184 My aunt is amazing (a paragraph was added later)...
"My brother-in-law wanted the color TV, and this is a rice cooker. I saw my colleagues at work buying them, so I bought one too."
I regretted buying it as soon as I did. My colleague lives in the company's staff quarters, where the power supply is stable, unlike Ginkgo Hutong, where there are frequent power outages and the circuit breaker often trips because everyone uses the same power at the same time.
She planned to resell the rice cooker, so she wouldn't let anyone unpack the boxes, but instead had them rummage through her large duffel bag.
"My colleagues and I spent two days shopping. We heard that their porcelain and lacquerware are quite famous. I went to see them, but they weren't as nice as ours. I'll bring you some more next time I go to the Canton Fair."
So, Guan Yuehe took out several thermos cups, giving one to each of the elders, and then took out several large bags of dried eel, as well as some snacks whose names she couldn't recall.
From another bag, she took out gifts for the children.
Gu Yu, no longer caring about clinging to her aunt, buried her head in the large bag full of toys, making "wow" noises incessantly. She wanted this robot and that posable doll to take home as well.
Gu Yu, clutching a large bag, looked at Guan Yuehe with shining eyes, "Auntie is so amazing!"
She knew that adults would bring back nice things when they went on business trips. But her aunt always brought back exceptionally good things.
She had never seen such a beautiful toy at the Guaziwang General Store!
Isn't that amazing?
Guan Yuehe recalled that when she and her colleagues went to choose gifts for their family and friends, many of her colleagues went to the toy store to pick out toys for their children, but she was the only one who picked out a huge pile of toys as if she were buying wholesale, which shocked her colleagues so much that their eyes widened.
But when they heard her counting on her fingers, including the neighbor's child's share, her colleagues even worried whether she had bought enough to share.
Lin Ting, who insisted on being held by her grandmother, couldn't sit still. As soon as she was put down, she immediately went to Gu Yu's side and buried her head in the bag, letting out a couple of "waahs".
The two "frogs" guarded the bag containing the toys and refused to move. Jiang Guiying gave them small stools so they could sit and play, but she also had to keep an eye on them to make sure they didn't take everything apart.
Lin Ting just wanted to join in the fun with Gu Yu; the toys were far less interesting than the steamed buns she hadn't finished eating.
In the evening, the workers returned home after get off work.
I saw a group of children huddled together at the entrance of the alley. When I went over to take a look, I found that they were looking at some novel toys.
"Has the Wang family gone south to get new sunflower seed stock again?"
"Don't let my two little rascals see this, or they'll be rolling around in front of the Sunflower Seed King's grocery store again tomorrow."
Gu Yu said proudly, "My aunt brought it back!"
Lin Ting, tugging at Gu Yu's coat, chimed in, "I'll be taken by Auntie!"
"Your aunt... Oh, Yuehe's back from abroad?"
"Yes, yes!" Yuanbao chimed in, then proudly showed off the toy he'd received, "It was a gift from Aunt Yuehe!"
Why didn't I have it?
"Because you're a slutty, slutty slut!"
"You are!"
The children were making a ruckus when the clanging of a motorcycle came from afar.
Before Lin Yiku even reached the alley entrance, he heard his enthusiastic neighbors loudly reminding him that Yuehe had returned!
Lin Yiku's heart started racing. He stopped the car at No. 1 Courtyard and called out to Lin Ting. Seeing that she heard him but deliberately ignored him, clearly wanting to stay outside and play with the older children, he pushed the car inside.
Just as I entered the courtyard gate, I ran into Guan Yuehe, who was about to leave.
Having not seen each other for so long, the two were momentarily stunned when they first met, but quickly became happy.
"You're back?"
"Go home!" Guan Yuehe immediately turned around and went home.
Once Lin Yiku entered the house, Guan Yuehe couldn't wait a second longer. She went up, closed the door, and then hugged him.
Before he came back, I had so much to say to him, but now that I've seen him, I don't know where to begin.
Lin Yiku was a step too slow; she had barely opened her arms when the other woman pounced on her.
"Is the food outside not good? Why have you lost weight?"
"Yes! Without Comrade Lin Yiku abroad, I don't even enjoy my food anymore." Guan Yuehe laughed and lied through her teeth, then turned her hands to cup his face and look at it from left to right.
