Chapter 83
On the last day of 1973, which happened to be Laba Festival, the Han family had almost finished putting their things in order. Thanks to the efforts of Secretary Lin, half of the furniture had been returned. As for the remaining half, whether it was a historical issue or some other problem, the return date was nowhere in sight. They were all dead objects, and Grandma Han didn't care much about them anymore.
After the confiscated assets were returned and she had money in her pocket again, Grandma Han went to the furniture factory in person and bought everything she needed. In just three or four days, the Han family's home was completely renovated. Chu Jiujiu and Wen Xiuwei still lived in the bedroom on the second floor, while Chu Shao moved in with Han Shengyi. There were two rooms on the third floor, but because the smaller room was too small and filled with miscellaneous items, Chu Shao had to squeeze in with Han Shengyi.
In the morning, Grandma Han took Wen Xiuwei out to buy Laba rice, Laba garlic, and Laba vinegar, while Grandpa Han took Chu Shao to see Wang Chunsheng.
Originally, Grandpa Han wanted to take Chu Jiujiu with him, but Chu Shao and Chu Jiujiu discussed it privately and decided it wouldn't be a good idea to lie to these old acquaintances. Furthermore, Chu Liqiang hadn't returned yet, and without an adult to guide them, it wouldn't be a big deal for them to just talk nonsense on their own. So, Chu Jiujiu decided not to go, and Chu Shao went alone.
Everyone else has left, leaving only Chu Jiujiu and Han Shengyi. Since coming here, they no longer have to go to school. Grandma Han also said that after the New Year, she will register them all and let them go to school, so this period of time is their last vacation.
Chu Jiujiu didn't want to waste her vacation in an empty house, so after everyone else went out, she and Han Shengyi also went out.
Today is Laba Festival, which is also a weekday. Everyone is either at work or busy celebrating the festival. Few people have time to visit the Forbidden City. There are the least people at this time. If you don’t go now, when will you go?
Chu Jiujiu walked much faster when she thought that she would soon see the legendary Forbidden City. When she met a vendor selling candied haws on the road, she bought a string each for herself and Han Shengyi. The two of them walked towards the Meridian Gate while crunching the candies.
At this time, there is no half-price event for students and children. Everyone has one ticket, and special groups are free of charge, but they are not.
Han Shengyi is tall. He went to buy the tickets and finally brought back two small pink and purple pieces of paper. These were the tickets. Chu Jiujiu looked at them and thought silently that they looked quite similar to tofu tickets.
Anyway, after getting the tickets, they could go in. Several PLA soldiers with guns were guarding the door. Chu Jiujiu walked forward excitedly, and when she saw there was a photo service, she quickly grabbed Han Shengyi.
"Wait, Brother Shengyi, let's take a picture together."
There is no photo studio in Qingshi Town. It is hard to imagine that there is no photo studio in the entire town. If you want to take a photo, you have to go to the county or the city. Chu Jiujiu has lived in Qingzhu Village for five years and has never left the town, so naturally she has never taken a photo. Now that she finally sees one, how could she let it go?
Han Shengyi didn't like taking pictures, but seeing Chu Jiujiu liked it so much, he went with her. When she asked about the price, Chu Jiujiu was shocked.
Their tickets only cost two dollars and twenty cents, but to take a photo here, they didn't get the ticket on the spot, but had to come back four hours later to get it, and it cost four dollars and fifty cents!
It’s too dark. In this era when everyone is simple and honest, Chu Jiujiu unexpectedly feels a little bit familiar when seeing the unscrupulous merchants!
…
Anyway, this is the only place here that can take pictures, and they are not short of money, so forget it, it’s okay if it’s dark. After paying the money, Chu Jiujiu and Han Shengyi stood in the position designated by the photographer. Behind them was the gate tower of the Forbidden City, and there was a sparse crowd of people walking behind them. The photographer didn’t care about that, he focused, and through the small lens, he saw Chu Jiujiu with a bright smile and Han Shengyi with a calm expression, and he felt it was good, click, he pressed the shutter.
