1990s: Spring Water Family

Chapter 125 Uncovering the Truth About the Pensions from Ten Years Ago

"is it?"

Grandpa Fu took the opportunity to wipe his nose with a tissue: "Xiao Lin also lived in the compound? When was that?"

Gu Bin winked at Lin Xiyu.

Before the age of 8.

Lin Xiyu understood immediately and played along with his words, comforting her grandfather: "I was too young back then, and I really can't remember many things. I only remember that there were a lot of cicada nymphs in the woods in the summer. They would climb all over the trees when it rained. My dad would take a flashlight at night and take me to catch cicada nymphs. We could catch dozens in one night."

There are many cicadas in the poplar grove.

Gu Bin nodded in agreement: "I used to catch them when I was a kid too. I didn't just shine a flashlight on the tree; I dug right into the ground. I was really daring back then. I would poke any hole I saw with a stick and dig out all sorts of things. Once, a toad even jumped out, which completely overturned my understanding. I used to think that toads only lived in water, but I never expected to find them under trees."

"hiss."

Wu Meng felt her hair stand on end: "Toads, how disgusting! Aren't you scared?"

"What's that?"

Li Liang chuckled and chimed in, "I even dug up a snake once."

"what?"

Even Lin Xiyu was startled, her heart skipped a beat, and she rubbed her arms, getting goosebumps all over.

Why dig up so many cicada nymphs?

Xu Yi's reaction was completely different from the girl's; his small eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"Eat."

Lin Xiyu vividly described to him: "After catching cicada nymphs, soak them in salt water overnight, then fry them in oil the next morning. They're crispy and fragrant, and the taste is simply amazing."

"I want to eat, too."

Xu Yi's mouth watered at his sister's words, and he couldn't help but swallow hard: "Are there any left? I want to dig up cicada nymphs too."

"Have"

Gu Bin did not disappoint him: "Summer is the time when there are the most cicada nymphs. If you want to dig, we can go back this afternoon and pass by the nursery. There are even more cicada nymphs there, so you can dig as many as you want."

"Yeah, that's great."

Xu Yi exclaimed with delight, "Now I can dig up cicada nymphs too!"

"Having a little kid at home makes it lively."

Grandma Fu loves lively atmospheres, and she likes the clever little guy even more.

"He's quite mischievous."

Lin Xiyu patted her younger brother's head affectionately: "You'll understand in time. He's always jumping around; no one can be as mischievous as him."

"Boys are boys, it's normal for them to be a little mischievous."

Grandma Fu didn't take it to heart: "All nine of my grandsons were mischievous from a young age. Xiao Zheng is one of the more well-behaved ones among the nine brothers. When he was little, he used to roll around in the wheat field and let his grandfather hit him with a rolling pin."

"Did Brother Zheng really roll around in the wheat field?"

Xu Yi was amused and laughed heartily.

"Cough cough."

Fu Zheng's ears turned red, and he coughed awkwardly twice.

"That one is even more mischievous."

Not satisfied with her words, Grandma Fu turned her attention to Gu Bin: "He rarely comes back, but he can't stay at home for even a quarter of an hour. He runs to the grass next to the tarmac to catch grasshoppers and roasts them over a fire. The sparks set the grass on fire, and the soldiers on duty found out and reported it to my family. I was so angry that my heart ached."

"Brother Bin, you can be this cheeky sometimes?"

Xu Yi was amused and almost burst out laughing.

"I was young then."

Gu Bin doesn't care about his dark past at all: "There's not much entertainment, and digging for cicadas too much gets boring. You always have to find some new fun so that life won't be so dull."

"Are roasted grasshoppers delicious?"

Xu Yi's curiosity was piqued again.

"good to eat."

Gu Bin nodded seriously.

"I want to catch it too."

Xu Yi was about to suggest catching grasshoppers on the tarmac and roasting them when Fu Zheng's words shattered his fantasy.

"Don't even think about it. Zhangzhuang Airport used to be a civilian airport, and the management wasn't so strict. Now it's under military management. Let alone roasting grasshoppers, you can't even light a fire in the grass or get close to the tarmac without permission from higher authorities."

"Ugh."

Xu Yi's face fell, and he muttered unhappily, "Kids these days are so pitiful. They can't do this or that. They're not as happy as you were when you were kids."

"What year was Xiao Yi born?"

Grandma Fu found it amusing, her smile filled with kindness.

"85 years."

Lin Xiyu answered for her younger brother: "He's 10 years younger than me."

Why are you two siblings so different?

Grandma Fu frowned, realizing that something was wrong.

"Xi Yu's mother remarried after her father's death."

