Chapter 002: Returning to the Hometown

Jiang Xinhua and Jiang Zhi walked to the front door one after the other. Li Meihua, hearing the sound of conversation, knew her daughter had returned home and hurriedly came out. Upon seeing Jiang Xinhua, she exclaimed: "Elder brother, you have come! Oh, that suitcase in your hand looks quite familiar, doesn't it?"

"Oh, Uncle, are you also building a new house?" Jiang Zhi asked, pointing at the newly constructed three-story villa next to her own house.

"That's right, old man is still clever, guessed it right away." Jiang Zhi emerged from behind Jiang Xinhua, saying, "Uncle, where is the luggage you helped me carry? I want to take that light bag myself, but it was all taken by Uncle."

Over the years, Chang Jiejun's hair has turned completely white, her face is covered with wrinkles, and her back has also become hunched. However, she is particularly amiable and approachable, and her grandchildren all enjoy gathering around her, sharing both significant and trivial matters with her

The family had a lively dinner, and after finishing her meal, Aunt helped Li Meihua to clear the dishes. When Jiang Zhi went over to help, she was told to step aside, "It's enough for me and your mother to handle this, you don't need to come and make a fuss."

Jiang Xinguo responded with a simple "mm"

Jiang Zhi said with a hint of reproach, "Uncle, let's not speak of our two families as if we are separate. Please do not mention these things in front of my father, or he will get angry." Jiang Xinguo and Li Meihua had previously run a grocery store in the county town, and the initial capital was entirely borrowed from Jiang Xinhua, who had exhausted his savings. Before Jiang Zhi and Jiang Che started school, they were raised by their grandparents, but Jiang Xinhua took care of them significantly, treating his niece and nephew as if they were his own children, just like he did with his own kids, which included Jiang Zhi and her brother.

Jiang Xinhua laughed heartily and said, "I actually hope you eat more; what worries me is that you don't eat."

The final situation turned into the current girlfriend of the ex-boyfriend bringing soup to her boyfriend while also preparing a portion for the ex-girlfriend... Jiang Zhi quite likes this Liu Xu. Liu Xu lives up to her name, being half a head shorter than Jiang Zhi. Jiang Zhi feels that Baoge's description of Lin Meimei, "In tranquility, she resembles a beautiful flower reflected in water; in action, she is like a weak willow swaying in the wind," also suits Liu Xu quite well. Moreover, this girl has a good personality, always wearing a bright smile, and she speaks and acts with discretion, making interactions particularly pleasant. Liu Xu lives up to her name, being half a head shorter than Jiang Zhi. Jiang Zhi feels that Baoge's description of Lin Meimei, "In tranquility, she resembles a beautiful flower reflected in water; in action, she is like a weak willow swaying in the wind," also suits Liu Xu quite well. Moreover, this girl has a good personality, always wearing a bright smile, and she speaks and acts with discretion, making interactions particularly pleasant.

The naming of the generation of Jiang Zhi and Jiang Che did not follow the traditional naming conventions. Jiang Zhe was quite upset about this, exclaiming: "One generation is worse than the previous one; the heritage passed down by our ancestors will eventually be squandered by these unworthy descendants"

The train has started moving, and Jiang Zhi is leaning against the window, lost in thought. During the six months of her relationship with Cui Jun Cai, they hardly resembled a couple; they only met every few days, mostly after Jiang Zhi returned from working overtime. It was a rare occasion when they had a day off to go out, yet her boss would call again... Cui Jun Cai is indeed a good person; otherwise, if it were someone else, they would have broken up long ago. Even if they didn't break up, there wouldn't be anyone as honest as Cui Jun Cai, who waited for her to agree to the breakup before pursuing Liu Xu! Therefore, Jiang Zhi sincerely wishes him and Liu Xu the best in their relationship. Swapping an ex-boyfriend for a good buddy and a close friend is quite a bargain!

After getting off the train, Jiang Zhi felt a bit hungry. She casually found a small restaurant near the train station and ordered a portion of fried noodles. The people from her hometown are truly simple and honest; a serving of fried noodles with added egg, shredded meat, vegetables, and black fungus cost six yuan. Jiang Zhi also reminded the owner to add more chili, and she exclaimed that it was quite enjoyable to eat

The village has become somewhat unrecognizable to Jiang Zhi; many of the old houses have been completely renovated. One after another, two- or three-story villas stand tall. Unlike the houses in the city, which are built closely together, the houses in the village are scattered haphazardly around various fields, rivers, and ponds. Typically, they are constructed close to one another by brothers or those with good relations.

How could Chang Jiejun not be aware of her little thoughts? She knows that she is deliberately putting on a show for herself. "You are exhausting my dear grandson. Come, let Grandma help you. Let's go inside, and Grandma will make you your favorite pumpkin pancakes. After eating, you will have strength again"

I have only a box and a backpack; I have mailed back the other clothes that I do not need to wear for the time being. It is estimated that they will arrive in a few days. I am already on the bus and will arrive in about ten minutes

Jiang Zhi often joked with Cui Jun Cai: "If I were a man, I would definitely compete with you for the catkins. Alas, it truly is a fresh flower inserted into dry mud."

