Chapter 2 Chapter 2

On the morning of the third day, after confirming that she had fully recovered, Qiao Jiaxin was discharged from the hospital.

The rain that had lasted for more than ten days finally stopped, and the sun peeked out from the clouds, bringing the warmth of summer again.

Only grandma came to pick up Qiao Jiaxin home. Neither uncle nor aunt came.

She said that her uncles had been busy with her grandfather's funeral and had a lot of work to do, and they would come to see her at home in a couple of days.

Worried that Qiao Jiaxin had not fully recovered, she specially picked up a tricycle, laid a mattress on the tricycle, and put two eggs that she had just boiled before going out.

Looking at the white towel draped over her grandmother's shoulders, Qiao Jiaxin didn't get in the car. Instead, she suggested, "I'll push the car, and we'll walk back."

"I've already borrowed it, why are you still pushing it?" Grandma dusted the bicycle seat with a towel and helped her onto the bicycle. "You're not strong enough yet. Hurry up and get on. It's only a few steps away. We'll be home in no time."

Grandma's tone was not as gentle as before, and there was a hint of toughness between the lines, as if she wanted to prove that even without grandpa at home, she could still shoulder the burden of the family.

Qiao Jiaxin couldn't persuade her grandma, so she had to cross her legs and sit on the bike obediently like she did when she was a child. She deliberately sat forward a little, next to her grandma, so that her grandma could save some effort when pedaling.

On the way back, grandma didn't say a word, just pedaled silently.

The tricycle's frame is a little rusty and always makes a squeaking sound.

Looking at her grandmother's back, more memories about her and her grandfather emerged in Qiao Jiaxin's mind.

Liu Shuqin, it seems like no one has called grandma that for a long time.

Even the neighbors who had lived with her for more than ten years only called her Grandma Qiao.

When she was nineteen years old, she married into the Qiao family.

From then on, Liu Shuqin and Qiao Wensheng were written on the same page.

Like most traditional families, the Qiao family has the man working outside and the woman working inside.

My grandma has a very gentle personality and is always polite no matter who she talks to; my grandpa is a tough guy and no one would dare to bully his family.

The couple had been married for more than 40 years, and she gave birth to five children for the Qiao family:

The eldest daughter is Qiao Fenglai, the second son is Qiao Wangdong, the third son is Qiao Wangxi, the fourth son is Qiao Wangnan, and the youngest son is Qiao Wangbei.

In those impoverished times, raising a child was no easy task. However, she not only brought up all five children, but also educated them all into successful individuals, a fact that she would be proud of for the rest of her life.

Unfortunately, sixteen years ago, her eldest daughter and son-in-law died in the line of duty, and since then, she has only four children left.

More than ten years passed in a flash. The four children had all started their own families, and she had several grandchildren. But the one she and Mr. Qiao loved the most was Qiao Jiaxin, the "granddaughter" they raised with their own hands.

Click.

When I opened the door, there was a smell of incense in the house.

The grandfather who used to sit at the kitchen door and smoke has now been placed in the black box, quietly on the table along with the photos he took a few years ago.

The urn should have been buried in the ancestral grave a few days ago, but they had moved from the village to the city many years ago and had long forgotten the village burial customs, so they temporarily kept it at home and agreed to go to the village after some time to inquire about the burial procedures.

Taking off the towel from her neck and wiping the incense ash that had fallen on the table, Liu Shuqin suppressed her emotions and said to her calmly, "Go kowtow to your grandfather."

Looking at the photo on the table, Qiao Jiaxin knelt down in front of it with a plop.

"Grandpa! My granddaughter is unfilial. I'm late..."

In my memory, although Grandpa Qiao Wensheng was not as kind as Liu Shuqin, his love for her was no less than that of Grandma.

He would fold grasshoppers out of straw strips as toys for her, teach her to ride a bicycle, push hoops, and cook... In her impression, her grandfather was simply the omnipotent Monkey King.

Perhaps it is because he is too "omnipotent" and bears too much pressure at home that he ages so quickly.

He is clearly sixty-seven years old, but the appearance in the photo looks like an old man in his eighties.

Hearing Qiao Jiaxin's crying, Liu Shuqin's tears also welled up in her eyes, but she didn't want her granddaughter to see her crying, so she turned around and went to the kitchen, wiping the moisture from the corners of her eyes while pretending to cook.

"Go lie down inside for a while. I'll steam the rice first."

Qiao Jiaxin said "hmm", lit three incense sticks for her grandfather, and returned to her room.

The house they lived in was the staff housing allocated to my grandfather in the cotton mill’s staff compound.

Strictly speaking, my grandfather was not an employee of the cotton mill, but just a security guard at the gate. It was his turn because a vacancy became available in the factory that year.

The house is not given for free, they are just allowed to live there for free.

Forty square meters, with one bedroom and one living room, and the separate bedroom inside contains all the memories of the original owner over the years.

The door of the other bedroom was open, and on the small table inside lay a rolled-up banner with an empty envelope underneath.

It was the cotton mill's reward for my grandfather's bravery, as well as the gratitude of the parents of the rescued child. However, at this moment, the red color was very eye-catching, and the money in the envelope had lost its value.

To be selfish, if she could do it again, Qiao Jiaxin really hopes that her grandfather would make a different choice.

