The Sweetness of the Seventies
Chapter 344 - 315: My Grandmother Is Not Dead (6/6happyhecatd He Shi Bi)_1

Chapter 344: Chapter 315: My Grandmother Is Not Dead (6/6happyhecatd He Shi Bi)_1

With each autumn rain, the air grows cooler!

After the arrival of autumn, a rain had washed over the area, rendering the weather somewhat chillier.

As long as it rained, there would be no need to go out and work in the fields. Not having to go out in the afternoon, He Tiantian decided to make dumplings.

The chives in the vegetable garden were thriving, so she planned to beat a couple of eggs and make chive and egg dumplings.

Third Grandma Qi agreed, "Tiantian, quickly head to the vegetable garden and pick some chives."

With three skillful women at home, the speed of making a meal of dumplings was also very fast.

In just an hour or so, the dumplings were ready.

After eating some dumplings, He Tiantian took a whole lunchbox of them to the hill behind their house, to share with her dad.

The path was a bit slippery since it had just rained.

However, He Tiantian, who trod the hills confidently in the darkness of night, found little trouble with the slippery path in the broad daylight.

It didn’t take long before He Tiantian reached the Peach Orchard.

"Dad..." Tiantian, seeing her father checking on the orchard and draining excess water from overly soggy areas, called out loudly to prevent the dumplings from cooling.

"What delicacies have you made?" He Jingyu asked with a big smile upon seeing his daughter.

"Chive and egg dumplings," Tiantian responded. "I ran here fast, so they’re still hot!"

He Jingyu entered the wooden hut to wash his hands.

He Tiantian opened the lunchbox, which was still steaming.

He Jingyu loved dumplings, especially those made by his wife and daughter.

After eating, He Jingyu rinsed his mouth, just as a fine drizzle began to fall outside.

"Tiantian, do you like it here?" He Jingyu asked, gazing at the lush, green mountains, which remained verdant even as autumn had arrived at Qijia Village.

Tiantian nodded and said, "Dad, actually, I really like it here. There’s no re-education, no such deception and trickery. Although we’ve encountered some difficulties, we’ve overcome them one by one, so I really like it here."

"Yes, I really like it here too," He Jingyu said. "Apart from Uncle Huo’s family in Nan City, we don’t have any close friends or relatives, so I don’t want to go back to Nan City for the New Year this year. We can save the train fare to spend a good New Year with stepmom!"

Tiantian agreed, "Yeah, it would save us the exhaustion of a train journey with four people, the high cost, and all the trouble."

"But what about Yingjie..." He Jingyu was slightly concerned about the young couple.

With a sly grin, Tiantian reassured him, "Dad, don’t worry. If Brother Yingjie has time, he’ll come back here to see me during the New Year."

"Ha ha!" He Jingyu chuckled, thinking Huo Yingjie that summer was indeed a thoughtful young man.

"Yingjie is a good kid; you can’t be too temperamental with him!" As a man, He Jingyu knew men preferred a sensible and generous girl. A bit of occasional haughtiness might make a man think of her fondly, but it shouldn’t be overdone.

"I know, Dad," Tiantian said, scrunching her nose. "I’ve grown up and know how to behave."

"No matter how grown up you are, you’re still my daughter," He Jingyu said with a smile. His daughter was so admirable; he really couldn’t bear not having her by his side!

He Jingyu looked at his daughter with a bit of curiosity.

"Dad, why are you looking at me like that?" Tiantian asked, puzzled, touching her face, thinking there was something dirty on it.

"Actually, I’ve always found it strange. Your mom and I aren’t bad-looking, but you definitely don’t look as good as you do," He Jingyu said puzzledly, "According to genetics, that’s not scientific."

He Tiantian rolled her eyes. There were plenty of things about her that were unscientific!

"If I don’t look like mom and dad, then I resemble my grandma," He Tiantian said. "Dad, think about it, there’s an old photo at home, right?"

He Jingyu thought for a moment and then said, "Now that you mention it, you do resemble your grandma a bit! Alas, I wonder how your grandma is doing now?"

He Tiantian was taken aback, wasn’t her maternal grandma already deceased?

"Dad, didn’t grandpa say that grandma had passed away?" He Tiantian countered, "We only have one photo of grandma at home, and mom and I both think so."

He Jingyu gave a wry smile, touched his daughter’s little head, and said, "When I was young, your grandpa also told me the same thing. But before he died, he told me the truth. Your grandmother was a local overseas Chinese; they were college classmates. Both your grandpa and grandma had strong personalities. Your grandma wanted to stay in Country M, while your grandpa wanted to return to his roots. Later, your grandma indeed came back with your grandpa, but when I was just over a year old, we got a telegram from Country M saying my maternal grandfather was ill. She went back to Country M and never returned. Your grandpa tried to contact her, but all attempts were met with silence until we received the news that your grandma had remarried. After that, he stopped writing."

He Tiantian listened, feeling lost.

Love comes quickly and leaves just as fast!

Some say true love isn’t affected by distance or time.

Yet, my grandparents had once loved each other, and then they separated, which definitely impacted their love!

No wonder grandpa often read alone, reclusive and silent!

But sometimes, he would secretly hold the photo of grandma holding dad on his first birthday, smiling faintly.

Perhaps my grandfather had regrets.

Now grandpa is gone, and it’s too late for any words.

"Dad, do you hate grandma?" He Tiantian asked. Having been abandoned by her mother from a young age, dad must have been very sad when he was little.

"As a child, I missed her. Since mom had died, there was no room for hatred. As I grew up, grandpa told me before he died that I had grown up, especially after having you. I realized that some things are beyond one’s control, so I don’t harbor any hatred," He Jingyu said, "Besides, I have my wife and daughter, a complete family. There’s nothing to regret now."

"That’s good, dad. Mom and I will always be good to you, we care about you," He Tiantian said with a smile, comforting her father.

Although her father said so, He Tiantian could feel his faint longing.

Maybe dad was right; he didn’t hate the woman who gave birth to him and then left, but he still missed his mother.

It wasn’t about worldly concerns, but because she was his mother!

Perhaps in dad’s heart, he also hoped that he might see his mother within his lifetime!

"Mm-hmm, I will also love and protect you with all my heart," He Jingyu said with a smile, "Alright, it has stopped raining now; you better hurry down. Someone will come to replace me soon, and then I’ll go home."

"Then I’ll head back," He Tiantian said as she packed up the lunchbox, ready to leave.

Going up the mountain is easy; coming down is hard!

It had rained today, so He Tiantian walked down somewhat slowly.

At the foot of the mountain, near the livestock team, she saw several people in military uniforms standing at the entrance of the livestock team’s compound.

He Tiantian, thinking there was trouble, hurried over.

"Who are you? What do you want?" He Tiantian asked, worried they were there to take someone.

He Tiantian didn’t want Qijia Village’s peaceful days to end, nor did she want the elders here to suffer any more harm!

Secretary Qi saw He Tiantian charging forward and asking questions in a blunt manner; he gave her a look and pulled her aside.