Chapter 259: Not Friends After All

Old Zhang, original name Zhang Zhang Jianhong, a native of Maoping Town, Yiling District, Yichang City.

But Old Zhang's grandfather, Old Old Old Zhang, wasn't from Hubei, but a Northeasterner.

Old Old Old Zhang was a soldier, originally selling his life for the Old Marshal, later followed the Young Marshal into the pass after the Northeast Flag Replacement.

Afterwards, he went to the battlefield to fight the Japanese devils and also did many bad things.

During the War of Liberation, he had a flash of inspiration and became a deserter, fleeing all the way from Beiping to Hubei.

Finally, on the streets of Yichang County, he just ate a bowl of "Overlord Wonton" at a wonton stall, and as a result, turned his head and saw Old Zhang's grandmother at a glance.

Just like that, a soldier who had survived a hundred battles and seen many big worlds was inexplicably fascinated by a 20-something rural old maid who hadn't married yet in that one glance.

In modern terms, it's called love at first sight. In the language of novels, it's called falling in love.

But Old Old Old Zhang didn't have much culture; he only knew he liked her and wanted to marry her as his wife.

So, he, who originally wanted to go to Chongqing to join his relatives, didn't leave in this town.

He used various means, tried every way, and finally persuaded the old town mayor at the time to marry his old daughter to this soldier with a mouthful of Northeastern dialect, and finally, even paid to set up some family property for the two as a dowry.

From then on, Old Old Old Zhang took root in this mountain nest by the big river, settled down, and gave birth to three children.

When Old Zhang was very young, he was held in Old Old Old Zhang's arms and heard the old man talk about such a past.

That was in '71, Old Zhang was 5 years old.

"I was still young then, I just remember my grandfather would laugh as soon as he talked about this, laugh as soon as he talked about it, my grandmother said he was an old liar. He also laughed."

"He often said a sentence, I remember it all: he said he was a Northeasterner who deceived a Nine-Headed Bird."

"Every time my grandmother heard this, she had to hit him. My grandmother was healthy, tall, and strong. My family's old man said that when he was young, planting land and carrying manure at home were all relied on her. She had great strength, and hitting people was very painful."

"But when she hit my grandfather, she didn't use much force, it was light. Because my grandfather had suffered many injuries when he was young and his body was not good. At that time, he often drank medicine."

"Little Wang, I heard that Sichuan women also like to hit people, right?"

The wattage of the incandescent light bulb in Old Zhang's living room wasn't high, and the room was big, making the light look quite dim.

Old Zhang's wife, surnamed Huang, 50-something, was sitting on a stool, knitting half a sweater.

On the other side of the living room sat two young people, a man and a woman.

Their dress and appearance had nothing unusual, both were jeans and down jackets, but both were very young and very handsome.

The man was 20-something, and the woman, in Old Zhang's view, might have just graduated from high school, about the same age as their family's second child, and I don't know what the family was thinking, to actually get married at such a young age.

Hearing Old Zhang's words, the young man named Wang Xiang laughed instantly, using Sichuan dialect: "Uncle Zhang, no, the girls in our place are all very gentle."

Yichang dialect and Sichuan dialect were not much different, Old Zhang also laughed when he heard it, "Gentle? Then why did you find a Northern little wife?"

Wang Xiang laughed and said: "She and I, hmm, can be considered a coincidence, fate, Liu Jingqiu, what do you say? Hmm? Liu Jingqiu."

The beautiful girl named Liu Liu Jingqiu had been a bit fascinated

She nodded a bit cautiously, let out an "um," and then curiously asked Old Zhang: "Uncle Zhang, what does 'nine-headed bird' mean?"

The air in the room seemed to freeze for a moment.

Afterward, Wang Xiang laughed "hahaha" and said: "Uncle Zhang, don't mind her, please continue."

Old Zhang chuckled twice, tapped his tobacco pouch against the edge of the table, and said: "Actually, there's not much else to say. I was small at that time and don't remember things very well."

"I heard it from my old man. My grandfather didn't have a good background, and he had injuries and illnesses, so he kept holding on. But when it got to '72 or '73, one night, he just didn't make it."