About half an hour later, the aroma of food wafted from the kitchen.

"Jiaxin, come out and eat."

There were three dishes on the table. They were leftovers from the dinner her uncles took her out to last night. They were just heated up in the steaming rice pot and would be their lunch today.

Putting a piece of meat into Qiao Jiaxin's bowl, Liu Shuqin started a conversation and asked, "So, when does school start in September?"

Qiao Jiaxin: "Report on September 5th, classes will officially start on the 6th."

The original owner was the same age as Qiao Jiaxin, entering her junior year of high school.

"It's so fast! I'm already in my third year of high school." Liu Shuqin continued, eating her rice. "I must study hard and strive to be like your uncle and your brother, get into a good university, and become a college student."

Qiao Jiaxin nodded firmly: "Grandma, don't worry, I will work hard!"

"I'm not well educated, so I can't help you much. You'll have to rely on your uncle for your studies."

Qiao Jiaxin was stunned for a moment. "My uncle? Don't bother me. I can learn it myself."

Liu Shuqin: "That's true, but if we really live together in the future, I'll still have to ask him if I encounter a question I don't understand."

Qiao Jiaxin opened her eyes wide and looked even more confused.

Continuing to eat the rice in her bowl, Liu Shuqin explained in a gentle voice: "I guess we won't live here anymore in the future. We'll go live with your uncle."

Raising children is a way to provide for your old age. The older generation raises their children with great difficulty, hoping that there will be someone to take care of them in their old age.

I didn't live with my sons in the past because I didn't want to cause them trouble. After all, they were still useful in their old age and could support themselves.

But now, the only breadwinner in the family has been taken away by the devil. Liu Shuqin also feels that she is old and in poor health, and she is worried that one day she will also...

So he thought of his four sons.

"Don't worry."

Seeing some worry on Qiao Jiaxin's face, Liu Shuqin added, "Your four uncles have wanted to take us in for years. Every time they come to eat, they keep talking about how great it would be to live together. It's perfect. If we really do live together in the future, you'll be able to get to know a lot of places better."

In the original owner's memory, although the four uncles of the Qiao family lived not far away, they did not often come to visit their home.

My eldest uncle Qiao Wangdong only comes during festivals and holidays. He always brings a lot of things with him and usually leaves after dinner.

My second uncle Qiao Wangxi might not come at any time, as his family is large and the most lively time is during mealtimes.

My third uncle Qiao Wangnan often asked me to eat out, and every time he would go to a restaurant, but he was too busy and often didn't show up, and only my aunt and cousin were there;

My uncle Qiao Wangbei comes almost every few days, but his purpose doesn’t seem to be to eat, because after every meal he would pull my grandfather into the house and talk for a long time.

Because they didn't interact much in normal times, the original owner was not particularly close to his four uncles, and sometimes even felt restrained.

But it would be nice if I could really move in with my uncle, at least then grandma wouldn't have to work so hard.

"Whose house do you want to live in?" Liu Shuqin asked again.

Qiao Jiaxin: "I'm fine with that. You decide."

"Then live at your uncle's house," Liu Shuqin said simply. "Your uncle and aunt are both educated people. You can learn more from them and gain more knowledge."

"Study more and become a teacher like your aunt after graduation, which would be great."

She has four children and four layers of security. Although Qiao Wangdong is the most suitable first choice, she still considered several other possibilities.

Before actually moving in, Liu Shuqin had already thought about her future life:

"The second uncle's family is fine too. Your second uncle is the most down-to-earth. He always said he wanted to have another daughter. If you go there, they will definitely love you."

"Your third uncle has made a lot of money these years, and his house is big, so he doesn't have to worry about having a place to live. You can move in."

"Your uncle... never mind, I won't talk about him anymore."

These scenes were described to her by her uncles when they came to their house for dinner.

At that time, she and her grandfather both refused with reservation, but in fact, they also hoped to live such a life.

There was no refrigerator at home, so the food would have some smell after being left out overnight. However, after heating it up, Liu Shuqin found the food tasted as delicious as if she had eaten it in a restaurant.

Liu Shuqin: "Then I'll call your uncle this afternoon and discuss it with him. See what he says."

Qiao Jiaxin nodded, "Okay."

The passing of her grandfather was like a sudden plunge into darkness for her. Her face had been gloomy these past few days, until she mentioned her uncles, only then could a hint of relief flash across her eyes.

At this moment, only these four rays of hope can bring her out again.

In the afternoon, Liu Shuqin took a few coins and went to the telephone booth at the entrance of the family compound with Qiao Jiaxin.

She was like a child visiting a department store for the first time, holding money and ready to buy the toy she had been longing for.

"Hello? Wangdong."

When she called Qiao Wangdong's home, she first told him that she had brought Qiao Jiaxin back from the hospital, then asked him how his work was going, and finally, after going around in circles, she tentatively brought up the topic of retirement.

"That's right, your father is gone now, I..."

Halfway through her words, the person on the other end interrupted her.

Although she didn't hear what her uncle said, Qiao Jiaxin soon noticed that the corners of her grandmother's lips drooped, and the light in her eyes that had finally appeared dimmed a little.

"Ah...well, you go ahead and do your work."

"Well, let's come together tonight and talk about it then..."