A batch of machines at the garment factory broke down, and the factory's technicians couldn't fix them. Zhao Mingyue was thinking that they should be replaced with new ones. The deputy factory manager said to Zhao Mingyue, "Ms. Zhao, should we ask a technician from the electrical appliance factory to come and take a look?"

Zhao Mingyue suddenly came to her senses: "That's right, it's an electronic product too. Call them and ask the technician over there to come and take a look."

Then the repairman from the appliance factory came over. Zhao Mingyue recognized him immediately; it was Mr. Gao, whom she had visited before. Mr. Gao's wife had also worked at the fan factory, but she had passed away from illness. Mr. Gao had never remarried and, unable to care for his son alone, had sent him back to his hometown in Tongzhou to live with his grandparents. Zhao Mingyue, herself a child, knew the heartache of not being able to live with one's child. She wanted to help Mr. Gao, but it seemed she couldn't. Most men in the north were rough and tough; they struggled to take care of themselves, let alone a child.

When Master Gao arrived, Zhao Mingyue handed him over to Yu Youfen, who was now the workshop director of Workshop No. 1. The broken machines happened to be from Workshop No. 1, so she was in charge. So the two of them went over to get to work. Master Gao's skills were indeed excellent, and he quickly found the problem. However, it took some time to repair, and they ran around for several days.

Zhao Mingyue was unaware that this incident had actually led to the marriage between Master Gao and Yu Youfen. It wasn't actually her doing; rather, a kind-hearted female colleague at the factory, knowing their situation, wanted to play matchmaker. And so, things progressed smoothly, and they ended up getting together.

Both were older and it was their second marriage, so neither of them hesitated. They felt that both of them were good people and got along well, so they went straight to the topic of marriage. Especially after their children met and found that they were all acquaintances, the barrier between them was greatly reduced.

After Mr. and Mrs. Yu vetted the eldest sister, they found that Master Gao was a good person, honest and reliable, so they agreed. They also consulted Zhao Mingyue, who was truly surprised by such a good thing and naturally gave her her full support.

Considering the schooling of their two children, Yu Youfen's household registration had already been transferred to Beijing through Zhao Mingyue's factory, making the marriage easier. At the end of May, the two registered their marriage.

Zhao Mingyue arranged a three-bedroom apartment for them in the garment factory's staff dormitory, as the three-bedroom apartment was barely enough for their three children. When they got married, Zhao Mingyue also gave them a black-and-white television as a wedding gift.

Yu Youfen had her own home now, and her daughters were all grown up, so it wasn't appropriate for them to live with her uncle's family. She brought them all back to live with her, including Master Gao's son, who went to school in the city. The three children could go to and from school together, taking the bus; the social order was quite good these days. Yu Youfen was a kind person and treated Master Gao's children as her own. Master Gao was also a very generous man and treated his two daughters very well. The family got along very harmoniously.

During the summer vacation, Zhao Mingyue heard that Yu Youfen was going to take her husband and children back to her hometown to see her parents. She thought that she hadn't been back for two years, and since it was summer vacation, she might as well take Liangliang back with her. She just didn't know if Shen Xuyue could take leave to go with them. It would be great if the whole family could go back together.

She called Shen Xuyue and asked if he could arrange for her to take annual leave and go back, but the time wouldn't be too long, with only a little over a week before and after the holiday. Zhao Mingyue thought for a moment and said, "That's fine, just a week. I'll book the tickets, and we can fly back. That way, we won't be delayed for so long on the way."

By train, the journey would take about two days and two nights; by plane, it would be possible to arrive home in about the same day. However, this meant that they would have to separate from Yu Youfen and her family; they would go first, and Yu Youfen and her siblings' families would follow.

Shen Xuyue thought it was feasible, so he said, "Okay, you set the time, I'll rush back the night before, and then leave for the airport the next day, which will save a day."

