Chapter 688 Three Aunts Offer Suggestions 3
In this slightly old house that is full of life, Yi Zhonghai sits quietly on the old rattan chair. The rattan chair is already quite old, and its original color has become a little dull under the erosion of time, but it has been polished to a shine, as if every texture is telling a story of the past. Yi Zhonghai holds an enamel pot steadily in his hand. Although the enamel on the pot has fallen off slightly in some places, it still exudes a rustic charm. In the pot, a few pieces of tea leaves are floating leisurely on the water. As Yi Zhonghai's hand shakes lightly, they are like smart elves, swirling in the warm water, round and round, as if they are also recalling every bit of experience in this house.
Yi Zhonghai narrowed his eyes slightly, looking through the not-so-big window at the yard outside. The yard had just experienced a lively wedding. Although the guests had all left, the remaining traces of the festivity were still clearly visible. Red confetti was still scattered on the ground, as if stubbornly showing the laughter and joy that filled the yard not long ago. Yi Zhonghai's eyes were now full of memories and emotions. Those past scenes flashed through his mind one by one like a movie, causing him to fall into deep contemplation.
On the side, an old lady was sitting on a small stool. The stool looked ordinary, but it had been used for many years and the surface was worn very smooth. The old lady was holding the sole of a shoe in her hand and sewing it attentively. The needle and thread in her hand shuttled flexibly between the thick fabrics, and each time it passed through, it made a "chi chi" sound. This sound was particularly clear in this quiet room, as if it added a different rhythm to the atmosphere full of memories.
After a while, the aunt slowly raised her head and cast her eyes towards Yi Zhonghai, with some emotion and worry in her eyes. She said softly: "Old Yi, you said that Zhuzi has started a family just like this. In the past, I watched him running around in the yard every day. He was as energetic as a young boy who had not grown up. He was full of energy. Every day he either climbed trees to rob bird nests or chased and played with his friends in the yard. Those days were really carefree. But in the blink of an eye, he has married a wife. It feels like a dream."
Yi Zhonghai listened to what the aunt said and took a sip of tea. The warm tea slid down his throat, bringing a faint tea fragrance, which also brought him back to his senses from his memories. He couldn't help but sighed: "Yes, time flies so fast. Zhuzi is a miserable child. He lost his father when he was young. Over the years, I watched him grow up little by little. In my heart, I have already regarded him as my own son. Now that he has his own family, a big stone in my heart has fallen to the ground. I finally have put my mind at ease."
When Auntie heard what Yi Zhonghai said, she stopped what she was doing, put her needle and thread aside, sighed softly, and said with a concerned look on her face, "I just don't know if he can live a good life. Chunyan is indeed a good girl, kind-hearted and hardworking, and she is a good match for Zhuzi. But Zhuzi has a careless personality and is usually a sloppy person. I don't know if he can take good care of the girl. There is still a long way to go, and I am really worried."
Yi Zhonghai nodded slightly, with a look of relief and a little worry on his face, and said slowly: "Zhu Zi is a good kid, he is kind-hearted, and he is always warm-hearted to the old and young in the courtyard. If anyone has a problem, he will definitely be the first to help. It's just that sometimes he is too impatient, often not thinking about the end, and not considering things thoroughly. However, now that he has a wife, the two of them have formed their own small family. There are many days to come, and under the tempering of life, he should gradually become mature. We have lived in this courtyard for so many years, and we are old neighbors. We see each other every day. In the future, we have to help them a little more. Whether it is the trivial matters of firewood, rice, oil and salt in life, or any major difficulties, we can lend a hand, but we can't just watch them get into trouble."
After hearing what Yi Zhonghai said, Auntie immediately responded, "Of course, Zhuzi has had a hard life since he was little. Without a father, he has grown up by himself. As elders who have watched him grow up, how can we not feel sorry for him? As long as we have the ability, we will definitely help him. If he encounters any difficulties in his life in the future, no matter how big or small, we can't just sit back and do nothing. We have to work together to help him live a smooth life. This is also what we should do as old neighbors."
Yi Zhonghai turned his head slightly and looked out the window again. His eyes were full of expectation, as if he had seen the picture of Zhuzi and his wife's happy life in the future. He said with longing: "I hope Zhuzi and his wife can love each other and live in harmony. They can be happy every day and live a prosperous life. In a few years, if they can have children, our compound will be more lively. When the children play and laugh in the yard, the whole compound will be full of vitality. It makes people happy just thinking about it."
On the other side of the room, Liu Haizhong was sitting at the somewhat worn-out eight-immortal table. The tabletop had a lot of scratches, and the corners were also a bit worn, showing that it had gone through many years of ups and downs. Liu Haizhong was holding a newspaper in his hand, seemingly reading it carefully, but his eyes kept drifting out the window from time to time. It was obvious that his mind was not on the content of the newspaper at all, and he looked absent-minded. Second Auntie was sitting on a chair nearby, holding a palm-leaf fan in her hand, fanning herself lightly from time to time. The breeze created by the fan slowly flowed through the room, but it failed to blow away the slightly dull atmosphere.
After a while, the second aunt broke the silence first. Her tone was full of envy. She said softly, "His father, how come Zhuzi is so lucky? Look, he actually married such a beautiful wife. As for Chunyan, every time I see her, I feel that she is like someone who walked out of a painting. She is so pretty and has a good personality. She is always polite and gentle to others. She is a perfect match for Zhuzi. This really makes people envious from the bottom of their hearts."
After listening to the second aunt's words, Liu Haizhong slowly put down the newspaper in his hand, cleared his throat, and said seriously: "Zhuzi, this child, usually looks quiet and seems like a dull person, but I didn't expect that he is quite capable in finding a wife. I have also seen Chunyan a few times. It is indeed as you said. Her appearance is beautiful and her personality is the kind that makes people feel comfortable to get along with. Standing together with Zhuzi, they look like a perfect match, a well-matched couple. This child is really a person who does not show his true colors."
