The two good brothers stood together holding their children, watching their wives and children happily, and both thought to themselves, it turns out their happiness is so simple. "We should come here every year if we have the chance."

"Sure, let’s take it easy."

Jiang Xinyu stepped onto the soft beach, holding the child in her arms, feeling a softness in her heart.

Sometimes, little things can bring the greatest satisfaction. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Xinyu, it’s really pleasant to walk on the beach."

"Actually, I prefer walking on the beach when it’s raining, the sand is warm and feels more comfortable."

Shi Xian noticed others playing and couldn’t stay in his father’s arms.

Wei Kaiyun watched his son wriggle like a caterpillar and felt helpless, what a child.

He had no choice but to let him down, bending over to support him.

But Shi Xian didn’t need his dad’s support, somewhat disdaining, pushing his dad’s hand away.

Finally, Wei Kaiyun could only hold his son’s little hand.

This left Old Yang with only his son Ah Bao. Ah Bao turned his face and shouted towards his father, "Ahhhhh."

"You? Maybe next year, this year you can only watch."

Children can’t understand, but knowing it’s impossible, cries echoed from the shore.

Jiang Xinyu turned to Zhao Xiaoli, "Aren’t you going to do something?"

"His dad is here."

"Haha, I thought you’d be one to spoil the kids, but you can bear hearing them cry."

"What’s there to be reluctant about? He’s his real dad." Zhao Xiaoli said nonchalantly. She had long since accepted it.

"Mom, those are fishing boat lights over there." Shi Jing pointed at the bright lights on the sea, shouting excitedly.

Everyone turned their sights to the sea.

When the fishing boat came ashore, Jiang Xinyu looked at the octopuses, feeling tempted, but she didn’t really have a way to smuggle them despite having fewer stocks in her space. So she decided not to fret over it.

Wei Kaiyun and Old Yang picked out many good things; these were what they’d eat today.

The family together watched the sunrise over the sea.

Everyone looked towards the direction of the sun as it rose, dazzlingly red.

You could only hear the sounds of excitement from Shi Xian and Ah Bao.

As the waves splashed on the beach, the kids played tag, collecting some washed-up shells.

By around five o’clock, the group returned home.

Today, they packed fish powder and shell powder. Jiang Xinyu thought to play for a few more days before returning home.

But they were worried returning would be too hot. So Wei Kaiyun and Old Yang decided to leave the day after tomorrow, taking a different route, departing at night and resting during the day.

The three little ones didn’t know much, but the three grown ones were somewhat reluctant to leave. However, they sensibly said nothing.

Jiang Xinyu cooked seafood very simply, straightforwardly boiling it, maybe adding some garlic sauce. But it tasted really good.

The most uncomfortable was Zhang Qiu’e, who really couldn’t eat the seafood.

Watching everyone else eat with relish, she just couldn’t swallow it.

Jiang Xinyu was relieved, thankfully, the children weren’t allergic to seafood and could eat it.

With fish powder and shell powder packed, they loaded with ten bags of dried shrimp and ten bags of seaweed on top.

These were the cheapest and everyone wanted them.

They had ordered dried shrimp, fish jerky, and dried shellfish, all in the car.

"Let me go back together with you guys, take it slow, no rush."

Shang Zhenkun looked at all of his things and decided to return as well, not comfortable leaving just the driver in charge.

The older kids were reluctant to see Shang Zhenkun leave, especially Feifei, who didn’t want to part with Shang Zhenkun, as he had been with her more than even her parents.

Wei Kaiyun saw his daughter’s expression, feeling a pang of jealousy.

"Alright, we’ll set off tomorrow night too."

"No rush."

After Shang Zhenkun left, the older three were a bit silent. It improved somewhat when Wei Kaiyun took them to the marketplace.

Guodong and the others reached the county with just one car - Han Xiangjun bringing back things for them plus the five others including Xiang Dong.

So sending them back to the village was fine with one car.

Jin Erlin also got on the car this time, taking the opportunity to visit Tao Chunhe and the others instead of exhausting himself cycling.

Xiang Dong looked at the familiar scenery, having been away for half a year, he really missed home. Only now he realized that no matter how good outside is, it doesn’t compare to his own home.

Back then, he didn’t understand the saying "golden nest and silver nest don’t beat your own grass nest", but now he completely believed it.

Throughout the journey, he was very silent, it was himself who wanted to go to the capital, but now he returned home, while Chaoyang went there.

He and Chaoyang grew up together, their relationship was special, yet he had acted dishonorably twice.

Chaoyang even persuaded him, saying he didn’t want to work.

Xiang Dong believed it, but knew it was an almost impossible opportunity – a formal job, that’s a formal job.

In the future, it meant having a stable position, and this status elevated one’s prestige.

But he really wanted this chance, so had to bury the guilt toward Chaoyang, he stayed, while Xiang Dong returned.

Though it had only been over half a year since he left, it felt like everything had changed.

"Guodong, do you think Dashan even looks different now?"

Lv Guodong laughed, this not-so-close brother-in-law was amusing, how could it change, what’s there to change?

"You miss home too much."

"Really? But I just feel like it’s different."

When they finally arrived in the village, those who went out were particularly excited, finally home, feeling a sense of a triumphant return.

The car stopped directly outside the brigade’s office.

Li Yungui, Li Cunshan, and Li Yunqiang heard the news and hurried over, rightly calculated Guodong might be returning.

In Li Yungui’s mind, it meant money returning.

Li Yunqiang missed his son, with the eldest away for over half a year, finally back now.

Guodong jumped out of the car with a briefcase, handed to him by Han Xiangjun, which he never let out of his sight.

Carrying so much money made the journey nervous, but with familiar people, he wasn’t that afraid.

They returned around lunchtime when the villagers were eating, so news quickly spread throughout the small village.

Everyone came out, some even holding their rice bowls.

Tao Chun and his siblings heard the commotion outside and also came out, unaware what stirred such excitement in the small mountain village.

Tao Yanzhen followed the crowd to the brigade office, just in time to see Guodong jump out, at that instant, causing ripples in her heart.