Chapter 2: My Mother's Home
The days are short in winter.
It was only around four in the afternoon, but the sky was already gradually getting dark. The light grey clouds were hanging low in the sky, and the low rice stalks in the fields were soaked by the winter wind, dyed brown. They still looked like rows of stubborn soldiers guarding the land, looking forward to the blooming of flowers in spring, the harvest in autumn and the storage in winter.
Flocks of sparrows suddenly flew from the electric wires to the bamboo tops, then suddenly flew away from the bamboo tops, scattering in the fields in twos and threes.
Following his memory, Lin Qiu held Wang Shan in his arms and walked along the ridge of the field, taking one step deep and one step shallow. As far as he could remember, walking along the ridge of the field would save them two or three miles of detour than taking the main road.
But she underestimated her own leg strength and hadn't walked along the ridges of fields in nearly twenty years, not to mention that she had hardly walked long distances after her family got a car.
Wang Xiuren watched Lin Qiu slipping every two steps and was afraid that the mother and daughter would fall into the paddy field. He took a few quick steps and whispered, "Let me hold Shanshan. Walk carefully and don't fall into the field!"
Lin Qiu was also worried that her daughter would fall, so she put her daughter in Wang Xiuren's arms, then took the luggage bag. She secretly blamed herself for being careless and forgetting to bring the bag with her.
Wang Xiuren opened his cotton coat and carefully held his daughter against his chest.
Although Wang Xiuren had drunk some wine, the effects of the alcohol were dissipated by the cold wind. As he walked, he kept an eye on Lin Qiu behind him, fearing that she would slip and fall into the field. In the cold winter, the fields are full of water and it would be disastrous if you fell into it.
After finally walking along the ridge of the field, Wang Xiuren finally felt relieved.
"Xiu Ren, are you and your guest going back to your parents' home?" Eunuch Zhu San was sitting at the gate smoking.
"Yes!" Wang Xiuren replied with a smile: "Third eunuch, you are not afraid of the cold, sit by the gate, be careful not to get a gust of wind in, or you will get a stomachache!"
"I'm used to the cold, so I'm not afraid!" Eunuch Zhu San smiled, "But you should be careful with the baby in your arms!"
"Okay, okay, we will pay attention! Thank you for your concern. I will leave first. Come to my room next time. My parents are at home every day!"
Wang Xiuren waved his hand and continued on his way.
We didn't meet many people along the way. After all, it was the beginning of the first lunar month and most of the relatives who were supposed to visit had already left. It was cold outside, so adults and children basically stayed at home and didn't go out.
Not long after, Lin Qiu and his family of three arrived at her mother's land - Linguan. Because there were forty or fifty households living in this area with the surname Lin, it was called Linguan. Wang Xiuren's home is in the neighboring Wangjia Village. As the name suggests, 80% of the people in the village are surnamed Wang. Almost every household is a relative, both near and far, and many are relatives within the five degrees of mourning. The two villages are adjacent to each other, about three or four miles apart. If you take the main road, you will go around the Wang Family Ancestral Hall and then go straight up along the canal; if you want to walk less steps, you can do as Lin Qiu's family did, go through the fields and go straight to the main road in front of Grandpa Zhu San's door, then walk about a hundred meters forward and turn left and go straight up along the canal to reach the destination.
Lin Qiu felt a little homesick. Looking at the hometown in his memory, he couldn't walk. After all, my mom passed away in September 2023 due to the sequelae of the new crown, and my dad followed in my mom's footsteps a month later.
"Qiuqiu, why are you standing on the side of the road? Don't you recognize the road to Linguan?" Lin Ze, the cousin from the next room, joked when he saw Lin Qiu standing on the side of the road holding the baby.
"Yes, I haven't been back to my parents' home for a few days, and I don't recognize the road anymore!" Lin Qiu pulled himself out of his thoughts.
"Brother Ze, have a cigarette! Didn't you go out to play?" Wang Xiuren hugged his daughter with one hand and took out a cigarette from his shirt pocket and handed it to Lin Ze.
"You're welcome! You're welcome!" Lin Ze took the cigarette, took out a cigarette and put it to his ear and said, "It's cold, you take Shanshan and go home quickly, I won't keep you here!"
"Okay!"
Less than fifty meters behind Lin Ze’s house is the back door of Lin Qiu’s mother’s house.
Lin Qiu did not go in through the back door. He continued forward, crossed the narrow alley, and turned right. It was his mother's grain hall. After walking up two steps, he reached the corridor. As soon as he stepped through the door, Lin Qiu cried out with red eyes and sobs, "Mom, I'm back!"
Lin Ting and his cousin Zhou Qing hurried out of the room.
"Mom"
"Daddy"
Looking at her parents with black hair and in their prime years, Lin Xiu couldn't stop her tears from flowing.
"Qiuqiu, what's wrong with you? Who bullied you? Or is Shanshan feeling unwell?" Lin Ting took the granddaughter from his son-in-law's arms, "Xiu Ren, what's wrong with Qiuqiu? Why are you crying so hard? Did you two have a fight?"
"Dad, Mom," Wang Xiuren said, a little embarrassed, blushing, "We didn't quarrel!"
"It's good that you didn't make any noise!" Lin Ting felt relieved and said, "Come in and sit down!"
Zhou Qing hugged Lin Qiu into the room, sat beside the bed, and asked about his life in detail.
"Brother-in-law!" Lin Ping, the cousin who was sitting by the fire at the table, greeted Wang Xiuren.
