This family is Xiaohui's ancestral family. It is said that Xiaohui's father and the man are the grandson of the same grandfather. The man's name is Zhao Muhe and he is older than Xiaohui's father.
Xiaohui's father and Zhao Muhe grew up naked. Xiaohui's family was poor, and Zhao Muhe's family was better off. Xiaohui's father had no house to live in when he got married, so Zhao Muhe helped build the two mud shacks on the hillside at the back of the village.
Zhao Muhe and his wife liked Xiaohui. They were a son in their family. If it weren't for the fact that the character Zhao couldn't be separated, they could still be married to each other. Later, Xiaohui's father fell ill and passed away. Xiaohui's mother had to live with Xiaohui hard and couldn't survive.
Then we left Binhai.
Zhao Muhe and his wife were happy to learn that Xiaohui had come back to visit her father's grave, and they were relieved for Zhao Muben.
After lunch, Zhao Muhe led Xiaohui's family of three, Lao Tan and Wang Shulan to visit the grave. Xiaohui shed tears while burning paper in front of the grave, telling her father about the ups and downs of more than 20 years. To be honest, those who heard it shed tears.
.
After visiting her father's grave, fulfilling her wish, and fulfilling her mother's instructions before her death, Xiaohui planned to leave.
Zhao Muhe and his wife wanted to stay with Xiaohui's family for a few days, but there were five of them and the house didn't have a big space, and Xiaohui didn't want to trouble them too much.
To be honest, although we are from the same family, we are relatives because we often move around. If we don’t move around often, we will feel alienated. What’s more, we haven’t seen each other for twenty years. After meeting and reminiscing about old times, we know everything is going well and I feel relieved. The rest can live their own lives.
I don’t know when we will meet again.
There was no car back to Yiyang at this time, but there was a guest house in Qianhu Town. Zhao Muhe drove Lao Tan and the others to the town in a big four-wheeler and arranged accommodation before going back.
The town guest house is not big. It is built facing the street and has ten large bungalows. There are beds and TVs in the rooms, but there is no bathroom. Of course, there is no water heater, so you can't take a shower.
"I'm sweating all over, I don't feel comfortable without taking a shower, and the hoop is uncomfortable." Wang Shulan said helplessly.
"It'll be fine if we go back tomorrow. Just hold on and do as the Romans do." Lao Tan comforted him.
"It's okay, I'll just talk about it." Wang Shulan said instead: "Actually, the countryside is quite nice. The air is fresh, there is no pollution, and it is surrounded by mountains, green mountains and green waters."
Speaking of Shan Lao Tan, he thought of Beautiful Valley and said: "Beautiful Valley is also beautiful at this time. I haven't been there for almost a year. I have time to go and have fun."
"I didn't go there after the Chinese New Year. I guess my garden was deserted." Wang Shulan said.
"No, there is Yingzi's mother, so she can't be left alone."
"Yeah, that's right." Wang Shulan seemed to have remembered something and said, "Did you know that Xiaomei's mother went to Beautiful Valley?"
"Oh, do you miss your wife?" Lao Tan asked.
"I went to take care of my wife." Wang Shulan said, "I don't know, Cao Jiadong is taking care of the children at home now."
Lao Tan was stunned for a moment, then thought of something and said: "You mean-"
Wang Shulan smiled and said: "Not yet, but it's almost there. As soon as Xiaomei's mother left and Xiaomei was not at home, Cao Jiadong began to take care of the three children, sending them off in the morning and picking them up in the evening, and going to work as usual."
"I didn't hear what Xiaomei said."
"You are such a neglectful uncle. You care about your niece even when you have nothing to do."
Lao Tan laughed and said: "Remissing duty, indeed remissing duty." Then he said: "Xiaomei and Cao Jiadong are really good, they are quite suitable. What does Xiaomei mean?"
"It's not interesting. I didn't agree with it, but I didn't say anything. She kind of led you astray. Her mind is all about the hotel. She will become a man in two years. Typical
Director of Women.”
Then Wang Shulan started laughing.
Lao Tan said: "It is better for people to be dedicated and have something to do."
"Dedication is dedication, and life is life. They are two different things. You can't make a living just by being dedicated. With Xiaomei's character, she should find someone like Cao Jiadong. She works outside and has not left the family behind." Wang Shulan said.
Lao Tan nodded, "It's pretty good."
"Brother, how are you doing now? With your wife." Wang Shulan suddenly asked.
"It's still like that, pretty good."
