Dreaming of Lion Rock: Recipe in Hand

Chapter 148 Waiting

Then, the two old men hugged each other excitedly.

"I never thought, I never thought that I would be able to see you again alive, Brother Qing. Life was so difficult back then, and you haven't come back for so many years. We all thought you died on the battlefield, wuwuwuwu." Chu Shangde might have thought of those difficult years and his old friends, and he began to cry sadly.

Old Master Chu said seriously, "It's still dangerous. If it weren't for my wife, I would have almost not been able to come back. You know my wife, and it was she and I who saved you that time!" Old Master Chu, who was obsessed with his wife, came online and introduced his wife, daughter, granddaughter and other people to Chu Shangde and the young man.

After everyone sat down, Old Master Chu continued, "Later, we followed the army to the imperial capital and never had the chance to come back." At that time, Old Master Chu's father followed the army out of Sichuan and died on the battlefield, and her mother also died of illness, and a younger brother died before he grew up. In order to avenge his father, Old Master Chu took the initiative to join the army and fought alone and bravely.

"After we settled down in the imperial capital, we wrote to your sister-in-law's family. I heard that they only have one nephew left. Oh, what kind of world is that? It's a cannibalistic world."

At this point, everyone fell silent.

After Old Master Chu finished sighing, he patted Xiao Dezi on the shoulder and said, "Which old friends are still in the village? Is Chu Shangzhi here? You don't know, I have been practicing all these years. My fists are itching, and I want to find someone to spar with."

When Chu Shangzhi was mentioned, Chu Shangde lowered his head and was silent for a while before saying, "Two years before liberation, he was drafted into the army and never came back. I'm afraid he died outside."

Old Master Chu...that is his closest blood brother.

"God is so unfair. Shang Zhi is the one who least wants to go to the battlefield. How could he..."

"On that day, he went to the market to sell vegetables and was arrested. Fortunately, a fellow villager he knew was there and sent a letter to his wife, otherwise..."

"Is Sister Zhi still here?"

Chu Shangde understood what Old Master Chu meant and nodded repeatedly, "Ah, she is also a miserable person. When Brother Zhi was arrested, he was already in his thirties, but he had no children. As soon as he was arrested, his sister-in-law was found to be pregnant. After ten months of pregnancy, unfortunately, she gave birth to a girl. Brother Zhi didn't come back for several years, and relatives advised her to remarry. But she refused and raised the daughter alone and married her off."

Chu Shangde paused and continued, "Later, someone asked her why she didn't remarry. She only had one daughter, so even if the man was remarried, he wouldn't mind. Having a man at home wouldn't be so hard. She said that after more than ten years of marriage, she didn't give him children, but he didn't mind her. Even when he left, she didn't mind him and stayed with him."

Old Mrs. Chu sighed and said to everyone, "I want to go see her."

Chunni was touched by this feeling. Chu Shangzhi and his wife may not know what love is, but the feeling between them is more lasting, purer and more touching than love.

When leaving the hospital, He Yanqing held Chunni's hand, ignoring Chu Hua's teasing look. Cherish the person in front of you.

Chu Shangzhi's old house was still in the old place, next to Old Master Chu's old house. However, the latter house was much more spacious, but it had collapsed. Chu Shangzhi's house had always been occupied, and it stood there well, waiting for someone to come.

When everyone arrived, Zhi Ersao was sitting under the eaves in a daze. She was a shriveled, thin old lady with a weather-beaten face, almost completely white hair, hunched over, but dressed neatly. She sat there with a numb expression, as if she was thinking about something.

Old Mrs. Chu seemed not to want to break the tranquility of the moment, and she gently placed the gifts she brought in the yard.

Chu Shangde took the initiative to speak, "Sister-in-law Zhi, we are here to see you!"

Sister Zhi Er responded and unconsciously looked up at everyone. Her face seemed to glow instantly, and she was radiant. She said with a trembling mouth, "Xiao Dezi, could it be, could it be that your brother Zhi Er is back?"

Chu Shangde couldn't bear to see her disappointed, and hurriedly introduced, "This is Brother Chu Shangqing, and this is Sister Qing..."

The light in Zhi Ersao's eyes went out, and she kept muttering, "Why isn't it, why isn't it?"

Old Mrs. Chu stepped forward and held the pair of skinny hands, "Sister-in-law, do you still recognize me?"

Zhi Ersao seemed to come back to her senses. She looked at the person in front of her carefully, raised her smiling face and said, "How can I not recognize you? Aren't you the daughter of the landlord Yang from across the river?" But who could understand the sadness and pain in that smile?

