Rebirth in the 50s: The Couple with the Hidden Space novel Chapter 311

Chapter 311: Chapter 239

As soon as the car stopped not far from the Zhang Family’s door, National Day and his brother heard the sound of the car outside. They hurriedly grabbed kerosene lamps and ran out.

Zhang Guoqing got out of the car and helped his mother out. Just as he turned around, he saw two black figures darting out quickly from the gate, with a bit of light in the middle, which startled him enough to quickly shield his mother behind him. When he heard his second brother shouting for their parents, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Mother Zhang craned her neck to look towards the light source where the brothers approached, discovering two figures. She realized what was happening and felt a mix of amusement and exasperation.

Zhang Guoqing followed them into the courtyard and dragged his mother into their house.

Inside the room, he took his mother’s hand and whispered to her where everything was kept. Afterward, he loaded several storytelling and Peking opera cassette tapes onto the phonograph, and with arms full, entered his parents’ bedroom.

Just as Mr. Zhang was about to undress for bed, he was startled upon seeing his son and complained, "Why have you moved it here? Quickly take it back to the county."

Zhang Guoqing laughed, "Why take it back? We’ll be back in a few days anyway. Dad, I’m putting the phonograph in your room, and I have quite a few tapes and records in my room. Mom knows where everything is, so listen to it whenever you’re free. Even if it breaks, I can fix it."

"You can’t use things too often, or they’ll wear out easily. Quickly take it back, I have no time to listen," Mr. Zhang hurriedly waved his hands, urging his youngest son to take it back.

Zhang Guoqing laughed happily, "If you don’t use what you bought, that’s a waste. The coal stove in my room is always burning; if you want to use it, just help yourself. Don’t worry about wasting coal—it’s enough with the coal tickets I have.

The wine is stored in the bottom of the cabinet. If Mom won’t give you a drink, sneak up with my elder brothers to my room to drink it; there are peanuts inside. If you’re free, go check my room for anything useful and use it quickly."

Mr. Zhang quickly pushed him out. If the conversation continued, there would be nothing left in the house. He urged him to leave quickly and to drive carefully on the road.

Mother Zhang saw off her youngest son and closed the main door tightly. Returning to the room, she saw her husband fiddling with the phonograph and approached with a smile, "Do you know how to use it? Do you need me to teach you?"

Mr. Zhang hesitated for a moment and shook his head. The sound was too loud at night, disturbing the children’s sleep. He decided to listen in the morning and maybe call on his elder and younger brothers, the three brothers could listen together.

The old couple cozied up under the covers as Mr. Zhang listened to his wife mumble about minor household matters, occasionally responding. Before falling asleep, he was still thinking about his own father.

Late at night, Zhang Family Village was silent. The sound of cars starting and stopping woke up many residents at the North Mountain Foot. Some cursed quietly behind closed doors, while others envied and praised.

The closest neighbors, Uncle Zhang’s family, were the most disturbed. At the moment, Uncle Zhang and his wife had not yet gone to sleep and were pondering over their eldest son’s election as an accountant.

Upon hearing the car, Aunt Zhang remarked softly, "Your second brother’s family really seems to have made it big. Today I saw from a distance your second brother and his sister-in-law getting into a car. Xiao Wu must be bringing them back now. It’s so late, I wonder where they went?"

Aunt Zhang waited for a while and, finding her husband unresponsive, sighed.

After a while, seeing the car leave, she nudged her husband and curiously asked, "Do you think this back-and-forth could mean someone is leaving late at night? Why didn’t the sister-in-law keep them overnight and let them leave tomorrow?"

Uncle Zhang saw her wide eyes and realized he couldn’t remain silent any longer, "It should be Xiao Wu returning to the county. Zhou Xiaozheng bought a house in the county for his daughter. Today he took Jiao Jiao and them to the county, surely the second brother and his wife wouldn’t stay; Xiao Wu must have brought them back."

Aunt Zhang pinched her husband hard. Uncle Zhang felt wronged enough to cry; how did he offend his own wife? Even in the dark, Aunt Zhang sensed her husband’s resentment.

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