Chapter 156: This Granddaughter Has Many Tricks Up Her Sleeve

Not to mention Cao Jianhua, even his wife Gao Hong had gradually begun to smile more often during this period.

Her husband had initially invested over 300,000 yuan all at once, then took out another 300,000-plus loan from the town bank. Although not all of it was spent, this matter weighed heavily on her mind, making her feel very uneasy.

Now, seeing a glimmer of hope for making money, the pressure in Gao Hong’s heart eased a little. If they could earn a bit more, she would definitely be even happier!

“Jianhua, look, beef prices have been rising steadily. How about we raise cattle after we sell these pigs?” Gao Hong suggested to her husband.

Cao Jianhua was somewhat hesitant. To be honest, this wave of venturing into animal husbandry had lasted less than half a year, yet it felt like riding a roller coaster, completely exhausting him.

“After we sell the pigs, if we raise cattle, it would take at least over a year before they’re ready for market. Will we still be able to make money by then?” Cao Jianhua countered his wife’s question.

Gao Hong was also stumped. How could she know what would happen a year from now? She couldn’t even guess what tomorrow might bring.

Just like this round of pig farming for their family, it was no exaggeration to say they bought at the peak price. They didn’t even know what price they could sell for before the Spring Festival. Currently, the trend of rising prices seemed more obvious.

“Wife, we really can’t rush this matter. Let’s inquire more, wait until we understand the market situation clearly before deciding,” Cao Jianhua said, having learned his lesson from past mistakes. This time, he knew to take the steady route.

Gao Hong remembered something and told him, “Why don’t you go talk to Shujie again? Last time you went to his house for a drink, he suggested you consider selling at the end of the year. Regardless, pork prices have indeed risen now, and live hog prices have also increased quite a bit.”

“Besides, he also raises cattle. He knows more about this area, right?”

“Alright, I’ll go ask him when he’s not busy.”

“Hmm, I heard Uncle Hu is coming back in a couple of days. Make sure to bring plenty of things when you go see Uncle Hu then.” Gao Hong had many tricks up her sleeve, but she harbored no ill intentions.

The brothers Cao Jianguo and Cao Jianlin taking turns caring for their elderly father, one year each, was nothing new. This kind of elder care arrangement was basically the same across the country.

Cao Jianguo had mentioned to some elders these past few days that his father was coming back, so it wasn’t strange that Gao Hong knew about it.

“Uncle Hu?” Cao Jianhua nodded, “Alright, I should go see him anyway.”

…

Saturday, the twenty-third day of the eleventh lunar month.

A car drove over from Anyi City. It was a 2008 Buick GL8 Comfort model, slightly different from the standard 7-seater business van; this one had 8 seats.

At that moment, the car was exactly full with eight people. The driver was Cao Shubin, and sitting in the passenger seat was an elderly man.

Despite his head full of white hair, he was in high spirits, dressed cleanly and neatly, with not many wrinkles on his face, making it hard to guess his age. This was Cao Shujie’s grandfather, Cao Zhenghu

Sitting in the middle row were Cao Jianlin, the second son Cao Shuxin, and his son Cao Yixin.

The last row seated Cao Shubin’s wife Zhang Yi, their son Cao Yichuan, and Cao Shuxin’s wife Ren Jingjing.

The car was borrowed by Cao Shubin from their factory. It was an automatic transmission 2.5-liter model, with plenty of power for driving.

“Brother, pull over at the next service area ahead, let’s switch.” Cao Shuxin, sitting in the middle row, said.

The brothers had originally planned to drive two cars, but his older brother had called him last minute, saying he borrowed the factory’s 8-seater GL8 to avoid the hassle of two vehicles.

“Alright!” Cao Shubin was indeed feeling a bit tired. With a car full of family, he wouldn’t joke around at a time like this.

Cao Zhenghu looked at the unfamiliar scenery outside the car window, thinking to himself that another year had passed unnoticed. He was already 81 years old, turning 82 after the New Year. He didn’t know how many more years he had left.

Thinking about returning to Cao Family Village soon, Cao Zhenghu felt quite expectant.

After a while, he asked, “Shubin, how much longer until we reach Cao Family Village?”

“Grandfather, soon. Just over an hour more,” Cao Shubin replied.

Cao Shuxin from the back added, “Grandfather, the road right after we exit the highway is newly built, very smooth to drive on.”

“Is that so? Then give your second uncle a call, tell him we’re almost there,” Cao Zhenghu said.

Cao Shuxin nodded, “Alright, I’ll let Second Uncle know right away.”

“I haven’t been back for a year. I wonder how many of my old brothers from back home are still left?” Cao Zhenghu murmured to himself.

Before Cao Shubin or the others could respond, the eldest grandson Cao Yichuan, sitting in the third row, shouted, “Great-grandfather, with your physique, you can live to at least a hundred. Why bother about others?”

His words made everyone in the car laugh.

Cao Jianlin, hearing his eldest grandson’s words, was also happy, “Yichuan is right.”

