047

Even after New Year's Eve, the snow still didn't stop. Ke Yu, Xiao Meng, and Wang both sent New Year's text messages. Xu Yu replied slowly before going to wash up. Zhu Wenxu was outside cooking, while Xu Yu was reading in his bedroom. He studied diligently and had mastered some of the knowledge, but the exam was still two months away.

Xu Yu looked at the route to Qinghua Town and found that it would take at least 32 hours to arrive.

Zhu Wenxu looked at the time and said, "Buy a ticket for noon. We'll stay there until noon the next day and then go to the hotel to sleep."

“That’s a solution.”

After buying the tickets, they started packing their luggage. Winter clothes were too thick, so they decided not to bring any extra down jackets. If one broke, they would just buy another one in a nearby store, because a down jacket would take up most of the luggage.

After packing their toiletries and turning off the electricity, gas and windows, they took a taxi to the airport, bought some biscuits at the airport snack shop, and boarded the plane at 3:30.

Xu Yu's mental state was average, and Zhu Wenxu was okay. The two of them each wore an earphone and did their own things, one sleeping and the other browsing financial news on his phone.

It’s the aftereffect of being a CEO.

Xu Yu fell asleep thinking this. He slept until 7:30 pm. Zhu Wenxu took his exhausted son off the plane and went to the airport to find his luggage. Then he took a taxi to the high-speed rail station and bought a ticket for a flight forty minutes later. They bought each other instant noodles and waited in the waiting hall.

Xu Yu didn't eat much: "I might be a little carsick."

"You're just too tired." Zhu Wenxu said, "I told you last night to go to bed early, otherwise you'll be very tired on the plane."

"Are you blaming me?" Xu Yu muttered.

"Yeah, so when you get here, just lie down obediently." Zhu Wenxu took a sip of soup. "Don't resist."

"Rogue." His words are always so vulgar.

After getting on the high-speed train, Xu Yu began to sleep again. His energy dropped significantly, and he was sweating coldly while sleeping. He swayed from side to side in Zhu Wenxu's arms and almost fell to the ground twice.

If it weren't for the time constraints, Zhu Wenxu really should have bought a seat with a bed. But if he had gotten off the bus earlier and bought a new ticket, Xu Yu would have been even more exhausted. He protected Xu Yu until after eight in the morning, then helped her get off the bus with her luggage. He used the navigation to find the bus stop, bought a 30-yuan ticket, and brought her back with him to buy some food.

Xu Yu drank a large bottle of water and slowly came back to his senses. He tilted his head to look at Zhu Wenxu's face: "Luckily, I have you."

"Eat something." Zhu Wenxu opened the box. "The bus is slow and the journey is long. You might not be able to stand it halfway if you don't eat. Also, don't eat too much if you feel uncomfortable."

Xu Yu stuffed rice into his mouth: "How come you are so skilled?"

"I'm about to go out with you, I can't be so clueless, right?" Zhu Wenxu said softly, "Eat."

After Xu Yu finished his meal, he packed up his trash and threw it into the trash can in front. Zhu Wenxu put headphones on Xu Yu, and Xu Yu rested her head on his shoulder: "I haven't been back for a long time. I mentioned it before, but it wasn't allowed."

Xi Jiang wouldn't let him leave, let alone send him here. For nine years, he didn't know if anyone helped burn paper in front of his mother's grave or cleaned up the messy grass roots.

Or maybe if he returns to the town, he can recover his long-lost memories.

The bus route went from flat to steep, and most people on the bus could not sleep. This place was far away from Tingfeng City. Apart from the wind and light rain, there were mountains that could not be farther away.

Zhu Wenxu fed him water and biscuits from time to time, constantly improving Xu Yu's mental strength. When the car arrived at the final stop at 10:50, there were only a few people on the bus.

Zhu Wenxu led him out of the car again, carrying his luggage and preparing to find a car. Xu Yu couldn't hold it in anymore, squatting in the grass by the roadside and vomiting. It took him a long time to recover after drinking water.

