This night was destined to be a sleepless one.
Most of the villagers were at the brigade office.
The small village was remote, and exciting events were rare. No one wanted to miss the chance to spectate.
Except for the people in the Old Su family.
The Old Su family members continued with their usual activities. Apart from Old Third Su going to testify, none of the others went to watch the commotion.
However, Old Third Su had not returned after going to testify.
"It's all your fault, you old man! This matter had nothing to do with Third, but you insisted on agreeing to let him testify. That woman isn't good; what if she implicates Third?" Grandma Su started to blame Grandpa Su in her anxiety.
Her worry made her lose the mood to even slice the minced meat.
Grandpa Su was very frustrated. Third was the one going to testify, and he had only agreed to go along with Third's wishes. His wife was being unreasonable.
Just then, Old Third Su returned.
Grandma Su quickly put down the cleaver and asked, "How did it go? Are you alright?"
"Mother, I'm fine. Please don't worry!" Old Third Su quickly replied, "The brigade leader said he can't make a decision on this matter and will go to the commune tomorrow to ask for instructions on how to handle it. Kang Yiye has already been taken into custody."
Grandma Su finally felt relieved.
"That's good, that's good. This woman is truly a disaster!" Grandma Su muttered, picking up the cleaver again to continue slicing the meat.
"It's just that Scabby Head is in a bad way. He was beaten too severely. Doctor Li said he needs to be sent to the hospital."
"Scabby Head is truly unlucky, suffering such a calamity for no reason," Grandma Su muttered.
"Third, tidy yourself up and go take care of Scabby Head for a couple of days," Grandpa Su said, putting down his pipe.
"Father, I was thinking the same thing. Scabby Head has no one at home; he's quite pitiful." Old Third Su nodded.
In this regard, father and son were quite alike; both had kind natures.
"What did the brigade say?"
"The brigade leader said that taking care of Scabby Head will count as work. I reckon there will be others willing to go. I'll go check later; if someone else is willing to go, I won't." After saying this, Old Third Su went to his room to put on warmer clothes and announced in the main hall that he was leaving.
"Third, take some grain coupons with you. You can't go taking care of someone and starve," Grandma Su said, wiping her hands with a towel. She then took a few grain coupons and two one-yuan bills from a chest and handed them to Old Third Su.
"Mother..."
"Don't ask, just take it." Grandma Su didn't pay Old Third Su any more attention and continued her work slicing meat.
After Old Third Su left, Grandma Su sighed and said, "In this matter, we have ultimately let Scabby Head down."
"Just say such things within the family. We know in our hearts what happened. Besides, it was that woman Kang Yiye who caused trouble, not our family," Grandpa Su immediately said.
"Don't I know that? Old man, you say, we have a large piece of meat here. If we slice it into minced meat, it will be quite a lot. I'll stir-fry it and send some to Professor Chi, alright?" Grandma Su asked.
"Professor Chi is teaching our two children. The gift shouldn't be too meager. We should have sent a whole piece of meat, but if they were to cook meat there, it would attract attention!" Grandpa Su agreed wholeheartedly.
Grandma Su stayed up all night. Only when it was past midnight and she was sure there was no sound in the village did she quietly go to the kitchen to stir-fry the minced meat.
Before long, a rich aroma of meat wafted around the Old Su family's home, causing a few dogs to let out whimpering cries.
The next day.
After finishing work, Grandpa Su took his grandchildren to the cowshed.
Seeing the large basket of precious gifts, Chi Ge was shocked.
After his shock, he firmly refused to accept them.
"Brother Su, teaching the two children is something I do willingly. You've prepared such a generous gift; I feel unworthy!"
"Professor Chi, since you call me Brother Su, I'll call you Elder Brother. Because of the two children, we are like family. You don't need to be so formal with me."
"Brother Su, your family's conditions aren't good either. All these food and daily necessities were saved from hardship. I cannot accept them!"
"You accepted them as students, making you a proper elder. These gifts are truly a reduction; we don't have anything better to offer. Please don't be displeased."
Chi Ge was about to say something when Grandpa Su interrupted him.
"Although I am a farmer, I also know that you are a man of great learning. If it were in past years, my two children might not have had the opportunity to receive your guidance."
"If you don't accept these, I will have no face to let the children continue to bother you."
"Brother Su..."
Chi Ge couldn't continue. The Old Su family was helping him.
But this was white rice, white flour, sugar, and meat; it was truly too precious.
"Elder Brother, you have been in our village for several years, and your health has deteriorated significantly. You need to nourish yourself," Grandpa Su said sincerely. "Once your health improves, the children can study with you with peace of mind."
"I will shamelessly accept it. Brother Su, I will teach these two children wholeheartedly. If... if that day truly comes, these two children will surely achieve great things."
Chi Ge dared not speak too confidently; he himself didn't know what the future held.
After seeing the Su family off, looking at the pile of good things, Chi Ge was moved. Du Tonghe was also very surprised. In this rural area during this era, such a teacher's gift was indeed very generous.
"The Old Su family are all honest people!" Du Tonghe said after a long pause.
Yu Ruiyuan looked at the small jar of minced meat and didn't know what to say.
The people of the Old Su family were not only honest but also thoughtful.
For people like them, eating meat would surely attract attention.
By stir-frying the meat into minced form and packing it into small jars, they could dig out a little to mix with their rice when eating. This way, the smell wouldn't spread, and it wouldn't attract anyone's notice.
"Our lives won't be too difficult, and we have the Old Su family to thank for that!" Chi Ge sighed.
"Grandpa, the Su family sent a bag of millet. Every morning, I will cook millet porridge for you, Grandpa Du, and Grandma Yu. I'll add a spoonful of minced meat to it. After eating it for a while, your stomach problems will surely improve a lot." Chi Yiyuan caressed the small bag of millet, his face full of smiles.
Although Chi Ge had always wanted to hide it from Chi Yiyuan, Chi Yiyuan had still noticed that his grandfather's stomach problems had been acting up severely lately.
Chi Ge's stomach had always been poor. Since arriving at Hongxin Brigade, he had been chronically underfed. Even when he ate, it was mostly heartburn-inducing food, which had caused his stomach problems to worsen.
"Old Chi, your stomach problems..." Du Tonghe said worriedly.
"It's an old ailment, nothing serious," Chi Ge said dismissively.
"Millet porridge is good for the stomach. I'll cook millet porridge for Old Chi every day from now on. After a period of nourishment, it will surely improve," Yu Ruiyuan immediately said.
Chi Ge himself was not so optimistic, but some things couldn't be said in front of the children.
Before, he worried about what would happen to Xiao Yuan if he were no longer around, and the child would have to suffer. Now that Old Du and his wife had arrived, he could feel much more at ease.
Su Xiaotian returned home and was reading in her room when she suddenly thought of Chi Ge.