Starting a new chapter in life

Jinghuan patted her: "It's okay, I guess your brother-in-law took him to visit some neighbors. You haven't been back for so many years, it's good for you to take a look around. We're going to visit Third Brother's house after lunch today?"

Jingyan nodded and followed him into the kitchen to get busy.

Before lunch, the two returned right on time. And you know what? They timed it perfectly. After everyone had lunch, the five of them went to Third Brother's house, which was two streets away.

Third Brother was repairing farm tools in the yard when he saw several people come in. He quickly got up, wiped his hands on the hem of his clothes, and asked somewhat awkwardly, "Jinghuan, Jingyan is back? When did she get back?"

Jingyan smiled at him: "Third Brother, I've only been back for a few days. Are you repairing farm tools?"

Zhang Jingnian nodded quickly: "Spring plowing will start in half a month. I'll check and repair things first so that I can work more smoothly. Don't chat outside, hurry up and come inside, it's warm inside."

The group followed him inside. Third Sister-in-law, sitting on the kang (heated brick bed) doing needlework, quickly put her things into her sewing basket when she saw a group of people enter. She glanced at Jinghuan, then at everyone's empty hands, and her smile was somewhat faint.

"This is... Jing Yan? Oh my, it's been so many years. Jing Yan hasn't changed much. No wonder she lives in a big city, it really takes care of her."

Jingyan forced a smile and said, "Third sister-in-law, it's been so many years. Here, this is a little something from me. Buy some wine and meat for my third brother." With that, she took out a red envelope from her pocket and handed it to her.

Third Sister-in-law took the red envelope, opened it, and saw five hundred yuan. Her smile immediately became much more genuine. "Jingyan is so sensible. But then again, she hasn't been back for so many years. Every year, the elders in the family have to come here to burn paper money at their graves. You must go and see your parents this time you come back?"

Jingyan smiled and nodded: "I will. I'll go see my eldest and second eldest sisters first, and then if I can get all my brothers and sisters together, we can go see our parents' graves. I'm also thinking of repairing their graves."

Third Sister-in-law's expression turned slightly indifferent: "Repairing a grave? There's really no need for that."

"I'll pay for it," Jing Yan said succinctly.

Third Sister-in-law's smile brightened a bit: "Then I'll trouble you, little sister."

Jinghuan rolled her eyes and didn't say anything. Third Sister-in-law pretended not to see her expression and slid off the kang: "Hey, little sister, how about having dinner at home?"

Jing Yan smiled and shook her head: "No need for that. We had already eaten before coming over. We just came to see Third Brother and will be going back in a bit."

Third Sister-in-law didn't say anything more. She went to the kitchen and poured some black tea for everyone: "Have some tea. It's not anything fancy, just ordinary black tea, just to get a taste."

After everyone thanked them, Zhang Jingnian asked Jingyan, "Have you been doing well all these years? I was angry with you two when you got married and didn't keep up with your news."

"I came to find you both after I figured things out, but I didn't expect you to be married, and you even married so far away. I really regretted it then. Now that I see you're doing well, I'm relieved."

Jingyan chuckled lightly: "We will take responsibility for our own choices. Just like Third Brother, we won't regret our choices. Even if we do regret them, we have to swallow them. Once a move is made, there's no going back."

Zhang Jingnian… “I know you blame me, blame me for fighting with you two over the house, but at that time I just felt that I was the only male left in the family, so the ancestral home should belong to me…”

"Is that what you think now too?" Jingyan interrupted him.

Zhang Jingnian shook his head repeatedly: "No, no, I really don't think that way now. I regret it a long time ago. Mom said before that the ancestral home was for you, and that it would be left to Jinghuan after you left. I didn't make a fuss about it anymore. You can ask her if you don't believe me."

Jingyan looked at Jinghuan, who nodded: "Yes, Third Brother didn't cause any trouble later, but Third Sister-in-law came twice and I kicked her out."

Zhang Jingnian...

Jingyan was too lazy to bring up these old, trivial matters: "I came back for a visit, so it's only right that I check on everyone's houses. I didn't plan to ask about anything else. I've finished looking around here, so I'll be leaving now."

The group turned to leave, but before they went out, Jingyan couldn't help but turn to look at Zhang Jingnian, whose hair had turned gray:

"Third brother, you've been a coward your whole life, and you've managed to get by, but now that your children are grown up, you and your wife shouldn't interfere anymore. Wouldn't it be better to enjoy your retirement?"

Zhang Jingnian knew she was referring to their youngest son's plan to work in another city, but his wife was using filial piety as leverage to prevent him from leaving. He nodded sheepishly, "I understand what you mean."

