Chapter 6

The summer heat would begin to subside at this time every day, and even the wind blowing from the rice fields carried a hint of coolness.

Li Zhuiyuan faced the direction of the rice fields, closed his eyes, and took several earnest, deep breaths.

"Little Yuan Hou, what's wrong? Is there a smell on Great-Grandpa?"

"No, Great-Grandpa, I'm smelling the fragrance of the rice."

"Oh, then did you smell it?"

"I can't smell it. It's different from what's written in the articles. They say the fragrance of rice is very good to smell."

"Silly child, your timing is wrong. Wait until after fertilizing or spraying pesticides, then you smell it. I guarantee you, that smell will be extremely pungent!"

"Great-Grandpa, you're teasing me."

"Hahaha." Li Sanjiang twisted his neck and continued to carry the child on his back, walking along the path on the ridge of the field, "Right now they don't have much of a smell, but wait until they are harvested, dried, husked, steamed into rice, and made into rice cakes, with hot white steam rising from them—that fragrance, won't you be able to smell it from far away?"

"Great-Grandpa, you're right."

Li Sanjiang stopped his steps and turned to look at the rice fields as well: "Actually, what's written in the articles you read isn't wrong. For us farming folk, seeing the crops in the fields growing well, having grain in the granary and rice in the pot, not having to worry about going hungry—this heart feels secure. Just stand anywhere, close your eyes and take a breath, and it's all sweet."

"Understood."

"No, you don't understand. Little Yuan Hou, you haven't really been hungry, so you can't really understand that feeling. We, being able to open our stomachs and eat until full every meal, actually haven't had that for many years. However, no matter what, it can't be compared to before the liberation."

"Mm?" Li Zhuiyuan asked in surprise, "Before the liberation, could people eat their fill?"

"Yes, before the liberation, anyone could eat their fill. No one went hungry."

"Great-Grandpa, what you said doesn't seem right."

"Because livestock don't count as people."

"Ah?"

"Little Yuan Hou, before the liberation, your Great-Grandpa, I, also ventured through the Shanghai Bund."

"Then Great-Grandpa, do you know Xu Wenqiang?"

"Who is Xu Wenqiang? Don't know him. Your Great-Grandpa, I, went by boat back then, it was very convenient. After all, our Nantong and Shanghai are separated by just one river. At that time, I thought, 'Big Shanghai, oh Big Shanghai,' finding work must be easier. No matter what, it's better than planting fields for landlords at home. It was also good luck; just arrived there, and immediately found work to do."

"What work did Great-Grandpa find?"

"Corpse-carrying team."

"Did Great-Grandpa work in a funeral home?"

"Heh, there were funeral homes back then, but how could ordinary people go to that place? You'd be carried in horizontally, and you'd have to jump up and run out afterward. People couldn't afford to die, oh. Great-Grandpa, I joined the corpse-carrying team. At that time, the municipal government allocated some funds to take the lead, and some wealthy merchants also donated money. The work was... collecting corpses early every morning, carrying those bodies from the streets and alleys, and sending them to the nearby righteous village to be processed. When times were good, there could even be a few donated coffins to put them in. But it wasn't one coffin per person, oh; it was many people squeezed together, one coffin stuffed so full it was called 'full to the brim.'"

"Great-Grandpa, I still remember one time, many children as big as you were collected. It took a great deal of effort to stuff them in."

"Sigh, couldn't shake, couldn't shake."

"Do you know what that means?"

"Is it that the coffin was too heavy to shake outside, and inside it was stuffed too tight and jammed, so it couldn't shake?"

"Correct. That was only when times were good that there was a coffin. When times were bad, those corpses were just rolled in straw mats for collection. When there wasn't time to burn or bury them, they were thrown into the mass grave in the suburbs, benefiting the wild dogs."

"If it reached winter, ho, good fellow, that was truly exhausting for a person."

"Going out on the street early in the morning, you could see many families dragging their children and huddling together, frozen stiff."

"Little Yuan Hou, that was Big Shanghai! That was a big city back then, very rich. Anyone there, just loosening a finger and leaking a little bit, was enough for a whole ordinary family to chew on."

"But your Great-Grandpa, I, was truly busy from the beginning of the year to the end. There was endless work, simply endless."

"At that time, I was thinking..."

"Clearly there were so many foreign cars on the street, clearly right there in that ten-mile foreign field, looking up were dance halls, theaters, and buildings, and those coming and going were all dressed in foreign clothes, acting like wealthy masters and rich ladies. But right there in the wall cracks and alleys, every day you could receive people who had starved to death."

