Reborn in 1982, the prodigal son returns

When Lin Nuo arrived home, Lin Weiguo had just returned from his father-in-law Lin Jiang's house.

Zhao Xiuying peeked out from the kitchen:

"How is it?"

Lin Weiguo shook his head, his voice muffled:

"The situation is not optimistic. Half of his body is paralyzed, and he can't speak clearly. His mother-in-law is taking care of him, and she's so exhausted that she can't even straighten her back."

He picked up the teacup, took a sip, then put it down. A little tea spilled from the corner of his mouth, which he wiped away with the back of his hand.

Lin Nuo walked over and sat down next to Lin Weiguo:

"Dad, have you eaten yet?"

"have eaten."

Lin Weiguo said:

"Your older brother is the kind of person who doesn't talk about things on his mind. I see he has dark circles under his eyes; he's been staying up a lot these past few days."

Lin Nuo didn't reply. He knew these things in his heart. In his previous life, his family was also in turmoil at this time. His sister-in-law was running back and forth between two places, which left her with health problems. His older brother was also running back and forth between two places. In this life, he should help out when it's time to help.

I have to help him out of respect for my elder brother.

He stood up and called out into the courtyard:

"Pingzi, Anzi, come on, I'll take you home."

Hirako was squatting by the wall watching ants, holding a small twig in his hand, drawing circles on the snow. Hearing the shout, he dropped the twig and ran over.

"Second Uncle."

"Second Uncle, let's go," Anzi said sensibly.

Pingzi skipped and hopped outside, with Anzi following behind him.

The three arrived at Lin Jiang's house. The gate was ajar, and Lin Jiang was squatting in the yard chopping firewood. When he saw Lin Nuo, he wiped his hands on his trousers and stood up.

"You're back?"

Lin Nuo pushed Pingzi and Anzi into the courtyard:

"Brother, the child has been brought back."

You can tell that the older brother isn't in very good condition either.

Lin Jiang nodded and called out into the house:

"Fangzi, the child is back."

The eldest sister-in-law came out of the main room, wearing a gray cotton-padded jacket, her hair casually tied up with a black rubber band, a few stray hairs hanging down beside her ears. She didn't look well.

He looks much more haggard.

Seeing Hirako and Anko, he still managed a forced smile:

"Come inside quickly, it's cold outside."

Her gaze fell on Lin Nuo, and her lips moved as if she wanted to say something.

Lin Nuo stood at the door, not going in; he didn't want to disturb his older brother's rest.

"Sister-in-law, I'll head back now."

"Noko."

His sister-in-law called him back, clenching her fist on her apron, before finally speaking:

"Why don't you bring Wanqing over for dinner tonight? I'll kill a chicken and cook a couple of dishes. We don't have anything fancy at home, it's just a token of my appreciation."

Lin Nuo paused for a moment, then nodded. He shouldn't disturb her at this crucial moment, but fearing his sister-in-law might overthink it, he decided to come anyway. However, he also needed to bring something:

"Oh, sister-in-law. I'll bring the turtle from home too, to make soup for Pingzi and Anzi."

The older sister-in-law quickly waved her hand, her face turning slightly red with anxiety:

"No need, no need, you can come, there's no need to bring anything."

Lin Jiang chimed in, squatting down to stack the chopped firewood against the wall:

"Don't take anything from our family."

Lin Nuo smiled, her tone relaxed:

"We happened to have some at home, and it was just sitting there anyway. Neither Wanqing nor I had time to kill it, so I brought it over and my sister-in-law cooked it for everyone to eat."

The elder sister-in-law did not refuse again. She lowered her head, her eyes a little red, and turned to go back into the house.

The turtle was originally intended to be sold, but since it made a lot of money selling medicinal herbs, it will be used to nourish the elder brother's body.

When Lin Nuo returned home, Su Wanqing was sitting in the east room writing.

He pushed open the door, a smile on his face, and took out a wad of cash from his pocket, placing it on the table.

The money was brand new, in large denominations; he neatly stacked it and pushed it in front of Su Wanqing.

"See? I'm awesome!"

Su Wanqing looked down at the stack of money, her eyes widening slightly. She put down the calligraphy copybook and gently pressed her finger on the money:

"Where...where did all of these come from?"

"Selling medicinal herbs."

Lin Nuo sat down next to her, her tone relaxed, but a hint of smugness playing on her lips:

"Bupleurum and gentian, the merchants from the south are offering a high price. One hundred and eighty."

He paused, then added in a lower voice:

"Adding to what I saved from selling wild boar and windbreaks, I now have over two hundred yuan. Teacher Su, our family won't be poor anymore."

Su Wanqing picked up the money, then put it down again. She looked at him:

"What are you planning to do? This money... can't be wasted."

Lin Nuo leaned against the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), put his hands behind his head, thought for a moment, and said seriously:

"Hunting and gathering medicinal herbs is good, but it's not very reliable. Sometimes you find things in the mountains, sometimes you don't; it all depends on luck. I'm thinking of... raising chickens."

Su Wanqing froze for a moment, the money in her hand hanging in mid-air:

"Raising chickens?"

