Movies and TV: Enjoy life in all directions

After leaving Hao Dongmei's house, Fang Chang went to the city hospital's director, two vice directors, the home of Director Liu of the Department of Surgery, the home of Director Sun of the MSG workshop of the soy sauce factory, and the home of Captain Liu of the Security Department of the soy sauce factory.

It was already evening when Fang Chang finished his round. He drove his jeep back to Guangzipian's home.

Zheng Guangming, who was chopping wood with an axe in the yard, heard the noise of the jeep and threw down the axe and ran towards the gate.

"Brother-in-law, you are back!"

Zheng Guangming opened the gate while shouting. Fang Chang controlled the steering wheel and drove the jeep into the yard. He then jumped out of the car and opened the water tank to drain the water.

Zheng Juan, who was helping her mother light the fire in the room, stood up and walked out when she heard Zheng Guangming's shout:

"Why is it so late?"

Zheng Juan just asked casually.

"I had lunch at Director Liu's house at the Municipal Hospital, and in the evening I went to Director Sun's house at the MSG workshop at the Soy Sauce Factory, and he kept me there again."

Fang Chang said as he was moving things down from the car.

"Brother Fang, why did you buy so many things?"

Zheng Juan asked, pointing at the box of cigarettes and wine in Fang Chang's hands with her bulging belly.

"The cigarettes and the bucket of tea were given to me by Aunt Jin when I went to Hao Dongcheng's house. Aunt Jin didn't allow Hao Dongcheng's father to smoke, so she gave them to me."

"As for this box of wine, it was picked up from our dean's house. There are also apples, frozen pears, and frozen persimmons in the car!"

Fang Chang said as he walked into the house holding a cigarette and a bottle of wine.

"Brother Fang, I've only heard of people going out to give gifts, but you seem to be going out to get gifts."

Zheng Juan helped Fang Chang open the door and said with a smile.

At the same time, I admired my husband in my heart. My husband is really amazing. He would go out to visit other people and bring things home.

What kind of people are Hao Dongcheng's parents? It's incredible that my husband could take things back from his house. No one would believe it if I told others about it.

"Xiao Fang is back!"

Zheng's mother was wearing an apron and standing in front of the stove, holding a spatula in her hand and looking at Fang Chang with a smile on her face.

"What delicious food is this? It smells so good!"

Fang Chang sniffed and said.

"Seaweed and potatoes with some pork in it and a hot pepper sauce cooked in a pot of shredded vegetables."

Mother Zheng said with a smile.

"Wow~ Brother-in-law! Brother-in-law! You brought back so many firecrackers. You brought back a big bundle of double-bang firecrackers, dozens of string firecrackers, and several flower firecrackers."

Zheng Huaming's screams came from the yard.

"This kid only knows how to play all day. Xiao Fang, why did you buy him so many firecrackers? It's better to save that money for you and Juan to live a good life."

Zheng's mother was afraid that Fang Chang would not be careful in his life and spend money lavishly.

During the past six months, Fang Chang often went out to buy rice and noodles. The family had never eaten cornmeal steamed bread. They often ate steamed bread made of two-grain flour, millet rice, and sorghum rice. There was meat in every meal, and Zheng Juan had to eat an egg for every meal.

In the past, Zheng's mother and the others would never have dared to imagine such a life!

In the past six months, both Zheng's mother and Zheng Guangming have gained a lot of weight.

"Those that didn't cost money were all given to me by others."

Fang Chang put down his cigarettes and alcohol and walked out while saying with a smile.

"Guangming! Put the firecrackers and the flowers in the shed to freeze. They will be extra loud when you set them off tomorrow."

"I know, brother-in-law!"

Zheng Guangming responded happily and ran to the shed with a bundle of double-shot firecrackers.

Fang Chang was carrying frozen pears and frozen persimmons.

A few minutes later, Fang Chang returned to his room to wash up. Mother Zheng had already set the table and was waiting for Fang Chang.

Zheng's mother insisted that every time they ate, they had to wait for Fang Chang to come to the table before they could start eating.

In the words of Zheng's mother: Fang Chang is the head of the family, and this family revolves around Fang Chang, so Fang Chang should be allowed to sit at the table first.

Fang Chang sat at the main seat and first picked up a piece of pork for Zheng Juan and then picked up a piece for himself and put it in his mouth.

After Fang Chang started eating, Zheng's mother and Zheng Huaming picked up their chopsticks to eat.

Zheng Juan has fallen in love with spicy food since last month. She has to have chili sauce with every meal to make it taste delicious.

After dinner, Zheng's mother and Zheng Guangming cleaned up the table, while Fang Chang went to get some water to wash his feet.

Zheng Juan sat in front of the eight-immortals table, listening to the sound of the box and drinking tea.

Around nine o'clock in the evening, Zheng's mother and Zheng Guangming returned to the side room, and Fang Chang got into bed and hugged Zheng Juan.

"Brother Fang! Why don't you find a mistress?"

Zheng Juan spoke softly as she felt the changes in Fang Chang behind her.

"What nonsense! That's not the way it works nowadays."

Fang Chang thought Zheng Juan was testing him, so he patted Zheng Juan's thigh and said.

"Brother Fang, I heard that many of them have mistresses. You, you must be suffering like this now! You should find one too!"

Zheng Juan turned over and faced Fang Chang and spoke seriously.

"Nonsense, I'll find someone, who should I find?"

Fang Chang scratched Zheng Juan's nose and said.

"Brother Fang, I can feel that Zhou Rong likes you. How about I talk to Zhou Rong someday?"

