Chapter 1293 - 1165: Dad and Mom

Chapter 1293: Chapter 1165: Dad and Mom

From leaving home in the morning, it’s already past one in the afternoon, Zhang Guoqing asked Xiao Liu to drive the car around to the town to buy some meat buns and steamed buns.

He’s afraid of running into acquaintances, but Xiao Liu doesn’t have that concern.

Besides, Zhang Guoqing estimated internally that the officials that rushed to his house upon hearing the news would be all present, it’s best for him to avoid them. It would be so awkward to refuse gifts face-to-face.

Some people might even find a lot of excuses, like claiming relatives ties that are distant, saying it’s just family visits.

What can you say?

To prove innocence, you still have to prepare a good gift in return.

It’s really troublesome.

It’s fitting to leave these first batch of visitors to his parents to handle the refusals.

Sure enough, as soon as Zhang Guoqing got out of the car, he saw the courtyard tightly closed, though the old yard gate was half open, and upon hearing the car sound, his mother joyfully rushed out to the door.

"Xiao Wu, I didn’t dare stay at your place, several groups of people came from this morning till now, I saw they all brought gifts, so I didn’t dare let them into the house."

Zhang Guoqing gave his mother a thumbs up, "No wonder you’re my mom!"

Zhou Jiao quickly asked, "Mom, you didn’t tire yourself out, did you?"

Mother Zhang happily waved her hand, "They were polite. I told them my son is in the military and can’t accept civilian things, otherwise he would be punished.

How could they dare?

I was worried they would come to discuss serious matters, so I asked Mai Qing to register their names and units, and those people were happy about it. Though they all said they would come to visit during the New Year."

Zhou Jiao held onto her and praised her while walking, "Mom, you’re really amazing, I couldn’t handle these things."

"This is nothing." Mother Zhang delightfully allowed her daughter-in-law to lead her into the courtyard, "I saved some food for you, how come the kids didn’t come back with you?"

"Soon, did you and dad eat yet?"

Zhou Jiao didn’t dare tell her that the sons had slipped away early, but judging by the situation, they hadn’t returned yet, she worriedly glanced towards Daqing Mountain’s direction.

"We ate." While speaking, Mother Zhang noticed the silence behind her, turned around curiously, "Why hasn’t Xiao Wu brought Xiao Liu in yet?"

"Oh, he must be talking to someone outside." Zhou Jiao quickly changed the subject, pulling her towards the living room, "Mom, have the village pigs been slaughtered?"

Before getting out of the car, Zhang Guoqing gave her a task, to try to find a way to pull her mother-in-law indoors first, otherwise they wouldn’t be able to make it to the market in Ma Liutun tomorrow.

"Oh, look at my memory. The plan was to slaughter the pigs on the 26th, but didn’t your dad know you were coming back? He thought of sharing with some families.

Later, it was your second sister-in-law who remembered, she said you love to eat pork dishes. You haven’t tasted it in so many years, so she asked Qingfeng’s wife to save a pig, all planned for tomorrow morning."

Zhou Jiao smiled and said, "Second sister-in-law has been thoughtful!"

"She just thinks about food!"

After saying this, Mother Zhang laughed heartily, "But the second household, they’re really not bad. She worried that I and your dad... Mai Qing didn’t have them moved to the provincial city first..."

This matter was already mentioned last night, Zhou Jiao didn’t break it, and praised again. If her mother-in-law could talk to her a bit, it was due to closeness, otherwise, she wouldn’t bother talking to her.

Zhang Guoqing could avoid his mother, but couldn’t avoid his father.

Even though Mr. Zhang was chatting at his brother’s house, he was still thinking about his youngest son’s family. When the sound of the car rang out, he politely chatted a bit more before sneaking away.

As soon as he left Uncle Zhang’s courtyard, Mr. Zhang saw his youngest son and Xiao Liu moving things, seeing the scene, the corner of his mouth twitched fiercely.

—— After all these years, even the youngest grandson is nearly ready to get married, yet the youngest son’s bad habits have not changed a bit!

Mr. Zhang, out of sight from Xiao Liu, glared at his youngest son, but still couldn’t bring himself to blame him. Not to mention how the young son tossed about to help him and his wife have a good year, he’s now a respectable person, he couldn’t say anything in front of outsiders.

"Dad, leave it to me, I’ll be quick." Zhang Guoqing was alarmed and stopped him when he stepped forward to help. Although his dad looked robust, he was almost seventy.

Life at seventy is rare.

Seventy years of ups and downs, seventy years of life’s vicissitudes, the years have already quietly climbed onto his forehead, turning the elderly man’s temples into white frost.

His dad was getting older by the day.

"Why buy so much?"

Zhang Guoqing heard Mr. Zhang’s muttering, and couldn’t help but laugh softly, "Dad, it’s different from before now, the prosperous age your youngest son talked about has begun."

If someone else said this, Mr. Zhang might snort inwardly, but he believed his youngest son, and instantly blossomed with happiness.

Zhang Guoqing glanced around again, spoke quietly, "My second brother won’t stay long in the provincial city, during this period I’ll think about how to arrange my eldest brother, I’m not planning for you and mom to stay in the hometown."

"I’m not leaving!"

Zhang Guoqing smiled at him, picked up the stuff and walked inside. Once Zhang the Second leaves, he won’t leave his aged parents in his hometown.

How many years can parents live? How many years can they accompany him? He doesn’t want to bear the pain of "the son who wants to provide care but his parents are not there."

"Xiao Wu, I’m telling you, don’t fuss around, I want to be buried at the back mountain with your grandparents."

"Pooh, pooh, pooh, Dad, it’s New Year’s, bad luck." Zhang Guoqing glared at his dad complainingly, "I’m not saying you and mom can’t come back."

"Are you the father or am I the father?"

"Hahaha... Who dare say you’re not my father." Zhang Guoqing replied ambiguously, deciding to quickly move things first.

Anyway, it’s impossible to decide these things immediately. Now the second brother has just been transferred to the provincial city not long ago, and he’s just setting a preliminary plan.

Liu Yi and May 1st, each carrying prey, were silently coming down from Daqing Mountain to North Mountain. As soon as they saw the figure standing outside the back door of their courtyard.

Leading May 1, carrying two wild deer, easily and swiftly ran to her, "Mom, it’s so cold, why don’t you wait inside?"

Zhou Jiao hurriedly stepped aside, "Let’s talk after going inside."

"Mom, it’s not heavy, you don’t need to worry." Liu Yi followed quickly inside, shaking his head as he spoke, carrying a wild boar on his shoulder and holding together the wild chickens in his hand.

Before Zhou Jiao could ask where the eldest son was?

May 1 had already put down the prey, turned around, "Little brother, hurry up, eldest brother is still waiting for us. Mom, my brother has a lot there, we have to make another trip, later we’ll have to go directly down the mountain to leave some for the village. You head in, don’t wait, it’s too cold."

May 1 finished, pulled Liu Yi, who was about to speak, waved to her.

"Mom, go inside..." Liu Yi could only follow his brother in waving, "Why hurry? I wanted to coax our mom into the house first, you of all people just spilled the beans."

"It’s no use, mom won’t rest easy and go inside. Better hurry back to sort things out, otherwise those people will come back expecting things ready to eat."

Liu Yi pressed his lips upon hearing this, deciding not to reply.

The younger brother was right, it’s still best to hurry. He wouldn’t stingily begrudge giving some wild game to the cousins, but he couldn’t foster too much of an appetite in them.