"Yes. Not just three or five, but a whole batch. We'll build a chicken coop, buy some chicks first, and then sell the eggs and broiler chickens when they're grown. This is more reliable than hunting."

As Lin Nuo spoke, his voice became more resolute:

"This is more profitable than raising rabbits, the eggs sell well, and we can eat them ourselves."

Su Wanqing looked at him, her eyes filled with surprise and worry:

"Do you know how to raise it?"

"If you don't understand now, you can learn. Ask around first, don't rush to invest money."

Lin Nuo pushed the money towards her, his tone serious:

"Keep this for now. I'll talk to Dad about it tomorrow and see what he says."

Su Wanqing nodded, picked up the money, and stuffed it under her pillow.

She turned around, looked at Lin Nuo, a slight smile playing on her lips, and gently patted the back of his hand.

"I'll support whatever you do."

Lin Nuo felt a warmth in his heart and took her hand in return.

Lin Nuo took the turtle, which weighed over a pound, from the storeroom, tied it with a straw rope, and handed it to Su Wanqing.

He took two bottles of wine from his father, locked the courtyard gate, and the two of them walked along the village road towards his elder brother's house, one in front of the other.

The moon hadn't risen yet, and the last trace of dark red remained on the horizon, as if someone had lightly drawn a line on the horizon with a charcoal pencil.

When we arrived at my elder brother's house, a table had already been set up in the main room.

Pingzi squatted in the corner, tears streaming down his face, leaving two tear streaks on his cheeks. Anzi stood beside him, her little mouth pouting so much it could hold an oil bottle, but she wasn't crying. She patted Pingzi's back with her little hand, like a little adult.

These two kids were quite happy just now.

what's wrong?

Su Wanqing walked over, squatted down, and reached out to wipe Pingzi's tears from his face:

"What's wrong? Who bullied Hirako?"

Pingzi sobbed, unable to speak, snot bubbles almost coming out of his nose. Anzi tattled beside him, her little face tense:

"Our ten yuan was taken by Mom."

Lin Jiang came out of the kitchen, carrying a basin of hot water:

"These two kids, each with a ten-yuan note, are showing off. Let your sister-in-law take it."

He put the basin on the table, then turned and went back into the kitchen.

Hearing this, Pingzi cried even harder, tears streaming down his face like a broken string of pearls. His shoulders heaved, heartbroken. He saw Lin Nuo leaning against the doorframe, trying not to laugh.

"Second Uncle...you're bad..."

He tearfully accused her, his voice soft and sweet.

Lin Nuo finally couldn't hold back and his eyes narrowed into slits with laughter. After handing the turtle to his sister-in-law, he went over and squatted down.

"I told you to hide it. Who gave you permission to show it off?"

Hirako pouted, looking aggrieved.

"But...that was given to me by Grandpa..."

"Grandpa gave it to you to keep and cherish, not to show off."

Lin Nuo pinched his cheek and said:

"When you grow up, your second uncle will give you even more. Much more than what you have in your pocket."

Su Wanqing watched from the side, rolled her eyes at him, a smile playing on her lips, her tone tinged with reproach:

"Why are you acting like a little kid?"

Lin Nuo turned his head and made a face at Su Wanqing, sticking out his tongue, rolling his eyes upward, and wrinkling his nose like a big monkey.

Hirako paused for a moment, tears still clinging to her face, but her mouth was already stretched into a wide grin. Anko also covered her mouth and laughed.

Su Wanqing reached out and gently patted his arm, her face slightly flushed:

"Indecent."

My sister-in-law poked her head out of the kitchen, holding a cleaver with scallion leaves still stuck to it, and said with a laugh:

"Alright, alright, stop joking around. Pingzi, Anzi, come help Mom."

Hirako stood up, sobbing, and ran into the kitchen with his legs twitching.

Before long, it was time to eat.

The dishes were laid out on the table: stewed chicken, scrambled eggs, peanuts, pickled vegetables, and that bowl of turtle soup.

Golden oil floated on the soup noodles, the scallions were bright green, and the aroma filled the room. The liquor was poured in, loose baijiu poured into a rough porcelain bowl, the liquid slightly yellow.

The eldest sister-in-law poured the wine, picked up her own glass, stood up, faced Lin Nuo and Su Wanqing, her lips trembled twice, and her eyes immediately reddened.

"Nuozi, Wanqing, I was blind before, and I said a lot of nonsense without thinking. I apologize to you."

After saying that, she tilted her head back and drank it all. It was so spicy that she coughed and her eyes watered.

Lin Nuo quickly stood up and picked up his cup:

"Sister-in-law, that's not true. We're family, so let's not talk about the past."

He did it too.

"Let bygones be bygones, and let's live our lives well from now on."

We absolutely have to drink this wine; my sister-in-law must have been holding this in for a long time.

Su Wanqing held her cup, took a small sip, and remained silent. But she looked at her sister-in-law and nodded gently.

The eldest sister-in-law sat down:

"Wanqing, your sister-in-law has wronged you before. Please don't take it to heart."

