Volume 9 – Chapter 28: Dazhe
Luo Qiu’s hometown was not a place that could be reached directly by plane. When he was still very young, he followed his parents back to his hometown to worship his ancestors. He could only return to his hometown after transferring from the airport to the large bus and then another transfer to the town’s minibus.
But, the high-speed rail was now in place. However, the minibusses between the towns were still there.
They took off early in the morning. After they got off the bus, it was already four o’clock in the afternoon. Although if they bought the tickets that would take them from the club straight to the arrival point, they would spare them from being travel-worn, Boss Luo still returned to his hometown through the usual way.
The person who picked up Luo Qiu from the intercity bus station was his cousin. Luo Qiu did not remember this cousin because his cousin lived apart from the family and rarely walked around the town. He remembered that his cousin was born three years before him and his name was Luo Zheng.
His uncle also had an elder daughter. From what he remembered, she should be almost thirty-five years old.
“Oh, speaking of which, both of us haven’t met each other for years! I remember that the last time I met you was three years… four years ago, right? You didn’t reach my shoulders at that time. Now, you have grown a lot taller. You are in college, right?”
Luo Zheng was a capable and experienced young man who had started a mini wholesale business by himself. – This time, the minivan he drove to pick up Luo Qiu was the tool that he usually used to transport goods.
He was quite enthusiastic, probably because he was also a young person.
“A lot has changed here.” Luo Qiu looked at the road outside. Luo Zheng’s driving speed was comparable to Ren Ziling’s, and the wind that came in contained the stench of mud and fertilizer.
“The country expanded the development here.” Luo Zheng smiled. This was a smile that indicated satisfaction with his current life.
He was also one of the beneficiaries of the development of this country.
“By the way, do you want something to eat? I have some spicy sticks. Want some?” Luo Zheng showed his big yellow teeth at this moment, becoming more enthusiastic.
“I just got off the car. I would prefer not eating anything for the time being.” Luo Qiu shook his head.
Luo Zheng was taken aback for a moment, and then said, “Luo Qiu, are you getting motion sickness? Shall we take a break first? There is a snack counter in front of us. I will get you a bottle of water. Wait for me!”
Having said that, Luo Zheng hurriedly stopped the minivan, ran into the snack counter on the side of the road. After a while, he brought back a box of mineral water.
Luo Qiu opened the door of the minivan.
“Wait, there are three more boxes.”
“You bought so many at once?” asked Luo Qiu curiously.
Luo Zheng smiled and said, “Well, it’s on discount. I bought more since it’s cheap. It is convenient to give it to the workers to drink. If I can save, I will do it. Wait for a while. I am almost done!”
“I’ll help you.”
“No need, small matter.” Luo Zheng was still laughing with a little smirk. His eyes were bent like those of a guppy looking up in a clear river. “A student will not be used to this kind of rough work.”
“I am not that weak.” Luo Qiu just smiled.
But, he was still polite… Whether it was Luo Zheng or him, both of them were polite. It was probably this atmosphere when relatives from far away come back for a visit.
But, Boss Luo liked Luo Zheng’s guppies-like eyes.
After setting off again, Luo Zheng began to talk about some daily topics. Luo Qiu then began to have some ideas about the social happenings in his hometown.
“Isn’t this the way to the hospital?” Luo Qiu asked curiously while looking at the road signs on the road.
Luo Zheng sighed and said, “The old lady is no longer hospitalized, saying that it costs money. She went home after arguing with me. It is not so difficult. After the policy was implemented, there has been public medical care. But, she doesn’t believe anything I said and argued with me. I had no other choice but to let her come back… Wait, I’ll answer a call.”
Luo Qiu nodded.
“…Brother-in-law, I am picking someone up. This… Okay then, wait for me, I’ll pass by the road.” Luo Zheng turned off the phone, looked at Luo Qiu, and said, “Brother, I’ll take a turn.”
“Who is the brother-in-law you just mentioned?” asked Luo Qiu suddenly.
“He was my sister’s husband. Oh, it’s not unusual that you don’t remember him because both of them had divorced a long time ago…” said Luo Zheng casually. “…By the way, if you are tired, why not nap for a while? The pillow at the backseat is very comfortable!”
“Okay, I’ll take a nap.”
…
Luo Qiu closed his eyes on the back seat. After a while, Luo Zheng’s car stopped on the roadside. Luo Zheng glanced at the rearview mirror. After he saw that Luo Qiu closed his eyes, he then unfastened his seat belt and got out of the car.
There was a man in his thirties who was waiting for a long while and was carrying a lot of things in his hands at the roadside.
“Luo Zheng!” The man called when Luo Zheng got out of the car.
