Chapter 132 Returning to the Village

If you think about it carefully, this is already Song Xinran's fourth Spring Festival since she came into this world. Every year she has returned to the village and spent it at Song Xinwen's house.

This year, Song Xinran had considered spending the holiday in the city with Song Yu, but considering that this was her first year in the city, suddenly not going back seemed like she was looking down on her hometown now that she was making money.

In particular, Song Xinwen even called to ask when she was going back so he could slaughter a pig to eat in advance.

The pigs were raised at home by Cai Yongde. They were fat and strong. Men are probably more suitable for farm work, as they are naturally stronger.

Song Xinwen's family used to raise pigs, but they weren't slaughtered for their own consumption; they were sold for money.

Now everyone's basic living standards are better, Song Xinwen is also making money, and the family has bought a new refrigerator. Slaughtering a pig for dinner is no problem.

Song Xinran understood from her tone that Song Xinwen now held the power in the family, so she could do whatever she wanted.

Song Xinran recalled the pig-slaughtering feast she had at Ge Xia's house before. The pigs were raised by their own farmers and had just been slaughtered. The pork didn't even need to be blanched; it was simply cut up and stir-fried. It was delicious enough without needing any special skills, and the taste was pure meat flavor.

Song Xinran was a little hungry, and Song Xinwen was very enthusiastic, so she decided to take Song Yu back to her hometown. She planned to stay there for two nights as before and then go back to her own home. She hadn't been to the town for a long time.

On the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month, Song Ji officially closed for the holidays. Song Xinran slept at home until noon. She began to miss the time in her previous life when she was lying in bed playing on her phone, when entertainment games were very advanced.

Fortunately, she is still young and will live to see that day.

Song Yu wasn't home today. His old friend Yuan Yuan from kindergarten invited him to come over to play. Yuan Yuan's father valued the friendship between the two children very much, and he even drove over early this morning to pick up Song Yu.

Yuanyuan, who always loves to sleep in, also came with her father. When she opened the car door, she was still rubbing her eyes with sleepiness. But as soon as she saw her and Song Yu, she perked up a lot, excitedly called out to them, and quickly pulled Song Yu away.

Song Xinran casually made a bowl of egg fried rice at home, took out some kimchi from the refrigerator, put it on the coffee table, sat on the carpet on the floor, turned on the TV, and leisurely started watching TV.

Life is about balancing work and rest.

Song Yu didn't get home until very late, and it was Yuan Yuan and her father who brought him back.

Yuanyuan waved to him: "Let's play together again tomorrow!"

Then he looked at Song Xinran: "Aunt Song, would you like to come with us?"

Yuanyuan felt a little guilty. She had eaten so many snacks from Aunt Song before, but today she only played with Song Yu and didn't spend time with Aunt Song. Yuanyuan was really worried that Aunt Song would be jealous.

Yuanyuan learned the word "jealousy" from TV and said it at home, which made everyone laugh.

The fact that she can laugh shows that it's a good word, and Yuanyuan is now using it skillfully and can apply it to other situations.

Song Xinran smiled and said, "No need, Yuanyuan, you can play by yourselves."

How can an adult play with children? She likes to play games that the children don't, and she's not interested in the games that the children like.

Yuanyuan glanced at her and nodded: "If Aunt Song wants to play with me, please tell me. I miss Aunt Song very much too."

Song Xinran's smile widened.

After saying goodbye to Yuanyuan, Song Yu said, "Mom, Wu Yaoxuan invited Yuanyuan and me to his house to play tomorrow."

"good."

Song Xinran has never refused any of her children's requests for games or activities. She has personally experienced the feeling of wanting to go out and play with her friends as a child, but her parents disagreed. That was truly a devastating blow to any child.

After growing up and becoming independent, I no longer need to ask my parents' opinions when meeting and chatting with friends, but I can no longer find the same mindset as when I was a child.

Song Xinran hopes that Song Yu will have a happy childhood.

Song Yu whispered again, "Actually, Wu Yaoxuan only invited me to his house at first, but the three of us used to be very close, so I asked him to invite Yuanyuan too."

Song Xinran felt that Song Yu had some misunderstanding about the relationship between the three of them. Perhaps he had forgotten that Yuanyuan and Wu Yaoxuan used to argue a lot at first, but later they gradually became friends.

In her heart, Wu Yaoxuan is still that arrogant kid who came to buy spicy hot pot with a hundred yuan.

There's no way around it, the first impression was too deep. Even though things changed later, I just can't forget it.

Song Xinran asked curiously, "What did Wu Yaoxuan say?"

Song Yu blinked, a small smile curving her lips: "He agreed."

