Starting a new chapter in life

The director took the property certificate and opened it. His expression visibly worsened upon seeing the apartment number. This building belonged to the subdistrict office. Was the homeowner here to evict them? Where would they work then? Nowhere else was as good as this. Although he was extremely unwilling, he quickly masked his inner turmoil. "The homeowner listed here is Cheng Xiaoran. You're not the actual owner, are you?"

He Jiaoxu nodded calmly: "Cheng Xiaoran is my mother, and I am her only son. My mother is getting old, so I will handle these errands. I will bring her to complete the relevant procedures once it is confirmed."

The director nodded, looking quite conflicted. "Comrade, you see, our street office has been working here for over ten years. This house was on the list of properties to be confiscated back then. It was only because your mother was decisive that we avoided that storm. Now you're suddenly here to take the house. Where are we supposed to move to? We have to wait and see if I can apply to my superiors to see how we should proceed. What do you think?"

He Jiaoxu hadn't held out much hope, but since the director hadn't decisively rejected him, it meant there was still some hope. So he smiled and said, "Okay, should I leave my phone number or come back in a while?"

The director quickly said, "Please leave your phone number, and I'll let you know as soon as I have any news, okay?"

He Jiaoxu took out a notebook from his briefcase, pulled out a pen from the breast pocket of his Zhongshan suit, quickly wrote down his name, workplace, and company phone number, put the pen away, tore the paper off the notebook, and handed it to the director: "This is my contact information. I'll leave the rest to you."

He put the notebook back in his handbag, said goodbye and left. The director watched his departing figure, then looked at the work unit written on the paper, and felt a bit bald. This was a military person, and judging from his demeanor, his military rank should not be low. His ancestors also owned this mansion. They could not afford to offend such a person.

Frustrated, he ruffled his hair and could only dejectedly write the report. This matter could only be reported and we'd see what the higher-ups decided. If the house was returned, they would at least arrange an office space for him. But no matter where he went, the environment wouldn't be as good as here. If the house wasn't returned, it would be a lawsuit between the higher-ups and the homeowner. As long as it didn't affect him, it would be fine.

After viewing the two apartments, He Jiaoxu took a bus to Puci Sanatorium. Once inside, he knew the way well and went around to the back from the main entrance. At the very back of the sanatorium was a two-story red building with a sign outside that read: "Sanatorium for Retired Cadres".

He went inside and up to the second floor. He stopped at the door of a room near the inside and knocked: "Mom, I've come to see you."

After a while, the sound of leather shoes clicking on the floor came from inside. The sound stopped at the door, which opened, and the old woman who came into view still had her hair neatly styled in a bun, although her hair was completely white. She was wearing a wine-red Tang suit and smiled when she saw him. Although her face was marked by the hardships of life, it was not hard to tell that she had been a beauty in her youth: "Why did you come at this time? Didn't I tell you that it's enough to come and see me during holidays? I don't need anything here."

She turned and walked into the house, sat on the edge of the bed, and pointed to the sofa against the wall opposite her: "Sit."

He Jiaoxu followed her inside, turned around and closed the door. He looked at the open glass door to the balcony, where a row of flowerpots were placed, the flowers blooming brightly. He sat on the sofa and looked at his mother. "Mom, I've come to take back the house you used to live in, the two-story house with the small courtyard."

The old lady became quite interested upon hearing this: "That house can be taken back? Well, those people lost power and things were set right, so it's not surprising that the house can be taken back. But is it in a terrible state inside? With several families living together, it would be strange if it were still in good condition."

"Although it's a bit dirty and messy, it will definitely look much better after some repairs. At least it's not like the other houses around here that have been added on or partitioned, making the whole layout messed up. I also went to see our old house, which is in better condition. It's the office of the neighborhood committee, but it's still uncertain whether they can return the house. We'll have to wait and see."

“That villa is a nice house, but we’re not insisting. It would be best if it could come back, but if not, so be it. If we hadn’t lent the villa to the local government back then, your father and I might not have been able to move into this sanatorium. The outside world was in such chaos back then. If we hadn’t been sheltered here, the two of us old folks would probably be dead by now. Not to mention we wouldn’t be a burden on you. It’s all worth it.” The old lady was optimistic. “By the way, you didn’t come all this way just for these two houses, did you? There must be something else. Tell me.”

