Chapter 24 Grandpa Liu's Concerns
"Get up, Grandpa Liu, don't do this." Tian Xin hurried forward to help old man Liu up.
But she was too weak to help him up. A few people watching nearby saw what was happening and quickly stepped forward to help the old man up.
Old man Liu cried so hard that he was hoarse. Everyone felt sorry for him and spoke up for him.
"Old Li, why don't you just do as Xinxin said and take half each from each of your two families? Stop arguing! It's just a few persimmons, it's not worth it to ruin the relationship over such a small matter!"
"Yes, Lao Li. Don't make things difficult for the old man. He is in his sixties or seventies and all alone. Why are you arguing with him? What's there to argue about?" Uncle Guo advised.
"What the hell are you talking about? You're talking as if we are bullying people? If things are not clear, don't get involved. It's none of your business! What are you doing all day? Hurry up and do what you need to do!" Uncle Li scolded everyone.
"How can you be so ungrateful? Forget it, forget it. Just treat me as a fart. I'm not helping but I'm getting into trouble! Never mind, let's just go and let them solve it themselves!"
After Uncle Guo finished speaking, he took the lead and left, and those who were watching the fun nearby followed him!
There were only four people left in the field: Tian Xin, Aunt Li, Uncle Li and Old Man Liu!
As soon as Tian Xin saw Uncle Li and Aunt Li's attitude, she knew that this matter would not be resolved today. Seeing that it was getting dark, she asked Old Man Liu to go back first and talk about it tomorrow.
When Uncle Li and Aunt Li saw Old Man Liu leave, they also wanted to leave, but were stopped by Tian Xin.
"Uncle Li, Aunt Li, is this tree really yours?"
"What do you mean? Do you also think that your Uncle Li is unreasonable and bullies people?" Uncle Li asked.
"No, I just want to ask. We have to get to the bottom of things!" Tian Xin replied.
"Xinxin, uncle isn't trying to make things difficult for anyone. Who among farmers doesn't want to make more money? Who has it easy? Old Man Liu is the only one who's pitiful, but our family isn't? Does that mean that just because he's pitiful, the tree is his, then it must be his? That's not right, is it? These days, the idea of 'the poorer one is right' is no longer accepted!"
"That's right, that's right."
Uncle Li finished speaking passionately, and Aunt Li echoed him.
well……
There's no point in continuing to talk to these two people!
Forget it!
Let’s go see Old Man Liu first.
The village is deserted once dark, and everyone still maintains the regular routine of "work at sunrise and rest at sunset".
Tian Xin trotted all the way home, took out the meat that had just been fried from the kitchen, divided it into a small bowl, and took it to Old Man Liu's house.
Old Man Liu lived in a few tiled houses, surrounded by a mud wall built from earth in earlier times. There was only one old-fashioned wooden door, which looked small and low wedged between the walls. A few old pepper trees grew on one side of the door, and a water cellar on the other.
Tian Xin walked over and knocked on the door: "Grandpa Liu, are you asleep? I'm Tian Xin!
There was no movement in the room for a long time.
After a few seconds, a ray of light came through the crack in the door. Old man Liu came out of the house in slippers and opened the door.
"Hey! Why is my baby here? Come in, come in!"
When Old Man Liu saw that the person coming was Tian Xin, he quickly pulled her into the house.
The room was dimly lit, looking rather desolate. The furniture was simple: a large square table by the door and an old-fashioned armchair. Against the wall was a kang (a heated bed) for sleeping. There wasn't much furniture, but every piece was spotlessly clean.
A large wooden box sat against the wall on the kang, with a pile of neatly folded bedding on top. A large square table sat against the wall, and on the wall hung an enlarged black-and-white photo of a young man in his twenties.
Although Old Man Liu lives alone, his room is clean and tidy, without any old age smell. It does not look like the house of an old man living alone at all.
"Xinxin, have you ever been to Grandpa's house?"
"Yes! Grandpa Liu! I've never been here. We live a bit far away!" said Tian Xin.
Old man Liu smiled and his eyes fell on the meat in Tian Xin's hand.
"Oh, I brought you some meat. My mother cooked it today. You haven't had dinner yet, right? I'll make some for you to eat." Tian Xin hurriedly went to the kitchen with the bowl.
"Don't bother me, Xinxin!" Old Man Liu stopped her and said, "Grandpa has finished his meal. You are not busy anymore. Sit down and talk to Grandpa."
Old man Liu pulled Tian Xin to sit on a chair and sat down on the edge of the kang himself.
"This is a photo of my son." He pointed at the photo and said to Tian Xin.
"My son studied very hard when he was studying, and he worked very hard after he started working. He sent most of his earnings back home. It's just that I was unlucky and couldn't keep my son!" Old man Liu's voice choked with sobs!
Tian Xin hurried over, patted the old man's back, and sat with him.
"Grandpa, I came here today to ask you about that tree!" Tian Xin said, "I can see that the tree should be yours! But why don't you want it anymore?"
Old Man Liu sighed and asked, "Do you know why I knelt down before them today?"
Tian Xin shook her head.
"I planted that tree for my son! My son loved eating persimmons when he was young, so I planted a persimmon tree for him at the edge of our private plot.
He was a naughty child, often climbing up the tree and refusing to come down. After he passed away, there were no things of his left in the house. Over the years, every time I see that tree, I think of my son climbing up there. I just want to keep a memory of him..."