His younger grandson Cao Yixin, sitting beside him, not wanting to be outdone, also clamored, “Great-grandfather will live to at least 150.”

“I saw the TV series ‘The Tai Chi Master’, they said he lived to 150!” he exclaimed.

Cao Shuxin placed a hand on his son’s shoulder and asked, “Was Zhang Sanfeng that amazing?”

“Of course, Dad! He could slap someone and send them flying far away with a whoosh! I think Great-grandfather is even stronger than Zhang Sanfeng!” Cao Yixin declared loudly, “I can’t even outrun Great-grandfather when I run.”

Cao Zhenghu, sitting in the front passenger seat, chuckled and turned to look at his great-grandson, “Yixin, you were just letting me win.”

“No way! I just couldn’t catch up!” Cao Yixin argued loudly, firmly refusing to admit it.

“You two grandsons, alright then!” Cao Jianlin laughed heartily.

“You two little rascals, you just know how to say sweet things to please me.” Cao Zhenghu also laughed along.

Arriving at the service area ahead, they took a short break. After a few people used the restroom and returned, they switched to Cao Shuxin driving, then continued on towards Cao Family Village.

Another hour or so passed unnoticed. They had already exited the highway and were heading towards Qingshi Town.

The stretch of road from the Xihe exit in Anyi City to Qingshi Town was frequently used by trucks, and the surface was battered and broken. However, once they entered the jurisdiction of Yiling City, the road became exceptionally smooth, allowing the speed to increase again, easily reaching 80 mph.

Cao Shubin looked at the road surface outside the car and sighed with emotion, “Anyi City’s economic development is ahead of Yiling City’s, but its road construction lags several levels behind Yiling City. I really don’t know what the higher-ups are thinking.”

“What else could they be thinking? Anyi is currently building an elevated expressway. I heard the investment is tens of billions. The money allocated there isn’t even enough, so other areas naturally have to cut corners where they can,” Cao Shuxin, who was driving, said.

His line of work involved contact with people from all walks of life, and he had heard some privately circulating rumors from them.

This kind of ‘rumor’ was widespread in Anyi City, with various versions. Many people even cursed some individuals for only knowing how to create fancy names to embezzle money for themselves, not doing proper work.

But such matters were just talked about for amusement, venting a bit verbally.

Before the two brothers finished speaking, Cao Zhenghu, sitting in the passenger seat, pointed excitedly at a stone tablet ahead, “We’re here, we’re here!”

Cao Shuxin, who was driving, also saw the stone tablet directly opposite that read ‘Welcome to Qingshi Town’.

“Grandfather, at most 20 minutes to home.” Cao Shuxin stepped on the accelerator, increasing the speed a bit more.

…

At the northern entrance of Cao Family Village, Cao Jianguo and Wang Yuelan, the elderly couple, had arrived at their son’s place early in the morning.

Estimating the time, Cao Jianguo and his son Cao Shujie came from home to wait at the intersection. Wang Yuelan and her daughter-in-law Cheng Xiaolin were at home picking vegetables and cooking, stewing beef ribs and lamb spine in two separate pots.

The marinated beef had been prepared last night, and the other dishes were also ready, just waiting to be cooked later.

Wang Yuelan had also wrapped some lamb dumplings. She told her daughter-in-law, “Your grandfather likes lamb dumplings the most.”

Cheng Xiaolin silently took note.

Mengmeng was playing alone to the side. At first, she didn’t mind, but after a while, realizing no one was paying attention to her, she felt very bored and became unhappy.

She clamored for her mother to play with her, but Cheng Xiaolin had no time now. She told Mengmeng, “Mengmeng, Mommy and Grandma are busy. Go find Daddy.”

“Where is Daddy?” Mengmeng asked.

“Go outside and look. Your daddy is at the intersection west of the main gate,” Cheng Xiaolin told her.

Wang Yuelan even said her daughter-in-law should go play with her granddaughter, but Cheng Xiaolin also said, “Mom, Grandfather and the others should be arriving soon. We need to hurry and prepare some food so they can have something to eat as soon as they get home.”

This was serious business, so Wang Yuelan didn’t say anything more.

Hearing her mother’s words, Mengmeng turned and headed outside. But after just a few steps, she turned back, looked at the little Pekingese dog, and shouted, “Xiaobai, Xiaobai, come play outside with me.”

“Woof, woof.” The little Pekingese barked twice, then obediently followed Mengmeng out.

Hearing the commotion outside from the kitchen, Wang Yuelan and Cheng Xiaolin, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, listened. Wang Yuelan said, “Linlin, did you see that? Mengmeng is quite clever.”

“Mom, this child has a lot of ideas. Don’t worry about her,” Cheng Xiaolin said before continuing to pick vegetables.

That’s what she said, but Wang Yuelan still watched her granddaughter lead the Pekingese out. Soon after, they heard her granddaughter’s voice from outside the main gate: “Daddy, Daddy. I’m here.”

“Mengmeng, come here.” Cao Shujie walked towards his daughter.

