Chapter 41 Kneel before your great-grandfather
It was hot in the afternoon, and the house was quiet.
Su Ninghua sat on the edge of the bed, his back slightly hunched, his thin fingers gently caressing the two jade pendants, his fingertips repeatedly tracing the patterns on them, his gaze fixed on them.
There was no ripple in his eyes, only a lifetime of deep longing, so intense it couldn't be dissolved, which finally turned into a deep sigh.
When Cheng Deshun came in from outside and saw this scene, a look of guilt appeared on his usually stern face.
"Ninghua, I'm so sorry for what I did to you in this life, I—"
Su Ninghua interrupted him, closed the jade pendant, lowered her eyes, and said in a deep, heavy voice, "Deshun, neither of us has wronged the other. Let's not talk about these things again."
"The only thing wrong is this world. We are all helpless and can only blame the cruel twists of fate."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Deshun fell silent.
Silence.
After a while, Su Ninghua finally spoke, a faint smile unconsciously appearing on her lips, "Xiao Yue is a very good child. You can entrust Cheng to him with peace of mind. I hope the two children can live happily ever after."
She hoped to fulfill her unfulfilled wish through her granddaughter, her fingers unconsciously clenching the two jade pendants in her palm.
When Cheng Cheng woke up, the room was quiet. She sat up and stretched.
"Did Mom and Dad go to work?"
So quiet?
Hearing the noise, the man at the desk turned around and nodded.
"What are you doing?"
Cheng Cheng slipped on her shoes and walked to the man's side.
Seeing his wife's curiosity, Zhou Yue handed her the design and said gently, "I want to carve a seal for you. I've designed a few styles. Which one do you like?"
Upon hearing this, Cheng Cheng raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise appearing in her bright eyes.
"You can carve seals?"
The man hummed in response, his tone casual and nonchalant, as if it were nothing to mention. "I learned it from my grandfather when I was a child."
He paused for a moment, then said, "It's been a long time since I've done any carving, so my technique is a bit rusty and it might not look very good."
Zhou Yue's maternal grandfather was a calligrapher, so he must also collect seals. It's not surprising that Zhou Yue would do the same. However, she didn't expect Zhou Yue to offer to carve a seal for her.
When she showed Zhou Yue her sketches before, she seemed to have unintentionally complained, "It's a pity there's no seal." Zhou Yue didn't say anything at the time, but unexpectedly, he kept it in mind and only told her when it was time to do it.
Cheng Cheng suppressed her surprise. As for the big boss's comment about her unfamiliar technique, it must be because he had too high expectations of himself.
She understood, she understood, and immediately said, "It's okay, I believe you."
Seeing the trust in his wife's eyes, Zhou Yue couldn't help but relax, and the corners of his mouth turned up.
Many small squares were drawn on the paper, and the two characters "Cheng Cheng" were designed in different calligraphy styles. Cheng Cheng immediately understood that Zhou Yue wanted to carve a name seal for her.
With her head down, her gaze fell on the seal draft. Among the various styles of seal script, clerical script, regular script, and small seal script, she chose the most ancient and grand seal script.
"This one, I like this one."
"good."
Zhou Yue took the draft, held the pencil, and asked his wife what she thought about the seal.
Cheng Cheng had actually thought about it and planned to continue with her previous habits, but she was a little conflicted.
Which do you think is better, Orange Heart or Wishful Orange?
Both have auspicious meanings.
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Lingxiao woke up at some point, rubbing his eyes as he climbed off the bed.
"Mom and Dad, what are you talking about?"
Upon hearing this, both of them looked at their daughter. Cheng Cheng walked over, picked up her daughter, and placed her on Zhou Yue's lap.
Tell the little one, "Your dad is going to carve a seal for me!"
Xiao Lingxiao rubbed her eyes. Zhou Yue looked down at his daughter, gently took her hand, and then carefully wiped away the eye discharge from the corner of her eye with his fingertips.
"Dad, I want a stamp too!"
She also wanted to put her name on her paintings!
Zhou Yue didn't try to fool his daughter just because she was young. He readily agreed and personally designed several patterns for her to choose from.
Xiao Lingxiao couldn't distinguish between Greater Seal Script and Lesser Seal Script, so she chose her favorite design, which was Clerical Script.
As for Cheng Cheng's dilemma, Zhou Yue easily resolved it.
Children make choices; adults want both!
