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It's the eve of the Spring Festival again. The streets are filled with a festive atmosphere, and the joy of reunion is everywhere. In the past few days, the adults in the village have been busy pasting couplets, purchasing New Year's goods, and cleaning houses in preparation for the upcoming Spring Festival. The children also took their annual leave early and played and frolicked around, waiting for the New Year's bell to ring. I was finally looking forward to this rare annual leave to go back to my hometown to reunite with my father.
My name is Xiaofang, and I live in a small village in the south of the Yangtze River. I've been away from my hometown since I went to college, and it's been ten years. In the past ten years, I have worked in several big cities and have never returned home. At first, I would write letters or call my father from time to time, but over the years, I was busy with work and had less and less contact. My father's health was getting worse and worse, and I blamed myself all the time, but I couldn't take time out to visit him because of my busy work.
This time I took a rare annual leave, so I mustered up the courage to ask the company for ten days off and decided to go back to my hometown to accompany my father. Tickets for the Spring Festival are very difficult to buy, so I started booking a month in advance, for fear that I would not be able to return home. I finally bought a train ticket home, and I started to excitedly plan this trip home. I went to the mall and bought my father's favorite cigarettes and souvenirs, and then went to the bookstore to buy a few books that he might like to take home and surprise him.
The train swayed for more than ten hours, and I finally returned to the small station in my hometown. Walking out of the station, I was thrilled by the familiar countryside scenery. In the distance, I saw my father already standing at the gate of the station waiting. He seemed to be more rickety, and his hair was much grayer. With tears streaming down my eyes, I trotted over with my luggage and threw myself into my father's arms.
"Dad!" I hugged my father tightly, ignoring the gazes of others.
"Silly girl, it's good to be back. My father's voice trembled a little, and he hugged me tightly.
Our father and daughter hugged each other for a while, and neither of us wanted to let go first. The ten years of parting turned into tears at this moment, and I felt that my father was also sobbing softly. The joy of reunion after a long absence filled my heart, and I finally returned home.
My father carried my luggage on his back and helped me to my home. On the way, the neighbors greeted me warmly, saying that I had grown up and become beautiful. I was a little embarrassed, but just smiled shyly.
Along the way, my father and I talked about the changes over the years.
"Dad, is our old pear tree still there?" I asked.
"Yes, every year it is full of pears, and I can't eat so much by myself, so I give them to the people in the village. ”
"Is that fish we had still there? It must have grown big now. ”
The father smiled: "That fish is long gone, probably eaten by a cat." I got a few more little goldfish later, so come back and take a look. ”
I nodded, and then asked, "Dad, are you okay living alone all these years?"
My father sighed: "It's okay, the neighbors often come to see me and help me with some housework." It's just that the body is a little worse every year, and it's not very convenient to walk. ”
My heart tightened, and I quickly said, "Dad, I will take good care of you when I come back this time." My skills have improved a lot, and I will make a lot of delicious food for you to replenish your body. ”
My father smiled and touched my head: "Silly girl, I'll be happy when you come home." You don't need to do anything, as long as you're around. ”
I couldn't help but hug my father again, and I was so excited.
Finally, we got home. Pushing open the courtyard door, childhood memories suddenly came to my heart. The locust trees in the yard have grown taller, and the grape trellis in the corner of the wall is still there, but the tangled vines are more dense. The yard was overgrown with weeds, and it seemed that my father was too old to take care of it.
I walked into the house, and there was an old picture of my mother hanging on the wall. On the table was his father's medicine and glasses, and his crutches were piled up in the corner. The room was shabby, but full of memories.
"Dad, I'm back. I whispered.
"Well, welcome home. My father had tears in his eyes.
I took out the cigarettes and books I bought from my bag and handed them to my father.
"This is your favorite Yellow Crane Tower, and there are some books that you might like, and I have brought them back. ”
My father happily took it and exclaimed: "The Yellow Crane Tower is my favorite, you still remember the hard work." It's okay, I can read it in the evening. ”
I looked at my father's happy face, and my heart warmed. At this moment, it seemed that I was back to the days when I was a child, living with my father.
I smiled and said, "Of course, this is a craft I've been practicing for a long time, and it tastes good!"
My father took a bite of the cake and exclaimed, "Well, it's really delicious!" Xiaofang, Dad is really getting more and more proud. ”
After breakfast, I started cleaning the room and wiping down the dusty furniture and floors. My father sat on a small stool in the doorway and instructed me where I needed to clean carefully.
At noon, I made a few of my father's favorite hometown dishes, such as braised pork, fish-flavored eggplant and sauerkraut fish with hometown characteristics. The father looked at the sumptuous lunch and said with a smile, "My good girl, you spoiled my father today." ”
After lunch, my father said that he would take a break. I sat on the edge of his bed and chatted with him.
"Dad, do you remember when I was a kid?" I asked with a smile.
My father nodded and said, "Of course, when you were a child, you loved to follow me to the river to fish. ”
"That's right!" I said happily, "I remember you teaching me how to put the bait on the hook and then patiently waiting for the fish to take the bait." We often catch a lot of fish!"
"I also remember my mother always saying that we were both tanned, and when she came home, she would take coriander leaves to wipe our faces. "Speaking of which, I can't help but feel a little excited.
