System: Master Your Life-Chapter 496 - 116: New Year and Visiting Grandpa’s House_3
"Don’t worry, Aunt."
Xu Lin and Yu Jianhua chatted a bit more before ending the call.
Very soon, Yu Jianhua sent a message. It turned out to be two red envelopes, each with two hundred yuan.
Yu Jianhua: "These are the red envelopes from your aunt and me."
"I’ll accept them first, and also wish the both of you good health!"
"Dad, Mom, Aunt Jing wishes you a Happy New Year."
Xu Lin conveyed Lin Yajing’s message as he entered the house.
The first day of the New Year ended quietly just like that.
Xu Lin felt a bit lonely, especially since Rong Xiyi didn’t come to sleep tonight. He had to sleep alone.
The second day of the New Year was similar, peacefully arriving at evening.
"Is Aunt still coming to visit relatives this year?"
Xu Lin asked curiously.
"She’s not in good health this year, so she’s not coming."
Xu Cheng said, "I’ll visit her in a couple of days."
Xu Lin nodded slightly.
Meanwhile, Ms. Ren and Rong Xiyi were packing their things. Tomorrow, Xu Lin would go with them to visit his grandfather.
"Really not going to grandpa’s?"
Xu Lin asked his dad again.
"Don’t feel like going, haven’t gone in years."
Xu Cheng lit a cigarette.
"Alright then." Xu Lin didn’t say much.
"Okay."
Following that, on the morning of the third day of the New Year, Xu Lin and the others were all set. After the three of them got into the car,
Xu Cheng came over to remind them, "During Spring Festival, there are a lot of cars. Pay attention to traffic safety."
"Don’t worry, I drive carefully."
Xu Cheng didn’t respond to his son’s comment and then looked at Ms. Ren and Rong Xiyi, reminding them, "Fasten your seat belts."
The mother and daughter were in the back seat.
They remembered the seat belt matter and quickly fastened them.
"Then we’re off!"
Xu Lin looked at his dad.
After saying their goodbyes, Xu Lin drove off towards their destination with his dad seeing them off.
The journey was quite far, heading to Eastern Guangdong.
It takes ten hours to drive without traffic jams, and now during the Spring Festival, it’s even longer.
Finally, Xu Lin drove for twenty-one hours, arriving in the county town the next morning, spending another two hours buying things, and reaching the destination by noon.
Xu Lin’s grandfather’s house was a big family, thriving and prosperous. In the town, they were considered a family of scholarly traditions; Ms. Ren’s siblings all attended key universities. The next generation, which includes Xu Lin’s cousins, also went to key universities, and the family has three PhDs from prestigious schools.
If Xu Lin hadn’t excelled and gone to a key university himself, if he had attended a regular college, he probably wouldn’t dare speak here, having to keep a low profile.
Returning to the topic.
Xu Lin parked in a large courtyard.
Upon hearing the car, most of the people in the house came out, as Ms. Ren had notified them beforehand. There were men, women, young, and old.
Ms. Ren has three brothers; they’ve all started their own families, but their houses are connected, sharing the same courtyard.
So the courtyard is large, and there are eight cars parked there now, with plenty of open space left.
"So many people..."
Rong Xiyi felt a bit nervous, estimating there were over thirty people, all looking at them.
Xu Lin’s car window was open.
"Don’t worry, just consider them as family; Yanyan is now one of us!"
Ms. Ren reassured her.
"Okay!" Rong Xiyi nodded her head.
Xu Lin parked the car, and Ms. Ren and Rong Xiyi got off one after another.
"Yan, is this our little niece? So pretty and charming!"
The first to speak was Ms. Ren’s third sister-in-law, who was curiously looking at Rong Xiyi.
"Yes, this is our Yanyan, like Yan Ruyu!"
Ms. Ren held Rong Xiyi, introducing her to everyone and also introducing family members to Rong Xiyi.
But there were too many people here to introduce everyone one by one; Ms. Ren gave a brief introduction. After spending an afternoon, everyone would definitely know her.
"Why have you brought so many things?"
Aunt from the car’s back saw the whole trunk filled with gifts.
"Can’t visit empty-handed when it’s so rare to come here!"
Xu Lin said with a smile.
"Lin’s grown tall and strong now!" Aunt looked up at him.
"Has Linlin gotten taller? And he’s become more handsome too!"
Xu Lin’s third cousin also came over.
"I grew a bit taller during the second semester of senior year, but I’ve reached my peak."
