Chapter 116 Goodbye
As soon as Gao Nianping stepped out of the warm house, he was immediately chilled by the biting wind. His bulky cotton-padded coat seemed unable to keep out the cold wind, and it all burrowed into his neck.
"Nianping, have you packed your things?"
The courtyard looked no different from usual. Grandma Luo was busy preparing breakfast for the entire Jiang family in the kitchen, while Old Jiang stood under the eaves with one hand on his hip, smoking his pipe.
"Grandpa Jiang, everything is packed." Jiang Nianping wrapped his sloppy collar tightly with a scarf, and for a moment he felt a little sad.
After all, he had lived there for almost ten years, and he was reluctant to leave behind the neighbors who had always been so kind to him.
"Why didn't you wait until after the New Year to move? There's only a month left until the New Year!" Old Jiang asked in a muffled voice, taking a puff of his cigarette.
“The weather forecast says it will snow in a few days.” Gao Nianping habitually picked up the broom by the wall and swept up fallen leaves and trash, continuing to talk to Old Jiang as he swept: “My dad’s company is busy before the New Year, and if we don’t move in the next few days, he won’t have time.”
Gao Nianping didn't mention the main reason... Chen Yun is off tomorrow, and who knows when she'll get another day off!
"Your dad and mom are both very busy people," Old Jiang said with a shake of his head and a sigh.
Gao Nianping smiled but didn't reply.
"Your uncle and his wife are back. Don't take any of the sour things people say to heart. You should all have a happy time moving today." Old Jiang looked meaningfully towards the door.
Gao Fei and Qiu Zhifang, their faces grim, slowly shuffled in through the doorway.
Qiu Zhifang's foot is still not healed; in fact, it's getting worse.
The doctor advised that she should take good care of her bones and exercise as little as possible during the first month. However, Qiu Zhifang did the opposite, going to the newsstand every day. Not only that, because she was unwilling to pay for help, she injured herself while carrying newspapers with a limp.
The blow twisted the bone, which hadn't fully healed yet. Gao Nianping had no choice but to go to the hospital to have the bone reset after hearing her curse at her mother for several days.
Now, Gao Nianping knows that her aunt is up to no good again as soon as she hears her cold snort.
Today is clearly no exception.
"Wow! Moving house is like passing the imperial examination with top honors, the whole alley came to see you off!"
"There are plenty of sycophants in this alley. So what if they have a little money!"
"Alright!" Gao Fei shook off Qiu Zhifang's hand, his face so ugly it was almost dripping with water: "If you can't speak properly, then shut up. What are you yelling about on such a nice day?"
"..."
Gao Nianping raised his eyebrows in confusion, and Old Jiang also took off his cigarette holder with a puzzled look.
In the past, Qiu Zhifang would always make sarcastic remarks before Gao Fei would say something mild to smooth things over. Why did he get so angry today after only a few words?
Looking at Gao Fei's angry face, it seemed as if what he said came from the bottom of his heart.
What happened next surprised Gao Nianping even more. Qiu Zhifang's eyelids twitched, and she actually shrugged, explaining dryly, "I was talking about Chen Erduo's house across the street."
Chen Erduo's mother endured a year before finally deciding to divorce him, and coincidentally, she's been busy moving these past few days.
"Hmph!" Gao Fei snorted coldly, glaring sternly at Qiu Zhifang: "You'd better watch your mouth from now on. You've ruined the bond between us brothers!"
"..."
"Nianping, have you packed your schoolbag?"
Gao Ming had actually heard his brother and sister-in-law talking from inside the house, but he was busy tidying up Chen Yun's books and couldn't get away for the time being.
When I finished my work and stepped out of the room, I happened to see the two of them exchanging glances.
"It's not packed yet," Gao Nianping replied.
"Hurry up and get ready, or we'll be too busy when the car arrives."
Gao Nianping agreed, haphazardly leaned the broom against the wall, turned around and looked strangely at his uncle and aunt before turning and going into the house.
"Is Erming moving?"
“We started moving some small items over there last week.” Gao Ming looked directly at his older brother’s face, which was etched with the marks of time, and said in a flat but distant tone, “There are only some odds and ends left today.”
"I was busy with the shop and your sister-in-law the other day and didn't even notice you were moving." Gao Fei scratched his face awkwardly. "Is there anything I can help you with? I'm free today."
"Everything's all packed up. Brother, help your wife back to her room to rest."
Without Gao Fei's support, Qiu Zhifang was standing unsteadily, and if she fell again, she might lose her leg.
Gao Fei paused, his pupils contracting almost imperceptibly, as if stung by light, before quickly looking away.
"Then...then you keep busy."
"good."
They should have been close relatives, but without realizing it, they became so unfamiliar that even conversations became difficult, and they were less than strangers to each other than the neighbors in the courtyard.
Gao Ming turned around and went back into the house without hesitation.
"What a disaster..." Old Jiang shook his head and crawled back into the house.
Only Gao Fei and Qiu Zhifang remained in the courtyard.
"Aren't you leaving!" Gao Fei angrily tugged at Qiu Zhifang and walked forward on his own. "I must have been blind to marry you, otherwise why would I..."
The second half of the sentence, "living a solitary life," was almost a whisper, yet it drifted into my ears on the cold wind.
Qiu Zhifang's eyes were filled with a cold, sharp frost, and her whole body seemed to have been frozen by the cold air. A crack quietly appeared in her aching heart, and hatred turned into vines that tightly wrapped around her heart.
Suddenly, a figure staggered out from the doorway of the second room in the main house.
"Mom, let me help you."
With her huge pregnant belly, Wang Xueli was so clumsy that she looked like an old woman just crossing the threshold.
