As Hua Kai followed Jiang Fengxian inside, she said, "Grandma, my family is doing better now, we're not so poor anymore. I'll tell you the details later, then you can rest assured."
Jiang Fengxian said disbelievingly, "Don't try to comfort this old lady. Do you think I don't know how your family has been doing all these years?"
Hua Qingyang hurriedly explained, "Grandma, things are really different now. Look at what my sister and I are wearing. Our family can eat meat every day now."
Jiang Fengxian patted her grandson's back with a smile: "This kid loves to eat meat, but even on such a special occasion, we can't eat meat every day. You're just trying to make your grandma happy, aren't you?"
Hua Kai smiled and said, "Grandma, my brother really wasn't lying. Our family sells smoked meat pancakes at the market every other day. Do you think our family can go without meat?"
"Your parents went to the market to sell pancakes?" Jiang Fengxian asked, looking puzzled, after entering the house, forgetting to even ask them to sit down.
Hua Kai nodded: "Yes, sales are pretty good, so things are really good now. I'm in high school now, my brother came to the city with me to learn a trade, and Qingyang is continuing his studies. He's going to take the vocational school entrance exam next year."
Jiang Fengxian was a little overwhelmed by what Hua Kai had to say.
At this moment, Hua Qingyang put the things on the kang (a heated brick bed), then opened it and took out the contents: "Grandma, look, there are pineapples, Fuji apples, mooncakes, and shortbreads, etc. My mom packed them. I don't know what's underneath."
Hua Kai smiled, put the bag for her aunt's family aside, and then helped her younger brother take the things out of the bag: "Grandma, my mom also brought you some fabric and yarn, so you can make yourself a couple of clothes and knit a sweater."
Jiang Fengxian was genuinely surprised when she saw these items: "Are these all new? So much fabric and yarn? Does your dad know? I hope your mom didn't buy these for me secretly."
Hua Kai laughed again: "Grandma, my dad knows. My brother and I bought these. My dad even told me to take more. He said the autumn harvest is busy and he and my mom can't come. When Qingyang and I have our holidays, we'll stay home and my parents will come then."
Jiang Fengxian now believed that Hua Kai's family was doing well, but then she thought of something else: "Kai Kai, now that your family is making money, didn't your grandma go and rob us?"
When this was mentioned, Hua Qingyang perked up: "Grandma, you have no idea how amazing my sister is. She's got my grandpa and grandma completely under her thumb."
Jiang Fengxian looked at Hua Kai and said, "Kai Kai is different from before. I felt something was wrong just now. This child has changed too much."
Hua Kai said, "Grandma, I'm in high school now. I'm learning more and meeting more people, so naturally I'm different from before, right?"
Jiang Fengxian nodded: "That's right. Those who can go to high school are all smart kids. There isn't a single high school student in our village. If someone's child gets into high school, wouldn't we be celebrating with firecrackers?"
Hua Kai smiled and said, "So Grandma can rest assured about our family now?"
Jiang Fengxian's expression relaxed this time: "Don't worry, don't worry. Um, Grandma will stew meat for you at noon. I'll go cook now."
Hua Kai pulled Jiang Fengxian aside and said, "Grandma, we're not hungry. We ate at home before coming here. It's only a few o'clock. There's no rush to cook. My uncle and aunt have gone to work in the fields."
"Yes, we're harvesting corn today. They left early this morning, but they'll be back for lunch," Jiang Fengxian said.
"Grandma, Qingyang and I will go see Auntie first, and I'll help you cook when I get back." Huakai thought that since her uncle had returned at noon, she wouldn't have had a chance to say much before going to her auntie's house, and it would be too hectic. So she decided to take advantage of the free time now and go.
Jiang Fengxian said, "That's fine. Your aunt should be picking corn today too. I guess only her mother-in-law will be home. Your aunt lives far from the fields, so she might not come back for lunch. Go and visit her, talk to her, and come back right away. Don't stay there if they invite you to eat. You know your aunt's family is having a hard time, right?"
Hua Kai nodded and said, "Don't worry, Grandma, we know what we're doing."
Jiang Fengxian saw Hua Kai and Hua Qingyang off as they left.
Hua Kai knew the general direction, but she still followed her younger brother's footsteps to avoid going the wrong way.
When we arrived at my aunt's house, it was indeed quite simple. There was no wall, just a wooden fence, and the three mud houses were very dilapidated.
An elderly woman with a severe hunchback in the courtyard looked at Hua Kai and Hua Qingyang and asked, "Aren't these two children Lan Ying's nieces and grandnieces?"
Hua Qingyang said to the old lady, "Hello, Grandma Chen. My sister and I have come to visit."
Hua Kai also greeted Grandma Chen warmly.
Grandma Chen came over and said, "These two children have changed so much. They look like city people now. Come inside quickly. Your aunt has gone to the field to pick corn. I'll have someone go and call her back later."
Hua Kai quickly said, "Grandma Chen, no need. My brother and I just came to visit and bring you some holiday gifts. We're all busy with the autumn harvest. We'll come back when we have some free time. The harvest is important, so don't let it interfere with the work at home."
Grandma Chen pulled Hua Kai into the house: "Come in quickly, sit down and talk. You guys are not doing well either, why are you still thinking about us?"
Hua Kai said, "Grandma Chen, our family isn't as struggling as before, so don't worry."
Upon entering the house, Hua Kai took out the meat first: "Grandma Chen, please put this meat away carefully, lest the lynx take it away. Also, please try this pastry, it's homemade. Mooncakes are for the Mid-Autumn Festival to bring good luck. As for the remaining fabric and yarn, I won't take them out."
Grandma Chen looked at the huge piece of meat and said, "Why did you buy so much meat? You guys are something else. Take this meat to your grandma, hurry up, there aren't many of us in the family, we don't eat much meat."
Hua Kai smiled and looked at Grandma Chen: "Grandma Chen, I've sent all the things to my maternal grandparents' house. There's more than what I'm giving you, so please accept them without worry."
Grandma Chen took the meat out and hung it in a frame on the roof beam. When she came back, she said to Hua Kai, "Your mother always thinks about us. Alas, our family has really let your aunt down. My son died young, leaving this whole family, young and old, to Lan Ying. She has suffered a lot."
As she spoke, the old lady's eyes reddened, and she reached out to wipe away her tears.
Hua Kai quite liked this old lady. Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationships are usually difficult to get along with, but this old lady didn't seem to be a fake person and was genuinely good to her aunt Gu Lanying.
She comforted Grandma Chen, saying, "Grandma Chen, don't say that. Some things are not what we want, but we have to face them when they happen. As long as we all work hard, things will get better and better in the future."
Grandma Chen sighed: "I've already told your aunt that the child is grown up, let her take another step forward, if there's a suitable one... After all, the two of us old folks have to go first, and the child will have to get married in the future, how lonely it would be to have her?"
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