Chapter 1

In June, N City in the south has entered a hot summer.

While others were still busy looking for a job, Xia Youning had already pulled her luggage out of the school easily and without burden.

During college, he formed a team with his seniors to design several games together. At the beginning of the year, he was recommended by his seniors to join the company and join their team.A few days ago, Xia Youning just finished his work, because he had been working continuously for nearly 5 months, and thought that he was going to move his luggage out of school, and he had to apply for a vacation from the company.The company provides dormitories for some employees, and Xia Youning has already brought most of the luggage to the employee dormitories.Considering that he was not able to go home for the New Year this year, he has not seen his parents for more than half a year, so the company also granted him a two-week leave to let him finish his school affairs before going home to meet his parents.

Xia Youning was born in a small village on the outskirts of N City, and he had to travel through several modes of transportation to get home.First I took the subway to the passenger station, then took a bus to the town, then took a "van" back to the village, and finally walked back home.

Xia Youning didn't go home for more than half a year. Xia Youning was carrying a backpack, wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt, jeans, and a fisherman hat. He was pulling two suitcases. Usually, no villagers would come out to work, so he didn't meet many people on the road.Xia Youning looked at the rice on both sides of the road, because it was already June, and the rice had turned yellow and was full of rice, and it would be ready to harvest soon.Xia Youning hummed a song with headphones on, then went down a slope, turned a corner, and it was their home.He also didn't call his parents at home, wanting to surprise them.

When going downhill, there are green trees on both sides of the slope. "Finally there is a shadow to block the sun!" Xia Youning stopped to rest in the shadow for a while, took off his fisherman hat, folded it in half, fanned it against his face as a fan, and looked up at the sunlight leaking from the gap in the shade. It was only then that I saw Xia Youning's face clearly. When I was a child, because I often ran around in the village, my dark skin gradually turned white because I lived indoors for several years. There are a pair of deep eyes under the thick eyebrows. The facial features are not handsome, but they still look good. Lively atmosphere.Looking around again, I saw a path for two people walking diagonally opposite. After thinking about it, I got some impressions.

This path leads to a land temple. I used to come here to play when I was a child, and several friends shook each other to take the tributes placed on the altar of the land temple.I also thought that since I went to the junior high school in the town, I seldom come here to play, and I haven't been here since high school.After resting enough, he took his hat back, pulled the suitcase, and rushed down in one breath.

"Dad! Mom! Grandpa! Grandma! I'm back!!" Looking at the closed wooden door, Xia Youning shouted inside.

"Ah! It's Ayou who is back!!" An old voice came from far to near inside, and the door opened, "Ayou, why are you back?" It was a smiling mother-in-law, still holding a handful Cattail fan, followed by several people.

"Grandma! I just finished my work and I have a vacation, so I'm back!"

"What job? How many days off? When are you leaving?" The old man leaned in front of Xia Youning, took his hand, shook it, and smiled.

"Let Ayou enter the house first, it's so hot today!" An old man behind his back came out and pulled up a suitcase.

"Yes, Mom, we'll talk about it when Ayou goes in!" A middle-aged man pulled another suitcase.

"Hey, yes, yes, I'm in a hurry, Ayou, come in quickly! Come in quickly!" Grandma Xia pulled Xia Youning and beckoned a group of people to go in.

This house is a small square courtyard, facing south, divided into east and west rooms, front hall, middle hall and back hall.People live in the east and west compartments, the middle hall is generally used for worshiping gods and entertaining guests during festivals, and the back hall is a granary for storing rice and other grain crops.

"Ayou, are you back from work?" Grandma Xia gave Xia Youning a bowl of water.

"Well, I'm done with work for the time being." He took the water and drank it, "There are two weeks of vacation."

"Why don't you call back in advance so that your dad can go out and buy some vegetables." Mama Xia, who had been silent just now, said angrily.

"Mom, this is a surprise!" Xia Youning put down the bowl and hugged the lady standing next to him, "Do you feel surprised?"

"Hahaha, surprise! Surprise!" Xia's mother patted her son on the back, looking at the son who had grown up crazy in junior high school, and now she has only reached his son's shoulders, "Old Xia, why are you so dazed! Go to the village to buy Bring back some meat! There is no meat in the refrigerator! Why don’t you kill a chicken!”

"Dad, Mom, don't worry, let's sit down and have a rest." Xia Youning helped her grandparents sit down, and after watching her parents sit down, she built another bowl of water. "I'm working in a game company right now. I just make games. I just finished one two days ago. I don't have time to come back during the New Year. Now it's time to graduate from school. I'll take advantage of the holiday to come back and see you."

"Then you have to go after the holiday." Mama Xia said.

"I have a salary now, and I live in the company's staff dormitory. After a few months, I will go to see the house. If I buy a house, I will pick you up to live there."

"Hahahaha, okay, okay, I miss us Ayou." Grandma Xia always likes to smile, and her personality is like a little girl.