"Thought for a long time, your Great-Grandpa, I, finally understood a principle."

"All have a pair of eyes, a nose, and two legs to walk, but only that small handful of people count as people. Others... no, other heads, are all damn cheap-life livestock."

"Eh, not right. Livestock are also valuable. When starving, they would still be stuffed with a handful of forage. But them, they didn't even deserve a coffin board. If they died, they were collected only because the higher-ups felt it affected the city's appearance."

Li Zhuiyuan hugged Li Sanjiang's neck slightly harder, pressing his face against Great-Grandpa's back: "Then Great-Grandpa, was it at that time that you learned your skills?"

"You could say that. At that time, carrying corpses for a day, I only earned enough for that day's food and warmth. Now, fishing one up, I can eat and drink well for a good while."

"Still, liberation is good. People are finally people, and they've become valuable."

"My Grandpa also said that when he was a child, he was a long-term laborer for a landlord and was whipped."

"Listen to Han Hou fart. His hair had just grown out when we were liberated. Those landlords were all... eh, Little Yuan Hou, you're not talking about Han Hou?"

"It's North Grandpa."

"Hahaha, the one in the capital, your dad's dad?"

"Mm."

"He said, if it weren't for the fact that he really couldn't live on, he wouldn't have followed the team to make revolution."

Li Sanjiang's feet suddenly paused, and he turned his head to look at the child behind him:

"What?"

"What's wrong?"

"That North Grandpa of yours, did he fight in a war?"

"Mm."

"Is he still alive?"

"Alive."

"Did he fight the Japanese devils first?"

"Fought them later."

"Tsk, tsk tsk tsk!"

"What's wrong, Great-Grandpa?"

"Little Yuan Hou, are you and that North Grandpa of yours on good terms?"

"During festivals, I go back to eat with Mom and Dad."

"What about usually?"

"Don't go."

"Ah, so you don't interact?"

"North Grandma and Mom don't have a good relationship."

Li Sanjiang: "..."

"Big Uncle and the others live with North Grandpa and North Grandma. Mom, Dad, and I live outside. Mom doesn't allow me to go to North Grandpa's place. Even Dad occasionally goes home secretly, not daring to let Mom know."

"This Lan Hou, what is she thinking in her brain?"

Li Sanjiang didn't understand at all. Of course, he knew that conflicts between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were the most normal thing, but that also depended on who the mother-in-law was!

Such parents-in-law, if you don't flatter and serve them well, what else are you thinking about?

But thinking about it again, Li Sanjiang suddenly felt that this seemed to be something Lan Hou would do.

Among a house full of honest, mud-dog-like people, a golden phoenix suddenly emerged.

If it weren't for the fact that Li Weihan's ancestral grave was together with his, he would really suspect that Li Weihan's ancestral grave had caught fire; blue smoke wasn't enough.

That girl was sweet-mouthed and well-behaved when she was little, making people love her. When she grew up a bit, she could train her four older brothers to fear her. No matter how unruly the idlers in the village were, or how sharp-tongued the crones were, they didn't dare to mess with her. With one look from her, clearly with a smile on her face, she could make people's hearts tremble.

Remembering that year when she brought her partner home, Han Hou and Guiying were very restrained and embarrassed to look at him. He, Li Sanjiang, had seen the world, so he stared and looked for a long time, and even took the initiative to go up and chat;

At that time, he noticed that the man, in front of Lan Hou, was trained to only nod like a chicken pecking at rice. Those who didn't know would think that the fair-faced man was some poor daughter-in-law who had just been abducted into the village by human traffickers.

Li Sanjiang also knew about Lan Hou's divorce, otherwise Little Yuan Hou wouldn't have been temporarily placed here. Usually, when men and women divorce, everyone's emotional inclination would be to stand on the woman's side. But Lan Hou's divorce... Li Sanjiang actually felt a bit of sympathy for that man. He could endure it for more than ten years; it wasn't easy.

"Little Yuan Hou, you changed your surname, right?"

"Mm."

"Sigh."

Li Sanjiang sighed. Divorced is divorced, but you actually changed the child's surname back. If you didn't change the surname, even if you were divorced, Little Yuan Hou would still count as that family's child.

"Little Yuan Hou, listen to Great-Grandpa's advice. After you return to the capital, find more opportunities to get close to your North Grandpa and North Grandma, understand?"

"Don't want to go."

"You child, listen to me. Great-Grandpa won't harm you."