"I can walk by myself, you go back to your room and lie down." Qiu Zhifang was terrified and wished she could run over and support Wang Xueli immediately: "Don't tire my grandson out."
When the unborn child in Wang Xueli's belly was mentioned, Qiu Zhifang's resentment seemed to be suddenly blown away by hope.
She no longer harbored any illusions about Gao Fei and devoted all her attention to this "eldest grandson".
In the kitchen of the Jiang family, Aunt Luo clicked her tongue twice and sighed, "Husband and children are unreliable, so they've placed all their hopes on this baby whose gender is unknown."
"Keep your voice down!" Old Jiang looked anxiously into the yard.
"Back then, Qiu Zhifang was so opposed to Xiao Wang marrying into the family, but I never expected that the relationship between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law would be so close now!" Aunt Luo sighed.
"If you keep sending him food and clothes every day, and even before the baby is born, give him a pair of big gold bracelets, do you think He Yun's wife will treat you well?"
Old Jiang saw things clearly; the reason Wang Xueli changed her opinion of Qiu Zhifang was because she spent real money on her.
“We can all see that Qiu Zhifang is worried about this grandson…” Aunt Luo’s gaze fell on Wang Xueli’s high, protruding belly, and she hesitated, “Isn’t Xiao Wang’s belly… a little too big?”
"Let's all keep quiet!" Old Jiang glared at Aunt Luo, his eyes narrowed. "Didn't you see how Qiu Zhifang scolded Zhou Xiaochen for telling Wang Xueli to eat less fatty meat?"
Chen Yun is a doctor at the hospital, and even her words were met with sarcastic replies from Qiu Zhifang. What about the others?
Besides... it seems Wang Xueli herself doesn't take it seriously, and she doesn't refuse any food or drink that Qiu Zhifang brings her.
Old Jiang didn't want his well-intentioned advice to backfire and cause him trouble...
"Let her be, let her be..." Aunt Luo put away her kindness and turned to continue her work.
Half an hour later.
The company truck stopped at the entrance of the alley, and Zhou Jianjun, Ma Zhigang, and a few others pushed a cart to the gate of the Gao family's courtyard.
People who suddenly appeared out of nowhere quickly surrounded the doorway.
"Old Zhou, where is Erming moving to?"
"How big is Erming's new house? Is it as big as the 100-square-meter apartment that Lao Zhang's son bought?"
“The Ming couple are both capable people; they can afford even the biggest house.”
"That's right... I heard from my daughter that Xiao Chen is going to be on TV soon, and he's going to receive an award from the city..."
"I heard from Old Jiang that Erming bought a villa, which is far superior to any commercial apartment."
What is a villa?
"that is……"
Everyone was just joining in the fun; they didn't expect to actually get any information out of Zhou Jianguo.
Gao Ming and Chen Yun have always kept a low profile and have never flaunted how much money they have made in front of others. Any rumors they hear about them come from other people.
Gao Tiejun walked out of the house carrying Gao Nian'an's two wooden swords. As he turned to lock the door, Old Jiang suddenly came over.
"Old Gao, tell me the truth!"
"What truth?" Gao Tiejun piled the wooden sword on top of a pile of miscellaneous items, and only after he was almost done tidying up did he pat the dust off his hands: "Are you just as curious as the neighbors outside about what kind of house Erming is buying?"
"Of course!" Old Jiang said.
"Come over for dinner tonight, then you'll find out!"
"I thought Erming wasn't going to treat us!"
"You can skip inviting others, but you, Old Jiang, absolutely have to. Otherwise, who knows how people in the alley will gossip about Erming and his wife."
"Go to hell!" Old Jiang laughed.
"I'll invite your whole family tonight, and Erming will drive over to pick you two up."
Having lived together for most of their lives, the Jiang family and the Gao family had the best relationship. The two families were always on good terms and never had a quarrel.
Of course, we had to invite the Jiang family to celebrate with us since we moved to a new house.
"It's settled then. I'll tell my wife not to cook tonight." Old Jiang chuckled and pulled out his pipe again, rubbing it on his leg. "We'll just go empty-handed and get a free meal."
That's what they said, but Old Jiang and Aunt Luo had already discussed how much money to give in red envelopes, and were just waiting for Gao Tiejun to call for the meal.
"We have everything at home. Erming even bought new bowls and chopsticks. We don't lack anything!"
"Aren't you and Lao Dong going to enjoy the good life together?"
"Old Dong and I have lived in this alley for most of our lives, and it's really hard to get used to a different place!" Gao Tiejun pointed to Old Jiang and his own cotton shoes covered in mud and dust: "I can't stand having to change my shoes just to go inside."
At first, they considered living with Gao Ming's family, but when they actually thought about moving out, they felt reluctant to leave.
The house was big, but it lacked any human warmth. You could walk for half an hour and not see a single person. This was something the elderly couple, who had lived a lively life for most of their lives, simply couldn't get used to.
Gao Tiejun went to see it once and then refused to go again.
"No luck!" Old Jiang walked away with his hands behind his back.
Having lived in the northern part of the city for over a decade, all my belongings could be taken away in a single truck.
Gao Ming talked with his neighbors in the alley for a long time, repeatedly promising that he would come back often, before finally reaching the entrance of the alley where his car was located.
The couple's car has been parked on this spot for years, and Chen Yun's Soft Qiu will continue to be parked there.
After Gao Ming drives away, the tire tracks on the right side will gradually disappear over time.
The car started.
The father and son turned around and looked at the big tree at the entrance of the alley at the same time.
Goodbye... Guanming Hutong!
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