The group busied themselves, frying twelve large flatbreads and simmering a pot of seafood soup.
Meanwhile, Meng Yutang took the opportunity to fashion two torches from pine branches. Madam Li personally went to the neighbor's house to bring Bao'er over to see her eldest grandson. After all, her eldest grandson was the most pitiable now. His birth mother was gone, and his wife was also gone. If Bao'er wasn't brought to see him, she feared her eldest grandson might not be able to bear it.
However, Bao'er refused, unwilling to go with Madam Li no matter what. In the end, Madam Li had to beg Meng Xiaohe to accompany him, only then did Bao'er agree.
The family walked along the dark road. It had rained during the day, and the dirt path was muddy. Little Madam Li held Madam Li's arm as they walked ahead, while Meng Yutang held a torch to illuminate their way. Bao'er was a mischievous child. Seeing the shadows of the trees around them looking like terrifying monsters, he was too scared to make a sound and obediently closed his eyes, nestling his little head in his grand-aunt's neck. Meng Xiaohe was also afraid of walking in the dark. She secretly glanced at the places the torchlight couldn't reach, scaring her into inching closer to Meng Yutang. So many people, yet not a soul dared to breathe loudly.
Meng Family Village was not far from the Yingzuoya Military Garrison. Following the dirt road all the way, without needing to turn, they reached the hillside below the garrison. Soldiers were on guard at the garrison's main gate. Having received instructions from Commander Qi, they saw the direct descendants of the Meng family and, without any preamble, waved them over, pointing towards a house.
Madam Li looked at the house where a dim, yellowish light was burning. It was so close, yet she suddenly stopped.
"Old Madam?"
"Aunt?"
"Old Madam?"
"Grandmother?"
"Grandmother?"
"…?"
Madam Li's feet felt as heavy as lead.
It was only when people inside heard the voices outside and the sound of rattling chains that a middle-aged man's trembling voice asked, "Lihua, is that you?"
"Husband..." Upon hearing Meng Qiming's voice, Madam Liu could no longer hold back. She ran a few steps and pushed open the door, entering first. However, when she saw the man before her, his temples grayed, looking older than her second uncle, Madam Liu could no longer suppress the hidden pain in her heart and burst into tears. As Madam Liu cried, those behind her also crowded the doorway, weeping uncontrollably.
Meng Qisheng, sitting inside near Meng Qiming, kept his eyes fixed on the doorway. But after looking for a long time, he seemed to see only his youngest son, who had lost half his weight. To be honest, if his youngest son hadn't called out "Father" with such affection, he would have barely recognized him.
"Tang'er, where is your mother?" In the dim torchlight, Meng Yutang saw his father's disheveled, graying hair spread across his shoulders, and tears streamed down his face uncontrollably.
"Tang'er, where is your mother?"
"Tang'er, where are your sister-in-law and Bao'er?"
"My mother and sister-in-law..." Meng Yutang couldn't bring himself to say the rest.
Just then, Madam Liu, having cried enough, remembered the food they had brought and quickly called out to Madam Tao and the children, "Quick, bring the food." Madam Liu glanced again at her father-in-law, who was sitting deepest inside and hadn't spoken, and said, "Old Master, we've made some food. Please have a little, you, Big Brother, and Husband."
After speaking, Madam Liu called out to Meng Yuting, who had bruises all over his face and was covered in injuries, "Yuting, come and eat."
"Thank you, Second Aunt. Where is Bao'er?" Meng Yuting only asked his younger brother this one question. Seeing his brother's difficulty in speaking, he didn't ask further. The Mei family, hah. They could share prosperity. As long as you were prosperous, they would cling to you, impossible to shake off. But in times of hardship, they would probably run faster than a rabbit.
"Xiaohe is holding Bao'er outside the door. I'll have them come in now."
"Second Aunt, don't let Bao'er come in. I don't want him to see me like this."
Since Meng Yuting didn't want Bao'er to come in, Madam Liu didn't insist. She took the clay pot from Madam Tao's arms, opened the small bowl covering it, and a fresh, fragrant aroma wafted out. The four people who hadn't eaten their fill in months looked at it with longing. Even Meng Qinghong, who had been sitting in the shadows without speaking, couldn't help but look up, revealing a face crisscrossed with whip marks, both old and new.
Madam Li looked at the shocking whip marks on Meng Qinghong's face and body. It was hard not to feel concerned. No matter how bad this man might seem to outsiders, he had given her the dignity of a main wife, and that was enough. Madam Li didn't say much. She took the cloth bundle from her granddaughter, opened it, revealing the still-warm oil residue cakes. Madam Li picked up the top three and handed them to Meng Qinghong. "Old man, eat." This most ordinary phrase from common folk made Meng Qinghong feel momentarily as if he had misheard. Madam Li placed the oil residue cakes in his hand, and then distributed three pieces to each of her two sons and grandson. Seeing her eldest grandson eating ravenously, she took a bowl of seafood soup from her second daughter-in-law and brought it to her eldest grandson, constantly murmuring, "Yuting, eat slowly." Meng Yuting only responded with an "Mm" and continued to eat voraciously. Meng Qisheng and Meng Qiming, the brothers, also kept stuffing the oil residue cakes into their mouths.
Madam Liu looked at the whip marks exposed on Meng Qiming's body and felt another pang of sadness. But she still had to say what needed to be said. "Husband, our Yulian got married a few days ago. She married Commander Zheng of this garrison."
"That's good. With our current status, for Yulian to marry into such a family, we are fortunate."
"Commander Zheng treats Yulian very well. Also, our Yuyan is engaged. Her fiancé is also from the garrison, named Wang Dabao. The Wang family are old residents of Xian Shui Town. They run a blacksmith shop, and both the old couple are practical people."
"That's good, that's good. Lihua, I've troubled you with the family matters."
"Husband, the children are all filial. Tao Shi is also a good one. With Yuyan's engagement settled, it will be Yusu's turn next. I will find a suitable husband for Yusu as well."
"Mm." Meng Qiming nodded in agreement while eating large mouthfuls.
Madam Li saw that her eldest son and grandson were silent, just eating, and her heart grew heavier. But thinking that whether she stretched her neck or tucked it in, it was still a cut, she hardened her heart and said, "Eldest son, all the way here, Madam Mei and her niece did not behave well. They neglected Tang'er and Bao'er. I, as the mother, have decided to divorce them."
Upon hearing Madam Li's words, Meng Qisheng gave a wry smile. "It's my own fault from back then. I brought this upon myself." Meng Yuting also smiled bitterly and added, "This is not Grandmother's fault. If I may speak shamelessly, those two must have done something more excessive for Grandmother to divorce them on behalf of Father and me."