After more than ten hours of bumpy journey, the train finally arrived at their hometown at noon. In the car for more than ten hours, Xia Yufeng did not eat or drink. He sat and waited anxiously.
Ah Qin had been waiting at the station. When Xia Yufeng got off the bus, he saw him at the exit. He was still the same.
"Qin, how is my grandmother now?”Xia Yufeng hurriedly asked.
"You must be tired from the car ride. Your grandmother…Let's go. We'll talk on the way.”
"What happened? Tell me.”
"You know that your grandmother is not in good health. He found out not long after you left. I heard that she went to look for your father and asked him why he treated you like this. So, she got into an argument with your father. At that time, your father…at that time, he accidentally touched your grandmother out of boredom. Your grandmother staggered and fell to the ground. Your father sent her to the hospital for a check-up. After the doctor examined her, there was nothing wrong with her, so he sent her home. After that, she lay in bed to recuperate. "Just two days ago, my body suddenly became serious. I don't seem to be able to eat or drink much. My body became very weak, so I decided to tell you and let you come back.”Aqin looked at Xia Yufeng and said.
After listening, Xia Yufeng suddenly became calm. He nodded to Ah Qin and walked forward with his bag. She hailed a taxi and rushed to her grandmother's house.
When Xia Yufeng returned to his grandmother's house, he found his uncle's car parked at the door. His uncle had also returned. Xia Yufeng's uncle, Xia Qiming, was doing quite well. He ran a shop outside and only earned 200,000 yuan a year. Now, he had a house and a car. He only had one child, and it was a girl, so he loved Xia Yufeng, the only boy in the family, very much. Therefore, Xia Yufeng and his uncle had always had a good relationship. To Xia Yufeng, Xia Qiming was much better than his father.
Xia Qiming heaved a sigh of relief when he saw Xia Yufeng get out of the car with his bag.
Ah Feng, it's good that you're back. You must be tired from the journey." Xia Qiming patted Xia Yufeng's head and said with concern.
"Uncle, I'm fine. I want to see Grandma.”Xia Yufeng smiled at Xia Qiming and said with tears in his eyes.
"Okay, go in. Grandma misses you very much.”Xia Yufeng nodded, then turned around and walked towards the bedroom. At the door, Xia Yufeng paused for a moment. He was so familiar with this room. He had slept here for eight years, and his grandmother had slept with him for eight years. Although it was shabby, it gave him a more intimate and comfortable feeling than any high-class hotel.
When he entered the room, he saw Grandma lying on the wooden bed, sleeping quietly. The wrinkles on his face outlined a kind image. That image was filled with gratitude and greatness…
Xia Yufeng kneeled in front of the bed, holding her hand as he watched her sleep. The tears at the corner of her eyes had not dried yet. Xia Yufeng reached out his right hand to wipe them away for her, but her wrinkled skin could not be wiped away no matter how hard he tried. A few strands of white hair fell on her face and fluttered in her slow breathing. Xia Yufeng gently tucked his silver hair behind her ear, and his not-so-pretty face looked extremely beautiful at this moment.
Xia Yufeng had been kneeling in front of the bed and looking at his grandmother. He had been recalling the memories she had brought him and the footprints she had left behind.
The sunset was always so beautiful. Through the narrow wooden windows of the house, a few rays of yellow light shone in. He lay on the ground quietly. I looked at it and it felt so familiar. It looked so much like Grandma who was lying in bed at the moment. Such gentleness, such kindness, such selflessness…
"Brother, the food is ready. Come out and have some food. Grandma usually wakes up very late. You should eat first." His cousin, Ling Ling, appeared behind Xia Yufeng and tapped his shoulder.
" Oh, okay." Xia Yufeng nodded and tidied up the quilt for his grandmother. Then, he left the room with his sister.
Coming out of the bedroom, Xia Yufeng carried his luggage back to his grandmother's room and placed his luggage on the table. He hadn't been back for a long time. Xia Yufeng looked around and then fixed his eyes on the few awards on the wall. This was the only honor he had since he went to school, and these honors had been framed on the wall by Grandma Xia for a long time, in her heart.
