country bumpkin

At the end of the year and in the cold winter, come to a farmhouse and encounter a warm sun that is gentle to the bone.

Sunlight filtered through the thin clouds, bathing the tranquil land in its glow. In the distance, the mountains were edged with gold, like an oil painting casually sketched by nature.

In the fields, the harvested straw is neatly stacked, like guardians of the earth, quietly waiting for the vitality of the coming year.

In Kongjia Village, elderly people sit on small stools at their doorsteps, squinting in the sun, their wrinkles telling stories of bygone years.

The children played and laughed nearby, their laughter echoing in the air, adding a touch of liveliness to the winter day.

In the courtyard, the persimmon tree was laden with bright red persimmons, like little lanterns swaying gently in the breeze.

Several hens strolled leisurely under the tree, occasionally pecking at the grains on the ground.

The warm sun shone on me, making me feel cozy and dispelling the winter chill.

If you take a deep breath, you can smell the fragrance of earth and the aroma of firewood in the air—that's the smell of home.

At this moment, time seemed to stand still, and all worries were thrown to the winds.

In this noisy world, the tranquility of the countryside and the warm winter sun are life's gentlest gifts to us.

At nine o'clock in the morning, Lin Junhui was still on the bus, surrounded by a crowded group of people.

People who work away from home, as well as daughters returning to their parents' home for the festival, all sit on such buses.

The bus was full, and many young people were standing. Young people these days are so kind; they gave up their limited seats for the elderly.

Looking out the car window at the rows of tall trees, Lin Junhui was filled with excitement at the prospect of seeing his sweetheart.

He thought of her face, her smiling, curved eyebrows, just like the bright winter sun shining through the window.

As the car slowly drove onto the main road in the village, Lin Junhui's heart began to beat faster and faster.

Finally, they arrived at their stop, and he got off the train with the flow of people. He walked briskly along the familiar path, the soil beneath his feet feeling comforting.

As he passed under a large tree at the village entrance, several elderly villagers who had some free time were chatting together. They all looked at him curiously as he walked by.

He soon arrived at Kong Xiufang's courtyard. The gate was open, so he quietly went in, pushed it open, and saw Yunya and several children playing jump rope.

Kong Xiufang was hanging towels to dry, her slender figure looking particularly beautiful in the sunlight.

Hearing footsteps, she turned around, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, followed by a shy smile.

Lin Junhui walked forward carrying bags of gifts and said softly, "Xiufang, I'm here."

She lowered her head slightly, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up. The two of them stood there quietly, enjoying this warm moment of reunion. It seemed that only their breathing and the heartwarming winter sun could be heard around them.

At this moment, Yunya and the other children broke the beautiful silence.

She ran over shouting, "Uncle, Uncle, you're here!"

Lin Junhui snapped out of his reverie and patted Yun Ya's head. "Hmm, Yun Ya has grown so tall in just a few days, and she's getting prettier and prettier!"

Yunya jumped up and down happily, and Jianjun and Jianguo also shouted, "Uncle, Uncle!"

Lin Junhui also praised the two brothers. The brothers smiled happily.

The other children all greeted him in unison, "Hello, Uncle!" Lin Junhui smiled and responded, "Hello to you all too."

After saying goodbye to Xiang Hong and Xiang Yang and Yun Ya, Xiang Hong took Cai Xia with her when she left.

Her mother told her that if guests came to someone else's house, she should find an excuse to say goodbye and go home. She shouldn't cause trouble for other people's families.

Yunya and Jianjun helped Lin Junhui carry the gifts. Lin Junhui gave each of them a lighter gift box.

He was carrying a heavy cloth bag containing a large piece of pork. When a son-in-law visits his mother-in-law's house, he always brings a gift of pork belly and several packets of pastries.

Hearing the noise, Mu Shuyun and Kong Xiangyao came out of the house together.

Lin Junhui quickly greeted her, "Hello, Auntie, I've come to deliver a New Year's gift." Mu Shuyun smiled and said, "Why are you being so polite? You're here to have fun, why spend money on that?"

Lin Junhui smiled and said, "It's all nothing, it didn't cost much. Please don't be so polite, Auntie."

After Lin Junhui finished speaking, he looked at the young man who had been watching him and guessed his identity.

Before Kong Xiufang could introduce him, Lin Junhui said, "You must be my little brother Xiangyao!"

Kong Xiangyao was surprised that his brother-in-law knew him. He wondered how his brother-in-law knew him, since they had never met.

This is the first time we've met!

Seeing his puzzled expression, Lin Junhui smiled and said, "I often hear Xiufang talk about you. You have a clear mind and excellent skills. You are indeed a promising young man with a handsome appearance."

Kong Xiangyao didn't know how to respond. He hadn't expected his brother-in-law to be so polite and speak in such a refined manner.

He scratched his head. "Hehe, no, not at all! It was all just my fourth sister making things up." He then looked at his fourth sister. "Fourth sister, should I call you brother or brother-in-law?"

Kong Xiufang blushed, unsure how to respond. Mu Shuyun chimed in, "Call him brother! You can call him brother-in-law after we register the marriage."

Kong Xiangyao quickly called out, "Brother Junhui, welcome to our home."

Lin Junhui nodded at him and said, "If you have time to visit the city in the future, come stay at my house for a few days and I'll treat you well."

The two exchanged a smile. Kong Xiangyao took the cloth bag from his hand and carried it to the kitchen.

Mu Shuyun invited him into the main room and offered him a seat. She then brought over a fruit platter and melon seeds for Lin Junhui to eat.

Without being polite, Lin Junhui grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds and placed them on the table. He then began peeling the seeds.

He chatted with Mu Shuyun while peeling sunflower seeds. By the time they finished chatting, he had peeled a handful of sunflower seeds.

He handed the melon seeds to Kong Xiufang and placed them in her palm for her to eat.

Mu Shuyun pretended not to see anything and said, "Your mother is in good health?"

Lin Junhui said, "Yes, I'm feeling pretty good now. I had a cough for a while, but it's much better now."

Mu Shuyun chatted for a few more minutes, then asked Kong Xiufang to talk to him. She then called the children out to play in the yard.

She then called her youngest son to the kitchen to help with the cooking, leaving her daughter and son-in-law some space to have a proper chat.

The two had been separated for several days, but Lin Junhui felt as if they had been apart for a century.

The impulse he felt when he entered the gate suddenly erupted. He pulled Kong Xiufang into a tight embrace.

He whispered in her ear in a hoarse voice, "Fangfang, I miss you so much! I haven't been sleeping well these past few days, I keep dreaming about you, my dreams are full of you."

After saying that, he kissed her forehead again. "Fangfang, what should I do? I miss you so much that I can't sleep at night. I just want to be with you. Do you think I could be made into a pendant and worn by you?"

Kong Xiufang was initially touched, but then burst out laughing at the end. She rubbed Li Junhui's cheek and said, "Alright, stop fooling around. How am I supposed to turn you into a pendant and hang you on my body? Silly boy."

All he could hear was Kong Xiufang's gentle voice, and the air was filled with the fragrance of her hair and body. Lin Junhui couldn't help but kiss her again, saying, "Fangfang, you're so wonderful. Knowing you in this life is the greatest luck of my life."

Kong Xiufang was afraid that the children would see her, and also afraid that her younger brother would suddenly come in, so she quickly pushed Lin Junhui away and pulled him into her bedroom.

As soon as he entered the bedroom, Lin Junhui locked the door, preventing anyone from entering and disturbing his tender moment with his sweetheart.