The group had barely exchanged a few words while standing by the gate when Zhang Meng came out of the courtyard, spoke briefly with the sentry, and then invited them inside.
As they walked in, Li Chu introduced Zhang Meng: "Brother Zhang, this is my wife, Ding Qiunan. She works in the steel plant's clinic. Qiunan, this is Zhang Meng. You can call him Brother Zhang."
"Hello, Brother Zhang."
Zhang Meng nodded and smiled at Ding Qiunan.
The two children followed behind and called out, "Uncle Meng, Happy New Year!"
"Happy New Year to you two too." Zhang Meng smiled and patted the two little ones on the head.
As they walked, Wang Ziwen looked at Zhang Meng and asked, "Zhang Meng, aren't you going back this year?" The two of them used to be comrades-in-arms.
"I'll take you inside and then I'll leave. My wife and child have already moved here." Zhang Meng's hometown is in Shandong. His wife and child have always lived there. He can only go back for a few days each year when he takes leave to visit his family. He just brought his wife and child here this summer.
"Zhang Meng, when did you bring your wife and child over? I didn't hear you say anything." Li Qin asked curiously.
“This summer, I was short on time, so I just picked them up, settled them in, and left without telling anyone. My home is not far from here, and you are welcome to come over whenever you have time,” Zhang Meng said, giving his address.
While they were talking, Ding Qiunan looked around curiously. She couldn't see anything from the outside, but after coming in, she discovered that it was a completely different world.
Just inside the gate, there were two rows of single-story houses, all with lights on, but no one was seen going in or out. Further on, there was a small grove of trees, and beyond that, rows of two-story buildings were scattered about, and occasionally, the sound of firecrackers could be heard from one of the courtyards.
Looking around, I could see about twenty two-story buildings, all with lights on, but it was very quiet, as if no one was there. Oh, wait, there were people there. A patrol of soldiers was walking towards us, carrying guns on their backs.
After they passed by, Ding Qiunan looked back at the soldiers patrolling with guns on their backs, and became more and more curious. Where exactly was this place?
As soon as he turned the corner, Li Chu saw two people standing in front of Uncle Wang's house. Li Chu pushed his bicycle with one hand and pulled Ding Qiunan, who was walking behind him, over with the other, and they walked quickly forward together.
Even when they were still several meters apart, Li Chu called out, "Uncle, Aunt, why aren't you waiting at home? It's cold outside."
Upon approaching, Li Chu introduced them to Ding Qiunan, saying, "Qiunan, these are Uncle Wang and Aunt Wang. You can call them Uncle and Aunt Wang just like I do."
Ding Qiunan smiled sweetly and said, "Happy New Year, Uncle! Happy New Year, Aunt!"
Li Chu said to Uncle Wang and Aunt Wang, "Uncle, Aunt, this is your niece-in-law, her name is Ding Qiunan. Aunt, what do you think? Isn't my taste good?"
Uncle Wang greeted Ding Qiunan with a serious expression, while Aunt Wang chatted with the young lady Ding with a smile.
"You really have a good eye this time." Uncle Wang patted Li Chu's arm. His older brother and sister-in-law could rest easy in the afterlife now.
"Greetings, Commander!" Wang Ziwen walked up to Uncle Wang and saluted, then greeted Aunt Wang with "Happy New Year, Auntie."
Li Qin, along with her child, followed behind and greeted the two elders.
Uncle Wang waved his hand and said, "Alright, let's all go inside and talk." Then he said to Zhang Meng, "Xiao Meng, if you're not eating here, you should go back quickly. Your wife and kids are probably still waiting for you."
Aunt Wang chimed in, "That's right, Mengzi, you should go back quickly, don't let the child go hungry."
Zhang Meng greeted Wang Ziwen and the others, then pushed a bicycle in the yard and left.
Uncle Wang led them into the house, where the table in the living room was already set with food. Li Chu helped Ding Qiunan take off her coat, and Uncle Wang invited them to sit down and eat.
Li Chu glanced around casually and asked, "Uncle, why didn't you let any of my three younger brothers come back for the New Year?"
Uncle Wang's three children have all been sent to the army to serve in the past few years. Except for the eldest son, who has been admitted to a military academy, the second and third sons are still serving as soldiers in grassroots units.
"They've only been gone a short time, how could they possibly be expected to come back for the New Year to visit their families?" Uncle Wang's face remained serious.
Aunt Wang wanted to say something, but after opening her mouth, she didn't say anything. She just rolled her eyes at Uncle Wang.
Leaving that topic aside, everyone chatted and laughed happily at the dinner table. Aunt Wang kept putting food on Ding Qiunan's plate and whispered embarrassing stories about Li Chu when he was a child.
After dinner, the group sat on the sofa in the living room and chatted. Of course, the elders also urged them to have children.
“Auntie, let me tell you, Xiao Chu doesn’t want the child now, and talking to Qiu Nan won’t work,” Li Qin began to complain from the side.
As Aunt Wang looked over, Li Chu felt as if his buttocks were covered in needles, and he could no longer sit still.
"Xiao Chu, what's up? What's on your mind?" Aunt Wang asked Li Chu with a smile, while Uncle Wang glared at him.
Li Qin sat beside her brother with a smug look on her face, thinking, "Serves you right for faking things with me all day. Now someone can teach you a lesson."
Ding Qiunan also looked at her husband. She also wanted to have a child with Li Chu, but Li Chu always said it would be in two years.
Li Chu said with a wry smile, "Uncle, Aunt, it's not that I don't want to, it's that I want to wait a year or two before having a child."
Uncle Wang nodded: "Yes, it's fine to wait a year or two. Give me a reason why you want to wait a year or two."
"I...I just wanted to have some time alone with my partner." Li Chu's voice trailed off.
After hearing Li Chu's words, Ding Qiunan blushed and lowered her head.
Wang Ziwen had just taken a puff of her cigarette when she heard this and coughed violently.
Li Chu's words made Aunt Wang laugh in anger. She walked over and grabbed his ear, saying, "Little Chu, let me tell you something. Don't give me any of those ridiculous excuses. If I don't get to hold my grand-nephew next Chinese New Year, just wait and see how I deal with you." Only then did she release his ear.
Li Chu rubbed his ears in grievance, and then heard Uncle Wang say, "Well, Chu, I support your aunt on this matter. If you can't do it by next year's New Year, I'll personally deal with you."
The two younger children listened and laughed.
Li Chu was sweating profusely. He glared at Li Qin and said, "This is all your fault."
His sister mouthed "should" to him.
Li Chu had no choice but to make a promise, which satisfied Aunt Wang. Everyone then happily chatted about other things, leaving Li Chu sitting there feeling depressed.
They didn't chat for long before preparing to leave, wanting Uncle Wang and Aunt Wang to get some rest. Aunt Wang was clearly reluctant to leave; it was too lonely with just the two of them at home during the New Year. She couldn't help but glare at Uncle Wang again, blaming the old man for sending all the children to the army and not letting them come home for the New Year.
Uncle Wang was bewildered by the glare, not knowing what was wrong with him this time.
On the way back, Li Chu made an appointment with his brother-in-law to have lunch at his house the next day. When they arrived, the two families parted ways.
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