Song Xinran felt it shouldn't be that simple: "Didn't he say anything?"

Song Yu still had a soft, sweet smile on her face: "No, I said I had already made plans with Yuanyuan. If he didn't invite Yuanyuan, I probably wouldn't be able to go. So he said we should all come together, it's more fun with more people."

Song Xinran patted his head and looked at Song Yu's innocent appearance. She really wanted to say that what he said was not much different from a threat in the adult world.

It's likely that Wu Yaoxuan felt that silent threat and had no choice but to agree.

"Yuanyuan got perfect scores on her final exams, and her parents rewarded her by taking her to the beach. Yuanyuan even brought back some seashells for me," Song Yu said, showing Song Xinran a seashell bracelet as she recounted her day with her best friend.

"It's so beautiful." Song Xinran asked, "Xiao Yu, would you like to go to the beach? If you do, we'll go after the New Year."

I'll return to the city on the second day of the Lunar New Year, and officially start work on the sixth day. I still have four days of holiday left, which is enough for me to travel.

But Song Yuwei opened her eyes wide and shook her head frantically: "I'm not going, I don't want to go now."

Song Yu's eyes widened, her expression serious and earnest: "Mom, the beach is dangerous. Yuan Yuan almost drowned while swimming and swallowed a lot of seawater. Luckily, her dad rescued her. Everyone laughed, but Yuan Yuan said it was embarrassing and dangerous. She told me to go when I'm older, so that when I'm taller, my feet can touch the sand and I won't drown."

Song Xinran couldn't help but laugh. From Song Yu's words, she knew that the situation was probably not dangerous, otherwise everyone would not have laughed.

But in the little girl's eyes, this was terrifying. Her voice held a faint smile as she said gently, "Okay, Mommy will take you when you're a little older."

She agreed to whatever Song Yu said.

Song Yu was a little embarrassed at the end, so he threw himself into her arms and gently hugged her neck: "I love Mom the most, Mom is the best."

He was overly sensible from a young age and not very good at acting cute, but every time he did, it melted Song Xinran's heart. She patted his head and said with a smile, "Xiao Yu is also very good. He is the best baby in the world."

*

The next day, Song Yu went to visit Wu Yaoxuan. On the third day, she went shopping with Song Xinran and bought a lot of food. She had already prepared her new clothes for the Spring Festival. New clothes, new pants, new shoes, even her thermal underwear were new. It could be said that everything was brand new from head to toe.

When shopping, Song Yu also bought an Ultraman-shaped robot. Song Xinran thought it was because he liked it, but she also felt it was a bit strange, as Song Yu didn't really like such toys.

It wasn't until Song Yu returned to the village and gave the robot to Cai Yang that Song Xinran learned who he had bought it for...

Cai Yang was overjoyed and, for the first time ever, hugged Song Yu tightly, though only for a second.

"Thank you, brother!"

Song Yu was clearly a little uncomfortable being suddenly hugged. After Cai Yang let go of him, he quietly leaned against Song Xinran and said, "You're welcome."

Cai Yang happily went home with the gift.

Song Xinwen scolded, "Why buy a gift for a child? It's a waste of money."

Song Xinran didn't know how to respond, because she hadn't bought the toy herself, and when she saw Song Yu buy it, she hadn't thought it was for Cai Yang.

Song Xinran didn't bother preparing anything; she only brought a carton of milk, some apples, and a red envelope for Cai Yang. As for gifts, she only bought a set of skincare products for Song Xinwen, omitting the Cai family father and son.

Song Yu said earnestly, "Auntie, this is a Spring Festival gift. I wish my little brother Xiaoyang a happy new year."

Song Xinwen couldn't stop smiling: "Xiao Yu is becoming more and more sensible."

Thinking about Cai Yang again, who hadn't even considered preparing a gift, Song Xinwen felt that she should also cultivate her child in this aspect, as it's about emotional intelligence.

Song Xinran then presented Song Xinwen with the skincare products she had given him. Song Xinwen accepted them with both hands, his eyes crinkling with a smile, and said, "Don't buy me anything next time you come back. Don't be so polite when you're at home!"

When Song Xinran entered the house, her first impression was that it was much more crowded. However, in the countryside, houses are usually built to be spacious and large, with a height of four or five meters, so it didn't feel cramped at all.

The reason it felt so crowded was because a lot of new furniture had been added. The original black and white TV had been replaced with a color TV, the folding mat had been turned into a sofa, and a TV cabinet had been added, with its surface now used as a storage shelf.

