Chapter 7: Different Thoughts
Yue Ning had just met her grandfather. Although she felt that her grandfather would not come with utilitarian purposes like the mother and son of the Luo family, she was not sure how much affection her grandfather had for her father.
After so many years, grandpa may have a new family in Hong Kong, and now he may feel indebted to his granddaughter, with whom he has never lived. But if they really live under the same roof, I am afraid it won't take long for conflicts to arise. As the saying goes, "If you don't visit for three years, you are not close to your family", so let's take it one step at a time.
The grandfather and grandson were both thinking their own thoughts and didn't talk much. The comrade from Beijing who was walking in front of them was chatting with the tall young man.
The comrades from Beijing were particularly enthusiastic and introduced the local situation, for example, this place belonged to Yongzhou, one of the nine states in ancient times, and was once a frontier fortress in the Han Dynasty and a frontier in the Tang Dynasty.
The young man echoed, "I have long wanted to appreciate the majestic grandeur of 'the bright moon rising from the Tianshan Mountains, among the vast sea of clouds'."
Yue Ning couldn't help but think, if this young man was really my grandfather's son, the leaders probably wouldn't surround him like this, right?
A brigade is composed of several production teams, and remote production teams even have to climb over the hills. Yue Ning's home is relatively close to the brigade office, but the road is not easy to walk on. Even with a flashlight at night, it is inconvenient to go up and down the slopes, and there are small ditches on some roads. Zhang Lifen missed a step, and Yue Ning quickly reached out and pulled her up: "Auntie, be careful!"
Zhang Lifen patted her chest and said, "It's okay, it's okay."
Yue Ning pulled her along, and Zhang Lifen decided to stay with them, breaking the silence between the grandparents and grandchildren: "Uncle Hua, you're here really fast!"
Before Yue Baohua had time to ask why the mother and son came, he took the opportunity to ask, "Why are you here?"
Zhang Lifen had a smile on her face. "After you left last time, Achang went to ask around and was told that it's easy for people in Hong Kong to go back home, but it's hard to come to the northwest, and it's even harder to bring Ningning directly from the northwest to Hong Kong. Achang thought about bringing Ningning back to Yuecheng from the northwest first, and then going to Hong Kong from Yuecheng. We never thought you were so capable that you could come to the northwest."
"Thanks to Uncle Qiao... and Junxian for accompanying me on this trip." Yue Baohua thought that his nephew and his wife probably wanted him to take their son to Gangcheng as a way of helping him.
Qiao Junxian turned around and said, "Uncle Hua, what trouble are you talking about? If Grandpa hadn't had difficulty walking, he would have also wanted to come to the northwest. I'm accompanying you here to walk this road for him."
"Has Mr. Qiao been to the Northwest?" asked a comrade from the county.
"Mr. Qiao has been to Yan'an." The comrade from Beijing smiled and said, "During the Anti-Japanese War, after the overseas Chinese leader Mr. Chen visited Yan'an, overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia enthusiastically donated supplies to the border area, and the supplies were transported to Chongqing via the Burma Road. After the Chongqing government launched the Southern Anhui Incident, it blockaded the border area. The Qiao family's ancestral home is Ningbo. During the Battle of Jiangyin, the Qiao family donated a ship to sink at the mouth of the Yangtze River to prevent the Japanese army from going up the river. Their family set up a fleet to support the relocation of enterprises and maintained a good relationship with the Chongqing government. Overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia found the Qiao family. In order to ensure that the supplies could be delivered to Yan'an, Mr. Qiao rushed from the port city. As the young master of the Qiao family, he escorted the supplies, braved the hail of bullets, broke through many checkpoints, and traveled day and night to deliver the donated supplies to Yan'an."
"So that's how it is! This is a great contribution to the country!" said a comrade from the county with emotion.
"That's right! Moreover, when Mr. Qiao was fighting against the US and aiding Korea, he risked a lot to transport supplies to China under the blockade imposed by the United Kingdom and the United States."
Yue Ning now understood that this man was the grandson of a patriotic wealthy businessman. No wonder this was the case.
"Hong Kong City Shipping King Qiao Qiming?" Zhang Lifen asked in a low voice.
"Yes, it's Mr. Qiao." The comrade from Beijing responded.
