"Grandpa Jiang, why don't you bring Grandma Jiang and Uncle over for dinner tonight?"
The old man shook his head. "It's better not to. The fewer people who know about your current identity, the better. Girl, remember this, don't be careless. Your father and your uncle already have this identity, and it can't be changed. Now, we should try to protect as many people as possible."
Sigh, you have no idea what your grandfather and his family were like back then, otherwise your uncle and aunt wouldn't have been able to bear it and committed suicide.
We can't see clearly what will happen in the future, let alone predict it, so it's best to just keep the status quo.
Besides, you've already given us quite a lot. We can just eat at home; there's no need for that now. We'll keep it in our hearts.
Jiang Weihan understood that as long as Jiang Qiao's background wasn't marked by being a descendant of landlords, the child could still have a future. Otherwise, no matter how capable the girl was, she couldn't fight against the powerful. The child hadn't experienced it and didn't understand, but he knew it in his heart.
Since the old man was unwilling to go, Jiang Qiao did not force him.
"Little girl, come on, Grandpa Jiang will take you for a stroll—"
Jiang Qiao was worried that the old man was overworking himself, but it seems that his back really doesn't hurt anymore.
The two walked and talked, with Jiang Qiao mainly inquiring about the living conditions of the villagers.
"Sigh, it's only slightly better than the surrounding villages. Fortunately, we planted vegetables in the last crop, so everyone has something to eat and can save some food. Otherwise, it's hard to say what would happen in other villages. I heard that quite a few people starved to death."
The stuff you brought back for everyone at least provides some nutrition; otherwise, how could anyone have the energy to work at a time like this?
Apart from children and elderly people who can no longer work, there are basically no idle people in the village. However, they all look rather unwell and are in low spirits. The children should be at an age where they are innocent, lively, and active, but now they sit in the sun by the wall like the elderly, unwilling to move.
As for clothing, needless to say, they were all dressed in tattered clothes. The old man pointed to the elderly people and said, "That's not bad, at least they have something to wear. In other villages, many families only have one pair of cotton trousers, and whoever goes out wears it."
Luckily, we had you guys here to help, otherwise, you'd have to try—"
Jiang Qiao frowned and sighed, "It's still because we're poor. Grandpa Jiang, let's plant more sweet potatoes and potatoes next year. They may not taste very good, but they can be eaten when it's in a pinch."
The old man nodded, then sighed, put his hands behind his back, and continued to lead Jiang Qiao on a stroll through the village. When they saw a few families with back problems, he would tell them to come over for treatment after dinner.
Everyone knows that Jiang Weihan's back has been bothering him these past few days, and he's practically collapsed. I never expected that this old man would actually come out for a stroll looking perfectly fine. It would be a lie to say I wasn't curious.
Jiang Weihan said with a smug look, "Old Qiao's granddaughter gave me the massage. I'll have her give you all a massage later. She doesn't want any money. The sooner I get better, the more work I can do. It's not good for me to just lie here like this."
Jiang Weihan took Jiang Qiao strolling to the fields. The people there were working hard, not just because of the work points, but also because of the food. Those who worked there received two ounces of dried sweet potatoes a day. The more they earned, the more their children could eat.
The extra reward is a handful of beans, soybeans, which can be pressed for oil, and eating them is good for your health.
With these things hanging there, how could the commune members not work? And they would work wholeheartedly. Once the irrigation canal is repaired, it will not only help with drought next year, but it can also drain water in case of flooding.
The idea came from Gu Hanting, so he was also on the mountain directing everyone to work. However, he couldn't just talk; he also got to work himself.
Seeing her grandfather working against the wind, so hot that he even took off his hat, Jiang Qiao felt a little sorry for him. However, she didn't rush over foolishly. She knew that doing more work was good for the elderly.
For no apparent reason, snowflakes suddenly began to fall from the sky, and in no time at all, everything became foggy, and it was almost impossible to see people in the distance.
"Oh, this snow is wonderful! A good snow promises a good harvest. Girl, let's go home."
Just as Jiang Weihan finished speaking, a whistle rang out from the field, "Stop working, everyone. It's snowing. Go home and rest. Go to the team to get your food later."
Jiang Qiao wasn't in a hurry to leave either. Instead, she followed the old man slowly, wanting to wait for her grandfather to come and leave together.
Gu Hanting had actually seen his granddaughter arrive, but with so many people around, he couldn't show it too much. Once everyone saw Jiang Qiao, they all teased, "Old Gu, your adopted granddaughter is here—"
Gu Hanting smiled and said, "Never mind whether it's cheap or not, at least my son has a heir."
Some people were curious, saying, "With your second child's looks, what kind of girl couldn't you marry? This little girl is too thin. People who don't know the details might think she's a refugee from famine."
What could Gu Hanting say? "Sigh, putting aside everything else, someone like Lao Qiao would definitely raise children of good character. That's because he knows them inside and out. Otherwise, what do you think?"
Everyone thought about it and agreed. Qiao Jie was already so old, who knew when she would be gone? This girl hadn't grown up yet, and Gu Zhengfeng and his wife didn't have any children. With such an opportunity and the right person, it was better to accept this than to accept those who came up with ulterior motives.
However, everyone felt sorry for Gu Zhengfeng and his wife. They thought, "You have official positions, good looks, and all the necessary conditions, so why don't you adopt a boy? No matter how good the girl is, she will eventually get married." They couldn't understand the couple's thinking.
Gu Hanting was too lazy to explain further. He knew exactly what everyone was saying behind his back. Those who said his granddaughter was ugly were simply blind.
Jiang Qiao isn't ugly at all; it's just that this girl is too tired and loves to worry. There are so many people and so many things to worry about, and she still has to study hard. Where is the child supposed to grow up? It breaks his heart to see her like this, but he can't help her at all.
He should cherish his own child; there's no need to explain to outsiders. Let them talk; their mouths are their own, and the wider the word spreads, the better, so no one will doubt that the girl is his granddaughter.
Sometimes, Gu Hanting felt a little fortunate that the child was always busy and didn't gain much weight. If she had grown up, she would definitely look like her parents. But even so, Gu Hanting was confident that her bone structure was that of a beauty. What did those people know?
When Jiang Qiao saw Gu Hanting coming over, she quickly stepped forward, took the shovel from his hand, and carried it on her shoulder.
"Time to go home!"
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