The two walked toward Xu Dong's house and saw many people coming and going from afar.
"It's still quite lively here," Qin Manman murmured.
Lu Guoqing craned his neck to look around. He remembered that the place where those people were going in and out was Sun Changsheng's old home.
When he left, this house was apparently sold to some educated youth, and a few of them lived here. Why are so many people now coming this way with baskets?
"Let's go take a look too."
They happened to be passing by anyway, and when they reached the gate of the courtyard, they went inside.
The courtyard was even more lively, with many women carrying baskets queuing up. A small blackboard hung at the entrance of the courtyard, which read: Today's special offer: 20 wild rabbits, 20 pheasants, and 1 bolt of blue nylon cloth. First come, first served, while supplies last.
"This is the supply and marketing cooperative," Qin Manman said.
Lu Guoqing looked ahead and saw that there was indeed a plaque hanging at the gate that read "Changhe Brigade Supply and Marketing Cooperative".
Unexpectedly, after he left all these years, a supply and marketing cooperative has been opened in the village.
"Let's go find Xiaoqin, they live next door."
The gate to the neighbor's house was not closed.
Grandma Xu sat under the eaves, smiling as she watched her beloved grandson. He Shenghua and Hongxia's eldest daughter was also playing with her younger sister there.
In the courtyard, three children were eating around a small round table, which was covered with various snacks and fruits.
Peanuts, melon seeds, pine nuts, walnuts, White Rabbit milk candy, as well as biscuits, glutinous rice strips, and chocolate, along with plums, oranges, and fragrant pears.
He Shenghua and Hong Xia's eldest daughter is very sensible, takes good care of the two younger children, and is also very filial to her parents.
She would help her younger siblings peel peanuts and melon seeds, wipe their hands and mouths, and also take care of Grandma Xu's mood, feeding her a treat every now and then.
The eight- or nine-year-old was having a great time.
Lu Guoqing and Qin Manman paused for a moment when they saw this heartwarming scene as they entered the courtyard.
Then he remembered the purpose of their visit, and his brows furrowed involuntarily. He hadn't expected that Lu Xiaoqin already had three children.
Did she get married not long after he left? And she married the poorest boy in Xu Dong's village.
However, Lu Guoqing was very puzzled at this moment.
Looking at the three children's clothes, the snacks and fruits on the small round table, and the old woman's attire under the eaves, it didn't seem like the family was poor at all.
The clothes worn by the three children were not exactly new, but they were still quite new and stylish. The two girls wore pretty dresses, while the boy wore overalls and a short-sleeved T-shirt, and all of them wore sandals.
The three children were clean and good-looking, and at first glance they looked like young ladies and gentlemen from wealthy families in the port city.
As for Granny Xu, all her jet-black hair was coiled up at the back of her head, and she was wearing a purplish-red Tang suit. Upon closer inspection, the fabric was actually silk.
He sat in a rocking chair under the eaves, smiling as he looked at the children, his expression both kind and wealthy.
He looks much younger than when he left, as if he were a completely different person.
He stared wide-eyed in disbelief. This was hardly the attire of a poor family.
As the saying goes, one should respect clothes before respecting people. Seeing the appearance of the three children and Grandma Xu, Lu Guoqing's tone of greeting became much more polite.
Hello, Aunt Xu!
Grandma Xu saw the two as soon as they entered the courtyard and recognized Lu Guoqing. Seeing that it was him, she immediately gave up her intention to greet him and sat there without moving.
Now that people are taking the initiative to make small talk, she can no longer pretend to be deaf and dumb.
He lifted his eyelids, looked Lu Guoqing up and down, and after a long while asked, "Who are you? You look familiar, but I don't think there's anyone like you in our village."
The implication is that no one in our village recognizes you anymore; you're no longer one of us, so you need to be careful about what you say and do.
Lu Guoqing was unaware of what Grandma Xu was thinking and assumed that she genuinely hadn't recognized him.
He smiled and said, "Aunt Xu, I'm Guoqing, Xiaoqin's father."
"National Day?"
Grandma Xu straightened up and pretended to examine her closely, then nodded slightly. "It really is National Day. I heard people say you died out there. Are you a person or a ghost now?"
Lu Guoqing and Qin Manman's lips twitched. If he were a ghost, would he stand in the sun like this in broad daylight?
"Aunt Xu, don't listen to Xiaoqin's nonsense. I'm back here perfectly fine, aren't I?"
"So you're not dead after all. They say evil deeds live on for a thousand years, and it seems that's true."
Grandma Xu mocked him with a straight face.
Lu Guoqing's smile froze, and he cursed inwardly, "You old bastard, I'm much older than you and I'm still alive. Am I an even bigger menace?"
He gave an awkward laugh and changed the subject, "Aunt Xu, these kids are really good-looking, are they Xiaoqin and Dongzi?"
Grandma Xu smiled and didn't explain; the two girls next door were no different from her own granddaughters.
Lu Guoqing didn't actually need her to answer; he had already assumed they were all Lu Xiaoqin's children, that is, his grandchildren.
He didn't know Lu Xiaoqin had children beforehand, and hadn't prepared any red envelopes, but he had all his money with him. He quickly took out three ten-yuan bills from the leather bag under his arm and gave one to each of the three children.
The three children are clearly well-behaved; they don't take things from strangers.
“We don’t know you, we can’t take your money,” He Zhenzhen said.
He Zhenzhen is He Shenghua's eldest daughter.
Lu Guoqing introduced with a smile, "I'm not an outsider, I'm your maternal grandfather, your biological grandfather. Consider this a gift for us when we meet, please accept it."
The three children looked at each other, then all looked at Grandma Xu. Seeing her nod, He Zhenzhen took the money and gave each of her younger siblings a bill.
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