There is Room for Rebirth in the 1950’s

May 2nd—the birthday of Zhou Xiaozheng and Zhou Jiao's father and daughter. Eighteen years ago, Zhou Xiaozheng welcomed the most precious daughter in his life on this day. The same forty-two years ago, his mother lost her lover and gave birth to him in despair.

In the early morning of this day, the father and daughter stood in front of the graves of Zhou Jinyu and Gu Mingzhu, burning paper money full of sadness. Now is the time for the father and daughter to heal their wounds alone. When they return to the mountain, everything will start again.

The dead are gone, and the living should be like this-we have cried and suffered, but life still has to go on.

Back down the mountain, the driver drove them to the hotel. At this time, the box was already filled with three tables of people, and everyone was waiting for their father and daughter to arrive.

This time, except for the Cheng family, Zhao Chuanguang and his wife, and Zhou Xiaozheng, who were close friends who lived and died, the Lin family was still absent. Was it arranged by Mrs. Cheng, or was Lin Lishan not invited? Both Zhou Xiaozheng and his daughter didn't ask any questions.

Mr. Lin went out on business, perhaps to avoid this banquet. The Lin family without Mr. Lin seemed to run counter to the Zhou family.

The whole banquet was arranged by Mrs. Cheng and Lin Lishan, and they were not informed until Zhou Xiaozheng and his daughter left the house this morning. Everything seems to be expected, but also unexpected.

Come on, come and eat noodles first. After eating, you will live a long, happy life every day. Mrs. Cheng laughed when she saw the father and daughter coming in.

I'm sorry for being late. When did you all come? Zhou Xiao Zhengxu helped the old lady and greeted everyone.

After Zhou Jiao took her seat, she focused on her mother Lin Lishan's reaction. She has never seen any abnormality in her, so she never mentioned it again.

Zhou Xiaozheng took a symbolic first bite, put down his chopsticks and said hastily: Brothers, don't be too polite, this place is full of family members. Auntie, let's serve.

Brother Zheng, we are not in a hurry. You and Jiaojiao finish the noodles first. The old lady cooks them herself. If the elders cook the noodles, you will live a long life if you eat them.

Zhou Xiaozheng listened to everyone's words and saw that several brothers came here alone, Why don't you bring your family over? These few days, Ah Guang and his siblings have to be entertained by you first. I will be back soon when I go to the south.

Several sisters-in-law and younger siblings can't leave at work. Let's all get together again tonight. Brother Zheng, remember to be there on time at night.

……….

Everyone gathered last night, and the itinerary for the next few days has been arranged. After the birthday party, tomorrow their family, apart from Lin Lishan who has to arrange a performance in the troupe, will go south with Cheng and his wife to find their roots in the old house in the south of the Yangtze River.

After returning to Beijing, how to face the Lin family is another matter later. Seeing that her parents had never mentioned asking her to visit Gu Ruyi, the old lady Lin, Zhou Jiao learned to pretend to be deaf and dumb.

Seeing Zhao Chuanguang making a toast at this moment, Zhou Jiao rolled her eyes. She had already made a plan. Since her godfather and godmother were going to stay at the guest house tonight, she followed her home late to avoid the three sisters Lin Xuezhen.

At the banquet, after half a round of drinking, the atmosphere was even more harmonious and lively. Zhao Chuanguang was born to be hot on the scene. Under his leadership, everyone let go of restraint and joked.

Especially Zhang Guoqing's gift made everyone happy. Even Zhou Jiao didn't know when Zhang Guoqing prepared the wooden relief - she was wearing a princess dress and riding on her father's neck when she was a child, and her father held up a candied haws with one hand. Seeing this, she couldn't help but laugh.

Zhao Chuanguang even clapped his hands, held up Pingan, and said with a smile, Baby, do you think my little sister is pretty? Do you like it? Shake out all the things in your bag, Xiaowu. Let me see what else is there?

Godfather, your eyes are really good. Zhang Guoqing laughed when he heard this. He carefully unwrapped the newspaper, revealing a set of egg sculptures of portraits of five members of the family, and a set of colorful clay sculptures.

Oh, that's a good idea. It's more interesting than taking photos together. Daughter-in-law, how about we make a set too? Did Xiao Wu prepare for the trip to D city last time?

Zhang Guoqing nodded and smiled at Zhao Chuanguang. Now that there are so many people, he is embarrassed to say, except for his godfather's family, he is prepared. He didn't prepare for the others because there were no photos. This handicraft takes time, he always pays the money directly, and then sends it over there. The two sets between Zhao Chuanguang and his parents will have to wait for half a month.

Huang Huimin focused her attention on the women's table at the moment. At this time, the two daughters-in-law of the Cheng family were worried that Zhao Chuanguang would not have time for the meeting, so they invited her to go shopping. Everyone was talking about the situation of the grand May Day festival yesterday, which made her secretly regret being one day late. Hearing her man asking him, she smiled at him, and immediately turned her head to listen again.

Seeing her regretful face, Lin Lishan thought she was the same as herself, so she whispered in her ear secretly, I also want to go to Jiangnan, and I plan to leave in six days. You play here for a few days first, and we will go together.

Huang Huimin was a little surprised when she heard the words, and then she realized that she couldn't laugh or cry. She didn't have to wait a few days to go to Jiangnan. Her eldest sister is in Haishi, she can go there anytime. However, she was really tempted, how lively the crowd was.

Then, let's go together after Ah Guang finishes the meeting. Make an appointment with Brother Zheng to meet up later.

Lin Lishan smiled so happily that her eyes turned into crescent moons.

At the other table, Zhou Jiao faced everyone's red envelopes and gifts, hurriedly returned the red envelopes, and took the gifts. She carefully opened the gift with a smile, thanking everyone all the time.

Today is the only birthday party in her two lifetimes. Except for Zhang Guoqing celebrating for her in her previous life, she never had a birthday. For others, birthday is a happy reunion celebration day for relatives. But for her, that day was also the day she came to this world to suffer. What's there to celebrate?

But now on 5.2, the day when the two lives are the same, with her father, everything has changed. She is grateful to God and to her grandma Gu Mingzhu. On days like this, she feels the warmth of family affection.

Zhou Jiao was most moved and cherished by the two bowls of longevity noodles prepared by Mrs. Cheng herself, and the two pendants inlaid with a necklace with a photo of their father and daughter.

She has eaten and cooked a lot of longevity noodles. Except for Zhang Guoqing and Zhou Xiaozheng, no one has ever personally prepared for her on her birthday. For Mrs. Cheng, this bowl of longevity noodles is a deep affection.

At this moment, she thought of Grandma Zhou who was far away in the northeast, and Zhou Xue who was in prison. For seventeen years, every year on May 2nd, everyone deliberately forgot. And every year on September 9th, when Zhou Xue took the red-skinned eggs from Grandma Zhou, what did she think about facing her proud self?

Faced with the guilt on Grandma Zhou's face, she smiled and shook her head. Yes, year after year, she got used to it, and she also felt that it didn't matter. But life didn't teach her how to understand people's hearts.

Zhang Guoqing grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

After Zhou Jiao woke up, she smiled at him. This man knew her and knew her so well that he noticed even the slightest abnormality. Thinking of his monthly visits to Grandma Zhou, she smiled knowingly again—what a silly man!