Liangliang was especially excited and looking forward to going to his maternal grandparents' house by plane. Jingjing had finished his college entrance exams and was just waiting for his acceptance letter, feeling a little anxious. Hearing that his aunt was going back to her hometown, he also wanted to go and relax. Zhao Mingyue agreed to take him along. Zhuangzhuang saw that his older and younger brothers were going to Liangliang's maternal grandparents' house, so he wanted to go too. Thus, Zhao Mingyue and her husband took all three children back to their hometown.

It was late July, scorching hot, when they returned. The plane departed Beijing early in the morning and arrived in the provincial capital of Zhao Mingyue's hometown two hours later. Zhao Mingyue called home, then took the children on a long-distance bus back to Jinnan. They arrived in Jinnan around 3 PM, and as soon as they reached the station, they saw their older brother, Zhao Mingliang, waving to them. Zhao Mingliang had bought a used car this year and drove it everywhere; he had come specifically to pick them up.

Zhao Mingliang took Zhao Mingyue's luggage: "Are you feeling hot? Are you hungry? Let's go get something to eat before we go back?"

The children were all very hungry, and when they heard their uncle say that, they all agreed.

So Zhao Mingliang took them to a restaurant. It wasn't mealtime at all. The restaurant staff were all lazily sitting inside taking a nap and listening to the radio. A stray dog ​​was lying on the bluestone floor tiles by the door, panting and cooling off.

The children carefully walked around the yellow stray dog ​​and entered the house, where they were immediately greeted by a chill. Jinnan is an ancient city, and most of its streets still retain their old appearance. Unfortunately, in the following years, most of these old buildings were demolished, leaving only one or two streets as a memory of the city.

Zhao Mingliang and Zhao Mingyue ordered the food together. The rice and cold dishes were ready to be served. The children couldn't wait for the hot dishes and wolfed down their rice bowls, devouring both plates of cold dishes in no time.

The adults barely touched their chopsticks, letting the children eat first. They had actually prepared some dry food for the journey, but the children were growing and had large appetites, so they digested everything quickly.

The shop owner was quick, immediately cooking a dish and serving it, so everyone ate while waiting. Zhao Mingyue and her husband chatted with her older brother about their family's recent situation. Zhao Mingliang happily said, "Fresh tea leaves have gone up in price these past two years, really up. They used to only cost one yuan per jin, but now they're two yuan per jin, it's too expensive. It was such a wise decision for you to let me contract Songzi'ao to grow tea that year. We can start harvesting tea this year, saving us so much cost."

Shen Xuyue said, "Tea prices have gone up too, haven't they?"

"Hmm, prices have gone up. Now, ordinary tea sells for over ten yuan a pound, and the best spring tea sells for over a hundred yuan." Zhao Mingliang smiled broadly, his crow's feet at the corners of his eyes becoming very prominent. He was already a middle-aged man in his forties.

Zhao Mingyue was also very happy for her brothers: "That's great. Are Mom and Dad in good health?"

"Well, not bad. It's just that Dad fell in the spring, his left hand hit the ground and he dislocated a bone. Your third brother took him in and nursed him back to health for two months. He's basically recovered now, but he still can't lift heavy things," Zhao Mingliang said.

Zhao Mingyue looked at her eldest brother in surprise: "Why didn't you tell me about something so big? Third brother only said that he had taken Mom and Dad to stay with him for a while. I thought he was going to help them take care of the children. Is it because Dad fell down?"

Zhao Mingliang nodded: "The third brother said it wasn't too serious, so Mom and Dad didn't want me to tell you, afraid you'd worry."

Zhao Mingyue's face turned pale with anxiety. She bit her lip and remained silent for a long time. Shen Xuyue reached out and patted her shoulder: "It's alright, Dad is fine, and we're all back now. Let's spend some time with them."

Liangliang was eating with his head down. The adults were speaking in his mother's hometown dialect, which he couldn't understand, so he didn't pay attention. Suddenly, he heard his mother sniffle, and he looked up at her: "Mom, why are you crying?"

