Crossing the Unknown Country

Su He's family of three walked leisurely to the outskirts of Su He's grandmother's village. This village is not near mountains or water, but a village in the plains. There are many farmlands and a larger population than Shili Village. It is a medium-sized village with a concentrated population.

Su He's grandmother's home was in the inner part of the village, and they attracted the attention of the villagers as soon as they arrived outside the village. Their large mule cart was not something that ordinary families in the village could own, so someone came up to them and asked who they were looking for.

Su Heniang got out of the car and said to the people who asked them, "I'm back to my mother's home, the Qin family in the village. I'm Ruxue, the youngest daughter of the Qin family."

The man took a closer look and found that it was not the girl from the Qin family in the village. He smiled and said, "Ruxue is back. She hasn't been here for a long time. Go home and take a look! Your mother doesn't seem to be in good health recently. She has been coughing for a while and she hasn't recovered yet."

When Su He's mother heard that her mother was ill, her face changed. She said hello to the others and urged Su He's father to go to her mother's house. When they arrived at the door of the house, she jumped out of the car as soon as it stopped, shouting: "Mom, mom, what's wrong with you? I came back to see you."

Grandpa Su He was sitting in front of the main room smoking. He was startled when he heard the voice. Why did it sound like his own Ruxue's voice? He leaned on the pipe in his hand and looked up. The person who pushed the door in was his second daughter who had never come back.

With his hands shaking with excitement, he shouted into the house, "Old lady, come out and see, Ruxue and the others are back."

Su He's grandmother rushed out of the house, looked at Su He's mother and went up to hug her and patted her back: "You little girl, you still remember to come back, do you know that your parents miss you so much? Why are you so magnanimous? Don't you miss your parents?"

As Su He's grandmother cried and spoke, Su He's mother also burst into tears. After she finished speaking, Su He's grandmother suddenly coughed again, and it was obvious that she was not well. Su He's mother hurriedly patted her mother's back. Su He and her father tied up the car and came in. Seeing that her grandmother was so thin, it was obvious that she was seriously ill and looked very haggard.

Su He's grandmother looked at Su He and waved to them to come in and sit down. Su He followed her mother and one of them supported her into the house. The three of them sat side by side on the kang. Su He's father brought in all the things in the car and sat down next to Su He's grandfather.

When Su He's grandmother saw how many things they had brought, she angrily shouted at them, "Your family is gone. Why did you buy so many things? Did I want your things? I miss you. Take everything with you when you leave. Return everything that can be returned. Don't even consider your money as money."

Su He Niang quickly explained, "Don't worry, mother. We are doing business now, and these things don't cost much. If we weren't busy with business, we would have come here a long time ago. Brother Feng and Brother Run are both studying in the town academy, and our family's life has improved. You see, we came here this time by mule cart."

When Grandpa Su He heard about this, he drove a mule cart over and called out to Su He's father, "Hurry up and get the cart in. What if the cart is lost? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

Grandpa Su He got off the kang and walked out the door without even putting on his shoes. Su He's father quickly followed him out. Grandpa Su He personally led the mule cart into the yard, pulled it to the wall, and stroked the mule's fur lovingly, sighing that the mule was really strong. He asked Su He's father about the price of the mule cart and how he usually fed it.

Grandpa Su He and his father Su He came into the house and talked about the current situation of the Su He family. Grandpa Su He was very pleased that the Su He family was doing so well now, and his second daughter finally didn't have to suffer. As soon as he saw the way the three of them were dressed, he knew they were not lying.

Su He's mother took out the cloth she had bought and asked her mother to make clothes for all four seasons by herself. She told her mother not to be reluctant and would buy clothes for them every year.

She then remembered why her brother and sister-in-law hadn't seen them and asked, "Mom, where did my brother and sister-in-law go? Why didn't I see them?"

Grandma Su He said, "They went to the fields. I have been sick since the beginning of winter and have not recovered yet. I can't work in the fields. They need people in the spring. They went to the fields with their two children. If they don't work, what will they eat?"

"Your father has a backache today, so he is resting at home. They will be back at noon, so your sister-in-law can't be lazy now, as time waits for no one. Your two nephews, Jun and Wen, are also in their teens, and they can help with the farm work."