Jiang Mian's hometown is a small town in the south. Because of its beautiful scenery and fertile land, the government at the time transformed the town into a tourist destination in order to lead people to work hard and get rich.
As the high-speed train drew closer to home, Jiang Mian could see from the window that the snow-white and desolate scenery was gradually fading away.
Because her hometown is like spring all year round, when the sunlight pierces through the clouds, it appears in Jiang Mian's eyes.
He knew he was almost home.
Opening my WeChat Moments, I saw that the post already had quite a few likes.
Among them were He Yubai and two others.
Scrolling down, they saw that, like their other friends, they had posted comments such as "Be careful on the road."
Because the town needs to serve many tourists, even though it has a high-speed rail connection, the transportation options are varied due to the limited land area.
There are waterways where you can row boats, tricycles that can travel through the streets and alleys, and rickshaws that come out to do business on special holidays.
The key to getting rich is "diligence," and fortunately, the residents of the town are all honest and capable.
As soon as Jiang Mian exited the station, she could see her father's small truck parked on the side of the road.
Jiang Chengye wanted to make a phone call to ask where his son was, but as soon as he picked up his phone, he looked up.
Outside the car window, Jiang Mian's smiling face was reflected: "Dad!"
"Hey! How come you're here so fast? I thought I'd have to wait a bit longer."
Jiang Mian walked around to the other side, opened the car door, and got into the passenger seat: "I saw our car as soon as I came out of the station exit."
"Your mother and I almost got the time wrong. Luckily we arrived early, otherwise you would have had to go back by yourself."
Jiang Chengye didn't want to admit that he had actually forgotten the time, and he didn't agree with his wife's claim that he was getting old and forgetful. After thinking it over, he decided to come to the station a little earlier and wait outside.
“Anyway, the town is only so big. I can just call a pedicab to get back,” Jiang Mian reassured her. “Don’t worry, I’m a grown-up. I won’t get lost.”
"Do you remember when you were little, because you were so good-looking, those uncles and aunts would try to lure you with candy, and you almost got into someone's car with them?"
Jiang Mian said helplessly, "I've told you so many times, they didn't trick me with candy, they just snatched my candy and wouldn't give it back to me, that's why I chased after them!"
Why can they still remember these things, and why do they always get them wrong?!
Besides, in their eyes, was she really just a gluttonous little foodie?
Jiang's father did not refute this, but simply smiled.
Now that we've picked up the person, we can head home.
Jiang Mian patted her family's small truck and asked, "Are we going to pick pomelos later?"
“Yes, the rain has been good this year, so the pomelos in the orchard will definitely be sweet,” Jiang Chengye said, lighting a cigarette at some point. “Your third uncle’s family has ordered several dozen kilograms, so we can send them to him as soon as we pick them.”
The third uncle Jiang's father mentioned was not his biological third uncle. It was just that the town was small, and the neighbors were very friendly and all families got along well.
A close neighbor is worse than a distant relative; if you live together for a long time, they can indeed be closer than real relatives.
Jiang Mian counted on her fingers and realized that although she didn't have many relatives in this small town, she had quite a few uncles and aunts to call her.
Once my third uncle sends over the pomelos, I reckon the other uncles and elders will ask for some too.
Fortunately, they wouldn't let themselves suffer a loss; they would always pay for these things whenever they asked.
The Jiang family has an orchard halfway up the mountain, where they grow pomelos and peaches that ripen in different seasons. The orchard isn't very big, and what they grow only adds a little to the family's income.
Because it was land passed down from their ancestors, no matter how tiring or difficult it was, Jiang's father wanted to persevere.
Although many people advised him to sell the orchard and then set up a shop in town, he refused with a smile.
Jiang Mian sometimes thinks that her father must have his own reasons.
Although the things passed down from our ancestors are not important antiques or treasures, this orchard carries the memories of several generations.
Disappearance is not terrible; forgetting is.
People in the town would probably react involuntarily when they see that orchard.
Oh, this is the Jiang family's orchard!
This is perhaps the meaning of the existence of things.
Jiang Mian was first taken home by her father, where her mother had already prepared a meal.
Jiang's father unloaded his suitcase from the car, then turned around and got back into the car without going inside, heading to the orchard.
As soon as she entered the door, Jiang Mian couldn't help but shout, "Mom! What delicious food have you made?! It smells so good!"
"Knowing you were coming back, Mom specially stewed a free-range chicken. Come and try it!"
Jiang's mother was a very simple and honest woman, and she was naturally happy to see her son return.
The town's scenery is particularly nourishing. Although Jiang's mother is old and has developed some wrinkles around her eyes, she still looks charming and has a rosy complexion.
The free-range chicken was still simmering in the clay pot. Fearing that Jiang Mian must be hungry after his long journey back, I wiped my hands clean and ladled some chicken soup into a bowl for him.
"Try the soup first. We just added some herbs. The chicken will have to wait a bit longer."
Without a doubt, those medicinal herbs must have been given to her by Uncle Wen, who runs the traditional Chinese medicine shop next door.
Although the town has a large hospital, the auspicious feng shui of the area means that the people here don't suffer from many serious or minor illnesses.
Moreover, because of the age-old saying that people rely on the mountains for sustenance, many people actually prefer the nourishing properties of traditional Chinese medicine.
After all, they were close neighbors, and Jiang Mian had been exposed to these things since she was a child. She guessed that the chicken soup must have contained medicinal herbs such as angelica and goji berries.
While the food simmered over a low flame, Jiang Mian carried her luggage back to her room and began unpacking.
Lying in bed, smelling those familiar scents, he sighed that coming home was still the most comfortable feeling!
I was thinking about whether I should take a nice bath first, and then enjoy the delicious chicken soup?
Downstairs, Jiang's mother suddenly called out to him: "Mianmian, come down for dinner, the chicken soup is ready!"
"Here I am!"
Jiang Mian responded and busied herself for a while afterward, even breaking out in a sweat.
The climate in the south is indeed warmer, especially in his hometown, where even during the Lunar New Year, no one is dressed very warmly.
After taking off her thick coat, Jiang Mian changed into a lighter outfit and went downstairs.
The casserole pot has excellent heat retention, and the chicken has been stewed until it is very tender. With a gentle poke of chopsticks, the chicken meat easily falls off the bone.
A layer of oil floated on the soup, along with goji berries that had swelled from the heat.
With a gentle stir, the aromas of the seasonings and herbs blended together. Jiang Mian took a deep breath and felt completely refreshed.
Just like always, it tastes like home!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
