Rebirth in the 50s: The Couple with the Hidden Space

Chapter 980 - 861: News of Class Suspension

"Grandpa, I’m back."Mr. Zhang looked up at the sky in surprise and asked Xi Zi, "What’s going on? You skipped class?"

Xi Zi glanced around and lowered his voice, "Let’s talk when we’re back inside."

Seeing this, Mr. Zhang didn’t say more. He turned around with his hands behind his back, walked toward the doorway, and when he saw his wife about to open her mouth in the yard, he shook his head at her, signaling her to go into the room together.

In the bedroom, Mr. Zhang took off his shoes and got up onto the kang, then looked at his eldest grandson. He saw the boy’s expression was a bit heavy and couldn’t help but knit his brows. What’s wrong with this kid, why can’t he stay steady.

Fortunately Xi Zi didn’t know what he was thinking, or he’d definitely cry injustice. Right now he looked at the two elders and asked solemnly, "Grandpa, Grandma, did my little uncle mention anything in his letters?"

When he heard this, Mr. Zhang paused, thinking back to his younger son’s recent letters. Other than telling them to take care of their health, it seemed mostly that they didn’t need to worry about them out there.

He smacked his lips, immediately pulled out the recent letters from the drawer of the kang cabinet, and handed them to Zhang Mingyuan (Xi Zi). "Did something happen?"

"Grandpa, let me read them first, it’ll be quick." Zhang Mingyuan quickly skimmed through the three letters, pondered for a moment, then said, "That classmate of mine called Li Daguang, Grandpa, you still remember him?"

"You mean the kid who fought with you, the one who later got into the military academy, that young lad, right?" Mr. Zhang asked suspiciously. That kid was really promising now. If it weren’t that his eldest granddaughter was still too young, he’d be thinking of dragging him into the family as a grandson-in-law.

But that was just a thought. With that kid’s looks and ability, he probably wouldn’t look twice at his own eldest granddaughter. He felt his granddaughter was no worse than anyone else, but facts were facts.

"Yeah, that’s him. I just came back with him. He said it’s a big commotion over in Beijing, lots of universities and colleges have already stopped classes, and now many primary and middle schools are all waiting to see what happens over there."

Mr. Zhang let out a breath of relief when he heard this. "Your little uncle and little aunt have already finished college, that’s not something we can meddle with. Ping’an’s in an army school— even if they suspend classes, your little uncle and little aunt will make arrangements."

Mother Zhang could tell her old man hadn’t caught the meaning in their grandson’s words. She secretly rolled her eyes and looked at Zhang Mingyuan. "Xi Zi, tell Grandma, are you worried they’re going to start suspending classes here too?"

Zhang Mingyuan nodded with a frown. "Grandpa, Grandma, do you remember something Little Uncle said when he came back last year?"

Mr. Zhang shook his head. His younger son had said so many things; how could he know which one his grandson meant?

"You kid, don’t keep people hanging. Since when did you learn to talk half and swallow half?" Mother Zhang, impatient, couldn’t bear his way of talking and glared at him.

"Little Uncle asked how much grain we get each month. Back then Ping’an said in the city they were about the same, and Little Uncle said there’s nothing strange about that, a lot of policies start in Beijing first and then get passed down layer by layer."

After Zhang Mingyuan finished, he said, "Here’s what I’m thinking: if it’s already blown up in Beijing, won’t it start over here soon too? I’m not too worried about myself, but what if all the younger ones all get their classes stopped, what then?"

Mr. Zhang didn’t answer but asked in return, "Read the last letter again, see if your little uncle hinted at anything?" As he spoke, he reached for his pipe out of habit.

Zhang Mingyuan read it over once more and shook his head. The whole thing was just telling Grandpa and Grandma to take care of their health, saying they were doing fine out of town, and that Little Uncle had gotten a few yuan more in his wages and sent it all to them.

Then there was that last month Little Aunt had gone on a business trip to Chang’an, and from there she mailed a parcel home to honor Grandpa and Grandma, asking them to remember to pick it up.

"Oh, then that’s fine. If something big happens, your little uncle and little aunt will write. Even if there’s something they can’t say in the letter, your little aunt’s godfather will give us a word."

