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墨書 Inktalez
"Head of the family, head of the family, we're here!" As soon as they exited the train station, everyone spotted the man waiting outside for them.
Hearing the calls, the man turned to look over. Confirming it was his wife, he strode over with purpose.
The eldest sister was introducing the man to Tang Zhicheng and Ye Fangfei. "This is my husband, Xie Chun. You can call him Brother Xie."
At that moment, the man approached them. The eldest sister warmly continued her introduction, "Chun, this is Xiao Tang and Xiao Ye, whom I met on the train."
"Xiao Tang is also from Guangping County. Like you, he used to serve in the military in Guangdong Province before transferring to Beijing for civilian work. They are back home for the New Year."
Without letting anyone else speak, the eldest sister quickly recounted Tang Zhicheng's situation to her husband.
Upon hearing that Tang Zhicheng had stayed in Beijing after his military service, Xie Chun realized that Tang must have some connections. Moreover, those connections were quite solid; otherwise, with so many veterans transitioning each year, how could he be one of the few to land a job in the capital?
Having also come from the military himself, Xie Chun knew that someone like him would typically only get assigned a decent job back in their hometown. So he immediately became warm and friendly towards Tang Zhicheng.
"Brother Tang, hello! Hello!" Xie Chun extended his hand for a handshake.
"Brother Xie, hello. Thank you for your help," Tang Zhicheng replied as he shook his hand.
"Come on, let’s get in the car; it’s too cold outside." Xie Chun took the large bundle from his wife's hands.
He had driven himself here, with Zhang Dajie holding their child in the passenger seat. Tang Zhicheng and Ye Fangfei each held a child in the back seat. Their luggage was stuffed under their feet.
"Everyone settled? Let’s go!" Xie Chun said as he started the engine.
On the road, Xie Chun asked Zhang Dajie, "How's your mother doing?"
"Not much going on; just her usual high blood pressure acting up. She was in the hospital for a few days getting IV fluids but is much better now and has been discharged," Zhang Dajie replied.
"When people get older, it’s always something—either this part hurts or that part feels off," Xie Chun remarked.
"Yeah, there's no way around it when you age," Zhang Dajie sighed.
As they discussed this topic, everyone fell silent. Each of them had elderly relatives to think about. Reflecting on their own parents brought a wave of melancholy to their hearts.
After a moment of silence, it was Xie Chun who finally broke the quiet. "Xiao Tang, is your hometown a county town?"
"Oh, my hometown is from Balizhuang in Guangping County. Have you heard of it, Brother Xie?" Tang Zhicheng replied.
Xie Chun nodded. "I've heard of it. I even passed through there once."
"Balizhuang isn't too far from the county seat. Here’s what we can do: I'll drop my wife off at home first, and then I'll drive you back."
"That won't be necessary, Brother Xie. I can just find a cart when the time comes," Tang Zhicheng said.
In fact, Tang Zhicheng had already sent a telegram home to inform them of their return time. Normally, his elder brother or second brother would rush to the station with an ox cart to pick them up.
However, since they weren’t taking the public bus but rather Xie Chun's car, they would arrive at the county seat two or three hours earlier than expected.
By the time they arrived, it was likely that the ox cart sent to fetch them hadn’t even set off yet.
Waiting at the station wasn’t an option either; it was too cold. While the adults could manage, the two children wouldn’t be able to handle it.
"Don't worry; I’ll take you straight home. It saves you from having to move your luggage back and forth," Xie Chun assured him.
"Xiao Tang, don’t be polite. If you’re not thinking of yourself, you should at least consider your siblings and the children."
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