Chapter 70
He Qiming had taken half a month’s leave. The round trip would take ten days, leaving only four or five days at home.
In fact, she could have taken her food rations to the old house to eat, but Ye Qingzhi really couldn’t get along with the people there. It was better to cook herself.
Before they came back, He Qiming had exchanged for some national grain tickets. Yang Xiaorou and Gu Yao had also given some. For just four or five days, it was more than enough.
Five catties of rice, two catties of flour, two catties of cornmeal, and another two catties of meat. A little oil and salt, and that was about it.
“Are you… Qingzhi?” Fang Xiaomei asked, wearing a brand new blue and white floral short-sleeved shirt and green pants, her face rosy. She looked at Ye Qingzhi and He Qiming with a smile, occasionally glancing at the few children.
Ye Qingzhi looked up at the sound of her voice. “Auntie Fang? Long time no see. You look so radiant. Life must be treating you well!”
Fang Xiaomei tucked her hair and said with a proud look, “Our Old Third is a permanent worker and gets a salary every month. How can a… like Wei Youliang compare?”
The word “farmer” was on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed it back. If someone heard and reported her, she would be considered to have a problem with her ideological awareness and would be taken for ideological education. She didn’t want to be taken away.
“You’re talking about me, but you’re the one who’s changed the most. I almost didn’t recognize you just now,” Fang Xiaomei said, changing the subject.
But she wasn’t lying. Not only Ye Qingzhi, but the two little rascals, Anmin and Anjie, had also changed a lot. They were fatter and taller, wearing brand new clothes, and were clean and tidy, looking like city people.
“After I joined the army with my husband, I don’t have to work in the fields anymore. I eat well and sleep well every day, so of course my complexion is better. We just got back and have a lot to do at home. We’ll be going now,” Ye Qingzhi said. She didn’t think she had anything to talk about with this former and current mother-in-law.
“Hey?” Seeing the tall and handsome He Qiming, Fang Xiaomei had a mind to stir up some trouble, but Ye Qingzhi completely ignored her and left directly with her husband and children.
Looking at their backs, Fang Xiaomei stomped her foot in frustration. Why were they both widows, yet Ye Qingzhi was so lucky to have married a deputy regiment commander with two burdens?
On the way back, they ran into He Yongyao again. He Qiming suspected that he had never left and had been waiting for them.
Sure enough, after getting on the bus, he sat on the other side of the same row again.
“Uncle, can I switch seats with you? I want to sit with my big brother,” Ye Anmin asked with a smile, very politely.
The child had already spoken, and it wasn’t like there were no seats. Of course, He Yongyao could not refuse and could only nod in unwilling agreement.
Ye Anmin smiled at him, thanked him, and sat down next to He Jingyan.
He was a relatively meticulous person to begin with. When they had come, he had noticed that this person was often stealing glances at his mother, so he had paid more attention.
After getting on the bus, this person had been paying attention to his mother’s movements again and had even snatched a seat in the same row. With his father’s frown, he was even more sure that there was something wrong with this person.
After his mother had remarried, she had never been sad or sighed again. Except for the few days when Papa He was on a mission, she had been relaxed and happy every day. And he and his brother not only had enough to eat and wear, but they also had a father who truly doted on them. He would absolutely not let anyone destroy this hard-won happiness.
He Qiming had not expected Ye Anmin to discover it and even stand up. He looked at him with admiration. Not bad, as expected of his, He Qiming’s, good son.
“I’m sorry, Brother Yongyao. These two children have a good relationship and just like to be together,” He Qiming said with a smile to He Yongyao, adjusting Ye Qingzhi’s position to make her more comfortable. He lowered his head and asked gently, “Are you uncomfortable? Do you want an orange peel?”
Ye Qingzhi nodded, with a hint of coquettishness. “I am. I do.”
He Qiming immediately peeled an orange, gave the peel to Ye Qingzhi to hold, and gave the orange flesh to the few children.
He Yongyao, who had stood up to switch seats, saw this scene, his gaze dim. Ye Qingzhi should have been in his arms, doted on by him.
When they arrived at their destination, He Qiming helped Ye Qingzhi out of the car and asked in a low voice, “Are you still uncomfortable? I’ll carry you home.”
Ye Qingzhi shook her head. “No need. I’ll be fine after I get off the car.”
Someone had bought a duck, and it had been quacking in the car. There was also a strong smell of duck, plus the smell of sweat, smelly feet, and the smell of the car itself. If it weren’t for the orange peel, Ye Qingzhi would have been done for long ago.
“Is Sister-in-law alright?” He Yongyao asked with concern, getting off the bus behind them and seeing that Ye Qingzhi’s complexion was not very good.
He Qiming’s face darkened. He pulled Ye Qingzhi into his chest, turned his back to He Yongyao, blocking his view, and then looked back at him with a warning.
He Yongyao’s body stiffened slightly. Had He Qiming discovered it? Was he that obvious? Would it have any bad influence on Ye Qingzhi?
Ye Qingzhi recovered. From the corner of her eye, she saw the hesitant He Yongyao and pouted. What, was he unhappy himself and also wanted to destroy her happiness?
“I’m fine now. Let’s go, let’s go home,” Ye Qingzhi said, taking Anjie and Yangyang’s hands and walking side by side with He Qiming.
She first boiled all the bowls and chopsticks that had not been used for a year, then boiled another pot of water and had the few children take a bath and change into clean clothes.
“Ma, I don’t need to. I can just wash with cold water with Dad,” He Jingyan said, looking at the weather outside. He felt that a cold shower would be more comfortable.
Anmin and Anjie had the same idea. Even Yangyang wanted to take a bath with his father and his three older brothers.
Well, the few of them, men, were not afraid of the cold. But she couldn’t stand it. Even in the middle of summer, she had to mix in some hot water.
