country bumpkin

The workers had all gone home, and Mu Shuyun had finished cleaning up the pots and pans. It was still early before bedtime, so she didn't need to go to her second son's house so soon. Mu Shuyun stayed to chat with her youngest son and Kong Tongming.

Yunya went to find Caixia to do her homework. She'd been here for days, either helping with chores or playing, and hadn't thought about doing her homework at all.

Doing homework with Caixia is much faster than doing it alone. She gets sleepy when she does it alone, but with Caixia talking and discussing the problems, it's much faster.

Yunya hadn't seen Xiang Hong for several days and asked Caixia where she had gone.

Caixia said, "Xiang Hong went to see their father with her mother and younger brother."

Yun Ya asked in confusion, "That's not right. My uncle is back. Didn't they say the project was finished? Why isn't her father back?"

Caixia shook her head. "I don't know either. Caixia told me the day before she left."

Yunya made wild guesses about why her uncle had come back. She only uttered an "Oh."

She wondered, "Did my uncle come back because he was tired of lying, or was he just homesick and that's why he lied?"

Caixia was chatting and doing her homework at the same time. She paused here, pushed her textbook over, and asked a question.

"Yunya, can you help me with this problem?

Yunya took the textbook and stared blankly at the question Caixia was pointing to, trying to figure out the answer.

Seeing her standing there in a daze, Caixia asked worriedly, "Yunya, you don't know how to do this problem either?"

Yun Ya thought for a while before raising her head, her face flushed, and stammering, "Oh... this... this... I don't know how to do this either."

After hearing this, Caixia deflated like a punctured balloon, slumping listlessly onto the table.

Yunya really didn't know how to do it, so she could only offer suggestions. She said, "How about... you leave it blank for now... and ask Xiang Hong when she gets back. Or you can just write something random and be done with it, since the teachers don't check summer homework anyway."

Caixia chose to have some free time and wait for Xiang Hong to return before asking her.

Yunya sped up her writing, as she needed to go to her second uncle's house to sleep later and couldn't stay out too late.

Yunya didn't start packing until Mu Shuyun came to call her. After packing everything, Yunya slung her backpack over her shoulder, said goodbye to Caixia, and left the room.

Mu Shuyun was already chatting with Grandma Niu in the yard. Seeing Yunya come out with her schoolbag on her back, say goodbye to Grandma Niu, and follow Mu Shuyun to her second uncle's house.

Kong Xiangyao didn't go to his second brother's house for dinner tonight. He had left a steamed bun at noon, along with some garlic and scallions, and that was how he finished his dinner.

After drinking a bowl of cool boiled water, my stomach was full quickly, and I didn't feel hungry at all.

After Kong Tongming finished eating, he was worried that his youngest son wouldn't have enough to eat, so when he returned, he brought his youngest son a large steamed bun filled with radish and meat.

Kong Xiangyao wasn't very hungry anymore, but he could still eat a little more. He took the bun and finished it in about ten bites. He then drank a bowl of cool boiled water and let out a satisfied burp.

Tongtongming can't sleep either, so he's sitting on a stool chatting with his youngest son for a while.

Kong Tongming asked, "Xiangyao, do you know about Shunzi's family?"

Kong Xiangyao said in a daze, "I know a little bit. Didn't Shunzi say it himself?"

Kong Tongming sighed and said, "Alas! He's a man with a tragic fate."

Kong Xiangyao looked at his father with a questioning gaze, and then Kong Tongming began to explain.

"When Shunzi was little, his family was happy and harmonious. His father was a famous bricklayer, a skilled bricklayer. His mother was gentle and virtuous, managing the household well. Unfortunately, his father was seriously injured in an accident while saving someone. He lost his job and his health collapsed. The pillar of the family collapsed. His mother had to take care of his father alone, and also raise Shunzi and his sister. Life was very difficult. To pay for Shunzi's father's medical treatment, the family sold everything they could and still incurred a lot of debt. Shunzi's father felt he was a burden on the family, and one day when no one was home, he took his own life. His mother couldn't bear the blow and fell ill. Only Shunzi and his sister were left to depend on each other, having to shoulder the burden of life at such a young age. Shunzi's wife didn't take good care of herself after giving birth and developed health problems. His sister married early, bringing in a high dowry, all for the purpose of paying for Shunzi's parents' medical treatment. Alas, this child's life is too bitter." Kong Tongming finished speaking and sighed again.

Kong Xiangyao couldn't help but sigh when he heard this, never expecting that Shunzi had so many heartbreaking stories behind her.

He felt even more sympathy and respect for Shunzi, thinking that he must help this poor person if he had the chance in the future.

Kong Xiangyao asked his father, "Dad, how did you know such details?"

Kong Tongming said, "The foreman told me. The person Shunzi's father saved was the foreman himself."

Kong Xiangyao was confused again. "Dad, the foreman doesn't look very big. How come he's working with Shunzi's dad?"

Kong Tongming explained, "When the foreman was a child, he was playing with his father on the construction site. When the old house was being demolished, the wall collapsed. The child (the foreman) was so engrossed in playing that he didn't see it and almost got hit. It was Shunzi's father who saved him, but he got injured himself."

Kong Tongming rolled a cigarette, took a puff, and continued, "So the foreman takes good care of him. Whenever there's something going on in his family, the foreman does his best to help. Even when Shunzi is late or leaves early at work, his wages are never deducted."

Kong Xiangyao nodded. "Yes, the foreman is also a kind person who knows how to repay kindness."

After finishing his cigarette, Kong Tongming said, "There are still more good people in the world, and kind people will eventually be rewarded. Shunzi's father is also a good person, and he is worthy of respect."

The father and son chatted for a long time. As the night grew deeper, Kong Tongming yawned with his mouth wide open.

Kong Xiangyao said, "Dad, you go to sleep first, I'll watch for a while."

Kong Tongming asked in confusion, "Aren't you going to the threshing ground today?"

Kong Xiangyao replied, "Okay, I won't go. I'm not very sleepy today. I'll just take a nap in the yard tonight if I get sleepy."

Kong Tongming said with concern, "You can't stay up all night. Why don't you sleep in the shed and I'll go to your second brother's house?"

Kong Xiangyao still firmly disagreed, saying, "It's okay, I took a nap at noon anyway. Just sleep peacefully, don't worry about me, I'm still young!"

Kong Tongming stopped worrying, lay down, closed his eyes, and quickly fell asleep.

Kong Xiangyao couldn't sleep, so he spread out a straw mat, sat on it, and looked up at the moon.

Looking at the moon and the starry sky, my thoughts drifted back to my childhood.

It was the hottest time of the year, and he and some friends went to swim in the river.

The river water was clear and warm, and the glaring sunlight baked the earth.

The shallow pools of the river were warm and comfortable under the sun, and groups of children jumped into the water, splashing around happily.