In winter, the scarcity of resources becomes even more pronounced. More people die of hunger and cold in winter than in the other three seasons.
This year, Qijia Village's food supply is barely enough to fill their stomachs, roughly the same as last year, but the people who were sent down to the countryside are in a much worse situation.
Once these people arrived at the Qi Family Village Livestock Team, Old Man Qi would do his best to ensure they could safely get through the winter.
"You know how to make this?" Old Qi's eyes lit up. "Is it a specialty from your area?"
He Tiantian nodded and said, "Yes, I guess Professor Wang will make some too."
In his previous life, no one in Qijia Village made these things; Professor Wang made these wooden clogs and felt quilts. The people of Qijia Village found them useful and everyone learned how to make them.
"Alright, I'll get some when I have time," said Old Man Qi. Those things are usually unused, but since they can be used to keep warm, let's give it a try.
He Tiantian drank a bowl of chicken soup here and brought a pot back for Grandma Qi. Aunt Liu was also very happy; she put three pheasants and a basket of eggs in her bamboo basket, enough for her little boy to eat well for a while.
When Grandma Qi saw that He Tiantian had brought chicken soup, she knew that He Tiantian had caught a pheasant again today. Upon hearing that He Tiantian had already eaten, Grandma Qi also ate her fill without any hesitation.
"Before, we could only have a little meat during the New Year, but now we can eat it every three to five days. I've even gained weight in my face!" Grandma Qi wiped her mouth and chuckled. "I know what I'm doing. It's all thanks to you. I remember it all!"
He Tiantian filled a basin with water and washed her face and hands while softly laughing, "Grandma Qi is very good to me too. She gave me a big house to live in and gave me advice on the details of life. I'm always grateful to her. Let's not say anything and just live well. I'll take care of you in your old age and see you off when you die."
He Tiantian wasn't just being polite when she said this. Even if Grandma Qi's son wasn't found, He Tiantian would still take care of Grandma Qi in her old age and see her off in her final days. After all, she would be living here for several years, and over time, feelings would inevitably develop between them.
The kinship and affection forged during those difficult years are all the more precious.
He Tiantian's care for her in her old age and her final farewell was also genuine.
However, these words shocked Grandma Qi. She had lived to such an old age and was not afraid of death, but she was afraid of being left to die in the wilderness with no one to help collect her body and bury her.
"Sweetie, are you telling the truth?" Grandma Qi asked cautiously. If possible, she wanted to adopt He Tiantian as her goddaughter. That way, it would be more legitimate for her to give all her things to He Tiantian in the future.
He Tiantian nodded earnestly and looked at Grandma Qi, saying, "Grandma Qi, everything I've said is true. I will take good care of you and handle your funeral arrangements. If I have the chance to return to the city, I will take you to my home. My parents are very easy to talk to and will be very happy."
Grandma Qi didn't insist on going to live with He Tiantian's family in the city. She just wanted someone to be with her while she was alive, and someone to help collect her body when she died.
After thinking for a moment, Grandma Qi said, "Sweetie, how about this? I don't have a granddaughter, so I'll adopt you as my goddaughter, okay?"
“Sure!” He Tiantian said. She didn’t have a grandmother, but having another grandmother to love her was not bad.
"Don't agree so quickly. You should write a letter back to your parents first. If they reply and agree, I'll go to Secretary Qi and Director Zhao to finalize this matter. We'll also hold a family recognition ceremony so that everyone can witness it. You'll take care of me in my old age and see me off when I die. All my things will be yours from now on."
He Tiantian thought for a moment and decided she didn't want Grandma Qi's things. She added, "Grandma Qi, I'll write to my parents tonight when I get back. As for what I promised you, I will definitely do it. It would be good if everyone could come and witness it. Also, Grandma Qi, please keep your things safe. Maybe one day your family will come back. Just keep these things for them as a memento. I don't need them."
Hearing He Tiantian's words, Grandma Qi's face was filled with sorrow. Although she repeatedly told herself that she needed to see her son alive or dead, and that she wouldn't believe he was dead until she saw his body, so many years had passed and her son still hadn't returned. Subconsciously, she believed, like everyone else, that her son was dead.
"Sigh, if they wanted to come back, they would have come back long ago," Grandma Qi sighed. "Why wait until now..."
Seeing the door tightly shut, He Tiantian whispered cautiously in Grandma Qi's ear, "Grandma Qi, think about it. Your son was studying in Nanshi back then, and later worked for the Nanshi Municipal Government. At that time, that person was in power in Nanshi. After liberation, that person went to Taiwan, and maybe your son was taken there for some reason. The situation across the strait was tense, and they were constantly under blockade, with no communication..."
Grandma Qi quickly covered He Tiantian's mouth, her face grim, and said in a low voice, "You little brat, you dare to say anything, aren't you afraid of being overheard? I'm an old woman, it doesn't matter, I've lived for so long anyway, but you're still young, you have a bright future ahead of you, you can't be so reckless, you'll suffer a great loss later."
He Tiantian knew that Grandma Qi was worried about her, so she smiled and explained, "I'm saying these things right in front of you. There's still hope, but it only has meaning if you're alive. Maybe it will come true someday!"
Grandma Qi was touched. This sweet girl had said such things to encourage her, which showed her good intentions.
"Okay, okay, I'll remember that. I'll live well, until my son comes back," Grandma Qi murmured to herself. This was her belief, and she would not change it even until the moment she died.
“Yes, that’s how we should be.” He Tiantian smiled. Actually, becoming strong isn’t that difficult. As long as there is hope, there is the motivation to persevere.
He Tiantian learned the word "perseverance" from Grandma Qi, and now she's passing that same word on to her. The two encourage and support each other, and perhaps they really can wait until that day comes.
He Tiantian has a past life experience and knows about Grandma Qi's perseverance in waiting for her long-lost son. He Tiantian also learned the crucial virtue of "perseverance" from this experience.
He Tiantian also hopes that her persistence will have a good outcome, just like Grandma Qi San's.
Grandma Qi's heart, which had been gradually drying up, was now infused with a spring of clear water, nourishing her parched soul and giving her the strength to persevere.
After lunch, He Tiantian went to work at the livestock team in the back mountain.
Thanks to Professor Wang's publicity, everyone now knew that the large pairs of shorts hanging in the courtyard were made of cotton fabric provided by He Tiantian. These people were embarrassed to talk about the shorts with a young girl, but their attitude showed how grateful they were to He Tiantian. (To be continued.)
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