Rebirth in the 50s: The Couple with the Hidden Space-Chapter 558 - 440: Jiang Family’s Plea for Help

Zhou Jiao’s worries didn’t come to fruition; she didn’t know if anyone had come to the door. Aunt Chen, on the other hand, kept the door tightly shut, tense for several days. Those people had indeed thought about visiting the Zhou Family but were scared off by Mr. Jiang.

The legendary Zhou Xiaozheng was even more effective than a Door God—seeking him out meant courting disaster!

Mr. Jiang knew that this time, he had to send the relatives back in advance. Searching all over his body, he found nothing of value. He could only urge his sons to think of ways to scrape together food coupons.

Human nature is inherently selfish. The simple and honest rural man had long adopted a Beijing accent, looking completely different due to changes in identity and the influence of his environment. The gratitude from back then had dwindled, with family arriving in Beijing constantly and side whispers from close ones dissipating the goodwill.

Regarding their father’s request, there was a prolonged silence from each.

The first thing Eldest Jiang said was, "Dad, you know I’ve suffered enough due to lack of education. Now, all the kids at home are attending school and have apprenticeships. We’ve spent a lot in these years and have no savings."

Mr. Jiang paused. Suddenly, he remembered the scene from years ago when his eldest son helplessly shouted for his dad. Things had changed, and he should have understood when the kids moved out of the Big Courtyard that human relationships are fragile.

He looked at his second son without hope, glancing at the watch on the child’s wrist.

"Dad, don’t think we’re ungrateful. We’ve always remembered the kindness of Uncle and Auntie. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have supported you all along. My salary is indeed higher than my elder brother, but I have more social engagements, and at work, I can’t seem too stingy. Spending on both family and social affairs is high, I truly can’t afford to aid relatives further."

Mr. Jiang suddenly burst into laughter.

What kind of laugh was that? Sadness, helplessness, bitterness, but mostly disappointment in his children...

Eldest Jiang and his brother exchanged glances and reluctantly said, "Dad, we’ll go home and gather some things first. But don’t expect much. Even the food coupons at the Black Market have skyrocketed; your grandchildren cannot go hungry."

"Yes, we must send some food coupons to little sister too. Wait at home for now while we go back."

Mr. Jiang watched his two sons hurriedly leave the Big Courtyard. He suddenly realized that it seemed like the children hadn’t visited relatives in years.

He looked up at the sky, unable to describe his feelings.

At the small alley, Old Mrs. Jiang, worried, walked forward, seeing her husband returning slowly with his hands folded behind.

"Children’s father, what did the eldest say?"

Mr. Jiang looked at his considerably thinner wife and sighed.

"The eldest is truly struggling. He also has to support his father-in-law’s family; I blame myself for finding him that match. It’s also my fault for not managing the second well, otherwise it wouldn’t be like this. I have no face to return to the hometown to meet the relatives. It’s all my fault, don’t worry yourself. I’ll think of a way to borrow some money."

"They’ve already gone home to collect." Mr. Jiang gently said, not wanting his wife to worry. She had fulfilled her filial duty to his parents and raised their children; where was the fault?

The second child, this one didn’t know whom he took after. Such a kind daughter-in-law just discarded like that. Children have grown up and are beyond parental control now.

Old Mrs. Jiang listened, relieved, and smiled. That’s good, with two sons handling it, somehow they can gather a dozen kilograms of grain to send folks back home.

The more beautiful the imagination, the more cruel the reality. Unfortunately, no matter how hard the two Jiang sons tried, they could only gather ten kilograms of food coupons and twenty yuan.

In desperation, Mr. Jiang gritted his teeth, swallowed his pride, and went to the rest home to find his old buddy—his in-law, Lin Xinsheng.

Mr. Lin was overjoyed to see his in-law visiting. He promptly asked the housemaid to serve tea, happily inviting Mr. Jiang to sit down and talk slowly.

