As the sun was about to set, the old couple dragged their heavy legs down from halfway up the mountain.
The longer Chen Kaifang waited, the more uneasy he felt. In the next two days, he thought about going to town and giving Chen Jianguo a call.
At least ask how the second child is doing.
When the old couple came closer, Zhang Qiangyu said, "Uncle, aunt, brother Jianguo has sent you a letter."
The old couple looked at each other and a smile instantly appeared on their faces.
Zhang Cuihua said: "Too much."
Zhang Qiang took out the letter from his bag and handed it to Zhang Cuihua, saying, "Aunt, take this letter back and let Xiaohong read it to you first. If there are any words that Xiaohong doesn't know, bring it to the field tomorrow morning and I'll help you read it."
Zhang Qiang was afraid that there might be something in it that he shouldn't see, so he decided to let the old couple take it back first.
Anyway, Chen Xiaohong was in the fifth grade, so it's not like she couldn't read a letter.
Chen Kaifang said: "Well, thank you, Qiangzi."
"Uncle, please don't be polite to me. You and aunt have been tired all afternoon. Go back and have a rest."
"You should come back early, too."
The couple came back first, carrying hoes and backpacks.
Chen Xiaohong had already prepared dinner, including rolled cornmeal sheets, stir-fried rice flour, and a plate of stir-fried leeks as a side dish.
For northerners, summer begins with a bowl of rice noodles.
When the old couple came back, they put the backpack under the eaves without even bothering to wash their hands.
Chen Kaifang said, "Xiaohong, come out for a moment. Your elder brother has sent you a letter. Come and help me read it to your mother and see what your elder brother said in the letter."
Chen Xiaohong was also happy to hear that. As she stepped over the threshold, she grabbed her apron and wiped her hands.
"Brother has sent me a letter. Let me see what it says."
Zhang Cuihua was a little worried: "Don't make the wrong choice."
"Mom, I can do it, don't worry."
Chen Xiaohong tore open the envelope and carefully took out the letter from it.
She glanced at the contents of the letter. She knew her elder brother's handwriting, which was vigorous and elegant.
But the content of this letter seemed neater than usual. I guess he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to recognize it, so he wrote it more carefully.
Zhang Cuihua asked anxiously: "What did your elder brother write in the letter?"
“Ahem…”
Chen Xiaohong coughed twice and began to read the letter.
"Dad, Mom..."
When Chen Xiaohong saw the beginning of the sentence, she didn't see the word "dear". This way of writing was really too much.
Chen Xiaohong read the letter from beginning to end, and she recognized all the words in it.
Chen Kaifang and Zhang Cuihua became more and more excited as they listened, and the matter was resolved.
After the letter was finished, Zhang Cuihua sat on the doorstep and wiped her tears with the corner of her clothes.
That's too much.
Chen Kaifang smiled and said, "Look at you, the child's matter is nothing but a trivial matter, why are you still crying?
Stop crying now."
Chen Xiaohong also smiled: "Yes, Mom, the letter said that the affair between my second brother and He Damei is over. This is a private matter.
My second brother's job has also been cancelled, so mom and dad don't have to worry about him.
The eldest brother also said that when the second brother comes back from the frontier, he will go to He Damei's house to discuss the marriage on your behalf.
The signature on the letter was more than twenty days ago. My second brother should have returned from the border in these days.
Let's wait a little longer, in case Big Brother sends us a telegram?"
Chen Kaifang thought so too.
He breathed a sigh of relief.
"That's right, stop crying, let's cheer up and prepare a banquet for your second brother.
I will ask Qiangzi for some newspapers tomorrow, and we can use the rainy days to paper the walls of the house. Although we don't know when they will be back, we still need to prepare what we should prepare in advance."
When Zhang Cuihua heard this, she smiled and nodded.
At least I can fight for my family.
It's mid-April now, it's time to take some time to prepare.
Chen Xiaohong: "Mom, let's eat."
…
When Chen Jianguo came back in the afternoon, Chen Baoguo had already returned.
He took a shower, shaved, changed into clean clothes, washed his own clothes, and washed and hung his eldest brother's cotton-padded jacket at home.
After that, he cleaned the room, went to the backyard to water the vegetables, and came back and took a nap wrapped in a quilt.
Chen Jianguo came back from the training ground in the afternoon. When he walked through the small door leading to the compound, he saw the clothes drying on his balcony.
His first reaction was that this kid is back.
Chen Jianguo pushed the door open and heard snoring sounds coming from the living room.
Chen Jianguo gently pushed the door open and saw that Chen Baoguo was sleeping soundly.
It seems that he had to endure a lot of hardship during this trip.
Just let him have some sleep.
Chen Jianguo went to the backyard to water the vegetables and found that they had been watered by someone else.
He picked two handfuls of green vegetables and planned to bring them back to make a cold dish with vermicelli in the evening.
He went to the canteen and got some steamed buns.
As soon as Chen Jianguo entered the door, he boiled some water on a low fire and went to the canteen to get six steamed buns.
He scalded the vermicelli with hot water, soaked a handful of dried ferns, and then fried a plate of spicy and sour vegetables.
He was busy in the kitchen. When the meal was cooking, Chen Baoguo smelled the fragrance of the meal and opened his eyes.
I didn't feel tired when I was driving, but I felt tired after I came back and cleaned up.
Once he lay down, he didn't want to get up again.
Chen Jianguo glanced at the time and estimated that Tian Yujun would be back soon.
He boiled water in the pot again, added shredded ginger and brown sugar, and finally beat two eggs.
He calculated the time and thought that Tian Jun's period should be coming soon.
Chen Baoguo leaned against the door frame and knew at a glance that his elder brother made it for his elder sister-in-law.
Chen Jianguo didn't look back, but he knew Chen Baoguo was standing at the door.
He asked: "Awake?"
"woke up."
“Did you water the vegetables in the backyard?”
“Well, I thought if I did it, you and sister-in-law would be able to relax when you get home from get off work.
I have also washed your coat for you."
"Did you have a smooth journey? Did Master Feng teach you any skills?"
"I was taught. On the way back, I drove for seven or eight days. Now I can drive well."
“You’re a fast learner.
Now that you're back, have you said hello to He Damei?"
"Yes. Brother, I have two days off. Do you have time during these two days? Come to Damei's house.
I feel her family is very anxious.”
"Hey, tomorrow is the weekend, I'll go with you at noon."
"Thank you, brother."
Chen Jianguo then turned around and saw that the boy had lost weight, but the skin on his face looked a little shaved.
It seems that it is better to not work.
His job is really tiring.
Chen Jianguo smiled and said, "You look a lot better."
Chen Baoguo chuckled and pointed at the raisins and dried shrimps on the chopping board.
"Brother, please try the local specialties I brought for you and sister-in-law.
I brought one for Damei as well.
Then let’s talk about it. We’ll go to Damei’s house tomorrow afternoon.”
Chen Jianguo smiled and said, "You little brat, I see you are getting anxious now."
Chen Baoguo chuckled. He thought Damei was quite nice, knew how to live and was a warm-hearted person.
The sooner their relationship is settled, the more at ease their parents will feel.
When he goes there tomorrow, he still wants to hear what Grandpa Damei thinks.
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