System: Master Your Life-Chapter 499 - 117: End of the New Year, Return Journey_3
Rong Xiyi couldn’t speak Cantonese, so Grandpa spoke Mandarin. After all, he was a teacher, and his cultural foundation was there. Grandpa’s Mandarin was quite good among the older generation.
"Grandpa, I heard there are fireflies in the countryside. Where can I see them?"
Rong Xiyi had never seen fireflies and was quite curious. She heard that fireflies’ tails glow, which was amazing.
"You can only see them in the summer!"
Grandpa laughed, "You have to come here in the summer to possibly see fireflies!"
"Grandpa, then I’ll come with Xu Lin in the summer!"
"Okay, okay, come over in the summer, and also see Grandpa!"
"Mm!"
Rong Xiyi nodded.
Elderly people are more sensitive to time and family. The former because the time they have in this world decreases day by day, with half their bodies in the grave; the latter because their children have their own families and, with modern societal economic development, people live more atomized lives. Unlike the older generations where entire families lived in one village, just like some large villages where thousands of people share a surname or two, basically early families settling down and taking root there.
Grandpa looked at the sky and thought about how, starting tomorrow, his children and grandchildren would leave one after another. Although he could visit them, it couldn’t compare to gatherings during the New Year when the whole family would come together.
"Xu Lin, let’s come back in the summer to see the fireflies!"
"Sure." Xu Lin thought it over and agreed.
"Xu Lin, have you seen fireflies?"
"Of course I have, I even caught them to play with!"
"But I’ve never seen them."
Grandpa looked at the sky for half an hour and then unknowingly fell asleep on the recliner.
Later, Grandma found out and brought a piece of clothing to cover his stomach.
"Your grandpa often falls asleep in the yard around this time at night. He’ll wake up by himself later."
Grandma added, "He’s old now and often can’t sleep through the night. Let him rest a bit."
Rong Xiyi: "Grandma, isn’t it cold outside at night? Won’t Grandpa catch a chill?"
"It’s not a big deal. He’s been doing it like this for a long time."
"Oh, alright."
Grandpa woke up after ten o’clock.
By this time, Xu Lin and Rong Xiyi had both taken their showers.
There wasn’t much entertainment in the towns at night, so both went to bed early.
The next day, the sixth day of the New Year.
Uncle, Aunt, and eleven others left in the morning. Many had to return to their work posts by then.
The house suddenly grew much quieter.
"Yan, are you leaving tomorrow?"
Aunt asked.
"Yes, leaving tomorrow. I have to work on the ninth," Ms. Ren said.
"So soon."
"How about you?"
"Not so soon, I’ll wait until school starts."
Aunt taught at a key high school in the city and could rest a few more days.
"Yanyan, when’s your and Lin’s vacation over?"
"Aunt, our school starts on March 3rd!"
It was Rong Xiyi who spoke.
"Then you have ten days ’til school starts!"
Aunt checked the calendar; it was already February 22nd.
"Yes, school is starting soon. Time flies!"
Rong Xiyi looked over at Xu Lin, who was playing chess with Grandpa in the corner of the yard.
In the morning, Grandpa still remembered Xu Lin, but had forgotten others.
His memory was unpredictable, and the family was worried about his health, as he was already eighty-six. Ninety was a critical age.
People chatted in the yard, cracked sunflower seeds, ate fruit, and so on.
Meanwhile, Xu Lin and Grandpa played chess for over two hours.
After that, they had lunch.
Grandpa dozed off in the recliner, undisturbed by the others.
In the afternoon, Xu Lin and the others went out with Aunt for a walk nearby.
There was also a temple nearby, and there was a temple fair today.
Ms. Ren thought about lighting incense, praying, and wishing for the family’s safety.
Luckily, there weren’t too many people at the temple, unlike the big temple Xu Lin visited on New Year’s Day, where there was a long line.
Unbeknownst to them, the sixth day of the New Year passed quietly.
Time quickly moved to the next day.
On the seventh day of the New Year, Xu Lin’s group packed up in the morning, ready to leave.
All gatherings must come to an end, partings are inevitable. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂
Grandpa came over holding red envelopes, his eyes a bit blurry, with a sense of reluctance.
"Lin, Yanyan, come visit Grandpa in the summer, and I’ll show you the fireflies."
Apparently, he remembered others again.
"Don’t worry, we will come. Grandpa, take care of your health."
Xu Lin nodded.
Rong Xiyi said, "Grandpa, we’ll come during summer vacation to see you!"
"Alright, Grandpa will wait for you at home!"
Grandpa took out three red envelopes, giving one each to Xu Lin and the others, and one to Ms. Ren.
"Dad, take care of yourself!"
Ms. Ren advised.
"I know!"
"Dad, everyone, we’re leaving now!"
"Grandpa, Grandma, everyone, we’re going now!"
Everyone solemnly bid farewell, and amidst the car sounds, Grandpa and others watched Xu Lin’s group leave until the car was out of sight.
"Gone so soon, sigh..."
In the car, Ms. Ren felt emotional, swiftly experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
Rong Xiyi felt the same, so the mother and daughter started chatting.
Xu Lin was alright, just focused on driving.
The return journey was another day full of traffic jams, with many rushing back to work on the seventh day of the New Year.
Thus, the drive back to the provincial capital took Xu Lin twenty-three hours.
They finally reached the community on the evening of the eighth day of the New Year.
"We’re back!"
Getting out of the car, Rong Xiyi couldn’t help but stretch.
Ms. Ren looked at her son, advising, "Xu Lin, hurry up and take a bath, have a good sleep, you’ve been driving for so long."
Xu Lin wasn’t physically tired, just mentally fatigued.
So that night, Xu Lin went to bed early.
Following that day, life returned to normal.
On the 24th, the ninth day of the New Year, Ms. Ren was already back to work.
Xu Lin and Rong Xiyi rested in the provincial capital for three days, finally saying goodbye to Ms. Ren on the last day of February, the 28th, and returning to Jiangdu.
"Finally home!"
Xu Lin returned to the big house, to the familiar smells and surroundings.
"Xu Lin, I’m going to play with Yaoyao, are you coming?"
"No, geez, you’ve been sleeping in the car for so long, full of energy now, huh."
"Hmph!"
"Xu Lin, do you need the car?"
"No, you can drive it if you want."
"Then I’ll take it!"
Xu Lin handed the car keys to Rong Xiyi.
It was around two in the afternoon, the sun was shining brightly outside, the temperature in Jiangdu was great, around seventeen or eighteen degrees, and at this time, the weather was gradually warming, soon to enter summer.
After Rong Xiyi left, Xu Lin slept for three hours at home.
Waking up, the house was dark, and Xu Lin felt a wave of loneliness wash over him.
Humans are strange creatures, seemingly at their lowest moments right after waking up, especially when alone.
Eighteen-year-old Xu Lin couldn’t escape this feeling either, feeling an inexplicable and inexpressible sense of loneliness and depression.
"In Jiangdu?"
Xu Lin texted Chi Linyue, while Ning Yuhuan would only return tomorrow.
"Here."
"Are you free?"
"Getting off work soon."
"Shall I come pick you up?"
"Come!"
Chi Linyue sent over a finger beckoning emoji.
Xu Lin went to the electric bike, took a picture, and sent it over.
"Battle car initiated!"
"Sneaky laugh.jpg"
