Chapter 503 Return Gift
Soon, his eyes were fixed on a pheasant hanging in the corner. He had caught it by chance when he went hunting in the mountains with the production team a few days ago, but he had never been willing to eat it, and had wanted to save it for the children during the New Year.
At this moment, in order to repay Mr. Huang's deep friendship, he reached out and took the pheasant without hesitation, gently shook off the dust on it, and looked at it carefully to make sure it was in good condition before putting it into the basket.
Then, Wang Jianguo opened the cupboard and took out a piece of fat and lean pork.
The pork can be used for making dumplings and stews during the Spring Festival, but now he can't take care of much more. He put the pork neatly next to the pheasant to make the basket look more full.
Afterwards, Wang Jianguo rummaged through the corner and found two cans of food, which he was going to give as gifts when visiting relatives.
The glass cans sparkled with an alluring luster under the dim light, and they contained either sweet fruits or delicious fish, all of which were rare and precious treasures.
He gently wiped off the dust on the bottle and placed it steadily in the basket.
Finally, Wang Jianguo took down a pack of snacks from the top shelf of the cabinet. The snacks exuded a sweet aroma, which was the delicacy that the children could only look at with envy while drooling.
He opened a corner of the wrapping paper, confirmed that the snacks were intact, then carefully placed the entire package of snacks on the top of the basket, arranged everything neatly, then picked up the basket with satisfaction and hurried out of the kitchen.
When he returned to the door, Wang Jianguo handed the basket to Mr. Huang with a smile on his face and said:
"Uncle Huang, you have always taken good care of us. You must accept this little gift as a token of our family's appreciation. If you don't accept it, we will feel bad."
Grandpa Huang's eyes, which were originally filled with traces of time, were now wide open, and his gaze was fixed on the basket that Wang Jianguo handed back.
I saw that the originally empty basket was now filled with all kinds of rare and valuable things.
A pheasant with bright feathers and clean handling occupied a corner of the basket. Although its feathers had been plucked, it seemed to still retain the vigorous vitality of the mountains and forests. One glance at it made one imagine the difficulty of catching it.
Next to it is a piece of pork with just the right amount of fat and leanness. The red and white textures are still clearly visible in the dim light of winter. It is a premium ingredient that many families look forward to when making dumplings and braised pork during the Chinese New Year.
Two canned bottles stand steadily in the center. Through the glass of one can you see the yellow, plump and juicy fruit pieces inside, and the other is filled with oily and firm fish meat. In this New Year's Day when supplies are not abundant, they are undoubtedly the most eye-catching decoration on the dining table.
There is a package of snacks neatly placed on the top. The wrapping paper may be slightly yellowed due to its age, but it can't hide the sweet aroma emanating from it. With a slight sniff, the sweet smell seems to instantly arouse the appetite of people.
Mr. Huang's face was full of surprise, his mouth slightly open, and it took him a long time to find his voice. He waved his hands quickly, and said with a tone of anger and anxiety:
"Jianguo, what are you doing? I know what's going on. You are young and busy, so you don't have the time to learn how to make fried meatballs."
"Besides, according to the current policy, individuals are not allowed to raise chickens and ducks at will. I guess you definitely don't have these in stock at home."
"The Chinese New Year is just around the corner, so I thought of getting you some ready-made things so that the children can also celebrate the New Year happily and happily."
"But why did you give me so many good things? This... How can I accept this!"
As Mr. Huang spoke, his eyes actually turned slightly red, as if he was moved by Wang Jianguo's sudden action.
Wang Jianguo's eyes warmed when he saw this. He took two quick steps, held Grandpa Huang's hands tightly, which were covered with calluses, rough and cracked due to years of hard work, and said in a choked voice:
"Uncle Huang, your kindness to us is engraved in our hearts. Over the years, no matter whether it was a big thing or a small thing, you always ran around to help us."
"Just a while ago, my second child fell ill in the middle of the night. If you hadn't helped me find a doctor, I wouldn't know what to do."
"It's New Year's Day now, and you're still thinking about us, giving us gifts. If we don't show our appreciation, we'd be guilty."
"Please accept this little bit of gift. It's New Year's Day, so how can we let you go back empty-handed? Just consider it as our return gift, and it will make us feel better."
As Wang Jianguo spoke, he pushed the basket into Grandpa Huang's arms again, his eyes full of earnestness, leaving no room for doubt.
Grandpa Huang's face, which had seen the vicissitudes of life, seemed to be touched by an invisible force at this moment. His eyes turned red instantly, and his cloudy eyeballs were filled with hot tears, as if the tears would burst out if he trembled a little.
His lips trembled slightly, and he hesitated several times before he finally spoke. However, his throat seemed to be choked by something, and his voice was a little choked and sour, and he said hesitantly:
"Jianguo, I...I really feel bad."
Grandpa Huang raised his hand and gently wiped the tears that were about to overflow from the corners of his eyes with the back of his calloused hand, then glanced at the two baskets on the ground.
One contained the meatballs and eggs he brought, and the other contained the goodies Wang Jianguo had just given him in return. His eyes were full of emotion and guilt, and he continued:
"Look, I was just thinking today that your three kids should have something good to eat during the New Year. I don't have anything rare on hand."
"I fried some meatballs and saved some eggs. They were inexpensive little things, but they were my token of my love. Who would have thought that you would be so sincere and give me so many gifts in return."
At this point, Grandpa Huang's voice became more trembling, and the tears in his eyes could no longer be held back, rolling down and wetting his old cotton-padded jacket that had been washed so much that it turned white.
He shook his head slightly, as if he was blaming himself, or as if he didn't know what to do with the hospitality of Wang Jianguo's family, and continued to mutter:
"I... I have nothing to compare with you. My little meatballs and eggs are nothing compared to the pheasants, pork, canned food, and snacks you gave me."
"I feel so bad in my heart, I don't know what to say."
Grandpa Huang became more and more excited as he spoke. He waved his hands helplessly in the air a few times, and finally let them fall limply at both sides of his body. Anyone who saw his appearance could truly feel the struggle and emotion in his heart.