Jing Yan nodded: "The child is grown up, and it's time for him to fly."

Watching the group leave the courtyard, Zhang Jingnian turned to look at his wife, and for the first time, he felt the confidence of a head of the family: "If the second son wants to change jobs, let him. Even if the children aren't around, you still have me."

Third Sister-in-law hesitated for a moment, then, seeing the determination in his eyes, nodded: "Okay, I'll listen to you."

As the group left, Peng Chunlai approached Jing Yan and asked, "Your third brother is a kind-hearted man his whole life. Can he really keep your third sister-in-law in check?"

Jingyan snorted: "Do you think he's really made up his mind and my third sister-in-law can go against him? In the past, it was just that he didn't want to show his face, and my third sister-in-law did all the dirty work. Anyway, I'm just saying it out loud. As for the result... let him be."

"Tomorrow we'll visit my eldest sister and stay at her house for a day, then we'll visit my second sister, and after that we'll come back and live at home for a while," Jinghuan said, outlining her plans.

Jingyan nodded: "Okay, I'll listen to Fourth Sister. Chunlai, how long can you stay?"

Peng Chunlai grabbed her arm: "You've come all this way, I want to stay with you."

Peng Chunsheng replied coolly, "Aren't you afraid your partner will come back and arrest you?"

“I told him when I came back that I would stay at my parents’ house for a while.” Peng Chunlai pouted. “My sister-in-law told me on the phone that she wanted me to stay at your house for a while longer. I had already told her in advance.”

Peng Chunsheng nodded, "That's good. You sisters should have a good get-together. We're taking a bus to Tieling tomorrow, so let's pack up and go to bed early tonight. We need to get up early."

The next day, the whole family set off for Tieling. Peng Chunsheng knew the roads well and easily arrived at his eldest sister's house. After knocking, his eldest sister's daughter-in-law opened the door. She didn't recognize anyone else, but she recognized Jinghuan and his wife.

"Fourth Aunt, Uncle, why didn't you let me know you were coming? I could have picked you up."

Jinghuan smiled and said, "Your aunt and uncle are back. I brought them to see your mother-in-law. Is she home?"

"Yes, yes, come in quickly, it's quite cold outside." The woman quickly stepped aside to let the group in.

The sisters were naturally very excited to see each other. The eldest sister, Zhang Jingrong, had a full head of white hair, but she was in good spirits and looked quite healthy. "Jingyan, my little sister, you've finally come back after being away from home for over thirty years. How long are you going to stay this time? Didn't you bring your child back?"

“The kids are all busy, they’ll come to pick me up in a while. Big sister, it’s been so many years, you’re doing well, aren’t you?” Jingyan asked earnestly before introducing him: “This is my husband, He Zhijun. We got married in a rush back then, so you haven’t met him yet.”

Zhang Jingrong looked at He Zhijun and nodded repeatedly: "Not attending your wedding was something your second sister and I have always regretted. Who would have thought you would marry so far away?"

My older brother was looking after you all back then, but I never expected him to agree to your marriage to someone so far away. By the time we received the news, you had already gone to the Great Northern Wilderness. Sigh, in those days, going out was no easy feat.

Jingyan held her hand: "I'm doing very well. You guys had a tough time back then too. I heard from my fourth sister that you've finally made it through all these years. My eldest brother-in-law treats you well, and you two are no longer fighting?"

Zhang Jingrong smiled and said, "Well, his temper improved a lot after he turned forty or fifty, and mine also became less short-tempered, so we naturally stopped fighting. In the past twenty years, we haven't even had a quarrel, and our lives have been quite peaceful. Your temper is similar to mine. Do you quarrel a lot after marriage?"

Jingyan shook her head: "He has a good temper, and he lets me do whatever I want. We've been married for over thirty years, and I don't think we've ever even had a fight. My life is going very well."

He's capable; he got into university in the first round of college entrance exams. That's why we moved to Haishi and finally settled there. Look at you, now that things are better, why don't you go see your sister?"

Zhang Jingrong touched her face: "Hmm, you look fine, you haven't suffered any harm. My legs aren't very good, so I don't want to travel far. It's the same if you come back and visit. How long can you stay at home this time? Why don't you stay with your older sister for a while?"

Jingyan smiled and said, "I plan to visit my second sister tomorrow, and then I want to stay with my fourth sister to help her with the spring plowing."

Zhang Jingrong smiled and said, "That's fine too. You two have been together for a long time, so your bond is the deepest. By the way, how's your third sister? Do you keep in touch often? She hasn't contacted us for many years."