Mengmeng also ran along the road from the main gate towards her daddy.

“Daddy,” Mengmeng called out again.

“Mengmeng, it’s so cold outside. Why aren’t you playing at home? What are you doing out here?” Cao Shujie was puzzled.

Then he heard his daughter’s little mouth chatter away: “Mommy and Grandma are making dumplings, and they won’t play with me. Mommy told me to come find you.”

“Oh, Daddy is busy too. Daddy is waiting for your great-grandfather,” Cao Shujie said. Seeing his daughter run up to him, he squatted down, opened his arms, and picked her up, holding her.

In her daddy’s arms, Mengmeng settled down. She looked around and asked Cao Shujie, “Daddy, where is great-grandfather?”

“They’re still on the road, but they’ll be here soon,” Cao Shujie said, carrying his daughter to the crossroads and pointing north.

Mengmeng kept her eyes fixed on the north, but she still couldn’t recognize which car was her great-grandfather’s. She felt a little dejected.

She asked, “Daddy, will great-grandfather buy me yummy food?”

His grandfather most likely hadn’t bought any!

But Cao Shujie believed his eldest and second eldest brothers must have bought some things. He nodded to coax his daughter: “Your eldest uncle definitely bought some.”

Mengmeng was a bit confused by her daddy’s meaning, but hearing that someone had bought her yummy food, she was happy: “Okay, okay.”

“Daddy, let me tell you something,” Mengmeng said with a cute pout. “Mommy said I should greet great-grandfather and also greet granduncle.”

“And also eldest uncle and second uncle.”

But then she scratched her head and said, “But who are great-grandfather and granduncle?”

She had met them before, but after not seeing them for a long time, she had forgotten again.

Cao Shujie held his daughter and explained to her.

Cao Jianguo also gestured to his granddaughter, describing what her great-grandfather and granduncle looked like. But clearly, it was a waste of words. Mengmeng had no impression at all.

“Daddy. Put me down.” Mengmeng couldn’t stay still in her daddy’s arms and insisted on getting down to play with the little Pekingese.

Cao Shujie put her down. He was just about to remind her to run slowly when he saw a Buick GL8 with an Anyi City license plate coming from the north.

No need to ask, at this hour, it was most likely his granduncle.

Sure enough, when the car stopped, Cao Shujie saw the window on his side roll down, and his second cousin’s face appeared at the window: “Shujie, it’s such cold weather. Why are you waiting out here?”

Seeing Cao Jianguo, he smiled happily and called out, “Second Uncle.”

Cao Jianguo nodded in acknowledgment and had already walked to the passenger side, opening the door: “Father.”

Cao Zhenghu was in the passenger seat. Looking at his youngest son, whom he hadn’t seen for a year, he was a bit emotional and reached out to touch him.

“Father, it’s Jianguo,” Cao Jianguo called out.

“Jianguo, you’ve gotten thinner,” Cao Zhenghu asked him.

He wanted to get out. The doors on both sides of the second row also opened. Cao Jianlin and Cao Shubin got out from either side.

Cao Yixin also got out of the car with his grandfather.

The two sisters-in-law in the back seats behind also wanted to get out. But Cao Shujie quickly called out, “Second Brother, that two-story building is our home. Sisters-in-law, don’t get out yet. Drive the car over there.”

“Wow, you’ve made it quite beautiful. Must have cost a lot,” Cao Shuxin said from the intersection, looking at the two-story house with tiled exterior walls painted yellow.

Cao Jianlin and Cao Zhenghu, father and son, insisted on getting out. No one stopped them. Cao Shubin also got out, walked around the back of the car, and wanted to support his grandfather.

But his cousin Cao Shujie beat him to it, taking hold of his grandfather’s arm. However, his grandfather pushed him away: “Shujie, I can still stand. No need to support me.”

Grandfather and grandson hadn’t seen each other for almost a year, but they both cared deeply for each other.

“Shujie, you’ve gotten tanned,” Cao Zhenghu said, looking at the slightly darkened face of his youngest grandson, feeling very heartbroken.

But Cao Shujie didn’t mind. He said, “Grandfather, it’s fine. A bit of sun is healthier. I can run ten kilometers now without any problem.”

Seeing his little grandson boasting here, Cao Zhenghu also laughed.

“Daddy, is this great-grandfather?” Mengmeng, the little imp who had been temporarily overlooked by everyone, chimed in again on her own.

Cao Zhenghu looked down and saw his great-granddaughter Mengmeng looking up at him. This was the only little girl in their old Cao family!

(End of Chapter)

#### Translator’s Notes

taking turns caring for their elderly father, one year each: In some traditional Chinese families, it is common for adult children to take turns providing care for elderly parents, often on a rotational basis, such as annually.

eleventh lunar month: The Chinese calendar is lunisolar, meaning months are based on lunar cycles. The eleventh lunar month typically falls in December.

Zhang Sanfeng: A legendary Chinese Taoist, martial artist, and immortal, often credited with creating Tai Chi. He is a revered figure in Chinese martial arts and folklore.