Chapter 393 Going to Hangzhou

Chapter 393: Trip to Hangzhou

Ye Xiaoxiao remembered she had hidden several coins herself and wondered if others had slipped some into their dumplings too.

The first misshapen dumpling she bit into was one Xiao Xiao had made, and sure enough, she found a coin inside.

Lu Hanchuan warned her to be careful—chipping a tooth on the first day of the new year would be a lousy start.

"I’ll be careful."

In the end, almost everyone got a lucky coin in their dumplings.

After the meal, Ye Xiaoxiao first passed out red envelopes to the children and received some from the elders before heading out with Lu Hanchuan to make New Year’s calls.

Meanwhile, Ye Chang’an was busy organizing an outing to see the ice lanterns, though few were willing to go. Having slept late the night before, most preferred to catch up on sleep.

The streets were unusually quiet, and it wasn’t until they reached the compound that the bustle picked up.

Many were also heading to the Lu family’s home to greet the elderly couple.

In previous years, they would just stop by quickly, but this year, they were nowhere to be found.

The Lu family had many relatives to visit, though none were actual relatives.

Lu Hanchuan’s grandparents on his mother’s side lived out of town, so the compound folks were mostly friends.

The couple spent the morning making New Year’s calls in the compound, returned for lunch at noon, and then visited a few other familiar elders in the afternoon.

The next few days were pretty laid-back, but after the fifth day of the lunar new year, the Ye family were due to leave.

Ye Chang’an and Shen Qiuyu needed to return to their base, while the others were still on holiday. Ye Changqing’s mine was still shut, and Ye Changsheng, still on winter break, wasn’t rushing either.

Ye Changning said, "Second Bro and Sis-in-law can go back first. The rest of us can stay a few more days. If Xiao Xiao and Hanchuan are heading to his hometown, you can stay at my place."

He even thought of the dog in the yard. "Bring the dog along too."

Ye Chang’an laughed. "If Mom and Dad aren’t in a hurry, they can stay a bit longer and leave after the Lantern Festival."

Ye Jianguo shook his head. "That won’t do. We need to go back and celebrate the festival with your grandparents."

He was also thinking of his own parents back home.

Ye Changning added, "Before you leave, let me check the weather. If there’s a blizzard, it’s better to wait a few more days."

Ye Jianguo agreed and left the matter to him.

"Don’t try to fool me."

Ye Changning grinned. "I wouldn’t dare."

Ye Xiaoxiao did plan to accompany Lu Hanchuan back to his grandfather’s hometown.

Though Lu Hanchuan had grown up in Beijing and was a true Beijinger at heart, Hangzhou was still the old man’s hometown—home to many relatives and a freshly fixed-up family home.

Knowing how much it meant to his grandfather, Lu Hanchuan agreed to make the trip.

Ye Xiaoxiao was packing while listening to their plans about leaving.

Ye Xiaoxiao: "We won’t be gone long. I’ll leave the keys so you can stay and water the backyard plants—just don’t overdo it."

Ye Changning: "You’re good at bossing people around."

Eventually, Ye Changning decided Ye Changan and Shen Qiuyu would leave first while the others stayed a few more days.

"Once the stores open, shop before heading back. Don’t worry about train tickets—I’ll arrange a car to take you home."

It’s slower than the train but more flexible, with chances to rest along the way.

This isn’t boot camp; no need to rush home.

Ye Xiaoxiao handed the keys to Ye Changning, letting them pick where to stay.

Might as well finish the food at home before leaving.

Miao Cuifang told Xiao Xiao to get along well with everyone in Hangzhou.

Ye Xiaoxiao figured if locals spoke dialect, she wouldn’t understand—she’d just smile and nod.

Before they left, she asked Lu Hanchuan, "How many days are we staying?"

Lu Hanchuan: "Four or five days, tops."

Ye Xiaoxiao wondered, "Do you even understand the dialect there?"

"Says who? I understand it."

Lu Hanchuan looked smug.

"Then I’m counting on you to translate." Ye Xiaoxiao pinned all her hopes on him.

The trip to Hangzhou was long, so they took the train.

Given the grandparents’ status, they had their own compartment and got VIP treatment.

The thirteen-hour ride was in a sleeper car, letting the elderly rest.

Yun Chengxiu came to see them off.

"Xiao Chuan, look after your grandparents and Xiao Xiao. Since it’s her first time visiting your hometown, make introductions for her—don’t let her wander off alone."

Lu Hanchuan nodded. "Go on home now, Mom."

Like he actually knew people there.

Truth was, he barely recognized anyone—at most, he knew who was whose uncle.

The train ride flew by. Upon arrival, a government car picked them up.

Old Man Lu came back yearly, so the routine was familiar.

They had dinner at the guesthouse, stayed overnight, and were taken back to the village the next morning.

Hell, even the driver was the same as last year’s.

Here’s the edited translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

The guesthouse was comfortable. After dinner, Ye Xiaoxiao examined her grandparents to ensure they were fine before returning to her room to rest.

Even though they could lie down on the train, long trips were still hard on the elderly.

As for Ye Xiaoxiao, she was completely worn out. After taking a shower, she flopped onto the bed.

Lu Hanchuan looked down at her and asked, "That wiped out?"

Ye Xiaoxiao replied, "Worse than running an 800-meter dash."

After saying that, she suddenly sat up. "Maybe I should do some acupuncture on myself."

It might ease the muscle soreness, but some acupoints were hard to reach on her own, and removing the needles would be inconvenient.

Lu Hanchuan climbed onto the bed and pulled her into his arms. "Don’t bother, Xiao Xiao. We still have to travel tomorrow—let’s wait until we get back to the hometown."

Late at night, the room wasn’t well-lit.

Xiao Xiao wasn’t scared, but Lu Hanchuan sure was.

She was only kidding, anyway. Hearing Lu Hanchuan’s objection, she naturally dropped the idea.

She fell asleep quickly and woke up at seven the next morning.

Hangzhou was a lot warmer than the capital, but inside, it was still freezing.

Fortunately, the guesthouse for officials had air conditioning—or Ye Xiaoxiao would’ve frozen last night.

"So where’s our hometown, anyway?" Ye Xiaoxiao asked.

Lu Hanchuan replied, "Wanglu County. It’s gorgeous there, and even this time of year’s nice."

Ye Xiaoxiao scoffed, "Yeah right, it’s freezing!"

Hangzhou was just a bit warmer than the capital, but the lowest temperatures could still drop below minus ten degrees Celsius.

Lu Hanchuan said, "Just wait till we get there."

They’d made it to the Jiangnan water towns, but unfortunately, it was winter.

The driver took two hours to bring them to Wanglu County.

A family uncle came to meet them.

Lu Hanchuan introduced him to Xiao Xiao, "This is Uncle Gui—his dad and Grandpa are cousins."

Lu Gui respectfully asked Old Master Lu, "Third Uncle, the house here has been cleaned. Should we head home first?"

Old Master Lu nodded. "Yes, let’s go home first."