Jiang Zhezhi and Chang Jiejun's smiles never ceased, as the elderly always cherish a house full of children and grandchildren, bustling with activity

Jiang Xinguo followed and came out of mhetushu.com: "This is your daughter's box, isn't it? Big Brother went to the town today, and I was wondering if he would run into Jiang Zhi. As expected, he took the same train back, right?"

Jiang Xinhua's family had always wanted a daughter. At that time, family planning policies were very strict, and they had to hide and evade to have their second child, only to find it was another son. They wanted to have another child, but the conditions did not allow it, so they had to give up. When Jiang Zhi was born, Jiang Xinhua and his wife were extremely happy, treating their niece as if she were their own daughter. They learned about Jiang Xinguo's haphazard naming of their daughter and scolded him severely. However, the conditions did not allow for more, so they had to give up. When Jiang Zhi was born, Jiang Xinhua and his wife were extremely happy, treating their niece as if she were their own daughter. They learned about Jiang Xinguo's haphazard naming of their daughter and scolded him severely.

Cui Junzai urged from the side: "After taking the train, we still have to switch to a car. Is this still considered close? The ticket checking is about to stop, hurry up! We must come over to eat at the landlord's place sometime. Luckily, you are a woman; otherwise, people might think you are her boyfriend!" Someone nearby actually laughed in response. Jiang Zhi rarely blushed, snatched the suitcase from Cui Junzai's hand, and walked towards the ticket checking area. After taking a few steps, she turned around and waved to them: "Hurry back, keep in touch by phone!"

Jiang Xinhua waved his hand and said, "It's nothing, I didn't notice you sitting in the front before. I only realized it was you after I heard you answer the phone. New Guo mentioned a couple of days ago that you would be back in a few days. I thought you wouldn't be back for a few more days."

Someone in the back seat said: "Your father has that kind of temperament. Yesterday, while playing cards, he mentioned that the marinated food in the market is not clean. Upon hearing this, he threw down his cards, immediately stood up, and walked out the door. No one could stop him, and everyone was baffled. It was only during dinner that we learned he had spent the entire afternoon in the kitchen preparing marinated chicken feet! I was puzzled as to why he was so busy without any guests, but now that I see you back today, I understand the reason."

"Welcome back, welcome back. Why is it that work is something only girls do? You should have come back much earlier. Your complexion is far worse than before." Jiang Xinhua glanced at Jiang Zhi and noticed that she had lost a lot of weight; there was no flesh on either side of her cheeks.

"Uncle, it's you! I was in such a hurry to get in the car that I didn't see you and didn't call out to you. I apologize for that!" Jiang Zhi quickly explained

Jiang Zhi wrote her home address to Liu Xu and specifically reminded her: "You must come to my house to play when you have time. It's quite close; it takes about four hours by train to reach our county town, and then you can transfer to another train to get to the town. If you arrive, give me a call, and I will pick you up. My home is nestled by the mountains and rivers, and the scenery is beautiful. There are also various wild fruits to eat, and not to mention, my family's cured meat is incredibly delicious. I guarantee that after tasting it once, you'll think about it for half a year."

Although the mountain road has been widened, it remains very dangerous, with vehicles falling off the cliff every year. The minibus travels very slowly, like a snail crawling. The final destination of the minibus is Wild Boar Village. After reaching Three Mountains Village, Jiang Zhi and Jiang Xinhua got off the bus, while the minibus sluggishly continued towards Wild Boar Village. Jiang Xinhua pulled Jiang Zhi's suitcase and even snatched the bag she was carrying. Jiang Zhi stared at her empty hands, and Jiang Xinhua remarked that his younger brother was impatient, truly a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Jiang Zhi retracted her hands and followed Jiang Xinhua towards home. The minibus continued its slow journey towards Wild Boar Village, with Jiang Xinhua pulling Jiang Zhi's suitcase and snatching her bag. Jiang Zhi stared at her empty hands, and Jiang Xinhua remarked that his younger brother was impatient, truly a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Jiang Zhi retracted her hands and followed Jiang Xinhua towards home.

Everyone began to laugh. The old mother loves children the most. Her grandchildren are either pursuing their studies or working. Although her son and daughter-in-law are very filial, and her partner is by her side, nothing compares to the joy of having the children return home. It is best when Jiang Zhi comes back to work; it allows for easier care of her, and she can spend more time with the elderly. The elderly will smile more often, and when they are at ease, their health will naturally improve. Otherwise, if the elderly experience any minor ailments or pains, everyone will be worried.

When Jiang Zhi returned to her hometown, Liu Xu was still helping Cui Jun Cai carry her luggage and send her off to the train, which truly moved Jiang Zhi. She couldn't help but exclaim that she was indeed a person loved by everyone, a good person who made flowers bloom and caused cars to have flat tires. It was remarkable that she had become good friends with her ex-boyfriend's current girlfriend.

Jiang Zhi was about to say: "Let's not talk about it for now, see you later." However, before she could finish her sentence, Jiang Xinguo hung up the phone. This old man is really too frugal with his phone bill, afraid to say even one more word. Jiang Zhi muttered to herself as she put away her phone.

