The child grabbed the candy and ran off in a flash.
Sheng Xiping looked at it and found it amusing.
Life was tough back home, and the children rarely got to eat candy, so it was normal for them to play a little trick.
Around six o'clock, Sheng Lianjie from the commune also returned with his wife and children.
Sheng Lianjie was three years younger than Sheng Liancheng and was the first in the Sheng family to go to school. After finishing elementary school, his family could no longer afford to support his education, so he found a job in the county.
At the time, he was considered the most successful member of the Sheng family.
In the county town, Sheng Lianjie met a girl he liked, but in those days, marriages were arranged by parents, and he had no say in the matter.
The old lady of the Sheng family found a matchmaker to propose marriage to her son. She found a wife for him in a nearby village. She was big and strong, not very pretty, but she was a good worker.
Sheng Lianjie didn't like his wife, so he left her at home and went back to work in the county town, continuing his ambiguous relationship with that woman.
Later, some rumors started to circulate.
When the old lady of the Sheng family saw that this was not going to work, she asked her fourth and fifth sons to push a handcart and take her and her third son's wife to the city.
This incident affected Sheng Lianjie's work in the county town.
Later, having no other choice, he broke off contact with the woman in the county and moved back to the market town. Just then, the Shilou Commune was established, and Sheng Lianjie started working there.
He was educated, had worked in the city and had a broad perspective, and was also dedicated to his work, so he gradually rose to the position of commune secretary.
Sheng Lianjie looks quite like Sheng Liancheng. A few years ago, when Sheng Lianjie went on a business trip to Northeast China, he visited his brother and sister-in-law at the forest farm.
Compared to then, Sheng Lianjie has gained a lot of weight and aged.
Sheng Lianjie and his wife initially had a bad relationship and did not have children for several years after getting married. Later, he returned to work in the commune and gradually felt at ease, and then he and his wife started to live a good life together.
Sheng Lianjie has four children: Sheng Xiwen, Sheng Xiwu, Sheng Xiulian, and Sheng Xiuhe, two boys and two girls. The eldest, Xiwen, is sixteen years old this year, and the youngest girl is only eight years old.
"Oh my, my nephew is back! It's been so many years since I've seen him. He's really made something of himself!"
Your letter mentioned that you got a job, got married, and have two kids. That's wonderful.
Sheng Lianjie was talkative and cheerful. He was especially affectionate towards Sheng Xiping, holding onto Sheng Xiping's hand tightly and chatting with him about everyday things.
Sheng Xiping's third aunt greeted Sheng Xiping briefly upon entering the house before heading to the kitchen to help Sheng Lianyi's wife with cooking.
In my hometown, the kitchen wasn't inside the house, but in a bright, open shed outside the main room. The two sisters-in-law were busy in the kitchen with their daughter.
Dinner was all prepared, so there was no need to go inside to eat. We just set up a table in the yard, with the dishes served in bowls, and laid out a whole table of food.
There are dishes like stir-fried lotus root with meat and stir-fried gourd with meat, which are not available in Northeast China. There are also other dishes, and some whole peppercorns are added to the dishes.
Without electric lights, the six of them—the patriarch of the Sheng family, Sheng Lianyi, Sheng Lianjie, Sheng Xiping, and the two brothers Sheng Xizheng—sat around the table by the light of the moon and stars.
In those days, women in my hometown still didn't sit at the table. After they finished cooking, they would quietly leave, and the children would be led away, not allowed to sit near the front.
Grandma Sheng didn't sit at the table either. She sat to the side, watching her husband drink with his children and grandchildren, and smiled to herself.
Occasionally, he would chime in with a few words.
It's already quite hot back home at this time of year. And let me tell you, when you eat out, the evening breeze is actually quite refreshing.
Sheng Xiping poured wine for his grandfather, eldest uncle, and third uncle, and chatted with them.
"You are so filial. This house of ours was built with money that you sent back."
"Every holiday season, you all send money and gifts here; I know that."
The old man of the Sheng family was getting on in years and couldn't drink too much. He only poured half a glass of wine, took a couple of sips, and then pulled Sheng Xiping aside to talk.
Sheng Xiping could guess what the old man was trying to say.
Life was indeed tough back home. The money and gifts that Sheng Liancheng sent back during holidays were something the elderly couple couldn't bear to spend themselves, and they ended up giving them to their younger generation.
That's normal. Sheng Liancheng lives far away and can't be filial to his parents, so sending money and things is only right.
As for who ultimately spent the money, that's none of that matters.
At their age, if the two elders get sick or suffer from any misfortune, isn't it Sheng Lianyi's whole family who takes care of them?
The eldest son takes great care of the elderly, so it's only right that the others contribute some money or something.
"Grandpa, let's not talk about these things. Being filial to our parents is what we younger generation should do."
I was just passing through on business and stopped by to visit my grandparents and other family members.
In two years, I'll bring my parents, my wife, and our child back together.
Sheng Xiping held the old man's hand, smiling and trying to cheer him up.
"Oh, alright, bring your wife and children over. Oh dear, the photos you sent, my eyes are too blurry to see clearly."
Upon hearing this, the old master of the Sheng family was overjoyed and took another small sip of wine.
The welcome dinner prepared for Sheng Xiping lasted for almost an hour.
Afterwards, the women cleared away the food and brought out tea. Everyone sat in the courtyard and chatted for a while.
That night, Sheng Xiping stayed at his grandparents' place, while Sheng Lianjie's family stayed at Sheng Lianyi's place.
There was no electricity in the house, so Grandma Sheng used a kerosene lamp for light. She spread the clean, white coarse cloth sheet on the bed, and then found a thin coarse cloth quilt with a blue background and white flowers, as well as a mosquito net.
After hanging up the mosquito net, the old lady turned around and went to sleep in another room.
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