As the days passed, Wang Gang's life became dull. He worked steadily in the factory, occasionally earned some extra money, and his cooperation with Zhao Zihao became much less. The year soon came to 1976.
This year, many major events happened in the country. A great man passed away at the beginning of the year. Wang Gang specially took his wife and children to see him off along the street.
Wang Gang was deeply touched by the death of a great man.
This giant who devoted his whole life to the country truly dedicated himself to the end of his life.
After the great man passed away, the country fell into grief, but the people still needed to live their lives.
Wang Gang knew that the country would also usher in the most vigorous forty years.
However, all this is still far away from Wang Gang, who continues to live a life of one-third of an acre of land.
Niu Meilan stayed in the hospital for three months and then went home to recuperate. The operation had a great impact on her. Zhao Zihao said that he would not let her come out again and concentrate on recuperating at home and taking care of the housework.
Zhao Zihao no longer engaged in smuggling business. After listening to Wang Gang's advice, he usually did some small business in the pigeon market, earning sixty or seventy yuan a month, barely supporting his family.
Wang Gang no longer harvested Daxing pears. At most, he went to the countryside to collect some local products and earn some meager pocket money.
The black market has become more and more relaxed in the past two years, and the streets have let it go, so there is basically no risk.
Wang Gang's son Wang Yan has always been taken care of by Li Shufen. The couple goes to work during the day and takes their son back to their house after get off work.
On normal days off, He Yuzhu's family would come over to get together, and sometimes Wang Gang's family would also visit the courtyard and take care of the two rooms.
The relationship between the two families is as good as ever, but there are inevitably many differences with the neighbors.
He Yuzhu's family still lives in the compound and has relatively good relations with the neighbors.
Since Wang Gang moved, every time he returns to the courtyard, he would say hello politely to his neighbors without saying a word.
The situation of the Jia family is still the same. Qin Huairu never came back. Bangganshu couldn't go to junior high school, so he had to answer the call and go to the countryside.
After Bangge left, Jia Zhang's partiality became better, and her two granddaughters finally had enough to eat without having to go around begging for food.
The third uncle, Yan Bugui, has retired, but the family is still so calculating, and the relationship with the children has become increasingly indifferent.
As the children grew up one by one, had stable jobs, started their own families, and gradually moved out of the compound.
In the end, Yan Bugui met the same fate as Liu Haizhong. The old couple lived alone in a large courtyard, and they only appeared when their children had no money to use.
Yi Zhonghai's life was much easier, and he was finally able to live a peaceful life for a few days.
Wang Gang also wondered why Yi Zhonghai didn't leave Sijiu City.
Later, it was Li Shufen who solved his doubts.
It was Wang Gang's son's second birthday, and Li Shufen proposed to move back to the courtyard.
Li Shufen said that when people get old, their only thought is to return to their roots, and even if they die, they must die in their own place.
As Wang Yan gradually grew up and could be placed in the factory's nursery school, and there was no need to constantly have people around, Li Shufen thought about returning to her own home in the courtyard.
He Yuyu did not agree and insisted on letting Li Shufen stay and promised to provide for her in her old age.
There was almost a quarrel at home over this matter.
"Yu Yu, I know you are filial and treat me as your own mother, but I can walk and run, so I don't need your care."
Li Shufen took He Yuyu's hand and spoke her mind.
"I used to help you take care of your children, so I shamelessly lived in your house. Now that Wang Yan is getting older, it's not appropriate for me to stay here. Others will gossip."
He Yuyu said angrily: "If I see who dares to gossip, I will tear their mouths apart."
Li Shufen smiled and said: "Besides, I haven't lived in my house for two years, so it needs to be tidied up.
This is what I think, I will move back here for a while, and if you get pregnant again, I will move back."
He Yuyu sighed: "My belly has not moved in two years. When I was pregnant with Qiqi, I waited for seven years. I'm afraid I will only have a son named Qiqi in this life."
