Saturday.
After breakfast, the Xu family of three rode their motorcycle back to the countryside.
It was May, and the paddy fields along the road were already filled with lush green rice plants.
As they drove along, they would occasionally see farmers with large pesticide tanks spraying the crops.
[Drones are also a rising trend.]
Qingfan recalled a scene from his previous life where villagers used drones to spray pesticides in large quantities.
There were simply too many similar opportunities, like opening a supermarket or a large appliance store; with a slight recollection, he could think of many.
However, it was of no use; he had the Dragon Slayer Skill but couldn't wield the Dragon Slayer Sword.
With a crunch, it seemed the motorcycle's front wheel had crushed an insect, sending an unpleasant odor wafting into his nostrils with the breeze.
Stink bug!
Ever since he started high school, these bugs that once dominated his entire childhood had virtually disappeared.
Back when he was in elementary school, there was a longan tree in the school yard. Every summer, you could find traces of stink bugs all over the tree and ground. If you stepped on one and killed it, the stench would stay with you all day, even after you had taken a shower.
It was only a little over twenty kilometers from where Xu's mother was born to the county town; after driving for more than half an hour, they arrived at their destination.
Grandma was sitting at the door, and the roaring sound of the motorcycle caught her attention.
"Mom."
"Grandma!"
Xu's mother and Qingfan called out at the same time.
"Ah! You're here. Fanfan, come inside and sit under the fan; it's hot outside," Grandma said, putting the handful of Phoenix Eye Fruits back into the bamboo basket, getting up to help Qingfan off the motorcycle.
"Grandma, I can do it myself."
"Be careful not to burn yourself on the chimney," Grandma reminded gently.
"Okay."
It was a lesson learned through pain; even now, Qingfan's right ankle still bore the visible scar from a burn.
"Mom," Xu's father parked the motorcycle and greeted his mother-in-law.
"Hmm," Grandma responded, lukewarmly glancing at him before leading Xiao Fan into the house.
It wasn't that Grandma disliked this son-in-law; it was just that his family was too unscrupulous in their dealings.
Unlike Xu's mother, Xu's father was from the city and was the youngest of four brothers.
Possibly due to the sense of superiority inherent in city dwellers, Qingfan's paternal grandmother was very dissatisfied with Xu's mother's rural background.
If it had only been a few sharp words, that might have been bearable. But upon learning that Xu's mother was pregnant, she actually came to their door demanding that she go to the hospital for an abortion.
Angered, Xu's mother returned to her own family. Fortunately, Xu's father wasn't a mommy's boy and, ignoring his own family's objections, followed her. It was only then that they registered their marriage and settled down here.
That's right, Qingfan was born before they got their marriage certificate, so it was already quite forgiving of Grandma not to have chased Xu's father out on sight.
"Grandma, where are Grandpa and my big uncle?" Qingfan asked, seeing no one else in the house.
"Knowing you were coming, they went to the river to catch fish," Grandma replied.
"Great, I want tofu and crucian carp soup!" Qingfan nodded eagerly.
The crucian carp caught from the river had eggs in them, and with the addition of two chicken eggs, it was incredibly savory when boiled!
Knowing that his mother-in-law wasn't fond of him, Xu's father also went out to catch fish after saying a few words.
Qingfan wanted to follow, but considering that Grandma hadn't seen him in quite a while, he decided to wait until the evening.
Xu's mother and Grandma worked together to bring a sack of red phoenix fruits into the house, while the three of them peeled fruit and chatted leisurely.
Red phoenix fruit is also known as "red bean" in our area, and both its appearance and taste are somewhat similar to chestnuts. It is especially delicious when used to stew chicken.
"Xiao Fan is starting primary school next year, isn't he?"
"Yes." Xu Qingfan nodded obediently.
"Study hard, don't follow in your mother's footsteps, or your uncle's—they never amounted to much..." Grandma suddenly sighed, as though something had come to mind.
"Mom!" Xu's mother chided her mother with some embarrassment.