"Are you okay?"

Xu Yu shook his head: "I'm fine."

"The environment here is pretty good, with many mountains and a small river over there." Zhu Wenxu observed and said, "Let's ask how to get to the town first."

Xu Yu nodded awkwardly.

After walking a short distance, Zhu Wenxu saw a long-branded van shouting at people, so he went over and asked about the price.

"Qinghua Town? It's not far. It'll cost you twenty yuan each. Pay the money and you can get on the bus."

Zhu Wenxu scanned the money and said, "Sorry for the trouble."

After putting the luggage away, he took Xu Yu in. The windows were small and the air was not circulating. He could smell the sweat emanating from other people sleeping in the back seat. Xu Yu tilted his head and wanted to vomit again, but held it back because there were strangers around.

"Why are you so confident? Aren't you afraid this is a black car?"

Zhu Wenxu chuckled, "Black taxis aren't like this. Are you still uncomfortable? If you feel uncomfortable, lean on me for a while."

"You're so reliable." Xu Yu admired you from the bottom of his heart, "I can't live without you."

"That's exactly what I want." He grabbed Xu Yu's hand tightly.

Zhu Wenxu could remember a little about the environment here. This wasn't his first time here, so he could still remember some of the directions. On the way, Xu Yu and Zhu Wenxu dozed off and were woken by a steep road. The car behind them was empty, leaving only the two of them.

Xu Yu felt uneasy and hugged Zhu Wenxu's arm tightly. Zhu Wenxu yawned and rubbed his head: "We're almost there."

The van stopped at a small bus station. Zhu Wenxu remembered that when he came here before, there was nothing here. If you wanted to go to the county town, you had to spend five yuan to take a ox cart. Now there are no ox carts, shops have been built nearby, and the living standards have improved.

Zhu Wenxu took him to a small hotel, paid for three days, and took the key to the extremely narrow corridor. After entering the room, Xu Yu lay on the bed and closed his eyes. He couldn't sleep again, but his back and waist ached and he didn't want to move at all.

"If you do this, what will we do when we go traveling in the future?"

Xu Yu whimpered, "I don't know. I'm so tired."

It was obvious that he was truly exhausted. Zhu Wenxu didn't touch him. He locked the door, took off his coat, and slid into bed together. With their bodies close together and warm, Xu Yu finally closed his eyes in peace. When he woke up, it was raining outside. Xu Yu took the toothpaste and cup and went into the bathroom to brush his teeth, wash his face, and then took a quick shower before coming out.

The soundproofing in the small hotel was poor, especially since the sleeping area was next to the toilet. Zhu Wenxu woke up and went in to wash his face. He took out five hundred yuan from the red envelope in his luggage, locked the password box, and took Xu Yu downstairs: "Let's go eat."

"good."

Qinghua Town's economy is better than before, but it's still a world away from the development of other towns. Two-story concrete houses are rare here; most are made of wood, with thick, waterproof tarpaulins covering the roofs. There's an abundance of noodles, large and fragrant, with the aroma wafting far and wide.

There were no residential buildings around, only tiled houses stacked one on top of the other. Those with second floors looked like they belonged to well-off families. They found a noodle shop that sold steamed buns and steamed buns, and Zhu Wenxu added two large pieces of meat for Xu Yu. He didn't understand the local dialect very well, but Xu Yu understood it very quickly.

Back at the hotel, neither of them could sleep. Xu Yu grabbed a book and started reading. The internet connection was terrible in this remote area. Zhu Wenxu picked up a random book from Xu Yu and asked, "What time will you come tomorrow?"

"I want to find someone." Xu Yu said, "I have a friend named Liu Shaohua."

Zhu Wenxu nodded: "Let's go together tomorrow."

By half past three, Xu Yu was really sleepy, but Zhu Wenxu had no intention of sleeping. His motives were very obvious, his thoughts were in his eyes, and he didn't care whether Xu Yu agreed or not. He kept doing this until five o'clock. Xu Yu, who had been able to cooperate, fell into a deep sleep. Zhu Wenxu had no choice but to wash him and hold him to sleep for a while.

