Chapter 105: Homecoming

Lin Qiu and his family took a night train. It was not yet six o'clock when they arrived at the station and it was still dark.

Wang Shan is a particularly worry-free child. She did not cry or make a fuss after being woken up. She held her mother tightly with one hand and rubbed her sleepy eyes with the other hand. She looked particularly lovable.

The child is so well-behaved that his parents feel even more distressed.

Wang Xiuren hugged her in his arms and said, "This is Shanshan's second time taking a train. Is it fun?"

In the unfamiliar environment, it was dark outside and Wang Shan had lost her usual boldness and liveliness. She leaned in Wang Xiuren's arms, holding his collar tightly with one hand, and did not speak for a long time.

Wang Xiuren felt even more distressed. "Let's find a store, eat something, and then take a bus back home when it's daybreak, shall we?"

How could Lin Qiu object at this time?

The couple, along with their daughter and luggage, found a lighted breakfast shop and ordered two servings of rice noodles.

The rice noodles were served quickly. Lin Qiu picked up a few noodles, blew them cool, and prepared to feed them to his daughter.

Unexpectedly, she covered her mouth with her hands and shook her head quickly.

"This is delicious. You'll be hungry if you don't eat it!" Lin Qiu said softly.

“I didn’t brush my teeth.”

Wang Shan uttered something quickly and then quickly covered her mouth with her hands.

“That’s pretty hygienic!”

Lin Qiu didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and could only help her rinse her mouth with water.

Wang Shan then frowned and took a few bites of rice noodles.

When it gradually brightened, the family came out of the breakfast shop and got on the bus.

For safety reasons, Wang Shan was held in Wang Xiuren's arms throughout the journey.

This bus heading to the town was packed with wanderers from outside. I don't know how many people were overloaded, and there was not even room for one foot to fit in the aisle.

Not to mention that the driver would slam on the brakes from time to time, causing the entire car, including the people and luggage, to sway together.

Wang Shan leaned tightly on her father's shoulder, frowning a little uncomfortably, "Dad, why is my hometown so far away?"

Wang Xiuren could only gently stroke her back to make her feel more comfortable.

After two hours of wandering around like this, not only Wang Shan, but even Lin Qiu looked pale.

Finally arrived in town.

As soon as he got off the car, there was a familiar smell in the air. The streets had not changed much. Lin Qiu glanced around and it seemed that the spring breeze of reform and opening up had not yet reached this small town beyond the 360-meter line.

There are two rows of plane trees planted on both sides of the asphalt road under your feet. At this time of year, almost all the leaves have fallen, and the remaining ones are dry and shrunken, swaying in the cold wind.

The houses on the street are only two or three stories high, and the shops are decorated very simply. The most amazing thing is that the supply and marketing cooperative has not closed down yet. The door is open and a few customers are walking in and out.

“Qiuqiu!”

Along with the "thump thump thump" sound of the tractor, a familiar voice suddenly appeared.

Lin Qiu looked back and found that it was his eldest brother!

Lin Hui sat behind the driver's seat of the tractor and waved excitedly when she saw her sister's family.

When the tractor stopped, Lin Hui jumped off and walked quickly to Lin Qiu.

"Qiuqiu, I haven't seen you for a few years. You seem to be getting younger and younger!"

“Brother!”

Lin Qiu's eyes suddenly turned red when he saw his elder brother who looked a little older after not seeing him for a few years.

Lin Hui patted her sister's shoulder gently, greeted Wang Xiuren, and then her eyes lit up when she saw the delicate little girl in his arms.

"Is this Shanshan? She has grown so big in such a short time that my uncle can't recognize her!"

After saying that, he reached out his hand and wanted to hug Wang Shan.

When Wang Shan saw the person reaching out to hug her, although she felt that his features looked familiar, she still turned her head away.

Lin Hui withdrew her hand somewhat awkwardly, "Children forget things quickly. They haven't been home for a few years and are a little shy."