Zhao Mingyue shook her head: "It's nothing, I just miss your grandpa."

"Won't we see Grandpa soon?" Liangliang looked at her with his big, clear eyes.

Zhao Mingyue nodded: "Yes, Mom is happy, that's why she wants to cry."

"Can you cry when you're happy?" Liangliang asked, puzzled.

"Yes, there's an idiom called 'tears of joy,'" Zhao Mingyue patted her son's head. "Good boy, let's eat."

Zhao Mingyue had lost her appetite and quickly ate a bowl of rice before urging everyone to get on the road. It was a little after four in the afternoon, and the heat was beginning to subside, but it was still extremely hot. The air conditioning in the car was useless; it would take two or three hours to drive home from Jinnan, and if they set off now, they'd be arriving back just in time for dinner. Besides, Zhao Mingyue was eager to get home.

The pastoral scenery outside the window was delightful, with golden rice paddies stretching out like a colorful carpet. Zhuangzhuang, pressed against the window, exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, this must be rice! I've seen it in a book!"

Liangliang said, "This isn't rice, it's paddy rice, Mom, am I right?"

As Zhao Mingliang drove, he said, "Yes, it's rice. How clever. Once the rice is husked, it becomes rice."

Both children were very happy because they felt they were right.

Jingjing exclaimed in amazement, "There are so many mountains here!"

Children from the plains are always curious about everything when they first arrive in the hilly area. Liangliang said proudly, "Yes, my grandma's house has lots and lots of mountains, and a river too. I can go swimming in the river this time, Mom, right?"

Zhao Mingyue said with a smile, "Yes, I've brought you all swimming trunks. Go swim in the river. But don't go too far out; safety first."

Zhao Mingliang said, "It's okay, we have tires at home, and the kids play with them while taking a bath."

The children chattered incessantly the whole way, finally arriving at Moon Bay around six o'clock. The setting sun cast its last rays upon the river bend, reflecting golden and silvery shimmering light. The children became excited upon seeing the river, clamoring to go for a bath, because in Beijing, apart from the moat and a few lakes in the parks, there's hardly any other water to be seen, and most northerners are not good swimmers.

Shen Xuyue said, "No rush, let's go home first, say hello to Grandma and Grandpa, and then take a bath."

Liangliang was incredibly excited when he heard he could go swimming in the river.

The car entered the village road. Along the road, an old ox, its belly round and full, was returning home with heavy, slow steps. A flock of ducks, waddling and scrambling to catch up with their companions, followed behind. Zhao Minghui's car trailed behind the ox and ducks. The children rolled down their windows, craning their necks to look at the water buffalo and ducks with amazement—it was all so novel and interesting. Liangliang waved his little arm: "Hello, big water buffalo! And ducks, so many of them!"

Even the usually introverted Zhuangzhuang was amused and became very playful, pressing his face against the car window and watching with great interest.

The village road was too narrow for the car to pass, so it kept stopping and starting. Zhao Mingyue said, "This road is too narrow; it needs to be repaired."

Zhao Mingliang said, "As long as the road can be passed, we'll make do. Nobody wants to spend money to repair it."

Zhao Mingyue said, "I'll fix it. It will cost tens of thousands of yuan to build a cement road." "If you want to get rich, build roads first." This is a truth. This is her small contribution to her hometown.

Zhao Mingliang looked at his sister: "You'll fix it?"

"Well, I'll provide the money, and everyone else can contribute their labor. Building roads is something that will benefit everyone, so I don't think anyone will object, right?" Zhao Mingyue asked.

Zhao Mingliang nodded: "Okay, I'll go ask the village secretary for you."

Zhao Mingliang drove home, where everyone was waiting. Zhao Shunsheng and his wife, and Zhao Minghui and his wife, exchanged pleasantries upon meeting. Her father's hair was completely white. Zhao Mingyue held his hand, her eyes welling with tears, and said with a hint of reproach, "Dad, you didn't even tell your daughter you were injured. Don't you treat your daughter like a daughter anymore?"