"What, it's not allowed to mention that not even high school was within reach?" Grandma picked up a string of red phoenix fruit and swatted it at Xu's mother.
"What's so great about city folks, all of them looking to marry someone from the city..." Grandma looked at the family portrait on the wall, her mood fading.
Qingfan had seen the photograph on the wall many times, featuring his grandparents, uncle, and mother—a family of four.
In the photo, Xu's mother was still a little girl of seven or eight, wearing a pure white dress, her appearance lively and lovely.
The siblings were named Yao Jianjun and Yao Jiping,
The elder uncle, fifteen years Xu's mother's senior, was already a handsome young man in the photo, with thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a high nose—spitting image of Liang Chaowei.
People said nephews resembled their uncles, and the elder uncle in the photo bore a striking resemblance to Qingfan during his university days, with the biggest difference being their height.
The elder uncle was only 1.73 meters tall, whereas well-nourished Qingfan had already surpassed 1.8 meters by his senior year.
Yao Jianjun was born into and grew up with the red flag of the new China, during that special period when elementary school was left unfinished and he returned home.
Fortunately, he was strong and capable, a good hand at farm work, which greatly relieved the Yao family's burdens.
Once the family's financial situation had improved, Xu's mother was born smoothly.
Life continued peacefully for a few more years, until the time came for Yao Jianjun to marry and establish himself.
A diligent worker with a stark resemblance to Liang Chaowei, the handsome young man quickly became the town's matchmakers' most sought-after bachelor.
Surprisingly, the elder uncle, who looked down on everyone, was smitten with the youngest daughter of Professor Chen, who had been sent to the countryside for labor reform.
Both of the Chen parents were among the first group of high-level intellectuals sent abroad for study, and along with their three sons and one daughter, were sent to this remote village.
The couple were scholars, unaccustomed to physical labor. Seizing the opportunity, Yao Jianjun helped out, and after some time, he actually managed to spirit away their youngest daughter.
The village was never short of gossipy tongues, and within days, rumors that the elder uncle and Chen's daughter were cavorting in the millet fields spread far and wide.
By the time the Chen couple caught wind of it, the rumor had it that Chen Zipei's belly had been swollen with Yao Jianjun's child.
The Chen family was furious and confronted the Yaos, but Yao Jianjun, unabashed, continued to face them thick-skinned, even amidst blows.
Seven to eight years later, the two families were joyfully united in marriage.
That same year, Yao Jianjun and Chen Zipei personally sent the Chen family on a train journey thousands of miles away.
By the end of the year, Chen Zipei received a package from Yanjing, which contained a letter, two hundred yuan, and a large pile of books that Yao Jianjun couldn't understand.
Chen Zipei expressed a desire to participate in the next year's college entrance examination, and the Yao family did not object.
In the summer of 1979, Chen Zipei, pregnant, took the college entrance exam and successfully gained admission to Yanjing Normal University.
Once again, Yao Jianjun brought the Chen family to the train station, watching as his father-in-law and mother-in-law, along with his elder brother-in-law, took away his wife and her unborn child.
A year later, a letter traveled thousands of miles to the secluded village, delivered by a county leader; it neatly contained five hundred yuan and a divorce agreement.
Xu's mother said that afterward, the elder uncle was like a changed person, silent and sullen, often sitting motionless for a whole day.
This incident became the greatest taboo of the Yao family.
Is it any wonder why Grandma got so angry when her youngest daughter failed to get into high school? After all, who doesn't live for a bit of dignity in this world?
"Don't worry, Grandma, I will definitely be able to get into a university!" Qingfan said earnestly.
"Good, good, good!" Grandma repeated thrice, her eyes brimming with tears.
Suddenly, Qingfan realized how much he should thank Xia Xiaoxiao for what happened in his previous life.
All this was told to him by Grandma after he was admitted to Hong Kong University.
If it hadn't been for Xia Xiaoxiao's words, "If you get into Hong Kong University, I'll be your girlfriend," would Qingfan have still been able to get into Hong Kong University? Would Grandma still have told him all this?