Provincial capital tour
Qin Wenli originally thought that the three elderly people were already quite old, so they should fill their stomachs and rest a little before going out.
Unexpectedly, Qin Shengtian and the old lady held different opinions.
"I've been sitting all morning, and I just want to go out for a walk and stretch my legs." Qin Shengtian said.
The old lady always remembered not to be a burden, and said with a smile that she was not tired at all.
Since they were all fine, Qin Wenli had no objection, and the whole family went out immediately, carrying their small bags.
The hotel was located near the city center. As soon as one stepped out of the door, one would see bustling crowds, towering buildings, constant flow of vehicles and bright sunshine... Everything surprised the few people who had just walked out of the house.
"The provincial capital is so prosperous!" Qin Shengtian couldn't help but sigh.
"It's the provincial capital after all, so it must be more prosperous than our city."
"Madam, you used to live in such a prosperous place. You must be so lucky!" Qin Shu said enviously.
"It wasn't as prosperous as it is now. Besides, I wasn't like you now. I couldn't go wherever I wanted. I had servants to help me buy things. I didn't go out very often."
Perhaps because she had returned to her old place, the old lady no longer shed tears when she recalled the past, but instead became more talkative about sex.
"Oh, that's okay. Madam, you can go wherever you want now." Qin Yu comforted.
The old lady clapped her hands and said with a smile, "Yes, I am blessed too."
The few of them walked leisurely, looking around, and soon arrived at a beef noodle restaurant that the owner strongly recommended.
"Boss, I want seven beef noodles, four thin ones, two thin ones, one leek leaf, green onions and garlic sprouts. Add two more servings of meat, five meatballs, and two side dishes."
Qin Wenli counted everyone's tastes and went straight to the front desk to place an order.
The old lady whispered to Yang Xiu: "Don't need meat, there's some in the noodles."
Yang Xiu put his arm around grandma's shoulders and consoled her with a smile, "Grandma, a portion of meat doesn't cost much. We've finally got a chance to go out, so don't worry about the money."
She hadn't slept well for several nights and had already turned herself on.
As for money, you should earn it and spend it. Especially when you go out to play, maybe this is the only time in your life, and you will be reluctant to give up this and that. If you don't have a good time, others will feel uncomfortable too. When you go back, all you will be left with are regrets. That is a real pity.
The old lady was used to being frugal, so when she saw her granddaughter-in-law, who was always frugal, said so, she didn't say anything more.
After dinner, they took a walk around to digest the food, and then returned to the hotel for a nap.
The journey lasted nearly six hours, and both the driver and passengers found it a bit unbearable. It wasn’t obvious before, but as soon as I filled my stomach, I felt sleepy and just wanted to sleep. The only ones who were energetic were the two children. Hu Yufeng simply cleared out a room for them to watch TV, while the others had a good sleep.
When we woke up, it was already five o'clock in the afternoon and the adults had regained their energy. Hu Yufeng pushed open the door of the two children. The only sound in the room was the low sound of the television. The two had fallen into a sound sleep long before she knew it.
She laughed, walked over and pushed Qin Yu. Qin Yu opened her eyes dazedly, and seeing that it was her grandmother, she stretched out her arms and hugged her around the waist, rubbing her head against her chest and said, "Grandma, what time is it?"
Hu Yufeng patted her head lovingly and said, "It's five o'clock. Let's get up and go out for a walk."
Qin Shu heard the noise and twisted around in bed, only sitting up when he had twisted enough.
…
The family found a restaurant to have dinner. When they stepped out of the restaurant, the originally quiet street had changed its appearance. The street was busy with cars and people.
Food stalls are opening one after another on the roadside, making the scene bustling with activity.
A few people followed the crowd and slowly came to an open square. They found a bench. Hu Yufeng and the old lady sat down, looked at the three or five people dancing with fans nearby, and looked at the tall buildings with bright lights in the distance. They felt extremely peaceful.
Qin Yu and Qin Shu were very interested in the snacks. Qin Wenli gave them money, and the two of them chased each other and squeezed into the crowd.
Qin Shengtian felt itchy looking at the bustling crowd, so he followed the flow of people with his hands behind his back, and found everything he saw strange.
Hu Yufeng sent Yang Xiu and Qin Wenli away: "You two go for a walk too."
Yang Xiu smiled and said, "The shops are all the same. I think the square is very interesting. Look at the dancers, they are divided into several groups."
While speaking, Qin Yu's four hands were holding food, such as oden, sweet dumplings, potato chips, and sausages, which he distributed to several people with a look of joy on his face.
A few people ate snacks, quietly watched the bustling crowd in the square, and felt the unique charm of a big city.
The next day, the old lady and Hu Yufeng woke up at dawn, got themselves ready and waited for others to get up.
Fortunately, it didn't take long before everyone got up.
Today, at Hu Yufeng's request, the old lady and Yang Xiu wore the same mother-daughter outfit. When the three of them stood together, the whole family praised the good choice of clothes.
Qin Yu hugged her mother and pouted, "We are four generations living together, how come I am the only one who doesn't have one, mom?"
Yang Xiu poked her with a finger helplessly: "We don't make styles for children." Although the girl was almost as tall as her mother, the adult's frame and stature were still there, and children would just sway when wearing them.
