month. She thought that the 50 million yuan mentioned on TV was brought out by bank loans and would have to be repaid sooner or later. With this thought, she felt balanced.
.
Xia Zelin also talked about his work in the company.
He originally worked as an operator in the workshop, but in the past two years the factory's efficiency has declined, so he was transferred from the workshop to work in sales at other branches of the group.
Xia Zekai thought that Brother Zelin's job span was really long, but in his memory, this cousin later transferred from sales to the original company to do purchasing.
What an amazing job change.
After sitting with the third grandma for a while, Xia Zelin saw that the time was almost 7:30. Xia Zelin suggested to go somewhere else for a walk, and said: "When the walk is over later, I will go home to watch the Spring Festival Gala."
Li Shuying wanted to keep them playing for a while, and said that when her boss came back, they could play cards together in the evening.
Xia Zekai still cared about the two little ones at home and didn't stay any longer.
Before leaving, he went to the east room again, said hello to the third grandma who was lying on the bed, and said: "Third grandma, I'm leaving. I'll see you another day."
As he walked, Xia Zekai sighed, with mixed feelings in his heart.
From this alley on the west side to the south, I walked through seven or eight more houses. I looked at the familiar faces that I didn't usually get in touch with. When I met during the New Year, they all greeted me very cordially.
Compared with when we met neighbors in Qicheng, we had more warmth and less formality.
After turning around to the north, Xia Zekai separated from his cousin Xia Zelin.
The two of them also made an appointment to have a drink together at noon tomorrow.
When he returned home, Xia Zekai discovered that there was someone else at home.
From the sound of the voices, I knew they were Uncle He and Uncle Xia Weizong, the two sons of the third grandfather's family.
The two brothers were chatting with their grandfather Xia Shande. After Xia Zekai entered the house, he said hello and said: "Uncle He, I just came from your house, and my aunt is alone at home."
"Zekai is back. Your brother Lei and your second brother went to play cards somewhere. They are not allowed to play all night tonight." Xia Weihe said.
Xia Weizong also nodded: "Your second brother and the others should have gone to Yunhua's place. They get together as soon as the Chinese New Year comes and they can't run far."
"Zekai, you are doing well outside now, and the car has been changed again." Xia Weihe said with a smile.
Xia Zekai simply stopped answering.
When Yatou and Tongtong saw their father coming back, they quickly ran over and hung them on his legs, shouting loudly: "Dad, Dad, please put some beautiful flowers, Mom doesn't dare to put them."
Then they came over to complain. Luo Xiyun was so angry that he wanted to slap them both. These two little traitors rebelled as soon as they said they would. There was no bottom line.
Xia Zekai protected him at the critical moment and said, "Let's go, I'll take you two to set off the fireworks, and let you two grandpas see it too."
The TV in the room was already ringing with the cheers of the host celebrating the opening of the Spring Festival Gala.
Uncle He took a look and said: "Oh, this year's Spring Festival Gala hosts are still Zhou Tao, Zhu Jun, Dong Qing, they are all old people."
"If you just look at them, aren't there Ren Luyu and Ouyang Xiadan!" Uncle Wei Zong corrected them.
Several people in the room discussed the host lineup of the Spring Festival Gala and tonight's program.
Xia Zekai was concentrating on setting off fireworks in the yard outside, having a great time.
The girl watched too many fireworks, and gradually she forgot her timidity. She eagerly looked at Xia Zekai who was lighting the fireworks, and whispered: "Dad, please let me light one too."
"Okay, don't you dare." Xia Zekai handed the lighter to his boss with a smile.
It's a pity that the girl grinned with all her strength and didn't turn on the lighter, which was a bit strenuous.
The girl was also angry. She pouted and said, "Humph, I won't play anymore."
Xia Zekai found it very funny when he saw it. He lit a stick of incense and said, "Girl, you use this to make some medicine."
The girl said it was good just now, but when she really started to do it, she stopped. She tried several times, and finally shook her head: "Dad, I don't dare!"
This little chubby girl Tongtong was really silly and bold. She snatched the incense from her sister and said, "Sister, I'll do it."
She was so brave. Xia Zekai was still afraid that something might happen to her, so he followed her all the time. Seeing her squatting on the ground with her butt sticking out and lighting up the fireworks, Xia Zekai stretched out his hands, ready to hug her and run away at any time.
Luo Xiyun was also worried after seeing it.
"boom!"
There was an explosion, and fireworks like pear blossoms and begonias shot into the sky. Xia Zekai hugged his daughter and retreated. Listening to Tongtong's proud laughter, he was also drunk.
That night, they played until past ten o'clock. Yatou and Tongtong couldn't bear it anymore and went to bed. Xia Zekai made dumplings with his mother and prepared to have a New Year's Eve dinner at twelve o'clock in the morning.
Zhou Yinghong also asked him: "How is your third grandma doing?"
Xia Zekai had calmed down by this time. He said, "I looked a little hung up. I was still sleeping when I went there, so I didn't wake up much."
"My ears are deaf and my eyes are blurry. I probably don't even know I've passed by." Xia Zekai described it this way.
Zhou Yinghong said: "I really suffer!"
"Mom, we're celebrating the Chinese New Year, let's not talk about this anymore." Xia Zekai mentioned it.
The night outside was getting darker, but when the time was almost past twelve o'clock, the sound of firecrackers sounded again, which was particularly clear in the night.
Fireworks also rush into the sky from time to time, exploding in every corner, just like the most beautiful fireworks blooming in the dark night of Zian.
