Rebirth in the 50s: The Couple with the Hidden Space-Chapter 569 - 450: A Love Called Parenting

There is a kind of love, engraved in the bones, fused into the blood. That heavy parental love is higher than the sky, deeper than the earth, and it has always been selflessly giving.

This love is also like a kite, one end is the parents, and the string pulls at the children. If it drifts too far, some strings can’t withstand the changes of time and space and may break.

Zhang Guoqing didn’t want that string to become too old and worn out, so he carefully guarded it, hoping for his parents to leave their homeland and for the family to reunite. But reality is too difficult. His parents held onto many thick strings, also protecting his brothers and sisters.

Sounds of chaotic footsteps came from the Zhang Family Courtyard, with Mother Zhang’s suspicious muttering. Soon, the door flew open, revealing Zhang Guoqing’s familiar face.

Not daring to believe it, Mother Zhang stepped forward and grabbed her eldest son, laughing happily, "Child’s father, it’s our Xiao Wu, our Xiao Wu has come home."

Zhou Jiao burst into laughter, "Mom, I’m back too. Dad, we’ve missed you so much."

Mr. Zhang’s eyes turned red, nodding with a smile, "Good, good children, good, it’s good that you’re back..."

Seeing his father so overwhelmed with emotion made Zhang Guoqing’s nose tingle. His parents must have been thinking about him all the time, and thankfully he was finally back.

He dropped his luggage and went forward to embrace his father, softly saying, "Dad, your eldest son is back."

Mr. Zhang patted him with relief and laughed heartily.

Mother Zhang pulled Zhou Jiao, observed her for a while, and nodded satisfactorily, "Good, as long as you haven’t lost weight."

Zhou Jiao nodded with a smile. She couldn’t express in words her gratitude to her parents-in-law. The old couple always told them not to come back, how could they not be worried about them?

"Mother of the children, quickly cook something to fill the kids’ bellies. Cook more, I’ll have some too."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jiao paused and observed their complexion carefully—thankfully, they hadn’t lost weight! She was almost scared to death.

Zhang Guoqing and his father carried the luggage into the house, and as they reached the living room, Mr. Zhang asked, "Are the kids doing well? Didn’t I tell you not to come back? Why did you come back home again?"

"Ping’an is doing better than anyone. We originally wanted to bring him back too but were worried about the safety of the journey. We haven’t seen you for half a year, and we couldn’t be at ease without coming back."

Mr. Zhang looked at his son with a beaming smile. Half a year without seeing each other, he hadn’t lost weight, actually seemed even more robust. Good, it seemed the family was indeed doing well. That’s all that matters!

Zhang Guoqing looked around, "Dad, is everything okay at home for you and mom? Are the monthly rations issued? Is there enough firewood for cooking?"

"Your mom and I are eating and drinking well, so don’t worry. The ration tickets you sent last time are still saved here, no need to send anything more."

Seeing this, Zhang Guoqing didn’t ask further. Some things he needed to see for himself. He stood up, opened his casual luggage, took out a bag of photos, and handed them to his father.

Mr. Zhang looked at the photos of his grandson, grinning widely. After a while, he said, "He’s chubby, definitely doing well. Now that you two are back, will he fuss about wanting his parents?"

Zhang Guoqing shook his head with a smile and said softly, "Your little grandson stayed a few nights with us at the school, but once he went home with his grandma, he wouldn’t come back with us anymore.

At the Big Courtyard nursery, he gets the best of everything. Even so, my father-in-law isn’t at ease. While other kids go home once a week, he comes home every night and goes back in the morning. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Normally, my father-in-law and others take him back and forth. If they’re busy, Old Mrs. Cheng goes, and we even have a housemaid who goes at noon to check on him.

He doesn’t have the time to fuss over us, being the youngest among several families, now that it’s holidays, a bunch of younger uncles are with him, spoiling him."

Mr. Zhang sighed and said, "Our Ping’an has truly landed in a blessed nest."

Zhang Guoqing nodded. It’s more than just a blessed nest, as long as he grows up smoothly, his son starts from a higher point, he won’t be any worse off than himself.

"How are your older siblings?"

"They’re doing well, don’t worry about them. How long are you staying this time? If you’re not coming back for the New Year, go visit your grandpa’s grave first."

Zhang Guoqing nodded, "I’ll stay for three to five days then I have to go back. There are still activities at the school, I can’t be away for too long. I came this time to take you and mom with me. My father-in-law also thinks so, so that if anything happens, we can take care of it."

Mr. Zhang quickly shook his head, "Thank him for me. I can’t go now, and your mom can’t leave either. Your second sister and second sister-in-law are expecting, and we can’t be at ease being away. As long as you all are doing well outside, I’m relieved. There will be plenty of opportunities to go to Beijing later."

Zhang Guoqing asked in surprise, "Why wasn’t this mentioned in any of the letters? Second brother is something, every letter is just fine, he mentions nothing. Are they getting enough nutrition?"

Mr. Zhang laughed and said they’re doing great, each having their own jobs, not lacking anything. Thinking who would dare tell you, with your disposition you’d be sending goods back every day. Brother Zhou raises his daughter’s family, there’s no reason he should have to support relatives too.

Very soon, Mother Zhang and Zhou Jiao came in with noodles, urging them to eat first and leave talking for later.

"Mom, this tastes amazing! You’re quite the cook. Eat more meat, now that your eldest son is back, you can choose whatever you like, don’t skimp on yourself."

Mother Zhang smiled at him, not refusing as he passed her meat—her eldest son was so filial, "There’s still plenty left of what you sent, your dad and I can’t finish it all, so we haven’t skimped at all."

Zhang Guoqing and Zhou Jiao exchanged wry smiles. They were worried it wouldn’t be enough, rushed back worried that they were too used to saving, and their health might suffer.

"Things left for too long aren’t good, don’t keep them. I’ll go to the mountain later, there is no shortage of meat. Don’t use the ration tickets in the grain ticket to exchange for grain at the grain station, go to the restaurant for a change of taste."

Mother Zhang nodded with a smile, then something occurred to her, and she frowned, "I asked that Yuanyuan girl, and she said what the school distributes each month wasn’t enough to eat, you didn’t save any to send to us, did you?"

Zhang Guoqing smiled and pointed at Zhou Jiao, signaling her to speak.

Zhou Jiao laughed, "Dad, Mom, your eldest son’s quite capable. He organized a group to go hunting and exchanged meat for a lot of grain tickets. You can eat without worry, while others might lack grain, our family doesn’t."

Mr. Zhang shook his head after hearing this and disagreed, "Better not take risks. Grain exchanges are done on the Black Market, any mistake could affect your future, it’s not worth it. We have our monthly rations and life is good, in the past we even ate grass roots, now life is already good. Be extra careful doing things outside, if you can avoid taking risks, then don’t take any risks."

After speaking, seeing the little couple nodding repeatedly, he smiled with satisfaction. He wasn’t worried about his two smartest children listening, as long as they remembered.

Mother Zhang was happily looking at her eldest son, feeling more pleased the more she looked. She had said, her Xiao Wu was smart and couldn’t be unreliable in doing things. At this moment she had completely forgotten who was up in the middle of the night, tossing and turning worrying about her eldest son’s big appetite and whether he would be too hungry to move.

Zhang Guoqing and Zhou Jiao looked at their parents and giggled foolishly. Having had a son, they now understood more about their parents’ concerns for their children and could better appreciate their parents’ intentions.