Chapter 123: How Could He Be Mute?
Lu Qiaoge didn’t expect Su Hongmei to agree so readily.
She could make the decision on the spot.
She was also very happy and glanced at the equally delighted volunteers. These were all woven by them with hard work.
After Chang An joined, they shifted from simply weaving willow baskets to straw hats and these items.
No cost, not a single penny spent, just labor.
Lu Qiaoge had them cooperate like an assembly line according to individual abilities.
Those without weaving skills were responsible for gathering willow branches, wheat stalks, rattan grass, and reeds.
After bringing back the raw materials, processing required several people, then weaving, along with helpers, and after weaving was done, fine finishing was still needed.
In short, with this arrangement, everyone was important and had things to do.
Not to mention several people learned to weave straw hats during the process.
Lu Qiaoge also had one, woven by Lu Qiaoling, and she would occasionally wear it.
Lu Qiaoge was immensely grateful to Su Hongmei: “Elder Sister Su, thank you so much, you’ve really helped us out big time. Look, these things are piling up more and more, but I have no place to sell them. I was thinking of another market day, but lately the factory has too many things going on and we can’t hold it. Really, thank you so much!”
Su Hongmei was very pleased with Lu Qiaoge’s words, but she spoke frankly: “No need to thank me, this is just work. Besides, even if we’re close, I wouldn’t take your stuff if it wasn’t good.
Moreover, I’ll be specifically responsible for handicrafts in our district from now on. To be honest, there aren’t many satisfactory finished products right now. Qiao Ge, you’ve helped me big time too. Here’s what I’ll do: I’ll have a clerk from the foreign trade section come over to see if they want any.”
She pointed to those small, exquisite, and practical items and added: “If they don’t want them, I’ll acquire some myself.”
That was truly great.
They agreed to go to the neighborhood committee first when the foreign trade section clerk arrived, then come to look at the goods.
Leaving aside how thrilled and ecstatic Meng Qingshan and the others were, Qin Hengzhi first asked about Uncle Lin’s health.
Old Lin waved his hand: “Coming and going in wind and rain, this is nothing. Hengzhi, you came to find me for something?”
He had recovered his normal demeanor, though his heart was still in excruciating pain.
His wife’s condition was worsening; every day seemed like she was just enduring time.
These past few years, she often wandered all over the city, following young men around her age, not speaking, just watching them. The doctor said she should be sent to the hospital, or the symptoms would worsen.
Thinking of this, Old Lin felt his own state wasn’t good either.
This might be related to age.
When young, due to heavy work pressure, the pain wasn’t as severe as now.
As age increased, his mindset changed, and he kept thinking of that lost child.
Now he often had nightmares.
Old Lin touched his wallet, which held the child’s hundred-day photo.
Only this one photo, which he had printed countless copies of and given to comrades, friends, and colleagues to take across the country, but after more than twenty years, there was no news.
Qin Hengzhi saw Uncle Lin’s complexion, which was indeed much worse compared to the day of the performance.
He said: “Uncle Lin, I want to learn about your youngest son’s situation, like, does he have any obvious birthmarks?”
Old Lin and Lin Junfeng were both stunned.
“Hengzhi, you… what do you mean?” Old Lin reacted first, asking in a trembling voice.
He knew Hengzhi well; he wouldn’t bring up this topic without reason.
Qin Hengzhi glanced at Deputy Director Lin and said steadily: “Big Brother Lin, you know I’m dating Qiao Ge, right?”
Lin Junfeng was taken aback; he knew this, though they’d just started dating not long ago. He also knew Lu Qiaoge and had apologized to Master Lu over that incident.
Though it was a bit hard to swallow on the surface, he wouldn’t stoop to bickering with an old worker.
But what did this have to do with his younger brother?
Lin Junfeng still nodded: “Yeah, I know.”
Qin Hengzhi: “That night the inspection team came to watch the performance, I took Qiao Ge along too. She immediately felt Uncle Lin looked familiar, but after thinking for a long time, she couldn’t figure out why.
It wasn’t until she went to the food factory—a small factory under Xiangyang Neighborhood Committee that hadn’t opened yet—where she saw a worker in the factory. She noticed he looked strikingly like you, Uncle Lin.
His name is Chang An, from a small mountain village in the southwest, born in 1949, apparently abandoned. His adoptive parents treated him poorly. He married Zhou Li, an educated youth who went to their village to work, and she’s also from our military factory dependents.”
Halfway through Qin Hengzhi’s words, Old Lin’s breathing was already unsteady.
He stared at Qin Hengzhi, motionless, listening until he finished.
When Qin Hengzhi finished, Old Lin stepped forward in a few strides, grabbed Qin Hengzhi’s arm, and said urgently: “Hengzhi, you’re telling the truth, right? Take me to see him, right now…”
Qin Hengzhi comforted him: “Uncle Lin, don’t rush. He’s at the military factory and won’t leave. Qiao Ge’s idea is not to recognize him rashly. Chang An… he’s mute. His adoptive parents treated him poorly, and it was only after marrying Zhou Li that he had a home of his own.
If he’s not related to you at all, it would be a huge blow to him. Tomorrow morning your inspection team is coming to the military factory to visit and express condolences, right? You can use that opportunity to appear openly in front of Chang An without arousing his suspicion.”
Lin Junfeng then reacted; his mind was blank. The person suspected to be his little brother was right at the military factory, and he hadn’t even known?
Old Lin’s face was ashen, murmuring: “Mute, how could he be mute?”
Qin Hengzhi: “I heard from Qiao Ge it was from a high fever at age eight that no one cared for, leading to it. Details aren’t clear; you’d need to investigate the village or ask him directly, but his hearing is fine.”
Even if uncertain, Old Lin’s heart ached terribly.
Sick and no one to care for him—what suffering he must have endured.
He finally calmed down, gazing intently at Qin Hengzhi: “My youngest son has no obvious birthmarks, but Hengzhi, what else do you know?”
Qin Hengzhi shook his head: “That’s all I know for now.”
Old Lin suddenly seemed to come alive. Though there are many people in the world who look alike, few match in age and background too, so he couldn’t help but think more.
His late mother had once said his youngest son looked just like him as a child.
After seeing Qin Hengzhi off, Old Lin looked at his somewhat bewildered second son and forced himself to stay calm: “Don’t overthink it. You’re the deputy director, no intersection with neighborhood committee work. In such a big factory, how could you have seen him?”
Lin Junfeng nodded; he could barely contain himself now and really wanted to go see this man named Chang An.
Old Lin warned him: “Don’t interfere, just pretend you know nothing.”
Lin Junfeng could only agree helplessly, but after thinking, he still said: “Dad, why don’t you come home tonight? Su Lan knows you’re coming and has the room all prepared.”
Old Lin’s face darkened instantly, and he said: “No!”
A shameless third party who forcibly broke up his second son’s family.
But to be fair, this second son of his was also a fickle bastard.
