"Perhaps I should talk to Grandpa tomorrow first, so that they can be mentally prepared!"
Xiao Ning muttered to himself.
Speaking of which, my grandfather, Xiao Yousheng, used to be one of those people who received government rations. Later, in the early 1990s, the planned economy collapsed and the market economy emerged, and the factory went bankrupt.
At that time, Xiao Yousheng, who was only in his forties, was laid off early. His employer paid him a lump sum of about 10,000 yuan to settle the matter.
In the 1990s, this was a considerable sum of money.
Then, the two brothers, Xiao Weiguo and Xiao Xiaojun, split the money equally and used it to start their own business.
Xiao Ning's father became a big boss, while his uncle Xiao Xiaojun became a wage earner.
After being laid off, Xiao Yousheng became a farmer.
The two elderly people cultivated seven or eight acres of land to support their two children, Xiao Ning and Xiao Qiang, and to send them to school.
Therefore, during the time Xiao Ning was in prison, the only people he felt sorry for were his grandparents.
Then, he had a miraculous encounter and turned his life around.
At this moment, whether it was to settle the karmic debt or to repay the kindness of being raised, his only thought was to be filial to his grandparents and care for them until their death.
Xiao Ning understood the two elders' personalities; they would never live in Yuhang County. That's why he sold the luxury villa in Yuhang County that he had obtained from the sign-in system without saying a word.
As time passed, and while Xiao Ning was deep in thought, the sky gradually brightened.
The sounds of roosters crowing and dogs barking filled the air.
"cough!"
I could hear Grandpa Xiao Yousheng coughing and the rustling sounds of someone getting up coming from next door.
The noises coming from all around woke Xiao Ning up. He reached for his phone on the bedside table, unlocked it, and glanced at the time on the screen. It was just past 6 a.m., which was way too early.
However, he still decided to get up, put on his clothes, open the door, and walk out of the bedroom, where he happened to run into Xiao Yousheng who was leaving the house.
"Ning Ya Zi, you're up so early today? Is the sun rising in the west?!"
Hearing Xiao Yousheng's teasing words, Xiao Ning blushed and felt a little embarrassed.
He scratched his head and said, "I get up at 6 a.m. every day in Yuhang. I'm used to it!"
"I see! It seems Ning Ya has really grown up!" Xiao Yousheng's expression froze for a moment as he looked at his only grandson and said with relief.
"Well, everyone grows up eventually, I'm just a little bit later than others," Xiao Ning said with a smile.
Xiao Yousheng laughed and nodded, "You're right. Go brush your teeth and wash your face by the well, and fetch two buckets of water later!"
"Okay!" Xiao Ning readily agreed.
After taking a few steps, he came to the kitchen, picked up the wooden bucket with a carrying pole, grabbed a cup and a towel from the kitchen window, draped the towel over his shoulder, and walked out the door.
Pulling the latch, the wooden door creaked open, and a gust of cold wind rushed in. Xiao Ning went out.
Not far from the gate, about two hundred meters away, there is an ancient well. In this cold winter weather, the spring water in the well is steaming.
This ancient well has existed for over five hundred years. It was dug by the ancestors of the Xiao family when they first settled here. It has been passed down from generation to generation and has become the lifeblood of the Xiao family in Jinfeng Village.
The spring water gurgles and flows from a small channel carved out of the well into a small pond next to it, and then from the small pond into another large pond.
The small pond is used for washing vegetables, and the large pond is used for washing clothes.
A few years ago, the villagers raised funds to renovate the pond and raised the height of the ancient well to prevent children from accidentally entering and falling into it.
A flat area was built with cement next to the well for the villagers to use for brushing their teeth and washing their faces, and they can also take baths in the summer.
Xiao Ning placed the wooden bucket on the flat ground, picked up a cup, squeezed out some toothpaste, scooped some water from the small trough, and squatted down to brush her teeth.
Although he was now spotless, Xiao Ning still maintained all his usual habits so as not to appear out of place.
Just then, a voice came from afar.
"Hey, Ning Yazi, you're back!"
Xiao Ning looked up and saw that it was his childhood friend Xiao Bing from the same village. He raised his hand as a greeting.
Then, he quickly brushed his teeth twice, rinsed his mouth, and replied, "Ah Bing, are you still at home?"
Xiao Bing chuckled sheepishly, his hands moving swiftly as he put down the load on his shoulder and skillfully lifted the wooden bucket to fetch water, saying, "If I don't work at home, what else can I do? Go to work?"
Xiao Ning picked up a towel to wipe his mouth and said, "A-Bing, you're 18 now, right? You can go out and work now that you have your ID card. Otherwise, if you always stay at home, you won't be able to get a wife!"
"hey-hey!"
Xiao Bing smiled, picked up the wooden bucket, and said, "Let's talk about it after the New Year. I'm going to fetch water now, I'll come find you later!"
“Okay!” Xiao Ning glanced at him and replied.
Watching Xiao Bing's departing figure, Xiao Ning sighed.
This kid is also a tragic figure, as if his nemesis has descended upon him. Not only did his parents die when he was young, but his grandfather and sister also passed away, leaving him with only a mute grandmother who cannot speak to depend on him.
Fortunately, his grandfather had three brothers, and after he became an orphan, custody fell to his two uncles.
The two families take turns raising the child, one family for one month.
Perhaps due to some genetic factors, Xiao Bing has a slight stutter when he speaks. Because of his honest and simple nature, he dropped out of school after six years of primary school.