Chapter 162 A Parent's Heart

"I thought you weren't coming back, and I even troubled Yangyang to give you a ride. You should have come home earlier."

"I'm still starving, and the whole family is in a cold house with cold meals."

As soon as they reached the village entrance, Chen Yang saw his uncle-in-law loitering by the roadside.

Judging by his stance, he seemed worried about his aunt. It was almost dark, and his uncle-in-law, likely concerned, had come to wait at the village entrance.

But he was also a proud man and too embarrassed to admit he was waiting for his aunt, so he deliberately put on a stern face.

"You old man, can't your wife cook if you can't? What are you waiting for me for?"

Qin Liyun knew her husband's temper well. She knew he was waiting for her at the village entrance, but he was clearly concerned yet putting on a sour face, so she retorted.

"Uncle, it's rare for me to visit. Just give me some face, and let's not argue."

"Come on, let's go home. Today, I'll have a drink with you and Brother Zhuge and Brother Shugen."

Chen Yang, not yet aware of his uncle-in-law's stubborn nature, quickly tried to smooth things over.

Upon hearing his words, Zhang Guoshu stopped arguing and walked alongside the bicycle.

"Yangyang, eat at home. Hurry up and go home to kill a chicken and make another dish. Yangyang hasn't eaten a meal at home in five years since going to the countryside; we can't let him go hungry."

As soon as his uncle-in-law heard Chen Yang wanted to stay for a meal, his eyes didn't blink as he told his aunt to kill a chicken.

In this era, villagers rarely ate meat more than twice a year. Chickens were raised, but even during New Year, they might not be willing to slaughter one. Now, as soon as his uncle-in-law heard he wanted to stay, he immediately told his aunt to kill a chicken.

Chen Yang's heart warmed. Although his uncle-in-law was proud, he was truly devoted to him, Chen Juan, and Chen Yu.

"Uncle, no need to kill a chicken. We have leftovers from making wine today. My mom specially packed two lunchboxes. Just ask Aunt to reheat them and stir-fry some leafy greens."

"We're family. A plate of peanuts can accompany wine; there's no need to kill a chicken."

Chen Yang was well aware of his uncle-in-law's family situation. Those chickens were for laying eggs.

Chen Yang dismounted and walked, pushing the bicycle while talking to his uncle-in-law.

His uncle-in-law's face was dark. At just over fifty years old, half his hair was white. His weather-beaten face was the best portrayal of a farmer of that era.

"What fussing about dishes? Come to Uncle's house, and I won't short you on any dishes to go with your wine."

His uncle-in-law grumbled but didn't say much more. He also knew how much his wife cherished those two old hens.

The family was dirt poor and relied on these two old hens for eggs to exchange for money. Slaughtering one meant losing a moneybag.

"Brother Zhuge, Sister Hongmei, Brother Shugen, long time no see."

As they walked, they arrived at his aunt's house, which was still a mud-brick and thatched cottage they had built themselves.

It was only now that the conditions had improved a little, as the two elder cousins were working. They had built two more rooms with mud bricks beside the old one. Before, the whole family had to squeeze into one room.

Chen Yang remembered that when he used to stay at his aunt's house, if it rained heavily outside in the summer, it would drizzle inside.

His aunt and uncle-in-law would use any basins, jars, buckets, or even bowls that could hold water to catch it everywhere.

Then they would move the bed to a spot that didn't leak so they could continue sleeping.

"Yangyang, you're back."

Seeing Chen Yang, the cousins also hurried over. Chen Yang had stayed at their house quite a bit before, and even after five years of not seeing each other, they were still very familiar.

"I'll go make dinner. Shugen, take this bottle to Old Man Zhang's to get some wine. Just tell him you're getting it from the supply cooperative and will return it later."

Old Man Zhang was a drunkard in the village. Over fifty years old, he had never married and had no children. He usually enjoyed a drink, and only his house would have stored wine.

It was almost dark, and the supply cooperative had already closed. It was impossible to get wine at this hour, so Aunt had to ask her younger cousin Zhang Shugen to borrow some from Old Man Zhang and return it tomorrow.

Zhang Shugen was a month younger than Chen Yu and was now a seventeen-year-old young man. He had grown taller and was almost as tall as Chen Yang, but he was very thin.

"Yangyang, how is Anhui Province? When you first went to the countryside, my mother heard that Anhui was experiencing famine and people were starving to death. She worried about you, but she couldn't get any news and was so anxious that she cried a lot."

Zhang Shugen went out with the bottle. Cousin Zhang Hongmei brought a stool over for Chen Yang to sit on. Looking at Chen Yang, who was tanned dark, she thought he must have suffered a lot in the countryside.

After all, Chen Yang was different from them; he grew up in the city. It was inevitable that he would suffer when he was suddenly sent to the countryside to rusticate.

"It was a bit tough at first, but it got better later. The brigade leader tried his best to allocate grain for us educated youths to eat, so we weren't too hungry."

If Zhang Hongmei hadn't mentioned it, Chen Yang wouldn't have known that his aunt had worried about him when he first went to the countryside. Hearing that Anhui was in famine, she had even cried out of anxiety.

Unlike his parents, who were educated and could write letters, his aunt, apart from her own name, didn't recognize any other characters. She could only get news about Chen Yang from his parents. One could imagine how worried she was at that time.

"It's all in the past; there's nothing to talk about. Yangyang is fine now. Your aunt mentioned on the way that you got married and have two children?"

His uncle-in-law looked at Chen Yang. They had helped raise this child a lot when he was young, and they all treated him like their own child.

"Yes, I did. It's too late today. I'll bring them and their mother over in a couple of days for Uncle to see. The two little ones are very sturdy."

Chen Yang scratched his head sheepishly. He only showed such an expression when facing elders. Seeing his shyness, his elder cousin Zhang Zhuge grinned.

"You still have the nerve to laugh? You're so much older than Yangyang and still haven't found a girl to marry."

"The one I introduced to you last time, she didn't dislike our family's poverty. You were like a mute, couldn't even speak properly. Get married soon so you can have children."

"While your mother and I are still able to work, we can help you raise the children, which counts as completing our mission. When we get old and you still want to have children, you'll regret it when you can't handle them."

His uncle-in-law glared fiercely at his elder cousin. Chen Yang could do nothing. Alas, parents' hearts are always for their children. They labor their entire lives for their children.

When the children are young, they need to take care of their eating, drinking, and daily needs. When the children grow up, they worry about their marriages. After marriage, they help them raise their children.

"Hongmei, it's the same for you. When you see someone you like, marry them. That boy from Zhangfang last time was no good; he was smooth-talking and looked like a flirt. I asked around the village, and he wasn't an honest worker either, always slacking off."

"In a few days, I'll ask a matchmaker to inquire for you again. If you get any older, you'll truly be an old maid and won't be able to get married."

As his uncle-in-law spoke, he became somewhat worried. He was not at ease about his daughter's marriage and had secretly gone to inquire about the backgrounds of potential suitors.

After much searching, there were very few who satisfied him, which was why his daughter was still unmarried at her age.