"As for my grandmother, the very night those people carried my grandfather back, she kept watch by his coffin all night. When dawn came and my father and the others looked, she had no breath left either; she had followed him. There weren't any wounds on her body, which was very strange. When she died, she was lying on top of my grandfather, clutching his hand."

Old Zhang spoke in an understated tone.

After all, it was a story from many years ago.

Even if the old, old, old Zhang and the wife he had tricked into marrying him died on the same day, in the same night.

When the three Zhang children discovered that they had lost their parents overnight,

the things that happened in this room

would certainly not be like the story in Old Zhang's mouth now, as faint as a wisp of smoke, leaving no trace once the wind blew.

But no matter how sorrowful the weeping, it was all buried in the dust of history, forgotten by people.

Who else would shed another tear for it?

So, when Old Zhang saw Liu Liu Jingqiu lower her head at some point and wipe her face with her hands, he was clearly a bit surprised.

A faint smile appeared on Old Zhang's dark, deeply lined face, and he said to Wang Xiang: "Your wife has a kind heart. She's a good woman."

Wang Xiang tilted his head to look, smiled, and nodded almost imperceptibly.

Old Zhang chuckled and said: "When my grandfather and grandmother got married, they went to Chongqing to take a wedding photo. It's too late today, and it's not easy to find in the trunk, but when we have time another day, I can show it to you."

After chatting for a while longer, the two young guests took their leave.

After Old Zhang saw his new neighbors out, he returned and said to his wife: "How about that? I didn't lie to you, did I? Don't these two look just like those stars on TV?"

His wife retorted irritably: "What stars? I listen to the radio every day; how would I recognize any stars?"

"That year the TV station played *The Return of the Condor Heroes*, and everyone said this show was good. I suggested we go to Old He's house to watch it, but you said it was shameful and wouldn't let me go. Now you're telling me about stars! I don't know, I don't recognize them."

Hearing this, Old Zhang's face immediately fell: "Um, I just said they look like them, I didn't say they really were. Why are you getting angry at me?"

As he spoke, Old Zhang gloomily lit a cigarette and added: "We've been saving money these past few years to buy a house in the city for our eldest. I was thinking, we both go to sleep early anyway, and we have a radio in the house, so a TV set isn't much use."

"How about this: if you want to watch *The Return of the Condor Heroes*, this Saturday, when our second daughter comes home for the holiday, we'll go to the city together to look around and buy a TV. We can see if any station is re-airing it then, how about that?"

His wife glanced at him: "Zhang Zhang Jianhong, you really think I want to watch *The Return of the Condor Heroes*... Several times before, I saw you hiding in the corner eavesdropping on the TV at Old He's house, just to listen to that *Return of the Condor Heroes*. You thought I didn't see you?"

"When I first married you, what books did you keep under your pillow every day? You think I don't remember? You even said Jin Yong didn't write it well, that the part about Yin Zhiping was simply unreasonable, and you were planning to rewrite it. Zhang Zhang Jianhong, what are you being stubborn about?"

Old Zhang's face turned bright red instantly. Looking at his wife's pouting expression, he wanted to say something, but truly didn't know what to say.

He only felt his face burning and his eyes swelling.

His chest heaved heavily a few times, and he could only let out a couple of "Aiya, aiya" sounds: "It's nothing, those were just books I liked when I was young; I didn't like them as much later on."

"I mainly heard Old He mention that Yang Guo and Li Xiaolong Maiden were acted well in that TV show, so I got a little curious. Hehehe, and when I didn't see it, I just let it go. Right? If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have forgotten long ago. What Yang Guo, Li Xiaolong Maiden, hey hey, nothing special, hehe, nothing special."

His wife said: "Zhang Zhang Jianhong, you've been like this your whole life. Hey, speaking of which, I'm the eldest's mother, but I'm just angry. What's wrong with that girl from Wang Chun's house next door? Why did he have to find someone from the city, and even say that if he wants to get married, he has to buy a house in the city?"

"Hehe, when I first crossed the threshold of your Zhang family, I only asked for one mattress and two quilts. She, on the other hand—one word, and it's a house! Look at the life we've been living these past few years!"

