Rebirth in the 50s: The Couple with the Hidden Space

Chapter 1125: Chapter 998: The Years Before and After 2

It’s said that one must stay up all night on New Year’s Eve.

In the main room, people were busy introducing new daughters-in-law, praising their children, chatting idly about the harvest of the coming year, and discussing what kind of partners young men and women were looking for.

The atmosphere was harmonious, with idle chatter covering a wide range of topics.

Compared to the people of Old Zhang’s family, Brother Ping’an and the two brothers felt somewhat out of place.

Indeed, when words fail, even half a sentence is too much.

Seeing the conversation shift to Zhang Mingyou’s job assignment, Brother Ping’an and the two brothers made an excuse to leave, preferring not to see what they knew would not change.

Mother Zhang also stood up to follow her grandchildren back, but they politely declined. They figured they had some presence of mind.

Could this be called familial bliss?

Seeing their grandparents smiling from ear to ear all night, why ruin their reunion?

In and out of the village, firecracker sounds started to sporadically echo; it’s the sound of little firecrackers being lit by kids from each household.

Large snowflakes softly fluttered from the sky; the temperature in the early hours was bitterly cold, with households calling kids home by their nicknames, but the rowdy children were still not dispersed.

If they were in the Big Courtyard at this moment, the New Year Gala in the auditorium would be over, and under the streetlights, kids would still gather in little groups.

Just like their home, uncles and aunts would gather in the living room, drinking and chatting all night, while the three brothers started organizing New Year gifts.

At home in the small courtyard, Xiao Wang and Xiao Zheng would take turns watching the night. At this moment, Ping’an had an overwhelming longing for home; if not for worrying about his two younger brothers, he really wanted to just leave everything...

Without parents around, nowhere truly feels like home.

As soon as Liu Yi entered the bedroom, he said, "In a couple of days, let’s go to Grandpa Dashan to pay respects and mention it."

Wu Yi paused as he took off his coat, "Yeah, we do need to mention it. Otherwise, for those soldiers on the front line, where’s the fairness?"

Ping’an smirked, "You don’t need to say anything; Grandpa Dashan will understand. But who knows if Grandpa would meddle?"

Liu Yi squinted, "Even if the Emperor came, it wouldn’t help. This is the perfect time to sound the alarm back in the hometown, so all those random freeloaders don’t take advantage of our family anymore."

"Is it possible Dad is overthinking?"

Liu Yi shot his brother a glance, "You’re the one overthinking. It’s not like our parents aren’t sending over a ton of money to support the old folks or refusing to let them retire in Beijing?"

With that, Liu Yi turned his head towards the direction of the old courtyard, "Who’s providing for those two old ones now? They eat and live off our family; if they still want to stir up our family for their grandsons, it’s not worth respecting them."

Wu Yi chuckled, jesting, "You’re really unfilial, better watch out Dad doesn’t whack you."

"Hmph..." Liu Yi shrugged with a smile. "Dad can’t bear to. Didn’t he say, in case of trouble, just run to Grandpa Dashan’s place."

Wu Yi propped his chin, "I miss Dad already; if he were home now, he’d be the one leading us in setting off fireworks; the courtyard would be filled with ice lanterns."

"Yeah, Mom would cook a lot of delicious food herself, and Grandma has long prepared big red envelopes and toys, and Grandpa, as soon as it’s dawn, would start taking us out for New Year’s greetings..."

Ping’an, summoning some spirit, smiled and comforted, "We’ll be home in just a few days. Come, let’s count how much lucky money we received."

Liu Yi, uninterested, tossed the few red envelopes he received that night onto the kang, leaned against the pillows, and watched blankly with wide eyes.

"What are you thinking? Come help count,"

Thinking about what? Liu Yi felt he was thinking about a lot, just counting a few cents from those few envelopes. But hearing Ping’an, he still lazily sat up straight.

Since the three little grandsons left, Mr. Zhang felt somewhat absent-minded, seeing Zhang Mingyou still talking idly about trivial matters of the military to his grandfather, Mr. Zhang shook his head and got off the kang.

Zhang the Second, seeing him put on his shoes, followed him closely, asking softly, "Dad, where are you going? We still need to visit Grandpa’s grave in a bit."

Now, mountain visits and ancestor worship have been banned, even the ancestral tablets in the ancestral hall have been hidden by the Old Captain and clan leaders, whereabouts unknown.

Thus, the ancestral worship on the thirtieth of the lunar year had tacitly been moved by everyone to the night of the twenty-ninth nearing the dawn of New Year’s Eve. And in just over an hour, according to the usual habit, Mr. Zhang would bring the male offspring to the old man’s grave for a few words as the new year unfolds.

Being asked by the second son, Mr. Zhang shook his head, "I’m going to see if the three kids have slept."

"They should be asleep. Usually, when it’s time, they’d be out cold no matter what; tonight is already very late." Zhang the Second thought, "I’ll go check, maybe the courtyard door is closed; you should rest a bit."

"Never mind, let’s go together." Mr. Zhang, with hands behind his back, headed out of the yard first, lost in his own thoughts.

Zhang the Second followed behind, and as they neared Zhang Guoqing’s courtyard, he asked quietly, "What do you think about Xiao You’s job?"

Mr. Zhang paused, "What is there to think? Just follow the rules." He continued walking, paused, and, uneasy, turned to his son, "Don’t mention this in front of Brother Ping’an and his brothers."

Zhang the Second laughed heartily.

"What are you laughing at? Like a fool. Haven’t you seen that those three kids don’t think much of their third brother? Nothing said would matter, they’re not like your younger brother."

Mr. Zhang sighed again, "Even Xiao Wu from our family, he doesn’t want to deal with these matters anymore. I mentioned it in a letter before; afterward, in several replies, he didn’t mention it at all. In the end, clay can’t be turned into gold; what a good opportunity... sigh..."

Zhang the Second amusedly looked at his father, just about to speak when a gust of wind made him shiver. He swallowed the comforting words back, nudged his father forward.

Whether or not clay can’t be turned into gold? His Dad can say it, but he wouldn’t dare. Who can guarantee that continuing to serve won’t provide a chance to go to war?

Didn’t the kid just speak about how stressful it was when entering a state of preparedness in the first half of the year? In this bitterness, except for the three brothers, the next generation hasn’t suffered as much.

Since Xiao Wu arranged everything for the family, life has gotten better and better. People often say that a comfortable life dulls one’s fighting spirit; isn’t it true now?

If it were Yin Suo or Tong Suo, they’d likely strive to ascend just to avoid farming, possibly paving a way to success.

Moreover, when the policy of going to the countryside suddenly arrived, joining the military was just a temporary solution, hoping for a good job after discharge, then marrying a good wife and having a bunch of kids?

Can you expect a kid avoiding farm labor to suddenly change the world one day? It’s not that he underestimates his nephew.

But some people’s capabilities are predetermined by fate, eating a bowl-sized portion of food, leading a predetermined life. Just like his son Shi Tou, as a father, doesn’t he wish for him to succeed?

But is it possible?

If you pushed him to keep moving forward, he’d still be hesitant, still be cautious.