Chapter 1017

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

Just past midnight on New Year's Eve, the sound of firecrackers welcoming the new year began to ring out in Shangou Village.

The village households started welcoming the new year one after another.

Wang Zhanggen and Li Xiulan flipped the almanac, picked an auspicious hour, and got up at exactly three-thirty to open the gate and set off firecrackers.

This year's firecrackers were bigger than previous years'.

In previous years they only bought plate-sized firecrackers; this year they bought a super-large ring, fully as big as a large washbasin.

Wang Zhanggen walked with halting steps, unwrapped the firecrackers' outer packaging, then spread the firecrackers out into one long strand and laid them at the courtyard's main gate outside.

He took the cigarette clamped in his mouth, bent down, and lit the fuse.

Wang Zhanggen walked back with hands clasped behind his back, leisurely and at ease.

Behind him came the "crackle-pop" of firecrackers.

The firecracker noise woke Wang Xiaohua, who was still asleep.

The moment Wang Xiaohua opened his eyes, he discovered Li Jianjia was also awake.

He didn't know whether she hadn't slept all night or had been woken by the noise like him.

"Are these firecrackers going to keep going until dawn?"

Li Jianjia, holding Wang Xiaohua, asked.

"That's how New Year is in the countryside — every household has to open their gate and set off firecrackers; this family finishes, that family starts — so after midnight, all the way until dawn, there'll be firecracker sounds off and on."

Wang Xiaohua explained.

Li Jianjia sighed:

"Put like that, tonight is destined to be a night with no sleep."

As they spoke, Li Jianjia rolled over and pressed onto Wang Xiaohua.

Wang Xiaohua was startled:

"What are you doing?"

Li Jianjia smiled:

"Haven't tried it at your place yet... hehe..."

Wang Xiaohua gave an embarrassed laugh:

"Aren't you afraid my Second Brother will hear? He lives on the second floor too."

Li Jianjia's face reddened slightly: "Just keep it down — don't you think this is a bit thrilling?"

Wang Xiaohua hesitated a bit:

"Thing is, I didn't bring that stuff back."

Li Jianjia didn't mind:

"No problem..."

The flush on her face showed she was longing for it right now.

Wang Xiaohua naturally didn't want to disappoint her.

Besides, firecrackers were going off everywhere outside now — nobody could sleep anyway.

So he rolled over and pinned Li Jianjia underneath.

The next day the two didn't climb out of bed until past nine.

Neither had slept well.

But it was very late; they had to get up.

Because they'd agreed to go to Baiyun District Prison today to visit Li Jianjia's father.

When Wang Xiaohua and Li Jianjia got up, everyone else at home had already eaten breakfast.

The two ate breakfast hurriedly, then Wang Xiaohua said to Wang Erhai:

"Second Brother, today Jianjia and I want to go see her dad — can you drive us there?"

Wang Erhai agreed readily:

"Sure, no problem!"

The moment he said that, he immediately made a call:

"Classmate, got something on today, busy — the get-together, we'll talk another time when there's a chance!"

Turns out he'd already arranged to meet high school classmates for a reunion today.

But since his own Third Brother needed his help, he naturally turned down the reunion without the slightest hesitation.

After all, that reunion was just catching up — wouldn't bring him much benefit, and might even end up with old classmates pestering him for favors.

So naturally he put family matters first.

"Second Brother, you've got a reunion — we could ask Big Brother to go instead."

Wang Xiaohua felt a bit embarrassed.

But Wang Erhai said:

"Big Brother has to stay home and look after Eldest Sister-in-law — she's heavily pregnant and back at her hometown, lots of inconveniences, can't let him leave her side for a step. I'll take you guys; that reunion of mine is optional."

"Thanks, Second Brother!"

Li Jianjia hurriedly thanked him.

Wang Erhai smiled and said:

"We're family, no need for politeness! Pack up and let's go! Send the destination to me on WeChat, I'll check the navigation first to see which route is better!"

Li Jianjia said busily:

"Okay, I'll send it to you in a bit!"

Li Jianjia immediately sent the destination to Wang Erhai, then together with Wang Xiaohua, returned to the second floor room, packed some things, and then went downstairs and set off.

Wang Erhai, following the navigation, arrived at the town's expressway entrance and got on the expressway.

Once on the expressway, he discovered that vehicles on the expressway were pitifully few, the road was super easy to travel.

Forming a strong contrast with yesterday and the day before yesterday's big traffic jam.

But this is also normal.

Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year.

At this time, everyone has already returned home.

The expressway being cold and deserted is nothing more than normal.

Because the road conditions were good, the time needed to reach the destination was even less than expected.

In just a little over an hour, Wang Erhai, following the navigation, arrived at the gate of Baiyun District Prison.

Li Jianjia and Wang Xiaohua went in together for the prison visit, while Wang Erhai waited outside.

Taking out ID cards, household register, marriage certificate, submitting materials in the waiting room and waiting for review, after the review passed they collected the visitation credentials, and then Wang Xiaohua and Li Jianjia were led to the designated zone to visit Li Zhongxian.

Why was the marriage certificate still needed? That was because it was to prove that Wang Xiaohua and Li Jianjia are a married couple; as long as it proved Wang Xiaohua and Li Jianjia are a married couple, that proved Wang Xiaohua is Li Zhongxian's son-in-law, and then Wang Xiaohua could visit Li Zhongxian as a relative; otherwise, visiting Li Zhongxian as a non-relative required applying in advance, and filling in specific visitation reasons, presenting a relationship statement issued by the community and so on, the procedures were very troublesome.

In a small room divided into two halves by a glass window, after waiting about twenty minutes, Li Zhongxian finally appeared under the escort of prison staff.

At this time, Li Zhongxian had a head full of white hair, a haggard face, and had lost quite a bit of weight.

"Dad!"

Upon seeing Li Zhongxian, Li Jianjia couldn't help her eyes turning red, and couldn't help crying out.

Li Zhongxian, on the other hand, had already accepted the situation, and was much more composed; he smiled and said:

"Silly girl, it's the first day of the New Year, what are you crying for, don't cry, crying is unlucky."

Li Jianjia hurriedly wiped away her tears:

"Are you doing okay in there?"

"Pretty good, eat on time and sleep on time every day, there's exercise time too, mental pressure is much smaller than before, body is much healthier than before!"

Li Zhongxian said so with a smile.

One doesn't know whether he was telling the truth, or just saying it to comfort Li Jianjia.

"Xiaohua, didn't expect you'd come see me too."

Li Zhongxian saw Wang Xiaohua, somewhat surprised.

Li Jianjia said busily:

"Dad, Xiaohua and I got our marriage certificate."

Upon hearing this, Li Zhongxian was first stunned, his face showing a trace of inconceivability:

"At this time, you actually married my daughter?"

Immediately his whole heart was reassured, and he laughed happily:

"They say the heartless are mostly scholars, the righteous are mostly dog butchers; didn't expect that after this kind of thing happened to me, you'd still be willing to marry my daughter, Xiaohua, I really didn't misjudge you!"

Wang Xiaohua then said: "Uncle... no, should call you Dad now, Dad, I married Jianjia because I love her, and won't change this love just because her family met with a change."

"Good, good!"

Li Zhongxian was moved to the point his eye rims reddened:

"With you taking care of Jianjia, even if I die now, I can rest easy!"

Li Jianjia said busily:

"Dad, don't say these unlucky words, we'll wait for you to come out, then we'll be a family all together, happy and whole!"