Holding the receipt, Chu Jiujiu and Han Shengyi continued walking forward to visit their Forbidden City, while the photographer took the film and went to have the photos developed.
When he hung it on the rope to dry, he didn't realize that he had just taken the most famous photo of his life. In the future, this photo would be put into museums, printed in various magazines, and even circulated on the Internet for a long time to come.
One of the most famous and enviable couples in the history of the People's Republic of China, pioneers in their respective industries, a heroic couple stamped with the stamp of national honor. This is a photo of them in their youth, childhood sweethearts, fresh and innocent, and especially so good-looking. It's no wonder that people in later generations scream every time they see it.
…
When Chu Jiujiu entered the Forbidden City, she was like a husky entering the snow, running around happily. She was having a lot of fun here, but Chu Shao was in a very ordinary mood over there.
Grandpa Wang was in poor health and had been sitting in bed, not even having the strength to get out. Chu Shao was naturally not in a good mood when he saw this. His son and daughter-in-law, like Chu Shao's father, were also on duty in the army, but they were in the navy, so their missions were probably different from Chu Liqiang's. His wife had gone to the countryside with him and died in the first year, and his daughter was also in trouble and couldn't take care of them at all. The only thing they could be thankful for was that their grandson lived with their daughter and was growing up well.
It is a blessing in disguise that my grandson did not suffer.
Chu Shao asked Grandpa Wang about his grandfather, but Grandpa Wang didn't know much either. He only knew where Chu Xinghua was now, but he had never met him. From occasional correspondence, he learned that Chu Xinghua was not doing well, but other than that, he didn't know anything.
It would be fine to have the address. Now that the wind has changed and he has grown up, Chu Shao is not as wary as before. He plans to write a letter to his grandfather after he returns.
After Chu Shao found out what he needed to know, he went out, leaving the space to the two old men. Standing in the Wang family's yard, Chu Shao was looking at a Bagua well in the yard. Suddenly, the curtain of the left wing moved, and with a rustling sound, a young man of the same age as Chu Shao walked out.
Chu Shao looked at him, frowned for a moment, then called out his name: "Wang Hongye?"
Wang Hongye was stunned for a moment, then asked uncertainly, "...Chu Shao?"
When they were young, Chu Shao lived in a military compound, and Wang Hongye lived with his grandparents. They didn't actually grow up together, but every weekend, Chu Shao would go to see his grandfather with his mother, so they were rare weekend friends.
It has been so long since we last met. Wang Hongye, who was as thin as a monkey when he was young, has gained weight now and looks stronger than himself. Chu Shao, who was as fair as a girl when he was young, now looks like he has had a tan. Except for his eyeballs, there is no white spot on his body.
When Chu Shao was a child, he didn't like to play with other children. Wang Hongye was special. He was not noisy, so Chu Shao could play with him. After not seeing each other for such a long time, both of them felt very happy and chatted with each other for a while. Chu Shao didn't say goodbye to Wang Hongye until Grandpa Han came out.
After Chu Shao left, Wang Hongye came to the room where Grandpa Wang lived. He took the thermos and added water to Grandpa Wang's cup.
Grandpa Wang looked at his grandson and asked, "Have you seen Chu Shao?"
Wang Hongye has well-developed muscles. When he moves, the muscles in his arms become tight, and even his clothes are lifted up. But such a strong young man is now pouring water for his grandfather with his head lowered.
"Yeah, I've seen him. He's changed a lot from before, but he's still got that cocky personality."
Grandpa Wang laughed heartily, but soon he began to cough again. After finally stopping, he continued to talk to Wang Hongye, "What a pity! Back then, their wife got pregnant late, and I told Chu Xinghua that if we had an older granddaughter, we would let you two get married. Who knew it would be this brat Chu Shao? Chu Shao just told me that his mother, your Aunt Juanzi, is gone. Alas, things are unpredictable. If she were still alive, maybe she could have given Chu Shao a little sister, and a wife for you, and I would have saved myself the worry."
