Chapter 357 - 237: Home is the Heart’s Harbor (2)

Chapter 357: Chapter 237: Home is the Heart’s Harbor (2)

Lin Zhiyin flashed a triumphant, toothy grin at Zhao Wendong. He rolled his eyes and sullenly ambled over to chat with Zhao Chuanhe.

Zhao Chuanhe was sitting cross-legged on the kang, a low table set before him. On the table was a long-stemmed pipe, which the old man was busy packing with tobacco leaves.

"Grandpa!"

"What is it?"

The old man looked up, grinning cheerfully at Zhao Wendong.

"Grandpa, is your cough serious?"

"What’d you say? Speak up!"

"I said, is your cough serious?!"

Zhao Wendong raised his voice.

"It’s not serious. Why are you shouting so loud? I’m not deaf!"

Zhao Wendong’s mouth twitched. ’Alright then, you’re not deaf if you say so.’

"Grandpa!" Little Tuanzi ran over too, burrowing right into the old man’s arms. The old man doted on this little granddaughter of his; he scooped her up in a hug, his beard quivering as he laughed.

"Well, well, my dear granddaughter is here! Did you miss Grandpa?"

"I did!"

"Such a good girl."

After speaking, the old man glanced at Lin Zhiyin and gave Zhao Wendong a thumbs-up. "Grandson, you picked a good wife!"

Whether he said it loudly on purpose or not, Lin Zhiyin’s face immediately turned red.

Zhao Wendong chuckled and flopped down on the kang. "Grandpa, don’t I just take after you?"

"Hehe, that you do!"

The old man glanced at his wife, his eyes crinkling with a proud smile. "Back in the day, your grandma was the prettiest girl in this whole area!"

Then, Zhao Chuanhe began to tell stories about him and their grandma, and Zhao Wendong lay on the kang, listening with relish.

He went on for so long that the old woman grew embarrassed and scolded him with a laugh, "You old coot, stop bragging! As if I was the one desperate to chase you!"

"Hehe."

Zhao Chuanhe finally fell silent, though it seemed he still had more to say. Zhao Wendong wouldn’t have it. "Grandpa, don’t stop! Keep going! How did Grandma secretly make eyes at you?"

"You little rascal, are you trying to tease your grandma too?"

Ye Qingmei feigned annoyance and moved as if to deal with Zhao Wendong, which finally made him quiet down.

"Where are Pandi and Laidi?"

Zhao Wendong found it a little strange. The two girls usually stayed with their grandparents—something Zhao Wendong had arranged intentionally. Since he couldn’t always be with the old folks, he felt reassured knowing his two sisters were. Normally, when he came to visit, the two girls would have appeared long ago.

"I think they went to find Er Gou’s wife."

After chatting for a while, Zhao Wendong learned that his two sisters got along exceptionally well with Niu Guizhi. They had become best friends and were hanging out together every day.

"Third Aunt, how are things over at Third Master’s place? When spring comes, I’ll figure out getting a house for you and Laishun."

"Don’t trouble yourself, Dongzi. It’s great right now. The old couple is very good to us."

Seeing the bright smile on Zhao Tiehua’s face as she spoke, Zhao Wendong could tell she meant it and nodded in relief.

After spending the better part of the day at his grandparents’ house, Zhao Wendong finally headed home, carrying Little Tuanzi and with Lin Zhiyin by his side. On the way, they passed Granny Liu’s house and dropped in for a while. You couldn’t even begin to describe how enthusiastic Granny Liu’s family was toward them. Tao Dongdong had personally picked up Zhao Baolian and Zhao Xiaoyan and taken them to their new jobs at the textile factory. Who in the village now didn’t envy how well Zhao Wendong had treated their family?

They chatted a bit longer before Zhao Wendong said his goodbyes to Granny Liu and the others. Even as they were leaving, Baozhu kept pestering him, asking when they were going up the mountain. When he heard Zhao Wendong say they would go the day after tomorrow, after the fifteenth, he got so excited he nearly jumped for joy.

On the way back, Lin Zhiyin’s heart warmed as she watched the father and daughter. She took Zhao Wendong’s other hand, and the three of them walked on through the snow. Zhao Wendong particularly savored this slow-paced life; it was as if someone had pressed the pause button on time itself.

When they got home, the house was a noisy hub of activity. Zhao Wenwu was in the middle of arm wrestling Shitou. The man and the boy were leaning over the kang, and Zhao Shitou was using all his might, his little face flushed red. Zhao Wenwu’s arm, however, didn’t budge an inch, and he just chuckled.

"Second Uncle, let me win!"

"No way. A real man doesn’t get let off easy. You have to win on your own!"

"But I can’t beat you!"

"Then you’ll just have to keep trying harder."

Zhao Shitou could only grit his teeth and keep straining. Seeing his frustrated expression, Zhao Wenwu roared with laughter, while Jin Xiuying shook her head helplessly from the side.

Zhao Wenjun returned from outside, carrying a shoulder pole with a bucket of water suspended from each end. He had gone to fetch water from the well, as the family’s water vat was nearly empty.

"Big Brother, why didn’t you call me?"

"You think I need your help for a little chore like this?"

Zhao Wenjun wiped the sweat from his brow and spoke with a smile, then poured the water from the buckets into the vat.

Zhao Wendong’s status in the family was now indisputable. His family never let him lift a finger for any physical chores he could have easily done himself. It was as if he were a nuclear weapon, not to be deployed lightly.

Zhao Wendong, for his part, greatly enjoyed this treatment. Having been all alone in his previous life, he now basked in the love of his entire family. This home had become the warmest of harbors for his once lonely and broken heart, a place where it could constantly regenerate and grow, radiating ever-greater strength.

"Third Brother, I just passed by the brigade office. They’re almost finished distributing the meat. Third Master asked when our family is going to pick up our share, and he also said you should stop by the office when you have a chance."

"Alright, I’ll go check it out this afternoon."

Zhao Wendong had only just gotten back and didn’t feel like moving. He continued to lie leisurely on the kang, listening to his family chat. He especially enjoyed it when Lin Huaimin and Wang Lulu sometimes spoke of the old days, telling all sorts of stories about Sijiu City. In his previous life, he had never once visited the Capital, not even before he died. He was determined to see it in this life, and he would take his family with him. He wanted them to travel and see the world, so they wouldn’t end up stuck in a remote mountain valley for their entire lives, just as he had been.