A perfect life begins with changing the timeline.

Chapter 177 The Moment of Returning Home

Li Mu's second brother-in-law is named Zhang Deli, and he is from the next village.

Although I met my second sister through a blind date, and there was a sense of unfamiliarity between us at first, the couple actually had a pretty good relationship.

My second sister's husband is a hardworking, honest man who is willing to endure hardship. My second sister, Li Qing, is a very thoughtful and meticulous person. The two complement each other perfectly.

When Li Mu arrived in the county a little after five o'clock, he used his familiarity with the roads to have the taxi stop directly in front of the hardware store run by the couple.

After paying and getting out of the car, he had a new phone number in his phone.

The driver meant that if I wanted to leave after the New Year, I could contact him...

But Li Mu didn't save it, and there was no need for it.

After saying goodbye to the driver, he arrived at the hardware store with a large pile of things. Li Qing, who was guarding the store, immediately recognized his younger brother.

"Third brother! You're back!"

Looking at her younger brother whom she hadn't seen for a whole year, Li Qing, whose appearance wasn't particularly handsome and who was also a bit chubby, immediately smiled.

"sister!"

Li Mu was also amused.

"Oh dear, why are you dressed so lightly? Aren't you cold...?"

Seeing Li Mu's trench coat and trousers, Li Qing grumbled, while Zhang Deli, who had come out of the back warehouse after hearing the commotion, also saw his brother-in-law...

At first glance, I almost didn't recognize him.

After all... his impression of his brother-in-law was still that of a slightly introverted student from last year.

But now... this outfit looks very high-end.

They look like they're from the city.

Actually, this was somewhat of an oversight on Li Mu's part. The thick woolen coat he was wearing was bought by Fan Bingbing. Last time she went shopping with Sister Zhang, under the encouragement of the two older women, she bought a thick Burberry coat.

Good clothes are indeed different from ordinary clothes in terms of tailoring. Moreover, Li Mu himself has an outstanding appearance. When the two are paired together, the image of a "mature urban white-collar man" comes out.

The changes are too great.

But Zhang Deli also felt it made sense. Although he always felt that the person in front of him was too different from his brother-in-law last year... After all, he had come back from a big city like Guangzhou. Some of his friends and relatives worked hard all year round, and no matter how much they suffered, they always came home dressed smartly, so that others would know how well they were doing outside...

So he was both surprised and unsurprised by his brother-in-law's white-collar appearance.

He greeted her familiarly.

"The third brother has become handsome."

"Brother-in-law."

Li Mu greeted him with a smile, then pulled out various dried goods and local specialties from the gift boxes he was carrying and handed over two boxes:

"Here, I bought it from Guangzhou."

"Quickly, come inside."

Li Qing ignored the gifts and instead pulled her younger brother, who looked cold, into the store.

The smell of engine oil wafted over from the hardware store.

"How's it going in Guangzhou? I heard from Mom that you went to America..."

Standing in front of the counter, the older sister pulled her younger brother aside and started chatting about everyday things.

While asking questions, he observed his younger brother, and then casually gave Li Mutou a pat on the shoulder:

"Your hair has grown quite long. Why don't you take your time and get a haircut today? It's almost Chinese New Year, so get your hair done."

"No, I'll get my hair cut in town then. Are you going back on the second day of the Lunar New Year, sis?"

"Yeah, second year of junior high. Old Zhang, go get the car."

Zhang Deli responded and walked towards the backyard.

"Where's my older sister? Is she back yet?"

Unlike her second sister, who stayed in the county, Li Mu's eldest sister's husband worked as a contractor in Hebei, doing renovations.

"certain."

Li Qing shook his head:

"They said they'd be back in a couple of days. That won't be until after the Lunar New Year... I heard your family's arranged a marriage for you?"

"..."

Li Mu was speechless for a moment, looking at his second sister:

"What? You want me to get married too?"

"I'm not rushing you. But... several matchmakers have come to our house, including your brother-in-law's classmate. I heard the girls are all from the county, and they're not bad~"

"I have a girlfriend."

Li Mu smiled and shook his head, then distributed the gifts:

"Second sister, this is for eldest sister's family. Give it to her when she comes back."

"Okay, let's put it aside."

Li Qing responded and looked at her younger brother curiously, asking:

"Are you dating someone?"

"Um."

"Do you have a photo?"

"We just talked..."

"Well then, let's make things easier."

Li Qing didn't mention any blind dates or tell her younger brother that matchmakers were practically wearing down the threshold of their house.

No need.

Parents are parents, and siblings are siblings.

She knew Li Mu's temper, so naturally she wouldn't say anything more.

So, after the siblings chatted for a while and Zhang Deli drove the car out, Li Mu glanced at the sky and decided not to linger any longer.

"Sister, I'm leaving."

"Shall we eat before we leave?"

"No, I want to eat at home. I'll tell my mom I want to eat home-cooked meals."

"middle."

The siblings' separation wasn't tinged with sadness; instead, it was marked by a very ordinary calmness.

He waved goodbye, got into the car, and dialed home. The first thing he said was:

"Mom, I'm going home in my brother-in-law's car, I'm hungry..."