Zhang Lifen exclaimed: "Wow! Uncle Hua, you can actually be friends with such a big shot?"
Her startled look made Yue Baohua a little embarrassed. If it wasn't for the desire to see his granddaughter sooner, Yue Baohua would not have thought of taking advantage of Boss Qiao no matter how rich the Qiao family was. Boss Qiao liked his craftsmanship, and they had experienced those difficult times together. Boss Qiao came to Baohualou to eat, chat with him, and talk about the past, that's all.
Zhang Lifen's surprised expression made Yue Baohua feel a little uncomfortable. Boss Qiao really helped him a lot this time, but the Qiao family was a wealthy family in Hong Kong, and he was just a restaurant owner. The difference in strength was like the foot of a mountain and the top of a mountain. Even though Boss Qiao asked Yue Baohua to call him his best friend, Yue Baohua didn't dare to marry him, and he didn't want Zhang Lifen to have too many fantasies.
Qiao Junxian turned around and said, "Yes! We have been friends for more than 20 years."
"Oh! Uncle Hua, why didn't you tell me you knew such a big boss when you went back to Yuecheng last time? It made Achang wonder."
Yue Baohua didn't know how to respond to her, but fortunately the brigade office was just around the corner.
The brigade office was the only brick and tile house in Xiaoyanggou. When the flashlight shone on the wall, there was a slogan in red letters on a white background: "Don't forget the harm of plague, and resolutely eliminate rats."
Li Qiaomei, the women's director, came over and said, "This way, this way."
Five kerosene lamps were lit in the room, making it much brighter. So bright that the two large plates of fried potato cakes on the table looked particularly clear and shabby.
The comrade in the capital looked at the comrade in the county with a slight droop in his mouth; the comrade in the county looked at Yang Fugen with sweat on his forehead. Everyone knew that this was a small mountain village and they came in a hurry, but they couldn't treat guests like this, right?
Yang Fugen quickly pulled Li Qiaomei over and asked, "Where's your Da Nian?"
Li Qiaomei's husband Yang Danian is the village chef. Whenever there is a wedding or funeral in the brigade, he will be invited to cook. Yang Fugen had previously asked Li Qiaomei to let her husband cook.
Li Qiaomei smiled awkwardly and said, "Da Nian went to his aunt's house."
When Yang Fugen heard this, he thought to himself that it was not good and asked, "Who did this?"
"I did."
This... What should I do? Yang Fugen took a deep breath and calmed himself down. The leaders were all here! He said, "Didn't I tell you to go to my house and kill a chicken?"
"My sister-in-law said that we should keep it for laying eggs and feed the children. We are not allowed to take it away." Li Qiaomei said in a low voice.
"This bitch!" Yang Fugen was so angry that he was fuming. It was too late to kill the chicken now. His wife always held him back.
"Is this fried potato pancake?" a voice rang out, it was the young man who came with us.
"Mr. Qiao, do you know potato pancakes?" the comrade from Beijing asked in surprise.
Qiao Junxian looked at Yue Baohua and said with a smile: "My grandfather said that there are two most delicious things in the world. One is the fish you steamed. That was the meal he had after he was almost hijacked by pirates on the high seas and survived. The other is the fried potato pancakes from the northwest. He endured hunger all the way to the northwest, and his eldest sister-in-law brought him a bowl of fried potato pancakes. He often eats your steamed fish, but he hasn't eaten potato pancakes for almost forty years. I am so lucky today to eat the fried potato pancakes he has been craving for."
I don't know whether Qiao Junxian did it intentionally or unintentionally, but anyway, this distinguished guest's words helped everyone out of the predicament.
Comrades from Beijing said, "Come on, follow the local customs and try the local flavor."
Everyone sat down, and Li Qiaomei served fried potato pancakes to everyone. Yue Ning said, "Aunt, I'll just have a small bite. I've already eaten at home."
Luo Guoqiang also said: "We both are the same."
Li Qiaomei gave each of the three of them a small spoonful, and gave the others a full bowl. Although there was nothing good, there was plenty of potato cakes.