Zhao Shunsheng gripped his daughter's hand tightly: "Silly girl, why aren't you my daughter anymore? I'm all better now, I'm fine, and I wasn't seriously injured. I didn't want you to worry if I told you, but your brothers are taking care of me."

Shen Xuyue said, "Dad, Mom, please don't hide anything from us in the future. We're in Beijing, where there are many famous doctors, and the technology and medicines are the best. If you need anything, just tell us directly, and we'll buy the medicine and bring it back, or you can go to Beijing for treatment. It's so convenient now. We can get there on the same day by plane. Look, we left this morning and are already home. How fast is that?"

Hu Nianchun wiped away tears of joy and nodded, "Okay. We understand. Thank you for your hard work. Let the children rest first; we can eat soon."

Zhao Mingyue realized with emotion that her child was getting older year by year, while her parents were getting older year by year. This was probably the natural cycle of life: the old grow old and the young grow up. Children are the continuation of their elders.

Behind them was a large group of children who looked at the guests with curious eyes. Zhao Mingyue introduced them one by one. Jingjing had already finished high school. Although he was a little shy when he saw strangers, he was very polite. He looked like his father. At seventeen years old, he was already over 1.8 meters tall and very handsome. He left a very good impression on everyone and was simply the representative of northern boys.

As always, Liangliang was bold, introducing her cousin Zhuangzhuang to her older cousins. Zhuangzhuang was a bit introverted, so he smiled very shyly and didn't say much.

After greeting everyone, Liangliang quickly said, "Dad, I want to take a bath, I want to take a bath in the river."

Shen Xuyue said, "Okay, let's go take a shower first. Mom, let's take a shower first, and then come back for dinner. It's too hot, and we're all sweaty."

Hu Nianchun nodded: "Okay, then come back and eat after you've washed them."

Zhao Mingliang took out two tires from his house, one car tire and one small car tire: "Here, take these and go take a shower. Anyone who hasn't showered yet, come with me."

The children cheered and jumped for joy. Even those who had already washed wanted to go too, and they all ran to get towels and clothes.

Zhao Mingyue took out everyone's swimsuits and trunks and gave them to them. She changed into her swimsuit at home, put on her clothes, and went with everyone.

Shen Xuyue asked, "Are you going along too?"

“Go on, let’s have a contest.” Zhao Mingyue raised her eyebrows and glanced at her husband sideways.

Shen Xu was eager to try: "Okay." He remembered the only time he saw Zhao Mingyue bathing in the river. He seemed to have mentioned having a competition back then, but he never had the chance again.

Seeing that his mother was going with them, Liangliang asked, "Mom, are you going too?"

"Okay, Mom will teach you how to swim," Zhao Mingyue said, stroking her son's head.

"Mom, you can swim?" Liangliang's eyes widened in surprise.

"Of course, Mom is a great swimmer." It's just that she hasn't swum in a long time, so I don't know if she still has the stamina.

A large group of people went to the riverbank. The children splashed into the water. Zhao Mingyue's three children were a little cautious. They had hardly ever been to a swimming pool before, and they were both happy and a little scared when they saw the water, so they were hesitant and timid.

Zhao Mingyue said, "Jingjing, take that big tire and go down." Jingjing was older, so she took the lead and went down first, exclaiming as she went, saying how exciting it was.

Shen Xuyue put the small tire on Zhuangzhuang and pushed the child into the water. The little guy was so excited that he cried out. Liangliang was anxious: "Daddy, I want one too."

Shen Xuyue carried his son into the water and walked step by step into the water: "Son, Dad is holding you, you paddle."

Zhao Mingyue also took off her clothes, put on her swimsuit, and went into the water, holding onto the little tire on Zhuangzhuang's body with one hand: "Isn't it fun, Zhuangzhuang?"