Old Zhang showed a helpless expression and said: "Hey, what's the use of saying all this now? Say less. Next time they come over, don't give them a cold shoulder. The eldest said he's planning to have a child next year, so we can hold a grandchild soon."

"Hehe, hold a grandchild." Although his wife still feigned disdain, the expression in her eyes and brows eventually softened.

The couple nagged about family matters for a while longer, and the topic suddenly fell back onto the young couple who had just moved in next door.

"Old Zhang, did Old He sell the house or rent it out?"

"Rented. His third uncle came to handle the paperwork for him."

His wife put the half-finished sweater in her hands on the table, looked at Old Zhang, and said: "What do you think they do for a living?"

Old Zhang asked in surprise: "What do you mean?"

"What do I mean!?" His wife widened her eyes. "What do you mean? In a dump like ours, can people like that come here? You tell me, is it possible?"

"Aiyo, making a fuss over nothing. What kind of people? I see two eyes and a mouth, just ordinary people." "Ordinary people?" His wife laughed. "You go all over Yichang and try to find two more ordinary people like them. You said they were stars just now; I think even those Hong Kong stars from before weren't as good-looking as them."

"How could people like that run off to our place and rent Old He's house?"

Old Zhang said: "What's impossible about it? Everything is developing everywhere now; our place isn't bad either. Didn't the town say not long ago that they're preparing to develop tourism?"

"Hehe, develop tourism in this godforsaken place of ours. Develop my foot. What kind of tourism do we have here? Do we have any scenic spots, or any former residences of famous people?"

"Let me tell you, Old Zhang, these two people most likely have some issues. Especially that woman."

"Looking at her, she definitely couldn't be the type of person to run off and live here."

"I suspect... these two are likely involved in something. Really. I think..."

Seeing his wife's mysterious look, Old Zhang asked curiously: "What do you think? What do you think? Hurry up and say it."

"I think they're eloping!"

Eloping?

Seeing his wife's certainty, Old Zhang couldn't help but feel a bit of doubt in his heart.

He recalled his interactions with them during this time.

Old He next door went out to work the year before last, and the house that had been empty for so long was finally rented out two months ago.

But it took a long time; it was only a week ago that people actually moved in.

At that time, he had gone to town to send money to his eldest son, and when he returned, he heard that the gate to Old He's courtyard was open. A large black car had arrived, and a young man and woman had gotten out and opened the door to move things inside. It must have been Old He's tenants who had finally arrived. From then on, the Zhang family had new neighbors.

But at that time, Old Zhang didn't pay much attention.

By the next afternoon, the sun was very nice, and as he was taking out the sausages he had just stuffed to dry in the courtyard, a head suddenly popped up on the roof of Old He's house next door.

It locked eyes with him instantly.

The owner of that head was the young man named Wang Xiang, who had brought his wife to visit today.

It must be said, Old Zhang felt that he himself had been quite good-looking when he was young. After all, his grandfather had been handsome, otherwise, he couldn't have become the son-in-law of the old town mayor.

However, compared to this person, there was really no comparison; it was incomparable.

Old Zhang felt that his first impression of Wang Xiang was similar to the feeling he had when he first saw Chow Yun-fat in *God of Gamblers* at the town's video hall, with his slicked-back hair and wearing a suit and trench coat as he walked into the gambling hall.

Even as a big, forty- or fifty-year-old man, he was a bit stunned.

However, Chow Yun-fat was Chow Yun-fat after all.

As for Wang Xiang, he was simply born with good looks; his skin was fine, and his features were very pretty, but he didn't have that kind of aura, and the clothes he wore were about the same as the young people in the village; he still couldn't compare to those big stars from Hong Kong.

After all, they were ordinary people, so the vibe wasn't quite right.

But, the young man's smile was truly good-looking.

At that time, Wang Xiang had poked his head out on the roof to look at him, then immediately pulled it back.

But after a little while, he popped his head out again. This time, he even greeted him and chatted from afar for a while.

When Old Zhang inadvertently mentioned that his family had never bought a TV, and hadn't even managed to watch *The Return of the Condor Heroes* from a few years ago or this year's Olympic opening ceremony,

that Wang Xiang suddenly started laughing for some reason.