"Can't go. If I go, Mom won't be happy."

"You..."

"If Mom isn't happy, she won't want Little Yuan anymore."

"Sigh... you say that, you are mother and son. No matter when, your mother likes you."

"Won't." Li Zhuiyuan's voice was very low, but very certain, "If I make Mom unhappy, she won't want me anymore. I understand her."

Li Sanjiang had to change the subject: "Little Yuan Hou, did you bring your homework? Tomorrow, I'll have your Grandma bring your homework and books back."

"I didn't bring them back."

"Ha, you're a little clever ghost. You deliberately didn't bring the books back so you could play hard in the countryside during the summer vacation, right?"

"Mm, play well."

"Still have to study hard. Only then can you live better in the future. After these few days, I'll have your sister Ying Hou come to tutor you. You learn well from her."

"Good."

"That's obedient."

The two grandfather and grandson chatted all the way until they reached a riverside. Beside the river were farmland. Walking along the small path by the river for a while, walking and walking, it suddenly opened up.

Li Sanjiang's dam was several times more spacious than Li Weihan's.

Three houses, the middle one facing south, was a newly built two-story building. But unlike the square architectural style of Cui Cui's house, Li Weihan's new house was very wide, extending from east to west, a long strip.

However, although there was a second floor, there were only a few separate rooms on the second floor, like a few building blocks placed on a large platform.

On the left and right sides of the new house were two bungalows, facing each other.

"Great-Grandpa, your house is so big."

"That's for sure." Li Sanjiang's tone carried pride.

Besides fishing for corpses, he also did paper-crafting business, which required a wide space to stack raw materials and finished products. Besides that, he also did rentals of tables, chairs, and plates.

Anyone nearby who wanted to hold a wedding or funeral had to rent from him. Although the fee wasn't high, he had long since recovered his costs. Now, this was a hen that laid eggs steadily.

Therefore, the first floor of his new house was equivalent to a large warehouse, and the second floor only had three rooms built, empty like a rooftop. He didn't care anyway; living alone, it was enough.

Li Sanjiang put Li Zhuiyuan down from his back, held his hand, and walked into the middle house. Looking inside, he felt the space was even larger, like a small factory building.

On the west half, tables and chairs were neatly stacked, and large baskets were filled with all sorts of dining plates, bowls, and dishes;

On the east half stood paper people, paper houses, paper horses... Li Zhuiyuan even saw a paper-made Santana.

A woman of similar age to his mother, dressed simply, was painting. She held a paint palette in her left hand and a brush in her right, her strokes fast and smooth.

The woman noticed the arrival, turned to look, sized up Li Zhuiyuan, and asked:

"Uncle, who is this child? He looks so fair and tender."

"Ting Hou, let me introduce you. This is my great-grandson, named Li Zhuiyuan. Zhuiyuan, this is your Auntie Ting Hou."

"Auntie Ting."

Li Zhuiyuan felt this seniority seemed a bit wrong, but in front of people without kinship, it was just each calling their own.

"Ai, obedient." Liu Manting put down her things and walked over, bent down, and touched Li Zhuiyuan's face with both hands, "So cute."

Li Zhuiyuan took half a step back to avoid it, a shy smile appearing on his face.

"Uncle, you didn't bring children over to play before."

"Ha, there were no children who dared to come to my place to play before." Li Sanjiang took a cigarette out of his pocket, "Ting Hou, this child needs to live here for a while. You help him go up and tidy up the room. Oh, right, Little Yuan Hou, are you afraid of sleeping in a room alone?"

"Not afraid, Great-Grandpa."

"Mm, it's okay, anyway Great-Grandpa sleeps next door to you, heh heh. Alright, Ting Hou, I'll leave it to you. I'm going to go use the porcelain vat."

Li Sanjiang lit his cigarette and walked out to use the toilet.

"Come, Little Yuan, go upstairs with Auntie."

There were really too many things stacked on the first floor, even the stairs were blocked by more than half. People coming for the first time really wouldn't find it easily.

Li Zhuiyuan noticed there were actually steps continuing downward at the stairs, and asked: "Auntie Ting, is there another floor below?"

"Yes, there is a basement below, as big as this one."

"Are the things inside the same?"

"No, they are all your Great-Grandpa's things. Your Great-Grandpa couldn't bear to throw them away, so he specially dug a floor just to store them."

"Oh, is that so."

"Also, Little Yuan, Auntie, my name is Liu Manting. You can call me Liu Yi from now on."