Sister-in-law Zhou Mei also came over from the front room on the right side of the main hall, holding Lin Cong, who was less than one year old, and said, "Xiu Ren is here!"
"Sister-in-law, where is my brother?" Wang Xiuren picked up the luggage bag that fell in the main room and put it on the box.
Zhou Mei snorted when she heard this: "Who knows where he went! He never stayed in the house all day long!"
Wang Xiuren smiled awkwardly and said nothing.
Lin Ting asked his son-in-law to sit down and talk, but Wang Xiuren waved his hand and said, "Dad, Mom, I won't sit down. My parents are calling a meeting with the four of us brothers tonight, so I have to rush back after sending Lin Qiu home, otherwise it will be dark and he might fall into the fields! I'll come back in two days to pick Lin Qiu up and take him home!"
"It's okay, you can go back first if you have something to do." Lin Ting was very easy to talk to, and shook his granddaughter in his arms: "Shanshan from my family has come to her grandmother's house, and she will stay for a few more days! Xiuren, come and play when you are free!"
"Okay, Daddy and Mommy, I'll be leaving first," Wang Xiuren replied in a low voice. He walked up to Lin Ting, touched his daughter's face, and whispered, "Shanshan, Daddy is back. He will come to pick you up in two days!"
Wang Shan opened her big round eyes and said in a baby voice: "Dad."
"I'll go back first!" Wang Xiuren said to Lin Qiu.
Lin Qiu leaned on Zhou Qing's arm, lowered his head, and ignored him.
Wang Xiuren paused, then walked out quickly, and disappeared after a few turns.
"Tell me, what happened?" Zhou Qing saw his son-in-law leave and pushed his daughter who was leaning on his arm.
Zhou Mei also sat down with the baby in her arms.
"Sister, did your brother-in-law bully you?" Lin Ping approached Lin Qiu's other side with a gossipy look and muttered, "Why else would you be crying?"
Lin Qiu took the handkerchief Zhou Qing handed over, wiped away her tears, blew her nose, and said with a slightly nasal tone: "It's okay, I just miss mom and dad!"
Hearing this, Lin Ping looked Lin Qiu up and down carefully, which made Lin Qiu feel creepy.
"I don't believe it!" Lin Ping looked at Lin Qiu's slightly red and swollen eyes and said, "You just went back the day before yesterday, and you're crying today because you missed your mom! Who would believe it?"
"Oh, you don't believe me after I tell you!" Lin Qiu forcefully changed the subject: "Sister-in-law, where is Huanhuan?"
"She went to the county town with her third aunt. Her third aunt couldn't bear to leave her, so she took her to play at home for a few days before coming back!" There was some pride in Zhou Mei's tone, and it was unclear whether she was proud that her sister married into the county town or proud that her daughter was loved by her sister.
"Old lady, take out a can of food from the cupboard. While everyone is here today, let's open one and try it!" Lin Ting tapped Wang Shan's little nose and said lovingly, "Shan Shan, call me grandpa, and I'll open a can for you to eat! It's sweet and delicious!"
When Wang Shan heard about the delicious food, her eyes widened and she said, "Wow~ Gong!"
"Oh, my dear grandson." Lin Ting put Wang Shan in Lin Ping's arms and carefully reminded him, "Hold her tight, don't drop her."
Lin Ping began to tease the niece in his arms and kissed her hard on her tender face, "Do you still recognize me? I'm your aunt, call me aunt."
Wang Shan was kissed so hard that she hid everywhere. After a long time, she finally called out one word: "Auntie".
Hearing the sound of milk gurgling, Lin Ping started to tickle her again. This time, Wang Shan was so amused that she giggled and it took her a long time to stop.
"I told you not to tease her like this! Children will damage their throats if they laugh like this!" Zhou Qing took out a can from the cupboard and handed it to Lin Ting. He turned around and slapped Lin Ping in the face, then took Wang Shan out of Lin Ping's arms and hugged her himself.
Wang Shan has lived in her mother's home with Lin Qiu most of the time since she was born until now, when she is one and a half years old. Therefore, she is particularly close to Zhou Qing.
As soon as she was in Zhou Qing's arms, Wang Shan leaned her head on her grandmother's neck, put her face against her grandmother's face, and muttered, "My dear grandma, my dear grandma." This made Zhou Qing call her her darling.
"Oh, boys are not as smart as girls! My Congcong won't act as nice as Shanshan!" Zhou Mei said sourly as she watched her mother-in-law being so affectionate to her granddaughter.
The scene froze for a moment. Zhou Qing hugged Wang Shan without saying a word. Lin Qiu leaned against Zhou Qing with his eyes narrowed. Lin Ping turned his back to Zhou Mei and rolled his eyes.
"The can is open!" Lin Ting came in with an opened can and ordered to Lin Ping, "Sister Man, go get some bowls. We, Cong Cong and Shan Shan, are going to eat canned food!"
After Lin Ping brought four bowls, Lin Ting put two lychee pulps in another bowl and poured the canned sweet soup into the bowl. In the end, there were just two lychees and a shallow layer of sweet soup left in the glass jar.
One portion was just right for an adult. Lin Ting went to the kitchen and got another spoon. He took Wang Shan and started to feed her, coaxing her softly, "Shanshan, grandpa will feed you lychees! When Congcong's teeth grow fully in the second half of the year, grandpa will feed him canned food, too!"
"Mom, sister-in-law, sister, let's eat canned food!" Lin Ping picked up a portion and started eating.
Zhou Qing, Lin Qiu, and Zhou Mei also picked up their bowls and tasted the food carefully. After all, canned food is a good thing these days, who doesn’t like it?
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