178 Lin Regiment Commander
We bought a new year's almanac for our family, and red banners were hung at the gates of various organizations outside, announcing that New Year's Day was just around the corner.
Guan Yuehe, who is about to go on a long trip, has an extra day off and is currently packing her luggage at home.
She had just put her newly bought coat into her luggage bag when, in the blink of an eye, the mischievous Lin Ting had already stuffed himself into the bag as well, grinning at her and revealing a few tiny teeth.
Clapping his hands and shouting, "Mom!"
Lin Ting can now call out "Dad" and "Mom". Whenever she sees Lin Yiku and Guan Yuehe, she keeps calling out to them. Gu Yu says that she is a tape recorder with a cassette tape inside her belly, which can be played over and over again.
As Lin Tingyue grew older, she became more and more mischievous and particularly good at acting cute. Every time she did something naughty, she would smile at the adults like this.
For example, right now.
I don't know why Lin Ting got into a fight with her luggage bag, she would squeeze into it whenever she had the chance.
Guan Yuehe had no choice but to pull her out again, and then rummage through the cabinet to find Lin Yiku's luggage bag. After opening it, she carried Lin Ting inside and put her away.
"Oh dear! Why did you climb into the bag?" Jiang Guiying brought in a bowl of steamed egg custard and coaxed Lin Ting to come out quickly.
"You let her crawl in and play, you'll know you were wrong when she pees in it later."
"It's alright, she doesn't need that bag, let her play with it."
"Just one bag? I heard it's cold over there, you should bring more warm clothes... Tsk! You're such a hasty kid, who's going to steal your food?"
Knowing that this child couldn't wait to eat, Jiang Guiying deliberately waited until it wasn't so hot before bringing it in.
Guan Yuehe turned her head and saw Lin Ting rummaging through her bag, sitting obediently on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), tilting her head back and opening her mouth, waiting for her grandmother to feed her egg custard.
They're most well-behaved when they're eating.
Just moments ago, Jiang Guiying was criticizing the child for being too impatient, but then she turned around and praised, "Oh! That's how you eat—big bites taste the best. Grandma, look at your mouth, all done? That's impressive. One more bite..."
Watching Lin Ting eat with increasing delight, Guan Yuehe's expression was complicated. Lin Ting was indeed a little glutton, but her mother had also put in a lot of effort, praising Lin Ting so much that her little tail was practically wagging so high it could lift the roof off.
Jiang Guiying said with emotion as she fed him, "Lin Ting is lucky to be born in such a good era. Look at what he eats and uses now. We didn't have these conditions a few years ago."
Of course, it also has to do with Yuehe and Yiku's jobs. They have high salaries now and only support Linting. It would be strange if they didn't support her well.
Guan Yuehe didn't respond. When Gu Yu was little, her mother said the same thing.
Life always gets better and better.
"Why didn't Guyu come back to the alley for lunch today?" I haven't seen Xiaobangchui for several days, and I miss her quite a bit.
"The garment factory is slaughtering a pig and distributing the meat today. Your brother-in-law is taking her to the factory canteen for lunch."
“No wonder.” If it were her, she would also choose to eat lunch at the factory. “When the factory slaughters pigs, the head chef in the canteen makes braised pork, which tastes much better than mine.”
"Tsk!" Lin Ting looked up at her.
"Mmm, you eat."
Jiang Guiying remembered something else and asked, "How are things going with Ding Lao Si and his girlfriend? Did meeting the parents go smoothly?"
"Everything went smoothly, and they plan to get their marriage certificate on the 2nd."
Ye Zhi Qiu's family was initially very unhappy when they learned that Ding Xue Wen was seven years older than her. However, after meeting him twice, they changed their attitude and urged them to finalize the marriage as soon as possible.
After discussing it, they decided to get their marriage certificate after New Year's Day, and they could postpone the wedding banquet. Ding Xuewen said that since they were going to get their marriage certificate earlier, they should use the money they had saved up for the bride price first, and he still needed to save up some more money to buy big items for the house.
"So you're getting your marriage certificate the day after tomorrow? So soon!" Jiang Guiying exclaimed in surprise, but quickly added happily, "It's good that it's soon. We're all this age. If we're planning to settle down, then we should do it sooner rather than later."
He added, "So that Ding Lao Er won't have to think about having his two sons try to get close to Ding Lao Si."
Guan Yuehe didn't care, and Ding Xuewen wasn't that soft-hearted either. Even if Ding Erge had his eye on it, it would be pointless.
