The Lin family's little boy returns to being eight years old, taking his family to new heights.

Lin Dayuan had been on the go all day and didn't get home until evening. When he heard the car stop, Lin Xi and the others rushed out and looked at him expectantly.

"The money is paid off. From now on, all the money we earn is our own!"

"Wow! Dad, that's awesome!" Lin Xi jumped right into her dad's arms.

Lin Guojun and Lin Guiying wiped away their tears.

After so many years of hardship, the ordeal is finally over.

That evening, the Lin family members all drank some alcohol, and even Lin Xi took a small sip.

Lin Guojun sobbed and wiped away his tears, while Lin Guiying held a rag and sang a folk song.

The only one who was still conscious, Lin Xi, listened to her father's endless nagging...

She had never heard her father talk so much before.

They only went to sleep quietly after they had sung, cried, and talked until they were tired.

On the 29th, the Lin family was incredibly lively. The whole family cleaned the house together, put up Spring Festival couplets, hung lanterns, and bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new.

Together we prepared ingredients for the Lunar New Year: steaming buns, chopping minced meat, braising pork hock, stewing pig's trotters, frying spring rolls...

Lin Xi arranged peanuts, melon seeds, frozen pears, frozen persimmons, and various candies.

On a whim, Grandma Lin made many kinds of uniquely shaped steamed buns, and even embedded red dates on them, symbolizing good fortune.

Lin Guojun and his father cleaned the yard spotlessly.

Inside Liujia Village, Liu Erli also took the prepared paste and went to the front door to paste the character "福" (fortune/blessing).

No matter how tough life gets, the New Year must still have a festive atmosphere.

Liu Dongliang's wife, Li Yanli, who is also Liu Xiaoqiang's mother, also came out to put up Spring Festival couplets.

Seeing Liu Erli struggling to raise his arm, he asked, "Tsk, where's your son? Why isn't he here with you to put up the posters?"

Liu Erli didn't say a word, not even glancing at them. He had deeply etched the memory of Liu Dongliang's family's indifference and humiliation that night into his heart.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Li Yanli said again, "Didn't you go to make money for me again? You won't even let him take a day off during the New Year? I remember he was sick!"

When Liu Erli heard her mention her son's illness, he glared at her fiercely, then turned and walked away, leaning on his cane.

"Hey, why are you glaring at me? Your son's illness has nothing to do with me, it's all because of you."

Hearing this, he stopped in his tracks. "How is it because of me?"

"What are you pretending for? Your son works in a factory every day carrying heavy loads to earn money for you. There's no heating in that place, how can he not get a fever?"

"And you, with your limp, are actually enjoying life, lying at home all day..."

"You're talking nonsense! How...how do you know?"

“What nonsense am I talking about? My husband saw it with his own eyes. He went to the factory to look for someone and happened to see your son. He even said that your son is very strong and that he couldn’t carry that big bag.”

Liu Erli's mind went blank for a moment, his hands went limp, and he collapsed to the ground.

Li Yanli hurriedly opened the door and walked home, saying as she went, "I didn't knock it down, don't blame me."

At this moment, Liu Erli suddenly recalled his son's various abnormalities.

He always came home very late, smelling of dirt, and he actually thought it was because of the strong wind outside...

He never wears a coat when he comes home; he actually thought it was because his son was healthy...

He always had small cuts on his hands. His son said it was because he was sharpening pencils for a child and accidentally got them, and he actually believed him...

A few days before he developed a fever, he was walking unsteadily. He said he had been sitting all day tutoring his child and his legs were sore, so he didn't ask any further questions...

The day he had a fever was the day with the lowest temperature. When he came back, his face was a little red, and he said it was because the room was too hot.

When I got up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, I found him lying on the ground. I don't know how long he had been unconscious, or how long he had been lying on that cold ground...

If only he could be more attentive, if only he could care more about his son, if only he weren't so incompetent and useless, if only his leg weren't broken...

But it's impossible now. His leg won't get better. He's just a burden and will only drag his son down!

He slowly crawled back into the house, sat on the ground for a long time with a blank look in his eyes, then crawled to the kitchen and pulled down the hemp rope used to tie firewood...

"Xiao Xi, come on, let's go deliver some steamed buns and braised pork head to your Uncle Liu's house, and you can also take two pig's trotters. We don't know what they'll be eating for the New Year."

"Okay, Grandma, let's get some more candy. They might not buy any."

Lin Xi spent a long time tidying up, and what was originally one basket of things kept getting bigger and bigger until the last two baskets were barely enough to hold it all.

"Alright, Xiaoxi, it's not like we're only going this once. We can get it next time!"

The two finally got out of the house.

When they arrived at Liu Erli's house, Lin Xi frowned. "Why is this cane left at the front door?"

Grandma Lin looked at the paste spilled all over the floor, lifted the red paper on the front door, and said, "Why is only half of the 'Fu' character pasted up?"

After exchanging a glance, the two said at the same time, "Is something else going to happen?"

Grandma Lin Xixian pushed open the door and ran into the house.

Uncle Liu's upper body was hanging from the hemp rope on the window frame, while his lower body was slumped on the ground, his head hanging low.

Her eyes widened instantly, she covered her mouth, and tried to scream but couldn't.

Xiao Yi seemed to be shouting something in her mind, but she was no longer rational enough to think...

When Lin Guiying entered the house, she first saw her terrified granddaughter, and then she saw Liu Erli hanging by the window.

She grabbed Lin Xi and pulled her over, covering her face with her hands, and said in a trembling voice, "Don't look! Xiao Xi, don't look! You stay here and don't move! I... I'll go take a look."

Lin Guiying walked over and placed her trembling fingers under Liu Erli's nose.

It seems... It seems to be steaming? Still alive?!

She quickly grabbed the kitchen knife from the cutting board and cut the rope. With a bang, Liu Erli's body fell straight to the ground.

Lin Xi, who had been motionless, finally came to her senses upon hearing the sound. She turned around and saw her grandmother lying directly on Uncle Liu's chest, listening to his heartbeat.

"Grandma, Grandma, are you alive?"

"It seems like he's alive."

"Xiao Yi, Xiao Yi, what did you just say?"

"Hey, I was just thinking, he's not dead, he's just passed out. No one can die hanging from that height on the window frame. Your mental fortitude is terrible." Lin Xi was relieved; at least he wasn't dead. "Xiao Yi, what do we do now?"

"Just wait, he'll wake up on his own."

Lin Xi stepped forward and touched her carotid artery. "Grandma, don't worry, she's alive."

"Oh dear, oh dear, you scared this old lady to death! It's good that you're alive. I'll stay here and watch over you. Go back and call your dad."

Lin Xi ran out, her mind still reeling from Xiao Yi's words: "Your grandma is much braver than you..."

Fortunately, I've been running regularly lately, and my stamina has improved a lot. I ran home in five minutes. As soon as I reached the front door, Lin Xi shouted, "Dad... Dad! Daddy!..."

Lin Dayuan rushed out and, seeing his daughter panting heavily, panicked, "What's wrong, Xiaoxi! Where's your grandma!"

"My grandma... my grandma, oh dear~ at Uncle Liu's house, Uncle Liu hanged himself!"

Lin Dayuan was so anxious that he took off running!

"Dad! The car!"

Lin Guojun also heard the commotion, quickly handed over the car keys, jumped into the car, and Lin Dayuan started the engine and drove off with a whoosh.

Lin Xi stood there, panting, and said, "Me! What about me?..."

She resigned herself to her fate and ran back.