The father also had tears in his eyes, and said softly: "Your mother said at the time that our father and daughter are the closest and inseparable. ”
I held my father's hand and asked softly, "Dad, do you miss your mother?"
The father was silent, and after a long time, he whispered: "I think of her every day, it's been ten years, and I still can't forget it." ”
I also reddened my eyes and said softly, "I miss my mother too." She left so early, leaving you alone. I shouldn't have been away from home for that long. ”
Mom's spirit in heaven will understand. The important thing is that now that you're back. ”
I nodded, wiping away tears.
After dinner, my father sat on a bamboo chair at the door and smoked. I walked over and said with concern, "Dad, don't smoke too much, it's not good for your health." ”
My father smiled and said, "Just smoke one." You bought this pack of cigarettes on purpose, and I can't afford to smoke it too fast. ”
I looked at my father's cherished look and thought to myself that this pack of cigarettes must have meant a lot to him.
"It's okay if you eat more, I'm coming back to take care of you. I said happily.
The father nodded, and took another bite of the fragrant xiaolongbao.
After breakfast, my father sat on a bamboo chair at the door basking in the sun and reading the newspaper. I sat next to him and chatted with him.
"Dad, it's going to be the New Year soon, what are we going to do when we go home for the New Year?" I asked with a smile.
My father said, "We can post couplets, buy New Year's goods, clean up, and then make dumplings and eat Chinese New Year's Eve dinner together." ”
"That's right, we're going to set off firecrackers too! I'm going to buy colorful firecrackers, and we'll set them off together in the evening." I said happily.
"Okay, okay, this year must be lively. Father laughed too.
I looked at my father's happy face and secretly decided that I must give him an unforgettable New Year.
In this way, as I prepared for the New Year with my father, I felt that our relationship was closer than ever. I tried to do everything I could to make my dad happy, and he really enjoyed his time with me. It's like going back to when I was a kid and the family was together.
In this way, the days before the Spring Festival flew by as my father and I prepared together.
On the thirtieth day of the Chinese New Year's Eve, I got up early and began to prepare the dishes for the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner. I marinated the fish first and then wrapped dozens of dumplings. My father helped chop green onions and chop vegetables.
"Dad, you've worked hard, it's so good to chop green onions. I laughed.
"I'm glad I could help you. Father laughed too.
In the evening, we sat down together for Chinese New Year's Eve dinner. I first bought my father a bowl of dumplings and fish. "Dad, come, eat dumplings and fish. This is my new bag this morning and it must be delicious. ”
The father smiled and nodded, took a bite of the dumpling, and exclaimed: "Well, this dumpling is beautifully wrapped, with thin skin and big filling, it is really delicious!"
We ate and chatted at the same time, and the atmosphere was lively.
After the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, my father took out the pack of cigarettes I bought for him and said with a smile: "I will smoke this pack of cigarettes tonight, which is considered to be celebrating the New Year with you!"
I hurriedly said, "Dad, you can keep this pack of cigarettes and smoke slowly, and I'll buy ordinary cigarettes for you tonight." ”
My father waved his hand and said, "No, just smoke this pack." I've been waiting for this moment for a long time. ”
I saw my father's excited appearance, and I no longer persuaded him, and said with a smile: "Then Dad, you can smoke, let's celebrate the New Year together!"
The father nodded, carefully opened the cigarette pack, and took out a cigarette and lit it.
After a few minutes, I suddenly saw my father's face change dramatically, his hands clutching the cigarette case, and trembling all over. I hurriedly asked, "Dad, what's wrong with you?"
I instantly understood my father's pain, and my eyes reddened. It turned out that this pack of cigarettes was a memory and concern for his mother.
I couldn't hold back my tears. It turned out that this seemingly ordinary cigarette case had a special meaning for my father.
It turned out that my mother was terminally ill before I was born, but in order not to worry my father, she kept her illness secret. When I was 10 years old, my mother's condition suddenly deteriorated, and she knew that her time was running out, so she bought this pack of my father's favorite cigarettes and said to him, "Wife, you can smoke this pack of cigarettes in the future, and I am still by your side." ”
It didn't take long for Mother to leave us. Her father has always loved her deeply, and he is reluctant to draw this last gift, so he treasures it to this day.
After listening to this past, I couldn't stop crying. It turned out that my mother knew that her time was short, and she specially prepared this gift to accompany her father.
"Dad, I miss my mom too. I whispered, "But I'm sure she'll want you to be happy and not too sad." ”
The father nodded, took out the picture of his mother and stared at it, his eyes full of longing.
"Mom left so early, leaving me alone to take care of Xiaofang. For the past ten years, I have been worried about whether you will be in danger and whether you will suffer. Now that you're back, I'm relieved. ”
"Dad, I know you've been thinking about me. I'll take good care of myself. I shook my father's hand and said, "I will come home to see you often." ”
"Good boy, it's enough for you to go home. Father smiled warmly, "Your mother will also be very pleased in the Heavenly Spirit." ”
Our father and daughter hugged each other, quietly weeping, remembering the bits and pieces of our mother.
On this night, although we were sad, we also felt that our mother was by our side. I decided to go home every Spring Festival in the future to spend the Chinese New Year with my father.
From then on, my father no longer faced the holiday thoughts alone. Every festive season, I would go home early to prepare a reunion dinner with my father and remember my mother together.