Outside, Aunt Hu was asking Jin Junwei what delicious dishes he was going to cook tonight.
Disturbed, Guan Yuehe regained her senses and thought regretfully: This time is a bit awkward.
In the end, all he could do was pat Lin Yiku's chest and throw away his chaotic thoughts.
"Change your clothes and let's go eat."
After saying that, Guan Yuehe didn't wait for him and went out first. She also went to the alley entrance to pick up Gu Yu and Lin Ting from the group of children and took them to Courtyard No. 3.
The large ones are hard to carry; you can only hold them by the back of the collar. But the small ones are more than enough.
Lin Ting seemed to have discovered some fun game, and she laughed heartily as soon as she was picked up. At this moment, she no longer disliked this strange aunt who hugged and kissed her several times upon meeting her.
Lin Ting chuckled all the way, while Guan Yuehe greeted the old neighbors along the way, always asking, "Have you eaten yet?"
Unlike outside, where greetings are often overly polite and involve frequent bows, the atmosphere in the hutongs is much more welcoming.
Upon entering courtyard number three, they saw Ding Xianzong fetching water. Ding's elder brother and sister-in-law, with long faces, were lounging at the door with their legs crossed. Ding Xianzong's wife came out, wiping her hands and calling them inside for dinner.
Guan Yuehe raised an eyebrow in surprise. Had Ding Xianzong brought his family back to the city again?
As soon as she entered the room, she asked the question, and Guan Aiguo immediately told her all the "big things" that Ding Xianzong had done recently.
“In the first month after he remarried, Brother Ding and Sister-in-law Ding cursed him every day at home. Now they can’t curse him anymore. Dingxiang came back and tried to persuade them once. I think they are about to compromise.”
What else can they do but compromise? Arranged marriages have been out of the question for a long time. Can they really grant Ding Xianzong a divorce?
Guan Yuehe stopped being curious about the Ding family's gossip. She looked down and found Lin Ting looking up at her without saying a word, just staring at her longingly.
Guan Yuehe understood immediately, grabbed her by the back of her collar, lifted her up, and walked back and forth in the room.
The room was immediately filled with Lin Ting's laughter again.
But when Guan Yuehe tried to hug her, she struggled and refused. As soon as she saw Lin Yiku coming over, she immediately rushed over to him.
No matter how Lin Yiku tried to coax her, Lin Ting just hugged his neck tightly and refused to turn around to look at Guan Yuehe.
But Lin Ting couldn't avoid looking; she discovered that her father insisted on sitting next to this aunt.
Dad's hand was holding Aunt's hand, and Lin Ting tried to pry it open with both hands, but couldn't for a long time.
—
Guan Yuehe noticed that the only empty room in the house was filled with Gu Yu's clothes and shoes. She didn't see her older sister and brother-in-law at dinner, but Gu Yu, who was sitting next to her, was eating by herself, so she asked what the couple was busy with.
“Your brother-in-law is attending a cadre training course, and your sister has been working overtime every single day since she reported to her unit. The couple doesn’t get back until after nine o’clock after finishing their work and classes.”
During the Grain Rain season, not only do people eat lunch at Ginkgo Hutong, but they also eat dinner there, and they even stay there to take a bath after watching TV.
Sometimes she's already asleep when her parents come to pick her up.
Guan Yuehe immediately ladled soup for each of the four elders to express her gratitude. Without their help in taking care of the child, she would have no choice but to send the child to the after-school care program or childcare center at her workplace.
"What's there to thank me for?" Jiang Guiying said casually. "One generation helps the next. You are young and it's the time for you to do your work."
"Don't just talk about others, tell me about your trip abroad."
As soon as Jiang Guiying said this, everyone put down their chopsticks involuntarily, all curious about what new things Guan Yuehe had seen and heard on her trip abroad.
"There's so much to say," Guan Yuehe said. "Let me finish this bowl of rice first. I've been missing home-cooked meals for a long time."
"Hey, no rush, you eat first."
The next second, the meat that Lin Yiku picked up fell into Guan Yuehe's bowl, and Lin Ting, nestled in his arms, secretly stared at Guan Yuehe again.
