Having said that, he only then noticed the people in the room.
Elder Master Ye stood up. "How is it? What did the girl say in her letter? Is she getting used to life over there?"
Ye Wenze lifted the letter in his hand. "It’s a mix of good and bad news, but she hasn’t complained. She just mentioned that farm work is indeed tiring and that her hands have developed calluses."
He wanted to say more but, seeing that his Third Uncle (from his second grand-uncle’s household) and members of the Yue Family were present, he hesitated to speak.
The conversation then shifted to Ye Wenhui and Ye Wenjuan, who had gone to the countryside.
Zhang Baosheng wanted to use the restroom, so he asked Ye Wenze to take him out.
Xia Dongxue looked at Elder Zhang. "I also forgot to ask about Meizi and the others before."
Elder Zhang began, "Meizi got married and has a son and a daughter—the elder is a boy, four years old this year, and the younger is a girl, two years old this year. Xiaojun is also married and now has a daughter over one year old. The little granddaughter is still in primary school and very naughty."
Xia Dongxue paused. "And the third child? I remember that kid shares the same birthday as Wen Yue, only three days older than Wenjuan."
Elder Zhang’s face, which had been smiling, suddenly lost its cheer, and his eyes reddened. "Ah, that child...."
He found it hard to continue. After all, since the child had returned to their hometown with her parents, he and his wife had been the ones taking care of her. But who could have predicted that they would merely step out to attend a funeral, only to return and find the child missing? At the time, they were nearly frantic with worry. His wife, in her anger, had a major fight with their daughter-in-law and fell ill immediately. They searched for many days but never found any news of the child. In such cold weather, a child just over one year old, especially during that year of famine... Though he didn’t want to admit it, he knew in his heart that the child was probably long gone.
The people in the room kept their eyes on Elder Zhang. He took a deep breath and then explained the whole story, "It’s all our fault. We should never have left the child at home."
Elder Master Ye sighed. "Don’t be too hard on yourself. The elders say that good people are watched over by Heaven. Maybe a kind-hearted person has taken her in."
Elder Zhang wiped the tear from the corner of his eye. "My little girl is so well-behaved. I can only hope it’s as you say, elder brother."
He couldn’t help but look at the family portrait on the wall again. "My little girl resembles your Binglan. If she grows up, she would probably also be a beautiful girl. I just don’t know if I’ll ever see her again in this lifetime."
With that, everyone’s gaze turned to the family portrait on the wall.
The words of Elder Zhang caused a momentary daze for the two elderly members of the Ye Family, yet neither said a word.
When Zhang Baosheng and Ye Wenze came back in, they noticed the atmosphere in the room was somewhat strange, but they were too polite to ask.
In Songling Village, the brigade leader Qiao Yougen announced a major event early in the morning: the Hua’an Farm Reclamation was going to get electricity, and the power lines would be run over the mountain behind their village.
The villages along the route would also benefit, and it wouldn’t be long before the village would have electricity.
What’s more, the power bureau had said that they temporarily needed some people to help carry the power poles up the mountain.
This news excited all the sturdy laborers in the village, with one person asking, "Brigade leader, how much will the pay be?"
The brigade leader’s response didn’t disappoint anyone. "Because the job is to carry power poles up the mountain and requires strength, the pay is good: one yuan and twenty cents a day."
At this, the crowd erupted.
If they worked for ten days to half a month, they could have a prosperous New Year!
Therefore, from within the crowd, voices of people signing up rose one after another, "Brigade leader, count me in."
"I’m in, too. Please put my name down as well." This update is available on n͟o͟v͟e͟l͟f͟i͟r͟e͟.net