Chapter 90

As he got closer to home, Cheng Jemin suddenly felt a sense of trepidation. In the distance, he could see the river at the village entrance, its surface frozen like a silver snake lying stiffly. The entire village exuded a particularly gentle yet desolate and melancholic atmosphere, making people feel sorrowful and uneasy. The stacks of firewood at the village entrance resembled enlarged mushrooms, standing silently on the threshing ground. The crooked tree at the eastern end of the village seemed to be a guardian.

It was already dusk. The staggered adobe houses, the rising wisps of cooking smoke, and the shadows of the houses, all peaceful and quiet, brought the familiar scent of home to him, making his eyes well up. Cheng Jemin suddenly remembered a popular song: "Come back, come back, wanderer from afar." His eyes began to moisten. Oh, this place where he was born and raised, where his heart yearned!

Some families had already started making dinner, and Cheng Jemin's heart was filled with joy. The warm, rustic New Year, the year of feasting and drinking, was getting closer and closer!

"Bang!" A small firecracker exploded not far from Cheng Jemin, and a few mischievous children excitedly darted out from a small alley.

"Jemin, are you on holiday?" A young man in his thirties saw Cheng Jemin and called out loudly.

Cheng Jemin hesitated for a moment, then warmly approached and said, "Brother Jinbao, Happy New Year! Have you prepared the New Year's goods yet?" As he spoke, he quickly took out the Hongtashan cigarettes he had prepared for the New Year and offered one to him.

A pack of Hongtashan cigarettes, priced at 20 yuan, was considered a good brand even in Tianyuan City, let alone in the countryside. Jinbao, the man, took the elegantly packaged cigarette, looked at it, sniffed it, and then tucked it behind his ear. "Wow, this is a good cigarette. It must be stronger than Jinzhong. When did you come back?"

"Only just now, I got home." Cheng Jemin knew that Brother Jinbao wouldn't smoke this cigarette, probably saving it for a crowded occasion.

After greeting the people on the street, Cheng Jemin arrived at his own doorstep. Two old wooden doors, with a wall below made of bricks and soil.

"Second Brother, you're back!" Little Lingdang, like a happy little bird, ran out of the house and hugged him.

Seeing his sister, who had grown taller, Cheng Jemin chuckled, "Oh, a year hasn't seen you, and Little Lingdang has grown into a pretty little girl!"

The old couple, seeing their second son return, their walnut-like wrinkled faces immediately turned into two smiling flowers. To them, their beloved son hadn't been away for a year but for five, as if he had returned from the ends of the earth.

"Father, Mother!" Cheng Jemin, looking at the joyful faces etched with the marks of time, felt a lump in his throat.

"Good to be back." Cheng Xigui immediately moved to the table and said with a smile, "Quick, go warm up by the stove."

The scalding hot brown sugar water, plus Little Lingdang's joyful laughter, filled the house with a scent that made Cheng Jemin feel intoxicated. He talked about his work at the Water Conservancy Bureau, of course, emphasizing how much the leadership valued him. His assignment to Kuanyang Township to support agriculture was a clear sign that the bureau leadership and the organization were training him.

When Cheng Xiguo heard that Cheng Jemin was supporting agriculture in Kuanyang Township, he smiled and said, "That's good. It will be more convenient to come home these two years."

Cheng Xigui put down the Hongtashan cigarette and took out a Jinzhong cigarette from his pocket, lighting it. "No matter where you are, you must work hard."

As night finally fell, Ren Gaini prepared a table full of dishes, thick slices of pig's head meat, greasy eggplant and meat rolls, and a full pot of stewed lamb with carrots. The familiar flavors made Cheng Jemin's appetite grow.

The three of them drank wine, and it seemed that Cheng Lao Han was very happy, taking a big gulp every time he raised his glass.

"Second Son, you've made it, but don't forget your roots, don't forget your brother. Your brother is a good boy. In the end, a person must have self-awareness. If you're high, aim higher; if you're low, accept it..." After finishing a pot of wine, Cheng Lao Han was clearly drunk.

"Okay, Father, Second Son just got back, let him rest!" Cheng Jemin heard his brother almost crying in response. His heart trembled. What was going on?

After a long journey and a bit of drinking, Cheng Jemin fell asleep as soon as he lay down on the bed. He woke up thirsty in the middle of the night, got up to find some water, and pulled the light cord but found that his brother was not on the bed opposite.

Looking at the time on the pager, it was already past midnight. His brother had drunk a lot, what was he doing?

Cheng Jemin suddenly remembered his father's words at the dinner table. What was going on? What happened?

He quickly put on his clothes and walked out of the small room. The cold air outside made him shiver instinctively. Looking around, everything was shrouded in the dark night.

