In the kitchen, Huang's mother was busy baking golden egg pancakes with her skillful technique. The aroma of the pancakes filled the air, whetting everyone's appetite. Just then, the heavy roar and sharp whistle of a truck came from afar, shattering the tranquility of the village, and it stopped steadily at the door of the Huang family's house.
"Chengzi, you're here! Come in and have a rest and something to eat." Father Huang put down the work in his hands and greeted the truck driver enthusiastically.
The brothers and sisters could not wait to rush out of the yard and circle around the truck. They looked curiously at the "big iron bull" that was about to take them on a new journey, their eyes shining with longing and expectation for the future.
The villagers gathered around, some helping to carry things, others carefully lifting the children onto the truck bed. Inside, the children jumped happily, like a flock of happy birds flying freely under the blue sky and white clouds.
The eldest aunt held a jar of homemade soybean paste and said with a smile: "This is our soybean paste, you can take it and try it." The younger aunt brought a jar of pickled sour beans, which were sour and delicious, and were a great dish to go with rice.
Aunt Yang and others, who were close friends with Huang's mother, even brought home-made dried vegetables and boiled eggs. While helping with the moving, they urged Huang's mother to take good care of herself and the children.
Before leaving, villagers flocked to see him off. They gathered together, offering words of blessing, their faces filled with reluctance and well wishes. With a roar, the truck slowly started up and drove out of the village, carrying the Huang family and their hopes on a new journey.
The group was accompanied by their eldest and younger uncles, who were helping to unload furniture from the mining area and then following the truck back home. Except for Huang's father, who sat in the driver's seat, Xu Mengyao and the others were all in the truck bed.
While the open-air truck bed lacked the unpleasant odor of the bus, the road was incredibly bumpy. With no smooth concrete roads in sight, the truck had to first drive out of the village onto a winding dirt road. Then, it turned onto a gravel road. Later, it passed through a stretch of asphalt road in the county town. The family members in the car were exhausted from the long, bumpy ride and were beginning to feel drowsy.
Xu Mengyao sat on her rolled-up bedding, feeling every bump in the car's sway. Her bottom was numb, almost numb. She couldn't help but think: Traveling so far at this time is such a torture! The roads are winding and difficult to navigate, forcing the car to take a longer detour. I'd thought the truck would be quicker, but now it seems it's still not as fast as Huang's father's usual bicycle ride along the side roads.
The sun was high in the sky. After a long journey, the truck finally arrived at the coal mine where Huang's father worked. The truck slowly stopped beside a secluded road. Huang's father hurriedly got out and pointed to a small courtyard not far ahead. "Here we are," he said with a smile. "This is our new home."
This small courtyard was a typical northern rural style. The main house, facing south, consisted of three rooms, built with blue bricks and gray tiles, a simple and solemn appearance. The left and right wing rooms each had three rooms. Father Huang quickly walked to the door of the three rooms on the left, unlocked it with his key, and then turned to direct everyone to begin moving their belongings.
"Xiao Huang, your family is here!" A kind woman came out of the main room and greeted him warmly. She was holding a bowl in her hand, obviously she had just eaten.
Father Huang quickly went over to them and introduced them with a smile, "Aunt Qiu, this is my wife Liu Fengxia and my four children. We'll be living at the mine from now on, so please take good care of us."
"Oh, the family is reunited, what a wonderful thing!" Aunt Qiu said with a smile, "Don't worry, you can stay here. If you need anything, just come to me."
Mother Huang smiled and nodded, and the brothers and sisters also greeted Aunt Qiu obediently: "Hello, Grandma Qiu!"
Aunt Qiu touched the children's heads happily, then went back with the bowls.
After a busy period, all the belongings were moved into the new house. Huang's father asked everyone to sit down and rest for a while, and then took everyone to the workers' canteen on the street for dinner.
The workers' canteen was large. At the front, near the kitchen, were three long tables joined together. A variety of dishes were laid out on the tables. Large round bowls of braised pork, stewed chicken, and other meat dishes exuded a rich aroma. Rectangular porcelain plates filled with vegetables, tofu, and other vegetarian dishes also looked very appetizing.
There were dozens of round tables in the back, and the cafeteria was bustling with people. Huang's father led his family through the crowd and finally found an empty table. During the meal, he even said hello to a familiar worker: "Lao Li, what a coincidence, you are here to eat too?"
The other person responded with a smile: "Old Huang, you've brought your family and children here? What a happy occasion!"
The two chatted for a while about family matters, and then Huang's father stood up to queue up for food. He specially ordered a few stir-fries and vegetarian dishes to go together, and also ordered enough steamed buns and dumplings to ensure that everyone could eat their fill.
After the meal was served, the family sat together. Huang's father raised his glass and said with emotion, "Today is a great day for our family to reunite at the mine. I have to thank Chengzi for giving us this special trip. I also want to thank my eldest brother and younger brother for coming all the way to help. This glass of wine, I'll drink first!"
After hearing this, Gong Chengfa quickly waved his hands and said, "Of course not. We have been friends for many years. It's not worth mentioning such a small matter."
The eldest uncle and the younger uncle also nodded in agreement: "Yes, we are all family, there is no need to be so polite."
As the clinking of glasses sounded, a warm and harmonious atmosphere spread across the table. Everyone's face was filled with happy smiles, enjoying this rare reunion time.
After lunch, Huang's father didn't forget his uncle and younger brother-in-law who were about to leave. He bought a dozen steaming hot buns and handed them to his uncle: "Eat these buns on the way. Be careful and stay safe."
The uncle took the buns and reminded them: "Don't worry, we will be careful. You should live a good life too."
After watching the truck slowly drive back, the family returned to their rented house and couldn't wait to start packing up.
The three sisters chattered about the room's layout and furnishings, as familiar and at home as ever. Huang's father and mother busied themselves with packing, ensuring every item had its proper place. Huang Wenbin stood by the single bed in the main room, idly adjusting the bedding.
"You guys take care of the rest. I need to buy some coal briquettes first so I can cook." Father Huang said as he got on his bike and went out.
After a while, he returned with half a bag of coal briquettes. He put them behind the main room door and said, "The thing we have the most at the mine is coal. When we run out, I'll go get some more. This way, we won't have to pile them up at home, which takes up space and makes them dirty."
Huang's mother was busy lighting the coal stove in the yard and preparing dinner. After a busy day, the family simply ate a pot of porridge and went to bed.
Xu Mengyao lay in bed, exhausted but filled with anticipation. She stared at the darkness before her, thinking silently: Finally! A new life is about to begin!
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