Mom, I'm back

Along the way, more than half of the rice paddies on both sides of the road had already been harvested, and many people were busy working in the fields under the scorching sun.

A faint scent of rice permeated the air, refreshing and pleasant.

At 10:40, Chen Dong drove his car into a small courtyard.

The two-story red brick house had an unplastered exterior, looking simple and unadorned, with a low-lying kitchen and an attached bathroom on the side.

The wealthier families in the village had built three-story houses or covered their exterior walls with tiles; Chen Dong's family was considered to be of more ordinary means.

When Chen Dong's parents were young, they had also worked outside for a period. At that time, Chen Dong and his younger sister, Chen Hong, depended on their grandmother daily, occasionally going to their eldest uncle Chen Li's house for food.

Later, after their grandmother passed away, his parents returned home from Guang Province...

Liu Xiaofang knew her son was coming home today, so she didn't go to the fields to work and prepared lunch early at home.

She killed a chicken and a duck, and went to the market early to buy loaches...

Hearing the roar of the car, Liu Xiaofang, who was plucking chicken feathers, curiously raised her head and watched a luxurious and imposing car drive into her courtyard.

Whose car is this?

The car stopped, and she watched that familiar yet slightly unfamiliar figure step out of the driver's seat.

The chicken in her hand immediately dropped into the basin, and Liu Xiaofang's voice trembled slightly,

"Son!"

"Mom, I'm back." Chen Dong's eyes were slightly moist.

If there truly was a place in this world that could be called a warm harbor, it would undoubtedly be this place where he was born and raised, the embrace of his parents.

He thought about a month ago, before he was reborn, his mother's graying hair and aged face; it turned out that ten years ago, she was still so young! Although a few silver strands were vaguely visible in her hair, and there were faint wrinkles at the corners of her eyes when she smiled, and her hands, wiping on her apron, were full of calluses...

But her mental state was still like that of a forty-year-old woman, not like a sixty-something-year-old grandmother as she would be ten years later.

Chen Dong strode forward, opened his arms, and tightly embraced his mother, his voice slightly choked,

"Mom, I missed you."

"You child, if you miss your mom, just come home more often to see me." Liu Xiaofang's hands were still covered in chicken feathers, so she couldn't hug her son, fearing she would dirty his clothes.

"Alright, you silly boy, your old mom is getting out of breath from your hug."

Liu Xiaofang playfully scolded him, making a fist and lightly punching Chen Dong's back.

Chen Dong smiled and released his mother,

"Mom, I'll unload the things from the car first, and then I'll come help you."

With a trunk full of items, Liu Xiaofang was dumbfounded. She had many questions she wanted to ask her son, but the words got stuck in her throat, unsure how to begin.

Her son had truly grown up, he was capable now, no longer that big boy who would occasionally act spoiled and ask her for living expenses. He had grown into a towering tree that could stand alone and support the entire family!

A tear slipped from the corner of her eye, Liu Xiaofang smiled, took a deep breath, and continued her work...

He casually placed the gifts he brought back for his parents and sister in a corner of the living room, then carried his suitcase upstairs to his bedroom. The bedroom was very clean, unchanged from when he had left home, except the quilt had been replaced with a blanket, and the mattress with a sleeping mat.

After putting his things away, Chen Dong grabbed a small stool from the living room and obediently sat beside Liu Xiaofang, helping her with the work.

"Dongzi, go rest for a bit. You must be tired from driving for so long. Your mom can handle this much."

"Mom, I'm not tired." Chen Dong smiled as he picked up the chicken that had been plucked, then picked up the basin with his other hand, poured out the water, and refilled it with clean water.

"How much rice is still left to harvest at home?"

"Not much, just a little over an acre." Liu Xiaofang liked to chat with her son about these everyday things. She didn't understand her son's world, but she was knowledgeable about rural matters.

"Our family only planted less than five acres in total. Your dad also found a job at the bamboo curtain factory in town, so he can't manage the extra fields."

Bamboo curtain factory? Why did Chen Dong have no impression of that?

Chen Dong didn't seem to have heard anyone mention this. As soon as Liu Xiaofang finished speaking, she seemed to realize she had said something wrong, and her eyes flickered as she chuckled,

"Your dad is only 46, he can handle that work, you don't need to worry."

"Mom, tell Dad not to work there anymore. You two can just plant an acre or two at home, enough for yourselves. Your son really has made money."

Chen Dong pointed to his car and said with a smile,

"Do you know what kind of car this is? A Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen, it costs over two million yuan."

Liu Xiaofang's eyes widened, and her hands trembled twice,

"You silly boy, you can't be so wasteful even if you have money. Spending two million to buy a car, wouldn't it be better to buy a house?"

Liu Xiaofang scolded him, but her eyes were full of pride—her son was truly capable! Right after graduating from university, he bought a luxury car worth two million!

This afternoon, I'm going to have a good talk with Meng Lao Er's wife and tell her to stop showing off to me all the time: her son is already thirty and only bought a car worth a little over a hundred thousand yuan, yet she has the nerve to flaunt it in front of me every day!

Most rural women are like this, and Liu Xiaofang was naturally no exception!

But then she immediately thought of another problem—what if others came to her son to borrow money? You spent two million on a car, can't you lend me a few tens of thousands?

For a moment, Liu Xiaofang was in a dilemma! If she didn't show off, she wouldn't feel satisfied; but if she did, she was afraid people would come to borrow money! It seemed like a no-win situation.

"Mom, are you afraid people will ask me for money?" Chen Dong laughed, he understood his mother quite well.

"Yes, what will we do then?" Liu Xiaofang frowned,

"I understand the principle of helping in an emergency but not helping the poor. Most of your aunts and uncles are relatively reliable, but in a big forest, there are all kinds of birds."

"Mom, don't worry. If they're reliable relatives and truly in need, lending a little isn't a big deal. Who doesn't have some poor relatives?;

If you encounter those eccentric relatives or friends, just push it onto me—say it's a company benefit from my son's company, and you don't know the specifics. Just tell them to come find me."

"You silly boy, you're already teaching your old mom how to do things. Are your wings hardened now?"

The two talked and laughed, and after plucking the feathers, Chen Dong brought a cleaver and scissors to gut the chicken...

Liu Xiaofang was the main chef, and Chen Dong was her assistant. Laughter occasionally filled the kitchen, and Chen Dong felt an immense sense of peace—

No work worries, no pressure to earn money, no anxiety about the future, only this moment of family affection and warmth.

When the food was almost ready, Chen Hong's clear shriek echoed from the courtyard:

"Wow, whose car is this? It's too cool! A Mercedes-Benz, how much must it cost?"

"Stop shouting there. Your brother drove it back. Go quickly and change your clothes, wash your hands, and get ready to eat."

Liu Xiaofang was carrying dishes from the kitchen to the living room.

"Brother drove it back? Brother is back?!" Chen Hong happily jumped up, screaming at the top of her lungs,

"Brother! Brother!"