booktalesy Chapter 53 On which mountain peak...?
Chapter 53 On which mountain peak...?
When people from my hometown come to visit, I have to have a good meal with them.
Zhang Chengfei ordered four dishes (two meat and two vegetable) from a nearby state-run restaurant, plus four bowls of braised noodles with shredded pork and eggs.
Northerners are not used to eating rice, and they always feel unsatisfied if they don't eat noodles.
While eating, he talked about his work and mentioned that the factory had given out temporary worker positions, and he planned to have his family arrange for someone to come over.
Zhang Chenggong hesitated for a moment: "Wen Kui dropped out of school in the second year of junior high and has been doing farm work at home ever since. I'll go home and talk to my older brother to send him over."
Wen Kui is the eldest son of the elder brother's family. He is fifteen years old this year, three years younger than Zhang Chengfei. The two grew up together since childhood. Although they are uncle and nephew, they get along more like brothers.
In Zhang Chengfei's memory, although the child was a bit reckless and mischievous, he also had his limits.
He nodded: "Okay, let me know before you come, and I'll pick them up at the station."
During the meal, Zhang Chengfei noticed that his second brother wasn't eating with much interest and asked him if the food wasn't to his liking.
Zhang Chenggong shook his head: "The food is good, but I've gotten tired of eating so much meat and fish in our village these past two months, so I really can't eat it anymore."
Zhang's mother also said that the cafeteria now serves braised pork every meal, and there are plenty of large white steamed buns.
"I saw at Er Ya's house just now that they had steamed buns made from two kinds of flour in their basket. In my opinion, life in the city is not as good as it is in our countryside now."
Zhang Chenggong scoffed, "I don't know what Er Ya is so boastful about all day long."
After dinner, although Zhang Chengfei repeatedly urged them to stay, saying that it was the weekend and his family could stay and go shopping at the department store together the next day, the Zhang family insisted on leaving, explaining that they had come by commune's tractor and could take it back.
Mr. Zhang added that even though it's the off-season for farming, the village is busy with dam and canal construction, and as the village party secretary, he has to be the chief coordinator.
Zhang Chengfei then stopped stopping her. Zhang's mother was a meticulous person, and before leaving, she took a large bag of dried green beans, weighing a full five pounds, and delivered it to Er Ya.
Elders should act like elders.
It was after dinner, and the residents of the courtyard were chatting and playing chess in the yard.
Seeing this, everyone was filled with envy. Aunt Chen even curled her lip, saying that the Zhang family was a bunch of fools. It was one thing for Zhang Chengfei to be bewitched by Zhang Erya, but now even his parents had been deceived by her.
"Five catties of dried green beans! After soaking, they'll last for several months. I'll just give them to that old hag Zhang Erya!"
"Ever since Zhang Chengfei came to acknowledge his family, Zhang Erya's family's life has improved."
"Heaven is blind, letting the wicked live a good life while the good suffer."
"As the old saying goes, 'Murderers and arsonists live in luxury, while those who build bridges and roads leave no trace...'"
Although everyone knew that Zhang Erya was a bully in the courtyard, a petty thief who hadn't killed anyone or dared to set fires, they still couldn't help but nod in agreement when they heard Yan Bugui's words, feeling that what he said made sense.
Thinking about it again, when did Zhang Erya start to become increasingly arrogant?
Well, because of the five catties of dried green beans his mother sent, Zhang Chengfei successfully earned another wave of disdain.
Yan Bugui pushed up his glasses, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes: "Tell me, how much of a taker is Zhang Erya? She's on good terms with Zhang Chengfei because there are advantages she can get, and Zhang Chengfei doesn't mind."
But Zhang Chengfei's parents are different! They come from the countryside, are old, and deeply understand the importance of reciprocity.
"The old couple were upset that Zhang Erya didn't reciprocate after receiving the favor, so they told Zhang Chengfei about it..."
Xu Damao narrowed his eyes: "Even if the old couple doesn't say anything, Sha Zhu and I will chime in with our opinions..."
Ever since Zhang Chengfei moved into the courtyard house, he's been closest to the two of them.
Sha Zhu laughed too: "Da Fei is a good person, just too honest. He's been fooled by that old hag Zhang Er Ya. As long as we use this incident of not returning the gift to let Da Fei see Zhang Er Ya's true character, he definitely won't be able to stay on good terms with the Jia family anymore!!"
If before, when everyone in the courtyard was openly or secretly sabotaging Zhang Chengfei's relationship with the Jia family, he chose not to take advantage of their misfortune because he was thinking of Sister Qin...
Ever since Zhang Erya accused him of being a scoundrel, he had already made up his mind to cut ties with the Jia family.
"Without Zhang Chengfei, her third uncle who's a cadre, let's see how arrogant Zhang Erya can still be!" Sha Zhu said through gritted teeth.
Xu Damao nodded at first, then suddenly grinned mischievously: "Hey Shazhu, they say even a day as husband and wife is worth a hundred days of kindness. You and Er Ya may not have been married for a day, but you almost were... Can you really bring yourself to scheme against her like this?"
Sha Zhu was furious: "What did you say, you bastard?"
"Don't you know what I'm saying? Right now, the whole steel rolling mill is buzzing with rumors about you, He Yuzhu, tearing that old hag's clothes... Tsk tsk tsk, everyone says you have a heavy taste." Xu Damao said, already making a retreating gesture.
But it was too late. Before he could run far, Sha Zhu rushed up and started beating him mercilessly.
"You bastard, you're spouting nonsense! I'll beat you to death!"
……
Hoping to see a good show, the people in the courtyard squatted at the Jia family's door, enduring the cold wind for half an hour. During this time, Xu Damao was even beaten up.
To everyone's surprise, after Zhang's parents finally left, each of them was carrying a new pair of shoes.
These are shoes made by Zhang Erya!! Everyone in the courtyard recognized them.
Zhang Erya saw Seventh Grandpa and Seventh Grandma to the door, still saying apologetically, "Seventh Grandpa, Seventh Grandma, you've finally come to the city, so Erya should really show your appreciation."
"Life has been really tough since my husband, Lao Jia, passed away. These two pairs of shoes are handmade by me; please don't mind them."
Mother Zhang patted her arm: "How could we dislike it? We're overjoyed. Er Ya, you've had a tough life, a widow raising this whole family."
Zhang Erya's eyes reddened: "Seventh Grandma, you understand me."
Before she could finish speaking, tears were already falling.
"Good child, if you ever have any difficulties in the future, just tell your third uncle. He is, after all, a cadre, and he will help you as much as he can," said Grandma Qi kindly.
Zhang Chengfei, standing to the side, looked strange. Helping out is fine, but how much help is needed depends on the person. As for Er Ya... there's really no need for that, right?
Grandma Qi and Er Ya exchanged a few more intimate words before leaving with their entourage. Er Ya waved her arms at the door, watching them go for a long, long time.
No one in the courtyard expected things to develop in this way. Not only did the Zhang family not try to harm Zhang Er Ya, they even encouraged Zhang Chengfei to help her more?
Everyone was dumbfounded. Er Ya looked around at everyone and smiled.
Do they really think Zhang Erya is stupid? She knows which mountain to sing which song.
Zhang Chengfei is like a mule that only responds when pampered; the better you treat him, the more you get in return. Clearly, the parents who raised such a son must have the same personality!
Don't be fooled by the two pairs of shoes Er Ya gave away today; she's planning much more!