Reborn in the 60s, I hunt to support my family and even seduce the village beauty.

Chang Kun smiled as he listened to his aunt's nagging.

My aunt is like that; she always feels that she owes herself too much for helping her and my uncle find jobs.

He didn't try to persuade her; if she wanted to knit a scarf, let her. Anyway, her state-run restaurant was quite idle.

He looked at them; both sacks were quite large and heavy. One sack contained wheat flour, and the other contained cornmeal—both were good stuff.

He opened the bundle and looked inside. There were several pieces of cloth, a new pair of cotton shoes, and several packets of pastries, all wrapped up tightly.

"Aunt, so much stuff?" Chang Kun retied the bundle.

Fan Erxiao smiled and said, "In the past, my family's circumstances were such that I couldn't help my maternal family even if I wanted to, and I always felt guilty about it."

"Now things are much better. Your uncle works at the grain station and can exchange grain for some, so things aren't so tight at home anymore. I can finally stand up straight and help my parents out."

She paused, her eyes reddening slightly, then quickly smiled again: "My father's legs are bad; he gets so much pain in winter that he can't get out of bed. My mother's eyesight is getting worse every year. She lives far away with me, so I can't take care of her. I can only send her some things so they know I'm doing alright in the city and don't worry about her."

"I also have a younger brother who is approaching marriageable age, but I don't know if he has found a partner yet."

Chang Kun nodded, gathered the sacks and bundles together, and put them in the large vat in the kitchen later: "Auntie, don't worry, I will definitely bring these things."

Fan Erxiao pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it over. On it, an address was written in crooked handwriting: "This is my home address. When you get to Tangshan, just ask around and you'll find it. My father's surname is Fan, and his name is Fan Degui. Just ask at the entrance of the alley and you'll know."

Chang Kun took the note, glanced at it, folded it, and put it in his pocket.

"Aunt, there's something I'd like to discuss with you," Chang Kun said carefully, "I'd like to bring Xiao Shui along."

Fan Erxiao was taken aback: "Take her with you?"

"Hmm, Xiaoshui has grown up so much, but she only saw her grandparents when she was very young. It's quite pitiful. Yesterday she even drew a picture and asked me to take it to her grandma. The little girl's braids were drawn crookedly, but she was so serious about it."

Chang Kun smiled and said, "I thought it would be better for her to go by herself and hand the painting to Grandma herself. It's much better than me taking it. It'll only take two days for her to go back and forth, so it won't cause any trouble. I'll keep an eye on her, so nothing will happen."

Fan Erxiao opened his mouth, hesitated for a moment, looked down at his stomach, then looked up at Chang Kun, and finally said something after a long while.

"Okay, then take her with you. Just don't find it troublesome."

Chang Kun was taken aback when she agreed so readily.

Fan Erxiao smiled, her eyes glistening with tears: "This girl keeps saying that everyone at school has a grandma, and I've wanted to take her back to see her for a long time, but I'm pregnant again and I'm worried about the journey. I'll feel more at ease if you take her."

She paused, then added, "Xiao Kun, please keep an eye on her for me. Don't let her run around, don't let her eat anything she shouldn't, don't let her..."

"Don't worry, Auntie." Chang Kun stood up, patted his chest, and said, "Not a single hair will be missing."

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate. Xiao Shui ran in with her schoolbag on her back, her braids swinging behind her, her cheeks flushed, and beads of sweat on her forehead.

As soon as she entered the door, she saw the sacks and bundles on the ground, and then she saw her mother standing next to Chang Kun. She paused for a moment, then suddenly seemed to understand something, and her eyes lit up.

"Mom! Big brother! Are you taking me to Grandma's house?"

Xiao Shui threw down her schoolbag, rushed over, grabbed Fan Erxiao's leg, looked up at him with bright, sparkling eyes.

Fan Erxiao looked down at her, reached out and ruffled her hair: "Go, go with your older brother."

Xiao Shui froze for a moment, then screamed "Ah!" and jumped up, spun around in the yard three times, then ran over and hugged Chang Kun's leg, shaking it vigorously.

"Big brother, you're so great! Big brother, you're so great!"

Then she let go, ran over and hugged Fan Erxiao, running around the yard like a playful puppy.

Xiuer poked her head out of the house, looked at Xiaoshui's crazy behavior, and pouted: "It's just going to Grandma's house, is it really that big of a deal?"

Xiao Shui ran over and grabbed Xiu'er's hand: "My grandma's house has delicious food! I'll bring it back for you when I come back!"

Xiuer's eyes lit up: "Really?"

"real!"

Xiao Shui nodded confidently, even though she had never met her maternal grandmother and didn't know what delicious food her grandmother had, but she agreed first.

The two little girls held hands and twirled around in the yard, laughing loudly.

Liu Meifen came out of the kitchen carrying dishes, laughing and scolding, "Alright, alright, stop spinning around. If you get dizzy, how will you get on the bus tomorrow?"

Xiao Shui stopped, panting, her face as red as an apple. She ran to Chang Kun, looked up at him, and said earnestly, "Big brother, I promise I'll behave when we get in the car."

Chang Kun bent down, picked her up, and tapped her nose: "You said it yourself. If you run off, I won't take you next time."

Xiao Shui nodded vigorously, wrapped her little arms around Chang Kun's neck, buried her face in his shoulder, and smiled until her eyes curved into crescents.

A few people were chatting animatedly when a soft cough came from the courtyard gate.

Chang Kun turned his head and saw that it was Grandpa Hong, the one-armed man next door.

Grandpa Hong was wearing a faded blue cloth shirt, with the right sleeve hanging empty, pinned to his shoulder with a safety pin.

"Uncle Hong?" Chang Kun quickly went up to him and helped the old man up. "Why did you come here? Please have a seat."

Grandpa Hong sat down at the stone table, waved his hand, and indicated that he was alright.

He glanced at the two sacks and bundle on the ground, then at Chang Kun, and asked, "Xiao Kun, I heard you're going to Tangshan?"

"Yes, I'll go with the car tomorrow and stay for two days before coming back." Chang Kun sat down next to him and poured him a glass of water.

Grandpa Hong took the water glass, held it in his hand, and remained silent for a while, as if he had something to say but was too embarrassed to speak.

After a long while, he finally looked up and said, "Xiao Kun, I'd like to ask you to take something to Tangshan."

"Sure, what do you need? Just tell me," Chang Kun readily agreed.

Having lived in the courtyard house for so long, Grandpa Hong often came over to listen to the radio, and he had a good relationship with his family.

If I can help with something, even a small favor, I will.

Grandpa Hong took out a small cloth bag from his pocket. The bag was not big and was tied tightly.

He placed the cloth bag on the table and slowly untied it. Inside was a stack of grain coupons and a few crumpled banknotes, neatly folded.

He then took out a paper package from another pocket, opened it, and inside was a small bag of cornmeal, weighing about four or five pounds, wrapped in several layers of newspaper, as if afraid of leaking.

"Take these things to Fengnan County in Tangshan for me. Find a village called Zhaojiagou. There's an old lady in the village surnamed Zhou, and a woman surnamed Li..." Grandpa Hong rewrapped the grain coupons and banknotes, and then looked at the bag of cornmeal.

"After saving for months, this is all I've saved? These days, huh!"