Reborn in 1982, the prodigal son returns

On the third day, just as dawn was breaking, Lin Weidong got up, put on his new navy blue cotton-padded jacket that he had kept at the bottom of his trunk, and buttoned it up neatly.

He stood in front of the mirror, straightening his collar. His son was arriving today, and supposedly he was bringing someone back with him. He couldn't let his son down. Lin Weidong looked closely and found nothing inappropriate.

He nodded, indicating his satisfaction.

Liu Guixiang, who came in from the courtyard, laughed at him:

"You're so old, and you never go out. What are you doing dressing up? Didn't you say you weren't going to pick up Mingzi?"

Lin Weidong's lips twitched as he looked at Liu Guixiang, who was clearly dressed up, and he couldn't hold back any longer.

"Please tidy up the house again."

He then walked out the door.

Liu Guixiang watched his retreating figure with disdain:

"Old stuff with a rigid design, it'll suffocate you."

When he arrived at Lin Nuo's house, the gate was not yet open. He stood at the door without knocking, and only knocked twice after hearing movement in the yard.

Lin Nuo opened the door and was stunned to see her uncle in new clothes.

This is?

"Noko,"

Lin Weidong's voice was filled with joy:

"Where's your father? Wake him up. You, your father, and your older brother are all coming over for dinner tonight. I'll have your aunt cook a few more dishes."

"Hey, sir."

Lin Nuo agreed.

I still don't understand.

"besides,"

Lin Weidong spoke again:

"Go to Liu Jian's house and borrow a set of mahjong tiles. Come back tonight and play for a while."

Lin Nuo nodded.

He was completely baffled. Lin Weidong was playing mahjong; when did his uncle switch careers?

Lin Weidong turned to leave, then stopped, turned back, and hesitated for a moment:

"Nuozi, you... come with me to the county to pick up your brother Ming. It's been so long since we've seen each other, you should go and see him too."

Before Lin Nuo could answer, Lin Weiguo's voice came from behind him. He came out of the main room, his cotton-padded coat draped over his shoulders, his hair a little messy, as if he had just gotten up.

"Nuozi, go with your grandpa. It's been a long time since I've seen Lin Ming, you'll have company on the way."

As Lin Weiguo spoke, he walked over and patted Lin Nuo on the shoulder.

Lin Nuo agreed, "Okay, sir. I'll go change my clothes."

So it turns out Lin Ming is back today; no wonder the old man was so on high alert.

The last time I saw Grandpa so formal was a few years ago when he took Mingzi to school.

The two boarded the morning bus. The bus swayed and rocked. Lin Weidong sat by the window, looking out the window without saying much. Lin Nuo sat next to him, also not saying much. He could tell that his uncle was excited, but he didn't say it.

Both father and son are like this, pretending to be something they're not.

Lin Weidong arrived at the county bus station just after nine o'clock. The station was small, with a few rows of cement benches. He found a seat on the side and kept his eyes fixed on the direction of the entrance.

Lin Nuo went to inquire and found that the city bus wouldn't arrive until one or two in the afternoon. He walked back, sat down next to his uncle, and said:

"Sir, it's still early, it'll be one o'clock in the afternoon."

Lin Weidong grunted in response, made no move, and kept his eyes fixed on the entrance, waiting for the shuttle bus to arrive.

Lin Nuo had no choice but to follow.

Since his uncle didn't speak, he felt too embarrassed to speak up either.

Around noon, Lin Nuo stood up and dusted off his trousers.

"Sir, I'm going to buy some food. Please sit here and don't wander off."

Lin Weidong nodded and took out two yuan from his pocket, handing it to Lin Nuo. Lin Nuo didn't take it: "I have some."

Turned around and left.

Outside the station was a steamed bun shop, with stacks of steamer baskets piled high, billowing white steam rising, and the aroma of meat wafting from afar. Lin Nuo bought four meat buns, wrapped them in oil paper, and carried them back home. The buns were so hot that he had to constantly toss them between his hands, and he jogged all the way back.

He handed over the oil paper package:

"Sir, have something to eat first."

Lin Weidong took the steamed buns, picked one up, took a bite, chewed it twice, swallowed it, and didn't say anything. His mind was clearly not on the steamed buns.

Lin Nuo squatted down next to him, not saying a word, silently eating his steamed bun. He knew that his uncle's heart was full of thoughts about his son, and he couldn't taste anything in his food.

Halfway through the meal, Lin Weidong suddenly stood up and took out ten yuan from his pocket:

"Nuozi, go buy some things. Buy a braised pork knuckle, two pounds of meat, and a can of fruit. We'll have extra dishes for dinner."

Lin Nuo took the money and nodded.

My uncle is so generous.

He went to a delicatessen near the station and bought a pork knuckle. It cost 1.2 yuan per jin (500g), and 3 jin cost 3.6 yuan. He then went to the butcher shop and bought two jin of meat for 1.8 yuan. Finally, he bought a can of fruit at the supply and marketing cooperative for 1 yuan.

It cost six yuan and sixty cents in total. He picked up his things, stuffed the remaining three yuan and forty cents back into his pocket, and walked back.

