Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 131

Chapter 131

Zhao Beichuan saw Zhao Granny chatting with the woman and led the horse cart over, hoping to gather some news about their hometown.

Perhaps the cart was too conspicuous, as it attracted quite a few onlookers.

Gradually, the neighbors came out, and someone recognized Zhao Granny. “Is that Chunying?”

Hearing her childhood name after so many years, Zhao Granny jerked her head up. “You… Are you Sister-in-law?”

The old lady opposite slapped her thigh and said, “You really are Chunying!”

The two elderly women hugged each other and cried loudly. This woman was none other than Zhao Granny’s real sister-in-law.

Zhao Beichuan quickly supported the two elderly women, fearing they might faint from overexcitement.

After crying for a long time, the two finally stopped. “I never thought you’d come back. Where’s Zhao Guang? Are these your grandsons?”

“No, these are Zhao An’s children. My own family… they’re all gone…”

After a brief silence, Granny Zhao sighed deeply. “Gone… all gone. That famine took so many lives. Guihua, Baoshan, Baozhu… all gone. Only the youngest, Baogen, is still alive.”

“And Big Brother… when did he pass?”

“Two winters ago. He slipped on the snow, was bedridden for a few days, and then passed away. At least he didn’t suffer much.”

Granny Zhao wiped her nose and tears with a handkerchief. “What a pity I came back too late to see him one last time.”

“Ah… He was still talking about you before he passed, wondering if you could ever come back.”

The two sisters-in-law cried again before finally talking about Zhao Beichuan’s family.

Granny Zhao pulled over Da Chuan and Xiao Dou. “Sister-in-law, are any of Zhao An’s family still alive?”

“His cousins are all still here.”

“And his wife’s younger brother, the uncle of these two children?”

“I’m not sure about that. I remember Er An’s wife wasn’t from our village, right?”

Zhao Beichuan said, “My mother told me he was from Beigu Village, named Qiao Sheng.”

“Beigu Village isn’t far from here. Tomorrow, I’ll have Baogen take you there to look for him.”

“Thank you.”

“No need for thanks; we’re family after all.” Most of the people in Zhao Family Village shared the same ancestry, and even those beyond five generations were still considered distant relatives.

That evening, Zhao Beichuan and his brother were asked to stay. Granny Zhao’s youngest son came by, along with two of Zhao Beichuan’s paternal uncles, Zhao Zhi and Zhao Gan.

Zhao Zhi was older, nearly fifty, while Zhao Gan was in his forties. Both bore a resemblance to Zhao An.

Zhao Beichuan, who had almost forgotten his father’s appearance, was reminded of him when he saw Zhao Zhi. His father also had a square face, thick eyebrows, and wrinkles that appeared when he smiled, speaking in the Qingzhou dialect.

When the two men learned they were Zhao An’s sons, they excitedly held Zhao Beichuan’s hand and looked him over. “You’ve finally come back! You’re all grown up now… I remember when Er An left, they didn’t have children yet, did they?”

Granny Zhao nodded. “Da Chuan was born on the way. I delivered him myself. He was born by a river in the north, so Zhao An named him Beichuan.”

Zhao Zhi repeated his name. “Beichuan. And this child?”

Xiao Dou spoke up, “Uncle, I’m Zhao Beidou.”

“Beidou. What a great name.”

Zhao Gan asked, “Why didn’t your parents come back with you?”

“Our parents passed away more than ten years ago.”

“What? How did that happen?”

Zhao Beichuan recounted their family’s story. When the two men learned he had lost his parents at such a young age and raised his siblings by himself, their eyes reddened with emotion.

Zhao Zhi held his hand and said, “Good child. Your father is gone, but you still have your uncle. Your father and I grew up together. Now that you’re here, you’re home. To me, you’re like my own son.”

“Uncle…”

Zhao Gan added, “And what about your sister? Why didn’t she come?”

“The journey was long, and I wasn’t sure if I could find you, so I didn’t bring her. Next year, if I have time, I’ll bring the rest of the family to meet you.”

“Good, good!”

Zhao Baogen prepared dinner for everyone. Since they had guests, they slaughtered a chicken, bought some meat, and even got some wine from town. They made five dishes, a real feast for the village.

As they ate, they chatted, avoiding sad topics as much as possible.

“Where are you living now? How are things going?”

Zhao Beichuan replied, “We’ve opened a restaurant in Pingzhou. Life is okay.”

Granny Zhao glanced at him but said nothing. She wasn’t one to talk much.

Zhao Zhi laughed heartily. “Good lad, you’re capable!”

“Running a business is better than farming. Around here, we work the fields all year and barely make a few coins.”

Seeing that they didn’t press further about the restaurant, Zhao Beichuan felt a bit relieved and listened as his uncles talked about the village. Zhao Zhi’s face gradually overlapped with his father’s, as if he were seeing an older version of him. Zhao Beichuan’s heart ached, and he took a sip of wine.

Zhao Gan asked, “How long will you stay this time?”

“Not long. This trip is mainly to reconnect with family and relocate my parents’ graves. Before he passed, my father held my hand and kept saying he wanted to go home…”

The men were all deeply moved.