Song Xinwen noticed her gaze and smiled, "The mala tang restaurant has been doing very well for the past six months, and the year-end bonus is quite substantial. I bought a new TV when our old one broke."

She spoke with much more confidence; she had money in her hands and could buy whatever she wanted without having to ask others for money or be at their beck and call.

As soon as Song Xinwen finished speaking, Cai Yongde came out of the kitchen: "Xinran and Xiaoyu are back."

He then warmly greeted Song Yu, waving him over: "Little Yu, come to the kitchen quickly and try the crispy pork your uncle made."

Song Yu's pupils widened slightly, and he couldn't help but look at Song Xinran.

Song Xinran was also a little confused. How come Cai Yongde can cook now?

When Song Xinran first met Cai Yongde, he refused to go into the kitchen, thinking that these were women's things. However, she didn't have much contact with Cai Yongde. Even when they lived in town, he would only come back to stay for two days during the Spring Festival. Song Xinran basically heard about Cai Yongde from Song Xinwen.

Seeing Cai Yongde, who was completely different from before, I felt dazed.

Song Xinwen said, "Try your brother-in-law's cooking; he's quite good at it now."

Cai Yang took the initiative to bring the fried pork out of the kitchen and ran to the group, saying, "Brother, Auntie, have some meat."

If it weren't for the timing, Song Xinran would have liked to rub her forehead. How come even Cai Yang is acting like a child?

They weren't this polite before...

Song Xinran glanced at him. Cai Yang had lost a little weight. She wondered if he had really changed. As the saying goes, appearance reflects the heart, and he wasn't as unpleasant to look at as before.

She didn't move, so Song Yu took a piece of crispy pork and handed it to Song Xinran and Song Xinwen, then said to Cai Yang, "Thank you."

Cai Yang chuckled, put the crispy pork on the table, and dashed upstairs.

Song Xinwen said, "His room is upstairs, so he must have gone to see the toys Xiao Yu gave him."

Song Xinran then realized that this was somewhat similar to Cai Yang's original personality.

"That's just how kids are." Song Xinran tasted a piece of crispy pork. Although it was a bit overcooked and a little salty, the pork itself was of good quality and it was still edible.

She stood up and walked towards the kitchen. Standing at the door, she saw Cai Yongde chopping vegetables. His knife skills were quite proficient, showing that he was a regular worker.

Song Xinran closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again; the scene before her remained the same.

She sat back down on the sofa, looked at Song Xinwen, and said with a hint of admiration in her voice, "Sister, you've really had a tough time."

As the saying goes, "It's easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one's nature." It must have taken a lot of effort to change the personalities and habits of Cai Yang and Cai Yongde to what they are today.

Song Xinwen didn't understand her meaning and laughed, "What's so difficult about it? That was in the past. It's easy now."

"Xinran, are you free this afternoon? Go check out the mala tang shop. Xiaoxia told you, she made a hot braised dish. Actually, I think it's pretty much the same as mala tang, just with a different name. The business is booming."

Song Xinran asked in surprise, "You haven't rested yet today?"

"Hey, the Lunar New Year is the time to make money. You have no idea how good business has been lately. Even if you paid me to take a break, I wouldn't do it! If it weren't for the thought of having New Year's Eve dinner, I wouldn't want to rest for a moment."

Song Xinwen's words showed no sign of fatigue; on the contrary, he was full of fighting spirit and passion.

She told Song Xinran that the mala tang restaurant only closed on the afternoon and evening of Lunar New Year's Eve and the morning of Lunar New Year's Day, which was only one day off at most.

She and Ge Xia both received bonuses, and the more they worked, the more they earned. Xu Sha had a fixed salary, but Song Xinwen and Ge Xia discussed it and proposed to give her six times her salary for the five days of the Spring Festival. Xu Sha was even more motivated than them and didn't want to take a single day off.

Song Xinwen now feels that everything he has done is worthwhile, making him reluctant to stop and rest.

I was supposed to be at work this morning, but Song Xinran's return home was a big deal, so I took half a day off and paid less to pick her up.

After listening to Song Xinwen's words, Song Xinran wanted to say something, but in the end she kept quiet, only saying, "Sister, you should take care of your health and not push yourself too hard."

Song Xinwen laughed heartily: "I know my own body best. It's much easier than when I was doing farm work at home."

Song Xinran didn't know what else to say.

While she and Song Xinwen chatted outside, Cai Yongde cooked in the kitchen. Since they had a gas stove at home, they could cook by themselves without needing anyone to light the fire, and Cai Yongde never asked them to help.

In the end, Song Xinran still cooked two side dishes. She really felt that it was a bit unfair for the freshly slaughtered pork to fall into Cai Yongde's hands, and besides, she didn't want to mistreat herself.

