https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-205-I-d-Do-This-Job-Even-Without-Pay/12849345/
Chapter 206: Grandfather's Doting
Chapter 206: Grandfather's Doting
"Xiaodong'er, come to Grandpa for a hug!"
"Xiaodong'er, would you like Grandpa to take you out to play?"
"Xiaodong'er, look, these are our family dogs. They’re already over a year old."
"Xiaodong'er..."
After returning from the county town, Deng Shirong found himself often amusing his granddaughter.
Xiaodong'er was now four and a half months old, and she had inherited her mother’s beauty, becoming more and more lovely with each passing day.
Her big, bright eyes were especially captivating, and whenever her mother or aunt carried her out, the village women couldn’t resist taking turns to hold her.
As the saying goes, grandparents often dote on their grandchildren, and this was no exception.
In the past, when Deng Shirong’s own children were born, he didn’t hold them very often. But with his granddaughter, it was different. He found himself wanting to hold and play with her whenever he had a free moment. Seeing her smile made his heart warm.
One day, Deng Shirong was carrying Xiaodong'er around the village.
As they reached the eastern end of the village, Zhang Qi, heavily pregnant, came walking towards them, carrying an empty basket and her little daughter on her back with a sling.
Seeing Deng Shirong, Zhang Qi greeted him immediately, "Uncle Jiu."
Deng Shirong frowned, "Zhang Qi, are you going to carry the seedlings?"
Zhang Qi nodded, "Yes, we’re planting rice today, and I’m helping by carrying the seedlings."
Deng Shirong said, "But you’re heavily pregnant and carrying a child. You shouldn’t be doing such heavy work. If you accidentally strain yourself, it could be dangerous."
Zhang Qi smiled, "It’s fine. I’m used to it. I did a lot of work when I was pregnant with the others, and I know my limits."
Every family has its own struggles, and Deng Shirong understood Zhang Qi’s position in her in-laws' home.
Although he had clearly stated that the gender of a child was determined by the father and not the mother, the deeply ingrained beliefs of the rural community couldn’t be changed by a simple statement.
At least, Zhang Qi, who had already given birth to five daughters, lacked the confidence to stand up for herself, which was why she continued to do heavy work even while pregnant.
In her mind, without having a son, she had no right to be pampered.
Seeing the situation clearly, Deng Shirong could only offer a word of advice and nothing more. He said, "Take care of yourself. Even if you have to carry the seedlings, try to carry less each time. Your health is more important than anything else.
I have a feeling that the one in your belly will be a son, so you mustn’t strain yourself and risk any complications. You’ll regret it if you do."
Zhang Qi nodded repeatedly, "Thank you, Uncle Jiu. I’ll be careful."
Deng Shirong watched her walk away with the empty basket and then turned to his granddaughter, who was still in his arms. "Xiaodong'er, the differences between people are truly vast. If you want to live a life above others, you must study hard, do you understand?"
Xiaodong'er waved her little hands and made babbling sounds.
Deng Shirong laughed, "Actually, you already have a better start than most people in the country. If you study well and absorb useful knowledge, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to showcase your talents when you enter society.
But if you don’t study like your aunt, then you might as well settle for a comfortable life as a well-off young lady!"
Xiaodong'er continued to babble and reach out.
No one knows what path her future will take.
...
In March of the Gregorian calendar, it was the first "National Civility Month" in our country. The county government launched a campaign promoting the "Five Advocates" (morality, civility, etiquette, hygiene, and order) and the "Four Beauties" (beauty of the soul, language, behavior, and environment).
When the village officials started promoting the "Five Advocates and Four Beauties" campaign, Deng Shirong knew it wouldn't have much of an impact. Although life had improved for the villagers after the land reforms, many families still couldn't afford meat more than once a month.
In such conditions, who had the leisure to care about "Five Advocates and Four Beauties"?
However, despite the villagers' lack of interest, 150,000 young people across the county enthusiastically participated in the hygiene campaign. The main force came from the students, including Deng Shirong’s children. They collected over 9,100 loads of garbage, cleared 1,200 meters of sewage ditches, and cleaned 200 sand wells. They also leveled 2,300 meters of roads.
Moreover, the county organized various service projects, including haircuts and repairs, totaling more than 20 initiatives, which also achieved good results.
During this period, Deng Shirong made a trip to the county, mainly to check on the progress of the restaurant construction and to act as a supervisor for a few days. After observing for two or three days, he returned home with peace of mind. The construction quality in this era was indeed reliable, unlike the shoddy work of later times.
...
The first Saturday after the Spring Equinox, the entire Bobai County was busy with one thing: clearing the hills.
Families with many ancestral graves often needed two days to clear them all, while Deng Shirong’s family, with fewer graves, could finish in a single day. This wasn’t something to be proud of, as it indicated that their family wasn’t as prosperous as others.
But that was in the past. Deng Shirong had five sons, and he believed that in another twenty years, their family would be thriving.
According to the family hierarchy, Deng Shirong’s deceased wife’s grave was the last to be cleared.
When offering incense, Deng Shirong squatted by the grave and said, "Old lady, I’ve brought the children to visit you again. I have some good news for you. Last Winter Solstice, our third generation was born—a granddaughter. She looks just like her mother, and she’s very beautiful..."
Deng Shirong chatted with his late wife for about ten minutes before concluding, "After the Dragon Boat Festival, Yun Tai and the others will head to the county to open the restaurant. I hope you can watch over them from the afterlife and keep them safe."
His children also spoke to their mother, saying a few words. When clearing the graves of other ancestors they hadn’t met, they mostly just went through the motions, but when it came to their mother, they had much more to say.
During the hill-clearing, his daughter-in-law, Zhang Xiuping, stayed home with the granddaughter, as the child was too young for such an event.
While the village was busy clearing the hills, Deng Shirong’s niece and her husband were busy with another project: planting watermelons on the lychee mountain.
Last year, his niece and her husband had tried planting a batch of watermelons on the lychee mountain. Not only did they have enough watermelons to eat all summer, but they also made a good amount of money. This year, after consulting with their uncle, Deng Shirong, they decided to plant more, covering the entire lychee mountain.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