As he approached the station entrance, he saw a small stall selling braised chicken legs. The braising liquid in the iron pot was bubbling away, and the chicken legs were bright red, with a fragrant aroma that wafted into his nose.

He paused for a moment, took out his own money, bought two chicken legs, wrapped them in oil paper, and put them separately in his pocket.

This is for Wanqing and her mother.

They also ate something nice in the evening.

At 1 p.m., the city shuttle bus finally arrived.

Lin Weidong stood up, his legs a little numb. He held onto the stool for a while, his eyes fixed on the car door.

The train doors opened, and people disembarked one by one. Some carried bags, some held children, some carried baskets... Lin Weidong's eyes scanned the crowd, eagerly searching for that familiar figure.

Then, a tall young man got out of the car. He was wearing a dark gray trench coat, glasses, and his hair was slicked back. He had a fair complexion and looked more like a city official than a farmer.

I saw this person.

Lin Weidong's eyes instantly reddened. His lips moved, as if he wanted to shout, but he didn't. He stood there, his hands hanging at his sides, his fingers slightly curled, forcefully suppressing his excitement.

Lin Ming also saw him and quickly walked over:

"father!"

Lin Weidong nodded, letting out a soft "hmm." He reached out and patted Lin Ming's shoulder, his hand lingering on his son's arm before withdrawing.

"This is your second uncle's second son, Lin Nuo."

Lin Weidong turned to the side and pointed at Lin Nuo:

Do you remember?

Lin Ming smiled and extended his hand:

"Nuozi, you've grown so tall. We used to raid bird nests together when we were little."

Lin Nuo reached out and shook hands, smiling:

"Ming-ge, it's been so many years."

At this moment, a young woman walked out from behind Lin Ming. She had permed hair, wore a dark red wool coat, a wide leather belt around her waist, and black leather shoes.

Her lips were painted bright red, her eyebrows were drawn thinly, and there was something shiny on her eyes.

She stood next to Lin Ming, her gaze sweeping around the station: the dilapidated cement floor, the dirty walls, the old man squatting in the corner smoking. Her lips twitched, but she quickly stopped.

"Uncle, this is Jingjing, her surname is Yao."

Lin Ming explained:

We met in the South.

Yao Jingjing smiled and nodded, her voice soft and gentle, with a southern accent:

Hello, Uncle.

Lin Weidong nodded. Being an old-fashioned man, he felt a little uneasy seeing his son with such a young woman, unsure how to greet her, and simply said:

"Okay, okay. Let's go home first. Your mom's waiting for you there."

Lin Nuo chimed in from the side:

"Ming-ge, sister-in-law, let's get on the bus first, or there won't be any seats left."

He deliberately called her "sister-in-law" to see Yao Jingjing's expression.

Upon hearing the term "sister-in-law," Yao Jingjing's lips twitched slightly, but she neither agreed nor disagreed.

A normal girl would instinctively feel shy or laugh out loud upon hearing this; this reaction is not quite right.

Lin Nuo became suspicious.

The four people boarded the bus. Lin Weidong and Lin Nuo sat in one row, while Lin Ming and Yao Jingjing sat in the row behind them.

The car started and swayed towards Liujiagou, with fields outside the car window receding one after another.

Lin Weidong leaned back in his chair, his eyes closed, as if he were asleep, but his fingers were tapping lightly on his knees.

Lin Nuo pretended to be very tired, leaning back in her chair with her eyes closed.

A low voice came from behind.

Lin Nuo listened.

It was Yao Jingjing speaking softly in Cantonese, but he could hear her clearly because he was sitting close in the back seat:

"Lin Ming, when should we tell your dad?"

Lin Ming also replied in Cantonese, his voice even lower:

"No rush."

Yao Jingjing added, her tone a little impatient:

"The longer you wait, the harder it will be to bring it up."

Lin Ming was silent for a few seconds:

"Let's talk about it after we've settled in. My father just met me; we can't start talking about these things right away."

Yao Jingjing snorted and didn't say anything more.

Lin Nuo remained expressionless, his eyes fixed on the window. In his previous life, he had spent several years in the south, so he naturally understood Cantonese.

He mentally went over these two lines of dialogue over and over: When to say it? No rush? It'll be harder to bring it up if we delay?

What exactly did Lin Ming want to say to his uncle? Did he get into some trouble in the south?

Lin Nuo showed no expression and turned his gaze to the window.

He knew something was off.

The bus stopped at the village entrance. The four people got off and walked along the village road towards the uncle's house.

Before even reaching the courtyard gate, I saw Aunt Liu Guixiang standing there, gripping the door frame with both hands and craning her neck to look in this direction.

The old woman was wearing a dark red cotton-padded jacket, and her hair was neatly combed, clearly showing that she had taken special care of it.

Upon seeing Lin Ming appear at the door, Liu Guixiang's lips began to tremble, and her eyes instantly reddened.

Lin Ming quickened his pace, calling out, "Mom!"

