As time passed, Wang Gang and Li Suhua quickly decorated their new house and prepared everything they needed to get married tomorrow.
Originally, Wang Gang wanted to go to Zheng Juan's house to see if there was anything he needed help with.
Li Suhua refused to let him go, saying that it was the day before the wedding and it was not appropriate for the bride and groom to meet.
Wang Gang had no choice but to wait patiently at home.
Zhou Zhigang has returned from Lao Zhangtou's house and is sitting at the dinner table smoking a cigarette. It seems that he is not in a good mood.
Wang Gang thought about it and took the initiative to say to Zhou Zhigang: "Dad, you are back!"
Zhou Zhigang nodded solemnly, then pointed to the chair and motioned for him to sit down.
"I talked with Lao Zhangtou. After the Chinese New Year, he will go through the transfer procedures with you and then return to his hometown in the countryside."
Wang Gang had long expected that Zhou Zhigang would not be able to change Lao Zhangtou's decision.
"Lao Zhangtou and I arrived at Guangzi Film at the same time. We both came from the countryside. At that time, we only wanted to settle down in the city. Thirty years later, I didn't expect that he would go back again."
For people of Zhou Zhigang's generation, returning to the countryside has special significance.
Thirty years ago, Zhou Zhigang came to Jichun from the countryside and became a worker with the dream of getting ahead.
His lifelong dream is to transform from a rural person to a city citizen. This is the wish of almost everyone in the older generation.
Zhou Zhigang was lucky. With his hardworking and studious qualities, he successfully settled in the city and provided his three children with a good education, especially Zhou Bingyi. Zhou Zhigang had high expectations.
What happened to Lao Zhangtou made Zhou Zhigang very sad. He was worried that one day, his old Zhou family would be like Lao Zhangtou, unable to survive in the city, and would have to run back to his hometown in despair.
"Dad, in fact, it may not be a good thing for Lao Zhang to return to his hometown. As I said before, he can no longer survive in the city and there is still a glimmer of hope for him when he goes back." Wang Gang comforted Zhou Zhigang.
"What do you mean by not being able to survive? The conditions of Lao Zhangtou and I back then were even worse than they are now, and we didn't even settle down in the city." Zhou Zhigang said angrily.
"This is one moment and the other is that." Wang Gang shook his head and said: "The old Zhangtou from thirty years ago was young and in good health, and could endure no matter how hard or tired he was.
But now that he is almost sixty years old, it is difficult to find odd jobs in the city. It is simply impossible for him to start over like he did thirty years ago."
Zhou Zhigang was unconvinced and said: "What's impossible? As long as you have hands and feet, you won't starve to death."
Wang Gang sighed: "Thirty years ago, Lao Zhangtou was young and had ideals, drive, and the courage to fight and take risks.
Thirty years later, the hardships of life have already worn away his motivation, and the loss of his son has cut off his only hope."
Zhou Zhigang looked at Wang Gang in surprise and said, "Doesn't he have a grandson?"
"The grandson's serious illness was the last ditch water that poured out the old Zhang's head, making him realize that he was no longer able to support his only bloodline." Wang Gang said.
Zhou Zhigang suddenly realized the seriousness of the problem.
"He asked his daughter-in-law to remarry with their children, give you the house, and then go back to his hometown. Is he going to go..." Zhou Zhigang said with his mouth wide open.
"Yes, he wants to go back to his hometown, return to his roots and end his life." Wang Gang said regretfully.
"No, I have to stop him." Zhou Zhigang stood up, but when he was about to get up, he was pulled back by Wang Gang.
"Dad, it's useless for you to go. He really wants to die, and you can't stop him."
Zhou Zhigang cursed angrily: "Nie Zhan, Lao Zhangtou is the elder who watched you grow up, are you just going to watch him seek death?"
Wang Gang sighed: "It is precisely because we are too close to him that we should not go. Have you ever considered his feelings?"
Zhou Zhigang asked in confusion: "What do you mean by this?"
Wang Gang sighed and said: "My Zhou family came to Guangzipi around the same time as his, and both came from the countryside. The Zhang family's life became worse and worse, but on the contrary, our Zhou family is getting better and better."
How would you feel if you were Lao Zhangtou?"
Zhou Zhigang quickly understood what his son meant.
"You mean, Lao Zhangtou is jealous of our family?" Zhou Zhigang couldn't believe it.
"Jealousy is for sure, and it's more embarrassing." Wang Gang shook his head and said: "In fact, what Lao Zhangtou doesn't want to see the most is probably our Zhou family."
Zhou Zhigang sat down dejectedly, staring blankly ahead, not knowing what he was thinking.
"The only one who can save Lao Zhangtou now is not you and me, but her daughter-in-law and grandson." Wang Gang said again.