Knowing he couldn't avoid this topic, Gu Bin recounted to his grandparents how Lin Xiyu's grandmother favored boys over girls and had taken away the mother and son's compensation money.

"That makes no sense."

Grandpa Fu was so angry that he cursed, "How could there be such a vicious old woman who abandoned her own granddaughter and stole the money that the mother and daughter depended on for survival?"

"Isn't this your fault?"

Grandma Fu vented her anger on her husband: "How did you distribute the pensions for fallen soldiers? Can just anyone receive them? Without a family member's signature, why are you issuing them to her?"

"Cough cough."

Grandpa Fu choked on his words, and was then rendered speechless by Grandma's retort.

“This has nothing to do with Grandpa.”

Fu Zheng couldn't stand it anymore and explained on behalf of his grandfather: "Her grandmother is also a direct relative. Her son sacrificed his life, and his mother came to pay her respects and receive the pension. Anyone would think it's reasonable, and no one can stop her."

"That depends on the situation."

Grandma Fu was still indignant: "My wife and children are all here, and you let the grandmother take them all away, what kind of behavior is that?"

"Xiao Zhou."

Grandpa Fu jabbed his cane hard and called to his orderly, "Go and ask who handled this back then, and tell him to come over as soon as possible."

"Yes."

The orderly responsible for taking care of the elderly couple's daily life rushed out of the kitchen upon hearing the order, forgetting all about cooking.

"Grandpa, let's just forget about it?"

Fu Zheng didn't want to make a big deal out of it, so he tentatively advised, "It's been ten years since this happened. The person in charge of this matter back then might have already retired from the military."

"Regardless of whether he has been discharged from the military or not, we must find him."

Grandpa Fu glared at him, his imposing manner evident: "I want to hear him tell me himself what really happened back then."

"Investigate, we must investigate."

Grandma Fu slammed her hand on the table, her tone even more forceful than Grandpa's: "This happened in the military compound, it's so shameful! How pitiful they were when they were forced to leave back then, is this how you treat the relatives of martyrs? You don't care about their families at all?"

"Xiao Zhou, hurry up and go."

Grandpa Fu's face turned red from Grandma's rebuke: "Just say it's my order. No matter what, you must find out the truth about this." "Yes."

The orderly dared not delay any longer and rushed out of the gate like a gust of wind.

-

The army's efficiency in executing orders was remarkable. In less than half an hour, the orderly returned with a middle-aged officer who appeared to have just come off the training field and was drenched in sweat.

The middle-aged officer clearly already knew the reason why his old superior had summoned him, and his expression was slightly nervous.

The old man was clearly familiar with the middle-aged military officer, and he would hurl a tirade at him as soon as he saw him.

The middle-aged officer didn't dare to utter a word until the old commander finished venting his anger, at which point he dared to offer a sheepish explanation.

The reason was similar to what Fu Zheng had guessed.

Lin Xiyu's father's hometown was in the countryside. Her father died early, and the family was poor.

He was the eldest son, with three younger sisters and two younger brothers.

The whole family relied on his relief for a living, and the death of his eldest son was a heavy blow to the family.

Ten years ago, when Lin Xiyu's grandmother came to the military region with her family, she was dressed in tattered clothes, with patches upon patches on her clothes, and she looked really pitiful.

That's why the middle-aged officer couldn't bear to see her ask for the pension and didn't object.

-

"Xi Yu, has your grandmother contacted you again all these years?"

When Grandma Fu heard about the plight of Lin Xiyu's father's family, her brows furrowed deeply.

"No."

Lin Xiyu shook her head: "I haven't been in contact with my mother since she remarried and moved out of the military compound."

"You need to be careful."

Grandma Fu has lived a long life and knows more about human relationships than she does: "In the past, you and your daughter had a hard life and were of no use. She was afraid that you would ask her for money, so she deliberately didn't contact you and stayed far away. Now it's different. You made a documentary and became a celebrity. She feels that the opportunity has come again and that she can get benefits from you again, so she will come to you again."

"what?"

Lin Xiyu said incredulously, "She still has the nerve to come? How shameless! Even if she came, I wouldn't acknowledge her. In my heart, she's no longer my grandmother."

"You think too simply."

Grandma Fu has experienced many ups and downs in her life and has seen too much of the wickedness of human nature: "She is your father's biological mother and you are related by blood. Legally speaking, you have an obligation to support her. Even if you don't acknowledge her, she can still take advantage of you, just like ten years ago, using kinship to exploit you."

"This is just too hateful."

Lin Xiyu clenched her right fist suddenly, a surge of irritation rising within her.

At this moment, she had no idea that Grandma Fu's words would come true.

