Rebirth in the 50s: The Couple with the Hidden Space-Chapter 455 - 344: Traveling with Parents

For several days, Zhang Guoqing had been worried about Zhou Jiao being bored at home. Taking advantage of the bright April spring and warming weather, he switched two workdays with a colleague before the weekend, planning to take her out for a trip to relax.

On the day of departure, right after breakfast, Zhang Guoqing rode his sidecar motorcycle back to the village. He didn’t return to his own small yard; instead, he found his parents. Without explaining anything, he asked them to bring a set of changeable underwear and follow him.

Mr. Zhang and his wife were startled, seeing his smiling face that didn’t seem like something was wrong. No matter how much they asked, he didn’t say anything, so they hurriedly followed him.

When they reached the county town and saw Zhou Jiao all set to go, Mr. and Mrs. Zhang realized the plan was for the whole family to spend a few days out of town. They were relieved and burst into laughter.

They never expected Zhang Guoqing and Zhou Jiao would take them to see the ocean. Travelling was something they had never considered. In earlier years, they spent months and months working with the earth to fill their bellies. Now they were like cultured people, able to walk around and enjoy the scenery.

The Zhang Family didn’t tell outsiders about their trip. When they met neighbors along the way, Mr. Zhang jokingly said they were going to visit relatives. Having lived this long, he knew that telling the truth would bring criticism. Visiting relatives was always the best excuse.

According to Zhang Guoqing’s plan, they would stay one night in the provincial city. The next morning, they would take a train to D City, just in time to see the sea and have lunch, then return on the third afternoon.

Mr. Zhang, hearing his proposal, directly let him take charge. As Mr. Zhang said, they couldn’t read a single word, just don’t lose them was fine.

Traveling light this time, Zhang Guoqing carried a bag of ready-to-eat snacks and clothes, along with the baby, Ping’an, and quickly boarded the bus.

Upon reaching the provincial city, Zhang Guoqing and Zhou Jiao didn’t bother Zhao Chuan Guang’s family. Familiar with the routines, they checked into a guesthouse and took their parents for lunch. They started visiting tourist spots, wandering North Market, listening to storytelling, seeing anything novel. Everything made Mr. and Mrs. Zhang both curious and delighted, repeatedly saying they had broadened their horizons.

This time Zhang Guoqing had bought theater tickets in advance. His parents, used to being frugal all their lives, were thrilled yet reluctant to spend money during the trip. They only looked, but didn’t buy anything. Since they were out, they didn’t care about money. In the end, Zhou Jiao secretly employed her trump card — buy it if you like it.

Leaving the exhausted Zhou Jiao and the child to rest at the guesthouse, Zhang Guoqing accompanied his parents to enjoy a brilliant performance of traditional art. Being there to appreciate it firsthand was incomparable to just listening to a phonograph without seeing the stage characters. No one left their seat during the show, and Mr. and Mrs. Zhang clapped along with everyone until their palms were red.

On leaving, they bumped into theater enthusiast Liu Laosan. This time he was with a female comrade. Upon seeing Zhang Guoqing, he hurriedly waved. After introductions, Liu Laosan kept winking at him.

Zhang Guoqing knowingly nodded and deferred visiting him for a couple of days. This tourism was not part of his plan, and he had little interest. He understood roughly that the other party had private goods to introduce to him again. To be safe, he now rarely traded with the other party. Regardless of whether they had a backing, it was best to avoid unnecessary trouble when possible.

Mr. Zhang was already used to such scenes. Since coming to the provincial city, his younger son met acquaintances everywhere he went. Anything that could be deferred a few days meant it was not urgent.

Early the next morning, Zhang Guoqing went to a small alley to buy the breakfast his parents favored. After breakfast, the whole family leisurely boarded the train.

During the three-hour train journey, Mrs. Zhang finally fulfilled her wish to sit in the iron box. She tried hard to control her excitement, experiencing the swift speed for the first time in her life, smiling at the surrounding passengers, happily observing everything before her. From time to time, she had quiet conversations with Mr. Zhang.

Not just Mrs. Zhang, but even though Zhang Guoqing had taken the train before, the soft sleeper was truly not as lively as the seated compartment. Amidst varied accents from across the country filled the car.

At stops along the way, vendors crowded outside the window, hawking their wares. The interior and exterior noises resonated, as passengers moved up and down.

Most interestingly, little Ping’an by the window waved his small hands, continuously shouting "ah... ah...", and whenever someone passed food through the window, he joyfully reached out to grab it.

