第六章

At dinner, grandmother put both big chicken legs into Qingqing's bowl.

After seeing that, aunt's face changed. Uncle immediately picked a chicken wing for her.

Yang Zhixia smiled and asked Qingqing: 'Do you also eat chicken in Xinjiang?'

Qingqing nodded.

"Eat. Mom raises chickens herself. She can also chop trees, dig vegetable cellars, build fire walls, she can do everything."

As soon as she mentioned her mom, Qingqing became talkative.

Yang Zhixia said: "Big sister is really capable."

Grandma listened and listened, her eyes turned red. She suddenly raised her voice.

"Just eat your meal, where do you get so many words!"

Yang Zhixia was a bit unhappy.

"Every time I mention big sister, you act like this."

Uncle glanced at her.

"Still talking?"

The room suddenly became quiet.

Qingqing lowered her head and gnawed on the chicken leg. The chicken leg was very fragrant, but she felt it was not as good as her mother's braised chicken.

Soon, a neighbor downstairs came to call Yang Zhixia to watch TV.

Yang Zhixia immediately put down her bowl and left.

One person fewer in the room, it became quieter.

After finishing the meal, Qingqing sat down in front of the TV.

She looked like she was watching TV, but she was actually listening to the adults talking.

Aunt glanced at uncle, then gently kicked him with her foot.

Uncle had to speak up.

"Mom, Qingqing eats quite a lot."

Grandma looked at him.

"Children are growing, of course they eat a lot. Weren't you also a big eater when you were young?"

Uncle gave an awkward laugh.

Aunt had to say herself:

"Mom, we don't mean we are not welcoming Qingqing back. But we have to consider the situation. The house is so small, there are already four people. Where will Qingqing sleep? Food and clothes all cost money."

She paused for a moment, and lowered her voice.

"She is still young; later schooling, discipline, all need attention."

Grandma did not speak.

She looked at uncle.

"Xiaojun, do you also think so?"

Uncle forced himself to say: "I think Qingqing herself doesn't want to stay in Shanghai. She has always wanted to go back to Xinjiang with Uncle Liu. How about letting her go for a few years until we have more room, then bring her back?"

Grandma was silent for a long time.

Then she said slowly: "Aiyu doesn't know about what happened back then, I don't blame her. But Xiaojun, what you said really chills my heart."

Uncle's face turned red instantly.

Grandma ignored him, and instead looked at aunt.

"Back then, the family had one quota to go to the border region. Zhixia was too young, so I could only choose between Wenjie and Xiaojun. On the surface, it was a lottery; whoever drew the lot would go."

Aunt said softly: "That was unavoidable."

Grandma shook her head.

"It's not that there was no way. Those two lots were both made by me. What was written on them were all Wenjie's name."

The room suddenly became still.

Uncle also lowered his head.

Grandma said with red eyes: "I was afraid that if Xiaojun left, this family would not hold up. But Wenjie is also my daughter. I know how much hardship she has endured in Xinjiang. I have let her down."

She wiped her eyes and said again:

"Therefore, I must keep Qingqing in Shanghai. I want her to study, go to high school, go to university. Wenjie had no opportunity back then, I cannot let Qingqing have no opportunity either."

Uncle said softly: "Mom..."

Grandma looked at him.

"If we wait until she is sixteen to come back, her studies will fall behind, and it will be hard to discipline her. If we bring her back now, there is still time."

Grandma's tone softened a bit.

"Xiaojun, you are her uncle. You need to take good care of her."

Uncle sighed and managed a smile.

"I understand. We just worried about not being able to take good care of her, so we want to state the difficulties first. Mom, rest assured, at worst I will eat one less bowl of rice to save for Qingqing."

After he finished speaking, he looked at aunt.

"Am I right, dear?"

Aunt's heart was still in turmoil. But she did not embarrass uncle, only nodded.

Grandma said: "I will figure out the matters of food and household registration. I will also go to the pharmaceutical factory."

Qingqing sat in front of the TV, pretending to watch.

Actually, she had heard everything.

So it turned out that her mother went to Xinjiang back then not because of bad luck.

It was grandma who made her go.

Qingqing's heart pounded.

She thought, when Uncle Liu comes to take her back to Xinjiang, she must tell her mother about this.

At this moment, a knock on the door sounded again.

I don't know who had come.