Chapter 737

Jiang Hongjun had already brewed tea for her and brought out many melon seeds and pastries to serve. The melon seeds were all homemade roasted pumpkin seeds. high school.” Then he added, “Grandpa is still healthy.

Jiang Hongjun got a bit stuttery when he spoke hurriedly, but not too badly. Sometimes when he spoke slower, he didn’t stutter but would elongate his words.

Grandaunt Jiang didn’t know who “Ning Ning” was, but hearing Jiang Hongjun say Grandpa gave the job to his younger brother and, at his old age, went out cooking for others to pay for the tuition of a grandchild — she immediately understood how difficult her big brother’s situation had been back then. Her eyes reddened uncontrollably, tears streaming down, and she hurriedly covered her eyes with a handkerchief.

The handkerchief, originally bright red, had already faded from washing.”

He wanted to introduce their hometown’s Wugong Tea, but stuttering a bit, he gave up on introducing it.

But the young man that came with them said, “This is Wugong Tea, right? yes, this is our unique tea. value is several times better than similar teas!”

In reality, it was only fifteen to twenty percent better, but people kept exaggerating until it turned several times.

The young man was clearly interested in Wugong Tea and chatted with Jiang Hongjun about it and the prosperity of Jiang Village, but Grandaunt Jiang’s eyes kept looking outside, gazing longingly at the barren mountain.

The barren mountain was still the same as she remembered—unchanged—but at the entrance to the mountain, several houses had been built. From Grandaunt Jiang’s perspective, the first house she saw was Jiang Gangqin’s, directly facing Jiang Village.

Jiang Gangqin’s house was a bungalow right next to Jiang Ning’s house. Jiang Ning’s house faced the road, so Grandma Jiang could only see the second, third, and fourth floors but not the lower floors, nor did she know it was her grandniece’s house.”

Jiang Hongjun was busy chatting with the young man about Wugong Tea. The more anxious he got talking about their hometown’s tea, the more he stuttered. parents for their retirement.”

Grandma Jiang wanted to ask, “Isn’t your uncle’s house the one in front of the team office?” 

But thinking about it, what was there to ask? It was just that his children were unfilial, so he lived alone on the mountain. What else could it be?

Thinking this, she couldn’t sit still anymore.”

For Grandaunt Jiang, she didn’t even know her nephews or grandnephews. The only two relatives she had in Jiang Village were her big brother who raised her and her younger brother who hadn’t even finished the confinement period when their father passed away.

She hadn’t been back to see her big brother in decades, and now she couldn’t wait another moment.

To her, Grandpa Jiang was not just a brother but also a father.

But after all these decades, she hadn’t seen her big brother and didn’t know what he looked like now. She was old, with gray hair. Her big brother was probably old too.

After she said she was leaving and couldn’t wait a moment longer, she got up and walked out. 

Jiang Hongjun tried hard to persuade Grandaunt Jiang to have lunch, but she refused, holding his hand and saying, “Good boy, I won’t eat. Grandpa and I haven’t met for decades. I don’t even know if he’s well. You stay home, I know the way to the barren mountain.” 

Saying that, she patted Jiang Hongjun’s hand and stepped down from the platform, then down from the high terrace.

Grandaunt’s husband was supported by his grandson and followed his wife.

He was also a man of few words, looking a bit shy, always staying by Grandma Jiang’s side and doing as she said.

Jiang Hongjun would never let Grandaunt Jiang go alone. He quickly checked the stove and the fire under the pot in the kitchen to make sure the rice wouldn’t burn. The fire at the bottom had dwindled to embers simmering the rice, so he closed the little iron door of the stove and hurriedly shut the kitchen door, chasing after them, who had already reached the lotus pond.

The cement road in Jiang Village wasn’t just on the main street; even the shortcut to the village’s old store was paved with cement.

The changes in Jiang Village were enormous. Where there used to be no houses, at this tine there were many. Across the lotus pond, near the old earth houses where only their family used to live, several new houses had been built. Some were even laying foundations during the New Year, clearly preparing to build new homes.

But Grandaunt Jiang’s eyes saw none of the cement roads, none of the thriving, newly built houses. Passing by Father Jiang’s gate, she only glanced distantly, her gaze fixed on the barren mountain—only the barren mountain.

The eldest daughter-in-law was young and quick on her feet, already jogging toward the barren mountain.”

After shouting for a long time with no answer, she suddenly remembered that they had gone back to their daughter’s home. She was the eldest daughter-in-law, meant to stay behind to entertain guests and wouldn’t return until tomorrow. She hurriedly ran toward the barren mountain, shouting, “Grandpa! Grandpa!”

Mother Jiang had gone back to her maternal home, Father Jiang had gone to pick up Auntie Jiang. The only ones left at the barren mountain were Grandpa Jiang, Grandma Jiang, Uncle Jiang, his wife, and Jiang Ning.

Jiang Jun’s home was about two hundred meters from Jiang Ning’s house, with a ditch and a large courtyard separating the cement road from Jiang Ning’s house.

Jiang Ning’s house had a fireproof wall for insulation, and the front door was tightly closed. The floor-to-ceiling windows had all the curtains pulled back, letting sunlight flood the warm and bright interior.

The eldest aunt-in-law shouted from afar, but there was no response. She pushed open Jiang Ning’s courtyard, where she announced the Grandaunt came back.

Fortunately, Jiang Ning had been supporting Grandpa Jiang, and now quickly caught him in her arms. Still, the force of Grandpa Jiang’s sudden fall made her stumble two steps back before she managed to steady him. In the dead of winter, it gave her such a fright she broke out in a cold sweat.

She had always known her grandfather’s legs were not good. In recent years, she’d done everything she could to help ease his pain. But she had never imagined his legs had deteriorated to the point where even walking a little faster was too much for him.

Grandpa Jiang had never told anyone.

He had always been a silent, reserved old man who didn’t speak much.

Suddenly, Jiang Ning’s nose tingled with emotion.

From the age of twelve, Grandpa Jiang had taken on the role of pillar of the family. His mother above needed his care, and his younger siblings below needed it just the same. Even when he was hungry or in pain, who could he tell? He was long used to using his thin, wiry frame to carry the weight of an entire household.

He had spent years patrolling the mountains. The dew in the mountains was heavy, the local climate damp, and the mountain air was several degrees colder than below—bitterly cold.

In those days, their family was poor. Grandpa Jiang had no warm clothes. When he was cold or hungry, he simply endured it. In the ‘80s and ‘90s, the family was buried in debt. He had even less room to speak up, dragging his aching, heavy legs day after day, just to get through.

Even after nearly falling, Grandpa Jiang didn’t treat it as anything. He just held Jiang Ning’s arm and kept his eyes fixed across the road.

Over there, Grandma Jiang had also seen the commotion. Even though decades had passed, and Grandpa Jiang had long gone from a young man in his twenties to a thin, shriveled old man, Grandaunt Jiang froze in place before suddenly running toward them, shouting, “Big Brother!”

With a wail, Grandaunt Jiang burst into tears.”

The young man supporting the old man was so startled, he called out, “Grandma, don’t run!”

He was nine years older than Grandma Jiang. She had been a beauty in her youth, and he’d spent his whole life accommodating her. Seeing her cry and run forward like that, of course he was worried. He quickly told the grandson to follow her.

A smile broke out across Grandpa Jiang’s face, deep grooves forming on either side of his mouth. Even as he smiled, tears rolled down his cheeks. He took step after step toward Grandaunt Jiang.