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墨書 Inktalez
No matter how dissatisfied Tang Zhiwen and the others felt, once Old Man Tang made a decision, it was not to be changed. Soon, the time to set off for Beijing was determined.
Old Lady Tang packed a lot of dried mushrooms, dried black fungus, and sweet potatoes that they had sun-dried at home, along with some dried vegetables. They also brought a large basket of eggs laid by their chickens and bought two non-laying hens from the neighbors. It was a hodgepodge of items.
Knowing they were going to Beijing for the wedding of the third son, Old Man Tang's siblings and Old Lady Tang's brothers and sisters also contributed a lot of things for them to take along. These were meant for Tang Zhi Cheng, the first successful descendant of the Tang family, whose status in the family was unquestionable. Even the uncles and aunts greeted him with smiles, not for any other reason but because they felt that since Tang Zhi Cheng had made something of himself, they might need his help in the future. They hoped he would lend a hand out of familial affection.
This was not an underhanded thought; it was common among elders. Therefore, when Old Man Tang and the others set off, they found they could hardly carry everything. In the end, they had no choice but to pack up the dried mushrooms and black fungus and send them by mail.
"Mom, Dad, Big Brother, you take care of things here; I’ll head back first," said Tang Zhi Wu as he helped load their belongings onto the train.
Old Man Tang nodded. "Alright, you go ahead. We’ll only be gone for ten days or half a month; we’ll return after the wedding."
"Keep an eye on things while we’re gone," he added as he waved Tang Zhi Wu off.
Tang Zhi Wu glanced at his older brother, envy flashing in his eyes. He wished he could go to Beijing with their parents, but knowing that his older brother would be there meant such good fortune wouldn’t come his way, so he kept quiet about it. Still, he couldn’t help but feel envious—envious that his older brother got to accompany their parents to meet people in Beijing. Envious that no matter what good fortune came to the family, it was always first considered for his older brother.
Perhaps noticing the fleeting envy in Tang Zhi Wu’s eyes, Old Man Tang suddenly called out to him. "Wait a moment, Second Son. Do you want to come with us to Beijing?"
Tang Zhi Wu hadn’t expected Old Man Tang to ask this; surprise flashed across his face momentarily before fading again as he thought about it. Of course he wanted to go, but considering their parents and older brother were already going, if he followed them, that would leave only his sister-in-law and wife along with a few children at home.
Moreover, with the busy farming season ahead, Tang Zhiwu needed to earn points, so he shook his head.
"It's not right for the family to be without a man, and I still have to earn points."
"Just say whether you want to go or not," interrupted the old man Tang.
Tang Zhiwu hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "I do want to go, but Dad..."
"If you want to go, then just get a ticket. I'll have your brother call the team leader to inform the family and request a leave for you," the old man Tang interrupted him again.
Tang Zhiwu was taken aback, then filled with excitement. "Really? Dad, are you really letting me go? I... I..."
He was so overwhelmed with emotion that he stumbled over his words, and his eyes began to redden.
Seeing his second son’s eyes welling up with tears, the old man Tang felt a pang in his heart.
He suddenly realized how much they had overlooked their second son over the years. Among the children at home, the eldest was their firstborn son, and naturally, they had given him more love and attention.
With the arrival of a son, the importance of the second child seemed diminished in comparison.
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