"Liu Yi, you're not a local?"

"No, Auntie came from out of town to do paper-crafting work for your Great-Grandpa."

"Just you alone, Auntie?"

"Auntie's husband is also here, renting your Great-Grandpa's fields, and then on weekdays he also helps out, paper-crafting, delivering tables and chairs, etc.; he should be coming back from the fields soon. When you meet, you can call him Qin Shu. Additionally, Auntie's daughter and mother-in-law are also here, in the bungalow on the east side you saw when you came in. Your Uncle and I live on the west side. Auntie's whole family is here, relying on working for your Great-Grandpa to make a living. Before the liberation, we would all have to call you 'Little Young Master'."

Perhaps because he had just heard Li Sanjiang talk about the corpse-carrying team on the way here, Li Zhuiyuan felt somewhat uncomfortable with this joke and subconsciously shook his head:

"That's feudal dross."

"Eh?" Liu Manting was stunned for a moment. Such words coming from a child's mouth were indeed very surprising.

"Liu Yi, just call me Little Yuan."

"Okay, Little Yuan. I've heard your Great-Grandpa talk about you. You came back from the capital, right?"

"Mm, yes."

"Are you used to living here?"

"Used to it, it's very good here."

"Don't you find it boring and dull?"

"No, there are many fun things here."

"That's good. Auntie paints paper people every day, my hands are numb from drawing."

"Auntie draws very well, very professionally."

"What professional, Auntie was forced to do this, I don't know how to draw."

However, your posture holding the paint palette and brush is exactly the same as the teachers at the Art Academy.

"If Little Yuan wants to draw, you can help Auntie. Painting isn't actually hard."

"Okay."

Since returning to his hometown, this was the first time he had communicated with someone entirely in Mandarin, no longer so many Nantong dialects and so many "Hous."

Even his brothers and sisters who were in school only used Mandarin when they were "translating" for him at the beginning. Once they turned their heads, their own speech naturally changed back to dialect.

Arriving at the second floor, Liu Manting opened a room door. The furnishings inside were very simple: an old-fashioned bed and a wardrobe. Besides that, there wasn't even a stool, but it was very clean inside and should be cleaned often.

"Little Yuan, you live here, your Great-Grandpa is next door to you. You stay here for a while, I'll go get you a washbasin, towel, and spittoon. Oh, right, Little Yuan, are you afraid of sleeping in a room alone?"

"Not afraid, Great-Grandpa."

"Mm, it's okay, anyway Great-Grandpa sleeps next door to you, heh heh. Alright, Auntie, I'll leave it to you. I'm going to go use the porcelain vat."

Li Zhuiyuan's Great-Grandpa lit his cigarette and walked out to use the toilet.

"Come, Little Yuan, go upstairs with Auntie."

There were really too many things stacked on the first floor, even the stairs were blocked by more than half. People coming for the first time really wouldn't find it easily.

Li Zhuiyuan noticed there were actually steps continuing downward at the stairs, and asked: "Auntie Ting, is there another floor below?"

"Yes, there is a basement below, as big as this one."

"Are the things inside the same?"

"No, they are all your Great-Grandpa's things. Your Great-Grandpa couldn't bear to throw them away, so he specially dug a floor just to store them."

"Oh, is that so."

"Also, Little Yuan, Auntie, my name is Liu Manting. You can call me Liu Yi from now on."

"Liu Yi, you're not a local?"

"No, Auntie came from out of town to do paper-crafting work for your Great-Grandpa."

"Just you alone, Auntie?"

"Auntie's husband is also here, renting your Great-Grandpa's fields, and then on weekdays he also helps out, paper-crafting, delivering tables and chairs, etc.; he should be coming back from the fields soon. When you meet, you can call him Qin Shu. Additionally, Auntie's daughter and mother-in-law are also here, in the bungalow on the east side you saw when you came in. Your Uncle and I live on the west side. Auntie's whole family is here, relying on working for your Great-Grandpa to make a living. Before the liberation, we would all have to call you 'Little Young Master'."

Perhaps because he had just heard Li Sanjiang talk about the corpse-carrying team on the way here, Li Zhuiyuan felt somewhat uncomfortable with this joke and subconsciously shook his head:

"That's feudal dross."

"Eh?" Liu Manting was stunned for a moment. Such words coming from a child's mouth were indeed very surprising.

"Liu Yi, just call me Little Yuan."

"Okay, Little Yuan. I've heard your Great-Grandpa talk about you. You came back from the capital, right?"

"Mm, yes."