Su Wanqing shook her head, her voice light and calm:

"Sister-in-law, it's all in the past."

The eldest sister-in-law sighed, and after a long while, she finally looked up and forced a smile.

"Let's eat, the food's getting cold."

The atmosphere is much better now.

Everyone started talking, saying that no one holds a grudge for life, and that Lin Nuo had indeed been a scoundrel before, and that the older brother didn't have much money and had to cover for him.

Once this is out in the open, it doesn't matter anymore.

Then the conversation turned to Hirako Anko.

The eldest sister-in-law sighed, put down her chopsticks, and looked at Su Wanqing:

"Wanqing, Nuozi, what do you think... what will happen to Pingzi and Anzi in the future? Their father and I are not well-educated, we can't teach them anything, and we don't understand anything either. What will happen to them in the future?"

Su Wanqing put down her chopsticks, thought for a moment, and said seriously:

"At my school, the most we learned was basic literacy and arithmetic, just to get a foundation. The key to a child's education is junior high. There's a big difference between the town's high school and the county high school; the county high school is better, but it's far away and you have to live on campus."

The older sister-in-law listened, her brows furrowing.

She didn't know how much it would cost to send her to the county high school, and she didn't know if she could afford it.

Lin Nuo took over the conversation, put down the bowl, and said firmly:

"Sister-in-law, brother, don't worry. If you need money, just ask. Don't be shy. Pingzi and Anzi's affairs are our whole family's affairs. If they can get into the county high school, I'll support them."

Lin Nuo firmly believes that learning can change one's destiny.

Lin Jiang took a sip of wine, put down the bowl, his Adam's apple bobbed, and nodded.

"Okay. Got it."

Speaking of it.

Lin Jiang picked up his wine bowl, took another sip, and looked up to ask:

"Second brother, why haven't you been going to see Da Wu lately?"

Lin Nuo picked up a piece of food, her tone relaxed:

"Uncle Zhou is getting on in years, it would be good for him to help out over there. If I go too often, people will think I don't trust him. Besides, when I go, Uncle Zhou has to take care of me, and people absolutely refuse to accept anything I offer."

Lin Jiang said in a low voice:

"You should still go and see him. Da Wu is a very honest kid. If you don't go, even if he doesn't say it, he'll wonder if you're rejecting him. If he gets resentful, that would be worse."

Lin Nuo thought for a moment and nodded:

"Okay, I'll go there in a couple of days."

When I came out of my older brother's house, the moon was already high in the sky, and the snow was brightly lit.

Zhao Xiuying was still awake, sitting in the kitchen sewing shoe soles, somewhat surprised:

"Didn't you two drink too much?"

"I didn't drink too much, just a few glasses. I have things to do tomorrow."

Lin Nuo replied and pulled Su Wanqing into the east room.

The kerosene lamp sat on the table, its flame flickering and casting a swaying shadow on the wall. Lin Nuo took off his cotton-padded coat and sat down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), with Su Wanqing sitting down beside him.

"What my sister-in-law said today really feels like a dream."

Lin Nuo's voice was very soft, as if he were talking to himself:

"I used to be a notorious good-for-nothing. People in the village would shake their heads when they mentioned the second son of the Lin family."

Su Wanqing leaned closer, resting her head on his shoulder. Her eyes were a little red: "I also feel like I'm dreaming, but I, Su Wanqing, am so lucky."

"I'm such a loving husband."

"Um."

Su Wanqing nodded.

When they first got married, she resigned herself to her fate, considering it repayment of a debt of gratitude. She never expected Lin Nuo's personality to change so drastically after they separated rooms. If only she had known…

Lin Nuo lowered his head, gently touched her forehead, and said earnestly:

"This is not a dream. From now on, our lives will be even better."

Su Wanqing looked at Lin Nuo seriously and nodded.

He looked at her, and his gaze slowly changed. She knew that look all too well.

Su Wanqing blushed, and she instinctively wanted to back away, shrinking her body slightly.

"You...you ate turtle tonight..."

Lin Nuo chuckled. That turtle had eaten at just the right time today, giving Su Wanqing no chance to escape. He decisively reached out and grabbed her waist, pulling her into his arms.

Blow out the kerosene lamp.

Su Wanqing let out a soft gasp, her voice muffled against his chest, as if something had covered her throat.

"Lin Nuo..."

"Um."

"Don't..."

"Just this one..."

"That won't work either..."

"Hehe, Teacher Su, what you say doesn't count."

A rustling sound came from the darkness, and Su Wanqing was about to say something, but her words were cut off.

I don't know how much time has passed.

When Lin Nuo finished, Su Wanqing was already huddled under the covers, with only her head showing. She had her back to him, the blanket pulled up to her shoulders, and the tips of her ears were bright red, like two small rubies.

Lin Nuo hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder, his voice hoarse:

"Tomorrow, I'll go to Xiahe Village to see Dawu."

Su Wanqing did not respond.

"Big brother is right, we shouldn't let people harbor resentment."

I saw that Teacher Su was pretending to be asleep.

Lin Nuo smiled, her eyes filled with laughter.

No sleep for one night.