War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 568
On the second day after returning to China, Wei Ran drove the car left behind by Chen Guangling, and went to the scrap factory under the guidance of the navigation. After successfully selling the gold melting equipment bought at a high price for a cabbage price, he immediately He rushed to the city without stopping, and returned the car and house keys to Chen Guangling.

At the other party's persuasion, Wei Ran stayed for a meal, and by the way left some gifts prepared in advance, and then rushed to the high-speed rail station to surprise his parents.

Unfortunately, when he opened the door with a gift and waited until eight o'clock in the evening, no one came back, not even the pug with the crooked mouth was at home.

The unbelievers once again went to the opposite door to look at the house that belonged to them in name, but there was no one there either.

Could it be going to grandma's house?Wei Ran thought about it for a while, but in the end he didn't call to ask, and decided to wait until tomorrow to see.

In the morning of the next day, the safe purchased at a high price from the Internet was finally delivered to the door. Several staff members jointly carried it and sent it to the study room with good sound insulation.

After politely seeing off the staff, Wei Ran locked the door and closed the curtains, then immediately took out two gold bars from the food box and locked them in the safe. He was all hidden in the background wall that Sui Sui built with two large lifting poles.

After finishing all this work, Wei Ran weighed the only piece of gold scrap left in his hand, put it in his pocket, and then went to the opposite door to take another look. Seeing that his parents still hadn't come back, he reluctantly picked up the gift and took it. He got the car keys and drove the car his father parked downstairs and left the house.

First, I went to a local gold shop that had been open for many years, and used the piece of gold leftovers in my pocket to make gold bracelets for each of the two grandmas. Wei Ran, who was familiar with the business, went to a local wine shop with a high reputation to buy them. Two jars of the best grain wine, and I bought a stainless steel funnel by the way, then turned the car and drove in the direction of grandma's house.

However, when the car left the city and went to a secluded country road, he stepped on the brake again and stopped in the shadow of a willow tree by the side of the road.

Opening the car door and looking around, seeing that there was no one around and no monitoring, he slowly got into the rear compartment.

Uncorking a jar of white wine and smelling it, Wei Ran nodded in satisfaction, and took out the oil barrel specially used to hold water in the metal book under the cover of the back of the seat.

Pour out all the remaining mineral water inside, Wei Ran took out the stainless steel funnel and put it into the mouth of the bottle, carefully poured some white wine into it, cleaned it together with the funnel and poured it on the side of the road, and then poured all the grain wine into the two jars I poured it in.

After fastening the lid of the barrel with gold coins on it, Wei Ran took out the oil barrel specially used to hold wine, and poured some remaining white wine into it several times to wash off the remaining beer smell, and then he was satisfied. Put the lid on the barrel, and when you return to the capital, fill it with that big brand of good wine.

These wines are naturally prepared for the Olympic Games that he can't wait for. Although he doesn't know if he will have the opportunity to take them out at that time, there is nothing wrong with making preparations in advance.

Shaking the wine jar, he saw that there was more than a catty of Fu Gen'er in it. Wei Ran didn't waste it, so he took out the portable wine jug and cleaned it in the same way, carefully filled it up, and then put the wine jar Throw it into the flood drainage ditch on the side of the road, restart the car and drive away.

When he drove the car to his grandma's village, he saw the red brick courtyard wall and a row of brand new tile-roofed houses that were completely connected with Suisui's grandma's house from a long distance away.

Even when he walked into the yard with a gift, he could see several old carpenters in the village making solid wood furniture on the spot, and Sui Sui, a little gadget, was holding a camera to these old men Taking pictures.

"Would you like to help?" Wei Ran leaned close to Sui Sui and asked, and by the way used his foot to pull away the pug that was circling around him.

"Cut something for me when did you come back?!"

Sui Sui let out an exclamation belatedly, and subconsciously wanted to hang on Wei Ran's body.Fortunately, this crazy little thing finally knows where it is.

“Come back yesterday”

Wei Ran handed over the gift in his hand to the other party, greeted each of the veteran craftsmen politely and smoked a circle, then followed Sui Sui to her grandma's yard and asked, "My parents What? Where did they go?"

"You won't wait for them at home all day, right?" Sui Sui immediately responded.

"I didn't wait" Wei Ran spread his hands innocently.

"It's no wonder you waited until then," Sui Sui gloated and explained, "They went on a business trip to Sichuan a few days ago, and it is said that it will take half a month to come back."

"What about you? When are you going to Inta?" Wei Ran changed the subject and asked.

Sui Sui rolled her eyes when she heard the words, "If you hadn't said that you would come back to pick me up more than a week ago, I would have taken those uncles and uncles to go to Yintapan Huokang."

"Didn't you book a ticket?" Wei Ran continued to ask.

"No." Sui Sui shook her head, and said with a hint of complaint, "You didn't say when you'd come back."

"It's not coming back"

Wei Ran plated the top of each other's heads, greeted the two elderly people who had already come out of the house, and then took out a pair of shining large gold bracelets decorated with lotus patterns from his pocket , I personally put it on the hands of the old ladies of the two families.

