Worried that her daughter would catch a cold, Cuihua quickly poured hot water and helped Yan Xiaonan wipe her sweat and change her clothes. In the dead of winter, she couldn't afford to get sick.
Tonight's dinner was very lavish. Grandma Yan cooked almost all the good dishes in the house, even the steamed buns were big white flour meat buns. The boys smacked their lips as they ate, which was quite unrefined.
Yan Daqiang tapped them a few times with his chopsticks, warning them not to smack their lips while eating, because they would be scolded for being ill-mannered.
Upon hearing this, the children immediately shut their mouths. Being called ill-mannered was tantamount to insulting their own parents, which was unacceptable.
Yan Xiaonan nodded secretly. Grandma had talked to them several times, and they had always humbly accepted the advice but never changed their ways. It was Uncle who had the best way to deal with them.
The meal went on very late, and Yan Xiaonan fell asleep amidst their conversation. In his dream, he was back at Mushroom Mountain, where Siberian tigers and cats were fast asleep in their dens, most of the animals were hibernating, and the entire mountain was incredibly quiet and peaceful.
The next morning, as soon as Yan Xiaonan opened her eyes, someone spoke beside her. Turning her head, she saw that it was her uncle.
Yan Daqiang walked over, patted Yan Xiaonan's head, and said, "Nannan, you're awake! Uncle thanks you. Thank you for giving Grandma hope. Uncle will always be proud to have you in our family."
What happened? Why did Uncle say that? Yan Xiaonan was a little confused. Grandma Yan came over: "My dear, your uncle is going back today. Get up and have breakfast with him."
Yan Xiaonan's memories returned. Oh right, her uncle was going back today. Thinking of the peaceful and quiet dream she had of Mushroom Mountain last night, she was relieved that her uncle had stopped her from having any evil thoughts, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable.
He quickly scrambled to his feet. Cuihua had already brought him hot water and a towel. Yan Xiaoqiang watched the little girl brush her teeth, wash her face, apply perfume, and comb her hair. She was quite the little beauty-conscious one.
Grandma Yan sat at the table, constantly putting food on Yan Daqiang's plate. She was very reluctant to part with him, but her son's future was important, and she kept saying that he should come back to visit often.
Yan Daqiang agreed repeatedly. The mother and son embraced and wept for a while until the sound of an oxcart came, and Yan Xiaoqiang returned by oxcart.
The luggage is ready. I brought fifteen bags with me. Three of them are for myself, three are for the villagers, and the rest are for my mother and younger brother.
Originally, Yan Daqiang thought things would be easier once he got back, but he was dumbfounded when he saw nine full suitcases on the ground. Grandma Yan told him, "These three bags are for you. You can eat from these three bags on the way. These three bags are for your wife and children. I don't have much, but this is just a small token of my appreciation."
Yan Daqiang was unwilling. He had brought so many things here out of consideration for the poor life in his hometown. Now that he had been living and eating here for almost a month, he was going to have to take so many things back with him. Wasn't that going against his own wishes?
He sorted through his three bags, only accepting one pack of food for the journey, refusing the rest. But could his stubbornness withstand his mother's tears?
Grandma Yan's method of dealing with Yan Daqiang was always foolproof. Under Grandma Yan's tearful eyes, Yan Daqiang's scalp began to tingle, and he quickly and consciously put the nine bags of luggage onto the oxcart.
Yan Xiaonan covered her mouth and laughed, while Bei Nan whispered beside her, "Nan Nan, don't worry, it'll be your turn soon."
One sentence made Yan Xiaonan's scalp tingle. Just imagine going to university, and Grandma packing so many things for me, she'd cry if I didn't bring them. Ugh, I don't want to think about it anymore.
The oxcart left the courtyard, and Grandma Yan followed behind it. She watched as Yan Daqiang got on the oxcart. Yan Xiaonan exclaimed, "Wow, so many people! The whole village must have come to see us off!"
Third Uncle went even further, snatching the ox whip from Yan Xiaoqiang's hand and driving the cart himself. The oxcart slowly began to move, and Grandma Yan's tears truly fell; she was heartbroken.
Seeing his mother crying again, Yan Daqiang jumped off the oxcart, heartbroken, and ran towards Grandma Yan. Reaching her, and overwhelmed by his mother's sorrow, he knelt down with a thud: "Mother, your son is unfilial, unable to come back to see you often. Please take care of yourself."
Grandma Yan quickly helped her son up, wiping away her tears, and said, "Daqiang, I don't blame you. You did it for the country, it's what you should do. You must take care of yourself and not overwork yourself."
Yan Daqiang choked up and couldn't speak, only nodding frantically. Grandma Yan pushed her son, saying, "Go, go, come back when you have time."
Yan Daqiang kept turning back to look at the villagers, and suddenly saluted them to express his gratitude. The villagers also wiped away their tears. What a good son he was.
Yan Xiaoqiang sat on the oxcart watching, his heart aching. His elder brother had it so hard. Soldiers who protect their country must all be like this, sacrificing their own families for the greater good. They are so noble.
Third Uncle took a puff of his pipe and said, "Qiangzi, if only your second son were even a little bit as good as your eldest brother, it would be a pity, he's just too awful."
Yan Xiaoqiang nodded in agreement: "Third Uncle, my mother has me and my eldest brother, that's enough. I will be filial to my mother."
Third Uncle nodded: "You're a good person, your son is good, and your mother is truly blessed."
Yan Daqiang got on the oxcart and kept talking to Yan Xiaoqiang along the way, telling him to write to him if anything happened, to tell him if he had any difficulties, not to bear them alone, and to be filial to his mother.
When the oxcart arrived at the train station, Yan Daqiang took out a yuan and gave it to his third uncle: "Third Uncle, thank you for your hard work today. Qiangzi is going to take me inside. You'll be freezing outside, so find a shop and get some hot water."
Third Uncle hurriedly refused, saying that hot water cost one cent per bowl, and one dollar would mean drinking a hundred bowls, which would surely kill him.
Yan Xiaoqiang laughed: "Third Uncle, you can go eat a bowl of noodles, and have some noodle soup too."
Uncle San's teeth were bad, and he loved soft food. When Yan Xiaoqiang mentioned noodles, he couldn't help but swallow hard. He quickly paid two cents for the care of the old ox and entrusted it to his care.
Seeing their third uncle rush off to find a noodle shop, the two brothers exchanged a smile, then shouldered nine pieces of luggage and trudged into the platform.
After waiting for more than half an hour, the train finally arrived. Yan Xiaoqiang helped Yan Daqiang put his luggage on the train. Daqiang was reluctant to let his younger brother suffer from the cold and told him to go back quickly.
But Yan Xiaoqiang refused. He chased after the train for a while after it started moving before finally stopping. His older brother was leaving, and it would probably be several years before they could see each other again.
Third Uncle had already finished eating his noodles and was waiting outside. The noodles cost 15 cents and required 2 liang of grain coupons, but he didn't have any coupons, so he spent 20 cents. The noodle soup cost 3 cents, and the childcare fee was 2 cents. Today he spent 25 cents.
Daqiang gave him a yuan, making him a full 75 cents, and he even got to eat a steaming bowl of noodles. That's 10 cents a day! He really got a bargain today.
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