pjbooks Chapter 23: Good People
Chapter 23: Good People
Night, a courtyard house.
Yi Zhonghai picked up his bowl, took a bite of food, and asked, "Didn't you say you were making fish today? Grandma and Dongxu took it all!"
"Sigh, I didn't cook any fish today. I went to the front yard late and heard from my sister-in-law that Zheng Hong took the remaining fish back to his hometown, saying that his sister-in-law is pregnant and needs to eat more fish."
"That doesn't seem right. Knowing your sister-in-law's personality, would she really let them all go back if she saw them?"
The older woman didn't think much of it; fish and chicken are readily available at the market these days, though they're relatively expensive. "I'm wondering about that too," she said.
"Alright, stop thinking about it. We'll just go to the market and buy one. The old lady has been nagging about it for ages."
"Sigh, I always felt that Zheng Hong had become quite estranged from the people in the department. Could it be that he found out about what happened in 1953?"
Yi Zhonghai frowned and pondered for a long time: "He's had this personality since he was a child. He took after Old Man Tang. He's never been very noticeable in the police station. Now that he works as a railway policeman, people look at him with more respect. They feel that he's become estranged from the people in the station. But actually, his attitude has always been the same. What has changed is the attitude of the people in the station towards him."
"Now that you say that, I feel relieved. If you ask me, we shouldn't have gotten involved in that matter in the first place."
"What's the point of saying all this now? Alright, it's all in the past. Just keep visiting the old lady more often from now on. How many more years does she have left to live?"
Sha Zhu was preoccupied with the leather shoes. After drinking alone in the house for a while, he threw down his glass and went to the front yard.
I peered through the wooden door at the small courtyard in the west corner.
"Hey, isn't the kid home?"
Da Mao scurried over like a security guard, looking at Sha Zhu warily: "Uncle Sha Zhu, Uncle Zheng Hong isn't home. He went back to his hometown. Didn't you see the doors are locked?"
Sha Zhu felt uncomfortable being stared at by the little brat, and was also angry at Da Mao for addressing him differently: "Oh, not home? It's so dark, I really didn't notice the door was locked. Kid, what's with that look? I, Sha Zhu, am not the kind of person you think I am."
Da Mao stared at him without saying a word, his meaning quite clear.
Sha Zhu couldn't argue with a child, so he could only return to the Central Court in a huff.
Da Mao, hands on his hips as if he had won a battle, muttered, "I heard as soon as I came to this courtyard that your Uncle Sha Zhu has been climbing on roofs, tearing off tiles, fighting, and stealing things since he was a kid. My Uncle Zheng Hong isn't home, so I can't let you steal from me."
He had barely finished muttering to himself when Liang Ladi grabbed his ear and dragged him back into the house.
"Ouch, Mom, that hurts! Let go, my ear's going to fall off!"
"Who taught you to talk about others behind their backs like that? Didn't I tell you to call him Uncle He?"
Da Mao said in a low voice, unconvinced, "I didn't say anything wrong. Isn't that what Teacher Yan told you and Uncle Nan Yi back then?"
"Don't meddle in adult matters, but you deserve praise for looking after the neighbor's yard today. Er Mao, you guys should also learn from your older brother and help the neighbors in the yard from now on, understand?"
"Okay, Mom. Uncle Zhenghong is a good man. He even gave us some pickles today. They smell so good."
Liang Ladi corrected, "Just because someone gives you food doesn't mean they're a good person. You have to look at their usual behavior. Don't let someone give you something and you think they've bought you off."
"Uncle Zhenghong is a good person, just like Uncle Nanyi."
Early the next morning.
Tang Zhenghong returned to the city, but this time he brought someone with him.
When they left after breakfast, Tang Hongxin hugged her second brother's neck, reluctant to let go.
After discussing it with his parents, Tang Zhenghong decided to take the little girl to the city for a couple of days.
As for Tang Weijun, he fulfilled his wish to learn to ride a bicycle under the moon last night and also gained face in front of his friends. He went to school happily today.
While in the village, the little girl was chattering away, but once in the city, she looked timid, gripping the handlebars tightly with both hands and curiously observing the bustling city of Beijing.
"Second brother, fried cakes."
Passing by a fried cake shop, Tang Zhenghong didn't stop. Even when it was almost out of sight, the little girl was still licking her lips and looking back.
"Want some?"
"I want to, but...but Mother told me I can't waste my second brother's money anymore."
"Then you should think about it carefully, let's go home."
The little girl got annoyed and huffed, giving Tang Zhenghong a light tap with her little fist: "Second brother, you're so annoying, you're teasing me on purpose."
"Haha, are you still angry? I was just thinking of taking you shopping and buying you some things to try when we came out later."
"Please be sincere."
After being teased by Tang Zhenghong, the little girl was no longer as nervous as when she first arrived in the city. She was curious about everything, pointing to the roadside and asking questions.
"Wow, second brother, look! A car! What a huge car! But what's that bulging thing on top of it?"
"Remember this, it's called the air tank, without it the car can't run."
"Why can't you run away?"
"There's no reason why. It's like when you're hungry, you have to eat. If you don't eat, you won't have the strength to walk."
The little girl's mind worked differently; her eyes widened, "Wow, it's so big! It must hold so much delicious food! Second brother, I only need a tiny bit..."
"That's why they attract so many people."
"Second brother, I've made up my mind. From now on, the more I eat, the stronger I'll be."
"Oh? What's the point of being stronger?"
"Replace it, then all this delicious food will be mine."
The two chatted for a while before returning to Nanluoguxiang. They heard someone calling them and searched for a while before finally spotting Xu Damao waving from a distance, carrying a projector.
"This is Brother Da Mao. Remember to greet him when you see him later."
Tang Hongxin shaded her eyes with her hand and tilted her head back to correct him: "It's clearly an uncle."
"He's the older brother, though he looks a little older than his age."
Xu Damao: Could you two keep your voices down any more?
"Brother Da Mao, this is my sister Tang Hongxin. I'm taking her to the city for a couple of days."
Xu Damao's expression immediately changed when he saw the dark-skinned, skinny girl. He enthusiastically took out two pieces of candy from his pocket: "It's our little sister! Here, have some candy."
"Hey, Red Heart, aren't you going to greet people yet?"
"Brother Da Mao. Okay."
Tang Hongxin saw that Xu Damao was timid again and didn't dare to take the candy. After looking him over for a long time, she finally managed to say this.
"Hey, you're so polite. Don't learn from your brother. What do you mean I look older than I am? You don't even hide it from me anymore, huh? Here, take the candy."
This time, Tang Hongxin didn't hurt anyone's feelings. She accepted the candy and, like a gentle lady, thanked him softly: "Thank you, Brother Da Mao."
"Alright, I saw you two as soon as I came out of the alley. I called out for ages. Zheng Hong, bring me a couple more pairs of leather shoes when you have the chance. We're in a rush today, let's talk later. You can pay for it first."
After the somewhat odd-looking uncle left, Tang Hongxin was still muttering to herself, "This doesn't look like my brother at all."
"Don't be so rude, Brother Da Mao, this is called maturity."
"Ripe? It's not autumn yet!"
"Do you still want to go out and have fun?"
"Hehe, you should call me Brother Da Mao. I've got it. I won't call you that wrong again."