Zhangjia Village was blanketed in white in the early morning. The snow on the mountain roadside looked like a carpet. Smoke was already rising from the village in the distance. Walking to the village entrance, there was still a layer of light snow on the ground.
The old captain uncle now lived in the village with his eldest son and his family, in a large courtyard near the Zhang family ancestral hall. There was a pile of firewood at the door, and on the kang in the main room, the old captain uncle was chatting with his eldest son about family matters.
Just as the captain was about to wander around the village again, the eldest grandson came in from outside and said cheerfully, "Grandpa, please come out later. I have something interesting to tell you."
Upon hearing this, the captain sat back down and said with a smile, "Tell me, what could make you so happy so early in the morning?"
"Sir, you don't know until you go out. Zhoujia Village is in chaos right now. I went out early this morning and heard that something happened in Zhoujia Village again. Haha, it turns out that Zhou Xiaozheng is not Old Man Zhou's biological son. Five cars showed up last night, and even the village chief and team leader were dispatched."
The old captain frowned and sat up straight, "Tell me what's going on."
The eldest grandson, Zhang Qingsong, suppressed his smile and said mysteriously, "I didn't see it either. It was Zhou Youcai's youngest son who said that a group of soldiers and the old general came to the house last night to question the old man. They said that the old man Zhou had taken the child away and didn't send the child back. The aunt has been looking for the child for decades and has come to the house. This morning, Zhoujia Village is going to open the ancestral hall to re-fill the family tree, saying that Zhou Xiaozheng was the only bloodline of the main house in the capital. I don't understand anything else."
The eldest son slapped his son and scolded him, "What are you doing over there so early in the morning? Zhou Youcai's youngest son has nothing to do and just likes to talk nonsense. Don't have any more contact with him in the future."
After saying this, seeing his father was silent, he asked softly, "Dad, this is none of our Zhang family's business. But today, three villages are hunting. Will anyone from Zhou Village go up the mountain? Do you want me to go to Zhou Village and ask?"
The captain shook his head and said, "It's probably difficult to go up the mountain today. We can't go to Zhoujia Village. Plus, your second brother Zhang's son Xiaowu is busy. No one dares to go deep into the mountains. Let's wait and see."
Zhang Qingsong said to his father with a smile, "Dad, don't worry. Xiaowu will probably come to talk to us soon. Captain Zhou will also come. I don't think there's any hope today. We brothers will just wait for Xiaowu to take us to the mountains. You old people, even if you go to the mountains, don't even think about staying there."
Speak of the devil, here comes the devil. Zhang Guoqing's voice came from outside the door, "Third Grandpa, are you in the room? I'm Xiaowu, I have something to talk to you about."
Zhang Qingsong hurriedly stepped on his shoes and ran out, shouting, "Xiaowu, come in quickly."
The captain saw his grandson go out, stretched his neck to look outside, and when he saw the brothers Zhang Guoqing and Zhang Guoqiang come in, he waved to them to get on the kang.
Zhang Guoqing walked over quickly, sat down in front of the kang, and said cheerfully, "Third Grandpa, I was afraid you'd go out, so today we two brothers came to ask for your help. By the way, I want to tell you that I can't go to the mountains today because of something."
The captain looked at him puzzledly. "You can't go to the mountains today. I know what's going on. It's your father-in-law who's going to the ancestral hall, right? But what do you two brothers want from me?"
Zhang Guoqing looked at his second brother, then looked at the side, hesitating.
The captain's wife just happened to come in. Seeing him, she jokingly said, "Xiaowu, you're a rare visitor. How are you doing now that you're a father? Are you overjoyed? Your mother was saying yesterday that you, a little guy, are also a father, and you're taking good care of the child. It's almost a month old, right?"
Zhang Guoqing laughed happily and listened to their jokes without answering.
The captain remembered that Zhang Guoqing had greeted him specially a few days ago, and he suddenly came to his senses and ordered them to leave.
After everyone left, the captain joked, "But changing your household registration? Is the second child also changing his household registration?"
Zhang Guoqiang quickly stood up, took out the form from his pocket, and handed it to him. "Uncle, you really have a sharp eye. It really is a household registration transfer. I got the certificate yesterday, and today I need you to stamp it with the official seal."
The captain looked at him in surprise, then looked at Zhang Guoqing, who was smiling beside him, and sighed, "I'm not being observant, I was just joking. Good boy, do well when you get to the city. When you have the chance, take the younger generation of our Zhang family to the city as well. Have you decided where you'll work?"
Zhang Guoqiang nodded with a smile. "It's agreed. Thanks to my second sister's father-in-law's connections, he heard the Public Security Bureau was hiring, so he found a way for me to try out. And just yesterday, it was done, and I rushed over to you this morning."
The captain happily opened the list and touched the words on it with a smile. "Finally, someone from our Zhang family is working for the government. Good, good. Have you agreed on when to start work? I guess all three of you brothers have gone to the county seat. How are your eldest brother's plans for the next step?"