After Guan Yuehe had eaten her fill, she began to recount her experiences abroad.
Aside from work-related matters, she says whatever comes to mind, only interjecting with a few questions when people are curious; otherwise, everyone listens to her.
When they heard her say that she experienced tinnitus and ear pain when flying, everyone couldn't help but frown: How miserable is that?
When they heard her say that the foreigner was two-faced, polite and courteous on the surface but cursing them for being backward and ignorant in a corner, everyone clenched their fists, wishing they could punch those gossipy people from afar.
These verbal insults are minor compared to the true nature of those people when it comes to discussing cooperation. Several colleagues almost lost their temper on several occasions.
But what hurt Guan Yuehe and the others was the backwardness of their country. When you have no strength, others look down on you, and you can't even throw a punch in response.
But Guan Yuehe had no intention of telling them about these unpleasant things at work.
When Jiang Guiying and the others heard that ordinary workers in those areas earned tens of thousands of yuan a month and that cars were common in their area, their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
"Really?"
Guan Yuehe had the same reaction when she first heard about it.
"Good heavens, with so much money, why didn't they think about treating themselves to something nice?"
Guan Yuehe explained that their wages are high, the things they sell are expensive, and their eating habits are different from ours.
They also mentioned that before they returned, it was cherry blossom season there. Putting aside the food, Guan Yuehe thought the scenery was beautiful.
Lin Yiku glanced at her sideways and happily added another bowl of soup for her.
When he went to change his clothes, he found a small gift box on his desk. Inside the box was a pocket watch and two cherry blossom petals.
—
Guan Yuehe finished the bowl of soup in front of her in one go. When she was still thirsty, she turned her head and found that many neighbors had come to the house and were all listening to her stories about her trip abroad.
Guan Yuehe's initial thought of "going on strike" quickly subsided, and she felt she could still talk about it.
But before we knew it, it was already nine o'clock at night. Children go to bed early, and right now he was yawning incessantly, his eyes glistening with tears.
"Oh dear! It's already this late." Jiang Guiying slapped her thigh, saying that they couldn't chat anymore and they had to give Guyu a bath.
"We'll talk about this another day. Everyone, go home."
After asking the neighbors to leave, Jiang Guiying busied herself bathing Gu Yu. Lin Yiku glanced at the already sleeping Lin Ting, then looked intently at Guan Yuehe, "Going home?"
"Go back!"
The power went out shortly after they got home.
The room was pitch black. The couple wrapped thick quilts around the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) before sneaking off like thieves into their small room.
After they finished washing up and returned to their room, Guan Yuehe felt her way from one end of the kang (a heated brick bed) to the other, finally finding Lin Ting's toes in the corner.
Lin was unaware that her parents had carried her to a small room to sleep halfway through, and then moved her from the corner to the middle of the kang (a heated brick bed). The couple hugged her and whispered to each other.
When Lin Ting woke up the next day, she didn't see her maternal or paternal grandmother, but instead saw the strange aunt from the previous day.
Lin Ting sat up and stared at Guan Yuehe for a while. Seeing that she had kept her eyes closed and hadn't woken up, Lin Ting tentatively moved closer to her.
As he moved along, he finally collapsed next to Guan Yuehe and put both his legs on her body.
Guan Yuehe, who woke up early, secretly glanced at Lin Ting and a smile appeared on her lips.
—
"Your sister and brother-in-law came to pick up Guyu last night, saying they were coming to see you. Why didn't they take the TV with them?"
Guan Yuehe felt a little guilty. Could it be that they assumed she and Lin Yiku were doing something at home because the house was dark, the door was locked, and no one was talking...?
Jiang Guiying received no answer, so she asked again.
"Oh, maybe they felt it was inconvenient to carry Guyu while watching TV."
"Yes...yes." Jiang Guiying noticed the mosquito mark on her collar and immediately changed the subject, asking her when she would go back to work.
"Tomorrow." It would be good if I could rest for two days.
"Now that your trip abroad is over, you won't be as busy with work anymore, right?"
Guan Yuehe shook her head. She'd been away for three months; there was so much work to do, it was impossible not to be busy. Besides, the joint venture project at Wuxing Automobile Factory should be able to be pushed forward a little longer.