Mr. Zhang looked at his eldest grandson as he spoke. "If there’s nothing else, you shouldn’t be asking for leave either. Go back now and keep your dad and mom company tonight, then hurry off to class first thing in the morning."

Mother Zhang picked up where her old man left off. "Right, listen to your grandpa. And don’t repeat this to anyone else later. If things really start up at your school, don’t you go sticking your head out. Just remember what your little aunt said about keeping a low profile."

Mr. Zhang and his grandson both couldn’t help laughing when she said that, and Zhang Mingyuan nodded again and again.

Still uneasy, Mother Zhang added, "As for your dad, your grandpa will give him and your second uncle a heads-up."

"All right then, Grandma, your eldest grandson will definitely keep it in mind." Zhang Mingyuan grinned. "I’ll go see if there’s anything at home I can help with first, then I’ll come back and chat with you two."

Mother Zhang waved her hand, watching her eldest grandson leave, then urged her old man, "Kids’ dad, aren’t you going to go by Dashan and the others’ place for a bit?"

Mr. Zhang shook his head. "No need! We’ll just follow the policies. Take one step at a time. Nothing’s happened yet, what are we getting anxious for? Our family’s been poor folks for eight generations, and the younger boy’s a soldier. Whatever happens, it won’t hit us first."

In this family, whenever there was something big, it was always Mr. Zhang who made the final call. So when he said that, Mother Zhang felt much more at ease. She knew clearly that, for decades now, listening to her old man had never gone wrong, not to mention they had the younger son as well.

This matter had just been set aside when, within a few days, another big piece of news dropped from the sky.

Mr. Zhang stared at Zhao Dashan in disbelief.

Zhao Dashan gave a bitter smile and nodded again. "It’s true. In the provincial city, even primary school kids were suspended from class as of yesterday. And lately the word is that even high school graduates this year won’t be getting job assignments for now."

"Those are still small things. The city’s already in chaos. This winter..."

After Zhao Dashan left, Mr. Zhang kept his brows tightly furrowed, smoking dry tobacco one pipe after another. His life experience told him this was no small matter; it might just be getting started.

If all those countless brats across the whole country stop going to school, stop working, where’s the food going to come from? Are they going to be going hungry again like a few years back?

"Kids’ dad, what did Brother Dashan say to you? How’d he get you worrying like this?" As soon as Mother Zhang entered the inner room she was almost brought to tears by the smoke and asked anxiously.

"Nothing much." Mr. Zhang denied it reflexively, then, seeing his wife glare at him, added, "Okay, there is something, but you’ll know when the kids get home from school later. It’s not that big a deal."

Mother Zhang gave him a sidelong look.

"Kids’ mom, don’t rush to ask. While there’s nobody here, take another look around and see if there’s anything in our house we can’t put out in the open. Whatever ought to be hidden, hide it all."

Mother Zhang froze for a moment and looked at him nervously. "So something big has happened? Our Xiao Wu is all right, isn’t he?"

Wow, what blatant favoritism. This time even Mr. Zhang couldn’t help saying his wife really never forgot that precious baby boy of hers for anything.

"You’re worrying for nothing. Didn’t I say it doesn’t have much to do with our family? I’m just getting ready in case, you understand?"

"Didn’t they put a plaque at our door saying we’re a military family? Who’d be dumb enough to barge in here with their eyes closed? Last year Xiao Wu told me, once he became a soldier, no matter what big thing happened, whether he was back home or not, I was never to be afraid."

Mr. Zhang froze when he heard that and immediately choked several times on his pipe smoke. This silly woman! Such an important thing and she never told him, yet she jabbers on about useless stuff every day!

"What else did Xiao Wu tell you?"

Mother Zhang gave him a puzzled look. "Didn’t I already tell you all of it?"

She’d never mentioned this line! Mr. Zhang grumbled inwardly and rolled his eyes at her.

Which just made Mother Zhang burst out laughing. Honestly, he was getting more childish with age! "All right, if you don’t bring it up for a while, I forget. I’ll listen to you first and tidy up the house."