Chapter 40 Shenjia Village
Shen woke up early in the morning and was in a very good mood. She put the gifts in order again and again, fearing that something would be missing.
Qin Zhen and Qin Zhi helped put the gifts on the carriage, and after breakfast the four of them got on the carriage. Shen Changzhou sat outside driving the carriage, while Shen's mother and daughter sat inside.
Two hours later, the small village vaguely visible outside the carriage was Shenjia Village.
My hometown is in sight, and I am overjoyed.
Shen Changzhou couldn't hide his excitement.
The carriage slowly drove into the village and finally stopped in front of a dilapidated courtyard.
The courtyard was made of adobe bricks, many bricks had fallen off the walls, and the yard was overgrown with weeds.
The four people got off the carriage. Shen Changzhou pushed open the wooden door. He picked up a wooden pole on the ground and cleared the way in front. Everyone followed him into the courtyard.
The house was also built with adobe bricks, and a large piece of black tiles on the roof had fallen off. Pushing open the door, the house was bare and the only incense table was covered with dust. Shen and Shen Changzhou walked around the house.
Both of them were in a low mood. More than a decade ago, they were both children, and their parents were still alive. They lived happily in this house year after year, but now things have changed and people have changed. The children want to take care of their parents but they are no longer around.
"Is it Magnolia?" an old woman outside the yard asked, tilting her head.
Shen hurried out to greet them, and when she saw her relatives whom she hadn't seen for many years, she burst into tears.
"Aunt, I'm Yulan. I'm back." Shen replied with a sob.
Shen Changzhou and the others also followed out. Shen Changzhou recognized his aunt and called out "Aunt" with a trembling voice.
The old woman looked at Shen Changzhou with surprise.
"Changzhou, you are still alive, God, that's great," the old woman quickly pulled out her hand and stroked Shen Changzhou's cheek, confirming that it was him without a doubt. She turned her head and shouted towards her home, "Old man, come out quickly, look who is back."
As soon as he finished speaking, a large group of people ran out of the house next door, including children, women, men, and finally a white-haired old man.
"Yulan is back, wow, my God, who is this, Changzhou, Dad, Changzhou is back, Changzhou is not dead." The speaker was the son of great aunt Gao, and also Shen Changzhou's cousin, Shen Changlin, who was two years older than Shen Changzhou.
"Changzhou," Uncle Shen quickened his pace and ran over. Although Uncle Shen's hair was white, he was still energetic. "That year we received a letter saying that you died on the battlefield. Why didn't you write a letter to your family in these years?"
"Uncle, I was injured and lost contact with the team. The army did not find my body, but many bodies were unrecognizable, so they thought I had died as well. It's just that I couldn't remember a lot of things after I was injured, and it was only last year that I remembered what happened before. Uncle, Changzhou is unfilial and has made you worry." Shen Changzhou was heartbroken when he saw his uncle's white hair.
"Good boy, you're back." Uncle Shen pulled Shen Changzhou home and said, "Let's go home and have dinner. Old woman, kill a chicken quickly. I want to have a good drink with Changzhou."
"Hey, I'll go kill the chicken right now," the aunt said happily as she was about to catch the chicken.
Shen quickly stopped her.
"Aunt, don't rush to catch the chicken. We've taken it with us." Then he called Qin Zhi to get things from the car.
"Aunt, those two are my twin daughters. The younger one is very naughty, like a tomboy. She likes to go to the mountains to dig traps and catch a lot of pheasants. I caught a few for you to nourish your body." After saying this, Shen took the pheasants that Qin Zhi handed over from the car. There were about five or six pheasants tied together with ropes in advance, and they were all fat.
The aunt was also very happy when she saw the fat pheasant. She quickly took it and asked her daughter-in-law Sun to kill one and stew it. Sun took the pheasant, said yes, and went to the kitchen.
Qin Zhi and Qin Zhen took down the gifts they brought, and the children surrounded them. Qin Zhen gave each child a handful of fruit candy, which the children loved very much.
He brought a jar of wine to the uncle of the Shen family, peach cakes to the aunt, a piece of water-clear cotton cloth to Sun, and a piece of deep blue coarse cloth to Shen Changlin. Shen Changlin had a son and a daughter. The son Shen Qing was fifteen years old and was studying in the academy. He was given a set of writing brushes, inkstones, and paper. The daughter Shen Bi was thirteen years old, and he was given a piece of pink jacquard cloth. Qin Zhi also gave her a few hairbands and pearl flowers, which Shen Bi loved very much.
The Shen family are all down-to-earth people. They really like these gifts and everyone is happy to accept them.
Sun was quick and efficient and quickly prepared a table of food. They were all ordinary farm dishes, but they looked very appetizing.
When they sat down at the table, everyone kept putting food into the bowls of Shen and Qin Zhen. The two sisters were flattered by the enthusiasm.
After the meal, Shen took Shen Changzhou and his party of four to Uncle Shen's home. Uncle Shen originally had a son, but he died in an accident two years ago, leaving Uncle Shen and his two elders to depend on each other. Uncle Shen was injured when he was young, and his legs and feet were not smooth when he was old, and he limped.
Shen had the deepest feelings for her third uncle. When her parents passed away, it was her third uncle and aunt who took her home and treated her like their own daughter. Shen's dowry was also arranged by her third aunt Xiao.
The Shen siblings did not mention it when they saw their uncle crying and holding his head.
Shen felt distressed by the haggard and old appearance of her third uncle and aunt.
"Uncle San," Shen said. "Come back with me this time. I am worried about you two living in this mountain."
"Nonsense! It's not right for an uncle to live at his niece's house. If you were to do that, you'd be drowned by the spit from your in-laws." Uncle Shen said.
"Uncle San, I'm a free man now, no one will say anything to me, just come with me." Shen said calmly.
Uncle San was shocked, wondering how this could happen.
Shen told her uncle everything that had happened, and her uncle was so angry that he almost crushed his hands.
Uncle and aunt felt sorry for Shen and agreed to move in and live with her.
In the evening, Chef Qin Zhi cooked a rich dinner with the rice, flour and meat he brought. It had been a long time since Third Uncle and Third Aunt had a good meal.
After dinner, Third Aunt cleaned up two rooms and let Shen Changzhou and his friends stay there for two nights.
Early in the morning, the Shen siblings took Qin Zhen and Qin Zhi to the mountain to worship their parents.
The area around my parents' graves was cleaned up very cleanly, and you could vaguely see traces of candlelight, which seemed like someone had come to pay their respects.
After coming down the mountain, Shen Changzhou and his sister visited their clansmen door to door.
When they met Shen Changzhou, everyone felt that he was blessed with great fortune.
These clansmen helped Shen when she was in need. Now that they are back, they want to thank them properly.
The Shen family did not come empty-handed, they prepared gifts for each family, and they all touched their hearts.
In the evening, Third Aunt hesitated for a moment and told Shen Changzhou that Ah Si had been there.
Ah Si? Shen Changzhou's heart skipped a beat.