Cheng Cheng was happy and put a sun hat on Xiao Xiao. The family of three set off for her grandparents' house.
When Grandma and Grandpa left, they told her to take Zhou Yue and Xiao Xiao to the old house sometime in the afternoon. I don't know what it was about.
"Great-Grandpa, Great-Grandma, Xiaoxiao and Mommy and Daddy are here!"
The little girl ran into the yard, her face beaming with a sweet, bright smile.
Su Ninghua and Cheng Deshun came out of the house, both of them smiling.
Little Lingxiao ran to his great-grandmother, took her hand, and chattered excitedly to his great-grandparents, "Daddy's going to carve seals for Mommy and Xiaoxiao!"
Su Ninghua and Cheng Deshun did not seem surprised that their grandson-in-law could carve, especially Cheng Deshun, who turned around and went into the house after seeing the design of his grandson-in-law.
After a while, she came out with carving tools and a small but high-quality piece of boxwood, and gave it to her grandson-in-law.
"Come on in."
Su Ninghua said to her granddaughter and grandson-in-law, then took Xiaoxiao's hand and turned to go into the house.
Cheng Deshun waved to the young couple, signaling them to follow her grandmother, while he himself walked to the gate of the courtyard and stood guard there.
Cheng Cheng and Zhou Yue exchanged a glance and entered the house one after the other.
"Kneel down to your great-grandfather."
Su Ninghua's voice was calm and even, but as she looked at the name on the memorial tablet, tears welled up in her eyes.
The memorial tablet had the three characters "Cheng Weiqing" written on it. Cheng Cheng recalled this scene from her memory. Every year during the Spring Festival, her grandparents would ask them to pay respects to her great-grandfather.
The person on the memorial tablet was their grandfather's savior. The Cheng family children had known about their great-grandfather's existence since they were young, and none of the family members dared to disrespect him.
My great-grandfather saved my grandfather's life on the battlefield. Without him, my grandfather might not have come back. That's why my great-grandfather sacrificed his life on the battlefield.
He died at the prime of his life, at the age of twenty-six, without even having the chance to see them win the battle and the revolution triumph!
Cheng Cheng also remembers that her grandfather's original surname was not Cheng, but was later changed to "Cheng".
The family of three respectfully offered incense and kowtowed three times to the person on the memorial tablet.
Su Ninghua took out the jade pendants, handing one to her granddaughter and the other to her grandson-in-law, saying, "Keep these two jade pendants as keepsakes for the future."
These two jade pendants are clearly a pair, both pure white. The one in her hand is engraved with intertwined branches, while the one in Zhou Yue's hand is carved with twin flowers.
The two jade pendants together form a circle, with intertwined branches, overlapping leaves and flowers, symbolizing intertwined growth and twin blossoms, the meaning of which is self-evident.
"grandmother."
Cheng Cheng remembered that she was going to take Xiao Xiao and Zhou Yue to the Northwest to join the army, but she hadn't told her grandmother yet.
She took her grandmother's hand, nestled affectionately on Su Ninghua's shoulder, and whispered about their plans to accompany her to the army.
Su Ninghua's gaze fell on her granddaughter and great-granddaughter, her heart filled with reluctance and worry. She then looked at her grandson-in-law.
"grandmother."
Zhou Yue walked quickly closer and grasped his grandmother's outstretched hand.
Su Ninghua held her granddaughter and grandson-in-law's hands, placing them together, her gaze lingering: "It's good that your family can be together. When you get there, Cheng'er, you must take good care of yourself. After all, it's not the same outside as at home."
"Xiao Yue, my granddaughter is spoiled by my husband and I and has never suffered any hardship. If she does anything wrong in the future, please be more tolerant of her and teach her more for our sake."
Su Ninghua patted his grandson-in-law's hand and said earnestly.
"Grandma, don't worry, Cheng is a good girl. I will listen to Cheng in everything at home. I will never let Cheng suffer any injustice."
"Okay, Grandma believes you."
Su Ninghua smiled and nodded, putting their hands together, and said in a long tone, "Cheng girl, Xiao Yue, life is long, and it's normal to have occasional bumps along the way. We should be understanding and tolerant of each other, and try to see things from each other's perspective. That's how we can make our relationship last."
"Sometimes a person's teeth can hit their tongue, let alone a husband and wife. You two need to support each other, understand and tolerate each other. You must remember these words."
“I understand, Grandma.”
