Chapter 26 The Return of the Wanderer
Wang An looked at the expression of the person in front of him.
“I’m still reluctant to give up my love. This guy must be happy inside, right?”
Look at this tattered book, it looks like it has been chewed by a dog. It has probably been here for who knows how long. No one will buy it. Now it is finally sold. As for whether it is from the Song Dynasty, there is no doubt.
In the end, Wang An paid the money, and the book should still be valuable. He left "Shengbaozhai" with this ancient book and the two jade pendants.
That afternoon, I took the train back to my hometown three hundred miles away.
It was already past six o'clock in the afternoon when he returned to his hometown mountain village by car from the county seat, and the sky was completely dark by this time.
The waning moon is like a ditch, hanging on the top of the mountain.
The small village sandwiched between two mountains is quiet, with the occasional barking of dogs heard.
This is called Zhangjiagou, and Wang An has lived here since he was a child.
The old persimmon tree next to the entrance of the village has mostly fallen leaves on the treetops, and the yellow persimmons hanging on the branches are very beautiful.
I walked into the mountain village along the cement road in the middle of the village and returned to the familiar old house.
Opening the door, a light was on in the room, which was a little dim, and the sound of opera came from the room.
The two old men like to listen to opera.
Cough cough cough, the sound of coughing came from the house.
“Who is it?” Hearing the door open, a stooped old man with gray hair walked out of the house.
“Grandma.”
“Xiao An, why are you back?” the old man said in surprise after seeing Wang An.
Hearing the shouting, an old man came out of the house, hunched over.
“Grandpa, what’s wrong with you?” Wang An hurriedly put down the things in his hands and stepped forward to help him.
“Back pain, it’s an old problem.” Wang An’s grandfather said.
“Have you eaten yet? Let me cook for you?” Grandma Wang An said.
“Don’t be busy, I’ve already eaten. Sit down and I’ll talk to you.” Wang An held the old man’s hand.
“The company is on holiday, cough, cough, cough.” The old man coughed again.
“How long have you been coughing? Have you taken any medicine?”
“Take the medicine and you’ll be fine in a few days.” The old man said with a smile.
Wang An guessed at first glance that the old man had not taken any medicine. He hurriedly took out the cold medicine he bought for the old man from his bag, poured water for her to take the medicine, and then asked her grandpa about her back pain.
Looking at the old man with white hair and wrinkles in front of him, Wang An felt guilty.
The two old men have paid so much for themselves over the years, but I have rarely done anything for them. They only come back during the holidays or make phone calls. They only stay for a few days when they come back, and then leave in a hurry.
“I won’t be in a hurry to go back this time. I’ll stay with them here.”
In fact, what the elderly long for most when they get older is the company of their children and younger generations, but they are afraid of causing trouble for them, so they rarely speak out.
Whenever there is a festival, many old people will come out of their homes and stand at the entrance of the alley or the village, looking out of the village.
They watch, wait, and wait for their children to come back, even if they only come back once a year.
But sometimes, they can’t wait for anyone. All they wait for is a phone call. They don’t see anyone for a year, two, or three years. When the time comes every year, they still stand outside and wait, hoping.
Hope turned into extravagance,
Only the old couple are left to depend on each other, or even only one person is left, all alone.
They just endure it when they are sick, and will not go to the hospital until they can no longer bear it.
Because they have no money, because their children are far away from them.
“Very good.” Wang An said with a smile.
“Have you found a girlfriend?”
This is the issue that the two old men are most concerned about. They are eager to see Wang An get married and have children. This is their biggest wish in their lives.
“Well, I’m looking for it. It’s coming soon. It’s coming soon.”
“When will you bring it back to us for a look?” the old man then asked.
“Well, next year.”
“You said the same thing when you came back last year.” The old man said with a smile, looking at Wang An with eyes full of love.
“What kind of granddaughter-in-law do you like?”
“It’s not like I’m marrying a wife. If you like it, just be curious. The key is to treat you well. It’s best if she’s four years younger or older than you. That’s a first-class marriage. Even two years younger is fine…”
As soon as the marriage was mentioned, the old man started talking more, and Wang An listened quietly.
He suddenly felt that listening to these nagging was a very happy thing.
The room is a little cold.
Wang An took out the clothes, health care products and jade pendants he bought for the two old people.
He always felt that this was a kind of compensation before, but the more he took it out, the more he felt that he owed the two old people too much.
“Hey, why did you buy so many things when you came back? It will cost a lot of money, right?”
“Not much, not much, grandma, I have money.”
“If you have money, you can’t spend it randomly. You have to save it. You still have to buy a house, buy a car, and get a wife!”
The old man said this, but there was a smile on his face that couldn't be concealed. It was happiness from the bottom of his heart.
At night, the mountain village is very quiet, without the sound of busy traffic.
Wang An was lying on the bed, and coughing sounds could be heard from the next room from time to time.
Early in the morning, when he got up, the old man had already gotten up and made a fire to cook.
Wang An hurriedly stepped forward to help.
Noodles, eggs, pickles, simple breakfast, familiar taste.
Wang An ate two large bowls.
“I’ll make more for you if it’s not enough.”
“That’s enough.” Wang An said with a smile.
After dinner, he helped the two old people clean up the yard and the house.
I cycled to the town again and sold a lot of rice, noodles, beef and pork.
Then I made an appointment with a doctor online and planned to take the two elderly people to the county town for a comprehensive physical examination tomorrow. Then I would find a doctor to check my grandfather's waist. If necessary, he would take the elderly people to Hu'an again.
After finishing his work, Wang An began to practice Wu Qin Xi and Tai Chi in the yard.
"Xiao An, what are you practicing for? You look weird." Grandma asked with a smile.
“You and my grandpa can also practice Wu Qin Xi and Tai Chi to keep fit. By the way, my grandpa has a bad waist, so he can practice Wu Qin Xi to strengthen his back.”
Wang An's eyes lit up, and then he called up the old man lying on the bed and taught him Wuqinxi.
"I don't practice, it looks weird." The old man waved his hand and was about to go back to the house and lie down.
The pain in his back was severe these days, and he spent most of the day lying in bed, which would be more comfortable.
“Grandpa, this is the authentic Wu Qin Xi. I have experienced it personally and it is definitely good for your health after practicing it. You can try it.”
“Yes, try it.” The grandma on the side said with a smile.
In the end, the old man could not defeat Wang An and practiced Wu Qin Xi with him.
(End of this chapter)