Old man Liu became sadder and sadder as he spoke, his turbid tears kept flowing, causing Tian Xin's eyes to turn red as well.
"Then why didn't you say it out in the field today?" Tian Xin asked.
"I don't want to tell so many people. My son is gone, and I'm afraid if I tell them that this tree is a reminder of my son, they will continue to scold him.
They never tell the truth. A few years ago, this tree was on my land. Then a flood washed away the soil, leaving a hole in the middle. So they planted beans in my field, and I didn't complain. Now, seeing that these persimmons can be exchanged for money, they're arguing with me again.
I was so angry that I argued with them. "I don't need the persimmons, but you can't cut down this tree. I just want to keep it as a keepsake..." Old Man Liu said emotionally.
Tian Xin turned her head, feeling incredibly sad. How hard is it to live alone? If she didn't have any hope, how could she possibly endure it...
"Okay, I understand!" She wiped her tears quietly, turned her head and said, "Grandpa Liu, you should go to bed early. I will solve this matter tomorrow!"
Old Man Liu cleared his throat and gave another warning:
"Son, grandpa is old now, so there's no use for him to have so much money. Be kind and tell them that if you can share the persimmons, then share them. If you can't, then give them to them. As long as they don't cut down the trees, that's all that's fine!"
He poured the meat that Tian Xin brought into his own bowl and insisted on washing the bowl before sending her out.
Tian Xin walked to the door, looked at the old man's gray hair and wrinkled face, and couldn't help asking again:
"Grandpa, are you really willing to indulge them like this? If you give in this time, what if they do the same thing next time?"
"We're all from the same village, so forget it!" Old Man Liu said, "We'll talk about the future later. Who knows if I'll live to see that day? As long as I don't cut down the trees, it'll be fine!"
When she got home, she felt mixed emotions.
The next day, after finishing the training for everyone, she went to Aunt Li's house.
Aunt Li seemed dissatisfied with her performance yesterday and had a sour face in the wheat field.
She didn't get used to it, so she went straight to the point and stated her purpose as soon as she entered the door.
"Aunt Li, Uncle Li, I'm here today to talk to you about Grandpa Liu's persimmon tree!"
"What? Grandpa Liu's tree? Why do you say it's his? What benefits has he given you..." Aunt Li was so anxious that her face turned pale and she almost yelled at her.
"Is this tree his? I know it, and you know it too. There are no outsiders here, so don't shout!" Tian Xin's tone was firm and no one could question it.
“…” Aunt Li and her husband fell silent after hearing this!
"I came here today to tell you: Grandpa Liu said he doesn't want any more persimmons."
"No more? Are you serious?" Aunt Li's eyes lit up and she immediately smiled as wide as she could: "Xinxin is still the most fair!"
"But..." Tian Xin changed the subject.
"What?" Aunt Li's face immediately turned from sunny to cloudy.
"But the tree belongs to him, you can't cut it down!" Tian Xin said, "This tree was planted when his son was still alive. The old man wanted to keep it as a remembrance. Don't be too harsh."
“…”
this……
Why is Tian Xin breathing heavily while talking...
Aunt Li and her husband looked at each other and immediately smiled at Tian Xin.
"Xinxin! Don't be offended! We don't know what you're talking about. We just remember what my grandfather said when he was alive..."
Oh my god! He's starting to pass the buck!
"You don't have to say more, I understand." Tian Xin didn't want to listen to their nonsense anymore and threw the question back: "Then how do you think we should divide these persimmons?"
"Then do as you said, half for each family! Let's not let outsiders know! Xinxin, it won't look good if it gets out!"
Hehe… now you know it won’t sound good if it gets out! What were you doing before? Weren’t you so tough yesterday?
"Half for each family?" Tian Xin sneered.
"Ah! Then what do you say we should do?" Aunt Li said guiltily.
"I don't know! How are you going to handle this?"
"I begged you, we don't want any more!" Uncle Li waved his hands impatiently. "Go back and tell Old Man Liu that the tree is his! We don't want the persimmons anymore!"
After saying that, he stood up and walked out, glaring at Tian Xin.
"Don't leave in a hurry, the work is not over yet." Tian Xin called him.
"Since you don't want it, then just sign this statement to avoid any confusion later."
Tian Xin took out a piece of paper with the words "Regarding the ownership of the persimmon tree that Li and Liu are arguing about."
When Uncle Li saw the content above, he snorted coldly: "Waiting for me here?"
"Okay, Tian Xin. You are not an ordinary girl!" He picked up the pen and signed his name, threw the note in Tian Xin's face, slammed the door and left in a rage!
Wow? So tough!
Tian Xin sneered, put the instructions away and put them in her pocket.
"Aunt Li, I'll be leaving first. You're busy!" She said goodbye and prepared to go out.
Aunt Li hurriedly grabbed her and said, "Xinxin, don't be offended. Your uncle has just that kind of temper. Let's ignore him."
She smiled and asked, "Can't we share half of these persimmons?"
…
Tian Xin sighed softly, turned around and said:
"Let's put it this way, Auntie. I'll convey everything you two said to Grandpa Liu. Let him decide for himself whether to break up or not!"
When Aunt Li saw her leave, she didn't chase her and just stayed there, wondering!
What's going on?
In just a moment, the tree is no longer theirs?
You won’t even share the persimmons?
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