After finishing the noodles and paying, Jiang Zhi thanked the owner. She dragged her suitcase onto the minibus back to town. Although the smell on the bus was quite unpleasant, it was fortunate that it would only take about forty minutes to arrive; she could endure it for a little while. Halfway through, Jiang Xinguo's call came in: "Jiang Zhi, where are you? Do you have a lot of things? Do you need me to pick you up?"

"Let's go, everyone, come inside. Otherwise, that old man will really come out to drag people in. Xiaozhi, your father specially prepared braised chicken feet for you. I tried it, and it tastes really good." Chang Jiejun led the way into the main hall, and Jiang Zhi followed, supporting her as they walked in.

"Even dry mud can provide nutrients to flowers after it rains, so it is said that I and Liu Xu are definitely a match made in heaven!" Cui Jun Cai shouted in protest for himself. Liu Xu remained silent, quietly sitting beside Cui Jun Cai, smiling as she watched the two engage in a verbal spar.

Jiang Zhi knew that Jiang Xinhua cared for her, and she felt a warmth in her heart: "Uncle, it's fine. I'm back to work at home now, and in a while, I'll gain some weight. By then, you all better not complain about me eating too much."

Jiang Zhi heard a somewhat familiar voice. Turning her head to look, she saw Jiang Xinhua, her uncle. The names in the past were all determined according to the clan genealogy, with the character "Xin" representing their generation. Jiang Zhe's generation is represented by the character "Zhe." Jiang Zhe originally had an older brother named Jiang Zheren, but he was lost during the war and has never been found. The names of Jiang Xinguo and others carry a strong characteristic of the era, with the males taking the "Xin" character, such as Xinhua and Xinguo, while the names of the aunts were not based on the "Xin" character, and one was named Aihua.

Chang Jiejun held Jiang Zhi's hand and said, "I know my dear granddaughter has her grandmother in her heart, and grandmother does not need support to walk." Jiang Zhi leaned against Chang Jiejun, feigning a frown as she said, "I know grandmother is in great health, but I just lied to you, I am so tired, my legs are sore, please let me lean on you, otherwise I won't be able to walk."

Chang Jiejun smiled broadly, patting Jiang Zhi's hair: "Alright, alright, Grandma knows, stop shaking, or else this old body of mine will fall apart."

Jiang Zhi could only return to the main room to listen to everyone chatting. Jiang Zhe was a bit drunk today, and his words increased accordingly. He also pulled Jiang Zhi to look at something, repeatedly exclaiming: "You've lost weight, you've lost weight"

Jiang Zhezhong urged his old partner to call everyone in. After waiting for a while and seeing that no one had come in, he raised his voice and shouted: "Where is everyone? Do I, this old man, have to invite you all in?"

Indeed, who could have imagined you would take so long to return? The construction was completed at the end of May, and we have already been living here for two months. Your family renovated their house last year, and your aunt keeps telling me how spacious and bright it is, making me quite envious. I finally decided to build one myself. Thankfully, your father lent me 50,000 yuan; otherwise, I would still be living in a bare shell.

The boss is easy to talk to, so I received my salary in advance and returned early" Jiang Zhi replied

Grandma, Grandma, I am here, I am not tired at all, I came back by train, and I didn't feel carsick at all. Jiang Zhi tugged at Chang Jiejun's arm, shaking it and refusing to let go

Jiang Xinhua pretended to be angry and said: "You little girl, with your uncle here, what do you need to bring? Do you think I can't carry even this little bit? Am I afraid of straining my back?"

Dinner was very lively in the evening. Uncle and Aunt Liu Xiulan, Aunt Jiang Aihua and Uncle Wang Weidong, along with their youngest son Wang Gang, also came. Uncle's children, Jiang He and Jiang Hu, have already started their own families and are working hard outside. Wang Weidong's family is from Wild Boar Village, and he and Jiang Aihua have opened a hardware store in the county town, so they mostly live there. Their two daughters have also married in the town. This time, they returned with their youngest son for Wang Weidong's mother's seventieth birthday, and they have been here for almost a week, planning to return to the county town tomorrow. Today, upon hearing that Jiang Zhi had returned, they hurried over from Wild Boar Village for dinner.

Indeed, it's not a banquet; it's just a few family members eating with some bowls and chopsticks, which will be cleaned up in no time. You must be tired from the ride today, so go to the main room and keep Grandma company. If you can't sit still, go to bed early.

As they were talking, Grandma Chang Jiejun came over: "Xiao Zhi has been on the bus all day, she must be exhausted. You've been chatting with her at the door for quite a while, stop talking and let’s go inside."

Indeed, the food outside is quite unappetizing; the chickens are raised on feed, and they lack the flavor of real chicken. Therefore, this time I must eat more and gain some weight to make up for the years I have eaten less. Jiang Zhi responded with a chuckle to her grandfather. In the past, Jiang Zhi would argue with her grandfather, insisting that she was not thin, but now she has learned to be wise, as this is a way for her family to express their concern for her.