"You are all my grandfather's friends. Aren't friends supposed to help each other? You don't have to be polite. It's cold outside. Let's go inside and talk."
Yang Baiyi did not seek repayment for the favor.
Grandpa Xiao Qingyang is a man who values friendship and loyalty. If he hadn't taken on this task himself, he would have found a way to mail the supplies to the farm.
Because of their different identities, it is more convenient for him to do it himself than for his grandfather to do it. The most fundamental reason for Yang Baiyi is to prevent his grandfather from getting into too much trouble.
Arriving at the main hall, Xiao Qingyang introduced his old comrade Lin Tieshan to Lao Yu and Lao Xie. They were all upright people. They had similar interests and quickly became familiar with each other.
"Congratulations to both officers on their reinstatement. Thank you for your hard work over the years."
Among the four, Lin Tieshan was undoubtedly the luckiest. He had been in the military camp and just avoided those years.
"Let the past be the past, people! We should still look forward."
Xie Xun sighed, his face bitter.
They lost the best ten years of their lives, and also lost the most precious family and love.
During the meal, because there were too many people, they split into two tables. The women ate with their children, while the men sat together drinking.
"Come, let's have a drink for our friendship and our long-awaited reunion."
Xiao Qingyang was extremely happy at the sudden visit of his old friend.
Lao Yu and Lao Xie are true friends who share weal and woe. If they hadn't helped each other during the years when Li Hun was still alive, it would have been difficult for them to survive.
"One glass isn't enough. We've known each other for over ten years, and this is the first time we've had a drink together."
When I was on the farm, I couldn’t even get enough to eat with just steamed bread, let alone drink.
They were trapped in a small world and were not allowed to go out without permission. The supply and marketing cooperative on the farm would not sell them alcohol.
"Okay, one cup isn't enough, so let's drink three cups in a row, say goodbye to our past, enjoy our present, and welcome our future."
Xiao Qingyang has a high alcohol tolerance, and today he is meeting an old friend, so he drinks even more happily.
There was no need to urge the few people to drink. No one was cheating when drinking. Instead, they were afraid that they would not drink enough.
"Grandma, eat more fruit."
In order to relieve the greasiness and quench the thirst, Zhou Fengying saw that there were a lot of fruits at home and specially ordered a fruit platter.
There were four children at the ladies' table, and they finished the fruit platter early.
"Junjun, be good. Children shouldn't eat so much cold food, or they'll get a stomachache. Can we eat tomorrow?"
Mu Xue did not blindly satisfy her grandson's requests.
"The food on our table hasn't been touched much. Let's take it over and let the children eat."
The two dining tables were originally next to each other, and Xiao Qingyang could see any movement at the ladies' table.
"Grandpa is the best."
"Thank you, great-grandfather."
Junjun and Lele hurriedly thanked Xiao Qingyang. Although they were young, they knew a lot about how to make the old man happy.
"You two ungrateful bastards are so heartless! The old man works every day, how many times can we see each other in a day? Giving you a fruit platter makes you a good grandfather or a good great-grandfather?
I'm like a housewife at home every day, taking care of your food and drinks and washing your clothes, so I've become the bad guy, right? "
"And you, a stinky old man, always pretend to be nice. There's plenty of fruit at home. Am I afraid the children will eat it? It's so cold, what if they get sick?"
Mu Xue pretended to be hurt.
"Grandma, you are the best grandma in the world."
Yang Xiaoxiao, who was sitting next to her grandma, took Muxue's arm and started to act coquettishly.
"My granddaughter is still the best. Grandma loves you well."
Mu Xue was not angry at all, she just wanted to amuse the child.
"Brother Xiao, your family is really enviable."
Looking at Xiao Qingyang's happy family and thinking about his own troubles, Yu Shicheng couldn't help but feel emotional.
Maybe it was because they drank too much and were reminded of the past, so both of them were in a low mood.
They can be cruel enough to stop recognizing their loved ones who betrayed them, but deep down they are not as calm as they appear.
"Brother Yu, Brother Xie, I haven't experienced the kind of heartbreaking pain you've experienced, so I can't empathize with you. Therefore, I'm not in a position to advise you to be magnanimous."
As an old friend, Xiao Qingyang knew what was both of them worried about, but he couldn't persuade them either. This was their family affair, and they could only make their own decisions.
"Brother Xiao, you don't need to persuade me. I have already made up my mind. I feel sick when I see those ungrateful and selfish people who have little affection for their families. I hate them from the bottom of my heart.
Since the organization has given me this opportunity, I will devote myself to my work for the rest of my life. When I reach retirement age, I want to live in a nursing home, and the organization will take care of my retirement needs."
"Brother Yu is right. It's better not to acknowledge that kind of relative. If you do, there will be endless trouble.
Given their selfish nature, if we really accept them, they will definitely use our name to gain benefits for themselves.
We have lived a clean life for half our lives, and we cannot let this ruin our reputation."
Both of them were very determined and did not intend to have any more involvement with their relatives.
"As a friend, I support your decision. Today we are reunited after a long absence. Let's not talk about these unhappy things and continue drinking."
The decision of the two did not surprise Xiao Qingyang. If they intended to forgive their children, they would not hide in Su City during the New Year.
"Uncle Xie, Uncle Yu, please come to Sucheng during the New Year. It will be more lively with more of us.
When you two retire, if you want to live in a nursing home, then go there. If you don’t want to live there anymore, then move to Suzhou and I will take care of you two uncles in your old age.”
Xiao Fuxing's voice was firm and sincere.
When he first arrived at the farm, Xiao Fuxing was only thirteen years old. He had grown up in a government agency’s family compound and had never done farm work. He couldn’t adapt at all at first.
Yu Shicheng and Xie Xun took good care of him and helped him with a lot of work.
A friend in need is a friend indeed. Xiao Fuxing would never forget the kindness shown back then.
"Okay, then let's make a deal. When we retire, we're going to stay here."
"Suzhou is neither as hot as the south nor as cold as the north, making it a perfect place to live and grow old."
"In the future, we should save our wages well. Even when we retire, we will have a pension. It will all be yours then."
Xiao Fuxing's words hit the mark exactly what the two men wanted. Xiao Fuxing had grown up under their care, and his character was absolutely impeccable. Coming to Sucheng to retire was definitely the best choice for him.
"Okay, then it's settled. I'll be waiting for you in Su City."
Xiao Qingyang was also very happy. When they reached old age, they would find a villa in the mountains, grow vegetables, raise flowers, drink wine and play chess, and live a pastoral life of picking chrysanthemums under the eastern fence and leisurely enjoying the view of the southern mountains.
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