BXBX NOVEL Chapter 285 - 285: Moving?
As soon as Zhao Wan had finished speaking, Su Zhen knocked and entered. Jiang Xia knew they had something to discuss, so she stood up and left.
Su Zhen took the seat previously occupied by Jiang Xia and got straight to the point, “Godmother, the main reason I came to the mountain this time was to discuss something with you. The state has issued a policy requiring all mountain hunters to move down and settle in the villages. You all should prepare as soon as possible. Otherwise, when the policy is enforced, the state will randomly assign a village for you to settle.”
Zhao Wan trusted Su Zhen’s information. Although she wasn’t certain of the extent of Su Zhen’s influence in the black market, she was aware of his control over the local county’s black market, which gave him access to many inside governmental updates.
Seeing Zhao Wan not responding immediately, Su Zhen tentatively asked, “Godmother, have you considered moving to Jiang Qing’s maternal village, Pushan Village?”
“Oh?” Zhao Wan recalled that Jiang Chuan had mentioned this during dinner the previous night. She had initially wanted to decline, but Su Zhen had distracted her, and Jiang Chuan never brought up the topic again.
Su Zhen was eager to prevent her rejection, probably worried about any potential embarrassment if Zhao Wan refused and the matter was raised again later. Hence, he wanted to discuss it first.
Zhao Wan directly questioned, “Does Jiang Chuan know about the government’s order?”
“He does, but he had already planned to invite you to Pushan Village even before he knew about it.”
Su Zhen briefly explained the situation to Zhao Wan, who seemed intrigued.
It appeared that not only was it Jiang Chuan’s intention to invite them, but also the village chief supported the idea. If they really settled in Pushan Village, they would get to see Zhang Ling every day, and the villagers would not treat them as outsiders.
Moreover, what Zhao Wan valued most was Jiang Chuan’s attitude. His trip to Grand Cloud Mountain with his family was a genuine invitation, not a veiled threat using state policy. This spoke volumes about his character and how much he valued his daughter.
Zhao Wan decided that if Jiang Chuan mentioned this again during lunch, she would discuss the specifics with him.
After preparations, Zhang Ping went hunting on the mountain top with Jiang Chuan, armed with his hunting rifle. The second and third brothers of the Zhang family joined Su Zhen halfway up the mountain where there was a cave that might house foxes.
Zhou Lan took Jiang Gu up the mountain to pick persimmons, while Jiang Xia and her elder sister went to the riverbank to look for river shrimp.
Zhao Wan stayed back to watch the house.
Actually, not many people would come to the mountain top, let alone easily find the Zhang family’s exact location. But considering Zhao Wan had just lost her husband and was in low spirits, Zhou Lan suggested she stay at home.
On the way to the river, Jiang Xia finally had the opportunity to speak alone with her elder sister and couldn’t help but inquire about the head of the Zhang family.
“Elder sister, 1 heard from Su Zhen that the Old Master Zhang has a bad temper and likes to drink. Zhang Ling seems afraid of him. Does he scold you when he’s drunk?”
Jiang Qing sighed deeply, warning Jiang Xia to be mindful of the stones underfoot so she wouldn’t trip, and then responded, “No. When he drinks too much, he mostly locks himself in his room. In fact, the old master is rather pitiable.”
“What do you mean?” Jiang Xia gazed at her elder sister’s face, now more gentle and beautiful, and was entranced.
Just as it is said that the dragon has nine sons, each different from the other, the Jiang family has three daughters, each with her own distinct personality and each beautiful in her own unique way.
Eldest sister Jiang Qing possessed a delicate beauty reminiscent of southern women. Jiang Xia was spirited and witty, her intelligence often outshining her appearance. The youngest sister, Jiang Gu, was adorable and irresistibly approachable.
In modern times, Jiang Xia, being an only child, had always wanted a sibling. However, due to Zhou Lan’s inability to conceive again, this was a forbidden topic in the Jiang family. Here, in the 1960s setting, Jiang Xia re-experienced familial bonds that she hadn’t before, making her feel that life in the 60s had its merits.
Jiang Qing pondered where to start the story, then began, “I heard from Zhang Ping that the old master is not their biological father. Their real father died in the war. After the war, the old master pursued my maternal mother relentlessly. For the sake of her four children, she eventually agreed to marry him and they moved to the mountains.”
Jiang Xia inquired further, “If he married Aunt Zhao, he should be very happy, right? Why is he pitiable?”