Zhuangzhuang excitedly splashed water with his hands and feet, nodding vigorously. Zhao Mingyue called over some of her cousin's children and asked them to take Zhuangzhuang to play. The children all came over excitedly and circled around Zhuangzhuang. Zhao Mingyue said, "It's fine in the bend of the river, just don't go to places where the current is too strong."

Over there, Jingjing was already splashing around happily in the water, using the buoyancy of the tires. Zhao Mingliang's two sons, both over ten years old, the older one about the same age as Jingjing, were also very enthusiastic and proactive in approaching the guests from Beijing, teaching Jingjing how to swim.

The children were all having a great time, and Zhao Mingyue happily swam in the water. The clear, cool river water was so comfortable; the buoyancy of the water supported her, like a mother's gentle hand caressing her. Zhao Mingyue simply stopped struggling and let the water carry her, lying on her back in the water, gently moving her legs, floating on the surface, her eyes wide open, watching the twilight gradually envelop the sky, the crimson clouds still drifting slowly, and occasionally a bird chirping as it flew by. She felt a sense of being far removed from the hustle and bustle of the world.

After an unknown amount of time, the water around her began to ripple. Zhao Mingyue turned her head and saw Shen Xuyue swimming towards her with great effort. She changed her position and stood in the water: "Where's Liangliang?"

"I'll leave it to his uncle." Shen Xu swam to his wife's side. She was wearing a red swimsuit and looked like a red mermaid. He couldn't help but reach out and put his arm around her waist in the water. "Wife, how about a race?"

Zhao Mingyue stretched her arms: "Okay, where to stop?"

“We’ll swim a little further, then turn back and swim to the children,” Shen Xuyue said.

"OK."

Upon arriving at the designated spot, Shen Xuyue waved to the crowd and said, "Kids, I want to have a race with Liangliang's mom. Let's see who swims to you first. Who will be the referee?"

The children immediately cheered: "Me! Me!"

Zhao Mingyue smiled and said, "Liangliang, cheer for Mom!"

Liangliang shouted, "Go, Mom!"

At Shen Xuyue's command, the two began to swim forward, covering a distance of about fifty meters. Zhao Mingyue was a very good swimmer, and Shen Xuyue was not bad either. However, in terms of stamina, women cannot keep up with men. Shen Xuyue did not exert himself, intending to let his wife win. As a result, he was left behind.

Liangliang stood in the water and cheered, "Mom won! Mom is the champion! Dad lost, he's terrible!"

Zhao Mingyue hugged and kissed her son: "Mom will teach you how to swim."

Zhuangzhuang said, "Second Aunt, I want to learn too."

Zhao Mingyue said, "Okay, take off the swimming ring and go learn with Second Uncle."

As dusk settled, Zhao Mingyue emerged from the water, wrapped in a large bath towel, and urged the children in the water, "Come up, it's getting dark, we should go back for dinner."

Liangliang splashed around in the water, pleading with his mother, "Mom, let's play a little longer, I'm almost ready to swim."

"Stop playing, your lips are turning purple. Come on up here. We'll come again tomorrow night," Zhao Mingyue urged her son.

Liangliang reluctantly climbed out of the water, and Zhao Mingyue tossed him a towel to dry him off. People gradually came up from the water; the three children from Beijing had spent almost an hour swimming and playing in the river for the first time, and they still didn't want it to end.

After a day of playing and roughhousing, the children had gotten to know each other. On the way back, they walked and played, with mosquitoes buzzing overhead. Liangliang had completely forgotten about his parents and was having a great time playing with his older brothers and sisters.

Zhao Mingliang said from behind, "Mingyue, if your Yangyang spends the whole summer here, he'll definitely be like a wild monkey."

Zhao Mingyue had considered leaving her son in her hometown for the summer vacation, but there was a lot of water there, and she was worried about his safety. Besides, there were many children in the family, and her parents might not be able to take good care of him. She asked Shen Xuyue, "Should we leave Liangliang in our hometown for the summer vacation?"

