Picking up the gold hairpin from the ground, Xu Kun walked to the riverbank and washed the dust off his body.

My mind is foggy, and my thoughts are wandering aimlessly.

I always feel like something is missing from my heart, like I've lost something very important.

"Hey, isn't this Xiao Kun? When did you get back?"

The short Xu Lao Er carried two wooden buckets to the riverbank. When he saw Xu Kun, his tone was one of surprise and delight.

"Have you eaten yet? If not, your second uncle has half a pancake here. Take it and eat it first."

He pulled a half-eaten flatbread from his pocket and stuffed it into his nephew's hand.

Looking at the flatbread, Xu Kun took it and took a bite.

A muddy smell mixed with the stench of sweat filled my mouth. The flatbread was hard and contained a lot of fine sand, making it a bit hard to chew.

"I just got back from the military camp. I have a day off today, so I came back to see my parents."

Upon hearing this, Xu Lao Er laughed, his wrinkles crinkling into a deep knot, making his dark face appear even older.

"You have a conscience, unlike my Xu Qing, who idles away his days."

"I haven't seen him all year round. If someone hadn't seen him at the market, I would have thought something had happened to him."

“When you see your younger brother, talk to him for your second uncle and tell him to stop thinking about those unrealistic things and just stay at home and farm. That would be much better.”

Xu Lao Er kept muttering to himself, and two out of every three sentences he uttered were about his child.

One minute she complains that he doesn't come home, the next she complains that he doesn't do any work when he does come home.

His tone was somewhat worried, and also a bit disappointed.

Xu Kun nibbled on the flatbread, saying nothing.

He wondered if his parents spoke of him in the same way when they talked about him with others.

During my two and a half years in the army, I could count on one hand the number of times I went home.

He doesn't do anything at home. After finishing his meal, he drops his bowl and runs off to find Liu Yue.

The military pay accumulated over the years has been mostly spent on Liu Yue.

Buy her jewelry, clothes, and pastries from Lan Kwai Fong.

These were all valuable items, which meant that he hadn't saved a single penny over the years.

Thinking of this, Xu Kun suddenly felt a lump in his throat, and he wanted to go home immediately to see his parents.

He haphazardly stuffed the remaining flatbread into his mouth and asked Xu Lao Er, "Second Uncle, where is my mother?"

“Your parents are working in the fields, and your brother is helping out.”

"Second Uncle, I'm going to see my parents first. Please bring your second aunt over for dinner tonight."

When Xu Lao Er heard that there was food to eat, his smile widened.

Xu Kun didn't wait for him to finish fetching water before leading the oxcart into the field.

Standing on the edge of the field, he saw his parents and younger brother harvesting rice in the field.

The rice plants, about half a person's height, were laden with heavy grains, bending the seedlings low.

The Xu couple tended a total of four mu of land. Early September was the harvest season, and they worked hard in the fields under the scorching sun.

He stood on the edge of the field, looking at his parents whom he hadn't seen for a long time, and felt a sense of unfamiliarity.

Mr. Xu was shirtless, head down, cutting rice. His back was tanned dark by the sun, and his thin, bony body made him look rather frail.

The hunched figure in the field was completely different from the tall, stern-faced father Xu Kun remembered.

In his memory, his father was always quiet and had a stern face at home. He would only smile more when he was with his other uncles.

Xu Kun grew up watching his father's back.

Only today did he realize that it had been a very, very long time since he had ever really looked at his father's back.

So long that he didn't even notice that his tall figure had aged.

Xu Kun stood there, staring at the figure, without saying a word for a long time.

Several times I opened my mouth, wanting to call out "Dad," but the sound got stuck in my throat and I couldn't utter it.

Xu Qiu was squatting in the field working, and he was probably a little tired. He straightened up, ready to take a break.

When he looked up, he saw a man standing on the edge of the field, watching him.

Xu Qiu tilted her head and stared at the man for a while, then her eyes slowly brightened.

He jumped up excitedly, brandishing his sickle and charging forward.

"Brother! Brother! My brother's back!"

He jogged along, splashing mud everywhere, and hugged his older brother tightly.

Xu Kun looked at the mud on his body and patted his little head.

The others in the field were drawn by his voice and looked up.

There was a man in military uniform standing on the edge of the field, grinning foolishly.

The moment Xu's father saw Xu Kun, he thought he was seeing things.

Then the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, his face still showing a serious expression, but his eyes revealed a hint of joy.

Mother Xu couldn't contain her joy, and a smile appeared on her face.

She strode up to her eldest son, reached out her calloused hand, and slapped his shoulder a few times.

"You brat, you brat, you brat!"

Why are you only getting back now?

"Your mother thought something had happened to you. It's been over a year, and we haven't heard a word from you."

Xu's mother hit him with a light but firm touch, using the same force she used when she beat her eldest son when he was a child.

However, the blows landed on Xu Kun, causing little to no pain or discomfort.

After hitting him a few times, Xu's mother looked at her eldest son and murmured something.

"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back!"

Xu Kun looked at his mother and carefully examined her.

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