Later, the two brothers sat in their parents’ laps, heads leaning against each other, and fell asleep together.

When they reached the village entrance, Duan stopped the car and offered to help them unload their things.

When he tried to assist with carrying the children, Cheng Rushan said, “I’ll handle it myself.”

He lightly jumped down holding XiaoBao, then took Dabao from Jiang Lin’s hands and held them both on his shoulders.

Duan admired, “Cheng Ge, you’re really lucky. Your wife is so beautiful, and you have two handsome sons, such good fortune.”

Cheng Rushan had never been told he was lucky before; usually people said he had bad luck.

He smiled and said, “Thank you. Let’s have a drink sometime when we’re free.”

He glanced at Qianbo, his expression turning cold. “You’re a man, right?”

Qianbo straightened up proudly, “Of course!”

Cheng Rushan commanded, “Carry the bag.”

Qianbo thought, ‘Don’t you know how heavy your bag is? Am I your laborer? You spoiled landlord’s son!’

Through gritted teeth, he hoisted the heavy bag onto his back, bending under its weight.

Jiang Lin wanted to fetch some cloth, but Cheng Rushan said, “Let enthusiastic Qian take it.”

Qianbo felt like he was dying under the weight of the bag, and now he was asked to fetch cloth? He was seething with anger, but still picked up a large bundle, leaving Jiang Lin to take the smallest one.

Jiang Lin thought to herself, “… Qianbo is so obedient, has he been caught doing something?”

She glanced at Cheng Rushan quietly, and he lowered his eyes to meet hers, smiling gently at her.

She noticed he looked quite charming when he smiled, warm and completely different from when he had a stern face.

The sun hung like a big egg yolk in the western sky, still bright.

As the three of them walked towards the village, the fellow villagers hadn’t finished work yet, so there were few people on the road, only children who didn’t need to work playing around.

The children were curious to see Cheng Rushan carrying XiaoBao and Dabao, and some dared to ask, “Who are you?”

Qianbo wanted to say something witty, but carrying the heavy bag made him pant, his voice rough in his throat.

Six years ago, Cheng Rushan wasn’t home often either.

He didn’t know the village children, and they didn’t know him.

Just as he was about to introduce himself, Jiang Lin interrupted, “He’s the father of Xiaobao and Dabao. If anyone bullies them, he’ll beat you up.”

The group of children immediately became nervous.

Most of them had teased Dabao and Xiaobao before, and their faces turned pale.

One of the children suddenly remembered the gossip at home; his father had been beaten into a pig’s head by Cheng Rushan, and every time he saw Dabao and Xiaobao, he cursed Cheng Rushan as a landlord’s son.

His expression changed, and he shouted and ran, “Help! Dongsheng, the big bully, is back!”

The children started crying and fled, shouting, “The Bully is coming, the Bully is coming!”

Cheng Rushan stood there silently.

Jiang Lin smiled at him and said, “Kids really can’t handle a scare.”

Because of the children’s cries, some elderly people who weren’t working heard and opened their doors to see what was going on.

They heard the children shouting about a Bully. A grandmother scolded them, “You brats, what nonsense are you talking? Where would there be a Bully?”

The Child who asked earlier cried, “Grandma, it’s scarier than a Bully! Cheng Dongsheng is back. He’s not dead!”

The village had never officially informed Cheng’s family whether Cheng Rushan was dead or not.

Cheng Ruhai only got a message from above, thinking Cheng Rushan had died in prison and wouldn’t return.

But now he was back, and it scared those who knew him, causing them to peek in and out of their doors nervously.

He was such a big guy, clearly visible with the sun casting his shadow, and he had feet…

He was definitely alive.

Those who hadn’t done anything wrong felt relieved, while those who had bullied Yan Runzhi, Dabao, and Xiaobao were trembling in fear,

Immediately sending messages to men, forming alliances, and gathering information…

The entire large village suddenly buzzed with activity in places hidden from Jiang Lin and the others.

Cheng Rushan relied on memory to go to his old courtyard, but Jiang Lin stopped him.

“This way.”

Cheng Rushan furrowed his brow slightly. “Moved?”

Jiang Lin didn’t elaborate for now, just nodded.

Qianbo, exhausted and panting, muttered, “Cheng, Cheng Ruhai is not a decent guy.”

Cheng Rushan paused, looked back at Qianbo, then at Jiang Lin. “Did he bully you and Mom?”

Jiang Lin thought for a moment.

The original owner seemed to have bullied Yan Runzhi, but Cheng Ruhai had indeed bullied them.

Though half of it was the original owner’s fault for not intervening, Yan Runzhi feared for Dabao and Xiaobao’s well-being and was ultimately bullied.

Cheng Rushan didn’t say another word, just followed Jiang Lin back to the small courtyard.

The door was slightly ajar, and Jiang Lin pushed it open, saying, “Grandma, we’re back.”

There was no response inside; Jiang Lin guessed Yan Runzhi must have gone to the vegetable garden to pick vegetables and prepare dinner at this hour.

She helped Cheng Rushan lay the two children on the kang (heated brick bed), then pulled a sheet over their bellies.

Cheng Rushan glanced around the room.

When he left, the house was nicely furnished.

Even though six years had passed, things might be worn but shouldn’t look so bleak and dilapidated.

Qianbo immediately sensed his change.

In the dim room, Cheng Rushan’s face was grim, his brows furrowed.

Qianbo felt uneasy. “Cheng Rushan, Jiang Lin, I… I’ll go first.”