"You kid got rich?" Sui Sui's grandmother asked in surprise, "Is this stuff really made of gold?"

"Fake, copper." Wei Ran fooled the old lady with a playful smile.

"Bullshit," Wei Ran's grandma scolded with a smile, "Can gold and copper be indistinguishable?"

"Just wear it like copper"

Wei Ran continued to share the presents with the old people with a playful smile, and asked casually, "Grandpa, what's delicious for lunch?"

"Noodle"

Grandpa Sui Sui greeted Wei Ran to sit down at the table, and took out half a frozen watermelon from the refrigerator and said, "You didn't tell me in advance when you came, it's too late to get you something delicious now." .”

“Noodles are also good”

Wei Ran took out two small stainless steel spoons on his own, distributed one of them to Sui Sui, who had been guarding the watermelon, and dug a mouthful into his mouth, then asked curiously, "You guys?" Why do you think you are playing furniture at this time?"

"Sui Sui's ghost idea"

Wei Ran's grandfather brought out a basket of fried peanuts and said, "This little girl said that the beams from the old house were thrown away, so she might as well use them to make some tables and chairs, that's right!"

Speaking of this, Wei Ran's grandfather patted his forehead, stood up and walked inside and said, "Wait a minute, when we demolished the house, we found something from the beams."

"Another good thing?"

Wei Ran was stunned for a moment, when Grandpa Sui Sui's house was rebuilt, he found a photo frame, and he helped redevelop the photos with the negatives in the metal book, and now those photos are hanging on the wall of the main room.

While thinking of those photos, Wei Ran also guessed what his grandfather found on the beam. If nothing else, it should be the North China Liberation Medal that his great-grandfather Han Shoutian got!

Sure enough, before Sui Sui swallowed the watermelon in his mouth to help explain, Wei Ran's grandfather had already placed a wooden box on the table, opened it, and took out an iron box wrapped in red cloth. Box.

"This thing was tied to the beam with red cloth at the beginning." Wei Ran's grandfather had already handed the iron box to Wei Ran while speaking.

"The girl Sui Sui said you must be interested in this thing"

Wei Ran's grandmother helped explain, "At that time, I said, this thing should just be hidden on the beams of the new house. Those things can't be more useful than Jiang Taigong?"

"Didn't say no to it"

Wei Ran's grandfather retorted aggrievedly, "The roof of our house hasn't been suspended yet. Didn't he just want to show this kid? After we finish watching, we'll build a ladder and tie it to the beam."

"At that time, I'll help you put it on." Wei Ran gently opened the iron box, which was only the size of a cigarette case, while speaking.

As expected, there was indeed a commemorative medal for the liberation of North China preserved here. In addition, there was actually a cloth badge printed with seven black characters of "Chinese People's Liberation Army" on a white background with red borders, and a red five-pointed star metal badge. cap badge.

Flipping the badge to the back, it was indeed written the number of the army that my great-grandfather Han Shoutian had served in and his position.

"These are things left by my great-grandfather?" Wei Ran asked a question that didn't need an answer at all.

"may not"

Wei Ran's grandpa said with emotion, "That old house was built after your grandma and I got married, and the main beam was put up by your grandpa himself. I guess he put this iron box at that time." went up."

Sui Sui, with a mouth full of watermelon juice, suggested, "Grandpa, why don't you pick a good day and put that iron box and the contents inside?"

"If there is anything to choose, just do it now!"

Grandpa Wei Ran smiled and said, "It's a good day for this kid to come back, Wei Ran, can you help grandpa put that box on?"

"Row!"

Wei Ran happily agreed, and swiftly put the medals and other things back in the iron box.

"Wait for me!" Suo Sui wiped her hands carelessly, I had been waiting for this time.

Before she finished speaking, the gadget had already run out of the main room, and not long after, she took out a small wooden box carved with festive patterns such as bat birthday peaches from her room and ran back.

"I asked my uncle to help me make this box." Sui Sui pointed to a middle-aged carpenter who was busy outside and said, "I exchanged it for a good cigarette."

"You are the smart girl"

Grandma Wei Ran gave her a compliment with a smile. As for the uncle Sui Sui mentioned, he was naturally only a member of the same village.

After washing his hands, Wei Ran solemnly put the thing that represented the honor of his grandfather and father into a specially made wooden box. The uncle who was busy in the yard also took the initiative to come over and help with the inherited tenons. Mao technology permanently sealed the lid of the wooden box, and wrote some good wishes on the varnished box with a brush dipped in cinnabar that only traditional carpenters like them could understand.

Compared with those devoutly praying nomadic tribes in the desert back then, it was really hard for Wei Ran to tell what the grandparents were doing in the middle of the yard, busy placing tribute cloth incense cases on the newly made table. A belief is the so-called feudal superstition, or more appropriate traditional customs.

But he knows that this ancient ceremony passed down from generation to generation, as well as the medals, five-pointed star cap badge, badges, etc. that are sealed in the box and will be presented to the new house owner by himself, all represent the lives of ordinary people. The simple blessings for Guotai Minan, as well as those who have selflessly contributed to Guotai Minan, come from the bottom of my heart with gratitude and nostalgia.

(End of this chapter)