Chapter 194 The Elderly and the Home
There is a slanting breeze and drizzle, and smoke from cooking lingers in the green valley.

The clouds and mist are curling, and the distant mountains are like green steamed buns just out of the oven.

An intercity bus sped past on the road.

Chen Jin sat by the window, wearing Bluetooth headphones, looking at the scenery outside the window in a trance.

Next to him sat a middle-aged woman.

The woman was less than 40 years old, and with a little makeup, she could not hide her rough skin and bloated bags under her eyes.

In his arms was a cute little girl of about two or three years old, who was fast asleep like a porcelain doll.

Luo Ling moved very carefully, fearing to wake up the sleeping girl.

She turned her head to look at Chen Jin and wanted to speak several times to break the silence between mother and son.

But he was afraid of something and hesitated to speak.

In this way, the somewhat awkward atmosphere lasted for an hour and a half.

“We’ve arrived at Jiguang Reservoir.”

Chen Jin suddenly spoke in a low voice.

“Jiguang Reservoir?”

Luo Ling was stunned for a moment.

Subconsciously, I looked out the window.

I happened to see a signpost standing by the road with the words “Jiguang Reservoir” clearly written on it.

Before Luo Ling could react, she heard Chen Jin continue, “I remember when I was a child, you and dad often told me that after passing the Jiguang Reservoir, we would reach the public housing estate.”

“Correct.”

Luo Ling quickly replied, “After passing the Jiguang Reservoir, we will soon reach the public housing.”

“Ah.”

Chen Jin nodded.

Then, he stopped talking.

Instead, he continued to look at the scenery outside the car window.

Since I left my hometown three years ago, I rarely come back throughout the year except during winter and summer vacations.

After joining the provincial team, I trained every day, day after day. Except for the holidays, I had even less time to go back home.

Chen Jin remembered that the last time he saw his father-in-law was during the Spring Festival.

It has been more than half a year now.

Although communication is developed and convenient nowadays, we can video chat almost every day.

It seems that the distance is closer, but compared to when I was a child, it feels much farther.

As the scenery along the road becomes more and more familiar.

Chen Jin felt inexplicably nervous.

“Coming.”

Luo Ling stood up, looked forward, and raised her voice a little, “Master, kick the Wutong Temple.”

talking.

He gently woke up his daughter and prepared to pack up and get off the bus.

Chen Jin was about to get up, but when he glanced outside the car window, he saw a slightly hunched figure standing on the side of the road not far ahead, like a stone tablet, looking at every car passing by.

When he saw the bus from afar, he stood on tiptoe and leaned half of his body out, trying to get a clearer look.

“Father-in-law!”

Chen Jin was so happy that he couldn’t help but shout, “Master, stop right here.”

The bus slowly stopped.

Chen Jin carried the things and Luo Ling held her daughter, and they got out of the car carefully.

The wind was mixed with rain and the chill was overwhelming.

But Chen Jin didn’t care about much else and rushed straight towards the old man: “Father-in-law!”

“Little Jinza.”

The old man was already grinning from ear to ear.

Every wrinkle on his face was filled with joy and doting. “Your baby has grown taller and thinner. Is it because he doesn’t eat meat?”

“Thin is thin, with muscles.”

Chen Jin grinned.

His eyes turned.

The old man’s hair was covered with raindrops, as if covered with a layer of light autumn frost.

“Father-in-law, why don’t you hold an umbrella?”

Chen Jin felt a little distressed.

“fine.”

The old man rubbed his hair a few times and smiled nonchalantly, “A drizzle can’t wet clothes.”

“Then how come your clothes are wet?”

There was a hint of complaint in Chen Jin’s tone.

The light breeze and drizzle are unlikely to wet your clothes, but they are not enough to withstand standing in the wind and rain for a long time.

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

The old man smiled and said, “Your father-in-law is in very good health. Yesterday he even carried more than a dozen urine buckets to the mountain to water the plants.”

“…”

Chen Jingang wanted to scold him.

At this time, Luo Ling came over holding Wu Xi and said, “Dad.”

“Eh.”

The old man responded, walked forward, took out a lollipop from his pocket, and teased Wu Xi with a smile, “Xixi, do you still recognize who I am?”

Perhaps because he had just woken up and his mind was still a little unclear, Wu Xi stared at the old man blankly and went straight into Luo Ling’s arms.

“Father-in-law, call father-in-law quickly.”

Luo Ling said softly.

however.

But her daughter showed her temper and Luo Ling was helpless for a moment.

“The baby is small, it’s normal.”

The old man turned around and said to Chen Jin, “Xiao Jinza, what’s your father like?”

“He’s in trouble.”

Chen Jin quickly took out a few hundred-dollar bills and stuffed them into the old man’s hand, “My dad asked me to bring them to you, my father-in-law.”

The old man frowned: “After so many years, he has a lot of things to do.”