Yue Ning picked up the chopsticks, picked up a piece of potato cake and stuffed it into her mouth. At that moment, she was glad that she only had a little. Aunt Qiaomei's husband is the village chef. In other families, women are the chefs, but Uncle Da Nian usually cooks in their family. The fried potato cakes made by Aunt Qiaomei are made with real ingredients, but too much flour is put in. The potato cakes are very dry, and the salt and chili are too much, which makes them bitter in the mouth. If it were a local farmer who usually works in the fields, sweats a lot, and has a heavy taste, it would be acceptable, but the people in Yuecheng have a light taste, so it might be difficult to adapt.
Sure enough, the Luo mother and son and Yue Baohua all ate very slowly, but Mr. Qiao ate mouthful after mouthful.
Yue Ning stood up and walked into the kitchen, where Li Qiaomei was sitting: "Yue Ning, why are you here?"
"Pour everyone some tea."
"Oops, I forgot to pour the tea."
Li Qiaomei went to get the teacup and put it on the stove, and Yue Ning went to the corner to get the thermos.
Yue Ning was preparing to make tea. When he saw the tea leaves in the cup were as thick as matchsticks, he said to Li Qiaomei, who was putting the tea leaves in the cup, "Just pour in boiled water and add some cold boiled water."
“No tea leaves?”
"I couldn't sleep well after drinking tea last night." Yue Ning made an excuse.
Li Qiaomei suddenly realized: "You are really thoughtful."
The two of them poured the water and took it out. Yue Ning heard a "hiccup..."
Zhang Lifen was patting her son's back. Yue Ning handed the water to Luo Guoqiang first: "Brother Guoqiang, drink some water and relax."
Luo Guoqiang took the water and drank several sips.
Yue Ning brought some water to Yue Baohua, and Yue Baohua hurried to drink it.
On the contrary, Qiao Junxian took a sip of water and continued to eat the potato pancakes slowly. Yue Ning found it strange that this guy could actually eat it?
Yue Baohua took a sip of water from the cup, then turned to Yue Ning and said, "Ningning, Director Chen just said that he will help you complete the local procedures in the next two days. We will return to Beijing together the day after tomorrow to meet up with Mr. Qiao. Then we will go to Yuecheng to bury your father. You have to stay in Yuecheng for a few days. I will go back to Hong Kong first to help you complete the procedures for settling in Hong Kong."
When Zhang Lifen heard Yuecheng, she immediately responded, "Don't worry, Uncle Hua, Ningning has returned to Yuecheng, which means she is home. She will live in our house and we will take care of her."
Ningning is still young, and Zhang Lifen has her own plans. Yue Baohua doesn't want her granddaughter to have too much contact with Zhang Lifen, but it's hard to say it in this situation, so she said, "We'll talk about it when the time comes."
Zhang Lifen started talking and couldn't stop: "Ningning, when you return to Yuecheng, ask your brother Guoqiang to make you jelly pot and soy sauce chicken. Also, your brother Guoqiang's fish soup is the real teaching of your grandfather Luo."
Zhang Lifen was really calculating. Yue Ning wanted to expose her on the spot, but in this situation, Tian Zaohua and Aunt Chunmei had already had a quarrel. If she continued to be sarcastic, many people would not carefully distinguish the right from the wrong. They would just give both of them a slap on the wrist and then label the party who was right as someone with a weird personality and difficult to deal with.
Now Zhang Lifen brought it up again. Yue Ning was just thinking about how to respond when a voice next to her said, "Demolish the fish soup?"
"Yes! Has Mr. Qiao ever eaten it?" Zhang Lifen was very excited when she saw the young master of the Qiao family talking to her.
"Of course I have! Uncle Hua's fish soup is the best in Hong Kong. Every time I go back to Hong Kong during the holidays, the first thing I do is go to Baohualou to eat Uncle Hua's fish soup."
"Really? Uncle Hua and Guoqiang's grandfather are the best chefs in Fuyunlou, and fish soup is one of the signature dishes of Fuyunlou. If you have a chance, you should ask Guoqiang to make you a fish soup to see how much the boy has learned from his grandfather. It's a pity that Guoqiang's grandfather was implicated..." Zhang Lifen paused, "No more, no more. Now it's good. If Guoqiang didn't learn everything from his grandfather, he can go to his grandfather-in-law to learn."
Are you trying to get grandpa to agree on the spot to take Luo Guoqiang to Hong Kong City?
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