Jiang Guiying seemed to understand, but finally waved her hand impatiently, "I don't understand your work, so don't tell me."
"By the way, when you have time, call Ding Laosi to let him know. He and Xiao Ye came to pay their respects on the first day of the Lunar New Year. They said they would wait until you come back before holding the wedding banquet. I think May Day would be just right."
"It's been reported."
She came back yesterday and went to the shop to look for her daughter. She stopped by the neighborhood office and made a few phone calls. Sitian even said she'd be back tonight.
Besides her close friends, she also remembered her friends who lived far away.
Before she went abroad, she wrote to Chunmei and the others saying that she would be abroad for a few months and would write back to them when she returned.
But Chunmei and the others still sent letters every month, which Lin Yiku kept on her desk.
She was about to open the letter and read it, and then reply to them.
As I was writing, I suddenly noticed that the hem of my clothes had been tugged twice.
Guan Yuehe looked down and saw Lin Ting looking up at her, her fingers clenched.
The mother and daughter just stared at each other quietly.
Jiang Guiying couldn't stand it anymore. What were these two stubborn mules playing at? She spoke up to remind Lin Ting to call for his mother.
Lin thought for a moment, then pointed to the dresser and said, "Mom!"
Guan Yuehe was completely baffled. What was this child thinking, calling a cabinet "Mom"?
Knowing the inside story, Jiang Guiying couldn't stop laughing. After explaining the whole story, Guan Yuehe realized that Lin Ting now only recognized the photo on the dresser as her mother.
Although the person in that photo is her.
Guan Yuehe finally admitted that Lin Ting was indeed a stubborn mule.
The more I corrected him, saying that his mother was Guan Yuehe, a living, breathing person, the more stubborn the little donkey would point at the dresser and call her "Mom."
But Guan Yuehe doesn't admit that Lin Ting's stubbornness is inherited from her.
All morning, the three generations of the family were busy with their own things inside the house.
Jiang Guiying was kneading noodles, Guan Yuehe was replying to a friend's letter, and Lin Ting was the busiest, hiding a full basket of tin frogs in every corner of the house, going back and forth, enjoying herself immensely.
Guan Yuehe finally understood how her mother felt when she said she had "the strength of an ox".
It wasn't until they were about to start preparing lunch that Guan Yuehe said she was going to pick up Guyu, and Lin Ting finally put down the tin frog and reached out to be held by her.
"Come back for dinner as soon as you pick her up. Don't buy food outside." Jiang Guiying was worried about Guan Yuehe, so she poked her head out of the kitchen and reminded her twice.
Guan Yuehe pretended not to hear, picked up Lin Ting and left.
Although she was finally able to hold her own baby, Lin Ting braced her hands against her mother's chest, tilting her head back. She watched her warily, not allowing her to get close, afraid that her mother might suddenly kiss her.
Don't let Lin Ting's young age fool you; he has quite a temper.
Everything else is fine, except that she's not allowed to be kissed by people she doesn't know well or doesn't like. Lin Yiku said that when she took her to visit Zhong Sheng's house, Zhong Sheng's youngest son kissed her, and she grabbed his hand and bit him. When Lin Yiku tried to pull her away, she kicked him twice.
In Lin Yiku's words, he will no longer have to worry about losing fights.
—
"Auntie! I'm here! Teacher Ming, she's my aunt, she's not a bad person!" Gu Yu was held back by the teacher of the Yuhong class and couldn't leave. She was so anxious that she could only jump around on the spot and wave to Guan Yuehe.
The children behind her all craned their necks, eager to see what their formidable aunt, whom Gu Yu talked about all the time, looked like.
Teacher Ming frowned, still reluctant to let go of Gu Yu's hand.
Gu Yu's parents had specifically instructed them not to let strangers pick her up. She had only started working as a kindergarten teacher at the factory at the beginning of this year. In the past three months, they had often seen Section Chief Gu and Gu Yu's maternal grandmother picking her up, and they had even seen Gu Yu's uncle a few times, but they had never seen this woman in front of them before.
But the baby in the woman's arms was a familiar face; the little baby even grinned at her when it saw her...
The next second, her colleague next to her excitedly greeted the unfamiliar woman.