Jiang Lin hurriedly said to Cheng Rushan, “I’ll go fetch Grandma back.”

She was even more unwilling than Qianbo to be alone with Cheng Rushan in the cramped cottage.

It felt too confined.

But Cheng Rushan said, “I’ll go.”

Once outside the courtyard, Qianbo tried to run, but Cheng Rushan grabbed his shoulder.

Qianbo trembled in fear. “W-what are you going to do?”

Cheng Rushan said, “I have a few questions for you.”

…

After they left, Jiang Lin quickly tidied up the room.

She planned to clean up the bed in the east room for Cheng Rushan to sleep on.

One side of the kang had collapsed, and she had intended to save up some money to fix it in a few days.

She hadn’t expected Cheng Rushan to return so soon, but it should be fine for him to sleep alone.

While she was busy, Cheng Rushan and Yan Runzhi returned from outside. “Bao’er’s mother, Dongsheng said he met you in the county town? If not family, we wouldn’t meet, destined to cross paths, right?”

With her son back, Yan Runzhi was so happy that her steps were much lighter.

She practically skipped into the house, standing taller and speaking louder than before, not the soft-spoken woman who used to fear bothering anyone.

In her heart, she was overjoyed.

With her son back, Bao’er’s mother was even less likely to leave; she would definitely stay at home.

Seeing her son still carrying that old vegetable basket, she snatched it away, scolding him for being foolish!

After six years without seeing his wife, why wasn’t he holding her and talking heart-to-heart instead of carrying this old vegetable basket?

“Go, talk to Bao’er’s mother,” she nudged Cheng Rushan.

Hearing this, Jiang Lin hurried out of the house and said to Cheng Rushan, “Go fetch some water.”

Cheng Rushan agreed but only saw a water bucket without a carrying pole.

His gaze turned slightly cold, but he didn’t say anything, just picked up the bucket and walked out straight away.

As Cheng Rushan walked away, Yan Runzhi leaned in close to Jiang Lin, smiling. “Bao’er’s mother, how did you and Dongsheng happen to meet?”

Jiang Lin glanced at her and smiled, masking her embarrassment. “Didn’t he tell you?”

Yan Runzhi replied, “When sons grow up, they don’t like whispering secrets to their mothers anymore. They’d rather tell their wives. Tell me about it.”

She continued talking to Jiang Lin while starting to knead dough and roll noodles.

Jiang Lin felt uneasy about revealing that she had mistaken her son for a thief, a ruffian, a pervert.

She chuckled nervously, “Well… we met at a noodle shop.”

But Yan Runzhi wanted details.

She thought it was so coincidental and fateful that after six years, their family of four bumped into each other in the county town.

Elderly people loved hearing such stories, digging deep, wanting Jiang Lin to recount every detail as if reenacting the scene, not leaving out a single strand of hair.

Jiang Lin was reluctant!

She cautiously skipped over the misunderstanding where she thought Cheng Rushan was a thief and a ruffian, and only mentioned the part about eating noodles and buying cloth.

Yan Runzhi listened with great satisfaction. “Dongsheng must have done something right. It’s good that he’s back. From now on, you don’t need to work in the fields or do any chores. Let him handle everything.”

Jiang Lin felt embarrassed.

Was she really going to be his wife?

Seeing her happy, Yan Runzhi hummed an old feudal tune while rolling out the noodles, “He returns, joy overwhelms. Rushing out shyly, smiling at her, exchanging glances. You mistimed his return, take care or face his wrath…”

Jiang Lin: … The last line hits the nail on the head.

When Cheng Rushan returned with the water, he heard his mother repeating “You mistimed his return, take care or face his wrath” over and over again.

He felt a faint ache in his cheeks, glanced at Jiang Lin, and unsurprisingly saw her blushing.

Jiang Lin stuttered, “… I’ll go fetch some grass for the fire.”

Seeing Cheng Rushan with a new carrying pole and bucket, she exclaimed in surprise, “Oh my, where did you get these new tools?”

Cheng Rushan replied, “This white iron bucket and carrying pole were what I got back in the commune. Made from the best materials, the cooper assured it wouldn’t break for ten years. Looks pretty good now.” He didn’t say anything else.

Jiang Lin immediately understood.

He must have gotten them from Cheng Ruhai’s house when they divided their belongings.

During the separation, Cheng Ruhai had only given them one bucket.

She admired his straightforward nature and lack of concern for appearances.

Unable to help herself, she followed his gaze as he walked away.

Yan Runzhi watched with delight.

Six years ago, she had remarked that although Jiang Zhiqing wasn’t initially pleased, once they spent some time together, she’d see the benefits of having Dongsheng around.

She was sure of it.

Oh, fate had played its trick, forcing the young couple apart for six years.

Seeing Cheng Rushan preparing to make noodles at home, he brought out his large bag.

Besides clothes, books, and other items, it contained various foods.

There were smoked meats like pork, chicken, duck, and fish bought from the south, along with dried bamboo shoots, sausage, and seafood such as shrimp skins, dried shrimp, and dried scallops.

There were also dried mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, walnuts, and other assorted goods that were either not available locally or too precious to purchase regularly.

Yan Runzhi didn’t mind her son spending money.

For her, as long as they could eat well, dress warmly, and live like decent people, that was all that mattered.

Spending money when you had it was only natural; who knew when it might be confiscated?

She scooped out a handful of dried scallops. “Soak these in warm water, chop some chives, beat an egg, pour it over the noodles. It’ll be deliciously fresh.”