After saying that, he laughed twice.

Lin Qiu felt a little sad when she saw her elder brother like this. She said softly to her daughter, "Shanshan, this is your eldest uncle! He is your mother's brother. He has an older sister and a younger brother at home. When you go back, let them take you out to play!"

Wang Shan then turned her head and looked at Lin Hui curiously, and after a few seconds she called out "Uncle".

Lin Hui was so happy to be called "Uncle" that she showed off to the tractor driver: "Old Peng, did you hear that? You're calling me uncle! My eldest nephew, just came back from Pengcheng!"

"I heard it, I heard it!"

Old Peng smoked the cigarette given by Wang Xiuren and waved his hand perfunctorily.

Lin Hui didn't care and continued to look at her niece eagerly, "Can uncle carry you onto the tractor? Your dad has been carrying you all the way, his hands must be sore."

Wang Shan thought about it and opened her arms towards Lin Hui.

Lin Hui immediately hugged her in her arms, and looking at her face that looked similar to her sister, her heart softened.

"Uncle will take Shanshan for a ride on the tractor right now!"

After Wang Xiuren put the luggage into the tractor's bed and pulled Lin Qiu onto the tractor, the tractor rumbled back again.

Along the way, Lin Hui kept pointing out the trees on the road, the passing cows, the fields in the distance, and the smoke from cooking fires to introduce them to Wang Shan.

Perhaps because of blood ties, Wang Shan quickly became close to her uncle. She leaned in his arms, looked at the unfamiliar scenery with interest, and asked him questions from time to time.

She was too young when she left and had no concept of hometown. Perhaps when I grow up and talk about my hometown, all that comes to mind is the prosperity and modernity of Shenzhen.

But the parents in the truck were afraid to go home.

"Let's go back to Wangjia Village first. After we pack up, we'll go to Linguan tomorrow." Wang Xiuren fastened the zipper on the luggage bag. "I wonder what our house looks like now?"

"Well, let's go back to my house first." Lin Qiu nodded, "I thought I would run into someone I know on the way."

"I have already thought about how I would answer if someone asked me."

Wang Xiuren had already made a draft in his mind and thought of the answers to some questions in advance.

The couple turned their heads away in embarrassment, but couldn't help laughing.

After all, this is the place where he was born and raised. When he came back, he felt a different kind of emotion in his heart.

The tractor stopped in the wheat field at home. He looked at the yard without a single weed and felt a little strange.

This wheat field should be covered with grass, right?

Before he could think about it, the neighbors nearby heard the sound of the tractor and came out.

The most active one is Li Xiuying.

She ran to Wang Xiuren in an exaggerated manner and grabbed his hand, "Second brother, it's been almost four years! You're finally back!"

Wang Xiuren looked at his gray-haired mother and felt very upset. He whispered, "Mom!"

Lin Qiu took his daughter from his eldest brother, put her on the ground, and shouted to Li Xiuying, "Mom!"

Li Xiuying let go of her son's hand and continued to greet her daughter-in-law: "Is the journey hard? Are there many people in the car? Is this Shan? She's grown up so big now."

"Shanshan, call grandma." Lin Qiu reminded his daughter to call someone.

When Wang Shan saw so many strangers, she held her mother's hand tightly and hid behind her, her eyes full of vigilance and anxiety.

Seeing this, Lin Qiu could only find an excuse for her, "Everyone is fine, it's just that Shanshan is a little carsick."

Immediately, a neighbor said, "The kid's face is pale, it looks like he's suffering from motion sickness."

Lin Qiu could only smile. Li Xiuying didn't say anything either and continued talking to her neighbors about things related to Pengcheng.

Wang Xiuren was not at ease either. After Wang Zongsheng came over, he asked him to say hello to the neighbors around him.

The villagers were all very welcoming and welcoming. I hadn't seen him for several years, so when I first came back, they asked me countless questions.

Wang Xiuren had some difficulty coping with it.