During the famine, thanks to my sister-in-law’s daily care, she took pity on . She not only gave extra work points but also secretly gave an egg and so potatoes. Otherwise, how could I be here today?" I would have starved to death long ago.
Listening to Grandma Jing’s sincere gratitude, the old woman’s face lost its timidity and showed a nostalgic expression: "It’s all in the past, let’s not talk about it. So few people from that era are still living now..."
Talking about this topic was sowhat sentintal. Those from that era were already old, and after going through a few years since the apocalypse, those who survived are as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.
Mr. Jing said a universal phrase: "Don’t stand there, eat, everyone eat. Mom, you sit down and eat too, I’ll go downstairs."
Grandma Jing acknowledged, sat down, and started talking with her sister-in-law about the past, filled with nostalgic emotions.
Only then did Jing Shu learn that the elderly woman’s na was Xie Yuzhen, and she was a fellow villager with Grandma Jing. They endured hardships together since childhood in the sa village. During a ti without food, she gave Grandma Jing sothing to eat, indirectly saving her life. They were distant relatives, and the husband Xie Nanny lost was considered a relative brother of Grandma Jing.
The middle-aged woman who ca was Nanny Xie’s youngest daughter, nad Xie ihua, and Jing Shu could call her Aunt Xie. The middle-aged man was Nanny Xie’s eldest son, nad Xie Guohua, and Jing Shu could call him Uncle Xie.
As for why the children took their mother’s surna, Jing Shu didn’t know the reason, she just guessed if it was because Grandma Jing’s relative brother was a son-in-law?
Xie Nanny’s father used to be the village team leader, and while every household couldn’t fill their stomachs, her family still lived decently.
Grandma Jing slurped the noodles down in a few bites, comforting her sister-in-law: "Sister-in-law is blessed, you all safely lived through those years and also survived the apocalypse. There is still happiness to enjoy in the future."
Jing Shu quietly observed Xie Nanny, sowhat surprised. Almost ninety years old, her teeth were good, her appetite was good, and despite her silver hair, her spirit was good. She could still eat and drink, and she ate two more bowls with Grandma Jing.
Indeed she was blessed.
Aunt Xie and Uncle Xie couldn’t outdo the Jing Family. They thought just having the soup would be enough, but the Jing Family ate pot after pot. Everyone ate with gusto, enthusiastically offering them more.
This was the most satisfying al Xie Guohua had in recent years. He even drank a little wine but didn’t dare to drink more, as more would be inappropriate for the host.
The conversation naturally turned to the purpose of their visit today, and Grandma Jing said:
"Sister-in-law, if I hadn’t recognized your younger daughter at the pier looking just like you, I wouldn’t have believed you were still alive. My niece is now at the pier drying rotten corpse insects for people, and that’s not a good job. The rotten corpse insects in the South Sea are getting fewer, and fewer people are working in the factory. Have you considered other options?"
Talking about this made Grandma Jing feel that fate is tricky. Seeing her niece working but also having to take care of a ninety-year-old mother pained her heart. This was the sister-in-law who took care of her during tough tis, giving her an egg when eating tree bark.
Back in the day, her sister-in-law was the only daughter from the wealthiest family in the village, bringing in her relative as a son-in-law. The household was too poor to have enough food, as least the boys had more food, but the young girls only drank thin porridge. Not to ntion the girls under ten who worked without enough food and fainted from hunger. Her sister-in-law took pity and cared for her a bit, and when years were a bit better, she was married off to Old Master Jing with two bags of food.
After a few years, Old Master Jing was selected to join the army and dispatched to Wu City for the borderland developnt. People from all over the country were settling there, and naturally, she couldn’t repay her kindness after leaving her hotown.
Only during today’s conversation did she find out due to so twist of fate, later her sister-in-law and her relative brother also went to Wu City, following the youngest son who went there for a governnt position, and then migrated as a family.
Now, when asked about this matter, Xie Nanny understood what Grandma Jing ant. When they learned that Grandma Jing lived in this "high-end villa area" "Wealthy Area" of the South Sea, they knew Grandma Jing wasn’t the little girl who needed pity anymore. Although Grandma Jing owed her a favor, and they were relatives, her relative brother had passed away, and they had had no contact for fifty or sixty years. How much sentint was left in this?
So, if Grandma Jing wanted to return the favor, it was simply about getting her family a different job. But using a favor once makes it less each ti, and they were seeking help, but didn’t want to use a favor here, so her wrinkled face smiled:
"There’s always the Township Governnt. If this job doesn’t work out, we can get another. Besides, my young daughter still needs to take care of the old lady, so she can’t do too busy a job. Actually, we also have another request..."
The Jing Family held their breath, looking at them. Nowadays, during the apocalypse, having a decent job was a secure opportunity. If they didn’t want this, what did they want?
Grandma Jing said angrily: "We are all family, there’s no need to talk about asking. If you have difficulties, just say so."
So Nanny Xie spoke up.
It turned out they wanted to find out the whereabouts of her youngest son. Her youngest son was a high-ranking official in a city south of Wu City. At that ti, the entire Wu City and surrounding areas were being evacuated; it was her youngest son’s task. At that ti, he arranged for the family to be part of the Wu City main force and had his old mother and family migrate by car, but sohow they didn’t make it with the main force.
"Anyway, they never made contact again. The last phone contact was my youngest son saying he was encountering trouble, and then there was no more news. We asked around and were only told that there had been an avalanche in the mountains, with my youngest son and several families going missing..."
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