Upon hearing this, He Jiaoxu's furrowed brows immediately relaxed, and he couldn't suppress the smile on his lips: "Mom, Xiaojun and his wife are coming back."

"Did you arrange this?" The old lady raised an eyebrow and tilted her head to look at her son. Although she was old, she still had some of the charm she had in her younger days.

He Jiaoxu shook his head: "He took the college entrance examination himself and came back."

The old lady's smile immediately blossomed, and her eyes lit up: "Where did you get into?"

Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Mechanical Engineering major

The old lady was very happy: "Now that we've taken that apartment back, we'll find someone to renovate it properly. Xiaojun is studying here, so his wife should stay with him. You should take the renovation seriously and find a reliable craftsman, not just someone cheap."

He Jiaoxu readily agreed: "Mom, Xiaojun's wife called and said she'll try to come back before or after the New Year. How about we go to Yangzhou for the New Year this year? Our family hasn't spent the New Year together for over ten years."

The old lady didn't hesitate much and nodded: "Okay, you can pick me up before the New Year. I'll spend the New Year at your place this year, and then I'll come back with Xiaojun and his wife after the New Year."

“Mom, why do you still want to come back? Can’t you just live with me? It’s just Xiaoru and me at home, and it’s usually very quiet. It won’t disturb you. Things are different now than they were a few years ago. Before, it was safer for you to live here, but now everything is going in a good direction. Why don’t you move back and live with me?” He Jiaoxu said with a look of deep affection.

The old lady shook her head: "It's quite nice here. Don't think that this sanatorium is mainly for psychiatry. Actually, the doctors here are all very skilled, and there are even traditional Chinese medicine doctors. However, it's well protected, and the outside world doesn't know much about it. They just think it's a simple mental hospital. When I feel unwell here, a doctor comes to my door very quickly, which is much more convenient than at home. Moreover, there are many elderly people here. If it weren't for the cold weather now, there would be people playing chess and practicing Tai Chi in the small garden downstairs. I'm not lonely."

He Jiaoxu was also quite helpless, but he knew that no one in his family could stay with the old lady all the time. Oh well, as long as his mother was happy, that was all that mattered. He told the doctor and took the old lady to a nearby state-run restaurant. The old lady ordered a braised pork and a stir-fried vegetable dish. She ate two or three pieces of the braised pork and then stopped eating, letting her son finish it off. After the meal, she ordered a sweet soup to fill the gaps. She was in an extremely good mood.

“The sanatorium is great in every way, except the doctors are very strict. I haven’t had braised pork in a long time, and I’m really craving it. I’ll have a couple of pieces to satisfy my craving, but I can’t eat too much, or the doctors will suspect something if I’m not feeling well.” The old lady whispered to her son like a child.

He Jiaoxu was both amused and exasperated: "If Mom likes it, I'll come and bring it to you when I come to visit."

The old lady held out her hand: "Two pieces are enough, no more."

He Jiaoxu nodded, and the old lady stretched out her right hand as if coaxing a child, hooking her little finger with He Jiaoxu's: "It's a deal."

I took the old lady to the supply and marketing cooperative again. We bought a small bag of salted dates, a pound of milk candy, and two boxes of biscuits. "Mom, these are for you as snacks, but you can't eat too many, your teeth can't handle it."

The old lady nodded: "Yes, I'll suck it in my mouth, it won't hurt my teeth."

He Jiaoxu took the person back to the sanatorium. Seeing that it was almost time, he went to buy a ticket to return to Yangzhou. The old lady stood on the balcony watching her son's figure disappear. She happily went back to her room, took out a piece of milk candy, unwrapped it, put it in her mouth, and squinted her eyes happily: "Hmph, my teeth are fine."

He Jiaoxu returned home and told Cui Hongru everything. Cui Hongru thought for a moment and said, "Let's find someone to thoroughly clean the house first. As for the rest, I think we should wait until Zhijun and his wife come back and let the young couple decide how to repair it themselves. Anyway, they will be back for the New Year, and there are still more than half a month before he starts school. As long as they give us suggestions, whether to do it or hire professional workers, it's fine. At worst, Jingyan can stay at our house until the repairs are finished before going over. It's not like we can't fit her in our house."

He Jiaoxu also thought it was a good idea, "I'll go back to the unit tomorrow to inquire about the shipping arrangements."