"It's better to hold the banquet later. Maybe you'll be back from your business trip in time to attend his wedding."
Guan Yuehe smiled but didn't say anything.
There's no need to worry about that. Ding Xuewen made it clear that the earliest they'll hold the banquet is during the May Day holiday, and they'll need the help of a few people to tidy up the new house then.
As she spoke, Jiang Guiying lowered her voice and asked, "Why haven't we heard anything about Yi Ku's promotion?"
"No rush."
"Tsk! Only you two aren't in a hurry." The older folks had been thinking about it a lot, but they didn't dare ask, afraid that if things didn't work out, asking would put pressure on Yiku.
There wasn't a single steamed egg left in the bowl, so Lin Tingcai climbed back into his luggage and sat down to play.
evening.
Gu Mannian pushed his bicycle back to Ginkgo Alley, with Gu Yu on the back seat and two pieces of pork belly hanging on the front.
"Xiao Gu is bringing meat to your father-in-law again?"
It has to be said that Guan Canghai and Jiang Guiying's eldest son-in-law is really filial. In the past few years, even their own daughters haven't visited him as often as he has.
Gu Mannian chatted for a few minutes at the entrance of the alley until Gu Yu couldn't wait any longer and climbed out of the car and ran into the No. 3 courtyard. Only then did Gu Mannian quickly push the car and follow.
Upon entering courtyard number three, I came into contact with two unfamiliar faces.
"Mom, who are those two people in the front yard?" Gu Mannian asked as soon as he entered the house.
"Ding's second son brought his wife and child back to the city to visit relatives."
Gu Mannian then remembered who the familiar-looking man was. He remembered that this man and Ding Xuewen were assigned to the same commune as educated youth. He had even brought his wife back once a year, but soon got into a fight with his family and left again.
With Aunt Ding gone, Ding Xianzong didn't argue with his family when he returned this time.
"We don't even know if Ding Xianguang is alive or dead outside. The couple only have two children, Ding Xianzong and Ding Xiang. There's no point in arguing anymore."
Jiang Guiying pursed her lips and whispered, "Old Master Ding is in poor health and wants to retire early and hand over his work to Ding Xianzong. However, I think Old Master Ding only wants a son and not a daughter-in-law."
"Could it be that he wants to encourage his son to get a divorce?" Gu Mannian frowned, but quickly found it unsurprising.
There are similar cases in their family compound. Their sons have been sent to the countryside for many years, where they got married and started a family. Later, when the policy for returning to the city was introduced, they would send telegrams every few days urging their sons to divorce and return to the city.
In the past two years alone, the factory's labor union and women's federation have handled several disputes arising from divorces and the return of factory workers' children to the city. There have even been cases of workers abandoning their wives and children after getting into university.
Gu Mannian wasn't the only one who made this guess; other neighbors in the No. 3 courtyard thought the same thing. Some said that Ding Laoda and his wife had gone too far, while others said they had done the right thing.
When watching TV in the evening, everyone's eyes were on the screen, but they were talking about what choice Ding Xianzong would make.
—
The Ding family.
"Xianzong, have you thought it through? If you don't get a divorce and go back to the city, your father's job can't be transferred to you." Aunt Ding pulled him outside the alley and asked.
Ding Xianzong was torn between two options: returning to the city to work in a factory or going back to his wife and children who had been with him through hard times.
"Think about it again," said Sister-in-law Ding, seeing that he remained silent. "Even if your brother is found, he'll be arrested anyway; we can't count on him. Your sister is a college graduate; she won't have trouble finding a good job in the future. Your father has retired; it would be a waste if he didn't transfer his job to you. Besides, if you become a worker, you won't have trouble finding a wife in the city. If you feel guilty, we'll give her two hundred yuan..."
Ding Xianzong didn't say anything and went straight back to Courtyard No. 3.
When he returned home this time, he found that his house had changed drastically.
When the news of his grandmother's passing reached him, he wanted to return to the city, but by then his father-in-law was ill, all the family's money had been spent, and they were heavily in debt. After he managed to borrow the money, he received a letter from his younger sister saying that his uncle had been arrested for smuggling and selling cultural relics, his older brother had also been involved but had fled and no one knew where he was, and the family had completely split up... He was somewhat prepared, but when he returned, he still felt that the changes were too great.
