Spring deepens in my hometown, and my memories linger.
Shen Jiye had been stationed on the border for fifteen years. Whenever the war subsided, he would always take half a month to return to Jiangnan. Not for fame or fortune, but to visit his sister Shen Jifang, and also to see the courtyard left by his grandparents Shen Chengyou and Wang Ruoxi—a place that held the warmth and life he had cherished for half his life.
That spring equinox, the grass grew lush and the birds sang in Jiangnan. Shen Jiye, dressed lightly, rode his horse across the long bluestone street and saw in the distance Shen Jifang standing by the vermilion gate of the courtyard. She had shed her girlish naiveté and wore a plain-colored dress that accentuated her gentle grace. Only a jade hairpin adorned her hair, just like her grandmother had been years ago.
“Brother!” Shen Jifang hurried forward, her voice filled with joy. She reached out and took the bag from his shoulder. “I’ve been waiting for you to come back. The crabapple blossoms in the courtyard are in full bloom, just waiting for you to admire them.”
Shen Jiye held his sister's hand, his fingertips touching the fine calluses on her palm—marks left from years of making medicine and taking pulses. He felt both gratified and heartbroken: "You've worked so hard. I'm so grateful to you for taking care of this courtyard all these years."
The two walked slowly into the courtyard. Lush greenery lined the blue brick path, and forsythia bloomed vibrantly over the bamboo fence in the corner. Koi in the pond swayed their tails, shattering the reflections of the sky and clouds on the water's surface. Everything was exactly as they remembered, as if their grandparents had never left. Shen Jifang led him to sit on a stone bench, then turned and brought out a pot of hot tea from inside the house. The tea was poured into a white porcelain cup, releasing a delicate fragrance.
“Brother, this is Grandfather’s favorite pre-rain Longjing tea. I sealed it in a ceramic jar according to his method, and saved it for you to drink every year when you come back.” She handed him the teacup.
Shen Jiye took a sip of tea, the rich aroma spreading across his tongue and instantly stirring up long-forgotten memories. He gazed at the lush camphor tree beside the stone table, and in a daze, he saw his grandfather, Shen Chengyou, sitting there, teaching him to play chess with black pieces in hand, his voice steady and powerful: "Jiye, playing chess is like fighting a war. You must be brave and diligent, but you must also plan carefully before acting. If you can't hold your ground, even the best chance of winning will be in vain." His grandmother, Wang Ruoxi, sat beside him, peeling melon seeds with her fingertips, occasionally interjecting, "The child is still young. Don't always talk about these fighting things. Let him learn more about your father's composure."
"What are you thinking about, brother?" Shen Jifang's voice pulled him back to reality.
He came to his senses, a warmth welling up in his eyes: "I remember when I was little, my grandfather would teach me to play chess under this tree, and my grandmother would peel melon seeds beside me. I always thought my grandfather was long-winded back then, but now I want to listen, but I can never hear him again."
Shen Jifang lowered her eyes, her fingertips gently stroking the rim of the cup, her voice choked with emotion: "I often think of them too. My grandmother always taught me medicine, saying, 'A doctor should not only be able to bring the dead back to life with skillful hands, but also have a compassionate heart.' She also said that when my grandfather was fighting on the border, it was with these hands that she made medicine for the soldiers' wounds and cooked herbal soups, which gave her some peace of mind."
A spring breeze rustled the camphor tree leaves, as if echoing their conversation. The two chatted about their grandparents' past: their grandfather's wisdom and courage in guarding the border, and their grandmother's resolute determination in searching for her husband across thousands of miles; they talked about the warmth of brewing peach blossom wine together in the spring and listening to the snow around the fire in the winter after they retired to Jiangnan; they also talked about their grandfather's earnest advice before his death, holding their hands and saying, "Descendants of the Shen family should prioritize the country and its people, and not fail the trust placed in them by the people."
Shen Jiye gazed at the crabapple tree in the courtyard, planted by his grandfather. Petals drifted down in the wind, landing on his clothes. He gently brushed them away and sighed, "My grandparents' lives were dedicated to the country and its people, and they also shared a life of mutual support. They protected their home and country with loyalty and warmed each other with deep affection. These stories are the most precious heirloom of our Shen family."
Shen Jifang's eyes welled up with tears, and she raised her hand to wipe them away: "Yes. Every time I think of my grandmother's journey to Ningguta, braving hardships to follow my grandfather; and of my grandfather's unwavering commitment to clearing the family's name, I feel that every bit of the peaceful and prosperous world we enjoy today is hard-won."
As the sun set, its golden rays cast long shadows across the courtyard. Shen Jiye picked up his teacup and took another sip of hot tea. The aroma mingled with the fragrance of the courtyard flowers, creating a lingering taste of time. He knew that this courtyard not only held memories of the past but also carried on the unwavering belief of the Shen family for generations—to safeguard the peace of the nation and protect the well-being of loved ones. And this belief, like the plants and trees in this courtyard, would endure and be passed down from generation to generation.
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