Zheng Juan drew circles on Fang Chang's chest with her fingers and spoke seriously.

"How could Zhou Rong agree to this? Go to bed quickly!"

Fang Chang did not say whether it was okay or not, but said that Zhou Rong could not agree to it. Then he hugged Zheng Juan, kissed her on the forehead and closed his eyes.

Zheng Juan was hugged by Fang Chang and felt the changes in her husband. She became more determined in her thoughts.

The next day.

February 1969, 2, was New Year’s Eve, Sunday, the 16th day of the twelfth lunar month.

After breakfast, Fang Chang took a pair of scissors to cut red paper to write Spring Festival couplets, and Zheng Guangming took a brush made of corn leaves to apply paste on the back of the couplets.

After writing the three couplets, Fang Chang held the first couplet, while Zheng Juan stood in front of the courtyard and directed:

"A little more to the left, okay, Brother Fang, this is just right!"

"It's not crooked, right?"

Fang Chang looked up, then wiped and patted his hands.

After the second couplet is pasted, the side rooms and the main gate are next.

Zheng Juan picked and washed vegetables, Fang Chang chopped wood in the yard, Zheng Guangming lit a fire in the house, and Zheng's mother stewed pork.

Lunch consisted of stewed crucian carp, stewed chicken with mushrooms, mixed cold dishes (shredded kelp, cabbage, carrots, dried tofu, vermicelli), fried peanuts, and dumplings stuffed with pork and scallions.

After lunch, Fang Chang strolled to Zhou Bingkun's house carrying some sausages, frozen pears and frozen persimmons.

"Happy New Year, Brother Fang!"

Zhou Bingkun was chopping wood in the yard when he saw Fang Chang coming home. He quickly put down his axe and said happy New Year.

"Happy New Year! Bingkun, is my uncle Zhou back?"

Fang Chang handed Zhou Bingkun a cigarette and asked.

"I can't come back. The mission over there is quite tight. Brother Fang, you came just in time. My dad mailed back some local specialties from the south last night, and he brought some for you as well."

Zhou Bingkun took the cigarette, struck a match, lit the cigarette, took a puff and said.

"I'm going to go into the house to see my aunt."

Fang Chang pointed inside the house and said.

"My mother is making dumplings in the room with Chunyan and my sister!"

Zhou Bingkun said while holding a cigarette and picking up the axe.

Fang Chang nodded and went into the house.

Zhou Rong stood up when she saw Fang Chang enter the room:

"Director Fang is here!"

"Xiao Fang is here!"

"Brother Fang, please sit down!"

When Zhou's mother heard Zhou Rong's voice, she turned around and said with a smile.

The loud-voiced Qiao Chunyan patted the flour on her hands and went to pour hot water for Fang Chang.

"Happy New Year, Auntie! A while ago, a friend of mine bought some red sausages from Harbin. I'll give you some to try."

Fang Chang put the things in his hand on the table and said with a smile.

"You kid! Why are you being so polite to your family? Come sit over there and warm yourself up by the stove."

"Bingyi! Director Fang is here!"

As Zhou's mother spoke, she shouted towards the inner room.

"My brother Bingyi?"

Fang Chang glanced at the inner room and asked.

"Hey~ I don't know what happened. He became like this the day before yesterday when he came back. He hid in his room and he wouldn't tell me when I asked him."

Mother Zhou sighed and said.

Fang Chang naturally knew what was going on. Hao Dongmei had told him about it. Zhou Bingyi went to see him the day before yesterday, and Hao Dongmei made it clear that it was over between them.

"Maybe it's because your grades weren't good enough! Eh? Chunyan, come sit here and I'll take your pulse."

As Fang Chang spoke, he looked at Qiao Chunyan and saw that Qiao Chunyan's expression was not right.

"What's up, Brother Fang?"

Qiao Chunyan asked while holding an enamel teacup.

"Come, sit here. Have you felt unwell recently?"

Director Fang sat down at the round table and looked at Qiao Chunyan and asked.

Qiao Chunyan shook her head upon hearing this:

"No! I eat well and sleep well."

"Xiao Fang! Is Chunyan okay?"

Mother Zhou asked with a worried look on her face.

"Auntie! I think we might need to have a new member in the family."

Fang Chang said with a smile.

"What? You said Chunyan, is she pregnant?"

Mother Zhou asked with a look of delight on her face.

"Let me check Chunyan's pulse first."

Fang Chang nodded and said.

When Qiao Chunyan heard that she might be pregnant, she stopped making a fuss and sat down next to Fang Chang, stretching out her arms.

Fang Chang placed his fingers on Qiao Chunyan's wrist, closed his eyes and carefully felt her pulse.

Everyone in the room waited quietly.

After a while, Fang Chang withdrew his hand, opened his eyes, and had a look of joy on his face:

"Congratulations, Auntie! You're going to be a grandmother. Chunyan, congratulations, you're going to be a mother!"

Fang Chang said to the two of them with a smile.

"Really?"

"Bingkun! Bingkun! Come in quickly, Bingkun!"

Zhou's mother excitedly called out to Zhou Bingkun, who was chopping wood in the yard outside.

When Zhou Bingkun heard his mother calling him, he quickly dropped his axe and ran into the house.

"Mom! What's wrong?"

"Bingkun, you're going to be a father!"

Mother Zhou said with a smile.

"What? I'm going to be a father? I'm going to be a father! Hahahaha, I'm going to be a father, Brother Fang, I'm going to be a father, Sister, I'm going to be a father, you're going to be an aunt, Brother, you're going to be an uncle."

Zhou Bingkun shouted excitedly.