"We're all from the same village, let bygones be bygones."

However, I really don't approve of your parents and your brother.

Shuangcun, I'm a little angry with you too. Jingsong is your own nephew, and you didn't even glance at him when you came in."

Shuangcun had nothing to say. Was he supposed to say that he was just taking his anger out on his brother? He had a dirty secret with his brother, so he didn't care about his nephew.

This is also an ugly side of myself, and it's still very hard to hide it when Hongmei says it so bluntly.

“Hongmei, it’s my fault. I won’t make excuses. Although he is my nephew, I really haven’t paid much attention to him.”

Zhang Hongmei shook her head. People are selfish. Now she truly understands that even blood relatives need fate to be together.

The fact that Jinsong was able to move me is a matter of fate between us, and I will never dwell on this issue again.

"Shuangcun, you took leave to come here, right? Are they all alright?" Zhang Hongmei changed the subject, not wanting to discuss this anymore.

"Yes, my dad called me this morning and asked me to come back. I didn't ask clearly at the time, and I didn't know it was you who came back, otherwise I would have told them."

"It's okay, I'm going to the city tomorrow. Are you going back to work?"

Shuangcun looked at Zhang Hongmei and said, "If everything is alright at home, I'll go back."

"Then it's up to you. We'll leave tomorrow morning. If you want to go back, you can come along."

"Okay, I'll go back and tell my family. I'll go with you guys tomorrow morning. The power company is pretty busy right now."

"Okay, we'll leave promptly at seven o'clock tomorrow."

After seeing Shuangcun off, Zhang Hongmei sighed.

"What's wrong? What are your thoughts?"

"Brother Zhang, do you think feelings become less pure as we grow up?"

Zhang Shouyi just smiled; his wife had suffered quite a few setbacks on this trip back home.

"Back then, we went up the mountain and down the river together all the time. Now that we see each other, we have nothing to talk about."

"Don't overthink it. You're not on the same level, so of course you won't have anything to talk about. Besides, after not being in contact for so long, how could you not feel a little awkward?"

"Sigh! I insisted."

Zhang Shouyi helped Zhang Hongmei wash up, and the two lay in bed together.

"Brother Zhang, we need to bring some things tomorrow, and Shuangcun should come along too. If necessary, we can drive the truck over again?"

"Sure, I really don't want to squeeze in with other people."

"Honey, you have a lot of people to meet tomorrow, don't you?"

"Okay, let's go to the school first, to our principal and our homeroom teacher, Chen Sheng. We also need to meet with the other subject teachers."

Also, Huang Ying and her brother from the post office were a great help to me.

The rest are the villagers. Jianguo works at the cotton mill, and the rest work at the power supply bureau.

I probably can't even invite them to lunch, and I don't want to come back too late at night.

Besides, Shi Tou and San Ya will probably come back together too. Let's ask Da Shan and the others.

"We can drive there in a truck, and there will be enough room for everyone to sit on the way back."

"Hehe, with your arrangements, a whole day has passed. Will you still be able to see your friends from the village?"

"Yes, there is! It's Li Juying from the Women's Federation. There's no one else. Oh, and there's also the saleswoman from the county's supply and marketing cooperative."

"You have quite a lot of friends."

"That's right."

The two embraced. Zhang Hongmei recounted some interesting little stories.

The next morning, Zhang Shouyi woke Zhang Hongmei up at six o'clock.

"Honey, you said we'd leave at seven, so we should get up now, or we won't have an appetite for food later."

"How could I not have an appetite? I can eat two steamed buns now."

"Okay, okay, let's eat two. Get up quickly."

"Brother Zhang, I want to take a shower."

"Okay, I'll go prepare it for you right away."

Outside, Lu Jing and the others were already up and boiling water. Zhang Shouyi didn't ask anyone else to help him; he personally prepared the bathwater for Zhang Hongmei.

When Zhang Hongmei came out of the space, she saw a large bucket of hot water and felt it was such a waste. She called Zhang Shouyi in and told him to take a bath too.

Breakfast consisted of steamed buns, rice porridge, and Zhang Hongmei also had stir-fried cabbage with vinegar and stir-fried potato slices with meat. Zhang Hongmei ate happily.

"Grandpa, Dad, would you like to go to the city to take a look?"

"No, we've already made plans. We're playing chess today and then having dinner at Liu Changhe's house."

"Jinsong, are you going to the city?"

"Auntie, I can't go, otherwise Grandpa won't have any chess friends."

"Hehe, our Jingsong is really sensible. Since none of you are going, we're leaving."

Er Lengzi came in at this moment, and without any ceremony, sat down to eat.

"Hey, I'm going to the city. Are you coming?"

Where are you going?

"Look at my teachers, friends, and Brother Jianguo and the others. I'll also bring Shitou Sanya back while I'm at it."

"Okay, I'll go too. I'll drive the truck, otherwise there won't be enough seats for all the people coming back."

"Okay, hurry up and eat, we'll leave at seven."

This trip was again arranged with a bodyguard in one car. Xiao Li drove, Su Chen was in the passenger seat, and he and his wife sat in the back. Er Lengzi followed behind in a truck.

And believe it or not, Er Lengzi even took a few villagers to the county.

"Brother Zhang, do you think I should go and see Liu Changhai?"

"Don't go. He's very unsuccessful right now. His father-in-law's family is finished; they're all Zhou Yuanqing's people."

"Okay, I got it. By the way, Grandma and Liu Changhai broke off their relationship back then, wasn't it because of me?"

"How so?"

“Once, when I was getting grain for the village, Liu Changhai came back with the truck. After that, the old lady stopped wanting him.”

Zhang Shouyi squinted, "It really is possible. But forget it, so many years have passed, don't think about it anymore."

"Well, I actually think Liu Changhai is not bad, but he is too selfish. He is probably the youngest and is favored, so he has developed a selfish personality."

"Hehe, I don't know him very well. His ability to handle things is just average."

"Oh! We haven't had much contact. He's been nice to me, but we haven't really worked together much, so I don't know him well."

Driving to the city was quite fast; they arrived at the high school gate at 10:30.

Both Xiao Li and Su Chen had their hands full.

Zhang Hongmei hasn't changed much; the old gatekeeper still recognized her at a glance.

"Zhang Hongmei, you've come back to see your teacher?"

"Yes, sir, you're still in such good health!"

"Go inside, the principal hasn't left yet today."

"Thank you, sir."

"Hongmei, I'm going directly to the cotton mill to find Jianguo."

"Go ahead, we'll be at a restaurant for lunch, you can let them know."

"Okay, just go there and find us."

Er Lengzi drove away. Zhang Hongmei and the other eight people went into the school.

I went straight to the principal's office and heard voices inside.

Zhang Hongmei went over and knocked on the door.

"Please come in!"

"Principal, I've come back to see you!"

"Zhang Hongmei? You're back?"

"Yes, it wasn't embarrassing. I completed a four-year course in three years."