Hu Yufeng then said that maybe there were children's styles in big cities, and if she saw one, she would buy one for Qin Yu. Qin Yu immediately let go of her mother and hugged her grandmother's arms.
Their itinerary today is to visit the old lady's hometown.
Almost seventy years have passed in a flash, and I wonder if the house in the old lady's memory is still there.
Qin Wenli first looked up the place name the old lady mentioned on the map, but unfortunately, he didn't know whether it had been demolished or renamed, and it was no longer on the map. I asked several people for help before I found out the place.
It was not far from where they lived, but considering the old lady's legs, Qin Wenli decided to drive there.
This is a rather old place. Although the buildings are old, they are all quaint. Even though you can't see the scenery inside through the high wall, you can still smell a hint of history from the bricks and tiles that stick out over the top of the wall.
The old lady burst into tears as soon as she stepped into the alley.
"It's here, just in front. I used to send my brother to school and watch him at the entrance of the alley. That was one of the few opportunities for me to set foot outside." The old lady's voice was a little choked, and her tone was full of deep nostalgia.
Everyone was silent and walked with her inside.
The further they went inside, the more solemn the old lady's expression became, until they all stood in front of a kindergarten, looking at each other in bewilderment.
"Grandma, is this the place?" Qin Wenli was a little doubtful.
The old lady stopped crying and asked, "Really?"
Her mind was a little confused, and she began to wonder if it was because she had remembered it wrongly due to age.
At this moment, the sound of jingling bells came from the yard, and a group of children ran out happily.
Qin Wenli was startled and said, "How about I go and ask?" Then he walked towards the gatehouse.
A child looked curiously at the group of people outside through the railings, met Qin Shu's grimace, and then quickly turned around and talked to the child next to him.
After a while, several children looked over at the same time. Qin Shu pressed his nose to act like Zhu Bajie, and the children all turned back.
Not long after, Qin Wenli came out with a complicated expression on his face.
"I asked an old man inside, who is a resident nearby, and he said that this was indeed the yard of a Kuomintang general. But the family fled to Taiwan, and the things in the yard were emptied out by the people around them. The house was taken back by the government, and then somehow it was approved for use as a kindergarten."
The old lady felt a little disappointed when she heard this. I found my home, but it was completely unrecognizable and even the bricks and tiles were unfamiliar to me.
She stared at the innocent smiling faces of the children in the yard for a long time before she murmured, "Kindergarten is good. It's better if the children are happy. It's better than..."
She didn't say the rest of the words, but just looked around reluctantly. Her eyes seemed as if she had seen an old friend, kind, peaceful and warm.
He sighed barely perceptibly, then turned and walked out.
…
Coming out of the alley, the old lady seemed to have put her mind at ease and put on her gentle smile again.
"Let's go see the Yellow River," she suggested.
This was the first time the old lady had taken the initiative to make a request since coming to Lanzhou. The family agreed and drove straight to the Yellow River Bridge.
Except for the old lady, everyone else present saw this legendary mother river for the first time. Their first impression was that the Yellow River was really yellow!
Standing on the iron bridge, you can see the rushing and unruly river water under your feet, rolling up mud and sand, splashing and rolling, rushing downstream, and the rising water vapor blowing towards you with a majestic momentum.
The crowd had never seen such a big and fast-flowing river before, and they just stared at it without saying a word.
This watching lasted for half the morning, and it was time for lunch while we were quietly watching the rushing river.
After dinner and a short rest, the family split into two groups. Hu Yufeng and Yang Xiu took the old lady and Qin Yu to the mall, while Qin Wenli and his two grandparents went for a walk.
The shopping malls in the provincial capital are indeed incomparable to those in the city. Not only are the buildings tall and the stores bright, but the prices of the clothes are also extremely high. Not only did Yang Xiu not dare to try them, even Hu Yufeng was a little intimidated by the prices.
They thought they had some wealth, but when they entered the mall they found out they had nothing. So they just looked around to broaden their horizons.
On the third day, which was also their last day in the provincial capital, Qin Wenli arranged for them to go mountain climbing.
The provincial capital was built along the Yellow River, and the entire city was sandwiched between two mountains. They were going to Nanshan today.
Because the old lady had difficulty walking and Hu Yufeng and Qin Shengtian were also considered elderly, Yang Xiu suggested that she take the two children to climb the mountain, and Qin Wenli drove the old people directly to the top of the mountain.
Over there, the mother and her two children climbed up the stairs, tired but happy. Here, when they reached the top of the mountain, they looked up and saw the temple complex standing between the red and green mountains, like a touch of elegance among the strong colors, full of charm.
The scenery of Nanshan is very beautiful, with peaks and ridges and sparkling water. At this moment, there are already quite a few people walking in the shade of the trees, feeling quiet and comfortable. Several people stood on the top of the mountain, overlooking the blend of ancient buildings and urban buildings, and they felt relaxed and happy.
"The scenery here is really beautiful." Hu Yufeng took a deep breath of the fresh mountain air and said.
The old lady was also moved by the rich and colorful scenery and said with a smile: "Yes, it was not in vain."
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