This amused some passengers so much that they insisted on unwrapping snacks to give to him. Zhang Guoqing quickly thanked everyone and brought out some snacks that Zhou Jiao had prepared to share with the passengers.

In a short three-hour span, with these interludes, everyone soon became familiar with one another, laughing together.

Arriving at D City, faced with a city completely different from his past life and smelling the faint scent of the sea in the air, Zhang Guoqing didn’t hesitate at all. He found a coachman with a honest-looking face and went directly to a guesthouse near the bustling area.

After completing the check-in and settling everyone, they listened to the service staff’s introduction, and Mr. Zhang decided to visit the wharf first. Since they came to see the sea, they should walk on the beach first. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

D City was a small fishing village by the sea. The entire village had around a hundred households, living by fishing for generations. At this time, Mr. Zhang was happily chatting with the village captain.

Meeting at the wharf, they had a little conversation. Mr. Zhang was very curious about how fishermen lived. Since the other party invited him, seeing his family eager to hear his decision, he went with the flow and followed Captain Mu back to the fishing village.

At the Mu Family’s place, the Zhang Family felt the warm hospitality of the Mu Family. Captain Mu’s children surrounded Ping’an, and Mrs. Mu immediately ran to the kitchen to prepare lunch.

Zhang Guoqing knew that at present, every household had a limited grain supply. Seeing Mrs. Zhang holding the child and getting along well with the family, he took the opportunity to take Zhou Jiao out for a while. On returning to the village, they met fishermen who had just returned from fishing and bought some seafood, carrying a bucket back to the Mu Family.

In the kitchen, upon seeing Zhang Guoqing bring rice, cornmeal, and seafood, Mrs. Mu quickly declined, blaming the young couple for being too courteous. In the end, it was Mr. and Mrs. Zhang who persuaded her for a few words, and she accepted with an embarrassed smile.

After a sumptuous lunch, everyone rested and then, accompanied by Captain Mu, the whole family went to the beach.

The endless sea, the rising and falling tides, the roaring waves, a few fishing boats anchored on the beach, women mending nets, and children catching seafood, everything amazed Mr. and Mrs. Zhang.

Zhang Guoqing looked at the scene before him with satisfaction — his parents joyfully grabbing small crabs, showing bright smiles, his wife and children playing and laughing together, his son babbling happily in his arms, clapping his little hands excitedly.

At this moment, he wished only this: time unhurried, life peaceful.

As the sun set in the west, Mr. Zhang led everyone in bidding farewell to the hospitable Mu Family. He didn’t notice Zhang Guoqing’s private dealings with Captain Mu, and happily got on the carriage back to the city.

D City had always been known as having one city with two ports. Convenient transportation gathered resources from the north and south here, making it very rich in variety, not to mention famous local specialties like hairy crabs, prawns, donkey meat, apples, and pears.

Beyond food, local carvings and musical instruments were also renowned nationwide.

Visiting scenic spots, savoring food, appreciating carvings, selecting specialties, everything made the Zhang family forget the time and fatigue.

As it got dark, after dinner, Mr. and Mrs. Zhang, too tired to venture out, happily took their grandson to see shadow puppetry across the street.

After settling them in, Zhang Guoqing immediately followed Zhou Jiao to gather supplies. Besides the transactions planned with Captain Mu, more were Zhou Jiao’s favorite foods and crafts.

As night went on, at four in the morning, Zhang Guoqing and Zhou Jiao went out and returned with a lot of special breakfast items.

As the day of their return approached, Mr. and Mrs. Zhang wouldn’t mind their younger son spending money this time. They also began selecting practical local specialties to take back as gifts.

By one in the afternoon, ending their journey, with big and small bags in tow, the whole family finally embarked on the journey home.

Eager to return home, Mrs. Zhang didn’t want to stop in the provincial city at all. Once back in the county, it was getting late. Sadly, she could only take the gifts to visit her in-laws at her two daughters’ homes. Zhou Jiao figured that if Mr. Zhang hadn’t reminded her mother-in-law not to spread the word, her mother-in-law would have already gone to see Aunt Wang next door.

Once everything was settled, Zhang Guoqing went alone to the newly prepared darkroom to develop photos. Since acquiring this unexpected camera, his hobby from his previous life finally found its use.

In the morning, Mrs. Zhang received a stack of photos from her younger son, so happy that she immediately pulled her husband to head out.

Zhang Guoqing watched his parents leave, laughing with Zhou Jiao. Who knew to whom Mrs. Zhang wanted to show off? Mr. Zhang had already given prior warnings.