When distributing items, Chen Lan did not appear before the villagers, but stayed behind the canopy of the truck's rear compartment, preparing goods. Chen Lan was giving these items to the villagers not to hear them thank her.
To be honest, this was a trivial matter for her. Her purpose in doing so was very simple: to express her gratitude to the villagers.
There were only a little over seventy households in the village, so distributing the items was quick. When the villagers received these scarce goods and money tickets, the whole village was abuzz with excitement!
The educated youths made plans to go to the department store in the county town in the afternoon for purchases. Those who managed their finances carefully were contemplating how to best use this money. In short, each household had its own plans, and Chen Lan didn't need to worry about that!
As soon as the items were distributed, Chen Lan asked the sisters Jiahui and Jiayu to drive the old Dongfeng truck to the entrance of the old house. The courtyard gate of the old house was already open.
Chen Lan and her two daughters, each carrying a large bag, walked into the courtyard. Thirty years had passed, and the courtyard looked a bit dilapidated, but it was neatly kept and very clean inside. Three children, about four or five years old, were playing. Su Dan Novels.
She looked up and saw that the main door of the central hall of the main house was tightly shut. Looking from afar, Chen Lan saw that the large copper lock on the door was covered in green patina.
Seeing three strangers enter the courtyard, the three children stared wide-eyed at Chen Lan and her daughters.
A brave little boy asked in a childish voice, "Auntie, who are you looking for at our house?"
Chen Lan placed the cloth bag in her hand on the ground, then took out a handful of Da Bai Tu milk candies from her pocket, gave him five, and let him hold them. She then reached out and stroked his large head, smiling and saying, "You should call me Grandma, not Auntie, understand? Are your adults at home?"
The little fellow tightly clutched the Da Bai Tu milk candies, his eyes smiling. He obediently called out in a childish voice, "Hello, Grandma!"
The other two little ones followed suit and shouted loudly, "Hello, Grandma!"
Chen Lan also smiled and said repeatedly, "Good children, good, all good children! Here, this is your candy."
With that, she divided the remaining Da Bai Tu milk candies between the other two little ones!
At this moment, someone in the west wing heard the commotion in the courtyard and came out. A woman who looked to be in her fifties emerged from behind the curtain. Chen Lan recognized her at a glance; she was the soldier's wife, Song Chun Tao, whom her mother-in-law had mentioned lived in their west wing.
Chen Lan looked at her and called out with a smile, "Sister Chun Tao, it's me, Xiao Lan!"
She looked at Chen Lan and was stunned. Then she shouted loudly, "The child's father, come out quickly! It's the landlord's wife, oh! No, it's Xiao Lan, she's really back!"
At this moment, a sturdy man with a slight limp rushed out from the inner room of the west wing. Chen Lan didn't recognize him because when Chen Lan married into the village, Song Chun Tao's husband had already gone to the army to fight.
Moreover, the original owner rarely went around the village, and after Chen Lan transmigrated, she returned to the capital not long after. Therefore, she didn't recognize many people in the village.
Chun Tao excitedly stepped forward to take Chen Lan's hand. As soon as she extended her hand, she quickly retracted it, worrying that her hands were too rough and Chen Lan would dislike them.
How could Chen Lan not understand her little thoughts! So Chen Lan reached out and grabbed her hand, saying, "Sister Chun Tao, I've come to thank you and your husband! Thank you for not letting the house fall into disrepair! This should be your brother-in-law!"
Chun Tao nodded and said, "Yes! By the way, you probably don't know each other. Xiao Lan, let me introduce you. This is my husband, Xu Da Li."
Chen Lan graciously called out, "Hello, Brother-in-law!" Then she introduced the two daughters standing behind her to the couple.
Chen Lan smiled and introduced, "Sister Chun Tao, Brother-in-law, let me introduce you. These are my two daughters, Jiahui and Jiayu."
The sisters Jiahui and Jiayu also greeted the couple sweetly.
As the courtyard became so lively, the family living in the east wing also heard the noise and came out! Naturally, there was another round of introductions. The family in the east wing was also a soldier's family; the man in this family had an injured arm.
Seeing the cautious and slightly flustered eyes of the two families, Chen Lan understood everything. They were probably worried that she had returned to reclaim the house!
To dispel their concerns, Chen Lan directly explained the reason for her return this time: she had simply come back to see the villagers and to pay respects at the graves of her ancestors.
Chen Lan had her daughters distribute the gifts she brought for the two families. When the two families saw that Chen Lan had brought so many extra gifts, they were so touched that they didn't know what to say.
Chen Lan wasn't very familiar with either family, so after a few polite words, she didn't know what else to say.
Just as both sides were feeling a bit awkward, Er Hu and Xiao Shuan, the brothers, walked into the courtyard.
As soon as the brothers saw the men from the two families in the courtyard, they shouted loudly, "Brother Da Li, Brother Lei Zi, that's great! We get to see you two again?"
After shouting, the brothers ran forward enthusiastically and gave the two men a bear hug.
Chen Lan told them to catch up and reminisce while she and her daughters placed the gifts for the two families at the entrance of each house. Then, she greeted the two families and said she wanted to go inside the main house to take a look.
Chun Tao immediately said, "Xiao Lan, wait a moment, I'll get the key." With that, she turned and ran back to the west wing where she lived to get the key.
Chen Lan almost said it wasn't necessary, but she swallowed the words. When Chun Tao returned with the key and handed it to Chen Lan, she explained, "Every year before the heavy snow in winter, the two families ask the children to go up to the roof to check the tiles! A few years ago, we found some broken tiles and bought new ones to replace them!"
Chen Lan nodded, thanked her, and took the key, then handed it to Jiahui. She had taken note of this matter.
The copper lock was a bit stiff to open due to long disuse. Jiahui struggled for a while to open it and then casually pushed open the main door of the central hall. Chen Lan told her daughters to air out the main room first before going in.