No matter how good the tea was, Mr. Jiang couldn’t taste its essence at the moment. Only the bitterness of the first sip matched his mood, with an aftertaste that suddenly made him envy the other’s orphaned background.

"In-law, I need to ask you for help with something today."

Mr. Lin’s heart skipped a beat, realizing from the formal address that the request must be significant.

He smiled and said, "What’s making you so serious? Tell me, we share a bond; if I can help, I won’t hesitate."

Mr. Jiang shook his head with a bitter smile, "I really have no other choice but to shamelessly ask to borrow some grain from you."

"Did people come from the hometown?"

Mr. Jiang sighed, "Yesterday they caused a scene at the communal cafeteria. If it happens again, I’d have no face to stay here."

Mr. Lin meant to persuade him not to burden himself with everything. But the words stopped at his lips, realizing that persuasion wouldn’t work on someone as stubborn as Old Jiang.

He sighed and stood up, "Wait here; I’ll go find the children’s mother."

Having said that, facing his old friend’s surprised look, he excused himself from the study, smiling bitterly as he went to the master bedroom. He had no choice as his wife was stroked but not incapacitated, and home expenditures were under her control.

In the bedroom, Mr. Lin waved the housemaid away, sat on the bed edge, grabbed Mrs. Lin’s hand, and softly said, "Old Jiang came over to borrow some grain. I think he really has no other choice."

Mrs. Lin’s gaze could pierce like daggers, wishing to speak. She pointed at the small box next to the pillow with her right hand, scribbling on a cardboard, "We are short of grain, can’t lend."

Mr. Lin was amused looking at her. They, as an old couple, didn’t need meal tickets for cafeteria food, and every month they had rations delivered by young soldiers. Could grain really fit into the small box?

"The food coupons saved earlier were all sent to our second son, show the ledger to Old Jiang. It’s not that we don’t want to lend; there’s truly nothing. If you feel bad about it, ask that cheeky girl."

After writing, she glared at Mr. Lin fiercely, closed her eyes, refusing to acknowledge him.

Ask the daughter? Better stop dreaming! Mr. Lin dared not follow her absurd suggestion.

Unable to do anything else, he took the ledger and went out. Calculating the time, in a few days, next month’s rations should be distributed. Let’s see if something can be allocated first, otherwise, he’d really have no face to see his old friend.

He motioned to the housemaid outside. Facing the curious maid, he smiled and said, "Go to the logistics department and ask if next month’s rations can be advanced by ten kilograms of food coupons."

The maid hesitated but eventually nodded. She didn’t believe the master didn’t know there was no leeway in such matters. If everyone could advance borrowings, what rules would then exist? Never mind, she’d make the trip.

Watching the maid leave, Mr. Lin flipped through the ledger, returning to the study.

"Old Jiang, my apologies. My wife has sent all her food coupons to our second son. Other than the monthly rations delivered to our home, there’s truly no surplus grain. Don’t worry, I’ve already asked the maid to check with logistics to see if next month’s rations can be lent in advance, and get some temporarily."

Mr. Jiang stood up, shaking his hands with a bitter smile, "No need; logistics won’t agree. I’ve already asked; they can only issue after receiving their own grain. I’m heading out now."

Mr. Lin hurriedly tried to stop him, "Hold on; I’ll go with you to the Big Courtyard to ask some old fellows for some help."

Mr. Jiang quickly refused, shaking his hands. No family was particularly well-off, and each home was crowded with descendants. Even if surplus grain existed, it wasn’t much. If not for the old in-law, he wouldn’t have come to the Lin Family.

In the end, Mr. Jiang pieced together ten kilograms of food coupons through various means, asked his youngest son to convert all twenty kilograms of food coupons into coarse grain, then found a connection to get a carload of sugar mulch, and sent his relatives back.

It is said debts of money are easy to repay; debts of gratitude are lifelong. Mr. Jiang didn’t know how many generations he would have to repay besides his siblings, but he realized only upon his death could this bond be settled. As for his own children, they had long forgotten what was homeland, what were kin.