Shen Xuyue hesitated for a moment: "It depends on whether Liangliang is willing or not. If not, then forget it."

Zhao Mingyue was still somewhat hesitant and decided to wait until she had asked her son before making a decision.

After dinner, everyone moved mats and deck chairs to the courtyard to cool off, watching the stars and the moon, swatting fireflies with fans. Several children lay on bamboo beds, chatting animatedly in a mix of accents from all over the country. The adults stood by, fanning away mosquitoes for the children. Occasionally, someone would exclaim, "Ouch, another mosquito!" followed by a sharp slap on flesh.

Liangliang, with his head on his mother's lap, yawned and said sleepily, "Grandma's house is fun, but there are too many mosquitoes."

The next day, Zhao Mingyue and his wife, accompanied by their father and brother, went to see the village officials. The former village secretary had been reported and detained for a few days before resigning; the current secretary was his son. Hearing that Zhao Mingyue wanted to contribute money to the village road repair, the father and son were overjoyed. The former secretary shook Shen Xuyue's hand: "You two are truly kind and righteous. For so many years you've been trying to do good for everyone. When the road is finished, we'll definitely erect a monument in your honor."

Shen Xuyue smiled and waved his hand: "Let's forget about the monument of merit. Mingyue is capable and willing to do her part for everyone, just doing what she can."

The old Party Secretary insisted, "We must put up a sign. Once the road is repaired, we'll put up a sign and have everyone who contributed money and effort put their names on it."

Zhao Mingyue said, "Let's go measure it and calculate the cost."

While Zhao Mingyue and her husband were busy with road repairs, Zhao Mingyue finally spent 30,000 yuan to repair the road from the village entrance to the asphalt road. The road is more than 500 meters long. It was widened to allow two cars to drive side by side, and then paved with cement and gravel. This way, the village won't need to repair the road for at least several decades.

The two older brothers' tea factories are thriving. Songzi'ao is no longer the place where weeds once covered the ground; it has all been transformed into neat rows of tea bushes, looking thriving. The two brothers are incredibly grateful for the advice given to Zhao Mingyue and her husband back then, and now they are sitting on a gold mine.

In the past two years, the tea market has improved, and villagers no longer need to actively seek out markets; tea merchants come to their door to buy their tea. The tea industry has also flourished along with this. With a better market, tea farmers are making money. A good harvest from one mu (approximately 0.16 acres) of tea plantation can bring in nearly a thousand yuan a year. While they may not become as wealthy as the Zhao brothers, it's enough to improve their lives. They've long since solved their basic needs and are now on the path to a comfortable standard of living.

Zhao Mingyue also visited her third brother in the county town and asked him about opening a clinic again. Zhao Minglang was somewhat tempted. In recent years, many people have gone into business, which is better than having a fixed salary. He was preparing to take a leave of absence without pay to try his hand at starting his own business.

Zhao Mingyue said, "How much do you want? I'll give it to you now."

Zhao Minglang said, "Just lend it to me, I'll pay you back when I make money, no interest."

Knowing her third brother possessed the integrity of a scholar, Zhao Mingyue said, "Alright, take it and use it first. Don't rush to pay me back. You can give it to me whenever you have extra money." She wouldn't accept it even if given; she'd use it for their retirement. She opened her backpack and took out several stacks of brand-new blue banknotes. "Is fifty thousand enough?"

Zhao Minglang was startled when he saw the thick stacks of money: "Why are you carrying so much cash? You're really bold."

Zhao Mingyue smiled and said, "Taking a plane is very safe. Years ago, when I went to Guangzhou to do business alone, I carried tens of thousands of yuan with me. Back then, the largest denomination was ten yuan a note, and I took the train, a slow train, which was incredibly crowded. It was much more troublesome than this." As she spoke, she stuffed the money into Zhao Minglang's hand. She had spent nearly 120,000 to 130,000 yuan investing in tea gardens for her two older brothers, and now giving her third brother 50,000 yuan was just about right.