"How tall? Looks like you might be around 1.9 meters?"
"Not quite, 1.87 meters, but I haven’t measured in half a year, not sure if I’ve grown a bit more."
"Really tall, you’d overlook all the boys here!"
"Third cousin must be about 1.7 meters?"
"Exactly 1.7 meters!"
"Has Lin found a girlfriend?"
The second cousin also came over.
Xu Lin has five male cousins and four female cousins, but no younger male or female cousins.
However, Xu Lin has nephews and nieces, who are the children of his eldest, second, and third cousins. Two of them have doctorates, and one has a master’s degree. They are all married with stable jobs and high incomes.
"He has a girlfriend."
"Where is she from?"
"Next door in Duanzhou."
"Oh? Why not invite her over? It’s so close."
"Next year, I’ll bring her over then."
"Alright, it’s a deal!"
While everyone chatted, they grabbed their luggage, but since there were many people, each was only responsible for a little bit.
Xu Lin and the others entered his third uncle’s house. In families with several sons, parents usually live with the youngest son, and daughters who marry away return to that house.
"Grandpa, I’ve come to see you!"
Xu Lin saw his grandfather in the living room, sitting and daydreaming on a red wooden sofa—a signature of Eastern Guangdong.
The elder was already eighty-six years old, and few elders in the neighborhood lived past ninety. Even with advanced medical technology today, an octogenarian is still considered long-lived.
Xu Lin’s grandfather suffered from dementia and was said to have difficulty recognizing people.
But he immediately recognized Xu Lin.
"Lin, you’ve come to see Grandpa?"
"It’s me."
"Where’s your dad?"
"He’s busy with something but said he’d come to see you when he has time."
"I see."
Grandpa spoke in Cantonese, muttering, "He hasn’t come to see this old man yet."
"He’ll come in the future," Xu Lin said.
Grandpa didn’t respond.
Ms. Ren came over and said, "Dad, I’ve come home to see you."
"Huh? Who are you?"
Grandpa looked at his daughter, bewildered.
Their third aunt was pouring tea for Xu Lin and others, saying, "The old man sometimes is normal, sometimes not. Don’t mind it, Yan. Your dad sometimes can’t even recognize his own sons who often visit, but he remembers the swallows in the corner clearly. Every day, he knows to clean up their droppings."
"It’s fine."
Mom sighed.
"Grandpa?"
Xu Lin also asked.
This time, Grandpa looked at him, also at a loss, "Old man, I seem to have seen you before..."
"See, that’s how he is,"
The third aunt invited everyone, "Everyone, have some hot tea. It hasn’t been brewed long, and it tastes quite good. Give it a try!"
The three of them drank tea.
A few minutes later, Xu Lin and Rong Xiyi came out of the living room.
At this time, Rong Xiyi noticed the swallow’s nest in the corner. Inside, four young swallows poked their little heads out, their mouths open, chirping.
"Xu Lin, look, baby swallows!"
Rong Xiyi asked curiously, "Are they hungry?"
"Probably."
"What should we do?"
"What can we do? Their parents will feed them; they’re likely out looking for food now."
As they say, speak of the devil, and he shall appear; soon after Xu Lin finished speaking, two swallows returned, with insects in their beaks.
Upon returning, the two swallows began feeding the young ones.
As Xu Lin and Rong Xiyi watched, both swallows turned around simultaneously and pooped two white lumps.
With a splat, it hit the ground.
"So disgusting!"
Rong Xiyi almost couldn’t hold back.
"Do they still look cute now?" Xu Lin couldn’t help but laugh.
Rong Xiyi quickly shook her head.
At that moment, Grandpa came out.
He seemed to have no problem walking.
Grandpa picked up a small shovel and went outside into the yard.
"Grandpa, where are you going?" Xu Lin shouted.
"I’m going to cover the swallow’s droppings with grass ash, then clean it up later."
Soon, he came back with some grass ash and covered the swallow’s droppings.
Grandpa seemed to have returned to normal, saying, "No one should disturb the swallow’s nest; otherwise, the family won’t have good fortune."
"I know, swallows don’t enter poor families."
"Yes, swallows don’t enter poor families."
Grandpa nodded in agreement.
"Lin, your demeanor has changed; last year, you were still a young lad."
Grandpa seemed really back to normal and recognized Xu Lin again. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺
He looked Xu Lin over, quite pleased, "Your appearance is better than last year; you look dignified, fortunate, very good!"
