Chapter 505: Reminiscing about the Past
"Our Jianye Farm's harvest in previous years was enough to make a living, but it can't compare to this year's."
"This year, the crops in the fields are growing like crazy, as if in competition. The warehouses are full of grain, and the gardens are full of fruits and vegetables. It's really a bumper harvest!"
"Most importantly, this year we opened a people's supply and marketing cooperative that is well-known in the surrounding area."
Having said that, Zhao Shuzhuo paused slightly, his eyes becoming moist as he tried hard to suppress his excitement.
He focused his gaze on Wang Jianguo again, raised his voice and continued:
"After all, this great achievement should be thanked to Jianguo! Before you came, we were guarding this farm, working hard every day, and we were so tired that our backs ached."
"But we don't make much money all year round, and we live a very tight life. It's you who stride in with all your skills and ideas."
"It has brought unprecedented hope to our black land and to us farmers who were born and raised here."
"Since you came, we have learned new techniques and started new crops. We no longer have to work like before, facing the earth and hoping that God will give us food to eat."
"Thanks to you for all the help along the way, come, let's drink this cup to celebrate this hard-earned good year and our increasingly prosperous future!"
After saying that, Zhao Shuzhuo raised his head and drank the wine in the glass. The spicy wine slid down his throat and seemed to turn into a boiling passion.
Wang Jianguo and He Yushui looked at each other, equally moved and excited, and raised their glasses and drank them all in one gulp. The room was instantly filled with laughter.
The dim light slowly fell, covering everything in the house in a warm and slightly sentimental halo.
Zhao Shuzhuo sat there, his originally straight back gradually bent, as if he was crushed by the burden of time, or as if he was immersed in a torrent of memories and unable to extricate himself.
His gaze gradually became distant and blurred, as if he was penetrating the air in front of him and looking into the distant past.
As my thoughts surged, a layer of crystal tears slowly emerged in my eyes. At first, they were just a few spots, like the dewdrops that were about to fall on the tips of grass leaves in the morning.
Gradually, the tears gathered more and more, swirling in his eyes and blurring his vision.
He tilted his head slightly, trying to hold back the tears, but the stubborn tears still flowed down his cheeks one by one, sparkling in the light.
At the same time, his voice unconsciously lowered a little, as if he was afraid of disturbing this hard-earned peace, and as if his throat was choked by the sadness welling up in his heart.
The words came out of his mouth softly, with a slight tremor and a hint of sob, but still clearly conveyed the deep sadness hidden within.
"This has been the case since my parents passed away and my eldest brother ran away from home..."
At this point, Zhao Shuzhuo's voice suddenly paused, as if he was stabbed by an invisible sharp blade.
He took a deep breath, tried to calm himself down, and continued.
"In those years, when the Chinese New Year came, other people's homes were decorated with lights and filled with laughter, and everyone sat together to eat the New Year's Eve dinner in a lively atmosphere."
"But when I return home, it's cold and lonely, with only four walls to keep me company."
His eyes were full of loneliness. He raised his hand and gently wiped the tears from his face, his fingers trembling slightly.
"At that time, I always turned off the lights early, lay on the bed, and listened to the sound of firecrackers outside. I felt empty inside."
"I feel like the New Year atmosphere has nothing to do with me anymore. I often wonder, when will this kind of life end?"
After a pause, he refocused his gaze on Wang Jianguo and He Yushui, and the sadness in his eyes was gradually replaced by gratitude and warmth.
"But this year is different. Jianguo and Yushui, it was the two of you who came to me."
"We work together on the farm, strive for a good harvest, and have a prosperous New Year together."
After Zhao Shuzhuo finished speaking, he hurriedly raised his hand and wiped away the tears that were still flowing with the back of his hand, as if he wanted to wipe away all the sadness of the past.
Then, he tightly grasped the wine glass in his hand and drank the remaining wine in one gulp. The wine slid down his throat, with a hint of sweetness in its spiciness.
Just like his complicated mood at this moment, he is saying farewell to the sufferings of the past and cherishing the warmth in front of him.
After drinking the glass of wine, his chest rose and fell slightly, as if he was cheering himself up, and as if he had made up his mind to break completely with the past and stride towards a new life.
Zhao Shuzhuo's confession, filled with past sorrows and years of loneliness, was like a heavy hammer, hitting Wang Jianguo's heart hard.
For a moment, Wang Jianguo felt a myriad of thoughts flooding his mind, and he didn't know where to start to comfort her.
The air in the room seemed to become a little sticky because of this solemnity, and the flickering lights seemed to add a shadow to Wang Jianguo's entanglement.
Wang Jianguo lowered his head slightly, his eyes fell on the wood grain on the table that was full of traces of time, and his thoughts drifted away involuntarily.
All the sad past that I tried to keep deep in my heart now burst out like a flood.
He coughed lightly, breaking the silence for a moment. His voice was slightly hoarse, but it revealed a determination to dispel the gloom:
"Brother Shuzhuo, please don't be sad anymore. Look at how much you have shouldered all these years."
"You have done a great job by keeping the farm in good order and leading the villagers to live a good life."
As he spoke, Wang Jianguo raised his head, with a hint of helplessness and self-mockery in his eyes, and looked at Zhao Shuzhuo, and continued:
"Look at me. I lost my parents when I was young and was all alone in this world. Life was really hard back then."
"We had no idea where to get food from, and we often had to compete with others for work just to have a full meal. Even if we were so tired that we couldn't even straighten our backs, we dared not complain."
Wang Jianguo subconsciously clenched his hands, his knuckles turning white from the force, as if he had returned to those days of desperate struggle:
"Fortunately, I was not destined to die. With my unyielding spirit, I finally made a name for myself."
"I thought the hard times were over and I could live a peaceful life, but who knew that the world would be so dangerous..."
When he said this, a hint of anger and unwillingness flashed in his eyes.
"I was framed by a villain and lost everything overnight. My reputation, status, and wealth all vanished into thin air. I almost lost my life."