The next morning, the couple sent their eldest son away, who was pouting and reluctant to go to school, and then sent their younger son to see Ye's father. Then they took Ye Xiaoxi, who was more than five months old, and went to the roadside to wait for a bus, carrying a shoulder pole full of things.
If they weren't afraid that the old lady was too slow to keep an eye on Ye Chengyang, they would have just let him follow her.
Fortunately, Ye Yaodong prepared a bunch of snacks for him, and he ate them well without crying.
Just as they were leaving, they met a few relatives on the road and they said they wanted to visit their homes
The couple simply refused with a smile, saying that they were on their way back to her parents’ home and turned it down.
Lin's father and mother originally thought that Ye Yaodong had not returned, and that A Qing was busy taking care of the children and had no intention of coming over for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Unexpectedly, at almost noon, they were notified by the neighbors that the two of them were coming over with their children and their bags.
The two of them ran out happily and saw the couple walking towards them from afar.
"When did Adong come back? We all thought you didn't come back for the holiday..."
"How could I not come back to celebrate the holidays? I came back the night before yesterday."
Father Lin said quickly: "What does it matter whether you can celebrate the festival or not? Making money is the most important thing..."
"No, I just finished my work, so I hurried back. It was also just in time for the Mid-Autumn Festival." Ye Yaodong explained quickly.
Mother Lin also said with a smile: "What are you talking about at the door in such hot weather? There are so many people standing around watching. Go in quickly and have a drink of water and rest your feet. You must be exhausted after walking such a long way. Xiaojiu is sweating and his face is red. Go in quickly and don't stand outside and talk."
"Oh, yes, yes, let's go in quickly. It's very sunny outside..." After being reminded by Lin's mother, Lin's father quickly came to his senses and hurried to help get the things.
"Why did you bring so many things with you again? Didn't I tell you not to bring these things with you next time? You always bring back a lot of dry goods, and we can't even finish them..."
"These are not dried goods. They are special products I brought back from Zhejiang Province. I brought some over for you to try. It's just in time for the Mid-Autumn Festival gift. There are still a few meters of cloth in the sack. You can make two pieces of clothing by yourselves. There are also several finished clothes..."
Ye Yaodong walked into the house and said this, and Lin's father and mother both widened their eyes and were heartbroken.
"Why did you buy so many things? They cost a lot of money, hundreds of dollars, right? Oh my God..."
"Why are you spending money so recklessly? How long does it take to earn this much money? How can you bear to spend it like this? Why doesn't A-Qing care..."
"Take it back quickly. If you take it back later, we will have no use for it. We are either working in the mountains or in the fields. Why would you buy us fabrics or clothes..."
Ye Yaodong was too lazy to explain. It was enough to explain to the elders in his family. He gave Lin Xiuqing a look and told her to talk to her own parents.
Lin Xiuqing interrupted her parents' distressed words, "These can't be bought with money..."
She explained to her parents where the things came from, but the two old people still felt sad.
"Why not just sell it... it can fetch a lot of money?"
"They have been sold, and these are the ones left that no one wants." Ye Yaodong said bluntly.
Lin Xiuqing gave him a reproachful look. How could she say that? "I kept these items specially for you. Most of them have been sold. You don't have to feel bad. We haven't sent anything here all year round. Every time we've sent rice, rapeseed oil, fruits and vegetables..."
Father Lin waved his hands and said, "The produce from these fields is not worth much. We grow them ourselves anyway..."
"He picked it up anyway..."
…
Ye Yaodong felt a headache listening to their conversations. Every time he sent something, they would make excuses. The same went for his elders and Aqing's family. He just stood at the door and got some advice. Her parents asked her to handle it herself.
Unexpectedly, as soon as I stood at the door, I saw a group of children running back with backpacks on their backs.
"Oh? Is this the end of school?"
“Uncle-in-law, uncle-in-law…” Lin Guangyuan’s eyes lit up when he saw Ye Yaodong. He ran faster and shouted louder.
"Uncle..."
"Is school over? Why are you so dirty?"
"My eldest brother just had a fight with someone after school and beat him up." The eldest niece behind him hurriedly complained loudly.
Lin Guangyuan glared at him and said, "Don't talk nonsense. I fell accidentally."
Ye Yaodong was both amused and confused when he heard this. "You are supposed to be the oldest in the school now, and it is only natural that you have become the campus bully?"
Lin Guangyuan smiled awkwardly, then quickly changed the subject, "Uncle, when did you come back? My father and the others said a few days ago that you would definitely not be able to come back for the holiday."
"Yeah, I just got back."
After he finished speaking, he searched his pockets and handed two electronic watches, one blue and one pink, which he had prepared in advance to Lin Guangyuan and Lin Dongxue.
One is my eldest nephew and the other is my eldest niece, who are also future college students. Of course, they should each get one, and the younger ones can just forget about it.