"Are you used to living here?"

"Used to it, it's very good here."

"Don't you find it boring and dull?"

"No, there are many fun things here."

"That's good. Auntie paints paper people every day, my hands are numb from drawing."

"Auntie draws very well, very professionally."

"What professional, Auntie was forced to do this, I don't know how to draw."

However, your posture holding the paint palette and brush is exactly the same as the teachers at the Art Academy.

"If Little Yuan wants to draw, you can help Auntie. Painting isn't actually hard."

"Okay."

Since returning to his hometown, this was the first time he had communicated with someone entirely in Mandarin, no longer so many Nantong dialects and so many "Hous."

Even his brothers and sisters who were in school only used Mandarin when they were "translating" for him at the beginning. Once they turned their heads, their own speech naturally changed back to dialect.

Arriving at the second floor, Liu Manting opened a room door. The furnishings inside were very simple: an old-fashioned bed and a wardrobe. Besides that, there wasn't even a stool, but it was very clean inside and should be cleaned often.

"Little Yuan, you live here, your Great-Grandpa is next door to you. You stay here for a while, I'll go get you a washbasin, towel, and spittoon. Oh, right, Little Yuan, are you afraid of sleeping in a room alone?"

"Not afraid, Great-Grandpa."

"Mm, it's okay, anyway Great-Grandpa sleeps next door to you, heh heh. Alright, Auntie, I'll leave it to you. I'm going to go use the porcelain vat."

Li Zhuiyuan's Great-Grandpa lit his cigarette and walked out to use the toilet.

"Come, Little Yuan, go upstairs with Auntie."

There were really too many things stacked on the first floor, even the stairs were blocked by more than half. People coming for the first time really wouldn't find it easily.

Li Zhuiyuan noticed there were actually steps continuing downward at the stairs, and asked: "Auntie Ting, is there another floor below?"

"Yes, there is a basement below, as big as this one."

"Are the things inside the same?"

"No, they are all your Great-Grandpa's things. Your Great-Grandpa couldn't bear to throw them away, so he specially dug a floor just to store them."

"Oh, is that so."

"Also, Little Yuan, Auntie, my name is Liu Manting. You can call me Liu Yi from now on."

"Liu Yi, you're not a local?"

"No, Auntie came from out of town to do paper-crafting work for your Great-Grandpa."

"Just you alone, Auntie?"

"Auntie's husband is also here, renting your Great-Grandpa's fields, and then on weekdays he also helps out, paper-crafting, delivering tables and chairs, etc.; he should be coming back from the fields soon. When you meet, you can call him Qin Shu. Additionally, Auntie's daughter and mother-in-law are also here, in the bungalow on the east side you saw when you came in. Your Uncle and I live on the west side. Auntie's whole family is here, relying on working for your Great-Grandpa to make a living. Before the liberation, we would all have to call you 'Little Young Master'."

Perhaps because he had just heard Li Sanjiang talk about the corpse-carrying team on the way here, Li Zhuiyuan felt somewhat uncomfortable with this joke and subconsciously shook his head:

"That's feudal dross."

"Eh?" Liu Manting was stunned for a moment. Such words coming from a child's mouth were indeed very surprising.

"Liu Yi, just call me Little Yuan."

"Okay, Little Yuan. I've heard your Great-Grandpa talk about you. You came back from the capital, right?"

"Mm, yes."

"Are you used to living here?"

"Used to it, it's very good here."

"Don't you find it boring and dull?"

"No, there are many fun things here."

"That's good. Auntie paints paper people every day, my hands are numb from drawing."

"Auntie draws very well, very professionally."

"What professional, Auntie was forced to do this, I don't know how to draw."

However, your posture holding the paint palette and brush is exactly the same as the teachers at the Art Academy.

"If Little Yuan wants to draw, you can help Auntie. Painting isn't actually hard."

"Okay."

Since returning to his hometown, this was the first time he had communicated with someone entirely in Mandarin, no longer so many Nantong dialects and so many "Hous."

Even his brothers and sisters who were in school only used Mandarin when they were "translating" for him at the beginning. Once they turned their heads, their own speech naturally changed back to dialect.

Arriving at the second floor, Liu Manting opened a room door. The furnishings inside were very simple: an old-fashioned bed and a wardrobe. Besides that, there wasn't even a stool, but it was very clean inside and should be cleaned often.

"Little Yuan, you live here, your Great-Grandpa is next door to you. You stay here for a while, I'll go get you a washbasin, towel, and spittoon. Oh, right, Little Yuan, are you afraid of sleeping in a room alone?"

