"It's okay, I'm back now. It's fine to buy more groceries in the future. I'll just buy a refrigerator in a few days," Ye Yun said.

“Refrigerator? That’s too expensive and uses too much electricity. I live alone, so it’s unnecessary,” Lin Shuyue said.

Ye Yun didn't argue. She picked up some cold dishes with her chopsticks and ate them, then drank some porridge. Although simple, it was very flavorful, instantly transporting her back to the past.

"Have some eggs!" Lin Shuyue handed the peeled eggs to Ye Yun.

"Just one? What about you, sister-in-law?" Ye Yun asked.

"Ah, I... I don't like it, you can eat it."

"If you don't like eggs, why would there be eggs at home? Since you cooked one, let's share it!" Ye Yun broke the egg in half and put one half into Lin Shuyue's bowl.

"Xiaoyun..."

"Eat up, let's eat together. I'm not some rich young master from the city, I don't need you to wait on me," Ye Yun said seriously.

Lin Shuyue's eyes stung with tears, and she picked up an egg and began to eat it with relish.

After finishing the meal, Ye Yun got up to wash the dishes, but Lin Shuyue stopped her.

"It will get your hands dirty, I'll wash the dishes."

"Just wash it if it gets dirty!"

"Xiaoyun!" Lin Shuyue called his name, staring straight at her.

Seeing her so stubborn, Ye Yun had no choice but to hand her the bowl, "Alright, then you can wash it, sister-in-law!"

"That's more like it. Why are you, a grown man, washing dishes? Leave this little thing to me." Lin Shuyue took the dishes and started washing them with satisfaction.

Ye Yun walked out of the kitchen and searched the house for items such as yellow paper used for tomb sweeping.

After Lin Shuyue finished washing the dishes, the two prepared to leave.

Walking through the village, it was almost nine o'clock, and the villagers were all awake. Several old men and women were chatting under a tree, gossiping about this and that.

"Hey, look who this widow from the Ye family is walking with?"

"He's a gigolo, she must be using her husband's compensation money to support him."

"I knew it! Lin Shuyue is no good. She pretended to be pitiful when people were talking about her before, but now she's finally stopped pretending."

Although they were talking in secret, the group clearly didn't take it seriously. Even though Ye Yun and Lin Shuyue had already approached, they were still deliberately mocking them.

"Ye family daughter-in-law, why did you bring someone out today? She's quite pretty, why don't you introduce her to everyone?" a middle-aged woman said sarcastically.

"Ah, Third Aunt, you've misunderstood, he is..." Lin Shuyue hurriedly tried to explain, but was interrupted by Ye Yun.

Ye Yun walked directly towards her third aunt and the others, greeting them familiarly, "Third aunt, it's been a long time. How have you been lately?"

"Ah, you are..." Faced with Ye Yun's greeting and that familiar voice, Auntie San was stunned for a moment and looked him over carefully.

"What, don't you recognize me? I'm Ye Yun."

"Ye Yun! It's you! It really is you, kid. What brings you back? When did this happen?" Auntie was astonished when she recognized Ye Yun.

"I just got back yesterday."

"Just got back? Oh my, I almost didn't recognize you." Auntie San leaned closer, pinched Ye Yun's cheek, and said with a grin, "Look at you, in these four years, you've become so clean-cut, tall and handsome, you're practically a different person from the wild boy you used to be!"

"Third Auntie, too, after four years, she still retains the same charm as before."

Auntie Ye Yun beamed and patted her on the shoulder, "Oh, come on, I've become a haggard old woman. By the way, where are you and your sister-in-law going?"

"I'm going to my brother's grave. I just got back. I'm going to burn some incense."

"That's right, it's time to go and take a look. You go ahead, I won't bother you any longer."

"Okay, I'll be going now." After saying that, Ye Yun and Lin Shuyue left.

Watching the two figures leave, Auntie clicked her tongue and turned back to the neighbors.

"Damn it, that really is Ye Yun!"

"Of course I recognize him!"

"My goodness, this kid has changed so much. He's grown tall and handsome, and he even wears glasses and looks very scholarly."

"Hmph, she's a college student. Also, watch your mouth from now on, don't talk nonsense about Shuyue anymore, if Ye Yun finds out, he'll definitely come knocking on our door to cause trouble."

"Tch, that sounds nice, but you're the one spreading these rumors!"

…………

After leaving the village, the two headed towards the mountain path.

Ye Yun kept a cold face throughout the journey. He listened to what those people were saying, but he didn't want to make things too ugly since he had just returned.

Lin Shuyue also noticed that he was angry, and gently comforted him, "Xiaoyun, don't be angry. That's how it is in the village. Neighbors love to gossip. It's nothing to say a few words."

"Nothing! Really nothing? Sister-in-law, don't pretend. I know the situation in the village. They're all bad people," Ye Yun said coldly.

"Xiaoyun!" Lin Shuyue held Ye Yun's hand and whispered, "Listen to your sister-in-law, don't take this kind of thing to heart. We're all from the same village, we'll see each other all the time, it'll be hard to get along if things get too ugly."

"I know, that's why I didn't get angry just now." Ye Yun sighed and said, "However, some things can only happen once. I only do things once, not twice or a third time."

After saying that, Ye Yun looked at Lin Shuyue and said gently to her, "Don't worry, sister-in-law. I know the situation in the village better than you do. I know how to be a person and how to do things."

"Yes, I was just worried about you. Let's go!" Lin Shuyue said with a smile.

Once things were cleared up, there weren't so many worries. The two walked and chatted, laughing and talking, which made things a bit more relaxed.

Upon arriving at the plateau, the lush green cornfields stretched as far as the eye could see, making it almost impossible to spot any graves.

However, having lived there since childhood, Ye Yun found the location of his family's land by instinct and moved forward step by step until he saw his brother's grave.

"arrive."

Looking at the grave mound, Ye Yun did not weep or shed tears. Human emotions are all sentimental and phased; when he first learned of his brother's passing, he had shed tears to some extent.

If it were at a funeral, I might shed a few tears because of the presence of outsiders, but now... I can't shed tears, and I don't want to.

Light candles, light incense, burn yellow paper, and burn paper money.

Lin Shuyue poured a glass of wine with the leftover liquor from the funeral arrangements and handed it to Ye Yun, who then slowly poured it onto the ground.

Then, he kowtowed three times on the ground and said earnestly, "Brother, I'm back."

Ye Yun had nothing to say about his deceased brother. He wouldn't stand alone in front of the grave and talk to himself like in movies and TV dramas; that would seem too contrived, and it's just something made for people to watch.

All my thoughts and feelings are kept in my heart and in my dreams.

“Your brother misses you a lot. He often mentions you to me, saying you’re destined for great things,” Lin Shuyue said from the side.