Seeing this, Xia Yufeng couldn't help but shake his head. Time passed so quickly, and too many things had changed. Comparing his current situation with the past that his grandmother was proud of, Xia Yufeng had no choice but to lower his once high head and admit that the pride on the wall had nothing to do with his present. Everything had changed. It had become unbearable.
Xia Yufeng gradually fell into deep thought as he looked at the wall. This kind of contemplation was not enough to be defined as reflection because he could not find an excuse to convince himself that he was wrong. However, he had to accept the price behind this mistake unconditionally. Moreover, he was still holding on to this price, torturing himself in the repeated interweaving of right and wrong. Perhaps this was the so-called emotional bearing of social relations that had given him a tie that he had to accept.
After sitting in the car for more than ten hours, Xia Yufeng, who only arrived home at two in the afternoon, was actually very hungry. He had forgotten about his hunger because he was worried about his mother. Now, when he saw the table full of dishes, he knew that he was starving.
After Aunt Xia Xin Lan served the last dish, everyone gathered around the table and started eating. During the meal, Xia Yufeng's uncles, aunts, uncles, and sisters kept asking him about his time away from home. Xia Yufeng didn't answer much and just kept eating with his head lowered. First, he was really hungry. Second, he really didn't know how to say it. He wasn't doing well. If he told the truth, his family would feel sorry for him. Xia Yufeng couldn't afford to feel sorry for him. The stubbornness that he had worked so hard to maintain and manage couldn't be destroyed like this. If he said that he was doing well, no one would believe him. It should be easy to tell. Therefore, he decided to remain silent.
As a result, Xia Yufeng and his family didn't have any taste for the meal. Especially in this awkward situation, Xia Yufeng couldn't adapt to it for a while. He used to be so lively and outgoing, but now he had become thoughtful and reserved in front of his family. This inexplicable change made Xia Yufeng narrow and start to doubt himself. Was this family still the family he was familiar with? Was he chased out of the house by his father? Subconsciously, he was already unfamiliar with his father's immediate family.
Perhaps Xia Yufeng had to admit that it wasn't just his personality that had changed. Perhaps it was also his understanding of kinship.
After dinner, Xia Yufeng went into the house to visit Grandma. She was still sleeping. So, he carefully left the room and told Ling Ling to tell her aunt to keep the vegetables warm in the pot so that she could eat them when she woke up.
After instructing his sister, Xia Yufeng walked out alone. The night in the countryside was completely different from the night in the city. It was like the two personalities of people-cheerful and introverted. He was used to the noisy city, the colorful neon lights, and the noisy environment. He was not used to being back in the dark and silent countryside at night except for the occasional croaking of frogs in the fields.
He took out a cigarette from his pocket, held it between his lips, and lit it gently. As the fireworks lit up and dimmed, the smoke was slowly exhaled from Xia Yufeng's mouth. His heart sank as he watched the smoke in front of him float up gently with the wind, like layers of waves rolling and finally drifting away.
In the midst of the smoke and thoughts, Xia Yufeng heard two coughs. He turned around and saw his uncle, Xia Qiming, coming over. Xia Yufeng knew that Xia Qiming must have a lot of questions for him, but he didn't know if he had the courage to answer him.
When Xia Qiming walked to Xia Yufeng's side, Xia Yufeng took out the white sand cigarette he bought when he got on the car and handed it to him. Xia Qiming didn't take it.
" When did you learn to smoke? It's not good for your health. Smoke less." After saying that, Xia Qiming took out a pack of Blue Lotus King from his pocket and handed one to Xia Yufeng.
"Yes, I know." Xia Yufeng threw away the burning white sand cigarette and stepped on it to extinguish it. Then, he helped Xia Qiming light the cigarette. After that, he also lit the Blue Lotus King that Xia Qiming handed over. From the picture, they looked like friends.
"Ah Feng, when we were eating just now, I asked you about your situation outside. You didn't say anything, but I knew that you must be having a hard time. As your uncle, my heart aches to see you speak the truth like this. I've talked to your father before. You know his temper better than I do.”Xia Qiming took a deep breath as he spoke. Xia Yufeng could see his helplessness. How could he not know what kind of person his father was? His father had always been self-righteous and always had a high and mighty attitude. He did not allow others to refute him. No one could talk to him on equal terms, at least in this family.
He might have been successful as a leader, but as a son, brother, and father, he was a complete failure.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]