"Where are my sister-in-law and Dapeng?" Aunt Zhang looked around.
"They've gone to the fields, they'll be back in a bit." Old Sun poured a glass of sugar water for his sister.
"Brother, you've lost so much weight!" Aunt Zhang was alarmed as she looked at her brother's thin body.
"It's an old problem; I have a terrible cough and can't eat."
Sun Laoda sighed. He felt that he only had two years left. He was worried that he would never see his little sister again. Now that he had seen her and saw that she was doing well, he had no regrets.
"Brother, I brought you some medicine from Beijing. I got it from a big hospital. Try taking it at home." Aunt Zhang took two bottles of medicine out of the basket she brought.
"This is specifically for your illness. You must take it on time. Let me know when you've finished, and I'll send it back to you from Beijing," Aunt Zhang instructed carefully.
"Why waste this money? It's bound to happen sooner or later anyway. Qiangzi from the neighboring village drowned himself last month," Old Sun sighed.
"What happened? Why are you so upset?" Aunt Zhang was shocked.
"This lung disease is so painful. I can't eat or sleep, and I often feel chest tightness. It's worse than death! My symptoms are milder than his, but I'm still suffering terribly, let alone how he feels," said Boss Sun calmly.
"I brought Dapeng back from the coal mine. Although the pay is higher there, you have to risk your life for it. I don't want Dapeng to end up like me."
"What does Dapeng want to do in the future?"
Aunt Zhang knew that her nephew was a responsible person. Now that he had elderly parents to care for and young children to raise, he wouldn't stay at home and be lazy.
"Dapeng's cousin runs a restaurant in the original city and asked Dapeng to go help out. Dapeng is planning to bring his wife along." Old Sun coughed twice.
"The children will stay at home. Fortunately, they're already in elementary school, so your sister-in-law and I won't have to do much work." Old Master Sun took a sip of water.
Aunt Zhang nodded. The children are still young, and they really need to find a way to go out and make a living. Staying in this remote mountain village will ruin everything.
"How are Da Ni and Er Ni?" Old Master Sun has one son and two daughters.
"It's fine. Life is going alright. They come back to visit us old folks occasionally."
"Stop talking about me. Did you suffer any grievances while you went with them? If not, just come home. We'll take care of you back home, so you won't go hungry." Old Master Sun was still very worried about his only remaining younger sister.
"No, they treat me very well. I just cook, do laundry, and pick up and drop off the kids every day. It's not tiring," Aunt Zhang briefly described her daily life.
"That's good, that's good!" Old Master Sun also sighed with joy that his younger sister had such an opportunity. Although he wanted his son to take care of his aunt in her old age, it was still a bit of a loss since they didn't live together.
Just as Sun was about to ask something, there was a noise at the gate; the family members who had gone to work in the fields were returning home.
"It's so hot this year, and it hasn't rained at all. I'm afraid the corn harvest will be reduced!" Sister-in-law Sun sighed.
"Honey, Dapeng, your aunt is here!" Sun Laoda called out loudly.
Aunt Zhang also stood up and walked out to greet them.
"Little sister, you're back?"
Sister-in-law Sun was overjoyed to see her. She had watched this girl grow up and witnessed her suffering over the years. She hadn't returned since leaving last time, and she and her husband had been constantly worried about her.
"Sister-in-law, how are you feeling?"
"Yes, yes, I'm fine." Sister-in-law Sun looked Zhang up and down, seeing that she looked well and knew that she was doing well.
"Auntie, you're back." Dapeng and his wife nodded and greeted her.
"They're back. Where are the children? I don't see Dagang and Xiaogang." Aunt Zhang looked around.
"He went to his maternal grandma's house to play; there are lots of kids there," Dapeng replied.
Old Master Sun also came out: "Old woman, hurry up and cook, let our little sister stay and eat at our house."
"Oh, I'll make my little sister her favorite egg-cut noodles." Sister-in-law Sun said, getting ready to go and knead the dough with her daughter-in-law.
"Sister-in-law, I was so busy talking that I forgot about what I brought." Aunt Zhang picked up the basket from the table.
When the towel covering it was removed, there was wine, meat, and two pieces of clothing inside.
"Don't give the wine to my older brother, save it for Dapeng. I brought him medicine back from Beijing, you make sure he takes it." Aunt Zhang pointed to the two bottles of lung-clearing pills on the table.
"Did you buy medicine for him?"
Sister-in-law Sun was quite worried about the man's health and wanted to take him to a big hospital for another check-up, but the stubborn man disagreed, saying it was a waste of money.
"Yes, it was prescribed by a major hospital in Beijing. I'll let my older brother try it first, and if it works, I'll send you more when I get back."
"Good, good!" Sister-in-law Sun was very touched. They were siblings, and no matter where the younger sister was, she would never forget her older brother.
"And this is a jacket I bought for you and your brother. Your brother has lost a lot of weight, so could you alter it for him?" Aunt Zhang took out the jackets one by one and introduced them to her sister-in-law.
"It's too hot. Meat and pastries won't keep for long. We have to eat them quickly, or they'll go bad." Aunt Zhang knew her sister-in-law was a thrifty person. If she hadn't reminded her, she might have had to find a way to air them out.
Sister-in-law Sun hesitated for a moment, but thinking of her two grandsons who had been clamoring for meat for the past two days, she gritted her teeth and agreed.
"Meijuan, go to your parents' house this afternoon to pick up the child. Also, bring some pastries for your mother so she can try these Beijing Eight Delicacies." After saying that, he took a piece out of the box and handed it to his daughter-in-law so she could try it first.
Dapeng looked pitifully at his mother from the side; he had never eaten Beijing Eight Delicacies before.
Meijuan felt sorry for the man and was about to hand it to him when she was stopped by Sister-in-law Sun.
"You eat yours, I'll give him the rest."
Sister-in-law Sun picked out a smaller-looking piece from the box and handed it to her son, saying with disdain, "What kind of grown man eats snacks?"
Dapeng was used to it. He took the pastry and took a big bite, leaving only half of it.
"It smells so good!" Dapeng smiled and nodded repeatedly.
"Each of these has a different flavor. Dapeng's looks small, but it tastes the best," Aunt Zhang said with a smile as she introduced the dish to the family of three.
"Mother, wife, you two have a taste." Hearing his aunt say this, Dapeng immediately divided his remaining half in half and handed it to the two of them.
Aunt Zhang always admired the relationship between her sister-in-law and daughter-in-law. Sister-in-law Sun always put her daughter-in-law first in everything she did, creating a relaxed atmosphere at home. Her son and daughter-in-law also had a good relationship, which was the envy of everyone in the village.
Meijuan ate the pastry the man offered, then offered the pastry she had just taken a small bite of to Dapeng's mouth so he could try it.
Seeing the young couple's harmonious relationship, Aunt Zhang was also happy for her brother and sister-in-law.
At lunchtime, Aunt Zhang enjoyed the hometown-style knife-cut noodles cooked by Sister-in-law Sun herself.
The Sun family enjoyed braised meat and snacks from Beijing, and the guests and hosts had a great time.
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