Mrs. Chu straightened her meticulously-crafted hair and smiled, "I am old, I am old, Sister-in-law Zhi has sharp eyes and can see clearly. We brought you some food and daily necessities this time, old sister-in-law, please don't despise it."

Zhi Ersao seemed to have completely come out of her sadness and was able to joke around. "Don't mind, don't mind. Since you're here, why would you bring anything with you? I'm satisfied that you can come to see me." After saying that, she looked at everyone again.

Old Master Chu hurried forward to introduce himself, "Second sister-in-law, I'm Chu Shangqing, do you recognize me?"

When Zhi's wife got married, Old Master Chu hadn't joined the army yet. Although they hadn't seen each other for thirty years, his features were still the same as before. How could he not remember him? "I recognize you. You look a bit like Shang Zhi!"

Chu Huachunni and others were also introduced.

Zhi Ersao was so happy that she quickly walked out of the door and grabbed the villagers, "Please help me take a message to my daughter and tell her that there are visitors at home!" She turned around and said to everyone, "My daughter Liu'er was worried about me, so she married in the village and came back to see me from time to time."

"My daughter is filial."

"Yes, my grandchildren are also very filial. They often come home to help me with housework. I am very lucky!"

Chunni looked at the kind-hearted old lady in front of her, feeling a little sad and a little moved. Zhi Ersao didn't want much, but she felt sorry for her husband because she hadn't gotten pregnant for more than ten years. Her husband just did what he should do to tolerate her, and she spent the rest of her life not getting married to repay him. She was satisfied that her daughter and grandson were just filial and filial.

The energetic Zhier's wife hurried into the house and brought a stool, "You guys sit down, I'll make some brown sugar water."

"Don't be in a hurry..." Before Mrs. Chu could finish her words, she saw a hurried figure walking away.

"Second sister-in-law is still as impetuous as she was when she was young!" Old Master Chu couldn't help but shook his head after seeing this, which earned him a big eye roll from his own wife.

The following time was spent chatting and reminiscing about the past. Chu Liu's personality was like her mother's, carefree, warm and hospitable. Chunni and her group had dinner at Zhi Ersao's house and happened to stay at her house that night.

The next morning, Old Master Chu led everyone to visit the graves of his parents and grandparents. He then went to Old Lady Chu's parents' home to see her nephew, and went up the mountain to see his father-in-law and mother-in-law before returning to Zhi's second wife's home.

"Sister-in-law, we have to leave now. The children at home have to work tomorrow."

"Then you two can stay together for a few more days and let me go back first." Mrs. Zhi thought that the house had only been lively for two days and then it became deserted again. She felt reluctant to leave Old Master Chu and his family.

"Or, sister-in-law, why don't you come back and live with us for a few months?" Old Mrs. Chu suddenly invited.

Zhi Ersao hesitated for a moment, but still refused, "Forget it, I won't go. If I leave, Shang Zhi will be worried if he comes back and doesn't see me!"

Seeing this, Old Lady Chu stopped trying to persuade her. The old sister-in-law had been waiting for her whole life, and waiting was the most important breath in her life. If she didn't wait, this breath would dissipate, and she would not be able to live.

Chunni secretly left 200 yuan under the pillow and waited until Chu Liu sent them to the station before telling them.

When they left, the scene was still the same as when they first arrived. Zhi Ersao sat under the eaves and waved to everyone. After everyone left, she still sat under the eaves, waiting for her lover.

"Auntie shouldn't ask for your money. Wait a minute, I'll get it."

Chunni held Chu Liu and wouldn't let her go, "Aunt, this money is for me to honor my second grandmother. Please let her eat and drink well, take good care of herself, and wait for my second grandfather to come home."

Chu Liu couldn't believe Chunni's words and stared at her in a daze. Everyone, including herself, firmly believed that her father had died in the war, and only the little girl in front of her believed that he might still be alive.

Seeing Chu Liu didn't believe it, Chunni said hurriedly, "Second Grandfather was most likely a conscripted man captured by the Kuomintang. There was no death notice or anything. Maybe he followed the army to Taiwan!"

Chu Liu was shocked and couldn't believe it.

Chunni added, "I can't guarantee that this is true, but people should always have hope!"

After Chunni and the others got on the train, Chu Liu was still standing there in a daze.

When Chunni and her friends arrived home, the sky was already filled with sunset glow. They simply ate some noodles and went to rest.

Silent all night.