Hard work pays off.
While busy with work and meetings, Zhou Jiao finally contacted the father and son from the fishing village the next day. This time, Zhou Jiao deliberately reminded them that in addition to publicly purchasing a large amount of goods, they were also secretly purchasing them.
The opening of farmers' markets has facilitated the circulation of goods, which has also brought a great convenience: sufficient goods and stable prices.
While farmers are allowed to sell fruits and vegetables, the more remote the area, the more diverse the trade. For example, at prairie markets, restricted coarse grains and wild game are unavoidable.
Similarly, hairy crabs, lobsters, river fish, sea seafood, etc. have also become the choice of most farmers in advantageous locations.
Over the years, the father and son have been farming, though the father has become a fisherman. The son has also been fortunate enough to become a scorekeeper for the brigade. He sells a few things every few days, and they seem to be living quite well.
On the way to visit Grandpa Jiang's village, Zhou Jiao first passed by their fishing village. It was called a fishing village, but it was not as good as the fishing village in the Northeast!
There are still many fertile fields near the river bank.
In the hot summer, the fields are full of busy members sweating profusely, and clay dolls running around and getting tanned.
Zhou Jiao set out early in the morning and arrived at the other party's house when it was almost noon. She was taken to a new courtyard at the entrance of the village by the youngest son who stayed behind as agreed.
"My eldest brother is getting married, and this is his new house. Beyond the grove is the river. He said all his things are there, and it's quiet here."
Zhou Jiao nodded in amusement. It was rare for a seven or eight-year-old boy to explain everything without interruption! She fished a few candies from her pocket and gave them to him, earning a genuine smile from the child.
“Sister, my sister-in-law is also very beautiful.”
Zhou Jiao smiled after hearing this.
Looking at this courtyard with southern characteristics, it is not difficult to guess that in addition to the apparent income, this family has also made a lot of money privately over the years.
It is absolutely impossible for an ordinary family to rely on the income of a fisherman and the work points of the whole family to build a half-brick and half-mud yard for their eldest son to get married.
Looking at the cute boy in front of her, Zhou Jiao planned to complete the transaction with good intentions and give the smart and capable eldest son a hint that it was time to stop.
Especially after that, I saw two small boats filled with sea fish, river fish and other miscellaneous supplies, as well as sacks of hairy crabs hanging in the river.
After paying more than 300 yuan, which was not much more expensive than the market price, Zhou Jiao solemnly warned the other party a few words and watched the young man bow and thank him after thinking about it.
She knew the other party had listened. So, did she consider herself to have done a good deed? After sending them away, Zhou Jiao, in a good mood, continued on her way to Grandpa Jiang's village.
The two places were in different locations, and she had been deliberately concealing her whereabouts, not wanting anyone to notice. Before nightfall, she finally reached the village that Zhang Guoqing had mentioned countless times.
This time, she deliberately changed into a military uniform. Yes, a military uniform! She had to give the impression that Grandpa Jiang's granddaughter's family were military.
As soon as we arrived at the bridge, just as Zhang Guoqing said, if someone really saw an outsider coming, who would they call out first and who they were looking for? Their attitude was cautious.
As soon as Zhou Jiao spoke in dialect and called out Grandpa Jiang's name, the other party shouted to the children not far away to go and inform the Third Master.
He ran forward enthusiastically and took the two big packages from Zhou Jiao's hands.
After hearing his self-introduction, Zhou Jiao learned that he was Grandpa Jiang's next-door neighbor. She was delighted and asked about the old man's health in recent years.
Every time Grandpa Jiang wrote to me, he only reported good news and not bad news. Even though Uncle Huang Dong often came to visit the old man, the distance between them was still far.
"He's fine. He's been staying in your hometown for the past two years and doesn't like to go to the city. He has food and clothes, and you send packages to him every day. Your grandpa is fine."
"He's a restless man. Whenever he has something to do, he helps out in the team. Last year, he received a telegram saying you had given birth to twins. He was so happy that he even treated everyone to a meal."
"Why didn't your husband come back with you? You're a little girl, coming all the way here. Why didn't you send a telegram first? So we could go pick you up."
Zhou Jiao explained with a smile, "I'm on a business trip. The child's father is a soldier and can't leave without a vacation. This time I came here to bring my grandfather back."
"Oh, don't mention it. He won't leave. The old man is stubborn. He always goes to chat with your mother and the others a few days every month."
Zhou Jiao reacted and smiled awkwardly. Her mother was still alive and well in the capital. Before she boarded the train, she had specifically asked her to bring extra money and coupons so she could buy more local specialties.
It turns out that lying is wrong!
However, just as the other party said, Grandpa Jiang just smiled and said nothing about going to the capital, or he would change the subject.
After Zhou Jiao went to visit her cousin uncle and aunt who had been taking care of the old man, and then to visit her third uncle who was the captain, and delivered the souvenirs she brought with her, the moment she stepped into the yard, the air was filled with the aroma of stewed chicken.
"Grandpa, why did you kill the chickens? They are good for laying eggs." No wonder she said that. The hens raised in the countryside are like small banks. In addition to exchanging them for firewood, salt, sauce and vinegar, eggs can also be used to supplement nutrition when meat is scarce.
The first cousin who came to visit was wiping her hands while joking with a smile: "That's nothing, I even have chickens at home, so your grandpa won't be short of eggs later."
Grandpa Jiang nodded cheerfully. What was a hen? He'd given all his future possessions to this child, and yet he still worried about such a small thing.
During dinner time, almost all the villagers came to watch the fun. This was their aunt, a grandmother from the capital.
Zhou Jiao, with a smile on her face, took a few quick bites, brought out the candies and pastries she had brought from inside the house, and used her dialect to get closer to the old ladies.
He also used a few bottles of good wine to invite the young and old men to sit down and drink with Grandpa Jiang.
Zhou Jiao, who showed respect to her juniors, made Grandpa Jiang very proud. He was so happy that he couldn't stop smiling the whole night, and he didn't feel sorry or complain about Zhou Jiao for bringing too many things.
This time when Zhou Jiao came, in addition to the clothes, malted milk, milk powder, instant cooked food and biscuits prepared for the old man, the most important thing was the wine and snacks that could be stored for a long time.
When you get old, you don't have any family around you. If you want to have a lively time, you can only store some good wine and invite a few old friends with similar interests to your home to drink, which can help to dispel the loneliness of old age.
Taking advantage of the excitement, Zhou Jiao repeatedly thanked everyone for their continued care for Grandpa Jiang. Before leaving, she also privately gave a few pieces of cloth to several of her cousins who were already married.
She understood human nature too well. Her cousin and his wife still had affection for Grandpa Jiang, but that didn't mean the third generation still had any affection for him, especially since it had been a long-standing custom in rural areas not to give the inheritance left by the elderly to married women.
Even if such a large yard has always been registered under her name, people are never satisfied. As the next generation grows up, their eyes will inevitably be fixed on these things.
She didn't care about these material possessions, but she cared about the consequences of Grandpa Jiang getting into trouble in his old age. She had to give them a psychological hint.
Zhou Jiao is not short of money. She just wants her grandfather to live well in his later years. She will never forget the kindness of anyone who has helped the old man. Perhaps the reward she will get in the future will be comparable to this big yard.
You can't blame her for using tricks. Since the old man won't go back to Beijing with her, Zhou Jiao, as his only granddaughter, can only start preparing for a peaceful old age.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