……

The distance from the county seat to Lizhuang is about 20 or 30 kilometers, which is not far.

After putting aside the topic of blind dates, the brother-in-law and brother-in-law chatted casually about things in Guangzhou until they arrived home.

Looking at the familiar village, Li Mu's sense of belonging finally settled down.

Especially when he stepped through the big iron gate of his house, he didn't know if it was the smell wafting from the kitchen or that familiar smell of coal fire... In any case, the moment he stepped into the house carrying his things, he suddenly felt... at ease.

"Dad, Mom! I'm home!"

A figure emerged from the kitchen; it was his mother, Zhang Xiuqin.

"The third brother is back... Xiaoli is here too."

"mom."

Zhang Deli laughed and shouted, just then his phone rang.

Li Mu ignored it and simply shouted:

"dad?"

"Your dad went to town to buy you a roast chicken."

After saying one sentence, Zhang Xiuqin took the luggage and gifts from her son's hands:

"Take your luggage to your room and get the clothes that need washing..."

"They're all clean, no need to wash them."

Li Mu explained with a smile, and at that moment, Zhang Deli finished his call:

"Mom, I have to go back to deliver goods to someone... I won't be eating at home. I'll come see you again on the second day of the Lunar New Year."

"Would you like to eat before you leave?"

"I'm not eating anymore, I have to hurry back, they need it urgently."

"Middle middle middle..."

The courtyard was bustling with activity. Finally, after the mother and son saw their son-in-law off, they watched Changhe leave. When they turned back to walk home, Li Mu took his mother's hand.

Rough yet warm.

"Mom, have you received the money?"

"Received it... Third brother, where did you get so much money... Is it enough for yourself?"

"Ha, that's enough, Mom. My salary is really high. And I even won an award, an internal news award from the company, the prize money alone is... ten thousand!"

He thought about it and ultimately didn't tell the truth.

I don't know why I said that, but it seemed to be out of instinct.

"Huh? So many?"

"Hehe, that's right. So now that our son can earn money, you and my dad can rest assured."

"……hey-hey."

A woman who has spent her whole life toiling in the fields may not have much education, but at this moment, holding her son's hand and talking about her work earnings, she is very happy.

So, their conversation moved from the alley to the kitchen. Amidst the increasingly thick steam and the roaring fire, Zhang Xiuqin roughly understood that her son was indeed doing an excellent job. He had not only been to the United States, but also to Macau, Hong Kong, and many other places.

I've interviewed many celebrities...

The fire in the hearth burned brighter and brighter, and her face grew increasingly red.

Until a sudden, sputtering sound.

Li Dajiang returned on the tricycle he used to haul wheat and corn.

"dad!"

"Yes, you're back."

Seeing his son come out to greet him, Li Dajiang smiled.

He waved the plastic bag in his hand, just like when he was a child:

"Dad bought you half a roast chicken and half a pound of pork head meat."

"Hehe, okay. Dad, come in first, I have something to tell you..."

Although he didn't know what his son wanted to talk to him about, he still went inside.

Not long after the family of three sat down in front of the fire, Li Dajiang's face also turned red:

"You get ten thousand yuan just for winning an award?"

"Yes. Not only do I win awards, but I also receive a lot of royalties every month."

"You...didn't squander the money, did you? You need to save it all, understand?"

"I know, I didn't spend it recklessly. I need to save up to buy a house in Guangzhou."

The elderly couple were both taken aback when Li Mu said this.

After exchanging a glance, Zhang Xiuqin asked:

"Third brother, are apartments in Guangzhou expensive? They must cost two or three hundred thousand yuan each, right?"

"Well……"

Li Mu thought for a moment and nodded:

"almost."

"That's really expensive..."

Zhang Xiuqin sighed, while Li Dajiang said:

"Something, I'll get it for you from home when the time comes."

Li Mu's lips twitched.

I thought to myself, "Dad, don't make your son laugh... I know how much money you have in your pocket."

But Li Dajiang didn't delve deeper into this topic; instead, he suddenly asked:

When will your boss allow you to get married?

Li Muxin said... "I'm here."

So, suppressing the slightly quickening of his heart, he shook his head:

"Dad, Mom, I was just about to tell you something... I have a boyfriend."

"...You have it!"

Zhang Xiuqin's eyes widened immediately:

"Do you have a photo? How old are you? Are your birth charts compatible? What does your family do? Are you from Guangzhou? Or somewhere else? How many children do you have? What do your parents do?"

A perfectly executed combination of punches landed on Li Mu's face.

Even Li Mu didn't know how to answer.

But... from another perspective, it also shows just how much parents care about their "major life events".

Not only do they need to be compatible in terms of birth dates, but the other issues are more like a standard for... measuring whether the son will have a good life in the future.

And then there was the unmistakable look of curiosity in her mother's eyes and her father's eyes...

As the saying goes, "It takes a thousand days to raise an army, but only one day to use it."

Li Mu knew he needed to bring something real to the table.

Then, a few seconds later, his hushed voice rang out in the kitchen, mingling with the crackling of burning firewood in the hearth:

"Dad, Mom, I need to tell you something, and you absolutely mustn't tell anyone... My girlfriend... is Fan Bingbing..."