After taking a bath, washing her hair, and changing into clean clothes, Ye Qingzhi felt several catties lighter.
“Who brought this?” Ye Qingzhi asked, looking at a basket of potatoes with confusion.
She had just taken a bath. How could someone have sent a basket of potatoes?
“Granduncle sent it,” He Qiming said with a smile.
It must have been Granduncle who had found out they were back and also knew that their family had no grain, so he had sent this basket of potatoes.
After a while, He Dagu came over with a basket. Besides the seasonal vegetables, there was also a bag of rice, about two catties, and a bag of cornmeal, which should be five catties.
“Big Aunt, why did you bring so much? We’ve already bought grain at the grain station. We don’t need these. You should take them all back,” Ye Qingzhi said, seeing her take them out one by one. She quickly refused and was about to help her pack them back.
“What do you mean, you don’t need them? Why are you being so polite with Big Aunt? Just take them,” He Dagu said, glaring at Ye Qingzhi, feigning displeasure.
Ye Qingzhi was about to refuse again but was held back by He Qiming’s hand. “Big Aunt, thank you. We have to trouble you every time we come back.”
“What are you talking about? I’m your aunt. We’re family. Why are you being so polite?” He Dagu shot him a look, scanned the few children, and picked up Yangyang. “Do you still remember Great-Aunt-Grandma?”
“Great-Aunt-Grandma,” Yangyang said, blinking his eyes and calling out with a grin.
“Oh, good boy,” He Dagu said, stroking Yangyang’s head. He was much heavier, and also much taller. He was fair and chubby. You could tell at a glance that he had not been mistreated.
Hmph, Dali and the others still said that the match she had introduced was not good. What was not good about Ye Qingzhi? Look at Qiming’s happy expression, and the children are so well-raised. This wife was a good find.
“Qingzhi, how many days are you staying this time?” He Dagu asked, looking at Ye Qingzhi with a chuckle.
“Qiming can only get half a month’s leave. The round trip takes ten days, so we can stay at home for at most five days,” Ye Qingzhi said, moving a chair for He Dagu. “Big Aunt, sit. I don’t even have any boiled water. I brought a bag of nougat. You can take it back for the children at home to have a sweet treat.”
Ye Qingzhi was not surprised that He Dagu had a good impression of her. Because last year, when she had sent things to Auntie Ye, she had also sent her a bag of nougat. For the New Year, she had given her uncle-in-law a hat and He Dagu a pair of shoes as a New Year’s gift.
Since she had accepted her things, she was naturally pleasant to her.
As for why she had not sent them directly to He Dagu, Ye Qingzhi had specially written in the letter that she was closer to her aunt, so she had only sent them to them, and not to the old house.
Having gotten the benefits, of course, He Dagu would not be so foolish as to go and shout about it at the old house. Of course, she also sided with Ye Qingzhi.
“Oh my, I can’t accept this. Your family has many children. You should keep it for yourselves,” He Dagu said, waving her hand.
She had only received Ye Qingzhi’s New Year’s gift for the New Year and had not yet returned the favor. This time, she had brought so many things, which was also a way of returning the favor.
Ye Qingzhi took out the things Ye Qingzhi had brought and directly put the nougat in her basket. “Big Aunt just told us not to be strangers. Why are you being a stranger yourself now? Take it.”
He Dagu looked at the basket with satisfaction and did not refuse again. She put down Yangyang and pulled Ye Qingzhi to ask about her parents’ family in a low voice.
“Is there a result for your dad’s matter?”
“Not yet. There were so many people at that time. It’s not easy to find the culprit,” Ye Qingzhi said with a soft sigh, shaking her head.
“It’s a murder case. The police will definitely investigate carefully. Why are those people so fierce? How dare they directly hit someone on the head? Sigh, there’s nothing to be done about this. It’s fated. You can’t avoid it,” He Dagu said, holding Ye Qingzhi’s hand and patting it gently twice. “You shouldn’t be too sad either. I heard your dad passed away quickly. It’s good that he didn’t suffer.”
Ye Qingzhi lowered her head. She had thought of all the sad things these two days. Now, there were really no sad things to recall.
“Big Aunt, I have something to ask for your help with,” He Qiming said, glancing at Ye Qingzhi and pulling He Dagu out.
After a while, He Qiming came back alone and told Ye Qingzhi that his aunt had already gone back.
“Do you think I’m unfilial?” Ye Qingzhi asked, pursing her lips.
“Why do you ask that?” He Qiming asked, organizing the vegetables they had sent with Ye Qingzhi.
Ye Qingzhi stopped what she was doing and recalled the original host’s memories. “I’m the fourth in my family. I have older brothers and sisters, and younger brothers and sisters. In the Ye family, I’ve always been an dispensable person. My dad has a big temper. He would lose his temper with us sisters whenever he was slightly displeased. I could be sweeping the floor and get scolded just because a little dust got on his shoes. If he was in a bad mood, he would even hit me. In ’61, the family was not actually at the point where they couldn’t make ends meet, but they still traded me for a bride price. They sold me for thirty catties of grain, with a set of patched clothes, and I went to the Wei family empty-handed.”
He Qiming pulled Ye Qingzhi into his arms and held her hand tightly. “It’s all in the past.”
Ye Qingzhi shook her head. “It’s not in the past for me. When I heard he was in trouble, I was a little sad for a moment. After all, he is my biological father. But I’m not that sad. In any case, I can’t cry.”
If Ye Shuiping had been very good to Ye Qingzhi, she might have been able to cry a few more times through the warm memories.
“You are not wrong. If the parents are not kind, the children are not filial. That is to say, the parents must be kind first, and then the children can be filial. You have already done very well,” He Qiming said with certainty.