"Not afraid, Great-Grandpa."

"Mm, it's okay, anyway Great-Grandpa sleeps next door to you, heh heh. Alright, Auntie, I'll leave it to you. I'm going to go use the porcelain vat."

Li Zhuiyuan's Great-Grandpa lit his cigarette and walked out to use the toilet.

"Come, Little Yuan, go upstairs with Auntie."

There were really too many things stacked on the first floor, even the stairs were blocked by more than half. People coming for the first time really wouldn't find it easily.

Li Zhuiyuan noticed there were actually steps continuing downward at the stairs, and asked: "Auntie Ting, is there another floor below?"

"Yes, there is a basement below, as big as this one."

"Are the things inside the same?"

"No, they are all your Great-Grandpa's things. Your Great-Grandpa couldn't bear to throw them away, so he specially dug a floor just to store them."

"Oh, is that so."

"Also, Little Yuan, Auntie, my name is Liu Manting. You can call me Liu Yi from now on."

"Liu Yi, you're not a local?"

"No, Auntie came from out of town to do paper-crafting work for your Great-Grandpa."

"Just you alone, Auntie?"

"Auntie's husband is also here, renting your Great-Grandpa's fields, and then on weekdays he also helps out, paper-crafting, delivering tables and chairs, etc.; he should be coming back from the fields soon. When you meet, you can call him Qin Shu. Additionally, Auntie's daughter and mother-in-law are also here, in the bungalow on the east side you saw when you came in. Your Uncle and I live on the west side. Auntie's whole family is here, relying on working for your Great-Grandpa to make a living. Before the liberation, we would all have to call you 'Little Young Master'."

Perhaps because he had just heard Li Sanjiang talk about the corpse-carrying team on the way here, Li Zhuiyuan felt somewhat uncomfortable with this joke and subconsciously shook his head:

"That's feudal dross."

"Eh?" Liu Manting was stunned for a moment. Such words coming from a child's mouth were indeed very surprising.

"Liu Yi, just call me Little Yuan."

"Okay, Little Yuan. I've heard your Great-Grandpa talk about you. You came back from the capital, right?"

"Mm, yes."

"Are you used to living here?"

"Used to it, it's very good here."

"Don't you find it boring and dull?"

"No, there are many fun things here."

"That's good. Auntie paints paper people every day, my hands are numb from drawing."

"Auntie draws very well, very professionally."

"What professional, Auntie was forced to do this, I don't know how to draw."

However, your posture holding the paint palette and brush is exactly the same as the teachers at the Art Academy.

"If Little Yuan wants to draw, you can help Auntie. Painting isn't actually hard."

"Okay."

Since returning to his hometown, this was the first time he had communicated with someone entirely in Mandarin, no longer so many Nantong dialects and so many "Hous."

Even his brothers and sisters who were in school only used Mandarin when they were "translating" for him at the beginning. Once they turned their heads, their own speech naturally changed back to dialect.

Arriving at the second floor, Liu Manting opened a room door. The furnishings inside were very simple: an old-fashioned bed and a wardrobe. Besides that, there wasn't even a stool, but it was very clean inside and should be cleaned often.

"Little Yuan, you live here, your Great-Grandpa is next door to you. You stay here for a while, I'll go get you a washbasin, towel, and spittoon. Oh, right, Little Yuan, are you afraid of sleeping in a room alone?"

"Not afraid, Great-Grandpa."

"Mm, it's okay, anyway Great-Grandpa sleeps next door to you, heh heh. Alright, Auntie, I'll leave it to you. I'm going to go use the porcelain vat."

Li Zhuiyuan's Great-Grandpa lit his cigarette and walked out to use the toilet.

"Come, Little Yuan, go upstairs with Auntie."

There were really too many things stacked on the first floor, even the stairs were blocked by more than half. People coming for the first time really wouldn't find it easily.

Li Zhuiyuan noticed there were actually steps continuing downward at the stairs, and asked: "Auntie Ting, is there another floor below?"

"Yes, there is a basement below, as big as this one."

"Are the things inside the same?"

"No, they are all your Great-Grandpa's things. Your Great-Grandpa couldn't bear to throw them away, so he specially dug a floor just to store them."

"Oh, is that so."

"Also, Little Yuan, Auntie, my name is Liu Manting. You can call me Liu Yi from now on."

"Liu Yi, you're not a local?"

"No, Auntie came from out of town to do paper-crafting work for your Great-Grandpa."