"Okay, let's relax when I come back, I'll go to the village to buy some meat!" Father Xia got up, took the money from Mother Xia, and went out.

"Hey, no, I have to go with your dad, lest he buy wine secretly." Xia's mother slapped her knees and followed out.

Xia Youning and grandparents were left. Grandpa Xia was lying on the wooden recliner and listening to the play. Grandma Xia pulled Xia Youning to sit on the wooden sofa, leaned closer, and whispered to Xia Youning with a smile. "Ayou, it's been so long, do you have a girl you like? What's your name? When will you bring me back?"

"Grandma, not yet!" Xia Youning thought to herself, knowing that Grandma came over so quietly just to ask this, she was very helpless.He has a secret in his heart, he likes the same sex.I didn't know this when I was still in the village when I was a child, but I gradually realized it when I was in high school and college in the city. The teasing among classmates, the confession of girls, and the interaction with girls let him know that he doesn't like girls. There is no way to speak to the family.

"If you have someone you like, remember to tell Grandma! Grandma will help you find out!"

"Understood, Grandma." Xia Youning held Grandma Xia's shoulders and let her lean against his shoulder.Grandma was the one who took care of him when his parents were not around when he was young. There was always endless talk between them. Grandma's personality is very lively and innocent. When talking to each other, people feel very happy and comfortable.

The summer wind blows in, and this kind of earthen house is always warm in winter and cool in summer. Xia Youning's mind suddenly flashed the woods on the slope and the bottomless path, and he wanted to see it.

"Grandma, I went outside for a stroll, I haven't looked here for a long time."

"Hey, let's go, just don't go into the river. In summer, it rains a lot and the river swells. It's dangerous to go down the river."

"Well, I see, I'll just look around."

Xia Youning walked out, there was a river not far from home, from a distance it was sparkling under the sunshine.Walking towards the river, the usual river beach has been covered by water. A stone bridge connects the two banks. On the other side of the river are fields with various crops. A group of ducks are playing in the river.The road is along the river, and when a turn is made, a house stands by the river to block it, so the downstream of the river cannot be seen.

The river is relatively open and wide, the wind is stronger, and there are no other people by the river. Xia Youning found a shady place, sat on the stone, closed his eyes, and all of a sudden there was only the sound of rustling leaves and the sound of distant leaves. The sound of ducks quacking.It's really comfortable here, there is no traffic, no smoke, the air is full of moisture, and it is not so hot, and it can make people feel cool without air conditioning.

After sitting for a while, a bamboo forest appeared in my mind. The wind was blowing the bamboo forest, and my ears were full of rustling sounds. There was a small ancestral hall under the bamboo forest.

Xia Youning opened her eyes and stood up.Why do I think of that place all day? It feels both strange and familiar.

Walk along the road, make a turn, and walk to the half slope. In front of you is a path wide for two people. It is paved with stone bricks, and weeds grow in the cracks between the bricks.Looking in from here, you can vaguely see the bamboo forest exposed in the depths. The wind blows, the bamboo leaves rattle, and there are occasional dogs barking in the distance.

Xia Youning walked into the trail, looking at the unknown flowers planted on both sides of the road and the colorful flags and banners hanging on both sides of the road, it felt a little strange, just like seeing man-made products in a virgin forest, looking at these radiant slogans, and smiling Shaking his head with a smile, he continued to move forward.Then the two sides began to turn into bamboo, and moss grew on the edges of the stone bricks on the ground. After walking for a few minutes, a colorful temple appeared in front of my eyes, and the sense of disobedience once again spread.The outer wall of the temple is pink, covered with golden glazed tiles, with a big red wooden door and two stone lamps on both sides of the door.

Walking to the front of the temple, I looked at the plaque - "Longtang Temple".When did such a big temple appear here? Wasn’t it a small, poor, dusty earth temple before?Walking into the temple, it should be a newly built temple. The statues, altars, and murals inside are all new, and the names of the donors are engraved on the stone tablets on both sides.The Jade Emperor, the Queen Mother, Guanyin Bodhisattva and other gods are enshrined on the altars. Some of the wine glasses on the altar still contain wine, as well as various candies left by people after worshiping the gods.

"There should be an earth temple here." Xia Youning thought to himself. A "dong" sound came from outside the door, Xia Youning turned his head, and an orange stopped rolling and rolling. He picked up the orange and turned his head to look around, but there was no one there. "Who is it?" Walking outside, there were no other sounds except the rustling of trees and the sound of the river flowing. At this time, no one would come to the temple as leisurely as Xia Youning. "It might be some kind of animal." After leaving the temple, Xia Youning planned to take a look around and then left. After all, the temple here didn't make much sense to him, so he walked to the right after leaving the temple, the opposite direction of the path he came in. Deep beside the temple, there is a dusty earth temple.

The author has something to say:

I'm a bit flustered when I write the article for the first time, please don't be too serious about the details

Thank you for reading the text

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