Liu Guixiang hugged him tightly, tears streaming down her face. She patted Lin Ming's back repeatedly, unable to utter a complete sentence, only making soft "woo-woo" sounds.

"It's good that you're back...it's good that you're back..."

She choked up as she repeated the sentence.

Lin Nuo had previously heard Liu Guixiang complain that she hadn't come back for several years after giving birth to her son, and that she had raised him for nothing.

But once they actually came back, all those complaints vanished.

Lin Ming's eyes also reddened, and he gently patted his mother's back:

"Mother, I'm back."

Lin Weidong stood to the side, watching this scene. His lips moved several times before he finally muttered something in a low voice:

"Why are you crying? It's a good thing the child is back, why are you crying?"

Liu Guixiang raised her head, tears still streaming down her face, her voice trembling with sobs, but her tone remained firm:

"I'm happy! You old codger, don't you ever think about Mingzi? Who's the one tossing and turning at night, unable to sleep?"

Lin Weidong was taken aback, feeling a little embarrassed, but he didn't reply. He took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, took a puff, and turned his face away.

Lin Nuo watched from the side, a slight smile playing on his lips. Most fathers are like that; they're tough on the outside but soft on the inside.

Lin Weidong wiped his face, turned around and said to Lin Nuo:

"Nuozi, go and call your father and older brother. They'll come over for dinner tonight. And you can borrow the mahjong set while you're at it."

Lin Nuo agreed and turned to walk home.

When they arrived home, Lin Weiguo had already changed his clothes and was sitting in the main room waiting for them.

Zhao Xiuying was busy in the kitchen.

"Father, the master wants you to come over."

Lin Weiguo stood up, buttoned up his cotton-padded coat, and followed Lin Nuo outside. At the door, Lin Nuo stopped, turned, and went into the kitchen.

The kitchen was steaming, and Zhao Xiuying was squatting in front of the stove adding firewood. Lin Nuo took out the two chicken legs wrapped in oil paper from his pocket and handed them to her.

"Mother, this is for you. There's another one for Wanqing; you can give it to her when she comes back."

Zhao Xiuying took the oil paper package, opened it, and saw two bright red chicken legs. She paused for a moment, looked up at Lin Nuo, and the corners of her mouth slowly turned up.

"So you're not going to eat alone this time? You're even thinking of your old mother?"

Lin Nuo chuckled:

"How could I forget you?"

Zhao Xiuying rewrapped the oil paper and carefully placed it in the cupboard behind the stove. She turned around and gently patted Lin Nuo's arm.

"Alright, go ahead. I'll keep Wanqing's share."

After leaving home, Lin Nuo walked towards Liu Jian's house.

Liu Jianguo was feeding the chickens in the yard, holding a broken basin in his hand, scattering handfuls of corn grits onto the ground. The chickens circled around him, clucking.

He saw Lin Nuo come in, paused for a moment, and put the basin he was holding on the ground.

"Nuozi? Is something the matter?"

"Jianguo, can I borrow your mahjong set? We'll play at home tonight."

Liu Jianguo looked at him, his gaze sweeping over Lin Nuo's face. His lips twitched, as if he wanted to laugh but didn't. He lowered his voice:

"Should I call Wang Er and Fatty? We're one short for a game, I'll make up the numbers for you."

Liu Jianguo thought Lin Nuo couldn't hold back any longer. Well, what gambler can quit gambling? He's no exception.

I said I wouldn't touch it anymore, but in reality, I've gambled more times than I've tried to quit gambling and drinking.

Lin Nuo shook his head, his tone calm:

"No need. My family will make the call."

Liu Jianguo glanced at him again, nodded, turned and went into the house to take out the mahjong set. The mahjong box was made of wood, with its edges polished to a shine. The word "Shanghai" was engraved on the lid, but half of the paint had worn off.

Lin Nuo took the mahjong tiles, thanked him, and turned to leave.

Liu Jianguo stood at the door, watching his retreating figure, and muttered something under his breath:

"He's really reformed."

Lin Nuo walked along the village road, carrying a mahjong set. The sun was already setting, and sunlight filtered through the treetops. In the distance, smoke was rising from her uncle's house, slowly dissipating into the twilight.

Lin Nuo wondered what those few Cantonese phrases on the bus were trying to say to her uncle.

He shook his head and went to school first. Su Wanqing had just finished school and her eyes lit up when she saw him.

"Why are you here?"

Then, seeing the mahjong tiles in his hand, his eyes darkened again.

Lin Nuo quickly explained:

"It was my uncle who asked me to borrow it. Since you're unhappy, I had my aunt do it for me."

Su Wanqing couldn't hold back any longer, and with a soft "pfft," she narrowed her eyes like a little fox:

"I heard what Mother said when you were talking this morning."

Knowing she was deliberately teasing him, Lin Nuo pretended to be fierce and said, "You dare to tease me, Teacher Su, you'll see tonight."

Su Wanqing spat lightly, pretending not to hear.

Lin Nuo told her that he had bought her chicken legs and that she would have dinner with her mother that night.

Su Wanqing nodded.

Lin Nuo left first, lost in thought as she went.

This house is really going to get lively.