’Although she felt this Uncle Wang wasn’t lying, she still needed to see the situation for herself. She couldn’t just take his word for it and make an impulsive decision.’
Sun Jiaming looked at Gu’er; he understood what she was thinking.
"Uncle, we’re not from this city, just visiting for fun. Whereabouts do you live? Is it far from here?"
Sun Jiaming started asking questions.
"My place is just over in that alleyway. You’re not from around here, so you probably don’t know it. If you don’t mind, you’re welco to co over to my ho for a al. We don’t have anything fancy, mind you, but there’ll be plenty of radishes and vegetables with dipping sauce. Then I can stew up a pot of big potatoes and cabbage. No at, though. We haven’t had at in a long ti. I don’t make much money, so don’t you laugh at us."
Uncle Wang Shun extended the invitation cheerfully.
"Great! In that case, we’d be happy to accept."
Sun Jiaming nodded in agreent.
This was what Gu’er wanted as well. ’We should go to the Wang Family’s ho and see the situation for ourselves. If he’s a good person, and if he’s willing, he could co work for us. It would be a way to help his family out. With three children in school, the financial burden must be imnse.’
"Alright, let’s go! No more sightseeing. To be honest, I don’t really get it anyway. It just makes feel a little less cooped up. Let’s go, let’s go! To my place."
Wang Shun stood up as soon as he finished speaking. He was a man of action, and his invitation was sincere. He saw that these two young people weren’t the pretentious type—they were his kind of people, and he wanted to chat more with them.
’Even if hosting them today ant they ate all the vegetables in the house, he’d just find an extra job or two tomorrow. He’d put in a bit more effort and earn the money back.’
Gu’er and Sun Jiaming also stood up, chatting with the uncle as they got on a boat.
Sun Jiaming paid for the tickets. The uncle was a bit embarrassed and thanked him.
After getting off the boat, Gu’er was about to look for a taxi, but the uncle stopped her. He said they shouldn’t waste money like that. Instead, he led them on a long walk to a public bus stop. The three of them squeezed onto the crowded bus. After they got off, they had to walk a long way again before finally arriving at Uncle Wang Shun’s neighborhood.
The area was old and rundown. It was clear at a glance that this was not where wealthy people lived.
Wang Shun led them into a courtyard surrounded by single-story buildings. Several families lived together in the shared space.
"Cui’er! Wife! Co on out, we have guests!"
Wang Shun yelled.
"What’s all the shouting? What kind of guests could we possibly have? You’ve offended everyone you know. Did a ghost co knocking?"
A voice rang out, and a middle-aged woman erged from the doorway.
The woman was plain-looking and seed a bit old for her age, dressed in simple clothes. She froze for a mont when she saw Gu’er and Sun Jiaming standing behind Wang Shun.
’These two young people look so sharp and are dressed so well. When did we ever get guests like this? They must have the wrong place.’
"Cui’er, this is Brother Sun, and this is his wife. We t them today and really hit it off. They’re not from the city, so I invited them over for a al."
Wang Shun didn’t get angry, just explained to his wife with a cheerful grin.
Gu’er and her husband called him Uncle, while he called Sun Jiaming "Brother." They each used the term they felt was appropriate.
’This is a good man,’ Gu’er thought. ’No matter what he’s like out in the world, what matters is that he’s good to his wife and children at ho. That’s what a good man is supposed to be.’
"Please, co in."
Although Wang Shun’s wife, Liu Cui, didn’t approve of her husband’s impulsiveness, she couldn’t embarrass him in front of guests.
Once inside, Gu’er and Sun Jiaming took a look around. The Wang family was clearly not living well. Aside from the bare necessities, the house had virtually no electrical appliances.
They sat down on the kang, and Liu Cui poured them glasses of plain water.
After they chatted for a while, Liu Cui went to prepare the al. Gu’er didn’t offer to help. For one, she was a guest. For another, she didn’t know what food they were making, and it would have been awkward for her to go into the kitchen.
They talked for a while longer, and then a boy of seven or eight ca running in from outside. He froze the mont he entered the room and saw Gu’er and Sun Jiaming.
"You little stinker, get over here and greet our guests. This is your Uncle Sun, and this is your Auntie."
Wang Shun told his son to greet them.
Wang Shun’s son mumbled a greeting, then quickly ran back out, apparently to find his mother.
When dinner was on the table, Gu’er saw a large basin of vegetables for dipping: water radishes, radish greens, large daikon-style radishes, and green onions. Beside it was a bowl of homade soybean paste.
There was also a large pot of stewed cabbage and potatoes, along with a basket full of cornbread cakes.
"It’s not much, but I hope you don’t mind."
Liu Cui knew this wasn’t much of a al to offer guests, but it was all she had. There was nothing better she could do.
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