“It’s the right thing to do. Your grandfather’s grave is on Little West Mountain, along with my father’s. When Er An comes back, they can all be buried together. That way, they can rest in peace.”

Zhao Beichuan nodded. This was his father’s final wish, and he should’ve done it long ago.

They ate until late into the night. Zhao Zhi insisted that Zhao Beichuan and his brother stay at his house.

Granny Zhao stopped him. “You’ve all had quite a bit to drink. Just go home and rest. The boys have traveled a long way and are surely tired. Let them stay here tonight. Tomorrow, they can go to your place.”

“Alright then. Da Chuan, Beidou, have a good rest. I’ll come get you tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

After sending everyone off, Granny Zhao arranged for Zhao Beidou and Zhao Beichuan to stay in the west room, where her grandchildren usually slept when they visited. The bedding was already there.

Lying on the kang bed, Zhao Beichuan let out a long sigh.

“Big brother, are you worried?”

“Worried about what?”

Zhao Beidou turned over. “That our relatives only care about money, or that they might be too warm or too indifferent toward us?”

“Mm…”

“I think these uncles seem like good people.”

Zhao Beichuan said, “That elder uncle Zhao Zhi, he looks so much like our dad. When I saw him, I immediately thought of our dad.”

“Really? What a pity I was too young back then to remember what he looked like.”

Zhao Beichuan reached out to pat his younger brother’s head. “If Dad were alive, he would probably be around this age, with graying hair and a face lined with smile wrinkles…”

Zhao Beidou imagined it and closed his eyes contentedly. The two brothers lay on the kang, and soon fell asleep.

Half asleep, Zhao Beichuan felt the light in the room brighten. An old man walked in from outside.

The old man was hunched over, leaning on a wooden cane. He was wearing a blue cloth garment and had a long beard. He looked at Zhao Beichuan and Zhao Beidou with a kind smile, calling them “children.”

Although Zhao Beichuan had never seen him before, he didn’t feel scared at all. On the contrary, there was a trace of affection in his heart. Just as he wanted to speak, he opened his eyes and realized it was already dawn.

Granny Zhao was chatting with the eldest sister-in-law at the door. At her age, she didn’t sleep much and had already prepared breakfast early.

“You’re awake. There are pancakes and porridge in the pot. Go eat.”

Before breakfast was finished, Zhao Zhi and Zhao Gan arrived, bringing their children along. Zhao Zhi’s eldest son was two years older than Zhao Beichuan, while his younger son was a few years younger, both already married.

When the brothers met, they shyly called Zhao Beichuan and Zhao Beidou by their names.

After breakfast, Zhao Zhi proposed taking them to the mountain to offer incense. Zhao Beichuan also wanted to visit the ancestral graves and discuss relocating them.

The Little West Mountain wasn’t far from the village. The group walked for less than half an hour before reaching the foot of the mountain, where a winding path led directly to the burial site.

As they walked, Zhao Zhi introduced, “This cemetery is our ancestral graveyard. The graves of your great-grandfather, your grandfather, and grandmother are all here.”

Zhao Beichuan suddenly remembered his dream from last night. “Last night, I dreamt of an old man coming to see me.”

Zhao Zhi paused in his steps. “Did you see what he looked like?”

Zhao Beichuan described the man, and Zhao Gan exclaimed excitedly, “That must be my second uncle, your grandfather! He did have a long beard!”

Zhao Zhi said, “The old man must be overjoyed to see his grandchildren and came to them in a dream!”

The group quickened their pace and soon arrived at a graveyard with over a dozen burial mounds where their family members were buried.

As the eldest, Zhao Zhi led the way, kneeling and bowing first. “Unworthy descendant Zhao Zhi pays respects to the ancestors. I am incapable and failed to find my second brother and nephews. Now this child has made something of himself and brought his younger brother back. I brought them here to see our ancestors.”

“Come on, Beichuan, Beidou.”

Zhao Beichuan and Zhao Beidou stepped forward and knelt down as well.

Beside them, Zhao Gan lit incense sticks and handed them over. “Offer a stick of incense to the ancestors first.”

The two inserted the incense into the burial mound and bowed three times to the ancestors.

The autumn wind swirled fallen leaves, gently landing on their bodies and hair, as if invisible hands were touching them, silently sighing and welcoming them home.

At that moment, they found their roots and were no longer wanderers in a foreign land.

After bowing to the ancestors, they went to bow to their great-grandfather and grandparents. Zhao Beichuan led Zhao Beidou, offering incense one by one. Zhao Zhi, Zhao Gan, and the children followed suit, kneeling and bowing together, all descendants of the same great-grandfather.

When the ancestral rites were over, the two brothers were taken to Zhao Zhi’s home.

As soon as they entered the courtyard, it was evident that the elder uncle’s family was doing well. The main house was a spacious five-room structure, and they even owned a mule.

A capable and efficient woman came out to greet them. “These must be Er’an’s two children. So handsome! Come inside; your aunt has cooked meat for you.”

“Thank you, Auntie.”