"I went to the hospital yesterday to find his daughter-in-law, talked to her, and told her that Lao Zhangtou was planning to commit suicide."
Zhou Zhigang raised his head in surprise and looked at his young son who looked calm in front of him.
"His daughter-in-law has decided not to remarry, but to take the child back to the countryside with Lao Zhangtou, and she will raise the child no matter how hard and tiring it is.
Grandson is now the only one who can keep Old Zhangtou alive."
Zhou Zhigang said in disbelief: "Have you done so much for Lao Zhangtou?"
"After all, he is an elder who has watched me grow up. If he can help, I will definitely help." Wang Gang said firmly.
Zhou Zhigang patted Wang Gang on the shoulder and said sincerely: "Bingkun, you have really grown up."
Wang Gang smiled and said: "I am twenty years old this year. Of course I have grown up. I will get a wife tomorrow."
Zhou Zhigang said: "Bingkun, I originally thought that your eldest brother was the most promising person in our family in the future, but today I think you are."
Wang Gang raised his eyebrows and said, "Dad, when I was away, did you say the same thing as your elder brother?"
Zhou Zhigang became angry and said: "You bastard, what are you talking about?"
The two father and son could finally sit down and talk calmly.
The two talked about how to help Lao Zhangtou again, and Zhou Zhigang even decided to lend Lao Zhangtou another two hundred yuan.
Li Suhua watched the father and son chatting until midnight, and was worried that it would affect their wedding tomorrow, so she forcibly sent Wang Gang to sleep.
Zhou Zhigang looked at Wang Gang's back as he walked out and couldn't help but sigh to his wife: "Old lady, Bingkun has changed a lot in the past three years."
Li Suhua said with a smile: "Is it getting better or worse?"
Zhou Zhigang shook his head and said: "He has changed a bit so that I can't see him clearly."
Li Suhua said in confusion: "As an old man, don't you know your own son?"
Zhou Zhigang sat cross-legged on the kang and lit a cigarette for himself.
"Of the three children in our family, the eldest is Bingyi. He has been sensible since he was a child and studied hard. I thought he had the best future, so I let him go out and start his own business.
The second oldest Zhou Rong, I had high hopes for her, but unfortunately she was too ignorant to tell her.
The third child, Bingkun, has been naughty since he was a child and doesn't like to study. My original idea was to keep him by my side, take care of him on weekdays, and support us in our old age in the future."
Li Suhua asked in confusion: "Why don't you let Bingyi, the most promising person, take care of him in his old age?"
Zhou Zhigang said: "If a child has potential, we should not stop him or become an obstacle to him. If Bingyi leaves us, his development will be better."
Li Suhua said in a low voice: "We are still incompetent as parents and are dragging down our children."
Zhou Zhigang hugged his wife and said, "I can't say it's a burden. The main thing is that we can't help Bingyi, so we won't cause any trouble for him."
Li Suhua said: "Bingkun is actually very good, especially in the three years since you left, he has changed a lot."
Zhou Zhigang sighed and said, "Yes! He has changed a little bit like my son."
Li Suhua hit Zhou Zhigang on the chest and said, "He is not your son, but whose son."
Zhou Zhigang smiled and said: "I didn't mean that, it's just that Bingkun has become too good now, which messed up my original idea.
Now I kind of want Bingkun to go out and try his luck on his own, maybe he is the one who can change the class of my old Zhou family."
Li Suhua had a sullen face and said nothing because she did not want to leave her son.
These three years of companionship have long since made Li Suhua accustomed to Wang Gang's care. When she thought of letting her son fly high, Li Suhua couldn't bear to let him go.
"We'll talk about the future later. Anyway, he can't live without Ji Chun now." Li Suhua said perfunctorily.
Zhou Zhigang didn't hear anything wrong in his wife's tone. He kept thinking about the children and had a sleepless night.
The next day, Wang Gang got up early and rarely went out to exercise. Instead, he put on the clothes he had prepared and went to pick up the bride neatly.
Friends such as Xiao Guoqing, Sun Qianchao and Qiao Chunyan stood at the gate of Zhou's house early in the morning.
The group happily went to Taiping Hutong. Zhou Zhigang and Li Suhua were at home, also wearing new clothes, waiting for their future daughter-in-law to come in.
When getting married in this era, there are not so many red tapes, and it is more about everyone getting together to celebrate.
When they arrived at Zheng Juan's house, there was no blocking of the door. Zheng Juan's family of three sat quietly on the kang, waiting for Wang Gang and others to come over.
As soon as he entered the house, Wang Gang saw Zheng Juan.
Today, Zheng Juan dressed up a little, wearing a red dress. Her original two braids were untied and her hair was tied up, giving her a hint of the charm of a mature woman.
