country bumpkin

The next day, Yunya didn't get on the bus back to the city until the afternoon.

After breakfast, Sun Limei and Zhang Haiyan couldn't wait to go home.

Since Yunya wouldn't leave, the two of them had no choice but to wait for Yunya, who was deliberately dragging her feet.

Yunya planned to take the last bus back to the city in the afternoon, but her older and younger sisters disagreed. After much pleading and cajoling, Yunya reluctantly agreed to take the bus back at 3 p.m.

When Yunya sat in the car with her big bags and small packages on her back, tears welled up in her eyes again.

The car had already driven far away, but Mu Shuyun was still standing by the main road at the entrance of the village, watching the departing car with eyes full of reluctance, and silently shedding tears.

Zhang Haiyan was excitedly watching the tall trees receding outside the car window, which looked like they were spinning in circles, and she found it very amusing.

Sun Limei didn't understand why Yunya was so reluctant to leave the countryside, when "going home" was such a joyful thing.

She comforted her, "Yunya, it's so good to be home! Why are you crying? If you miss Grandma during your holidays, just come back. It's not that far."

Looking at the rural scenery receding into the distance outside the car window, Yunya said, "I know, but you don't understand how I feel."

"Going home"... Hah, is that my home? That's your home. I... I'm just staying here temporarily.

Sun Limei had never left home before, and this was the only time she came to her maternal grandmother's house with her younger sister.

She mentioned missing home on her second day there. Yunya didn't respond. How could she respond? If she did, Yunya would make a scene and insist on going back, but if she ignored her, Yunya could stay at her grandmother's house for a few more days.

So for the first few days at her maternal grandmother's house, Yunya always took the two of them to run around and play everywhere.

The purpose is to make them forget about missing home and going home, so that they can have fun and get tired before they stop.

The bus slowly drove for an hour before arriving at Yicheng Bus Station. The bus stopped, the ticket seller called out, and all the passengers, carrying their bags and suitcases, began to disembark in an orderly fashion.

Yunya had a schoolbag on her back and a large cloth bag slung over her right shoulder. It was dried goods that her grandmother had brought for her mother and aunts.

Zhang Haiyan didn't carry a schoolbag; she carried a small, lightweight cloth bag containing only her change of clothes.

Sun Limei also carried a schoolbag, but it was a cloth bag made of old fabric by Kong Xiujuan, just like the one Yun Ya carried.

These cloth bags can also be carried on the shoulder, but they prefer to carry them on their backs. The two carrying straps are crossed and knotted, then looped under each arm and slung over the back. This is much more comfortable, although carrying them on the back can be a little uncomfortable as they feel constricting.

After getting off the bus, Yunya followed slowly behind, carrying a large bag. Sun Limei led the way, with Zhang Haiyan walking in the middle.

Halfway there, Yunya called for a rest, saying the things were too heavy. Sun Limei smiled sheepishly.

"Hehe, Yunya, how about I help you carry the big bag later? That way you'll be lighter and we can walk faster."

Yunya replied, "Okay, that way we can get home sooner."

Actually, I should have asked Sun Limei to help carry the bundle when I first got off the bus.

Yun Ya didn't ask Sun Limei for help since she hadn't offered to. She knew Sun Limei was lazy; if she didn't ask, no matter how much you begged, she wouldn't help. Only if Sun Limei herself wanted to help would she get help.

After resting for two minutes, Yunya and Sun Limei each grabbed one side of the bundle's rope and carried it on their way.

This way, the two of them were moving at the same speed, and Zhang Haiyan could only follow behind them.

After walking for a while, we saw Gao Qinglian's breakfast stall. The stall was clean and there was no one there.

She only sold breakfast and lunch, and packed up her things by the afternoon, leaving only dust on the ground and fallen leaves.

Yunya and the others didn't stop either. They carried their bundles and turned into the alley north of Gao Qinglian.

After turning into the alley and walking for less than 10 minutes, they arrived back at Sun Limei's house. Zhang Haiyan followed her inside, and later she asked her two older sisters to take her home.

Kong Xiujuan was drying peanut vines in the yard. The peanut vines that were not eaten last year had already become moldy, so she had to take them out to dry.

When she saw the three sisters return, she quickly took the large bundles from their hands.

With the heavy object taken from her hands, Yun Ya felt a sudden lightness in her arms, relieved of her strength, and plopped down on a wooden stump in the yard.

Kong Xiujuan glanced at her, didn't scold her, but her brows furrowed slightly involuntarily. The wooden stump in the yard was where her son used to put sand when he played house; there was still sand on it.

[This slovenly girl is a bit infuriating. Oh well, I can't blame her; she grew up in the countryside!]

Kong Xiujuan muttered to herself about her slovenly second daughter, but her hands kept moving as she carried the large bundle into the house.

Sun Limei followed him into the house without stopping. Zhang Haiyan stayed in the yard, playing in the sand with Sun Guoqiang.

Sun Guoqiang, who was playing in the sand, was overjoyed to see his older sisters arrive. He shouted, "Big sister, second sister, Haiyan sister!"

Yun Ya and Zhang Haiyan were beside him and responded to him. Sun Limei was inside the house. When she heard her brother call her, she answered loudly and then went back to her chair to rest.

Kong Xiujuan opened the package and saw that it was full of dried goods. It was similar to what Yunya had brought back the previous times, all of which were hometown dishes that the sisters liked to eat.

She took out all the dried black fungus, dried green beans, dried cowpeas, dried sweet potatoes, and wheat kernels.

Then divide it into four portions, keep one portion for our family, and leave the rest for our three younger sisters' families.

After tidying up, Kong Xiujuan called to Yunya in the yard.

"Yunya, take Haiyan home later. Also, take this dried goods from your second aunt's house with you."

Yunya responded from the yard, "Oh, I know!" She didn't refuse because she was used to her mother ordering her around.

This makes her feel useful in the family. Another major reason is Yunya's "people-pleasing" personality; she rejected her mother because she was afraid her mother would dislike her even more.

Ever since her first trip back to her "home" in the city, she has lacked a sense of security; she is an extremely insecure person. So when Sun Fei and her classmate offered to help her, she was especially grateful to them.

At this moment, Yunya was thinking about how her mother had treated her unfairly.

[All you do is order me around, why can't your eldest daughter go? Frankly, it's because you're worried about your eldest daughter and don't want her to get tired.]

Inside the room, Sun Limei was slumped in a chair, resting comfortably.

Zhang Haiyan played for about 10 minutes and then she was done playing and wanted to go home. She said to Kong Xiujuan, "Auntie, I don't want to play anymore, I want to go home."

Kong Xiujuan came out carrying dried goods and looked at Yun Ya, saying, "Go! Take your sister home."

Yunya didn't say anything, took the things, and led Zhang Haiyan towards her second aunt's house.

My second aunt's house is very close to hers; it's about a 10-minute walk away.

Yun Ya carried her things on her shoulder, and Zhang Haiyan followed beside her, talking to Yun Ya as they walked.

Before long, they arrived at their second aunt's house. Kong Xiuzhen was delighted to see her daughter and niece return and happily took the bundle from Yunya's shoulder.

"Yunya, are you tired? Sit down and rest." As she spoke, Kong Xiuzhen moved a stool from the yard over.

Yunya sat down without ceremony and chatted with her second aunt about what had happened in the countryside these past few days...