“We’re family; no need for such formalities. Come in quickly.”

The house was equally spacious. Two six- or seven-year-old children were sitting on the kang. They weren’t shy upon seeing strangers.

Zhao Zhi said, “These are my youngest two grandchildren, a pair of twins. Da Shuang, Er Shuang, come greet your uncle.”

“Uncle!”

Zhao Beichuan quickly took out money from his pocket, giving each child a silver coin worth two taels.

“That’s too much! Nephew, how can you give so much money?” Zhao Zhi hurriedly tried to take the coins back.

But Zhao Beichuan, being stronger, easily opened his hand and placed the coins into the children’s hands. “It’s our first meeting, and I didn’t bring gifts. Next time, I’ll bring snacks from Pingzhou for you.”

“Thank you, Uncle!” The two children happily ran outside, but their grandmother quickly confiscated the coins.

Da Shuang and Er Shuang cried loudly, and Zhao Zhi’s wife told her daughters-in-law to take the children away and returned the coins to Zhao Beichuan.

“Good child, keep this money for yourself. It’s tradition for us to give you money when we meet, not the other way around.”

Zhao Beichuan felt a warmth in his heart and grew even fonder of his uncle and aunt.

At noon, a large table of food was prepared, including chicken, fish, and dumplings.

When Zhao Zhi’s son offered him wine, Zhao Beichuan waved it off. “I have things to do this afternoon, so I won’t drink.”

Zhao Gan asked, “Nephew, what do you have to do?”

“We need to go to Beigu Village to find my uncle. If we can’t find him, we may have to head back.”

“No way! You’ve come all this way. Stay a few more days at least!”

Zhao Zhi agreed. “Yes, stay at your uncle’s house. Leave whenever you feel like it.”

Zhao Beichuan explained, “We came here with an escort agency. They’re still waiting for us in Qingzhou, and we can’t keep them waiting too long.”

“Oh…” Zhao Zhi and Zhao Gan were visibly reluctant.

Zhao Beichuan didn’t want to burden them. Although they were relatives, they hadn’t been in contact for years. Their hospitality was fine for a day or two, but any longer might lead to resentment.

After lunch, Zhao Beichuan hitched the wagon and bid farewell to Granny Zhao, asking if she planned to stay or go back with them to Pingzhou.

Granny Zhao hesitated for a long time before saying, “I’ll go with you.”

Zhao Beichuan was puzzled. On the way here, Granny Zhao had been longing for this visit. Why was she now planning to leave?

Granny Zhao said, “I’m too old to work the land. Staying here would only burden the younger generation. Besides, I don’t know them well, and over time, they might grow to resent me.”

Zhao Beichuan said, “Then come back to Pingzhou with us. The restaurant is always busy; you could help out.”

“Alright.” Granny Zhao knew she would also be a burden in Pingzhou, but at least she was familiar with them, and she knew the three children were grateful and kind.

“You stay here for now. My brother and I will go to Beigu Village to find someone. If we can’t find them, we’ll come back to pick you up.”

“Alright.”

Granny Zhao, worried he might lose his way, asked her son Zhao Baogen to accompany him.

Zhao Baogen, about the same age as Zhao Beichuan, was his junior by family hierarchy, so Zhao Beichuan had to call him uncle. It was likely his first time riding in a wagon, and he excitedly talked non-stop.

“This wagon is so spacious! It must have cost a lot!”

“It’s secondhand, so not too expensive.”

“Even secondhand is impressive! No one in our village owns a horse. Zhao Uncle’s family only has two mules.” He was referring to Zhao Zhi.

“How far is Pingzhou from here?”

“Far, about two thousand li. By wagon, it takes over a month.”

“Oh wow!” Zhao Baogen exclaimed in awe. “You’re amazing to have made it all the way here!”

“We followed the escort agency with experienced guides. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been easy.”

The mountain roads were rough, and what should have been a short journey took two hours. Beigu Village was smaller than Zhao Family Village. At the entrance, a few elderly men sat chatting under a tree.

Zhao Beidou whispered, “This feels just like when we went back to Wanggou Village.”

Zhao Beichuan had the same feeling. As the wagon moved along the path, people stood up, craning their necks to get a better look at the driver.

When they saw Zhao Beichuan’s face, they were amazed. “Isn’t that the missing child of Old Qiao? He looks like he was carved from the same mold!”

Zhao Beichuan stopped the wagon and asked, “The Old Qiao you’re talking about, is his name Qiao Sheng?”

“Yes, that’s him! Look, the man carrying firewood over there is him.”

Following the direction they pointed, Zhao Beichuan saw a man in his fifties walking toward them, wearing coarse cloth clothes and carrying two bundles of firewood on his back.

The uncle and nephew stared at each other in astonishment, their tall statures and rugged features identical, even down to their expressions of surprise.

There was no doubt—this had to be his uncle!

Qiao Sheng threw down the firewood on his shoulder and practically ran over. “You, are you Xiao Min’s child?”

Hearing his mother’s name, Zhao Beichuan’s eyes turned red. “Yes, are you my uncle?”