Zhao Minglang said, "I don't need that much. I'll just rent a place, renovate it, and a few thousand will be enough."

"Why rent a house? Just buy it. Then you won't be restricted by others," Zhao Mingyue said. "Here you go. If you don't have enough money, just tell me and I'll lend you some more."

“That’s enough, that’s enough.” Zhao Minglang nodded quickly.

Two days after they arrived home, Yu Youfen and the others finally returned. Traveling by train was indeed much slower. Liangliang had gained several more playmates; there were now seven children of varying ages who had returned from Beijing. Together with the children from the village, the group was constantly running around, practically turning Moon Bay upside down. The children from Beijing joined the village children in fishing, catching cicadas, beetles, raiding bird nests, playing in the mud, herding and riding cattle, digging sweet potatoes and roasting corn in the fields, and teaching the village children to play Beijing games. They got along perfectly without any barriers.

Time flies, and a week passed in the blink of an eye. Shen Xuyue's holiday was over, and he had to go back. Liangliang was still a little reluctant to leave: "Mom, can't we stay a few more days?"

“Why don’t you stay at Grandma’s house by yourself? Mom and Dad have to go back to work,” Zhao Mingyue said.

Liangliang pouted, "Then how am I going to get back by myself?"

"You can come back with your mom when your uncle comes to pick you up, or when your uncle goes back to Beijing," Zhao Mingyue said, adding that Yu Youqing and his wife would be home for a long time during their summer vacation.

"What about Zhuangzhuang?"

Zhuangzhuang shook his head and said, "I want to go home."

"Where's Jingjing?" Liangliang asked, looking at Jingjing.

Jingjing had come as a guest, but since his aunt and uncle had already gone back, he naturally had no reason to stay, so he said, "I have to go back too."

Liangliang hung his head in disappointment: "Then I'd better go back."

Zhao Mingyue rubbed her son's head and said, "Let's come again next time."

"Really?" Liangliang looked at her mother with bright, sparkling eyes. "Will you come again next year?"

Zhao Mingyue looked at her son and nodded, "Yes, we'll come again next year." She would arrange more vacation time then and spend half a month with her son in their hometown.

Liangliang asked again, "Mom, can we go swimming in the moat when we go back to Beijing?" Liangliang had just learned to dog paddle and would soak in the water for two hours every day until his skin was wrinkled before he would come out.

Zhao Mingyue said with a smile, "The moat won't do, the water is too dirty. Mom will go get you swimming tickets from the stadium, and you can go swimming at the swimming pool."

Zhuangzhuang asked, "Second Aunt, can I go too?"

“Of course you can. Jingjing will go too. You can go with your brother,” Shen Xuyue said with a smile.

The two children jumped up excitedly: "Great!"

When they left, Zhao Mingliang drove them again, this time directly to the provincial capital airport. They had a lot of luggage, all of which were local specialties that they had collected from their home, filling the trunk to the brim.

Their parents, brothers, sisters-in-law, and nephews all stood outside the car to see them off. Zhao Mingyue looked at her white-haired parents and held back her sore nose: "Dad, Mom, we're leaving now. Come visit Beijing sometime." Actually, she had tried to persuade them for a long time, but she still couldn't convince them to come with them. They had too many things to do.

Hu Nianchun covered his mouth and nose with his hand and nodded: "Okay. Come back and visit often when you have time, and be careful on the road!"

"Okay. Liangliang, say goodbye to your grandparents!"

Liangliang waved and said, "Goodbye, Grandma and Grandpa!" Then he turned to look at his mother and asked, "Mom, I'll come again next time, right?"

Zhao Mingyue said, "Of course I will." She will also come back often.

Author's Note:

Since this is a side story, it's without responsibility, so I've decided to do a sketch of my daughter in the next side story to satisfy everyone's needs.