Wang Hongye's face flushed red after hearing what Grandpa Wang said. "Don't talk nonsense. Child marriage is all feudal dregs."
Grandpa Wang laughed again. He was just joking.
He did have this idea at first, but Chu Shao was a boy, so naturally he let it go. He was still thinking about it and always told Zhang Fengjuan to try hard and have another girl. Zhang Fengjuan just smiled and let it go. Later, he was demoted and he couldn't remember this kind of thing anymore.
Grandpa Wang was just joking from the beginning to the end, but some people didn't take it as a joke.
These some people are referring to Chu Yue.
In his previous life, Grandpa Wang died not long after he was rehabilitated. The Wang family's situation was about to improve, but then it deteriorated again. Four or five years later, Wang Hongye reached the age to get married. His aunt, Grandpa Wang's only daughter, suddenly found the Chu family and said that the two families had an engagement in the past, and if possible, she would let the two children meet.
Wang Hongye's aunt wasn't trying to threaten him, she was just desperate. Her nephew wasn't getting the point, so she introduced him to someone else. She had no other choice but to think of the incident. Isn't Chu Yue the eldest granddaughter of Chu Xinghua?
At that time, the Chu family was quite powerful. Although not as powerful as others, it was much stronger than the Wang family. Wang Hongye's aunt wanted to give it a try and said a lot of good things about Chu Yue. She even brought up the deceased Grandpa Wang, saying that when he was dying, he was still thinking about Chu Yue and wanted her to marry his grandson. Chu Yue heard about it and went to see Wang Hongye twice. She found that their family had long lost its glory and that Wang Hongye himself was a wooden man. Soon, she kicked him out.
For many years afterwards, whenever she thought of this incident, she felt extremely regretful.
The year after she kicked Wang Hongye out, his parents, both naval officers, returned. His father became the youngest major general in the new China, and his mother was also a major general. The Wang family's fortunes suddenly blossomed, and Wang Hongye himself also made great strides. After the reform and opening up, he opened a military-industrial enterprise specializing in the construction of naval weapons. Many of the most advanced weapons in later generations were developed by his company. From the time Chu Yue turned fifty, she often saw his name in the news. People regarded him as a hero, and even dug up information about his wife: an ordinary working-class woman from a textile factory, who had never been to college and had a lot of children at home.
Looking back at myself, none of the husbands I married were good men.
Having finally gotten a chance to start over, Chu Yue certainly won't make the same mistake again. This time, she wants to keep Wang Hongye in her hands since he was a child.
When Chu Shao and his companions came out of Wang's house, Chu Yue was walking back. They passed each other, but Chu Yue didn't recognize Chu Shao. She hadn't seen this cousin for decades, so naturally she didn't recognize him. Chu Shao, on the other hand, thought she looked familiar, but he frowned for a moment before his expression relaxed.
Who cares about her? Whether she is right or not, it has nothing to do with him.
Chu Yue walked into the Wang family without looking around. Finding that there was no one in the yard, she continued to walk in and entered the main house. She did not call anyone until she entered Grandpa Wang's bedroom.
"Grandpa Wang, I'm here to see you."
Grandpa Wang was drinking the water his grandson poured for him. Hearing this, he looked up and was stunned. "Who are you?"
Chu Yue: "..."
Is this why he kept talking about her until his death? It's obvious that he even forgot what she looked like!
The expression on her face froze for a moment, and Chu Yue continued to smile: "I am Chu Yue, Grandpa Wang, you don't remember me, I am Chu Xinghua, the granddaughter of your old comrade."
Grandpa Wang was quiet for two seconds before he dug out this person from his memory. He also laughed, "It's you, why are you here? Oh, by the way, when you came in just now, didn't you see anyone else?"
Chu Yue nodded. "I saw it. An old man with a brother. Are they your friends?"
Hearing this, Grandpa Wang looked at her inexplicably. Even Wang Hongye, who had just walked in, was surprised for a moment.
Chu Yue didn't even know Chu Shao? Aren't they a family?
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