Gu Bin's uncles had a meal at Gu Bin's house, and then left with expressions of utter disbelief.
They had originally planned to take the elderly man back home for the Lunar New Year, but Grandpa Gu wasn't keen on going. After discussing it, they compromised and agreed to come and pick him up on the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month.
As the Lunar New Year approached, Yu Yuehui and Zhang Linghui followed their mother into the frenzy of people rushing to buy New Year's goods. Every morning, instead of going for their usual run, they would get up early to shop for the holiday items.
Chaochao also showed extraordinary "leniency" by finally giving Xie Yan a day off, so he doesn't have to go for a run these few days.
Early in the morning, Xie Yan shivered as he crawled out of his warm bed and saw the floor piled high with New Year's goods.
He couldn't help but marvel once again at how diligent his wife was.
Today, his family is going to the countryside to visit his grandmother.
The old lady passed away a few years ago, and Xie Yan wanted to take his wife and children over to secretly burn some paper money for her.
Last year, Xie Yan went alone. This year, he wants to bring his wife and children so that the elders can also see him.
Although feudal superstition is now prohibited, in rural areas, people still secretly burn paper money for the elderly, and everyone tacitly pretends not to know.
Xie Yan borrowed a bicycle last night. Yu Yuehui carefully placed the fully armed Chaochao in front of the bicycle, and Xie Yan quickly sat on it, calling out, "Alright, wife." Hearing Xie Yan's voice, Yu Yuehui pushed off, and the bicycle shot off like an arrow.
Along the way, Yu Yuehui pedaled her bicycle with all her might. The biting cold wind howled past, like sharp knives, mercilessly cutting her face.
Chaochao sat facing forward, tightly hugging Yu Yuehui's waist. All they could hear was the cold wind violently slapping against their clothes, making a "slap slap" sound, as if it were competing with them.
Yu Yuehui was wearing a thick mask, but even so, the hot air she exhaled instantly froze into ice. That thin layer of ice quietly climbed up her eyelashes, turning them snow-white in the blink of an eye, like frost flowers in winter.
Xie Yan, who was seated at the very end, was a little luckier. Because Yu Yuehui was blocking the way for him, he felt less of the cold wind.
In such freezing weather, cycling is already an ordeal, and cycling faster to get there sooner can make the suffering less.
The wind whistled in their ears, and the group soon arrived at Dachen Village.
It was still early, but many families had already started cooking, and wisps of smoke rose from the village chimneys, adding a touch of warmth and life to the small village.
However, there were few pedestrians on the road, and Xie Yan had no intention of entering the village. He led Yu Yuehui and Chaochao straight up the mountain.
Aside from his grandparents, he has little to miss about Dachen Village anymore.
After his grandparents passed away, he felt more annoyed with the village.
Because of its proximity to Beijing, many villagers here have found jobs in the city, which has made them extremely materialistic. There is a strong culture of comparison among neighbors, which Xie Yan finds utterly repulsive.
Especially his second uncle, who was the person he hated the most, a complete two-faced bastard.
When he was a child, Xie Yan suffered a lot of grievances from his second uncle. Now, he doesn't even want to look at his second uncle.
Chaochao is at an age where she loves to play. Once she gets to the mountain, she's like a bird breaking free from its cage, instantly letting loose.
She spotted a big tree and her eyes lit up with excitement. She couldn't wait to climb up and see if there were any bird eggs.
Seeing this, Xie Yan couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. He said helplessly, "Chao Chao! Don't you even know what time it is? What bird would lay eggs in the dead of winter!"
Chaochao frowned, looking at Xie Yan with a puzzled expression, and asked, "Then why do our chickens still lay eggs in winter?"
Recently, Chaochao's problems have been overwhelming Xie Yan. He said to Yu Yuehui in frustration, "Your daughter, you go and teach her!"
Yu Yue glanced back at the mischievous children preparing to climb the tree, and felt a headache coming on as well. She didn't want to get involved either!
Reaching out and grabbing Xie Yan's wrist, she said somewhat helplessly, "Why don't you do it?"
Xie Yan shook her head firmly, her tone somewhat anxious: "No, I need to calm down! If I look at it any longer, I'm afraid I won't be able to hold back my temper and hit the child."
Yu Yue sighed softly and conceded, "Alright!"
After saying that, she let go of Xie Yan's hand, walked over, and easily picked up Chaochao as if she were a chick.
A flicker of fear crossed Chaochao's mind the moment she realized she was being lifted into the air. But when she turned and saw it was her mother, she was no longer afraid. Instead, she flapped her little legs and excitedly shouted, "Mommy, hurry up, I want to fly!"
Yu Yue picked her up and swayed her forward, saying affectionately, "This isn't the hill in front of our house. We have to wait for your father to come together."
“If your father doesn’t lead the way, we won’t know where to go, and we can’t let you fly.”
When Xie Yan picked up Chaochao, she was so depressed that she didn't want to talk. She secretly worried: "Alas! It seems that the heavy responsibility of educating children will ultimately fall on my own shoulders."
Xie Yan led the two through winding mountain paths until they finally arrived at the graves of the two elderly people. Looking at the overgrown weeds surrounding the graves, a pang of sorrow gripped his heart. He looked down at the village below, a mixture of helplessness and anger, and said to the graves, "Look, this is your beloved youngest son. He hasn't come to visit you all year!"
“Look at Grandma Li’s house next door. The weeds around her grave have been burned clean. That’s what you call a true filial son.”
He had said long ago that his second uncle was an unfilial son, but the old man just wouldn't listen. Look at that!
It's Chinese New Year and they don't even know to come up and burn some money for the elderly.
Xie Yan muttered to himself as he pulled out the weeds around him.
Then, he pulled Yu Yuehui and Chaochao to kneel beside the old lady's grave, a gentle smile on his face: "Grandma, these are my wife and daughter. Aren't they beautiful?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a gentle breeze swept by, lightly brushing against everyone's cheeks.
Yu Yuehui was slightly taken aback, and an indescribable feeling welled up in her heart. She looked at Xie Yan in disbelief.
Xie Yan, with tears in her eyes but a smile on her face, said, "Good, good, I know you're very satisfied, but don't get too excited, you're scaring your granddaughter-in-law."
After saying that, he turned and took Yu Yuehui's hand, saying gently, "Grandma likes you very much."
When Chaochao heard Xie Yan say that, her eyes lit up instantly. She immediately turned to look at him and asked eagerly, "Daddy, what about me? Does Great-Grandma like me?"
Xie Yan smiled and nodded, saying affirmatively, "Great-Grandma likes you very much too."
Upon hearing this, Chaochao's face lit up with a smile, and she said happily, "I knew Great-Grandma would like me." As she spoke, she took out two White Rabbit milk candies from her pocket, carefully placed them in front of the grave, and said in her childish voice, "Great-Grandma, these are the most, most, most delicious candies. Please try them."
After saying that, she magically pulled out a handful of melon seeds, peanuts, nougat, and even fried food wrapped in paper from her pocket.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