Wang Gang and He Yuyu worked hard in the past two years, but unfortunately they couldn't conceive, which made their wish to have a daughter come to nothing.
"Godmother, if we really let you go back to live, you will be stabbed in the back! My brother-in-law will not let us go." Wang Gang also retained Li Shufen.
"I'll go talk to the other side of the pillar." Li Shufen insisted on leaving, but no one tried to persuade her. In the end, it was Wang Yan who took action to stabilize her.
"I don't want grandma to leave, I don't want grandma to leave."
Two-year-old Wang Yan crawled on Li Shufen's body and cried without any instruction from her parents. Li Shufen cried so hard that her heart softened.
A child's world is the simplest. He will kiss whoever stays with him more and who treats him well.
It can be said that Li Shufen raised Wang Yan from an early age and devoted all his efforts.
"My grandson, be good. If you don't cry, your voice will become hoarse if you cry too much." Li Shufen coaxed, patting Wang Yan on the back distressedly.
He Yuyu's eyes turned red when he saw it, and he said, "Godmother, look, Qiqi can't bear to leave you either."
Li Shufen still had some struggle on her face, and when Wang Gang and his wife wanted to persuade him again, the ground suddenly started to tremble.
"No, there's an earthquake." Wang Gang got excited, grabbed his wife and Li Shufen, and ran outside to the yard.
He finally remembered that he had missed one thing.
The biggest earthquake since the founding of the People's Republic of China still came as scheduled, but Wang Gang forgot the specific time and was not prepared at all.
When the family came to the yard, the magnitude of the earthquake became stronger and stronger, and screams from the neighbors were heard around them.
"Everyone gather together and don't run around." Wang Gang took the child from Li Shufen's arms and asked He Yuyu and Li Shufen to squat down together.
Sijiu City was just an aftershock, and it stopped soon, but the aftershocks were not just one wave, and it was dangerous to stay in the room.
Wang Gang took advantage of the aftershocks to subside and built a simple shed in the yard to protect him from wind and rain.
The house cannot be lived in. If it collapses due to an aftershock, there will be no place to run.
Sijiucheng experienced three waves of aftershocks, and then it started to rain. Wang Gang was prepared, but he didn't rush.
"I wonder what Zhuzhu's place is like?" Li Shufen calmed down and immediately thought of He Yuzhu's house.
The couple and their two children lived in a large courtyard. They encountered aftershocks and wondered if there was any danger.
"Godmother, when the rain subsides, I will go to the courtyard to take a look. You can concentrate on taking care of the children at home," Wang Gang said.
Before Wang Gang finished speaking, there was a knock on the door, accompanied by He Yuzhu's loud voice.
"Sister, godmother, are you okay?"
Wang Gang hurriedly opened the door and saw He Yuzhu standing at the door soaked to the skin.
"Why are you here? Where are my sister-in-law and the child?" He Yuyu asked anxiously when he saw his eldest brother.
"Your sister-in-law and the child are fine. An earthquake-proof shelter has been set up in the yard and the neighbors are taking care of them. I'm worried about you, so come and take a look."
Wang Gang pulled He Yuzhu into the shed and asked, "Is the courtyard not affected by the earthquake?"
"It's okay, everything is okay. It's just that some people were frightened, especially Xu Damao's grandson. His legs were weak from the shock when the earthquake hit him, and he was carried out by two people."
If He Yuzhu can still joke, that means everything is fine.
"Do you have enough food at home? I think there will be fluctuations in food in the city these days." Wang Gang gave He Yuzhu a bag of white flour.
"I won't be polite to you anymore. The food at home is in the house, so I don't dare to take it." He Yuzhu took the flour, and the rain outside became lighter.
"I don't have enough food, but I still have it here. If it doesn't work, I'll go back with you and bring my sister-in-law and the child here. Living in my own courtyard is more convenient than yours."
He Yuzhu thought for a while, nodded and said: "That's okay, your place is big, and the whole family can be taken care of when they are together."