Just then, He Zhicheng returned alone: ​​"Dad, I guessed you should be back around today. Zhijun's luggage shipping has been taken care of."

Cui Hongru stood up excitedly: "What happened? Tell me in detail."

"One of my comrades was assigned to the railway bureau after his discharge and is now considered a minor leader. I went through several twists and turns to contact him and told him about Zhijun's situation. He used his connections to get the necessary approval. We'll send the approval to Zhijun later. Once he's organized everything, he can take the approval to the Jiangshi Railway Station a day in advance to see the stationmaster. They'll make the arrangements there."

There's no direct train from Jiang City to our side, so we should have to transfer the goods. Fortunately, Jiang City is rich in coal, so we can transport it directly using freight cars. It will be a bit slower than transporting people, but only by two or three days. Once his stuff is on the train, have him call us and let us know the departure time. My comrade will help keep an eye on receiving it.

My comrade said that the items will first be stored in the station's backup warehouse. When Zhijun and the others return, they can just take the receipt from the shipping location to the warehouse to pick them up. They can be stored there for a maximum of one month; if they exceed that, they will be charged a storage fee. So, just pick them up as soon as possible.

After He Zhicheng finished speaking, he took out a slip of paper from his pocket. He Jiaoxu took it and looked at it carefully: "It seems that your comrade-in-arms is of a high rank. Now that the shipping has been arranged, we will write a letter to Zhijun tonight and send the slip of paper and the letter together."

Cui Hongru nodded: "Okay, Zhicheng, it's getting late, let's eat here tonight."

He Zhicheng shook his head: "No, Xiaojie will definitely cook at home. I didn't tell her in advance, so she will wait for me to come back to eat. I'll go back first. Dad, has the house in Haishi been taken back? Have you gone to see Grandma? Is she still in good health?"

He Jiaoxu nodded: "Your grandma is doing quite well. I had dinner with her at the state-run restaurant today, and she even ate two pieces of braised pork. The doctor told her not to eat dishes that are too oily or salty, but your grandma really wanted some. I even promised to bring her two more pieces of braised pork next time I visit her."

By the way, the house has been taken back, but it's been renovated terribly. Except for the layout, it's completely unrecognizable as it was when your grandparents lived there. Your mom said she'll have it thoroughly cleaned first, and as for renovations, we'll discuss that after your brother's family comes back. Also, your grandma agreed to come back and spend Chinese New Year with us this year, and then go back with Zhijun after the holiday.

He Zhicheng was overjoyed: "Grandma is coming back this year? That's wonderful! It's been more than ten years. Grandma has been staying in the nursing home and refused to come out. After all these years, our family can finally be reunited."

Cui Hongru was also very happy: "I'll clean up Mom's room first and see what else we can buy. Mom has never suffered any hardship in her life. She's such a particular old lady, we can't let her be unhappy when she comes back to live here. We need to buy new sheets and blankets, made of fine cotton. The patterns should be fresh and elegant, or solid colors if necessary. Mom hates those big floral patterns the most."

Seeing his wife so happy, He Jiaoxu was also happy. Looking at his eldest son, he waved his hand and said, "Alright, everything's over. You can go back now. If you stay any longer, the food your wife made will get cold."

Ignoring his father's disdain, He Zhicheng, knowing that his grandmother would be coming back to stay for a while, greeted his mother in a good mood, tightened his scarf, and hurried home. His unhurried demeanor in front of his father disappeared as soon as he left the house. He glanced at his watch and said, "Oh dear, it's getting late. I have to hurry."

Beidahuang Red Flag Commune

He Zhijun officially started his holiday on the weekend. The two of them had already cleaned up their house except for the necessities. The six chickens had also been slaughtered, plucked, and cleaned and were stored in a vat in the storeroom. Now they were just waiting for news from Yangzhou.

Knowing that He Zhijun was going to take the college entrance examination this year, she didn't prepare much winter vegetables or pickle any sauerkraut. Instead, she braised some pork that she had stored at home. While she still had time, Jingyan divided the braised pork into five portions, each weighing about two pounds.

First, she went to the 13th Company to say goodbye to He Chunni and gave her a serving of braised meat. He Chunni was really reluctant to part with her, but her man would be a college student in the future, and it was impossible to keep her here. After giving her blessings, she also made an agreement that Jingyan could write to her if she wanted any local specialties in the future, and she would prepare them and send them to her.