After listening to Liu Haizhong's words, the second aunt nodded deeply, with a look of agreement and emotion on her face, and said, "That's right, people say that husband and wife look alike. When a couple gets along for a long time, their demeanor and temperament will become more and more similar. I see Zhuzi and Chunyan standing together, they are really a perfect match. Although Zhuzi looks careless, he has a kind of honesty, and Chunyan is such a gentle, beautiful and sensible girl. The picture standing together is so harmonious. But, life is not just about superficial matching. There is still a long way to go, and there are so many things to do in the daily life. I just don't know if their future life can be smooth, and I hope they don't encounter any big bumps and stumbles."
Liu Haizhong couldn't help but frowned after hearing what the second aunt said. A thoughtful look appeared on his face, and he slowly said, "Life is not always smooth sailing. From ancient times to the present, every family has gone through ups and downs. Although Zhuzi is a bit stubborn sometimes, once he makes up his mind, he can't be pulled back by nine oxen. But he is still honest, kind-hearted, and willing to work. As long as the couple can be of one mind, discuss things with each other, understand and tolerate each other, and live a good life, then they will definitely get better and better. After all, a husband and wife are of one mind, and their strength can break metal. As long as they work together to deal with the things in life, their life will slowly become prosperous."
The second aunt listened to Liu Haizhong's words and sighed softly, her face full of helplessness and expectation. She said, "Alas, I don't know what's going on with the children in our family. They have grown up one by one, but there is no movement in the matter of starting a family. In my heart, I just hope that they can get married and start a family as soon as possible, find a reliable partner, and form their own small family, so that I, as a mother, can worry less. Every time I see other people's children getting married and starting a family, I envy them so much in my heart, and I hope that my own children can have this day too."
Liu Haizhong looked at the worried look on Second Aunt's face and felt a little uncomfortable. He reached out and patted Second Aunt's hand, and comforted her softly: "Don't worry, the children all have their own ideas and plans. The society now is different from ours before. Young people pursue more things. They all want to get their careers done first, and then think about starting a family. As parents, we can only give suggestions and help them when they need it, but we can't interfere too much in their choices. When they meet the right person in their lives, they will naturally start a family. Just relax, what is supposed to come will come."
In another corner of the room, Yan Bugui was sitting in front of the desk piled with books and sundries. On the desk, all kinds of books were placed in a mess. Some pages were already curled, and some notebooks and sundries were randomly piled on it, which looked very messy. Yan Bugui was holding a pen in his hand. The pen holder was rubbed to a shine, and it could be seen that it had been used for a long time. He frowned at the paper in front of him, writing for a while, and then stopped to think, but he didn't write a few words for a long time. It was obvious that he was absent-minded. The third aunt was sitting aside, staring at Yan Bugui. Seeing his absent-minded look, she couldn't help it, so she said: "His father, you haven't written a few words all night. Are you also thinking about Zhuzi's marriage? If you are thinking about it, don't force yourself to write here. We can also chat about it."
Yan Bugui slowly raised his head, stretched out his hand and gently pushed the pair of glasses on his nose, which were already a bit old. The temples of the glasses were worn and shiny because of long-term wearing. The corners of his mouth slightly raised, with a gentle smile, and said with a smile: "You still understand me. In my heart, I have been thinking about Zhuzi's marriage. Think about it, Zhuzi's marriage is a big event in our compound. The whole compound hasn't been so lively for a long time, and everyone is happy. I was thinking here all night. Zhuzi usually looks very smart, and his brain turns very fast. No matter what happens in the compound, he can always come up with some ideas, but I just can't figure it out, how can he marry such a good girl like Chunyan? Chunyan is famous for her goodness. In our area, her reputation is very good."
After hearing what Yan Bugui said, the third aunt smiled even more, her eyes were filled with joy, and she said with a smile: "This may be fate. As the saying goes, if you are destined to meet, you will meet each other even if you are thousands of miles apart. Zhuzi and Chunyan are a perfect match made in heaven, as if God specially arranged for them to be together. You said Chunyan, she is so beautiful, and the spirit between her eyebrows is pleasing to the eye. Moreover, she is educated, and her speech and manners are very elegant. She and Zhuzi are a perfect match in terms of personality and other aspects. The two of them standing together are like a painting, not to mention how well they match each other."
Yan Bugui nodded in agreement, shaking his head slightly, and said, "Yes, fate is hard to describe. It is invisible and intangible, but it has such a magical power that it can tightly tie two originally unrelated people together. But Zhuzi, you must treat Chunyan well in the future. Such a good daughter-in-law is really hard to find even with a lantern. It is a blessing that he has cultivated for several lifetimes. He must cherish her and love her with all his heart, and he must not let down such a good girl like Chunyan's sincerity towards him."
The third aunt quickly agreed, "That's for sure. Although Zhuzi is a bit stingy sometimes, he always calculates when spending money and seems to be very stingy, but he is still nice to people, has a good heart, and is warm-hearted. I believe he will love Chunyan very much. After all, Chunyan is so good, and Zhuzi must know it very well in his heart. He must know how to treat Chunyan well and let her live a good life. The future of this young couple must be harmonious and sweet."
Yan Bugui put down his pen and said with emotion: "After so many years, our compound finally has another couple getting married. When they have children in the future, our compound will be even more lively. Maybe we can share in their joy and make our compound more prosperous."
The third aunt smiled and said, "I hope so. When Zhuzi and his wife have children, we old neighbors will have to help them a little more so that they can live a peaceful life."