Mr. Fang was riding in the jeep that he thought was "comfortable" all the way, and his bones were almost shaken apart.
The closer he got to the Liuxi team, the more his brows furrowed.
The muddy roads and dilapidated villages he had imagined did not appear. Instead, there was a flat and wide gravel road. There were neat fields on both sides of the road, green mountains in the distance, and the air was fresh with the sweet scent of grass and trees, which made his chest, which was a little stuffy due to the long journey, feel relieved.
"Hmph, the road is well built." The old man muttered, his preconception that "rural life must be hard" still persisted.
He deliberately did not let his son send a telegram to inform Lu Qingyang in advance, just because he wanted to launch a "surprise attack".
Let’s see what the “real situation” is like in my grandson’s hometown—does he only report good news but not bad news, or is it really as mysterious as what is said in the letter?
“Squeak—”
The jeep, covered in dust along the way, finally stopped on the flat threshing ground in front of the Liuxi Brigade.
It was the leisure time before work in the afternoon. Various members of the cooperative gathered by the threshing ground, squatting or standing. Some were repairing farm tools, some were chatting, and the children were chasing each other and playing.
This jeep suddenly broke in, instantly attracting everyone's attention.
"Hey! Is there a car coming? Which leader is coming to inspect?"
"It doesn't look like a leader's car, there's no flag on it...it looks more like someone's relative's car."
"Who can afford such a grand ceremony? They came in a jeep!"
"Look, here comes... an old man! Wow, what a physique, what a demeanor!"
The old man was wearing a neat coat and a dog-skin hat.
Although he was tired from the journey, his aura of being in a high position for a long time and his majestic aura, coupled with the rarity of the jeep, made the onlookers speculate about who he was.
After Mr. Fang gained his footing, the first thing he did was to scan the entire room, trying to find that familiar figure in the crowd - no one.
This scene... didn't seem to match his expectation that "my grandson was in a remote place and no one cared about him"? How could these villagers be so fearless when meeting strangers? And they even had time to watch?
"Old man, who are you looking for?" A middle-aged man walked up and asked politely, his eyes sweeping over the jeep and the driver.
The money fell on the small suitcase at the old man's feet, which he had been holding tightly in his arms all the way and which looked very valuable.
Old Master Fang cleared his throat, but his eyes were still wandering among the crowd: "I'm looking for Lu Qingyang, I'm his grandfather."
The crowd automatically made way for the old man and the middle-aged man enthusiastically surrounded him.
Go to the team headquarters.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw several half-grown children rushing towards the brick kiln behind the village like little cannonballs.
As he ran, he shouted excitedly: "Captain Lu! Captain Lu! Your grandpa is here! He came in a jeep! He brought a lot of things!"
As soon as he sat down in the neat office of the team headquarters, Wang Shun quickly poured a bowl of hot brown sugar water and handed it to him: "Old man, warm yourself up first and drink some brown sugar water! Brother Qingyang will be back soon!"
The old branch secretary also chatted with him: "Yes, old man, don't worry, Qingyang is doing well here! He led us to build a brick shed and a new brick kiln. He is a capable person in Liuxi!"
Old Man Fang held the bowl of brown sugar water that was so sweet that it made his throat choke, and listened to these completely unfamiliar words coming out of the old branch secretary's mouth one by one.
Looking at the undisguised admiration and affection he showed when he mentioned his grandson, I felt even more inadequate.
Just then, there was a burst of hurried footsteps at the door, accompanied by a familiar voice:
"Grandpa?!" Lu Qingyang immediately saw Grandpa Fang, who looked a little dazed.
He rushed to him, held the old man's arm, and looked him over carefully. "Why...why did you come here? Why didn't you tell me in advance? It's such a long way! How are you? Are you tired from the journey?"
The urgency and concern in his tone warmed the old man's heart.
"I heard that my granddaughter-in-law is pregnant. I'm so happy that I wanted to come and see her!"
Lu Qingyang scratched his head embarrassedly: "Then you don't have to come in person?"
"If I don't come, how can I know whether you are doing well or not, and bring some things with me."
"Let's go back first!"
Lu Qingyang really didn't expect that this newly recognized grandfather would actually travel so far to come to see him. It would be a lie to say that he was not touched, after all, the old man was over 80 years old.
Now the production team is busy with construction, and members are everywhere carrying hoes.
"Captain, where are you going?" A man carrying a shovel wiped his sweat and greeted with a smile.
His eyes fell curiously on the well-dressed and noble old man who was supported by Lu Qingyang.
Lu Qingyang replied with a smile: "My grandfather is here to see me!"
"Hey! Hello, old man!" The man immediately greeted warmly, "Captain, please go and rest with the old man! We are here!"
As we walked along, we heard similar greetings all the time.
"Captain, would you like to take the old man for a walk?"
"Technician Lu, the old man is in such good spirits!"
"Captain, would you like to give the old man some freshly picked cucumbers from the greenhouse in the back mountain?"
After passing through a slightly crowded area with relatively dilapidated houses, the view in front of us suddenly opens up.
On a relatively independent slope, several half-new adobe houses surrounded a small courtyard.
"Grandpa, come in, this is where Shen Mo and I live." Lu Qingyang pushed open the low bamboo fence door.
Mr. Fang was originally worried that his grandson's residence was also in a dilapidated state, but when he walked in and took a look, his eyes lit up.
This small courtyard is not small, but it is tidied very uniquely and attentively.
The muddy ground underfoot was rammed flat and firm, and swept clean.
In the corner of the yard, there is a small bamboo frame. Although the vines are withered and yellow in winter, the frame itself is very elegant.
There are stone tables and stone benches on the shelf, and a small flower bed next to it, with a few clumps of cold-resistant green plants.
In the other corner is a chicken coop, where a few plump hens are leisurely pacing and pecking at food. Next to it is a small vegetable patch surrounded by bricks. The green garlic sprouts and onions in it are growing vigorously, obviously someone is taking good care of them.
Bunches of golden corn and bright red peppers hung from the eaves, and plump pumpkin seeds and a few pairs of clean shoes were drying on the windowsill.
What surprised the old man the most was that in a sunny corner of the yard, there were a few strawberry seedlings carefully surrounded by straw and old quilts?!
The emerald green leaves are stretching in the warm winter sun, and some branches even have small, bluish-white fruits hanging on them!
Lu Qingyang didn't notice the old man staring at Strawberry Seedling with a ghostly expression, and pulled him to the main house, "Grandpa, Feng Xiao, come in quickly."
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