"Just you alone, Auntie?"

"Auntie's husband is also here, renting your Great-Grandpa's fields, and then on weekdays he also helps out, paper-crafting, delivering tables and chairs, etc.; he should be coming back from the fields soon. When you meet, you can call him Qin Shu. Additionally, Auntie's daughter and mother-in-law are also here, in the bungalow on the east side you saw when you came in. Your Uncle and I live on the west side. Auntie's whole family is here, relying on working for your Great-Grandpa to make a living. Before the liberation, we would all have to call you 'Little Young Master'."

Perhaps because he had just heard Li Sanjiang talk about the corpse-carrying team on the way here, Li Zhuiyuan felt somewhat uncomfortable with this joke and subconsciously shook his head:

"That's feudal dross."

"Eh?" Liu Manting was stunned for a moment. Such words coming from a child's mouth were indeed very surprising.

"Liu Yi, just call me Little Yuan."

"Okay, Little Yuan. I've heard your Great-Grandpa talk about you. You came back from the capital, right?"

"Mm, yes."

"Are you used to living here?"

"Used to it, it's very good here."

"Don't you find it boring and dull?"

"No, there are many fun things here."

"That's good. Auntie paints paper people every day, my hands are numb from drawing."

"Auntie draws very well, very professionally."

"What professional, Auntie was forced to do this, I don't know how to draw."

However, your posture holding the paint palette and brush is exactly the same as the teachers at the Art Academy.

"If Little Yuan wants to draw, you can help Auntie. Painting isn't actually hard."

"Okay."

Since returning to his hometown, this was the first time he had communicated with someone entirely in Mandarin, no longer so many Nantong dialects and so many "Hous."

Even his brothers and sisters who were in school only used Mandarin when they were "translating" for him at the beginning. Once they turned their heads, their own speech naturally changed back to dialect.

Arriving at the second floor, Liu Manting opened a room door. The furnishings inside were very simple: an old-fashioned bed and a wardrobe. Besides that, there wasn't even a stool, but it was very clean inside and should be cleaned often.

"Little Yuan, you live here, your Great-Grandpa is next door to you. You stay here for a while, I'll go get you a washbasin, towel, and spittoon. Oh, right, Little Yuan, are you afraid of sleeping in a room alone?"

"Not afraid, Great-Grandpa."

"Mm, it's okay, anyway Great-Grandpa sleeps next door to you, heh heh. Alright, Auntie, I'll leave it to you. I'm going to go use the porcelain vat."

Li Zhuiyuan's Great-Grandpa lit his cigarette and walked out to use the toilet.

"Come, Little Yuan, go upstairs with Auntie."

There were really too many things stacked on the first floor, even the stairs were blocked by more than half. People coming for the first time really wouldn't find it easily.

Li Zhuiyuan noticed there were actually steps continuing downward at the stairs, and asked: "Auntie Ting, is there another floor below?"

"Yes, there is a basement below, as big as this one."

"Are the things inside the same?"

"No, they are all your Great-Grandpa's things. Your Great-Grandpa couldn't bear to throw them away, so he specially dug a floor just to store them."

"Oh, is that so."

"Also, Little Yuan, Auntie, my name is Liu Manting. You can call me Liu Yi from now on."

"Liu Yi, you're not a local?"

"No, Auntie came from out of town to do paper-crafting work for your Great-Grandpa."

"Just you alone, Auntie?"

"Auntie's husband is also here, renting your Great-Grandpa's fields, and then on weekdays he also helps out, paper-crafting, delivering tables and chairs, etc.; he should be coming back from the fields soon. When you meet, you can call him Qin Shu. Additionally, Auntie's daughter and mother-in-law are also here, in the bungalow on the east side you saw when you came in. Your Uncle and I live on the west side. Auntie's whole family is here, relying on working for your Great-Grandpa to make a living. Before the liberation, we would all have to call you 'Little Young Master'."

Perhaps because he had just heard Li Sanjiang talk about the corpse-carrying team on the way here, Li Zhuiyuan felt somewhat uncomfortable with this joke and subconsciously shook his head:

"That's feudal dross."

"Eh?" Liu Manting was stunned for a moment. Such words coming from a child's mouth were indeed very surprising.

"Liu Yi, just call me Little Yuan."

"Okay, Little Yuan. I've heard your Great-Grandpa talk about you. You came back from the capital, right?"

"Mm, yes."

"Are you used to living here?"

"Used to it, it's very good here."

