Zhao Dazhuang led Zhao ii to sit on Brother Yangyang's pure leather sofa, looking at the luxurious ho appliances in the living room, trying hard not to look around like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden.
Brother Yangyang didn't expect Zhao ii and her dad would bring dumplings to him on New Year's Eve. He was caught off guard and felt a bit apprehensive in front of Zhao Dazhuang, a stranger older than him.
Zhao Dazhuang took the initiative to say, "You are Shi Yang, right? My surna is Zhao, and I'm ii's dad. You can just call Uncle Zhao."
Brother Yangyang nodded and politely greeted, "Hello, Uncle Zhao, you can just call Yangyang. That's how my mom calls ."
Zhao Dazhuang asked with concern, "Is it okay for you to live here alone tonight? Do you want to co to my house to stay up for New Year's Eve together?"
Brother Yangyang politely declined, "No, I've gotten used to it."
Brother Yangyang turned to the cabinet to get so snacks to entertain Zhao ii.
Zhao Dazhuang quickly stopped him, "No need. As soon as ii's mother took the dumplings out of the pot, she sent us over here. After delivering the food to you, we have to go back."
Zhao Dazhuang, with heavy eyebrows and small eyes, naturally had a smile, appearing amiable. He took the dumplings from the bag, instructed Brother Yangyang to fetch a clean plate, poured the dumplings onto it, and placed the pig trotters next to them.
Zhao Dazhuang comnted, "ii's mother newly marinated these pig trotters, learned from ii's grandmother, they taste really good. Since you're alone, I didn't take too much. If it's not enough, go to the grocery store tomorrow to find ii's mom, there's more at ho."
Zhao Dazhuang packed up the plates and bowls brought with him, repackaged them into the bag, and pulled Zhao ii up from the sofa, "Eat so while they're hot, it's New Year after all. You ought to have so dumplings for luck, and we'll head back first."
Zhao Dazhuang told Zhao ii, "Weren't you insisting on paying New Year greetings to Brother Yangyang at ho?"
Zhao ii wasn't shy at all, quite liked Brother Yangyang, thinking this big brother had a good temper, looked good, and was nice.
Zhao ii wished Brother Yangyang, "Brother Yangyang, Happy New Year."
Brother Yangyang lifted his handso face, smiled at Zhao ii, "ii, Happy New Year."
Brother Yangyang was touched and thanked Zhao Dazhuang, "Uncle Zhao, thank you and Auntie, please convey my gratitude to Auntie when you return, wishing you both a Happy New Year."
Brother Yangyang was well-liked among the adolescents for his good looks and clean attire. From the first glance, Zhao Dazhuang liked him, feeling that he was a good kid, polite, and very well-mannered.
Zhao Dazhuang smiled kindly, "No need to be so formal, consider us acquainted now. You call uncle, and I'll recognize you as my big nephew, feel free to visit our ho."
Brother Yangyang nodded in agreent.
Zhao ii, hearing they were about to leave, tilted her head, her bright and shiny dark eyes blinked at Brother Yangyang, took two steps forward, and pulled candy from her pocket.
The candy wrappers rustled, Zhao ii's small hand needed three tries to get them all out, she stuffed the candy into Brother Yangyang's hand, cheerfully saying, "Brother Yangyang, keep this candy, tomorrow when I co over to play, we'll eat it together."
Brother Yangyang, holding a handful of candy, chuckled and agreed, "Okay, I'll leave it on the coffee table, waiting for you to co tomorrow to eat together."
Zhao Dazhuang, both amused and exasperated, lightly swiped Zhao ii's head, "This kid!" he said indulgently.
Zhao Dazhuang led Zhao ii out, and as they stepped outside, Zhao ii inadvertently turned back, and saw Brother Yangyang flashing her a look: Are you really coming over tomorrow?
Zhao ii nodded repeatedly, smacking her lips: I've handed over my candy, I definitely have to co over!
Her funny little face showed a serious expression, which looked both comical and a bit adorable.
Brother Yangyang couldn't help but chuckle again.
Zhao ii turned back too, grinning widely. She didn't quite understand what Brother Yangyang found amusing, just seeing him laugh made her want to laugh along.
Brother Yangyang, barefoot in slippers, stood in the courtyard, sending Zhao ii and her dad out the big iron gate. Through the fence gate, he watched Zhao ii swinging on her dad's arm like a monkey, eyes showing a glimpse of envy, quietly watching for a long ti.
The next morning, Zhao ii just crawled out of bed, wearing a vest and shorts with hair tousled like a bird's nest, clamoring to go to the small western-style building to find Brother Yangyang to play.
Liu Xiue hurried to cover her back in bed, "It's cold inside, quickly, put on clothes so you don't catch a cold."
Zhao ii stretched her arms and legs, she cooperated to put on the clothes.
While helping her dress, Liu Xiue muttered, "I sewed your new cotton jacket last night, the new clothes, you insist on tearing it, luckily it's on the collar where it's not noticeable, if it's torn on the front, I'd just patch it!"
Zhao ii just woke up, initially eager to go out and play, now hearing those two words from her mom, sleepiness crept back, her head sunk into the pillow, she asked in a daze, "Will I beco Grandma Zhao from Building Three if I wear it?"
Liu Xiue paused, realizing she ant the lonely elder Aunt Zhao from Building Three.
Previously, Aunt Zhao had a son working in the factory, later he got severely ill and couldn't be saved, the family's money was handed over to the hospital, the old lady lived off the thirty-plus yuan monthly aid from the factory.
At that ti, factory workers only earned a little over two hundred yuan a month, and Zhao Dazhuang, with technical posts and all allowances combined, barely made three hundred twenty yuan.
Aunt Zhao, living alone, scrimped to save for burial expenses, when clothes were worn out, she simply patch them. Zhao ii watched curiously, approached Aunt Zhao, and asked, "Grandma, you have many floral patches on your clothes, they look nice."
Aunt Zhao liked children, though Zhao ii's face wasn't much to look at, she was sweet, wasn't shy, and knew how to be accommodating. Aunt Zhao cherished her, and replied smilingly, "These are called patches, when clothes are torn, you sew a piece over, when I was young, everyone wore clothes like this, but it's not fashionable now."
That day, Zhao ii returned ho and pestered Liu Xiue, insisting on sewing patches onto her new clothes. Liu Xiue, upon hearing, felt sympathetic toward Aunt Zhao, and on festivals, asked Zhao Dazhuang to buy so fruits and a pack of snacks to send over.
Zhao ii ran a grocery store and Zhao Dazhuang's high salary from the technical sector, aside from sending a hundred yuan to each of their elderly family mbers monthly, they lived fairly well.
Their elders were all in the south, they couldn't bear to see anyone unkind to the elderly, or like Aunt Zhao's pitiful days, often encouraged Zhao ii to visit Aunt Zhao's house, keeping her company and chatting.
Liu Xiue educated Zhao ii then, "What's the use of being good-looking? The most important thing is inner beauty. Being kind, compassionate, respectful to the elderly, loving the young, polite, makes one recognized by everyone."
Zhao ii, half-understood, nodded. Anyway, whatever her mom said seed right to her. Liu Xiue, seeing Zhao ii's face wasn't quite beautiful, was determined to cultivate her from a young age, teaching Zhao ii to beco kind-hearted and compassionate.
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