The moment he laughed.

Old Zhang couldn't help but think: don't ever let his second daughter, who is in high school now, see this young man, otherwise, a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl would definitely lose her soul.

That afternoon, he chatted with Wang Xiang quite a bit, probably for over an hour.

He learned that the other party was from Xichuan, had just gotten married not long ago, and had brought his wife to see if there were any opportunities here, wanting to do a little business.

After a shallow conversation, Old Zhang had a good impression of this Xichuan young man, feeling that he was very sincere.

Often, before he even asked, the other party seemed to know what he wanted to know and would take the initiative to tell him everything.

The next day, it was still on the roof, but this time, Wang Xiang brought his wife along.

Let's put it this way: if it weren't for the saying that spirits aren't allowed to manifest after '49, Old Zhang would have truly thought some kind of immortal or monster had come to be his neighbor.

This young couple was just too excessively good-looking.

Although Old Zhang had only been as far as Chongqing in his life, everyone said the women in the mountain city were beautiful, and he had indeed gained some experience.

But he had never seen anything like this.

That aura and accent didn't sound like someone from a small place at all.

When Wang Xiang communicated with him using his Sichuan dialect mixed with a bit of a Hubei accent, Old Zhang didn't feel there was any problem, but after saying just two or three sentences to his wife, Old Zhang felt a bit ashamed of himself.

He felt that when he spoke, he had to lower his stature by two inches.

Just like that, the young couple next door got to know Old Zhang.

They would greet each other when they met on the road, and when they were at the doorway, Little Wang would often take the initiative to come over and chat with him for a while; unlike his wife, who was very shy and generally didn't say much.

But Little Wang insisted on bringing her everywhere, and when chatting with them, he would deliberately let her speak.

But the girl was truly too young, and she really didn't have any common language with Old Zhang and the others.

At these times, Wang Xiang would often get quite angry. Old Zhang had heard the sound of him lecturing his wife after leaving a few times. It was muffled, but it seemed he was saying she was too timid and completely useless.

His young wife, however, had a good temper, completely different from his own, and he almost never heard her talk back; occasionally, a word or two sounded like she was acting spoiled.

Tonight was the first time Wang Xiang had come to their house to visit.

He was very polite when he came over, not only buying some rice cakes from the Wang shop on the street but also bringing two bags of fruit. It looked quite heavy, but Wang Xiang let his young, delicate wife carry everything while he himself carried nothing, his hands empty.

When he saw them at the door, Old Zhang was stunned for a moment, filled with admiration, and could even be said to be extremely jealous.

After entering, the young couple spoke little but asked many questions, especially showing great interest in those old stories from decades ago.

Things like grain coupons and communes were all past events from Old Zhang's youthful years.

Wang Xiang understood some of it, but that new wife named Liu Liu Jingqiu really didn't seem to understand at all. One listen and you knew she was completely a city person, and the kind from a very well-off family who had never suffered.

The questions she asked almost left Old Zhang not knowing how to answer.

Would a normal person ask a question like "If you don't have enough grain coupons to buy grain, can you just eat meat"?

Afterward, when Old Zhang inadvertently started talking about the story of the old, old, old Zhang, Old Zhang discovered that the two young people became even more interested, as if they had even straightened their bodies.

He was also puzzled in his heart.

These old, stale stories—in the past, when he talked about them, neither of his two children liked to listen. Yet, these two young people listened with extreme focus.

Especially that young wife named Liu Liu Jingqiu; when the little girl finally started crying, it actually gave him, the storyteller, a start.

In his heart, Old Zhang went over the process of how they had met and gotten to know each other during this time. Afterward, he didn't echo his wife's words but instead said: "Forget it. If they really are eloping, and if someone really comes to catch them, we should ask clearly. If we can help, we'll help. They're young, and they're good people."

Finally, he smacked his lips and added: "My grandfather and grandmother eloped too, didn't they?"

PS:

Thanks to the Alliance Leader 'Running Rabbit Ao' for the reward!

Bowing!!

I'm still writing the bonus chapter for the Alliance Leader; I might post it tomorrow morning after editing. It's a big one.

(End of chapter)