Where would his brother go at this time?

Just as Cheng Jemin was at a loss, he noticed a flickering light on the high ground outside their yard. After hesitating for a moment, Cheng Jemin walked over.

"Rustle, rustle..."

A strange sound came, startling Cheng Jemin, but he soon realized it was the sound of a radio.

By the light of the flickering fire, Cheng Jemin saw his brother squatting on the high ground, the sparks from his cigarette making his face alternately bright and dark. Cheng Jemin coughed lightly and said, "Brother, it's so cold, why don't you go to sleep?"

Cheng Xiguo was taken aback for a moment, then stood up and said, "Oh, I felt a bit stuffy after drinking, so I came here to get some fresh air."

As he spoke, Cheng Xiguo turned off the radio. Cheng Jemin, looking at his brother in the darkness, felt even more puzzled.

What kind of fresh air are you getting in the middle of the night? After hesitating, Cheng Jemin affectionately put his arm around his brother's shoulder and asked in a low voice, "Brother, is there something going on at home that you're hiding from me?"

"Nothing, what could happen?" Cheng Xiguo waved his hand and said, "Let's go back to sleep."

Back in the room, it was only a short while before the snoring from the small bed opposite began. But Cheng Jemin couldn't sleep. His sensitive nature made him feel that his brother and even his parents were hiding something from him. But what exactly?

Cheng Jemin couldn't help but start flipping through his diary about the New Year, but unfortunately, the diary barely mentioned his return home for the New Year. The only thing he remembered was drinking a lot, and when did his brother start drinking so much?

There must be something going on!

When Cheng Jemin woke up in the morning, Cheng Xiguo's bed was already empty. Seeing the neatly made bed, Cheng Jemin quickly got up.

After washing his face with cold water, Cheng Jemin went back to the room to find a comb. But when he saw the comb on the table with only a few teeth left, he couldn't help but shake his head. It seemed he needed to borrow a comb from his sister.

Just as he was about to look for Little Lingdang, his gaze fell on the old, spotted table, which was said to be a dowry from his grandmother's wedding. He remembered that last year, there was a small round comb in one of the drawers.

Let the girl sleep well, I won't disturb her. Cheng Jemin thought of Little Lingdang sleeping in, and couldn't help but smile. He then opened the drawer.

The drawer was small, and inside was indeed a small round comb. Cheng Jemin picked up the comb, and as he did, two short wooden sticks appeared before his eyes. Seeing these two sticks, Cheng Jemin's facial muscles twitched. He seemed to be transported back to that summer.

The two brothers were both distressed and frightened, their mother stood by, sobbing silently, and although Cheng Lao Han didn't cry, he looked even more miserable. After feeling around with his bare feet for a long time, he finally spoke, "Jiguo, Jemin, you both know our family's situation. Your parents can only support one of you to go to school and seek a career. As for which one of you, I won't decide. Let the ancestors decide for you."

At that time, Cheng Jemin remembered how he had been hoping, hoping to be the lucky one, hoping to be the one to go to school!

He remembered the joy when he drew the short stick from his brother's hand, representing the chance to go to school. At that moment, his brother didn't say anything, just held the hand tightly that held the small stick.

All along, he had thought that his chance to go to school was due to his own luck, but it turned out that...

Looking at the two small sticks, Cheng Jemin's eyes couldn't help but moisten. At that moment, he felt that he owed his brother so much. If his brother had continued his studies, he would have been the one to get a job in the province.

Taking a deep breath, Cheng Jemin gently placed the two small sticks back in their original position and closed the drawer.

"Second Brother, have you washed your face? Mother asked me to call you for breakfast!" Little Lingdang bounced in, smiling and urging Cheng Jemin.

Seeing his smiling sister, Cheng Jemin composed himself and grabbed Little Lingdang's braid, saying, "Why aren't you wearing the jacket I bought you? I spent a lot of time picking it out."

"I'm going to wear it for the New Year." Little Lingdang, though a bit unhappy with her brother grabbing her braid, didn't object.

Cheng Jemin chuckled, "Wear it, today we'll go to the market and pick out another one."

"I don't want to, this one is enough." Little Lingdang was initially delighted but then shook her head in refusal.

Seeing his sister's understanding, Cheng Jemin felt both comforted and a bit sad. Poor children grow up fast. If they were in the city, at her age, children would be carefree and clinging to their parents, but his sister was already so mature!

After a moment's thought, Cheng Jemin remembered the question that had been on his mind the night before and quietly asked, "Lingdang, is there something going on at home?"

PS: Click, collect, and recommend! Quan Xiong is on the third river this Wednesday, hoping for your support!