Chapter 99: Silent Shock

He Yushui, sitting at the neighboring table, heard He Yuzhu say that, and her eyes reddened involuntarily. Her older brother was right—back then, everyone in the siheyuan avoided the two siblings. At that time, He Yushui's greatest wish was simply when she could have a full meal. Later, Li Qiang returned after changing jobs, and when he was repairing the small courtyard, he asked He Yuzhu to help cook. That period was the happiest time for the He siblings: not only could they eat their fill, but they ate white flour steamed buns with meat.

Later the two families became acquainted, and eventually they became sworn siblings with the Li family. Li Qiang found someone to help his older brother find a match, and he also had his brother go with his master to clear up the misunderstanding, which enabled his brother to establish a family and career. Now he is even managing his own wedding—one could say that without the Li family, the He family would not have what it has today.

"Older brother, second brother, my brother is right. When we were little, everyone avoided us; only you two pulled us up when we siblings were at our lowest. One could say you gave us our current life. Back then I didn't quite understand why second brother didn't let me go to high school and take the college entrance exam, insisting I attend vocational school instead. If it weren't for his advice back then, I'd probably be no different from those street kids wearing red armbands today. Thinking back over these years, how we siblings have come this far, without your support and help we wouldn't have this family. I also raise a cup to you—you will always be my closest family." He Yushui went up to He Yuzhu, lifted the cup in front of him, eyes brimming with tears, and said, choking up.

"Today is a joyous occasion—why are you crying? But I'll drink this cup with the older brother." Li Qiang raised his cup and said.

"Older brother, second brother, both sisters-in-law, Zhuzi and Yushui are right. Without you, we wouldn't have this family; your kindness we will never forget in this lifetime—I also raise a cup to you." Yu Li also stood up to say. Having married into the family for many years, she had heard He Yushui recount the siblings' childhood many times; without Li Qiang she wouldn't have known He Yuzhu, nor would she have her current life. Not to mention other things—just during the three-year disaster period, while other families couldn't eat enough, theirs never lacked grain; when others couldn't even get coarse cornmeal, they ate buns made of blended flour and often had meat. Even her own natal family, thanks to Li Qiang's help, didn't go hungry. Take He Xiao as an example: children her age were malnourished and sallow from hunger, but He Xiao has always been ruddy and healthy, far surpassing her peers in stature and physique. All of this is inseparable from the Li family.

"Yu Li, saying that makes you sound distant. Back then neither family had an elder; Zhuzi was single-handedly raising Yushui, and looking at him I seemed to see my older brother's former self. Our two families were in similar straits—precisely because I had once been caught in the rain, I wanted to hold an umbrella for others." Li Qiang said in a low voice.

Li Bin only now understood why Li Qiang had originally been willing to help the He siblings, and why he had so readily agreed when He Yuzhu proposed becoming sworn brothers—the root of it all lay within himself. Yet the Chinese sentiment that blood is thicker than water is something outsiders cannot comprehend. At first his thought was simply that, no matter how difficult, he must raise his younger brother; even if there wasn't enough food, his belief was that the older should bear hunger for the younger, that eating a little less himself was no matter, and that the younger, being small, needed to be fed.

What seemed perfectly normal to him never occurred to him would have such a profound impact on Li Qiang—this might also be the innate goodness of the Chinese people.

"Alright, everyone sit down and eat. This was originally meant to entertain Xiao Zhuang—how did it turn into a gratitude feast?" Li Qiang said half-jokingly.

"Second brother, Yushui previously told me about her childhood, including Zhuzi brother's work and marriage—you've been helping them all along. I originally didn't believe anyone in this world could be so kind to a stranger for no reason, but hearing you say this I now understand: Zhuzi brother and the older brother are remarkable people. Although their actions are ordinary, it is precisely their goodness and perseverance that allow this virtue of the Chinese nation to be passed down." Zhuang Yan said with a solemn expression.

"Xiao Zhuang, we're not as great as you say. Back then my thought was simply that our parents were gone, I am the elder brother, I must shoulder this responsibility and hold up the family." Li Bin, recalling the past, also had tears in his eyes.

"Back then I saw how hard it was for my brother and sister-in-law, so I secretly ran off to join the army behind their backs. At that time, enlisting wasn't about any patriotic fervor—I just wanted to be able to eat a hot meal and not be a burden to my brother and sister-in-law." Li Qiang said in a low voice.

"Alright, it's all in the past; we've managed to get through the hard days, and I believe our days will keep getting better." Li Bin wiped the corner of his eye and said.

"Yes, the days ahead will surely keep improving. We've made it through those difficult times, so now we should feel content—let's drink." He Yuzhu raised his cup and said.

"What the older brother said is right—things will only get better from now on, cheers." Zhuang Yan was also moved by He Yuzhu's words.

The meal didn't end until late; He Yuzhu and Li Qiang both drank too much, and Zhuang Yan was so drunk he staggered while walking. This was the first time since his transmigration that Li Qiang had opened up so fully in a drunken chat. As the eldest brother, Li Bin had always exercised restraint, so he didn't drink much—he remained completely sober, like an old father.

Li Bin and He Yushui escorted Zhuang Yan home, but Li Bin turned back as soon as they reached the gate and did not go inside Zhuang Yan's house.

"How could you drink so much? This is your first time at the Xiao He residence, and you're this drunk without fear of embarrassment," Zhuang Yan's mother Sun Hui said, looking at his state with reproach.

"Mom, you don't know the situation back then. Not to mention me—even if my father had gone, he would have drunk a lot," Zhuang Yan said, slurring his words.

"What's the deal—can they really drink that much?" Zhuang Yan's father Zhuang Zheng said.

"It's not that they can hold their liquor—Yushui's second older brother and her own brother also drank too much. Today I finally understand why Yushui keeps saying her adoptive brother's family is good; I truly felt it and was shaken—it was a silent shock." The fact that He Yushui became sworn siblings with the Li family is known to the Zhuang family; when the two were dating, Yushui had already told Zhuang Yan about her childhood, and Zhuang Yan would certainly have told his parents upon returning.

"Go on, tell me what shocked you—I want to hear exactly what happened," Zhuang Zheng also became interested.

Zhuang Yan recounted everything that had happened at the wine table to his parents.

"Not bad, son—you've found a good family. Treat Xiao He well from now on; if you dare bully them, I won't hesitate to break your leg." After hearing Zhuang Yan's account, Zhuang Zheng also felt admiration for the He family's relatives.

"If I dared to bully her, I wouldn't need you to lift a finger—her three brothers and three nephews could flay me alive," Zhuang Yan said with a wry smile.

"Just because I had once been caught in the rain, I wanted to hold an umbrella for others—what a fine saying," Zhuang Zheng repeated Li Qiang's words.

"If you really bully Xiao He, her natal family will come beat you up, and we certainly won't take your side," Sun Hui, who is also reasonable and understanding, said.

"Alright, first help him inside to get some sleep," Zhuang Zheng said to Sun Hui.

"Okay."