Xue Xingjun didn’t ask for a ride, running straight home instead.

When he reached the front door, he didn’t go right in. Instead, he bent over and peeked from the doorway.

After waiting a moment and seeing no one in the courtyard, he quietly slipped inside.

Just as he was about to enter the house, Liu Hongxing, coming out of the kitchen, shouted, "Good heavens! You’re finally back! Your mother missed you to death!"

At Liu Hongxing’s cry, Xue Changlin walked out of the room.

Liu Hongxing grabbed Xue Xingjun, looking him up and down. "Where did you come back from? Are you by yourself?"

"My sister and brother-in-law are back too. My older brother—" As Xue Xingjun spoke, he glanced at Xue Changlin, wanting to see his reaction.

Seeing his father’s dark expression and silence, he too fell silent.

He looked at his father, and the thought of his older brother’s parentage made him feel conflicted. He didn’t know what to say.

Xue Changlin spoke up. "Your brother and sister are both back?"

Xue Xingjun nodded. "Yeah. My sister said she’ll come see you in a few days. Dad, I... can I come in now?"

Xue Xingjun saw his father was just blocking the doorway.

Xue Changlin glanced at him. "Follow me inside."

Once they were inside and Xue Xingjun had sat down, he finally asked, "Why didn’t your brother and the others come back?"

Xue Xingjun muttered under his breath, "He went with his real dad to his in-laws’ place. Who would remember you?"

"I’m asking you a question," Xue Changlin said with a frown.

"My brother and sister-in-law took Tun Tun to her parents’ place."

Xue Changlin paused for a slight moment, then looked at him. "What have you been doing in Beijing City for the past year? Just causing trouble for your sister and the others, I bet. I’ve made up my mind. Since you don’t like school, then you don’t have to go. From now on, you’ll stay home and work the fields with me. At least you won’t starve."

Xue Xingjun made a face. "I don’t want to! I already talked to my sister, and she agreed! I’m going to follow my brother-in-law in Beijing City. He’s building a whole building in Beijing City to open a supermarket. Do you know what a supermarket is? It’s like dozens of supply and marketing cooperatives put together, and it sells everything. He can’t handle it all by himself, so I can help."

Liu Hongxing’s eyes went wide. "My god, how much would that cost? Are your sister and her husband that rich now?"

Xue Xingjun nodded, then shook his head.

"They’re out of money now. It all went into building the building."

Liu Hongxing’s eyes darted. "You silly boy, that’s still money."

Xue Changlin shot a look at the mother and son. "What’s all this talk about money? How old are you? What help could you possibly be? I told you, you’re staying home to work."

"I won’t."

Xue Changlin glared at him. "Who’s the father here? This isn’t up to you."

Xue Xingjun let out a short huff and slammed the door to his room on his way out.

But it wasn’t long before Liu Hongxing came in.

Xue Xingjun said listlessly, "Mom, can you just let me have some peace and quiet?"

Liu Hongxing smacked him. "You brat! Running off like that back then, you scared your mother to death. But, I’m not like your father. I support you going to Beijing City. What future is there for you staying here?"

Then she lowered her voice and asked, "But... you were there for a year. Didn’t your sister and her husband give you any spending money?"

Xue Xingjun nodded and said nonchalantly, "They did. My sister gave me an allowance every month."

Liu Hongxing’s heart leaped with joy, and she held out her hand to him. "Where’s the money, then?"

Xue Xingjun said, without batting an eye, "I spent it!"

Liu Hongxing froze. "All of it? You didn’t save any?"

Xue Xingjun nodded. "Yeah, all of it. Mom, you don’t understand, everything is expensive in Beijing City. My sister gave me a lot, but you spend it all just buying a few things. The money just doesn’t last."

Liu Hongxing glared at him fuming for a long time before scolding, "How did I give birth to such a heartless brat? You’re well-fed and warmly dressed, but you’ve completely forgotten about your old mother."

Hearing this, Xue Xingjun laughed. "Mom, you can’t blame me for that. I’m still young, it’s hard enough just supporting myself. How could I possibly support you? You shouldn’t pin your hopes on me. You’d be better off putting your hopes in Dad. Just pray he strikes it rich one day and can give you a good life."

Liu Hongxing pinched Xue Xingjun’s ear. "Hmph. If I rely on your father, my life will never change. I’m relying on you. So you better get your act together, save some money, and let your mother have her moment in the sun, too."

With that, she left.

Xue Xingjun was left lying flat on the kang, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Meanwhile, the second branch of the family was moving, so He Lang and the others went to help early in the morning.

Xue Yue went to the new house in the morning. Gao Cuiyun’s family from her mother’s side had also come.

When Gao Cuiyun’s mother saw Xue Yue, she lavished her with praise. One moment she was saying how beautiful and blessed Xue Yue looked, the next she was praising Xue Yue and her husband for their benevolence, helping raise their nephew even after leaving home. In any case, she delivered basket after basket of free compliments.

Xue Yue just smiled, chiming in with a few words from time to time.

Little Chen and his mother had finally moved into their new home. Some people remarked that they didn’t know what kind of luck Gao Cuiyun had stumbled upon. She couldn’t rely on her man, but unexpectedly, her son turned out to be so successful.

It was the end of the twelfth lunar month, and everyone was starting to shop for the New Year. Xue Yue’s family took the children into town.

Although the town’s supply and marketing cooperative didn’t have as much as the department stores in Beijing City, it was still a lot of fun. They bought a little of this and a little of that, and by the end, both Xue Yue’s and He Lang’s arms were laden with bags.

Xue Xingzhou and Zhang Qian returned on the twenty-eighth of the twelfth lunar month.

Zheng Guofeng came with them.

He made a special trip to the cowsheds. It seemed like everything was the same, but at the same time, it felt like everything had changed.

Not far from the cowsheds, Old Mr. and Mrs. Gu’s grave was still there—in truth, it was just a small mound of earth.

It was covered in a thick layer of snow over a lot of withered weeds.

Zheng Guofeng pulled away the dry grass with his hands and stood before the grave for a long time.

He didn’t move until Xue Xingzhou called him back.

"Let’s go. It’s too cold. Uncle He wants to have a drink with you."

Only then did Zheng Guofeng stir. He took one last look, then turned and walked back.

At the old He Family residence, He Lang’s eldest uncle had also come. Mr. He and Zheng Guofeng sat on the kang, drinking and chatting, while the younger generation, like He Lang and the others, sat to the side and listened.

He Zhendong had just returned yesterday and was also there today. The brothers gathered together, talking amongst themselves.

Zheng Guofeng and the others drank too much and still hadn’t woken up the next morning.

On the twenty-ninth of the twelfth lunar month, Xue Yue and Xue Xingzhou planned to go back to their family home for a visit.

Zhang Qian went with them.

The moment their door opened, Xue Xingjun came running over from next door.

"Big Brother, I had a feeling you were back."

Xue Xingzhou shot him a glance. "Since you’re here, help me clean up the house." 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Xue Xingjun hurried to grab a rag. "You got it."

Xue Yue went next door, bringing the things she had bought for her father.

Xue Changlin glanced next door out of the corner of his eye. "Xingzhou and the others are back?"

Xue Yue nodded. "They came back for a visit. The house is too small for them to stay, so they’re spending the New Year at my place. We’ll be leaving after the fifth day of the New Year."

Xue Changlin nodded, his movements a bit slow. "Stay for lunch, then. Tell your brother and his wife to come too."

Xue Yue was taken aback for a moment. "I’ll go ask them."