He didn’t refuse and put the money in his pocket.

While talking.

The rain is getting heavier.

Several people walked quickly towards home.

The old man’s home is an old bungalow with several old houses with earthen walls.

Kitchen, main room, grain storage, pigpen… everything is available.

There is a yard in front of the door and a brick wall.

There is a vegetable garden behind the house, with fruit trees, onions and ginger.

The spacious yard was cleaned tidy, with several pots of gardenia and yellow orchid planted at the foot of the wall.

Chickens crow, ducks cry, pigs howl, and geese scream.

As the group approached the gate, they heard a few frantic dog barks.

“Curl the dog!”

Chen Jin shouted across the gate.

Instantly.

The dogs stopped barking.

A light yellow pastoral dog came running over happily, shaking its head and hips.

As soon as the gate was opened.

They jumped around Chen Jin.

After entering the house, the old man saw that everyone’s hair was covered with rain, so he hurriedly found some new towels.

He then brought the kettle and filled a basin with water.

“Come and wash your face with hot water.”

The old man was never idle. He took out melon seeds and fruits from the house and kept serving customers.

“Father-in-law.”

Chen Jin smiled bitterly, “Do you treat your own grandson as a guest?”

“It’s rare for your baby to come back now.”

The old man said.

After sitting in the main room for a while, Chen Jin stood up and walked towards his old room.

Push the door open and enter.

A familiar smell came to my face.

The walls are covered with the “Three Good Students” award certificates I received when I was in elementary school.

As well as several posters of One Piece, Bleach, Detective Conan, etc.

Desk, bed, toy guns… In three years, the furnishings in the room have hardly changed.

Putting the backpack on the desk, Chen Jin picked up an AK toy gun and started playing with it.

Sudden.

There were footsteps behind me.

“All your things are here.”

The old man smiled slightly, “Father, I never regarded them as waste.”

At this time, Luo Ling went to the kitchen to prepare food.

Wu Xi was in the yard, hanging out with the big yellow dog.

Finally, the grandfather and grandson had some time to themselves.

“Father-in-law.”

Chen Jin blurted out, “I miss you so much.”

“I want a hug.”

He said, opening his arms.

Just like acting like a spoiled child.

“You’ve grown so tall now, it’s hard for your father-in-law to hold you.”

Although he said this, the old man still tried hard to pick up Chen Jin. After trying several times, he finally gave up.

“Your child has grown up, and your father-in-law has grown old.”

The old man smiled and sighed.

“Father-in-law, you are only fifty-six now, not even sixty yet, you are still very young.”

Chen Jin smiled.

The old man is not too old, but he goes up and down the mountains and fields all day long, exposed to the wind and sun, and looks like he is in his sixties or seventies.

“Not young, but old.”

The old man shook his head.

“Father-in-law, you are alone in the house, so don’t do so much work in the future…”

Chen Jin hadn’t finished speaking yet.

The old man interrupted him: “What else can you do if you don’t work? I harvested more than 1,000 kilograms of millet this year and sold 500 to 600 kilograms of rapeseed.”

“I just slaughtered two pigs last month. I’ve saved one and will slaughter it again before the New Year. Then I’ll smoke half a side of bacon and sausage for you.”

“I didn’t feed my pigs any feed, and the meat is delicious.”

There was some satisfaction in his words and expression.

“Forget it. How much can I eat? You can save it for later.”

Chen Jin smiled and said, “If you can’t finish it, just sell it for money.”

“Wait a minute.”

The old man seemed to suddenly remember something, and went back to his room mysteriously.

Shortly after.

Appeared in front of Chen Jin again.

But the old man had an extra passbook in his hand. He handed it to Chen Jin and said in a low voice, “Look, kid, your father-in-law has saved a lot of money for you.”

“Save it for me?”

Chen Jin was stunned for a moment.

Opening the passbook, the old man pointed to the balance and said, “This 30,000 yuan was saved little by little by my father-in-law from selling pigs, chickens, ducks and grains. Your mother doesn’t even know about it.”

“What do you save it for?”

Chen Jin said, “You can use it yourself.”

“You little bastard.”

The old man glared at him and said, “Father will save up for you to buy a house in the city later.”

“…”

Chen Jin smiled bitterly, “Buying a house in the city? This amount of money is not enough.”

“I know it’s not enough.”

The old man patted his chest and said, “I am fifty-six this year. Even if I live to be seventy, and work for another ten years, I can save tens of thousands of dollars for you. It will be absolutely no problem.”

“Seventy years old? Not enough!”

Chen Jin said, “At least eighty… no, at least ninety!”

“ninety?”

The old man frowned, “I wonder if I can still work when the time comes?”

“Father, don’t worry.”

Chen Jin smiled and vowed, “When you are 60 years old, you won’t have to work in the fields anymore. I will take care of you in your old age.”

“Don’t worry about the house. I can handle it myself.”

