5

Chapter 5

Li Mu Wu did not notice the unusual expression on Zhang Chunhua's face and enthusiastically greeted, "Sister-in-law, take the kids and sit on the ox cart. Our house is far, you won't be able to walk that far."

Zhang Chunhua glanced disdainfully at the mud stains on the ox cart and forced a smile, "No need, I'll walk."

Four-year-old Li Mingxin curiously looked at the rickety ox cart, tugged at Zhang Chunhua's hand, and whispered, "Mom, I want to ride."

Zhang Chunhua squeezed her son's hand, quickly glanced at Li Mulin, then lowered her head and gently coaxed, "Let's walk, it's warmer this way."

Li Mu Wu looked at the mother and sons, puzzled. Li Mulin quickly smoothed things over and laughed, "We've been on the train for a while, our legs are stiff. Walking is good for us too."

"Alright!" Li Mu Wu grinned, speaking frankly, "If I had known you could walk this far, I wouldn't have bothered asking Old Lin for the ox cart. Wouldn't want to make him run around for nothing."

Old Lin, driving the ox cart, turned around with a hearty laugh, "No problem, we're not strangers! What's there to be polite about? Besides, I'm not coming empty-handed; I'm helping carry your luggage!"

Li Mulin smiled, "Thanks, Old Lin." He pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and handed one to Old Lin.

Old Lin eagerly removed his gloves, wiped his hands on his clothes to dry the sweat, then took the cigarette. He smelled it at his nose and placed it behind his ear with an embarrassed smile, "I've never smoked such good cigarettes before."

Li Mulin chuckled and began looking around. Returning home after ten years, he looked at the small town, which was both familiar and unfamiliar. He couldn't help but think of things from his past.

Li Mulin didn't have much of an impression of his older brother. Since he was young, he knew his brother had joined the army to fight the Japanese. His second brother, Li Mu Wu, was honest and down-to-earth but always acted like the older brother, caring for him. Every year during the holidays, Li Mu Wu would only taste a little of the good food and save the rest for his younger brothers. Li Mu Sen, who was only two years older than Li Mulin, and Li Mulin had shared a bed when they were kids, and they did everything together—picking firewood, fishing, inseparable.

When Li Mulin left home, Li Mu Sen, already in his twenties, cried his heart out.

Looking at his second brother, who appeared older, and his third brother, who had grown distant, Li Mulin also thought of his mother, now white-haired. He felt a sense of regret for not having taken the time to return home sooner.

After walking for about twenty minutes, Li Mingxin couldn't keep going and looked up at Zhang Chunhua, pouting as tears began to fall, "Mom, I don't want to walk anymore. I'm tired."

Zhang Chunhua saw her son's tired expression and felt heartbroken. She looked at her older son, Ming Shu, who was eagerly eyeing the ox cart.

Zhang Chunhua sighed and bit her lip, frustrated, and looked at Li Mulin. But Li Mulin didn't turn back or seem to notice them.

"Wait." Seeing her younger son looking pale and exhausted, Zhang Chunhua couldn't hide her thoughts anymore. She called out reluctantly.

But the four men ahead, busy chatting, didn't hear her. They kept walking with large strides, laughing and talking. Seeing that no one had responded, Zhang Chunhua raised her voice, "Mulin, Mingxin can't walk anymore."

Li Mulin stopped and turned around, seeing both his sons sitting on the ground too tired to get up. He quickly went over and picked up Mingxin, scolding Zhang Chunhua, "You didn't want the kids to ride the cart, but now look—if he catches a fever, we're far from any hospital. This isn't Ice City."

Zhang Chunhua was alarmed and hurriedly said, "Okay, okay, I'll let him ride. We won't walk anymore." Li Mulin didn't respond, just silently placed both sons on the cart and helped Zhang Chunhua up. The cart had three small wooden stools. Zhang Chunhua held her younger son close and covered him with a ragged cotton jacket. She placed two big bundles beside her to block the wind.

The ox cart slowly began moving forward. Zhang Chunhua sat, massaging her calves, regretting her decision. If she had known they would end up sitting on this rickety cart, she wouldn't have put on such a show. She could've just admitted she was tired.

"Mom, we're home!" After about an hour, the ox cart arrived at their doorstep. Li Mu Wu, carrying a bundle, shouted as he reached the door.

"Back already?" The wooden door creaked open, and the heavy curtain lifted. Li Old Lady, leaning on a cane, trembled with excitement.

Li Mulin, who had just put his son down, turned and saw his elderly mother bending over with the cane. Tears immediately welled up in his eyes. He set his son aside and ran inside, shouting, "Mom!"

"So you remember to come back?" Li Old Lady's eyes were red as she raised her cane and smacked Li Mulin a few times. "You ungrateful son, do you still remember me, your old mother?"

"I do! I do!" After a few solid smacks, Li Mulin felt remarkably relieved. "I've dreamed of you hitting me with the cane."

"You brat." Li Old Lady laughed so wide her mouth almost reached her ears.

Li Mulin rubbed his shoulders and turned to wave his hand at his sons. "Ming Shu, Ming Xin, come over and greet Grandma."

Ming Shu and Ming Xin, standing not far off, looked nervously at Li Old Lady's cane and then at their father, smiling brightly after being hit. After a brief pause, the two boys quickly put on their best smiles. "Hello, Grandma!"

"Oh my grandsons, come in!" Seeing her lovable grandsons, Li Old Lady tossed aside her cane and grabbed them by the hands to lead them inside. "Are you tired from the journey? Hungry?"

Ming Xin looked at the dry, thin hand holding his, and forced a smile even worse than crying, "Hungry!"

"Guihua, hurry up and cook a big bowl of noodles, add two eggs, and a few drops of sesame oil for Ming Shu and Ming Xin," Li Old Lady ordered. Then, realizing something, she looked at her son and his unfamiliar wife, "You two didn't eat, did you? There are some flatbreads and corn porridge ready, go eat a bowl first before we talk."

Zhang Chunhua had imagined countless scenarios of facing her mother-in-law, but she never expected to be dismissed with a bowl of corn porridge.

Everything was ready. Guihua quickly set the table, laying out baskets of steamed buns and bowls of porridge, with a plate of pickles and a pot of pickled cabbage with noodles.

After a few days of eating dry bread and hot water, sitting at the table, smelling the delicious food, Zhang Chunhua had no choice but to stop worrying and grabbed a bun to take a bite.

Guihua was quick to boil water and cook the noodles. She even added a spoonful of wild chicken soup for Wang Sufen. Ming Shu and Ming Xin, standing at the kitchen door, watched, their mouths watering. They couldn't help but compliment Li Old Lady, "Grandma, your house is really nice, you even have chicken to eat."

"That's wild chicken, not much meat on it, I cooked it for your second aunt's health. Next time, I'll have your brothers take you to the mountains. If you run into a silly deer, bring it back. That's what I call delicious meat."

Ming Xin swallowed hard, glanced at Zhang Chunhua, who was already eating, and couldn't help but ask, "Mom, didn't you say Grandma's family is poor? It looks like they have better food than we do!"

Zhang Chunhua, caught off guard by her son's remark, choked on her food and immediately broke into a loud, startling cough.