40, meet with senior retired cadres, Zhang Guilin. _1
Translator: 549690339 |
“How can this auntie accept this without embarrassment!”
“What’s there to be embarrassed about, as long as you don’t mind my clothes being dirty, that’s fine!”
Lin Mo smiled as he helped Zhang Guilin take off her coat, then draped his own coat over her back. “Auntie, do you need to go to the hospital for a checkup? Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere? Elderly people are prone to fractures. It would be safer to have a look at the hospital, or maybe you should call your children.”
Zhang Guilin smiled and shook her head. “No need, no need, there’s no reason to make such a fuss. I know my own body. Also, I know a bit about medicine. It’s not likely a fracture, just that my foot hurts a bit, probably sprained it.”
“My child is usually very busy. So, young man, could you bother to take me home? It’s not far, just in the residential area up ahead.”
“Don’t worry, Auntie is a party member, she won’t swindle you!”
Lin Mo’s purpose today was to make contact with Zhang Guilin, the deeper the contact, the greater the chance of triggering information, so he certainly wouldn’t refuse her request.
Although he might not obtain useful information, he could treat it as an experiment and thoroughly research the system.
And it was only about taking an elderly person home after all, not a big deal.
Just consider it accumulating good deeds.
“Sure, no problem, wait for me a moment, I’ll bring my electric bike over.”
Lin Mo rode his electric bike from not far away and asked with concern, “Oh right, Auntie, can you still ride this bike? If not, I can call a taxi to take you.”
“I’ve rested for a while, I feel much better now. Just my leg still hurts a bit, but riding should be no problem. I just need your help to get on.”
“Alright, take your time.”
Lin Mo nodded, walked over to Zhang Guilin, and carefully helped her up. To be honest, Lin Mo was also afraid of an incident. In case he got swindled, it would be really troublesome. If he ended up not getting the information and also losing out, that would be the worst.
However, after trying to walk a few steps forward, the old lady indeed didn’t seem to have much of a problem, so Lin Mo was reassured.
“Hang on tight, we’re going to set off now; I’ll drive slowly.”
The electric bike slowly moved along the non-motorized lane.
“Young man, I really owe you one today. Good people like you are hard to come by these days.”
“Not at all, there are actually quite a few out there. It’s just that young people are worried about being swindled and are hesitant to do good deeds, that’s all.” “Aren’t you afraid that old lady me will swindle you?”
“How could that be? I can tell you have a kind face; you must have been a real beauty when you were young. Also, it’s obvious you are cultured and well- educated, not like some confused old ladies. Plus…”
“You’re quite the charmer, young man. What else is there?”
“I won’t lie to you, I know this area well. The place where you fell has several cameras all around it, so even if you did try to swindle me, I could prove my innocence.”
“Ha ha ha ha ha, you’re slick, young man. I didn’t see that coming. But it’s right to be that way. You need to have a warm heart but also ensure your own peace of mind, or else it’s easy to be taken advantage of.”
“Auntie, is it the residential area up ahead?”
“Yes, this one here. Just go in and keep going straight. It’s Building 12, Unit 2.”
The electric bike stopped at the entrance of the building.
Lin Mo was very familiar with this area; he used to come here often for work. But one thing he couldn’t figure out: Wiry would a senior retired official be living in this kind of old neighborhood?
Shouldn’t she live in a big villa? Or at least a high-end residential area?
It didn’t show at all.
Although Lin Mo thought so internally, he of course didn’t show it and didn’t pay too much attention. After parking the bike, he said, “Auntie, let me help you down. Which floor do you live on?”
Zhang Guilin, supported by Lin Mo, got off the electric bike and pointed upstairs. “I live on the third floor. I’ll have to trouble you to send me up.”
“No problem at all.”
Lin Mo supported Zhang Guilin as they walked up the stairs, step by step.
The elderly woman already had trouble walking, and with the sprained foot, she moved very slowly.
“Auntie, are you sure you don’t need to go to the hospital to have that looked at?”
“No need, no need, what’s this little injury? Back when I went to the countryside, what hardships haven’t I endured, what suffering haven’t I experienced?”
“You’ve been sent down to the countryside before?”
“Of course, back then I was only 16 years old, and so many years have flown by so quickly. Life is much better now, and I’ve gotten old.”
“You don’t look old at all.”
“Young man, you do have a sweet tongue. What do you do for a living?”
“Me? I mostly help people carry things up buildings, do loading and unloading work, the kind of laborious jobs.”
“Oh, that must be tiring, right?”
“It’s okay. Got to provide for the family. When I get home each day and see my wife and kids, I don’t feel tired anymore.”
“It’s good to be responsible for your family, but you can’t do manual labor forever, haven’t you thought about doing something else?”
“Alt, to be honest with you, Auntie, I’m just a third-tier university graduate. I don’t really have any impressive skills, and can’t get a better job, so I have to rely on my income from carrying loads to support my family.”
As they chatted, they had already arrived on the third floor.
The brass plaques of the House of Glory and Martyrs’ Home gleamed with a dazzling light at the entrance.
Zhang Guilin took out her keys, opened the door, and invited, “Young man, come in and have a glass of water.”
“I am a bit thirsty, so I won’t stand on ceremony,” Lin Mo said with a smile as he nodded.
“No need for that, you and I hit it off well, and I haven’t had a good chat with anyone in a long time. Ever since my partner passed away, I’ve been living alone every day.” Zhang Guilin entered the house cheerfully.
The house wasn’t big, and the decor was very simple, entirely in the style of the ’60s and ’70s, but it was very clean and tidy.
“You have a seat; I will go change my clothes.”
Zhang Guilin went into the bedroom, and Lin Mo sat on the sofa in the living room, looking at the old photos hanging on the mottled walls.
The woman in the photos was dressed in military uniform, looking valiant and spirited, and bore a strong resemblance to Zhang Guilin.
In the most recent family photo, Zhang Guilin was standing next to a man in his thirties or forties, wearing a white police shirt, looking strong and upright.
That must be her son?
Lin Mo didn’t know much about police ranks and couldn’t tell what position the man in the photo held.
But he got the feeling that it must be a pretty high-ranking official.
Before long,
Zhang Guilin came out from the bedroom wearing a new set of clothes, holding a black fleece-lined jacket in her hand.
“Young man, your clothes got dirty because of me, I’ll wash them clean and give them back to you. This jacket belongs to my son; it should fit you both quite well, so you wear it for now.”
Lin Mo waved his hands repeatedly, “Auntie, there’s no need for such trouble. Just give me my clothes back, and I will wash them clean when I get home.” What does it matter if it’s dirty? The old lady is just being polite.
Besides, when he did his carrying work, he would get even dirtier than this, so it really didn’t bother him.
“Child, just take it when I tell you to, don’t make this old lady anxious,” Zhang Guilin firmly put the jacket on Lin Mo, looking him up and down before saying, “Hmm, it fits rather well.”
“Leave me your phone number, and once the clothes are clean, I’ll have my son bring them over to you.”
Lin Mo refused again, “Auntie, there’s really no need for that.”
“Tsch! Just do as I say!” Zhang Guilin was a strong-willed character, speaking in a way that bore authority, “I can’t have you doing me a favor and then going home in dirty clothes, can I?”
If the neighbors found out, they would talk behind my back!”