When Yu Yuehua saw them, she greeted them warmly and hugged Chaochao affectionately without saying a word. Then, she carried Chaochao in one arm and used the other hand to help them with their luggage.

When they finally set off, Yu Yuehua rode her bicycle with Gu Bin on the back, while the rest of them sat on an oxcart.

Along the way, the oxcart moved slowly, and the swaying of the cart gradually eased the fatigue of the journey.

As soon as I got home, I felt a wave of warmth wash over me.

Qian Hong had already cleaned the house spotlessly, even the kang (heated brick bed) had been heated a few days in advance, and the stove was burning brightly, making the whole house warm and cozy, instantly giving one a sense of belonging.

Mao Dan and Qian Hong were already waiting for them inside.

When Qian Hong saw her daughter and grandson getting off the oxcart, her eyes instantly welled up with tears—the excitement and joy of a long-awaited reunion. She rushed forward and hugged Chaochao tightly, her voice full of affection: "Oh my, Grandma's little granddaughter! Let Grandma see if you've grown taller."

When Chaochao saw her grandmother, her eyes narrowed into slits with joy, and she hugged her tightly.

Remembering their plan to take her grandmother to Beijing next year, she instantly became sweet and said in a sweet voice, "Grandma, I've grown taller. Look!" As she spoke, she got down from her grandmother's arms, spun around on the ground, and showed herself off like a little model.

Qian Hong was pleasantly surprised to find that Chaochao had indeed grown quite a bit taller, and her clothes were very fashionable, making her prettier than any of the other children in the village. She was overjoyed and extremely fond of her.

After admiring Chaochao for a while, Qian Hong finally had time to look at Yu Yuehui and Xie Yan. She noticed that Xie Yan's face was a little pale, probably due to the fatigue of the journey. Besides that, both of them seemed to have gained some weight. The words "You've lost weight!" that were on the tip of her tongue just wouldn't come out.

He had no choice but to turn around and exchange pleasantries with Gu Bin and the others.

Yingtao had already tidied up Gu Bin's house, and the kang (a heated brick bed) had been lit early. Seeing that everyone was exhausted, Qian Hong quickly sent them back to rest.

After the group entered the house, Chaochao, like a cheerful little bird, couldn't wait to take out the photos her family had taken in Beijing and proudly showed them to everyone.

Now, not only was Mao Dan attracted by the photo, but Qian Hong and Yu Yuehua also came over, their eyes fixed on the photo, full of curiosity and amazement.

Upon learning that Xie Yan had bought a camera, Yu Yuehua's eyes instantly lit up, her desire to try out this new gadget impossible to conceal.

Seeing this, Xie Yan smiled and said, "Brother, if you want to take pictures, I'll take them for you sometime. I bought a lot of film when I came back this time. Or, you can arrange for us to take a family photo sometime."

This was exactly what Yuehua wanted to hear. He excitedly said, "How about we shoot it on the fifteenth of the first lunar month? When we get back, I'll have your sister-in-law wash all the clothes. We'll look great in our new clothes!"

Xie Yan nodded and replied, "Sure!"

It doesn't really matter whether it's washed or not, since it's a black and white photo now, you can't tell the difference from before.

On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the whole family dressed up carefully. Everyone was dressed neatly, especially Liu Lanlan, who specially asked her skillful best friend to style her hair into a beautiful updo and use hair oil to make every strand of hair neat and tidy.

Hey, you know what, Liu Lanlan's features aren't bad at all. After combing her hair up, revealing her full forehead, she looked much more energetic. Coupled with her brand-new clothes, her whole demeanor was refreshed, as if she had become several years younger.

No one knows who leaked the news, but now the whole Xiliu Village knows that the Yu family is taking a family photo today.

Sure enough, as soon as the news spread, people from all over the village rushed over to see what was going on.

Xie Yan looked at the crowd surrounding him, which was packed in layers, and said helplessly, raising his voice, "Everyone, please move to the back, don't block my way from taking pictures."

Upon hearing this, some people who cared about their reputation consciously stepped back.

But there were quite a few people in the village who didn't care about saving face. They just lingered there, dragging their feet, unwilling to leave.

The intention was obvious: to get in the spotlight so that they could also be photographed.

Looking at this group of people, Liu Lanlan was furious. She raised her hand and slapped her husband, saying irritably, "Serves you right for spreading rumors everywhere!"

Yu Yuehua was also very aggrieved. He had only boasted to a few acquaintances about taking a family photo, but he never expected that these people would be so loose-lipped, making the whole village know about it.

Seeing this situation, it was impossible to take any more photos.

Yu Yue stood up abruptly, coldly surveying the people who were refusing to leave, her tone icy: "Are you leaving on your own, or should I throw you out?"

Upon hearing this, these people instantly recalled the terrifying experience of being thrown out by Yu Yuehui, and they were immediately terrified, secretly regretting that they had forgotten there was a jinx here!

They cursed under their breath, but their actions were swift and decisive; they quickly retreated, clearing a space in the yard in no time.

Xie Yan seized the opportunity and quickly handed the camera to Gu Bin, while arranging for her family members to take their positions.

The two elderly people sat in the middle, with Chaochao and Maodan being held affectionately in their arms, while the rest of the people stood behind them.

Xie Yan even offered his arm, and Yu Yuehui immediately understood and took it. Yu Yuehua and her husband followed suit.

Looking at the two elderly people who were as nervous as wooden figures, Gu Bin smiled and reassured them, "Don't be nervous! I haven't loaded the film yet, it's just a test shot."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that it wasn't an official photo shoot.

Mao Dan was even more excited. He grabbed Chao Chao's hand and asked eagerly, "Chao Chao, can you help your brother see if my hairstyle looks good?"

He secretly used his mother's hair oil, hoping to look handsome in the photos.

Chaochao tilted her head, carefully examining her brother's hairstyle, which was smeared with hair oil and looked like it had been licked by a cow. She said in her childish voice, "It looks good, brother, your hairstyle is very good-looking." When Maodan heard this, he thought that since his sister said it looked good, it must be good-looking. Thinking this, he smiled even more brightly.

The others couldn't help but laugh when they heard what the two of them said.

Mao Dan's hair wasn't long to begin with, and he even copied Xie Yan's style, combing it into a side part. But his hair was used to being messy and wouldn't obey him at all, so he secretly used the hair oil that Liu Lanlan had hidden.

Although his hair was parted in a forced way, compared to Xie Yan's casual and carefree style, his hairstyle was rather comical, like a child wearing an adult's clothes, exuding an indescribable sense of humor.