First I took a plane, then I took a car.
The last section of the road was a bit bumpy, the car was shaking, and Zhang Hua was a little distracted.
The rhythmic shaking brought vague memories to his eyes.
Before Uncle Lu became lame, he loved Zhang Hua so much that he often carried Zhang Hua on his shoulders and played "riding a horse".
Laughter filled the Lu family's yard. Although it was snowing outside, the house was extremely warm.
——If there is no smuggling, no crime, no enmity, no hypocrisy, everything will be beautiful.
Someone pushed open the snow-covered courtyard gate. Zhang Hua, riding on his uncle's shoulders, looked out. A handsome young man wrapped himself in a thick coat and wearing a dog-skin hat, his nose red from the cold, was carrying a sack of goods on his shoulder. "Brother Lu, I got you a sheep..."
The handsome young man unloaded the sack on his shoulder in the yard. The women of the Lu family talked to the young man in a flurry, and all of them were very familiar with him.
Uncle Lu lifted Zhang Hua from his shoulders and put him in his arms, then gently put him on the ground. After Zhang Hua stood firmly, Uncle Lu went to untie the sack:
"Little Hairy Egg, where did you get the sheep in such a cold weather?"
Uncle Lu was very satisfied with the sheep the young man brought.
Zhang Zhijun brought his wife and children to the Lu family for the Lu New Year celebrations, and the Lu family needed to prepare some hearty dishes to entertain their daughter and son-in-law. This winter was particularly cold, and right after Zhang Zhijun and his family of three arrived at the Lu family's home, a long snowfall blocked the roads. Even though the Lu family had money, they couldn't buy good food... This sheep was a wonderful gift!
Zhang Hua stepped on the snow. Lu Meishu was afraid that her son's feet would get cold in the snow, so she picked Zhang Hua up again.
The young man named Maodan was praised again and again by Uncle Lu. The redness on the tip of his nose spread to his face. He quickly glanced at Lu Meishu who was holding Zhang Hua and said, "It's time to eat mutton when it's cold. I remember Sister Meishu is quite afraid of the cold... My brother-in-law and Xiao Hua are both city people. Eating some mutton will warm them up so they don't get frozen..."
Maodan ignored him and didn't say how he got the sheep, nor did he boast in front of Uncle Lu. It seemed that the process was not important, only the result was important. Zhang Hua and his family of three who came back to visit the Lu family could eat mutton, that was enough!
Uncle Lu thought the same thing and waved his hand, asking the women of the Lu family to cook the sheep quickly.
Lu Meishu followed her sisters-in-law into the house to prepare the mutton, while Zhang Zhijun shoveled snow with the men of the Lu family. Zhang Hua took a curious look at the eggs.
Maodan squatted down and asked him, "Two years ago, when you came back for the New Year, I hugged you. Don't you remember?"
How could Zhang Hua, who is so young, remember what happened two years ago?
Maodan looked disappointed: "...You even wet my new coat!"
Now it was Zhang Hua's turn to blush.
"S-Sorry... Uncle Mao... Uncle Maodan."
Little Zhang Hua is already very polite. He was taught very well by Lu Meishu, who is the most educated person in the Lu family.
People living here are used to fighting against the harsh natural environment and are generally tough. The men in the Lu family are all tall and strong, and the women in the Lu family are all loud-mouthed, except Lu Meishu.
Lu Meishu is tall, pretty, and has a good personality. Not only does she not look like the women in the Lu family, but there is no other girl as gentle as her in the entire village and town.
Maodan thought it was normal for such a gentle girl to marry into a cadre family in the capital. It would be strange if she stayed in this remote border area.
Zhang Hua's face turned red with laughter at Maodan's teasing. Maodan was also at a loss. "Oh, I'm not blaming you. I was just kidding... You can still wear the jacket after washing it... Don't forget me next time you come back. I'm your uncle Maodan!"
Children will play with whoever is fun, and Zhang Hua was quickly captivated by Maodan.
Before the mutton was stewed, Maodan built a big snowman for Zhang Hua, then hollowed out the snowman's belly and invited Zhang Hua to play inside the snowman.
It was getting dark, but Maodan had already lit an orange lamp in the snowman's belly.
In the light, the snowman turned into an ice and snow castle in a fairy tale. Zhang Hua no longer cared about being polite and restrained, and whooshed into the snowman's belly.
Maodan was very proud and laughed very loudly. He took off his dog-skin hat and put it on the snowman's head. Snowflakes fluttered down on Maodan's thick hair.
Zhang Hua's aunts teased loudly, praising Maodan for his handsome appearance and asking him when he would find a wife.
Maodan's face, perhaps from the cold or shyness, was redder than the carrot on the snowman's nose: "What's the point of looking for a wife? It's so much better to be alone!"
"Who will warm your bed for you alone?"
"Maodan hasn't grown up yet..."
The aunts were talking to each other, and the more shy Maodan was, the happier they were. This was the bad taste of the married women in the village.
Lu Meishu is different from her sisters-in-law. She helps Maodan out: "Find someone you like. Only when you like her will you treat her well from the bottom of your heart, and then you two can live a good life!"
Maodan's face turned redder and redder. "Well, I'll listen to Sister Meishu!"
Zhang Hua was so captivated by the snowman castle that he refused to leave until the mutton was cooked. The child was so excited that he broke out in a sweat and the wind blew him, leading to a high fever that night.
Zhang Hua was delirious with fever and was humming "Uncle Maodan" to himself, causing poor Maodan to be beaten up by Uncle Lu.
Little Zhang Hua felt that he would never forget Uncle Maodan in his life.
Even though Zhang Hua is now in his twenties, when he sees people making snowmen on the roadside, he still thinks of Uncle Maodan.
The car stopped.
The police took Zhang Hua out of the car.
Zhang Hua followed the police through a very long corridor.
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