"It doesn't look good -------" Wang Shulan squeezed her lips and smiled, and said: "You and your wife are both career-oriented, and you won't obey the other. If either of you took it back, you wouldn't be like this."
“Lack of family atmosphere------”
"Women lose their gentleness once they start doing things, and what men want most is gentleness. If you can't get what you want, you can't give what you can give------It's just the two of you, it's good that you haven't divorced.
.”
"Sister, to be honest, I don't know how I've been living these years. I think it's pretty good, but I look like a dog, but in fact it's nothing - a failure, a complete failure -"
"This is not considered a failure. It can only be said that the business was not well run." Wang Shulan was about to use herself as an example, "I am considered a failure - Hi, actually I feel pretty good now. I have a granddaughter, and I am working hard day by day.
That’s cool, look, is my sister getting younger?”
Wang Shulan does not look old, she has always been a refined woman with temperament and charm. She asked this because she did not want to continue the topic of Lao Tan.
At this time, a unique smell of firewood smoke drifted in from the window, which was mixed with the aroma of food.
Before I knew it, it was already evening, the sun had set behind the mountains, and the gorgeous sunset dyed the western sky red.
At this time, the city was noisy with the busy traffic, and the evening rush hour after get off work drowned out the beautiful sunset, and people had no time to pay attention. But in the countryside, it was a different scene.
A man is walking home on the mountain road, with cows mooing behind him. The green mountains gradually become thicker, and the air is filled with sweet fragrance.
On the streets that have been trodden hard for many years, children who do not know their worries are playing. The call from the courtyard not far away, with the affectionate baby name, is followed by a reluctant response and a happy return home.
One or two dogs barked, along with the lazy crowing of ducks and cocks, mixed with the snorting of donkeys and mules, accompanied by the bleating of sheep, accentuating the dusk.
The hotel proprietress stood in the yard at dusk and shouted loudly: "dinner is ready, hot and sour mountain rabbit in stone pot, roasted chicken with wild bamboo shoots, stir-fried cabbage, big bowl of oil residue, hurry up -"
Lao Tan and Wang Shulan glanced at each other. They were amused by the proprietress's special way of serving meals. They called Xiaohui's family and followed each other to the backyard.
The yard is quite large, with four wooden tables and six wooden stools on each table. There is a shed above the table to provide shelter from wind and rain.
The landlady is very smart. She also owns the restaurant next to the guest house. It is open to the public on the street and serves the guests in the hospital. It kills two birds with one stone.
There is a man and a woman sitting at the table on the east side. The couple is the driver and conductor of the bus that will leave from here tomorrow morning. Lao Tan and the others knew each other when they entered the guest house. They stayed in the guest house overnight, and Lao Tan and the others came here every day and in the morning.
The passenger sitting next to me was sitting across from me.
When he saw Lao Tan, the man smiled friendly and said hello.
Lao Tan replied and chose the table on the west side to sit down.
The plump and cheerful landlady came over and asked with a smile: "What can I eat?"
"Take one of the four dishes you just called for, and five bowls of rice." Wang Shulan said.
"Okay, wait a moment."
The proprietress turned around to leave, but was stopped by Lao Tan and ordered another bottle of liquor.
Soon, the proprietress and a man wearing an apron came out of the back door of the restaurant with a large bowl in each hand, followed by a young girl, dragging a tray with rice and white wine in both hands.
The lady boss put down the stir-fried cabbage and hot and sour mountain rabbit, and when the man put down the roasted chicken with bamboo shoots and a large bowl of oil residue, she said, "You guys eat, there's still some left in there. If it's not enough, ask me to add more."
Wang Shulan joked: "Should we charge more?"
"There is no charge. If you add some dishes and rice, you will have to pay for it." The landlady said generously.
Wang Shulan gave a thumbs up, "affordable!"
The landlady said: "I hunt the mountain rabbits myself and raise the chickens at home. We have them in the vegetable garden, but I don't know how to fry them. Just eat them to your liking."
The boss lady’s ability to provide benefits was immediately recognized by everyone. Lao Tan smiled and nodded, then glanced at the sky to the west and asked: “Boss lady, will it rain tomorrow?”
The landlady looked up at the sky to the west and said: "The fish scales are burning, there is rain, and it will start to rain in the middle of the night."
After the landlady left, Xiaolong said: "The weather forecast said there will be no rain."
"In the mountainous areas here, it's the rainy season again. It's raining in February and August. It can rain at any time, as long as it's not too heavy." Lao Tan said.