Originally, more than a dozen people were crammed into five rooms, but now only his parents and three cousins live there. Dingxiang lives at school year-round, so there is still one empty room left.
In the past, even the living room was a coveted spot.
His father sent him a telegram specifically to let him return to the city and take over the factory job.
He was excited when he received the telegram, but after boarding the train, the long journey made him think a lot. If his father hadn't been in poor health, would this job have been handed over to him?
Upon entering the house, he saw his wife folding clothes with her head down, and his two children watching him cautiously. Ding Xianzong was immediately reminded of his own days in the countryside.
After a few minutes of silence in the room, Ding Xianzong quickly made a decision: "I'll buy tickets tomorrow. If I go back early, I can catch the brigade to distribute pork."
"Dad, are we not staying in the city?"
"We're not staying here anymore, our home isn't here."
The next day.
Ding Xuewen and Ye Zhiqi arrived at Ginkgo Hutong carrying large and small bags.
Before the person even got close, the elderly folks at the alley entrance were already discussing it.
"Ding Lao Si is so lucky. He got into university, returned to the city, and now he's found such a good wife."
"Isn't this much better than Ding Laowu? Well, Ding... never mind, it's the New Year, let's not talk about it." Changing the subject, she called out to Ding Xuewen, who was approaching, "Bringing your girlfriend home for dinner?"
He thought to himself: Have Ding Laosi and his brothers made up?
The next second, Ding Xuewen clarified, "I came here to deliver holiday gifts to Aunt Jiang and Aunt Fang."
But the person went to Courtyard No. 1 first, and when they came out a while later, some of their things were missing, so they went straight to Courtyard No. 3.
Ding Xuewen was only there to deliver a gift; he still had to go home and have dinner with Ye Zhiqi.
Only when they came out of the No. 3 courtyard did they run into Ding Xianzong and his family of four, who were returning from outside.
"Fourth Uncle".
No one knows what Ding Xuewen and Ding Xianzong said, but that afternoon, new news came out of the Ding family. It was said that Ding Xianzong decided to divorce his wife in the countryside and would come back to take over Ding Laoda's job at the factory after a while.
"Did Ding Laosi say something to him?"
"I don't know," Guan Yuehe said, shrugging. She didn't have time to ask him.
But based on her understanding of Ding Xuewen, the current Ding Xuewen isn't so soft-hearted anymore; he might even be encouraging Ding Xianzong to do bad things.
"Stop talking about upsetting things. Old man, go and process the fish. Guan Aiguo, go and pluck the chicken feathers... When will Yi Ku be back?"
I'll be there when you say so.
Lin Yiku, dressed in military uniform, strode into the courtyard, stood by the stove to warm himself for a while, and then picked up the fluttering Lin Ting.
Guan Yuehe helped him take off his hat and brushed the snowflakes off his shoulders.
"You're laughing so happily, something good must have happened?"
While everyone else was busy with dinner and no one was paying attention to their little actions, Lin Yi hummed in agreement and even reached out to squeeze her palm.
Guan Yuehe's eyes lit up, and she tentatively called out, "Commander Lin?"
"Hmm." Commander Lin's smile deepened. He had waited so long, and just before she went on her business trip three months ago, he was able to share his good news with her in time.
"Commander Lin is really amazing." Guan Yuehe didn't feel comfortable hugging him in front of so many people, so she could only hug Lin Ting in his arms and kiss Lin Ting's chubby cheeks several times.
Their hands were still secretly clasped together.
Lin Ting got angry at the two of them for kissing her so hard, and yelled a few times, blocking their mouths.
Jiang Guiying thought they were deliberately teasing Lin Ting, and said irritably, "You're such a grown man, why do you keep teasing her? Look how upset you've made the child."
"Come here, Grandma will hold you and feed you dumplings. Let's ignore them."
Guan Yuehe and Lin Yiku didn't explain, but insisted on taking the responsibility of fetching water, and each of them went out with a bucket.
When Lin Sitian and Chen Lizhong returned to Courtyard No. 3, they saw the two of them having a water-carrying contest, with whoever walked faster having to pull their clothes back.
Chen Lizhong: "Our brother and Yuehe are really..."
“Two idiots, right?” Lin Sitian helped him finish the sentence.
"..." Chen Lizhong was not very willing to speak ill of his brother-in-law.
Author's note: Today's second update will be a little late.
Yesterday's torrential rain and strong winds prevented us from seeing the moon, but today's moon is very round! [Rabbit head with upright ears]
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