Luo Zheng walked over quickly and then dragged the man to a distance. The man glanced at the van in deep thoughts and asked, “Is there someone in the van?”
“There is a guest who just fell asleep. It is better not to wake him up.” Luo Zheng nodded. “As I said, you should stop buying things. I know your situation. So, don’t waste this money and keep some for yourself.”
“It’s okay. It is just some nutrition products for the elderly. Just accept my little gift.” The man kept on saying, “My Dear Zheng, just say that it is a gift from your friend.”
“Ai, brother-in-law, I don’t want it. You have given so much recently. We can’t finish it.”
“As for the things…I’ll leave them here. I have to start work. I will leave first!” The man quickly put the things on the road and immediately left.
“Brother…” Luo Zheng watched the man walk away and finally shook his head. He then looked at the pile of things on the ground and resignedly carried it back into his car.
But, when he opened the door, he saw that Luo Qiu was awake. Luo Zheng was taken aback and smiled awkwardly. He lowered his head and stuffed things into the back seat.
On the way home, Luo Zheng started talking about this man.
The man’s name was Wei Dazhe. He was always getting into trouble. Besides, he did not study well when he was young and mixed with the wrong crowd. He was now muddling through his life.
“How should I put it? I don’t know what my sister saw in Dazhe in the first place.” Luo Zheng shook his head. “When they were together, there was a lot of havoc at home. I thought that after he got married, he would improve. However, he caused trouble again and again.”
“Trouble?”
“Um…” Luo Zheng shook his head. “I will tell you the truth. My ex-brother-in-law is a frequent visitor to the prison. Over the years, he has been in and out of prison five times. The prison has become his home. He only came out of prison the year before. I heard that he committed another crime recently. He was arrested and locked up for several days. Now, do you understand?”
Boss Luo nodded.
Luo Zheng continued driving the car, “Actually, it is best for her to divorced him early. Otherwise, my sister will probably have to live a hard life.”
“How is my cousin sister now?”
“Oh, she remarried.” Luo Zheng chuckled and said. “Her current husband is a junior high school teacher, and he is very nice. Oh, by the way, you should be able to meet him during these few days. When the time comes, I will introduce you to him.”
“I will visit grandma first when I reach home.” Luo Qiu whispered. ” When I have time later, I have to go back to the old house to clean up and live in it these few days.”
“That house is left vacant for many years.” Luo Zheng shook his head and said. “How long will it take you to clean up? Stay at my place tonight! I built a new house a few years ago and saved a place for you to live in it.”
Luo Qiu said, “I can’t come back here and disregard my old house.”
“You’re right. That’s fine. It’s up to you.”
Luo Zheng still smiled, “Let’s go home. The old lady will probably be happy to see you. Do you know that she has been constantly bringing up things in the past like when she was a child…?”
…
A lot of capital began to pour into this township. The rapid development speed was not in sync with the township’s capability. However, it was undeniable that this capital had brought in many business opportunities to this township. Naturally, this led to even more jobs.
For example, there was a lot of demand for construction workers.
Wei Dazhe climbed over the fence, tied his coat to his body, put on a safety hat, and hurriedly picked up two buckets of water.
“Wei Dazhe!”
Someone suddenly yelled behind Wei Dazhe. He was one of the foremen of this construction site.
“Foreman, what’s the matter?” Wei Dazhe turned around and put down the bucket in his hand.
The foreman snarled, “Wei Dazhe, do you still want to work? Where did you go?!”
Wei Dazhe said, “My stomach was a little uncomfortable. I have to let it go.”
The foreman sneered, “Let it go? I think you are just slacking off. Wei Dazhe, someone just saw you sneaking out! I also saw you come in over the wall just now. Do you still dare to tell me lies? You little rascal! You’re going to continue being dishonest, are you?! You start to babble nonsense, are you?”
Wei Dazhe panicked, “I’m sorry, foreman. I have something urgent to handle. Really! I promise there will not be next time.”
The foreman shook his head and pointed his finger, “Wei Dazhe, let me tell you, I know what you are. If it were not for the shortage of people here, the labor and management would rather move the bricks by themselves than hire you as a casual worker! Listen to me well. Behave yourself and don’t do any sneaky things. Otherwise, don’t even think about being hired by anyone else at the construction site nearby here! I will deduct eighty from you for slacking off today!”
“Foreman, I, I just went out for a while…”
“Do you still want to work here?”
“Yes, yes…foreman.” Wei Dazhe nodded. “I know. I will not do it next time, not anymore.”
“Get to work!” The foreman shouted.
Wei Dazhe picked up the bucket silently and turned to leave.
The surroundings were noisy with a clunking sound with dust covering up the sky.