The two men filled a large bag with something in a snakeskin sack.
Sweet potatoes, dried radishes, dried mustard greens, as well as cured fish, large potatoes, and even a large handful of green vegetables were picked.
The brother and sister put down their things. Zheng Wenqing glanced into the room and was amazed by the clean and tidy environment. What surprised her even more was the pile of toys surrounding Zhou Xiaonian.
She had never received a new toy in her entire life. She only had a plush toy that she had picked up from a garbage dump in town when she was a child. Her mother had washed and mended the plush toy for her many times.
That plush toy has been with her for over a decade and is still on her bed. She doesn't dare to hug it often, let alone wash it frequently, for fear that it will rot if she hugs or washes it too much.
But Zhou Xiaonian had so many beautiful, brand-new plush toys, and dolls she had only ever seen in books, just casually placed on the ground. The toys she was holding still had their tags on, clearly they had just been bought.
There are so many new ones, yet you keep buying...
Zheng Wenqing's eyes immediately turned red.
Seeing Zheng Wenqing's reaction, Liang Guiying pretended not to notice and asked them, "Why did you come out? Have you eaten?"
Zheng Wenqing struggled to pull her gaze away; she felt like crying.
"Grandma said that it's almost Chinese New Year, and everything in the city costs money, but the things we grow at home are free and we can't eat them all, so she asked us to give you some. Every little bit helps. She said that you'll need money for school every year, and it's not easy for my sister-in-law to earn money all by herself... She also said that you should bring Niannian home to play whenever you have time. Fang Shu doesn't recognize Niannian, but our Zheng family does."
It's unclear whether Zheng Wenqing was affected by Zhou Xiaonian's pile of new toys, or whether Grandma Zheng had never actually said anything like that. In any case, she spoke haltingly, despite her usually sharp tongue.
Liang Guiying nodded: "I'll go back when I have time. Come on, I'm going to start cooking. Wenqing, help me wash the vegetables. Wenyong, go chop the chicken..."
Normally, it's just Liang Guiying and her granddaughter eating together. But today, with two more people suddenly joining them, Zhou Xiaonian suddenly became a little shy. Her eyes were full of defensiveness and scrutiny, and she even ate while holding her most beloved doll.
Zheng Wenqing then noticed her pink dress, which was clean and crisp, paired with white tights and maroon leather shoes. Her face was round and delicate, and she looked as pretty as the doll in her hand.
She felt like crying again.
After the meal, Liang Guiying brought out a lot of New Year's goods, as well as five two-yuan bills.
“These New Year’s goods were sent by Zhou Yue’s grandfather. Niannian and I can’t finish them all, so we’re taking them back for you siblings to share. These two yuan are New Year’s money from your aunt. I won’t say anything more. Come on, I’ll take you to your brother and sister-in-law’s place.”
Zheng Wenyong was taken aback: "Auntie, your house is so big, can't we stay here for one night?"
“Wenyong, no matter how big this house is, it has nothing to do with me. This is Zhou Yue’s house. I’m only able to live here because of Niannian. If she were more assertive and didn’t let me live here, I would have to rent a place outside.”
"Then why are you still helping her take care of her child? Xiaonian doesn't even have the surname Zheng! She's not even part of our family, so why are you still taking care of her?"
“Wenyong, my surname isn’t Zheng either.” Liang Guiying stopped smiling and didn’t say anything else. “Let me take you there before it gets dark.”
Liang Guiying entrusted Zhou Xiaonian to Aunt Zhong for care, then took the Zheng siblings to the boiler factory. She brought them to Zheng Fangshu and left immediately. She had no interest in whether Zheng Fangshu and his wife would quarrel or fight because of the arrival of the Zheng siblings.
Time flies, and before we knew it, it was New Year's Eve.
The sky was overcast, and a light drizzle began to fall around noon.
At 5:30 p.m., Liang Guiying had prepared the New Year's Eve dinner.
The table was laden with dishes and soft drinks, but Liang Guiying had little appetite.
If you count the time, a year and a half has passed. Whether Zhou Yue is alive or not, there should be news by now, but why is there still no word from her?
Just then, a person suddenly appeared in the rain, standing in the front of the hall and calling out, "Niannian, Mom is back!"
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