Chapter 641 Visiting Uncle Zhang
Wang Jianguo and Zhao Shuzhuo had just set foot on this familiar homeland. They had not yet fully recovered from the fatigue of the journey, but their hearts were already filled with deep homesickness.
Wang Jianguo was walking in front, with an upright posture and brisk steps. Suddenly, as if he remembered something important, he stopped abruptly and turned to face Zhao Shuzhuo.
His eyes were sparkling, full of enthusiasm and anticipation. He raised his hand and patted the bulging cloth bag beside him, with a bit of urgency and excitement in his tone:
"Brother Shuzhuo, let's go see Uncle Zhang."
As he spoke, he slightly opened a corner of the cloth bag, revealing the carefully selected items inside.
"Look, I've been thinking about Uncle Zhang all the way here, so I bought him some special treats. There's his favorite melon seeds, which are so fragrant that they'll definitely make him happy after eating one."
"There are also several packets of high-quality tea. When brewed, the tea is fragrant and is perfect for you to enjoy in your spare time to soothe your muscles and bones."
"And some soft and delicious cakes. Grandpa has bad teeth, so these are perfect for him. We can give them to him to show our filial piety."
When Zhao Shuzhuo heard this, a light flashed in his eyes, and the familiar and vicissitudes of life face of Uncle Zhang appeared in his mind.
Uncle Zhang has worked on the land of the Great Northern Wilderness for decades. The vicissitudes of life have carved deep wrinkles on his face, and each wrinkle seems to tell the story of his hard work in the past.
His hands are rough, cracked and covered with calluses, but he still works diligently in the fields, workshops and warehouses, silently contributing to the construction of the Great Northern Wilderness.
Zhao Shuzhuo has always had great respect for this old comrade. At this moment, he was even more moved by Wang Jianguo's attentiveness and nodded in agreement:
"Okay, Jianguo, you are really thoughtful! Uncle Zhang has worked hard for our Great Northern Wilderness."
"Over the years, I have gone through many ups and downs, countless hardships, and devoted my whole life to this land without reservation."
"Let's go see him and ask him about the construction of the new brick factory. This is a great event for the development of our Great Northern Wilderness."
"It means we can build more and better houses and improve everyone's living conditions. He will definitely be very happy to hear that."
Zhao Shuzhuo's voice was steady and powerful, revealing his gratitude to Uncle Zhang and his firm determination for the future development of the Great Northern Wilderness.
The two smiled at each other, their eyes full of tacit understanding, and they no longer hesitated. They picked up the luggage in their hands again and strode towards Uncle Zhang's small gatehouse.
Along the way, the biting cold wind was blowing, but it could not extinguish the passion in their hearts.
The frozen soil under their feet was hard, and made a "crunching" sound with every step, as if applauding and cheering them forward.
The dead grass on the roadside trembled in the wind, and occasionally a few tenacious little grasses poked their heads out, showing the tenacity of life.
As they walked, they enthusiastically talked about the interesting things that happened in Uncle Zhang's past and recalled the care and guidance that Uncle Zhang had given them over the years.
I became more and more eager to see Uncle Zhang soon and convey this joy and hope to him.
Soon, a small gatehouse that was slightly shabby but very tidy appeared in front of us.
Wang Jianguo and Zhao Shuzhuo looked at each other, quickened their pace, and walked towards the familiar door with joy.
The cold wind from the Great Northern Wilderness howled across the empty fields, bringing with it a biting chill, and rustled the dry grass on the roadside.
Wang Jianguo and Zhao Shuzhuo carried their luggage with great anticipation and hurried towards the gatehouse where Uncle Zhang lived.
Along the way, the amiable face of Uncle Zhang kept appearing in their minds, and they were thinking about how to share the good news of the construction of the new brick factory when they met later, and their hearts were filled with enthusiasm.
Soon, the two of them appeared in front of the gatehouse. It was a slightly dilapidated bungalow, with the paint on the wall peeling off due to the erosion of time, revealing the dark gray bricks and stones inside.
There are also several damaged spots on the roof, as if they are grinning and telling of the past storms.
The wooden door that should have been open to welcome visitors was now tightly closed, looking particularly lonely in the biting cold wind.
Seeing this, the smiles on Wang Jianguo and Zhao Shuzhuo's faces froze instantly. They both stopped, their eyes full of confusion.
The two looked at each other subconsciously, as if they were looking for the answer in each other's eyes, but at that moment, there was only the same confusion in each other's eyes.
After a moment of stunned silence, Zhao Shuzhuo was the first to come back to his senses. He took a deep breath, rubbed his hands which were a little red from the cold, and quickly walked forward to knock on the door.
"Dong dong dong..."
Zhao Shuzhuo's knocks echoed in the silent air. He knocked extra hard every time, hoping that the people in the room could hear him. As he knocked, he moved closer to the crack in the door and shouted:
"Uncle Zhang, are you home? We are Jianguo and Shuzhuo!"
However, after knocking for a long time, the only response he got was the whistling wind. The door was as silent as death, and no one opened it.
Wang Jianguo stood aside, his brows furrowed, and the doubts in his heart grew stronger.
He turned slightly sideways, took a few quick steps to the window next to the gatehouse, then carefully leaned on the window and looked inside through the somewhat blurry glass.
The scene inside the house came into view. There were only a few simple pieces of furniture placed in the small space, an old wooden table, and a few crooked chairs.
There was a bed that looked a bit old, with the bedding neatly folded on it, but other than that, the room was empty.
Wang Jianguo stood up, his face full of disappointment and worry. He walked quickly to Zhao Shuzhuo, gently pulled his arm, and said:
"Brother Shuzhuo, stop knocking. There's no one in the room. Let's go to the guard room and ask Zhang Lei. Maybe Uncle Zhang went out for something urgent. Zhang Lei should know where he went."
After listening to Wang Jianguo's words, Zhao Shuzhuo raised his head. Although there was still a hint of unwillingness in his eyes, he still nodded to show his agreement.
He knew that waiting in front of the empty gatehouse was not a solution at the moment, and it would be wise to go to the guard room to inquire for information.
So, the two of them reorganized the luggage on their shoulders, walked towards the guard room against the cold wind.
Along the way, neither of them spoke, each thinking about their own things.
Zhao Shuzhuo silently prayed in his heart that nothing should happen to Uncle Zhang. He was the backbone of the Great Northern Wilderness and no one could do without him.
Wang Jianguo was thinking about how to ask Zhang Lei when he arrived at the guard room so that he could get the whereabouts of Uncle Zhang as quickly as possible.
The cold wind was still whistling in their ears, making the corners of their clothes rustle, but at this moment, they had only one thought in their minds.
That is to find Uncle Zhang as soon as possible, so that the joy carrying the hope for the future of the Great Northern Wilderness can be delivered to him as soon as possible.