Chapter 230: Return

Chapter 230: The Return

"Thank you."

Ye Xiaoxiao thanked him for his thoughtfulness.

Lu Hanchuan gave a few last instructions before letting them go.

The man named Cheng Peng was clearly a skilled fighter. With him around, they’d be safe on the road.

Cheng Peng barely spoke, keeping his eyes on the road, so Ye Xiaoxiao and Ye Changning could relax.

Nearing Baichuan County, they really did encounter an unexpected incident.

Though there was no accident, they came across people laying nails on the ground to ambush cars. Fortunately, Cheng Peng handled it before trouble started.

"Lu Hanchuan was right to worry. Why are there so many criminals around here?"

Ye Changning had encountered similar incidents many times in the south, but he hadn’t traveled much in the northeast, so such encounters were rare for him.

Back in the village, it went without saying—he was the village bully, and no one dared to provoke him.

Once they reached the county town, things were safer. Cheng Peng said goodbye and prepared to leave.

Ye Xiaoxiao said, "Mr. Cheng, have a meal before you go."

They owed him at least a meal since they'd already arrived in the county.

Only then did Cheng Peng agree.

After the meal, Ye Xiaoxiao gave him water, fruit, and flatbread for the road.

Cheng Peng took her kindness and took off.

Being from the capital, the trip was no hassle for him. Moreover, Lu Hanchuan paid him well, so he had no complaints whatsoever.

"Grateful to Brother Lu for the work."

After seeing Cheng Peng off, Ye Xiaoxiao first dropped her parents at her big brother’s place.

Though it was a rented courtyard, it was roomy and tidy.

"Mom, Dad, you’re back!"

Zhang Xue came out of the house with the two children. Ye Baocheng immediately ran over when he saw Ye Jianguo and Miao Cuifang.

"Grandpa, Grandma, I missed you so much."

Zhang Xue hurried them indoors, saying, "Mom, Dad, Third Brother, Little Sister, come in and sit. You’re not dressed warmly enough—don’t catch a cold."

"Grandpa, Grandma, come inside."

Ye Baocheng grabbed Grandma’s hand and pulled her into the house.

Ye Changning asked, "Want me to unload the stuff?"

Ye Xiaoxiao replied, "Just take out anything that’ll freeze. The rest can stay in the car."

It was Ye Xiaoxiao's first time visiting this courtyard. "The gate's pretty wide. I'll drive the car in."

Ye Changning nodded. "Right, go ahead and drive it in."

Neighbors on both sides, seeing them arrive by car, were peering over the walls to watch.

Some kids were even trying to climb over.

Ye Changning looked at Ye Xiaoxiao. "Are you planning to drive this car back to the village?"

Might be a little too flashy.

Ye Xiaoxiao thought about it. "Won’t it get stolen parked outside?"

Ye Changning: "Thing is, can you hold off a bit? Let me save up some money first. Otherwise, what if folks start hitting us up for loans?"

Zhang Xue called from the doorway, "Get inside already, don’t freeze out there."

Ye Xiaoxiao and Ye Changning temporarily dropped the topic and carried their things indoors.

Ye Baoyuan was babbling cutely.

"Uncle Three, Auntie."

Ye Baocheng came over and sat in Ye Changning’s lap.

Ye Changning: "You’re crushing me, chubby."

"I’m not fat, I’m sturdy," Ye Baocheng pouted.

Ye Changning laughed. "Just learned some new words and already using 'em wrong."

But he didn’t push the chubby away.

Ye Changning asked, "Has Fourth Brother not returned yet?"

Zhang Xue: "He’ll be back any day now. Just got a telegram from him day before yesterday."

Zhang Xue looked at Miao Cuifang. "Mother, you came back from the capital looking younger."

Miao Cuifang touched her short hair. "Just this short hair—can’t get used to it."

Zhang Xue: "Suits you—nice and practical."

Miao Cuifang and Ye Jianguo didn’t just sell tea eggs during their time in the capital. They hit up every sight they could.

Sometimes, Ye Xiaoxiao even took them to various theaters, so they never had a dull moment.

Miao Cuifang said to Zhang Xue, "You and Eldest Brother should make time to visit the capital too, to see the world outside."

Ye Xiaoxiao: "Why wait? When I go back this time, Eldest Brother, Sister-in-law, Baocheng, and Baoyuan can all come with me."

Zhang Xue quickly shook her head. The whole clan descending on Xiao Xiao? No way.

Xiao Xiao’s barely getting by herself. They couldn’t burden her.

"There’s too much to take care of here. Your brother’s at the mines, and I can’t just drag the kids around."

Ye Xiaoxiao: "Tell big brother to be careful down in the mines."

Ye Xiaoxiao was surprised that even after changing the fate of the Ye family, Ye Changqing still insisted on staying in the mining area.

Zhang Xue reassured Ye Xiaoxiao, "Unlike those mines that don’t prioritize safety, this one is run by your eldest brother. There shouldn’t be any problems."

Ye Xiaoxiao: "That’s good. I believe big brother will do well."

Zhang Xue: "He probably won’t be able to take time off until the end of the year. We can go back to the village first."

Miao Cuifang: "I want to go back now. I wonder how the house looks."

Ye Jianguo sat nearby, "The house isn’t going anywhere."

Miao Cuifang: "With no one living there, it’s probably cold and empty. The place must feel lifeless."

Ye Jianguo: "Once we all go back, it’ll be lively again."

Ye Xiaoxiao: "Second brother’s coming back for New Year’s too, and he might bring his fiancée."

"Really?" Miao Cuifang lit up at once. "I haven’t heard about this from him. Then we definitely need to go back and tidy up."

Zhang Xue: "Mother, you and Dad should rest first and wait for Sheng Ge’er."

Miao Cuifang: "We’ll wait for him at most one day. If he doesn’t come back tomorrow, your father and I will go home first. We’re practically home already—you all can do whatever you need. We can just take an ox cart home."

Zhang Xue noticed the car parked outside, "Who bought this car?"

Ye Changning: "That’s the bride price from that Lu guy to our Xiao Xiao."

Ye Xiaoxiao punched Ye Changning’s shoulder, "Eldest sister-in-law, Third brother’s just making things up. It was indeed bought by Lu Hanchuan, but it’s not a bride price."

If it were a bride price, she’d be worth way too much.

In the 1980s, a sky-high bride price!

The family returned to the Northeast, gathered on the heated kang, and enjoyed a big feast that evening.

Though it hadn’t snowed, the eldest sister-in-law still killed a goose.

"It doesn’t lay many eggs in winter anyway, so might as well kill it."

Everyone helped cook, making the meal extra lively.

Ye Xiaoxiao usually just ate at the school canteen or outside—she never bothered cooking.

After dinner, Zhang Xue sorted out sleeping arrangements for everyone.

The night was completely dark, and the howling wind of home felt strangely comforting.

Though Ye Xiaoxiao didn’t have much nostalgia for the place, the kang’s warmth was a long-missed comfort.

She just had to drink more water at night, or she’d wake up with a dry mouth.

Since Miao Cuifang and Ye Jianguo were eager to return home, Ye Xiaoxiao thought of escorting them back first. But the elderly couple insisted they weren’t carrying much and didn’t need an escort, and just hired an ox cart instead.