Chapter 206: Grandparents
"Xiao Dong'er, come here for a hug from grandpa!"
"XiaoDong'er, grandpa will take you out to play, okay?"
"XiaoDong'er, look, these are our dogs. They're already over a year old."
"Xiao Dong'er..."
After returning from the county town, Deng Shirong enjoyed teasing his granddaughter whenever he had free time.
Xiao Dong'er was now four and a half months old. She had inherited her mother's good looks, growing more beautiful by the day. Her big, watery eyes were especially endearing. Every time her mother or aunt took her out, the young girls and women in the village couldn't resist rushing over to hold her.
As the saying goes, grandparents often dote on their grandchildren more than their own children. This was certainly true for Deng Shirong. When his own children were born, he, as a father, hadn't held them much. But with his granddaughter, it was different. Every day, he would hold her and play with her, and seeing her smile filled him with joy.
One day, Deng Shirong was walking around the village with Xiao Dong'er in his arms. When they reached the east end of the village, they encountered Zhang Qi, who was pregnant and carrying an empty basket with her little daughter strapped to her back.
Seeing Deng Shirong, Zhang Qi immediately greeted him, "Uncle Jiu."
Deng Shirong frowned and asked, "Zhang Qi, are you going to pick rice seedlings?"
Zhang Qi nodded. "Yes, my family is planting rice today. I'm going to help with the seedlings."
Deng Shirong said, "You're heavily pregnant and carrying a child. How can you do such heavy work? It could be dangerous if you accidentally miscarry."
Zhang Qi smiled weakly. "It's okay. I'm used to it. When I was pregnant with my other children, I worked just as hard. I know my limits."
Deng Shirong sighed. Every family had its struggles, and he was well aware of Zhang Qi's situation in her husband's family. Although he had previously explained that the gender of a child is determined by the father and not the mother, the deeply ingrained beliefs in rural areas weren't easily changed by a few words. Zhang Qi, who had given birth to five daughters, lacked confidence, which was why she continued to do heavy work even while pregnant.
In Zhang Qi's mind, she didn't deserve to be pampered since she hadn't given birth to a son.
Understanding this, Deng Shirong could only offer advice. "Be careful. Even if you have to pick seedlings, try to carry less each time. Your health is more important than anything else. I have a feeling the baby in your belly is a boy, so you mustn't risk harming the fetus. Otherwise, you'll regret it later."
Zhang Qi nodded repeatedly. "Thank you, Uncle Jiu. I'll take care of myself."
Deng Shirong hummed in acknowledgment and watched her leave with her empty basket. He then turned to his oblivious granddaughter and said, "Xiao Dong'er, the difference between people can be vast. If you want to live a life of privilege in the future, you must study hard. Do you understand?"
Xiao Dong'er waved her tiny hands and babbled incoherently.
Deng Shirong chuckled. "In fact, your starting point is better than most people in the country. As long as you study hard and absorb useful knowledge, you'll have a good platform to showcase your talents when you enter society. But if you don't study hard, like your aunt, then don't expect too much. Just aim to be a carefree rich woman."
Xiao Dong'er continued to babble and wiggle, oblivious to her grandfather's words. No one could predict what her future would hold.
March marked the first "National Civility and Courtesy Month" in the country. The county party committee and government launched campaigns promoting the "Five Talks" (morality, civilization, courtesy, hygiene, and order) and the "Four Beauties" (beauty of the soul, language, behavior, and environment).
When the brigade cadres began promoting the "Five Talks and Four Beauties" campaign, Deng Shirong knew it would have little impact. Although life had improved for the villagers after the land redistribution, many families still couldn't afford meat even once a month. In such circumstances, how could the villagers care about civility and courtesy?
However, while the villagers paid little attention, the 150,000 young people in the county actively participated in cleaning and sanitation activities. The main participants were students from local schools, including Deng Shirong's children. Together, they cleared over 9,100 loads of garbage, cleaned more than 1,200 meters of sewage ditches, cleared 200 manholes, and leveled 2,300 meters of roads. The county also organized over 20 service projects, such as haircuts and repairs, which yielded positive results.
During this period, Deng Shirong visited the county town again, primarily to check the progress of the hotel construction and act as a supervisor. After observing for two or three days, he returned home reassured. The quality of construction in this era was reliable, unlike the shoddy work that would become common in later years.
On the first Saturday after the Spring Equinox, the entire Bobai County was busy with one task: clearing the mountains.
Families with many hills and fewer members usually needed two days to complete the task. However, Deng Shirong's family, with fewer hills, could finish in a single day. This wasn't necessarily a point of pride, as it indicated the family wasn't as prosperous as others. But Deng Shirong had five sons, and he believed that in another ten or twenty years, his family would flourish.
According to tradition, the grave of Deng Shirong's late wife was the last to be tended. As he burned incense, Deng Shirong squatted in front of the grave and said, "Old lady, I've brought the children to see you again. Today, I have some happy news. On the first day of winter last year, the third generation of our family was born—a granddaughter who looks just like her mother and is very beautiful..."
Deng Shirong spent over ten minutes talking to his deceased wife before concluding, "After May Day, Yuntai and his family will move to the county town to open a restaurant. I hope you know about this and bless them with safety and success."
The children also said a few words to their mother. While tending to the graves of other elders they had never met felt like a routine task, speaking to their own mother was different. They had much to say.
This time, daughter-in-law Zhang Xiuping stayed home with Xiao Dong'er, as the child was too young to visit such a place.
While the villagers were busy clearing the mountains, Deng Shirong's niece and her husband were occupied with another task: planting watermelons on a large scale on Lychee Mountain. Last year, they had experimented with watermelon planting and not only enjoyed plenty of watermelons in the summer but also made a decent profit. This year, after consulting Deng Shirong, they expanded their efforts and planted the entire Lychee Mountain.
(End of this chapter)