"Don't you find it boring and dull?"

"No, there are many fun things here."

"That's good. Auntie paints paper people every day, my hands are numb from drawing."

"Auntie draws very well, very professionally."

"What professional, Auntie was forced to do this, I don't know how to draw."

However, your posture holding the paint palette and brush is exactly the same as the teachers at the Art Academy.

"If Little Yuan wants to draw, you can help Auntie. Painting isn't actually hard."

"Okay."

Since returning to his hometown, this was the first time he had communicated with someone entirely in Mandarin, no longer so many Nantong dialects and so many "Hous."

Even his brothers and sisters who were in school only used Mandarin when they were "translating" for him at the beginning. Once they turned their heads, their own speech naturally changed back to dialect.

Arriving at the second floor, Liu Manting opened a room door. The furnishings inside were very simple: an old-fashioned bed and a wardrobe. Besides that, there wasn't even a stool, but it was very clean inside and should be cleaned often.

"Little Yuan, you live here, your Great-Grandpa is next door to you. You stay here for a while, I'll go get you a washbasin, towel, and spittoon. Oh, right, Little Yuan, are you afraid of sleeping in a room alone?"

"Not afraid, Great-Grandpa."

"Mm, it's okay, anyway Great-Grandpa sleeps next door to you, heh heh. Alright, Auntie, I'll leave it to you. I'm going to go use the porcelain vat."

Li Zhuiyuan's Great-Grandpa lit his cigarette and walked out to use the toilet.

"Come, Little Yuan, go upstairs with Auntie."

There were really too many things stacked on the first floor, even the stairs were blocked by more than half. People coming for the first time really wouldn't find it easily.

Li Zhuiyuan noticed there were actually steps continuing downward at the stairs, and asked: "Auntie Ting, is there another floor below?"

"Yes, there is a basement below, as big as this one."

"Are the things inside the same?"

"No, they are all your Great-Grandpa's things. Your Great-Grandpa couldn't bear to throw them away, so he specially dug a floor just to store them."

"Oh, is that so."

"Also, Little Yuan, Auntie, my name is Liu Manting. You can call me Liu Yi from now on."

"Liu Yi, you're not a local?"

"No, Auntie came from out of town to do paper-crafting work for your Great-Grandpa."

"Just you alone, Auntie?"

"Auntie's husband is also here, renting your Great-Grandpa's fields, and then on weekdays he also helps out, paper-crafting, delivering tables and chairs, etc.; he should be coming back from the fields soon. When you meet, you can call him Qin Shu. Additionally, Auntie's daughter and mother-in-law are also here, in the bungalow on the east side you saw when you came in. Your Uncle and I live on the west side. Auntie's whole family is here, relying on working for your Great-Grandpa to make a living. Before the liberation, we would all have to call you 'Little Young Master'."

Perhaps because he had just heard Li Sanjiang talk about the corpse-carrying team on the way here, Li Zhuiyuan felt somewhat uncomfortable with this joke and subconsciously shook his head:

"That's feudal dross."

"Eh?" Liu Manting was stunned for a moment. Such words coming from a child's mouth were indeed very surprising.

"Liu Yi, just call me Little Yuan."

"Okay, Little Yuan. I've heard your Great-Grandpa talk about you. You came back from the capital, right?"

"Mm, yes."

"Are you used to living here?"

"Used to it, it's very good here."

"Don't you find it boring and dull?"

"No, there are many fun things here."

"That's good. Auntie paints paper people every day, my hands are numb from drawing."

"Auntie draws very well, very professionally."

"What professional, Auntie was forced to do this, I don't know how to draw."

However, your posture holding the paint palette and brush is exactly the same as the teachers at the Art Academy.

"If Little Yuan wants to draw, you can help Auntie. Painting isn't actually hard."

"Okay."

Since returning to his hometown, this was the first time he had communicated with someone entirely in Mandarin, no longer so many Nantong dialects and so many "Hous."

Even his brothers and sisters who were in school only used Mandarin when they were "translating" for him at the beginning. Once they turned their heads, their own speech naturally changed back to dialect.

Arriving at the second floor, Liu Manting opened a room door. The furnishings inside were very simple: an old-fashioned bed and a wardrobe. Besides that, there wasn't even a stool, but it was very clean inside and should be cleaned often.

"Little Yuan, you live here, your Great-Grandpa is next door to you. You stay here for a while, I'll go get you a washbasin, towel, and spittoon. Oh, right, Little Yuan, are you afraid of sleeping in a room alone?"