Cheng Cheng leaned against her grandmother with complete dependence, smelling the pleasant scent of soap on her grandmother, and suddenly didn't want to leave.
Little Lingxiao nestled on his great-grandmother's lap, tilted his little face up, and asked in a childish voice, "Great-grandmother, it's Xiaoxiao's turn. What does Great-grandmother want to tell Xiaoxiao?"
The child's innocent words immediately broke the atmosphere of parting.
Su Ninghua lovingly patted the little girl's head and said in a gentle tone, "Oh, Xiaoxiao, Xiaoxiao has come to the Northwest with her parents. You must listen to your parents, eat more, grow tall, make more good friends, and don't forget to study. Great-Grandma hopes you can grow up healthy and strong."
"Uh-huh!"
Little Lingxiao nodded heavily, rested her face on her great-grandmother's lap, and said sadly, "Great-grandmother, Xiaoxiao can't bear to part with you."
"Great-grandmother and great-grandfather, would you like to come with us?"
"Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa are old and can't walk anymore. We'll wait for you to come back at home. Xiaoxiao won't forget us, right?"
"Yes, great-grandmother, Xiaoxiao will miss you and great-grandfather, she'll miss them so much!"
"Great-grandmother and great-grandfather also miss Xiaoxiao very much..."
One-on-one, one old and one young, the grandmother is like an old pine tree that has weathered the storms and stood firm through the years, while Xiaoxiao is like a tender sapling that has just sprouted. The sapling leans against the old pine tree, and time seems to slow down at this moment.
Cheng Cheng wished that time could slow down, hoping that time would be kind to her grandparents and that life would pass more slowly.
After spending an afternoon with his grandparents, Zhou Yue successfully carved two seals.
Upon receiving the first seal, Cheng Cheng tested it with water. It was alright, the mark was clear. Zhou Yue was quite skilled. She thought to herself, "That's right, the big boss is just too modest. Maybe he's a perfectionist in everything. Even my grandparents praised him for his carving skills!"
As the sun sets, its afterglow shines on the earthen wall, turning it a warm yellow and bathing the surroundings in a warm hue.
Little Lingxiao held the small seal her father had carved for her in her hand, cherishing it dearly, and played with it as she walked.
Cheng Cheng, with her hands behind her back, lagged behind and suddenly reached out to tug at the man's clothes.
Zhou Yue turned his head to look at his wife, his eyes asking, "What's wrong?"
Cheng Cheng raised her chin in one direction, pointed, and said excitedly, "Zhou Yue, let's go pick loquats!"
Zhou Yue looked in the direction his wife pointed and saw a tree taller than the earthen wall, covered with small green and yellow fruits, hanging in large clusters on the branches.
Zhou Yue wanted to ask his wife if the tree belonged to someone, but before he could ask, his wife pulled him away.
The loquat tree looks close, but you actually have to walk along a country road to get there.
"Xiaoxiao, give the straw hat to Mom."
As Cheng Cheng spoke, she stood on tiptoe and reached out to pick a loquat.
Although it is called "Tu Pipa" (土枇枷), it is not a real Tu Pipa. Its skin is greenish-yellow and it is also called Maozaozi (毛枣子), Shan Pipa (山枇枷), or Ye Pipa (野枇枷). It doesn't taste very good; it is rather sour and astringent and has a low sugar content.
But in those days of scarcity, people weren't picky. The loquat tree was wild, and everyone in the village could pick and eat it. Moreover, loquats could cure coughs.
Whether it's an adult or a child, if they have a cough, they will soak loquat in water and drink it.
Cheng Cheng remembers that her mother would pick a lot of loquats every year, dry them, and store them.
When her mother comes back from work, ask her if she still has any loquats she stored from last year, so she can take some with her to the Northwest.
"Daddy, Daddy! I want to pick some too!"
Little Lingxiao looked up at his father, rubbing his little hands against him, wanting a hug.
Zhou Yue bent down, picked up his daughter, and placed her on his shoulder.
Little Lingxiao cheers!
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Author's Note: That's all for today. My toothache is awful, a throbbing, throbbing pain that radiates to my brain and the area below my neck. I declare toothache the most painful torture in the world!!! I can't even do anything to distract myself. I'm doing nothing. I took an ibuprofen; hopefully it will work quickly! I'm going to the dentist tomorrow. Pain, pain, go away!!!
Goodnight, babies! [green heart]
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