At nine o'clock, they both put on their thermal underwear, got up, and ate something nearby. Xu Yu finally remembered to inquire about Liu Shaohua, but then remembered that he hadn't told Zhu Wenxu about his amnesia yet, so he sent him to the supermarket to buy some fruit and snacks as gifts for the Liu family.

Zhu Wenxu went to the supermarket. Xu Yucai found a shop and asked. He hadn't spoken the dialect in a long time, but once he heard someone speak it, he just opened his mouth and spoke it.

"Grandpa, do you know where Liu Shaohua lives? I'm his friend and I want to come visit him."

The shoe salesman glanced at Xu Yu and hissed, "Liu Shaohua? Is he the eldest son of the Liu family in Dongxiang Village?"

Xu Yu said, "Yes, yes, where is his home?"

Grandpa pointed in the direction: "Which way is it? There's a sign there."

Xu Yu thanked him and ran to the supermarket to find Zhu Wenxu. Since the food was cheap there, he bought a lot of fruit. Xu Yu picked up a bag and said, "I remember he was in Dongxiang Village. Let's go see him."

He hummed a song as he led the way, confident that Zhu Wenxu didn't understand the dialect, so asking for directions wouldn't reveal his amnesia. It wouldn't be too late to tell Zhu Wenxu once he regained his memory.

The Dongxiang Village sign was large, right next to the town, with fields interspersed throughout the area, making the road difficult to navigate. Xu Yu asked for directions and arrived at a renovated two-story brick house with a cement exterior. Flowers bloomed in the yard, and chickens and ducks chirped. The air was filled with the aroma of a rural village.

The woman who came in from inside was carrying a backpack into the kitchen next door. She stopped when she saw someone at the door.

"Excuse me, is this Liu Shaohua's home?" Xu Yu asked.

The woman came out carrying something. When she saw Xu Yu, she was surprised and quickly opened the iron door: "Xu Yu!"

Xu Yu was stunned for two seconds. Looking at the woman's appearance, he actually regained some of his fragmented memories. This woman was very gentle and very capable in the village. Many aunts were friends with her, including his mother.

"Come in and sit down."

Zhu Wenxu took his hand and said, "Let's go, now we're here."

Xu Yu followed the woman into the living room. Winters here are very cold. Due to the terrain, the wind can't withstand the wind at night, so every household burns coal briquettes, warming themselves in a huge iron barrel. The house is small, but it warms up instantly.

The woman looked at the large and small packages of gifts and complained: "You're back, why did you buy so many things?"

"I just haven't been back for so long, I thought I should bring something."

The woman smiled and brought over the bowl of sunflower seeds and peanuts. "Yeah, you haven't been back for seven or eight years. I thought you might never come back."

Xu Yu wanted to explain, but couldn't. Zhu Wenxu touched his shoulder, giving him some encouragement.

The woman could see that Xu Yu was living well outside. Everyone in the village knew about his being taken away. But she didn't care about the rumors after Xu Yu left. She was just very relieved to see that the child was well raised, with delicate features and a beautiful smile.

"Do you want to go see your mother?"

"Yes." Xu Yu nodded immediately, "Is Shaohua at home? I want to meet him first."

When Liu Shaohua was mentioned, the woman froze, her eyelashes drooping, her expression instantly darkening. She raised her hand to wipe the tears from her eyes, then stood up and walked towards the wooden door next door. A dusty and musty smell emanated from her.

The woman couldn't control her emotions, her voice trembling: "Shaohua, Xu Yu is back to see you."

Xu Yu always felt something was wrong, as if his feet were not his own. When he walked out of the wooden door, he couldn't even stand up straight.

In the center of the small room was placed Liu Shaohua's portrait, with candles lit on both sides, apples and candies in the middle, and an unopened bottle of white wine.

A smile played on his lips.

Xu Yu recognized that this photo was taken by him.