Song Xinwen, who was helping her out, watched her cook and exclaimed, "Xinran, your cooking skills are still so good."

Of the eight dishes on the table, the two stir-fried by Song Xinran were the ones that were eaten the fastest.

Cai Yang, still wanting more, asked, "Dad, why is the food you make so different from what Auntie makes?"

Cai Yongde immediately raised his hand to slap him, wanting him to feel the power of truth.

Song Xinwen said, "Your aunt is a professional; your dad can't compare to her."

She picked up a piece of stir-fried green peppers and pork: "But the fatty part isn't fried enough. It will be better if you fry it longer next time."

Cai Yongde immediately said, "Okay, I'll slice it thinner next time and fry it longer."

Song Xinran swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue. It seemed that Song Xinwen was far more qualified than Cai Yongde to be the pillar of the family.

Song Yu's gaze swept over the two of them, her eyes showing a hint of confusion, but she quickly focused on eating.

After the meal, everyone put all the bowls, chopsticks, and leftovers in the kitchen and wiped the table clean. While Cai Yongde was washing the dishes, Song Xinwen quickly pulled Song Xinran aside and asked, "Xinran, want to go for a walk in town?"

Song Xinran agreed.

Song Xinwen bought a women's motorcycle and took Song Xinran and Song Yu to town. She drove briskly without resting for a moment. When they arrived at the shop, Xu Sha and Ge Xia were both there. They were overjoyed to see Song Xinran and Song Yu.

Ge Xia even made them some hot braised dishes on the spot: "Sister Xinran, try it and see if there's anything you can improve?"

After tasting it, Song Xinran felt that Ge Xia's cooking skills had improved a lot in the past six months, clearly showing that she had not relaxed at all during this time.

"That's already very good, Xiaoxia, your cooking skills have improved a lot!"

With just a few words, she made Ge Xia's eyes squint and her face full of smiles.

Song Xinwen said, "Xiaoxia kept saying that she wanted you to try it, and I only felt at ease after you said that."

She teased, "Isn't that right, Xiaoxia?"

Ge Xia said shyly, "Sister Xinran is my mentor."

It didn't answer directly, but it's better than a thousand answers.

After looking around the shop, Song Xinran prepared to take Song Yu back to their home in the town. However, when she looked down, she saw Song Yu munching on hot braised dishes, having already finished the small half-bowl of braised food.

Song Xinran was really worried that he had eaten too much.

The truth is, Song Yu was already quite full, so she said to her, "Mom, let's go for a walk outside, like we used to."

Just like in the summers of the past, after dinner, under the bright moonlight and with crickets chirping, he and his mother would take a leisurely stroll. Song Yu loved those times.

Song Xinran agreed, but added, "Don't eat so much next time, or your stomach will feel uncomfortable."

Song Yu touched his stomach and thought for a moment: "I'm a little full, but I don't feel uncomfortable."

Song Xinran knew that he was a sensible and thoughtful child, but what adult wouldn't worry about their child?

Six months have passed, and the town has undergone considerable changes. The ground has been renovated, the streets look cleaner, and new shops are scattered throughout the town.

These aspects reveal the government's plans for the town, making the future tourist town seem no longer a distant dream.

The two returned home. Before leaving, Song Xinran covered the furniture with dust cloths, which were now covered with specks of dust. The weather in the small town was gloomy in winter, and the house seemed no different from before.

Song Yu ran into the room and came out holding a white ceramic water bird whistle. Her little face was beaming with a bright smile: "Mommy, this is my whistle!"

This is a toy he had when he was a child. Although it's small now, it was even smaller back then.

"I put it in my bedside table and forgot to take it with me. I'm going to take it to my home in the city this time." Song Yu played with the small white ceramic bird whistle. He really wanted to blow it, but he felt it was unhygienic to leave it for too long. He was very hygienic.

Song Xinran could vaguely remember the origin of the toy, but now there were more exquisite water bird whistles in the store, so she asked him, "If Xiaoyu likes it, Mom can buy you a new one."

Song Yu shook his head: "This one is fine, we don't need a new one."

He doesn't have many toys compared to other children his age, but each one holds many memories.

Watching him play with the whistle, Song Xinran suddenly remembered something and asked softly, "How come Xiao Yu still remembers to buy a gift for Xiao Yang?"

Song Yu looked up, her expression innocent yet earnest: "My mom and I are going to visit my aunt's house, so we need to prepare gifts."

"Mom prepared a gift, so I need to prepare a gift too."

Song Yu felt that this was the most basic courtesy when visiting someone's home.