“Your money should be stored there and given to your great-grandson as New Year’s gift money in the future.”

As soon as I heard the word “great-grandson”.

The old man’s eyes lit up, and he seemed to have suddenly become twenty years younger: “Okay, I’ll save it for my grandchildren and great-grandchildren.”

“By the way, how many days will your kid stay before leaving?”

Chen Jin shook his head: “No, I have something else to do. I will leave early tomorrow morning.”

“what?”

The old man frowned again, “So hurried?”

Just as the grandfather and grandson were chatting happily.

Sudden.

Outside the courtyard gate, a voice shouted, “Lao Luo, is there anyone in the house?”

Go out and take a look.

The village and town leaders somehow got the news of Chen Jin’s return home and actually visited him in person.

Chen Jin participated in a table tennis competition and won the world championship. Although it was not long ago, the news has already spread back to his hometown.

After all, it’s not easy to produce a celebrity in a remote area.

It is necessary to visit and express condolences.

The news spread quickly and all the neighbors came to watch the fun.

Chen Jin was overwhelmed.

“World champion? What is a world champion?”

“You don’t know this? I used to watch Douyin on my phone and often saw Jinwazi.”

“Tsk tsk tsk, Jinwazi has made great progress.”

“Jinwazi plays table tennis. I wonder if he has any apprentices? I want my kid to learn from him.”

……

The crowd did not disperse until noon.

The old man was not very clear about Chen Jin’s affairs.

However, now the village and town leaders came to visit Chen Jin in person and were very polite to him.

In the past, how could the Luo family have ever been so arrogant?

The old man was so excited that he even straightened his back unconsciously.

In the afternoon.

Some relatives heard about Chen Jin’s deeds and came from far away.

It’s like New Year’s Day at home.

Facing this group of relatives who were rarely seen, Chen Jin always kept smiling.

Originally, I came back this time to visit my father-in-law.

Unexpectedly, I have to deal with relatives.

Chen Jin felt quite helpless.

However, seeing the old man’s cheerful expression, Chen Jin didn’t care.

At night.

Just like when they were children, Chen Jin slept on the same bed with the old man and chatted until the early morning before he fell into a deep sleep.

The next day.

Early in the morning.

Before dawn.

The old man got up and started to do various things.

Cooking, feeding pigs…

After breakfast, the old man packed two bags of peanuts, oranges, vegetable oil, rice, etc. in two batches. He wanted to empty his own granary and loaded them all onto a three-wheeled motorcycle.

Before leaving.

The old man quietly took Chen Jin to his room alone.

He took out a red envelope from under the pillow.

Forcefully stuffed it into Chen Jin’s hand.

“Father-in-law, I don’t need it…”

Chen Jin was about to refuse.

But the old man held his hand and would not let go, his eyes firm: “Xiao Jinzha, listen to what your father-in-law said, this is the New Year’s money that he gave you in advance, you have to take it.”

During a chat last night, Chen Jin mentioned that he might not be able to go home during the Chinese New Year period because of competitions.

Unexpectedly, the old man used this as an excuse to give him New Year’s money.

Chen Jin was unable to refuse for a moment.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t touch a single cent of the money I gave you to buy the house.”

The old man whispered, “This money is the living expenses your father and mother give me. I have been saving it and will pay it back to them in the future.”

“Xiao Jinza, father-in-law knows that you have been suffering these years. Your parents’ affairs…”

Speaking of which.

The old man choked up a little and sighed deeply.

“Father-in-law.”

Chen Jin sniffed, “With you here, I’m not miserable at all.”

Since he was a child, the old man has always treated him like a treasure.

Not only did he never let Chen Jin do any heavy work.

Even when Chen Jin was a child, the old man carried Chen Jin on his back and a urine bucket while going up the mountain to farm.

Under the old man’s care, Chen Jin really never suffered any hardship.

“Little Jinza.”

After a pause, the old man continued, “Your father likes to eat peanuts. I prepared two bags for him. You can bring them back to him.”

“Please help my father-in-law tell your father that this man might one day …”

“Buried in the grave, no matter how loudly you kowtow, the people in the grave can’t hear you.”

Chen Jin was silent for a moment, then nodded and said, “I understand. I will tell my dad.”

“And, baby.”

The old man held Chen Jin’s hand tightly, raised his head, looked at Chen Jin’s face, looked at him carefully, and said slowly, “Play well in the game, take care of yourself, and win glory for the country.”

“Don’t worry about my father-in-law. He is used to being alone at home.”

“Occasionally, I can talk to my father-in-law through the surveillance camera and chat with him. He is very satisfied.”

in the room.

The light is a little dim.

But the old man’s eyes were shining brightly.

Chen Jin was agitated, but he suppressed his emotions and nodded, “Father-in-law, I know.”

“All right.”

The old man pretended to be relaxed and kind, “It’s getting late, I’ll take you to town to catch the bus.”

(End of this chapter)