Chapter 2: Reluctant to return to one’s hometown

The guy was surprised to see me suddenly speak up after being silent for so long. He turned around and asked in Sichuan dialect, “Brother, have you also been to the Miao village in Xiangxi?”

I smiled and said, “Yes, the scenery is very nice there. I heard that the country is going to develop tourism there.” In fact, at that time, I had never been to Xiangxi, but I just said it casually. But now, that place has really become a tourist destination. Many mysterious things have been deliberately exaggerated, but many truths have been covered up. The only thing that cannot be covered up is the local folk customs. For many reasons, they are still very fierce.

“I don’t know about that. But speaking of it, I really want to go to Xiangxi to see my mother-in-law’s hometown, which I have never been to.” The man said with great interest. After hearing this, I knew that this person was probably not bragging about his own experience, but just exaggerating a little.

I pretended to know and asked, “Which village is your mother-in-law from? Tell me, maybe I’ve been there and I can describe it to you.”

The man frowned slightly and said, “My grandmother was very superstitious about her own village and rarely talked about it. I only heard her mention it once when she was about to die, in a village in XX.”

I knew nothing about Xiangxi, so I had no idea where he was talking about, but I silently wrote down the place. You know, it’s not easy to find the Miao people in Miaojiang, so it’s always good to have some clues. Moreover, the Miao people don’t contact ordinary villages, but they do know each other and have some contact. Ling Ruyue once mentioned that there are special transactions between the Miao people. If I have this clue, I might be able to find out where Ling Ruyue and the others are.

I feel ashamed to think about it. Although I and Ruoyue were together for a short time, we were very close, like real brother and sister. I can’t believe I don’t know where she is.

But she never said anything, it seems like she didn’t mention it much.

After asking this, I casually mumbled a few words and didn’t say much more, and I didn’t brag about what I knew. I knew that I was low-key and didn’t say much in front of others, even though I hadn’t faced society much.

But after all, I had talked to others for a while, and I didn’t feel comfortable going back to sleep. I tried hard to be more cheerful, but I still couldn’t fit in. As they chatted, I actually fell asleep.

When I woke up, I saw the familiar mountains and rivers of Sichuan, and I was back here again.

Not long after, the train arrived at Chengdu Station. I politely said goodbye to the people sitting next to me and hurriedly got off the train. This time, I didn’t plan to stay in Chengdu. I told Su Rou that I would visit him within six months because I had to accompany my parents first.

Thinking of my parents and my sister, I felt a little hot inside, and I couldn’t wait to go home. But when I got on the bus home, I was afraid to see my parents. After all these years, would they be unfamiliar with their son?

My sisters are fine. After all, when they were in Beijing, I could see them twice a year.

The more I thought about it, the more uneasy I felt. Is this what it means to be “homesick for a place you’ve been to many times”?

At that time, the national highway network had not yet been completed, and the bus took a bumpy day to reach the prefecture-level city where my hometown was located. However, there was no bus to my hometown at this time, so I had to stay here for a day.

This city is the closest to my hometown, but I had never been here before, even though I had grown up.

It was just after dark, and the city was lit up. I was walking alone with my luggage, looking at all this, and suddenly I thought of the lights in my house, the smell of my mother’s cooking, my father’s smile…

My heart was a little warm, but also a little sad. The feeling of homesickness was even stronger. Master, you said that the heart of nature only experiences and does not interfere, but how can I let go of the warmth of this family’s fire, even if it is only a trace of warmth? It weighs heavily on my heart. I still can’t let go.

I ate a little something and spent the night in a small hotel. When I got up the next morning, I looked at my luggage and suddenly felt even more timid.

I suddenly got out of bed and rushed to the simple bathroom in the hotel, where I began to wash and shave very carefully, and then carefully combed my hair. After that, I took out my best set of clothes and carefully put them on.

After all this, I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled wryly. I realized that I was quite vulgar.

Haha, a tacky Taoist priest, not at all a Taoist with a noble bearing, what’s the difference between him and an ordinary person? They are all the same, they all have a psychological need to return home in style, even if it’s just to save face.

In fact, it’s not for anything else, but for the parents’ hearts that hope their children will be successful and prosperous. I have to satisfy them.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I felt that I looked presentable. I finally boarded the bus to my hometown with my simple luggage and gifts for my parents.

A few hours later, I stood in the familiar town. When I arrived at the bus station, I almost didn’t recognize the town. After so many years, it had become so prosperous.

As soon as I walked out of the station, I met an acquaintance, Hu Xueman, the bearded uncle.

He looked at me, I looked at him, and we were both speechless for a moment, then we both started to laugh. He suddenly walked over and rubbed my head like he used to when I was little, but he couldn’t reach me. He said, “You’ve grown so tall, little brat.”

This sentence undoubtedly broke the alienation brought about by time and space, and the feelings of many years ago returned again. I smiled and said, “Not tall, just 1.82 meters.”

“Haha…” Uncle Hu laughed, and I noticed that Uncle Hu, who was in his prime back then, already had wrinkles around the eyes.

I couldn’t help but feel a little sad. I had left home when I was young, and now I was an adult, but my accent had not changed, and my hair had turned gray… Uncle Hu was already like this, but what about my parents?

Uncle Hu saw me looking at him and couldn’t help but say, “What are you looking at, Sanwa?”

I said as casually as I could, “Auntie Hu, you’re getting old, aren’t you?”

Uncle Hu pretended to be angry and lightly slapped me on the chest, saying, “Why are you still calling me Auntie Hu? Who says I’m old? I’m young.” In the meantime, he had already taken over my luggage and then led me to a Santana.

In the 1990s, this kind of car was already very impressive in a small town like this.

I looked at Uncle Hu strangely and asked, “Uncle, have you become rich?”

“No, I’m still in charge of the department here, but after working here for a few years, I’ve been promoted and transferred to the city. I still have the power to transfer a car. You know, our department is special, so transferring a car is nothing. I planned to pick you up at the bus station yesterday, but I was afraid I would miss you. So I waited for you here early this morning, and sure enough, I waited for you. Uncle Hu didn’t know if he was getting old and chatty, but as soon as he saw me, he started talking non-stop.

I felt warm and fuzzy, and finally had a sense of familiarity when I returned to my hometown. I no longer felt shy about going back, so I asked, “Uncle Hu, why did you want to pick me up?”

“Nonsense, isn’t it to give you face? Driving back in a car will also make your parents proud.” Uncle Hu said casually. I was already sitting in the car with him at this point, and when I heard him say that, I was moved again, and couldn’t help but say, “Uncle Hu…”

Uncle Hu pretended to be unintentionally took a thousand yuan from his bag and put it in my hand, saying, “I know all about Master Jiang’s situation. Our department is quite well informed. I asked a colleague when you left Beijing and figured you should have arrived today. Master Jiang is gone. You’re having a hard time, and I know it. So take the money. You know your parents and neighbors think you’re in Beijing, a man of distinction.”

At this point, Uncle Hu didn’t say anything else. I understood what he meant. I held the thousand yuan in my hand, my eyes burning, and finally put it in my pocket. This department has a high allowance, but it can never compare to the rich. In 1990, a thousand yuan was a lot of money. I took this friendship to heart. I didn’t say anything cheesy like paying it back. I knew what I had to do.

The car started and drove towards my home!