Before long, her grandmother, who disappeared ten years ago, will reappear and, just as Grandma Fu said, try to emotionally blackmail her, causing a huge uproar.

"Don't be afraid."

Gu Bin could see her frustration and patted her shoulder reassuringly: "With me here, no one can bully you, not even your own grandmother."

“Old man, this matter needs your intervention to be resolved.”

Grandma Fu smiled helplessly when she saw her grandson getting involved without hesitation.

"Liu Feng."

Grandpa Fu and his wife were of one mind, their expressions solemn and brooking no argument: "Write down what happened back then in writing, sign and stamp it, and give Xiaolin a copy. If her grandmother comes to cause trouble again, she will at least have evidence to prove that her grandmother was in the wrong first, bullying the orphan and widow. We can't let people have something to say about her and affect her public image."

"Yes."

The middle-aged officer was terrified by his old superior in the sweltering heat and dared not voice any objections.

"Go ahead."

Grandpa Fu waved his hand, satisfied with his attitude: "Hurry up and get it done. Give the documents to Xiaobin and the others before they leave this afternoon."

"Yes."

The middle-aged officer dared not delay for a moment. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and practically ran out of the gate.

"It's getting late, let's eat first."

Grandma Fu watched her retreating figure, then instantly put on a smiling face and greeted everyone with a beaming smile.

"Finally, I can eat! I'm starving!"

Xu Yi glanced at the clock on the wall; it was almost one o'clock in the afternoon. He pitifully rubbed his stomach a few times.

"Gululu."

As if to confirm his words, his stomach also made a few noises in protest.

"I'm sorry"

Lin Xiyu looked apologetic: "It's all because of me that I delayed Grandpa and Grandma's meal."

"It's ok."

Grandma Fu smiled kindly: "My husband and I don't eat much. Usually, there's no one at home, so two meals a day are enough for us."

“My maternal grandmother sometimes eats two meals a day.”

Lin Xiyu smiled and chimed in, "She said that eating too much makes her indigestion, especially in the summer, so she often eats some fruit at night as a meal."

"That's just how it is when you get old."

Grandma Fu held her hand affectionately and chatted with her about everyday things: "You're not as energetic as young people. You're afraid of the cold in winter and the heat in summer, and your digestion isn't good either."

"Grandma, you don't look old at all. Your skin is so well-maintained. You don't look like someone in their seventies at all."

Lin Xiyu was deeply grateful for Grandma Fu's kindness and was willing to get close to her: "She looks similar to an older generation star, like that Wu Yi."

"Oh dear, I'm all wrinkled now."

Grandma Fu beamed with joy: "Can you compare to Wu Yi?"

"Grandma is no less capable than her."

Lin Xiyu's lips were sweet as honey: "Especially her temperament, so noble and elegant, she looks like a well-educated lady from a prominent family."

"Hahaha."

Grandma Fu was beaming with joy: "Listen to this girl, she really knows how to talk. No wonder she has my arrogant son so firmly under her thumb. He looks down on everyone else, but he's the one who's set his sights on her."

"This is what they call one thing subduing another."

Fu Zheng felt the same way and, unusually, became cunning, taking the opportunity to retaliate against his younger brother's threat when he entered the house: "No matter how rebellious Xiao Bin is, there are people who can tame him. There will be a good show to watch from now on. He doesn't listen to me, his older brother, but he dares not disobey his sister-in-law. She is so well-off. If she doesn't listen to him, she can dump him and find someone better."

"I think so too."

Grandma Fu found it amusing and nodded in agreement.

"Hey."

Gu Bin was speechless: "Grandma, why are you like this too? You can't forget your grandson just because you have a granddaughter-in-law. I am your own grandson."

"Your grandfather's surname is Fu, and your surname is Gu."

Grandma Fu got angry at the mention of his surname and rolled her eyes at him: "Whose grandson are you? Don't try to flatter me, I don't acknowledge you."

"grandmother."

Gu Bin reacted quickly, smiling mockingly: "If you don't acknowledge your grandson, you won't have a granddaughter-in-law either. You can refuse to acknowledge me, but if you refuse to acknowledge Xi Yu, and push such a good granddaughter-in-law away to someone else, can you bear to do that?"

"You little rascal, are you deliberately arguing with your grandma again?"

Grandma Fu glared at her, pretending to be angry, refusing to admit that she was indeed reluctant to part with him.

Such a beautiful and sensible granddaughter-in-law, she brings so much honor to her old lady!
That's enough for her to brag about to her old friends for quite a while.

"The dishes are all served. Stop talking and let's eat."

Grandpa Fu hadn't been able to get a word in edgewise until now, when the food was laid out on the table, finally he had a chance to show off his authority as the head of the family.