Make a Fortune and Become Well-off [90] - Chapter 188

After visiting Shanghai with Jiang Ning several times and living in Wucheng for half a year, Grandpa Jiang grew even more determined to help his granddaughter leave this narrow mountain village and settle in a big city by going to college.

Stooped over, he held Jiang Ning’s arm, his hand trembling as they walked down the familiar country road. He said, “Don’t listen to those who tell you not to study. Just keep studying. It’s the only way to find a path out.”

He wasn’t one for grand speeches. He knew his own limited background and experience had shaped a narrow view of the world. Sometimes, he worried that his advice might not always be right, so he often stayed quiet. But there was one thing he knew for sure: she needed to study more and read more. Books would teach her the lessons and principles he didn’t know.

Jiang Ning held her grandfather’s hand and softly responded.

She was born into an environment that favored sons over daughters, to parents who favored sons over daughters, but she was fortunate enough to have a grandfather who cared for her without any selfish motives.

Step by step, she and Grandpa Jiang walked back home. The familiar local accents of his hometown made him feel a warm sense of belonging. In Wucheng, though he happily ran his shop and sold goods each day, only he knew how he truly felt inside.

He was old now, and he couldn’t speak Mandarin or the Wucheng dialect fluently—he only knew the Shuibu Town dialect. He could understand the Wucheng dialect well enough, but it was difficult for the people of Wucheng to understand his thick Shuibu Town accent. Often, he felt like he was chatting with ducks, happily talking and listening, even when they couldn’t fully understand each other.

As he reached the entrance of the village, the smile on his face grew bigger, and his steps became brisker. He even wanted to shake off Jiang Ning’s hand and walk toward the old locust tree at the entrance of the village without her support.

In winter, there was no one under the old locust tree. The old folks gathered at the door of the small shop at the village entrance to bask in the sun. The radio they were used to listening to was playing storytelling. The storyteller’s words were captivating and rhythmic, making people feel as if they were truly there. Everyone couldn’t help but follow the storyteller’s words, immersing themselves in the story.

They were sitting on the high platform, and from a distance, they could see Grandpa Jiang slowly walking along the stone path of the pond that had withered in winter. One of the white-haired old men suddenly exclaimed, “Look, is that the old man who struck it rich?”

The old man was back.

“Oh, Mr. Yu has really made it. Look at the new clothes he’s wearing,” said someone with good eyesight, noticing there were no patches on Grandpa Jiang’s clothes. Some of the old folks couldn’t see clearly and squinted, shading their eyes with their hands.

Another old man, who had a good relationship with Grandpa Jiang, shouted loudly.

Grandpa Jiang smiled brightly. What did the old donkey call me for?

“Where have you been these past six months? Haven’t seen you in a long time. I thought you, the old guy, were gone.”

Grandpa Jiang laughed and replied, “I won’t go before you. I’m in good health.” Old friends who grew up together were passing away one by one. In this day and age, living to seventy was a rarity. Even reaching sixty was considered a long life.

“Oh, Old Jiang really did get rich. He’s even wearing leather shoes now.”

As Grandpa Jiang drew nearer, his outfit became more visible to the old men’s eyes.

“Oh, they’re real leather shoes,” they exclaimed, looking closely at Grandpa Jiang’s feet. “These shoes aren’t cheap, are they?”

They themselves wore cloth shoes with thousand-layer soles handmade by their wives or daughters. These shoes were comfortable and didn’t scorch in the fire barrel like rubber shoes, but they weren’t waterproof and weren’t as comfortable.

Seeing Grandpa Jiang’s large leather shoes made them envious. Grandpa Jiang sat proudly on the bench, letting them admire his shoes.

Looking at the thick jacket he was wearing, they asked, “You suddenly resigned from your job as a ranger. So many people envied you for having such a good job. Why did you quit? Where did you go to strike it rich?”

“People said you went out to pick up rags and beg for food. If you can afford such fine clothes and shoes, take me with you. I’ll beg for food and pick up rags with you too,” they joked, half-serious.

Grandpa Jiang, having not yet returned home, was already surrounded by his old friends. Sitting on the bench with his legs stretched out and his leather shoes lifted, he boasted with a smile, “This is what my granddaughter got with her essay award. She used her money to buy these shoes and clothes for me.”

He sighed, still smiling, and said, “I told her she was wasting money on me. These warm shoes, made of wool, keep my feet so cozy. I told her she should’ve used the money to buy herself new clothes instead of spending it on an old man with one foot in the grave.”

Grandpa Jiang’s words of complaint were spoken with a smile on his face.

The old men were envious, wishing Jiang Ning were their granddaughter.

An old man who ran the small shop at the village entrance, about the same age as Grandpa Jiang, made a fair point, “What waste of money? Your granddaughter bought them for you, so wear them proudly. You deserve it.” The gray-haired old man said, “You raised your grandchildren well, and if your granddaughter respects you enough to buy you new clothes, then just accept them.”

Grandpa Jiang laughed heartily, his eyes moist with emotion.

Many of the old folks had tears in their eyes.

Among them, the best-off were Grandpa Jiang, who had a stable job and pension, and the old man who ran the small shop. But Grandpa Jiang had spent many years alone in the mountains, living a lonely life. If he had fallen or hurt himself one day, no one would have known.

The other elderly villagers, without steady incomes, were left to herd cattle or look after their grandchildren. They could only live by the grace of their children. If their children were filial, life was good; if not, they couldn’t live comfortably.

Few became more upset.

Their shouts also alerted Uncle Jiang and Father Jiang, who were living next door.

Seeing that Grandpa Jiang was willing to come back, Uncle Jiang, holding a bowl in one hand and eating noodles, said, “Hey, my dear, my dear, you’re back. Why are you still struggling at your age? You’ve toiled away for half a year, and we were almost scared out of our wits, thinking something had happened to you.”

After Uncle Jiang and Father Jiang separated, Grandpa Jiang gave Father Jiang all the salary he earned while patrolling the mountains over the years as a subsidy to pay off Father Jiang’s debts. It was impossible for Uncle Jiang not to have some opinions or dissatisfaction in his heart. But as his family’s life had been improving in recent years, and they had built two large houses, he calmed down. Meanwhile, his younger brother’s family life had worsened. Their house was still dark and small, and they still owed a lot of debts.