Zhang Guoqing knew he couldn't hide anything from the experienced captain. "My eldest brother hasn't confirmed yet. His brothers-in-law started looking for someone two years ago. We're still waiting for news from the other side. I think it will be soon. Today, I'll have to trouble you, Third Uncle, to help me and my second brother with some things. My second brother will start work next Monday. All the procedures are completed. We just need your official seal to transfer the household registration."
The captain returned the list to Zhang Guoqiang and said, "Take it and we'll go to the team to get it stamped." After that, he put on his old coat, put on his hat, said goodbye to his family, and led them out.
When they arrived at the production team office, the team leader took the two brothers' notes, stamped them with the official seal, breathed a sigh of relief, and said with a smile, "It's finally settled. You two brothers, don't tell anyone yet. Wait until your household registration in the county is up and the second brother starts working, then tell everyone to avoid outsiders gossiping. Go back and tell your father that when the second brother starts working, have him prepare some good food and wine and invite us old guys to join in the fun."
Zhang Guoqing nodded quickly, "Of course. Even if Third Grandpa doesn't say it, we should still invite everyone to join in the fun. This is a big happy event. If there's anything we young people don't understand in the future, you have to remind us."
"Well, when you're established, look for factories hiring, and don't forget to promote our brothers from the Zhang family. As for you, work hard. Now that you've left the farming community, don't forget that this is your root."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Guoqing and his brother nodded quickly.
Seeing that things were settled here, Zhang Guoqing said apologetically, "Third Grandpa, what about the hunting trip today? I don't think my family can go today. My father-in-law's relatives came to visit last night, and we have to entertain them anyway."
"It's okay, just focus on your own business. This time, I think it's going to be tough. After all the commotion in Zhoujia Village, I don't feel like going up the mountain today. I'll see if anyone else from the neighboring villages is joining us. They're all waiting for you to lead them up the mountain, and you can't leave. Let's see what they say."
The captain was helpless. Aside from the three Zhang brothers, who were skilled warriors, no one in the older generation dared to go deep into the mountains. Now that they knew Zhang Guoqing wasn't going, the younger generation couldn't go either. Without a leader, he was worried about a few reckless kids acting recklessly. It seemed he would have to go to the nearby village to ask around.
After taking his eldest son to inspect his private plot, Father Zhang strolled slowly towards home. Before they reached the gate of the yard, they saw Zhang Guoqing and his brother coming back with smiles on their faces.
"How's it going? Is it done?"
Zhang Guoqing took out the list and opened it to show his father. "Even second brother's has been processed. Next Monday, second brother and I will go to the bureau together and it will be done. Third grandfather is old and shrewd. He can see that the next one is eldest brother. I said that once eldest brother, brother-in-law and younger brother-in-law are done, it will be soon."
Father Zhang narrowed his eyes in a smile and quickly told the two brothers to pack up. "Your Third Grandfather is very smart. There's no rush for your eldest brother's matter. Take your time. We need to inform your eldest and younger uncles, so that they won't get wind of us hiding things from them."
"Okay, Dad, you can do whatever you want. Third Grandpa said that he would treat the older generation to a drink after Second Brother gets a job, so he asked you to prepare it first. You can choose a time that is convenient for you, and I will prepare the wine and food."
Father Zhang entered the yard and waved him off to go about his business. "We'll talk about it later. Take Jiaojiao to Zhoujia Village first. Don't let your father-in-law and the others wait for you two. Remember to bring them back when you're done."
Zhang Guoqing watched them enter the main hall and then his own bedroom. His mother was already inside. Seeing him come in, she complained, "What took you two brothers so long? Hurry up! Don't keep the elders waiting."
Zhou Jiao was fully dressed. When she saw him come in, she pointed at the clothes on the kang and said, "Brother, change quickly. I've left the child with my mother. Let's get going quickly."
Zhang Guoqing was busy changing his clothes, giving a few instructions from time to time, "Mom, the child feeds every three hours. When you are busy later, remember to let Xizi look after the child. Don't leave him alone in the room. When the children come in, don't be reluctant to give them candy. There is malted milk in the cabinet. If they want to drink it, just make it for them. They love to play in there, don't stop them."
Mother Zhang rolled her eyes at him. "Got it. I won't leave your house today. Your eldest and second sisters-in-law will prepare the meals for the family. I won't chase the children away when they come over. Okay?"
Zhang Guoqing smiled at her ingratiatingly, "Mom, please don't be angry. I'll take Jiaojiao over first. Do you have anything else to tell me?"
Seeing that they were dressed, Mother Zhang nodded in satisfaction at the two of them and pointed to a basket on the table in the outer living room. "Take this basket with you. I don't think your father-in-law and his family will be able to buy incense, candles, and paper money. I've prepared everything. Go over and take a look. Don't say too much. Just do whatever they ask you to do."
Zhang Guoqing stepped forward and pulled back the cloth. He looked at the basket full of incense, candles, paper money, and offerings, and nodded. "Mom is really thoughtful. If you hadn't prepared this, we wouldn't have known about this."
Zhang's mother said with a smile, "How would you kids know this? Go ahead and go there early. Remember to bring them over for dinner when you're done."
After saying goodbye to Zhang's mother, the couple returned to the car. Looking at the things piled in the basket, they smiled at each other. They really didn't know how to prepare these things.
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