Meng Yan's Transformation

Chapter 617 Aunt Stays at the Village Chief's House

When Zhan Mengyan spoke, she took the water glass but didn't drink from it; she just held it in her hands.

"The elderly woman in our village who receives the five guarantees is your great-aunt?! You mean Li Zhangshi? How come your parents never mentioned her?"

Village chief Liu Zhenghua looked surprised as he spoke.

“I don’t know my great-aunt’s name. She’s my third cousin’s aunt’s mother-in-law. So my cousins ​​and I all call her great-aunt. She said that her family’s large horse-drawn carriage and other property were donated to Jindong Village. She only had one daughter, who has passed away, so she is considered childless and has become a recipient of the five guarantees in the village. She also told me that the village promised to build her a new house. At that time… she even wanted my sister Yingying to help her ask Uncle Liu to intercede on her behalf…”

Zhan Mengyan's voice grew softer and softer as she spoke, until it was barely audible.

"Sigh, it's all that good-for-nothing Liu Wei's fault. We couldn't become relatives. If your family needs my help, just let me know. I, Liu Zhenghua, will do my best, even if it's just a small amount. Xiao Mengyan, you're right. Your great-aunt is a recipient of the 'Five Guarantees' (a government welfare program for the elderly, disabled, and orphans) in our Jindong Village. She's the only one in our village who receives this program. Xiao Mengyan, do you want to see your great-aunt? Come with me, I'll take you to see her."

As Liu Zhenghua spoke, he got up and left.

Zhan Mengyan followed closely behind, delighted: "I finally found the right person today! Last weekend, I inquired with the neighbors near my great-aunt's old house, as well as my third cousin and several other cousins, but none of them knew where my great-aunt was. I had a dream that my great-aunt was sick, and I was so worried about her that I couldn't concentrate on my studies. How is my great-aunt doing?"

“Dreams are always the opposite of reality. You dreamt that your great-aunt was sick, which means she's perfectly healthy. She can eat and drink well, talk and laugh, she's doing great! You'll see when you meet her. It seems you're a kind and filial child. Your grades must be very good too. Liu Wei's mother and I asked you to stay at our house, but you didn't agree. Where do you live now? If you don't have a place to stay, you can come stay with us. We have plenty of rooms, we don't need your place.”

When Liu Zhenghua spoke, his tone was sincere and earnest.

"Thank you, Uncle Liu! I'm living at school now, which makes it convenient for me to go to and from evening self-study sessions."

As Zhan Mengyan spoke, she looked up and saw a familiar road.

"Uncle Liu, why do I feel like this road leads to your house? Are you taking me to your house? Didn't you just say you were taking me to see my great-aunt?!"

As Zhan Mengyan spoke, she stopped and looked at Liu Zhenghua in surprise.

"Hurry up, silly girl, why did we stop? I'm taking you to see your great-aunt. She lives in our house, the one we originally planned for you to stay in. But you didn't move in, so it's been sitting vacant. Your great-aunt used to live in the village office, but she didn't like it there and insisted on going back to her old house. I was worried about the safety of the old house, so I had to persuade her to come live with us. The new house the village is building for your great-aunt is almost finished. It's in the finishing touches now, and soon your great-aunt will have a new house to live in."

As Liu Zhenghua spoke, he looked at Zhan Mengyan gently.

"Thank you, Uncle Liu! Thank you so much, Uncle Liu! Thank you for taking in my great-aunt and building her a new house. You are such a kind person."

As Zhan Mengyan spoke, she looked at Liu Zhenghua with gratitude.

“You child, why are you being so polite with me? This is what we at Jindong Village should do. Why are you thanking me? Didn’t you hear from your great-aunt that she donated her horse-drawn carriage and other property to Jindong Village? So it’s only right that Jindong Village builds a new house for your great-aunt. As for me, the village chief, it would be too inhumane and derelict of me to see the elderly living in dilapidated houses.”