Jingyan nodded: "Third sister is doing well. She divorced her husband a long time ago and came to live with me. Now Ronggang is married and has children. Rongqiang graduated from university and is doing well. She is living a comfortable life now, so you can rest assured."

"I feel at ease with you taking care of her. She married young and is very proud, so it's understandable that she wouldn't tell her family about the divorce. We're both getting old now, and we don't know how many more years we have left."

"Go back and tell her that she should come back to see her brothers and sisters when she has the chance; after all, they are all siblings from the same mother," Zhang Jingrong sighed.

"Back then, Mom didn't want your third sister to marry off to the Great Northern Wilderness, but she was the only one of suitable age at the time. Li Sijun's mother and our mother were sisters."

"My mom wanted to marry her off to her husband's family because she thought they wouldn't mistreat her, which is why she got married. But alas, she's not happy with her life in the end, so it's understandable that she resents her family."

Jingyan had no idea about this. She looked at Jinghuan, who was also completely bewildered. "Sisters? Isn't that incest? Luckily, both sons are normal, otherwise it would be even more resentful."

Zhang Jingrong smiled and said, "I didn't understand back then. Of course I wouldn't now. Just pass on the message. As for whether she wants to come back to visit, that's up to her."

Zhang Jingyan agreed and they began chatting casually. That evening, her eldest sister's two sons came over with their families. Good heavens, her eldest sister's great-grandson had already been born! Jingyan looked at this large family and couldn't help but click her tongue in amazement.

“My daughter-in-law is pregnant. I’m not even a grandmother yet, and you’re already a great-grandmother.”

Zhang Jingrong laughed: "I'm sixteen years older than you, and I got married early. Isn't it normal for me to be a great-grandmother? It's because you're the youngest in the family that you're bound to have a higher seniority."

“My older brother is two years older than you, but he’s still only a grandfather.” Jingyan retorted.

"He got married late." That one sentence resolved all the questions.

That night, Jingyan tried to fall asleep several times, but her eldest sister's enthusiasm dispelled her sleepiness. Well, she stayed up all night again. She had to go to her second sister's house the next day, otherwise her second sister, who was always finding fault, would definitely be unhappy.

Yawning and sporting panda eyes, I confirmed the date for visiting our parents' graves with my older sister. Before leaving, I stuffed the gold ring I'd bought for her into her hands, making my sister both amused and exasperated.

"You little rascal, you're still a child, why are you bringing gifts for your older sister? I, as your older sister, haven't even prepared anything for you."

Jingyan acted like she did when they were little, saying, "It's rare for me to come back, so it's normal for me to give you some jewelry, we're sisters."

The older sister glared at her, but eventually accepted the money. After that, the group hurried to catch up with the bus.

To be fair, Jingyan knew her second sister Zhang Jinglan quite well. As soon as she arrived at her house, she was mocked: "Oh, isn't this my little sister? She's been back for a few days and this is the first time she's come to her second sister's house. Can't she find my house?"

Jingyan pointed to her dark circles: "Look at me, I haven't had a proper rest these past few days, I'm like a hawk that's been kept awake all night. I only stayed at my older sister's house for one day before rushing over to see you, can't you feel sorry for me?"

Zhang Jinglan approached and looked at her closely: "Oh, you really are tired. Alright, I won't tease you anymore. Hurry up and get on the kang. My little sister is already in her fifties, but her face still looks quite youthful. It seems she's been living a good life all these years."

Jing Yan smiled and said, "It's alright. I'm lucky; my husband loves me."

Zhang Jinglan pouted: "You're just showing off. Why don't you stay at your second sister's house for a while longer? It's been so many years since we last met."

Jinghuan immediately interrupted, "No way, your house only has one big room, and it's not good for so many people to sleep well. If you miss her, come stay at my house for a while, and we sisters can have a good chat."

Zhang Jinglan thought about it and nodded, "Okay, let's go stay at Fourth Sister's house for a few days and have a good get-together as sisters."

That night, Jingyan slept soundly all night. However, since there was only one large kang (heated brick bed), the man and woman were separated by a curtain. The snoring was constant throughout the night, and even without chatting, she didn't sleep very well.

The next morning, after breakfast, Jingyan said goodbye to Zhang Jinglan. Her second sister didn't try to keep her any longer. Her second sister accepted the gold ring she had given her very readily. They arranged to visit the grave together and then saw them off.

After a hectic journey home in an oxcart, it was almost evening. Jingyan felt completely exhausted. After a quick wash, everyone went to sleep in separate rooms, men and women. There was no one to chat with today; everyone was just too tired to stay awake any longer.