Upon hearing his question, Wang Dali immediately pulled off the quilt covering his legs. Underneath the quilt, one leg was properly placed on the kang (a heated brick bed), but the other leg was just an empty trouser leg. Gu Nanxun's eyes darkened, and he swallowed back the words he hadn't finished saying.
"Hehe... It's alright. Fortunately, I'm still alive. It's just that I've implicated my family."
Wang Dali forced a strong laugh, but his gaze involuntarily drifted towards his wife, mother, and child.
He realized he was useless, causing his wife and son to suffer because of him, making his mother toil for him at such an advanced age, and even causing his father… Thinking of this, Wang Dali forcibly suppressed his intense sorrow, raised his head, and smiled at Gu Nanxun and Liu Hongjun, saying:
"Come on, let me introduce you. This is my mother, Wang Dajuan. This is my wife, Wang Honghua. This is my son, Wang Aiguo."
“Mother, wife, these are my comrades-in-arms, Gu Nanxun and Liu Hongjun.”
"Hello, Auntie, hello, sister-in-law." Liu Hongjun greeted Wang Honghua and Wang Dali's mother warmly.
Gu Nanxun also nodded to Wang Honghua and Wang Dali's mother.
Wang Dali's mother huddled in a corner of the kang (a heated brick bed), nodded to everyone, and occasionally buried her head in the quilt and coughed. Gu Nanxun guessed that the one who had coughed earlier must have been this old lady.
Dali's mother did not get out of bed. Gu Nanxun seemed to have thought of something and knowingly shifted his gaze elsewhere. He knew that many people in the village did not have clothes in winter. Many families only had one or two cotton-padded coats that they could wear when going out. Most families could only stay on the kang (a heated brick bed) in winter, and the cotton-padded coat would be given to whoever wanted to go out.
Then Gu Nanxun went outside and brought in the things they had brought from the sled.
"These are the things we brought, a small token of our appreciation," Gu Nanxun said, handing the items to Wang Honghua.
Wang Dali glanced at the two sacks Gu Nanxun had brought in, opened his mouth, but didn't say anything in response: "Brother, thank you!"
Gu Nanxun smiled. "We're all comrades-in-arms, no need for thanks. By the way, Dali, what are your plans for the future?"
Wang Dali remained silent for a long time. "I don't know either. I can't do anything in this state, not even work in the fields."
Gu Nanxun remained silent for a long time before saying to Wang Dali, "Would you like to move to another place?"
"Change the location? But..."
Wang Dali's eyes lit up with surprise when he heard about the change of location, but then he suddenly thought of his current situation and lowered his head again. He knew that since Gu Nanxun had suggested changing his location, he must have a way. But Wang Dali was very conflicted. He didn't want to be a burden to his brother, but he also really wanted to get out of his current predicament.
After a long silence, Wang Dali clenched his fist tightly, as if he had made up his mind, and then said to Gu Nanxun with a serious expression, "Brother, tell me! What should we do?"
“I have a small courtyard in my county town. You can stay there. I’m thinking of a way to help you and your sister-in-law find work. That should be enough to make a living.”
Gu Nanxun's courtyard was originally bought by Lin Qing in the county town to cover their tracks. However, as the black market grew, Gu Nanxun asked Wang Dongsheng to help him find another courtyard for easier distribution, leaving this one vacant. It's perfect for Wang Dali's family to live in. As for finding work for Wang Dali and his family, Gu Nanxun needs to discuss that with Wang Dongsheng.
"Brother... my life is yours from now on."
Wang Dali's tears flowed instantly. Since his discharge from the army, he had only shed tears when his father passed away. Today was the second time he had cried.
He had lost all hope for life, but unexpectedly, the person he had always wanted to surpass gave him the hope to live on today.
Wang Dali assumed that Gu Nanxun's suggestion to move to a different place meant he was helping him find a place to settle down. He never expected Gu Nanxun to even solve his family's future survival issues. Although Gu Nanxun said he would help him find work later, Wang Dali knew Gu Nanxun well. He knew that if Gu Nanxun said something like that, he must be able to help him; Gu Nanxun wouldn't say something like that without certainty.
Seeing her husband so excited, Wang Honghua instantly understood what was going on. She had initially been skeptical of what the young man was saying, but seeing her husband's reaction, she knew that he could do what he said. If that were the case, she could get out of her current predicament, and her family could survive. Even if Dali couldn't work, as long as she had a job and worked hard, she could at least survive.
"Thank you, thank you..."
Wang Honghua choked up, repeatedly thanking Gu Nanxun. She wanted to burst into tears, but she couldn't lose her composure in front of the guests. These past few days, her parents, older brother, and sister-in-law had been constantly harassing them, and she was on the verge of collapse. But unexpectedly, she saw hope of getting rid of them today.
"Since you've made up your minds, then pack your things and we'll move today!"
Seeing their behavior, Gu Nanxun thought for a moment and said directly, "There's no better time than today. Judging from their current situation, they probably don't have much. I'll have Lei Ting make two trips, and that should be enough."
"Now?" Wang Honghua was choking back tears when she suddenly heard Gu Nanxun's words and immediately stopped sobbing.
"Okay, now!" Wang Dali slapped the kang (a heated brick bed) beneath him and said directly.
Wang Dali's family didn't have much stuff, and Wang Honghua finished packing in less than half an hour. While Wang Honghua was packing, Gu Nanxun and Liu Hongjun made a wooden plank together, tied Wang Dali's things to the plank, and then fixed it to the back of the sled.
Since the family only had one cotton-padded coat for the trip, they discussed it and decided that Gu Nanxun would drive the sled, taking Wang Dali and Wang Honghua into the city first. Liu Hongjun would stay behind to take care of Wang Dali's mother and child.
"Can these two dogs pull it?" Wang Honghua looked at the things behind the sled, then at the group of people, and asked with some concern.
"Sure, they've been running around in the mountains since they were little, they're incredibly strong," Gu Nanxun said with a smile. Thunder and Lightning were fed spiritual spring water from a young age, so their strength is astonishing. They could easily pull up even one dog, let alone two.
Then Gu Nanxun drove the sled, with Wang Dali and Wang Honghua sitting in the back. Wang Honghua was wearing the only cotton-padded coat she owned, while Wang Dali was wearing Liu Hongjun's cotton-padded coat. The group headed towards the county town together.
Gu Nanxun drove the sled directly to the front of the yard, and took out the key from his spatial storage to open the gate.
Wang Honghua looked at the courtyard in front of her with surprise and delight. She had thought that when Gu Nanxun said there was an empty courtyard, he meant just a small courtyard, but she never expected...
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