Anyway, these two, one is from the eldest brother-in-law's family and the other is from the second brother-in-law's family, so it's fair.
When the two saw the electronic watch, they shouted out in surprise, "Watch!"
"Is this for us?"
"if not?"
"Wow! Uncle, you are awesome!" After getting the confirmation, Lin Guangyuan was so happy that he almost jumped to the sky.
Lin Dongxue also excitedly held the pink watch tightly, "Uncle, you are so kind. You actually gave us a watch?"
They were so excited; the surprise came so suddenly that it felt like fireworks were automatically going off in their heads.
The other children were so envious when they saw this that they surrounded Ye Yaodong and kept calling him uncle.
Ye Yaodong smiled and said, "You are still young, you don't need it yet, let's talk about it later."
The smiles on the children's faces suddenly disappeared, and they looked disappointed.
"But even if there's no watch, there are other delicious foods in the house. You can go in and get them."
In an instant, no one was disappointed and ran faster than rabbits, but Lin Guangyuan and Lin Dongxue still stood in front of him, holding the watch lovingly.
"Uncle, this watch seems very expensive..." Lin Dongxue hesitated as she held the watch. She wanted to return it, but she was reluctant to do so. Finally, she gritted her teeth and stuffed it into his arms.
"You can either give it to my aunt, or return it. I'm still young and can't use it."
Ye Yaodong looked at her in surprise, then looked at the watch in front of him. He knew that his niece was smart, but he didn't expect her to be so sensible and willing to do so. No wonder she was admitted to university and became the first college student in the village.
When Lin Guangyuan saw Lin Dongxue return it, he felt distressed, but he also handed the watch he was holding in his hand to him, "Uncle..."
"Take them all. This is to motivate you to study hard. If your final exam results are not good, I will ask your parents to take them back and not give them to you."
"Ah! I must study hard! I must graduate from the third year of junior high school." Lin Guangyuan took it back in a panic, was so happy that he put it on himself immediately.
Lin Dongxue also nodded vigorously, "I will definitely work hard, thank you, uncle!"
"Thank you, uncle!"
"Why are you out of school so early? It's only a little after ten!"
"Tomorrow is Mid-Autumn Festival, and the teacher gave us a holiday early."
Now, the teachers have the final say on how to take holidays. You can take as long or as late as you want, and it’s very up to you.
"Uncle, do you want to stay for the Mid-Autumn Festival?"
"No, I'll be back in the afternoon. Your two cousins are still at home."
"oh… "
Both of them were a little disappointed, as they were very fond of their uncle-in-law.
The adults in the room heard from the children who had just run in that Ye Yaodong had given Lin Guangyuan and Lin Dongxue a watch each, and they immediately felt distressed, thinking that Ye Yaodong spent money too much and was too generous.
They immediately wanted to go out and ask the two children to go back, but Lin Xiuqing held them back and talked to them for a long time, and finally the two elders did not let them go back.
But after seeing Ye Yaodong, she couldn't help but nagging him again, telling him to spend less money, save more money, and not give away things that can be sold. She did a lot of talking.
Good elders are like this, they will feel sorry for you. Ye Yaodong also cooperated and humbly learned from them, nodding and saying yes and yes.
No matter what you think in your heart, you must respond nicely and listen to advice with your attitude.
In fact, Lin's father and mother were happy that their son-in-law valued them, unlike before when he might not visit their home once a year.
Now even the younger ones in the family like to hang around him. They follow behind him for most of the day, calling him "little uncle" all the time. Even when they leave, the younger ones are still reluctant to leave.
She kept asking him when he would come next time and when they could visit him.
Ye Yaodong was also very happy. He felt that he was becoming more and more competent and respectable as an elder.
After comforting the children, he carried his shoulder pole and walked back the way he came. He wanted to go back while the sun was still up and there was still a car to go back.
When he came, his shoulders ached from carrying all the goods, and now when he goes back, the basket is also heavy.
The baskets were filled with dried lettuce, cauliflower, radish, shredded sweet potatoes and other dried vegetables. The two elders also killed two chickens and ducks, and took two cans of what they said was wild honey, and also brought them a large bucket of rapeseed oil.
Just as he had carried the load here in the morning, the two elders still filled the bamboo basket for him and asked him to carry it back full.
"What your parents gave us is truly a heavy gift of love. They gave us everything to take back."
"That's not good. I'm afraid you won't have any vegetables to eat. Anyway, I like vegetables, not fish."
"Tsk, fish become smarter when they eat more. No wonder you are so stupid."
"Yes, I'm so stupid that I came all the way to marry you and kill more fish every day than others do in their entire lives."
"Humph, the seaside is so nice, better than your mountain valley."
"You look down on mountain trenches? Yours is an ocean trench."
"What is this trench...what a mess..."
The couple, one holding the child and the other carrying a load, bickered and laughed all the way. The setting sun stretched their silhouettes longer and longer.