New ink fragrance in old times

The sun was setting in the west, around three quarters after noon, a faint setting sun hung in the sky, and the afterglow was like golden silk, gently spreading all over the way home, covering this quiet village with a layer of warm glow.

The donkey cart that Lin Mo, Lin Xueqin, Lin Xuejin and Lin Xuebao were riding in slowly drove into the village entrance. The wheels rolled over the ground, making a rhythmic "squeaking" sound, which seemed particularly clear in the tranquility of the evening, as if it was the prelude to returning home.

Han had been waiting outside the threshold of the Lin family's courtyard, her face full of anxiety and anticipation, and her eyes kept looking towards the village entrance.

When the familiar donkey-drawn carriage finally came into her sight, a hint of joy suddenly flashed in her eyes, and she hurried forward. The bluestone road under her feet seemed to become more solid because of her eagerness.

"You are finally back!" Han's voice was mixed with anxiety and anticipation. She almost ran to the donkey cart, and her eyes locked on Lin Mo at the first moment. She looked him up and down carefully, afraid of missing any details, and the concern on her face was beyond words.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm the waves in her heart, then turned to look at Lin Xuejin, her voice trembling slightly: "What did the doctor say? Sanlang..."

Lin Xuejin gently patted his wife Han's shoulder to comfort her. "The doctor said Sanlang only has temporary memory loss and is fine. We've been trying to find a way to help him recover his memory on the way back."

Lin Xueqian stepped forward and said gently to Han, "Yes, sister-in-law, this matter cannot be explained clearly in a short time. Why don't we go into the yard first and sit down to talk slowly."

Upon hearing this, Han nodded quickly and followed everyone into the courtyard. Along the way, her mood was like a roller coaster, with both worry and anticipation, hoping that Lin Mo would be safe.

After entering the yard, Lin Xuejin found a stone bench to sit down and told Han in detail about his experience today and the doctor's diagnosis.

The last rays of the setting sun shone through the sky and onto them, adding a touch of warmth to the tense atmosphere.

"Thank God, Sanlang is fine," Han said, clasping her hands together as tears welled up in her eyes. "I'll go make some medicine for Sanlang first. Tomorrow morning, I'll take him for a walk to help him remember."

After a while, several people who went to work in the fields came back with heavy backpacks on their shoulders. Seeing this, the three Lin Xueqin brothers hurried forward to take the backpacks from Mr. and Mrs. Lin.

"Dad, Mom, you've worked so hard." The eldest brother, Lin Xueqin, took the backpack and told Old Man Lin about Lin Mo's diagnosis. "Old Song has examined it and said that Sanlang may have lost his memory."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Lin frowned slightly: "Mr. Song, did you say when you can get better?"

Lin Xueqian shook his head, his expression solemn but with a hint of relief. "Old Song said to have Sanlang take a few doses of medicine first, and go to familiar places more often to see if he can remember anything. He said that sometimes this kind of situation requires time and environmental stimulation to slowly recover."

"Sanlang, what should we do if we can't remember it?" Mrs. Lin looked at Lin Xueqin with concern, her eyes full of worry.

At this time, the second son, Lin Xuejin, stepped forward and said softly, "Mom, don't worry. Sanlang is still young and doesn't remember what happened before. It doesn't matter much. It won't affect his future life. What's important is that he is healthy now, and that's enough."

"Don't worry." The third brother, Lin Xuebo, also echoed, "Sanlang will be fine."

When everyone heard this, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Grandpa and grandma, the meal is ready." Xing'er came out of the house and said to everyone.

The atmosphere at the dinner table was less heavy than yesterday. However, despite this, no one took the initiative to speak.

Someone wanted to say something, fingers gently stroking the edge of the bowl, hesitation flickering in their eyes. But in the end, they chose to remain silent and didn't say what was in their heart.

After dinner, the eldest brother Lin Xueqin and the second brother Lin Xuejin drove the donkey cart to return the cart to Old Man Li’s house.

When they arrived at Old Man Li's house, Old Man Li saw that it was them and greeted them warmly: "Oh, it's Xue Qian and Xue Jin. Come and sit down, come and sit down."

The two sat down as instructed, and Old Li asked about Lin Mo's situation with concern.

Hearing this, Old Li nodded and said comfortingly, "Don't worry too much. This matter can't be rushed. Lin Mo is a good child. Good things will come to those who are lucky. He will definitely get better."

Lin Xuejin also said, "Yes, Uncle Li, we think so too. Thank you for your concern."

Old Li waved his hand and said with a smile, "We're all from the same village, so it's only natural for us to care about each other. By the way, is the car working well?"

Lin Xueqian quickly replied, "It's convenient, it's convenient. Uncle Li's car is just very useful."

After chatting for a few minutes, the two stood up to say goodbye. Old Li saw them off to the door and said, "Come back often when you have time, and we'll talk again."

Lin Mo lay in bed, his eyes fixed on the ceiling, his heart surging like waves, unable to calm down. His body was exhausted from the day's tension and anxiety, but his mind was still tense, like a string about to break.

The room was completely silent, with only the faint chirping of insects from far away outside the window, interwoven with his occasional rapid breathing, forming an indescribable nocturne.

"Why didn't you come?" Lin Mo muttered to himself. He was shocked that he hadn't received the expected inquiry tonight, but he was also deeply confused and puzzled. A hint of doubt flashed in his eyes, as if he was having a conversation with himself, trying to solve this mystery.

Recalling the scene after dinner, Lin Mo unconsciously smiled bitterly. He tried to find an opportunity to talk to the children in this family, hoping to get some information from them.

However, Han's attentive companionship was like an invisible wall, forcing him to bury this thought deep in his heart, for fear that it would be exposed if he was not careful.

"That medicine..." Lin Mo frowned as he thought of the bowl of bitter medicine he had just drunk.

Lin Mo knew clearly that although the doctor prescribed this medicine to treat amnesia, he himself had no memory and all medicines are toxic. He was not sure what effect this medicine would have on his body.

"It seems that I have to find a way to pour out the medicine in the future."

"They didn't come to ask me how I was doing today. Perhaps they were too tired." Lin Mo thought to himself. He closed his eyes and calmed himself down.

Lin Mo knew that tomorrow might bring more challenges, and he needed to stay alert to better cope. "No matter what, I'm going to overcome this difficulty," he vowed to himself.

Finally, under the dual invasion of endless thoughts and fatigue, Lin Mo fell into a deep sleep.

The chirping of insects outside the window gradually faded away, leaving only a quiet night sky, witnessing his struggle that night.