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

Chapter 1126: Chapter 999: Going or Not?

Inside the room, Liu Yi, upon hearing the sound of the courtyard door being pushed, immediately nudged Wu Yi, and the two brothers quickly pulled up their quilt, closed their eyes, and pretended to sleep.

Some things are better avoided than faced, to avoid straining relationships.

Like ancestral rituals, or discussing job arrangements...

Ping’an glanced at the pretending-to-be-asleep brothers, rolled his eyes, and inwardly lamented the hardships of being the eldest. Then he got out of bed, put on his coat, and stepped out of the room.

Xiao Zheng saw him coming out and waved, "Wear more clothes, I’ll go open the door."

"Uncle Zheng, you go rest, I’m fine even in light clothing," Ping’an stepped out of the courtyard before him, muttering, "I bet Grandpa’s here to check if I’m asleep."

Xiao Zheng didn’t insist. The kid really was well-trained over the years, even Xiao Wang could only match him at best, which was indeed a bit embarrassing.

Mr. Zhang at the gate pushed the courtyard door, found it locked, turned around to leave, but stopped when he heard Ping’an’s voice and waited a while longer.

Opening the courtyard door, Ping’an came out, "Grandpa, Second Uncle, you haven’t rested yet?"

"Your grandpa wants to see if you all were asleep."

Mr. Zhang noticed he had a coat on, "All asleep? Go inside, be careful not to catch cold."

Ping’an rubbed his hands, breathed out a puff of white air, and chuckled, "I get sleepy right on time. Grandpa, do you and Second Uncle want to come in for a bit?"

Mr. Zhang quickly shook his head and pushed him back inside, "Sleep early, still need to go to the village to greet the elders tomorrow morning. Remember to drink some ginger tea before sleeping."

Watching the door shut in front of him, Ping’an shook his head with a smile, shouting, "Then you two rest early too, we’ll come to greet you tomorrow."

"Alright, no need to get up too early. Quickly go back inside, don’t catch cold..."

Hearing their footsteps leaving, Ping’an quickly bolted the door and dashed back inside.

"Brother, come in quickly, we’ll warm you up."

Ping’an looked at the flattering smiles of his two brothers and glanced at them, "Weren’t you asleep?"

Wu Yi nodded earnestly, "Honestly, I was asleep and you just woke me from a sweet dream."

"..."

With the arrival of the first day of the New Year, it meant the three brothers were getting closer to going back home, and the busy children greeting everyone in the village also started using their free time to pack their luggage.

Zhang the Second helped them change quite a few things in two trips, plus Ping’an’s regular hunting of wild chickens and rabbits, they accumulated quite a harvest.

It’s not that there aren’t big game in Daqing Mountain, it’s just that going far out reminded him of previous promises to his parents, and with two brothers always looking at him with longing eyes, Ping’an could only stare regretfully into the depths of Daqing Mountain.

"Brother, haven’t checked the traps for a few days, should we go take a look?"

Seeing Wu Yi’s eyes darting around, Ping’an knew what he was planning and quickly shook his head, "Too many visitors in the village these days, better be cautious."

"What a pity."

"Unless you’re willing to share your catches..." Ping’an chuckled, "Without giving hope, people won’t be disappointed."

"In this freezing weather, only a fool would busy themselves for nothing," Wu Yi said, embarrassed, sticking out his tongue and changing the topic, "Send one more package, and conveniently go find Brother Ziwen in town."

Liu Yi smacked his forehead, lamenting, "How can a grown man be so naggy? I’m really scared of Brother Ziwen now."

Ping’an and Wu Yi burst into laughter. Indeed, wearing gloves less for a while, he could talk endlessly for over an hour, giving examples and reasoning.

But it’s because he genuinely cares for them, and there’s nothing they can do but accept it.

"Here comes the deserter," Liu Yi softly reminded, hearing sounds from outside the courtyard.

The deserter referred to Zhang Mingyou, of course, he wasn’t really a deserter, but to the three brothers, leaving the main squad first and sneaking home before his good buddy Zhang Ziwu made him a "deserter" without a doubt.

Ping’an sneered, "Coming here, you all start getting eloquent, babbling out anything. See how Mom handles you when we get back."

"I only say this in front of you guys."

"Still, be careful, they might slip out if you talk too much. How he is, what they do, none of our business. It’s wise to know our place, maybe he’s already thought it all through."

Liu Yi threw him a disdainful look. No wonder Wu Yi always says you’re getting shameless, didn’t the ’deserter’ thing come from your mouth first?

Wu Yi cleared his throat, coughing twice to remind them that someone was coming...

As Zhang Mingyou entered the courtyard, he called the three brothers by their nicknames, ran up, and cheerfully lifted the living room curtain, "What’s up, brothers? I’m taking you to watch a movie."

Wu Yi glanced at the sky outside, "Which team’s crazy enough to play a movie? Aren’t they afraid of freezing in this cold weather?"

"Never seen one before, huh? There’s a bonfire, come on, I’ll show you a rural version of an outdoor movie," Zhang Mingyou smiled seeing the lack of reaction, shaking his head, "Not far from our village, walk about half an hour to get there. Besides the movie, there’s a show too, shall we go? They’re already waiting for us at the village entrance."

The three brothers really did get interested, Ping’an looked at him, "Give us a hint."

"There’s a wild guy wanting to marry your big sister, shall we go check him out?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Yi and Liu Yi quickly put on their coats, "Where is he from? Do they like each other? Are we going to beat him up or what?"

"Haha... you’ll know once you go."

Wu Yi rolled his eyes at him, "Hate people who tease! Brother, bring a sack, my hands are itching these days, let’s beat him up first."

Zhang Mingyou regretted and lightly smacked his lips, pleading, "Oh little ancestors please, don’t hit anyone, unless what I suspect is true, then it’s him."

Ping’an amusingly looked at him, "Then why don’t you quickly explain what’s going on?"

"Our grandpa fancies that guy, I actually know him too, but just thinking about him marrying our family’s girl makes me uneasy."

"Well, then we should beat him up indeed."

In Old Zhang’s family, with some out visiting relatives or working, not many remained, so five or six young men surrounded Mai Miao and her sister, chatting while walking, not mentioning anything about a suitor.

In the vast white outdoors, everyone bundled up like dumplings, covering up Old Zhang family’s good genes in looks, yet their height drew the attention of many girls.

Especially fourteen or fifteen-year-old Ping’an, standing at the neighboring team’s drying yard, took off his mask, and his demeanor while softly instructing his two brothers, his looks, his charisma...

—even an elderly lady not far away took a deep breath, "Whose kid is that? Looks more spirited than the neighboring team’s Bai Zhiqing." The rumors said Bai Zhiqing had caused several girls to fight over him.

"What’s up, got your eye on him? Didn’t your girls already plan for a good match?"

The women nearby nudged her quietly, "Take a good look, don’t these kids look a bit familiar?"