"Section Chief Guan?!"
Guan Yuehe looked up in the direction of the voice and saw that it was her old colleague from the first workshop!
"Come pick up your niece?" The old colleague looked at Lin Ting, then at her. "Your daughter looks just like you."
Especially the eyes, they are the most similar. When the little baby smiles, he looks exactly like Section Chief Guan.
An old colleague introduced Guan Yuehe to Teacher Ming, saying that she used to be a factory worker and was also Gu Yu's aunt.
Teacher Ming was relieved, and only then did Gu Yu, who had been unable to contain herself, jump out of the Yu Hong Class.
Guan Yuehe immediately grabbed Lin Ting's little hand with a smile and greeted her old colleague and Teacher Ming, saying, "In a couple of years, we'll send our little one here too."
The nursery school at Zhuoyue Garment Factory is close to Ginkgo Hutong, making it convenient for family members to pick up and drop off their children.
The children in the Yuhong Class are not only the children of employees of Zhuoyue Garment Factory, but also a small number of children from nearby residential areas.
The only difference is that the children of factory workers pay less, while the children of nearby residents pay more.
Although it will be at least two or three years before Lin Ting attends the Yuhong Class, she and Lin Yiku have reached a consensus to send Lin Ting here in the future.
Xu Cheng, who had become a semi-expert in education, had even analyzed the situation for the couple, suggesting that Lin Ting should go to the government-run primary school and then continue her education.
Of course, Lin Ting is still a little kid who can't even speak properly yet, and going to primary school is still a long way off.
"You can rest assured that your daughter has been placed in our factory's childcare program!"
"Then I'm completely relieved!"
There are many familiar faces in the factory. Who knows, if Lin Ting gets into a fight with a child in the preschool class, the other child's parent might be one of her old colleagues.
Gu Yu grabbed Guan Yuehe's hand and whispered, urging her to hurry up and leave.
As soon as Guan Yuehe finished talking with her old colleague and Teacher Ming, Gu Yu hurriedly pulled her toward the supply and marketing cooperative, skipping a few steps and speaking cheerfully.
"Auntie, the supply and marketing cooperative has really delicious salt water popsicles!"
Gu Yu didn't mention that she wanted to eat it, but her bright eyes clearly told her: Auntie, please treat me to it!
Lin Ting was Gu Yu's little shadow. As soon as Gu Yu mentioned something delicious, she immediately hugged Guan Yuehe's neck and said sweetly, "Auntie, have some ice cream!"
"......"
Gu Yu corrected: "She's my aunt, your mother!"
Lin Ting retorted, "My aunt!"
Guan Yuehe couldn't stand these two idiots, so she led them into the crowded supply and marketing cooperative. When they came out, they had two extra salt water popsicles.
Guan Yuehe ate most of it herself, leaving only a little for Lin Ting to lick. The three of them walked back slowly, but the two younger ones ate slowly, so they stopped under the ginkgo tree at the entrance of the alley.
"Really... they went out to pick up the kids ages ago, and they're still not back..."
Jiang Guiying, who was talking incessantly, came out of the gate of No. 1 Courtyard. After taking a few steps, she looked up and met the eyes of Guan Yuehe and the other two.
Jiang Guiying, with an "I knew it" expression, pointed at Guan Yuehe and said irritably, "I knew you must have taken them to buy food!"
No wonder Gu Yu keeps asking: Why hasn't Auntie come back yet?
So, she was thinking of treating her aunt to all sorts of good food and drinks when she came back!
—
Guan Yuehua and Gu Mannian came to pick up Gu Yu as soon as they got off work today, and took the TV with them.
Guan Yuehe pointed to Lin Ting, who was still playing with the tin frog, and said, "Take your little girl back with you."
Guan Yuehua remained silent, waiting to see what kind of lies she could come up with.
“She calls me Auntie, so isn’t she your little girl?” Guan Yuehe said matter-of-factly.
Guan Yuehua rolled her eyes at her and called Gu Yu and Gu Mannian to go home.
A note from the author: The holiday countdown begins tomorrow. I need to take a day off to go hiking and purify my soul.
I was so sick from climbing the mountain that I wanted to write a full chapter, but I only managed to write half a chapter. [I'm exhausted]
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