The neon of the city gradually dimmed, replaced by the festivity and warmth of the approaching Spring Festival. Xu Yang lay in a spacious bachelor apartment, staring at the ceiling in a daze, but his thoughts flew to his hometown thousands of miles away. In the dead of night, the noise of the city seemed to mock his loneliness. The decision to go home was not a spur of the moment, but a decision made by six years of gaps and longings that were difficult to fill.
Success at work has never made Xu Yang forget the past, especially during the Spring Festival, the greetings of relatives and friends in WeChat always make him feel guilty. This year, he made up his mind to return to that small village with the smell of fire, to see his father, Xu Hai, and to find the peace in his heart.
The luggage was simple, Xu Yang only brought a few changes of clothes and some special souvenirs that could not be bought in the city. As the train shuttled through the vast fields, his heart grew heavier and heavier as the train tracked. He began to imagine, after years of not seeing, what would his father be like now?
The train finally arrived at the station, and the moment Xu Yang got off the train, the cold wind in winter seemed to be a little gentler. But when he walked to the entrance of the village, the scene surprised him, not the familiar father, but two naughty little nephews running over.
"Uncle, you're finally back!" The little nephew Xu Zhi was the first to pounce into Xu Yang's arms, his face filled with excitement that could not be hidden.
Xu Hui tugged at the corner of his clothes, his eyes flashing with doubt, "Uncle, why did it take you so long to come back?" Dad says you're far, far away. ”
Xu Yang bent down, hugged Xu Zhi with one hand, and touched Xu Hui's head with the other, trying to hide the sourness in his heart, "Uncle has a lot of things to do, but I have always been thinking about you. Sorry to keep you waiting. ”
The smiling faces of the two children made Xu Yang forget his worries for a while. They held Xu Yang's hand and told about the changes and new things in the village along the way, while Xu Yang responded absentmindedly.
Back at the door, Xu Yang took a deep breath and pushed open the familiar and unfamiliar door. In the room, Xu Hai sat on an old wooden chair, looking into the distance with complicated eyes. Seeing Xu Yang, there was no expression of surprise on his face.
"I'm back." Xu Yang tried his best to make his voice sound relaxed.
Xu Hai was silent for a while, and then slowly spoke, "It's been six years, I didn't expect you to remember this road." ”
The air seemed to be filled with embarrassment and discomfort, Xu Yang tried to break the ice, "Dad, I..."
Xu Hai interrupted him, "Okay, since you're back, let's put down our luggage and eat something first." ”
The two little nephews pulled the corners of Xu Yang's clothes beside them and said excitedly, "Uncle, what fun did you bring back?" It was as if their innocence and liveliness were the only corner of this home that had not changed.
At the dinner table, Xu Yang tried to talk to his father, but found that the topic always deliberately bypassed the pain and misunderstanding of the past. He began to realize that this return home was not only a face to his past, but also the beginning of a family reconciliation and reconstruction. After lunch, some elders gathered under the big locust tree at the entrance of the village to chat, and a few whispers floated in Xu Yang's ears as he passed by. "Xu Yang is back, I haven't seen him for six years, what is the reason for this time?" There is speculation.
Xu Yang's heart tightened, he knew that his return would definitely cause discussion among the villagers. But he had to face this, especially the rifts in his family that had not been healed.
"Uncle, where are you going?" Xu Hui followed him curiously.
"I want to see the old willow trees by the river." Xu Yang replied with a smile that he needed some alone time.
On the way, the eyes of the villagers made him feel unbearable. But their conversation brought him new information.
"I heard that Xu Hai's health has not been good recently, and the business in the store is not good."
"Yes, since my sister-in-law left, Xu Hai has been holding on alone, it's really hard for him."
Xu Yang's pace slowed down silently, of course he knew the news of his mother's death, but he didn't know much about the specific situation at home. Perhaps he has been running away from it, unwilling to face it all.
When I arrived at the river, the old willow tree was still like that, the wind blew, and the willow branches swayed gently, accompanied by Xu Yang's childhood memories. He looked up at the willow branch and lamented that he hadn't done anything for his family for so many years.
As the sun set, Xu Yang returned home and saw his father repairing a worn chair under the eaves.
"Dad, I used to sit on this chair when I was a child." He tried to find something to talk about.
Xu Hai didn't look up, "Well, after sitting for a long time, it will be loosened, and it can be used again for cultivation." ”
There was silence between the two.
"By the way, everyone in the village is talking about home..."Xu Yang wanted to know something.
"It's all gossip!" Xu Hai suddenly raised his voice, looking a little excited, "Since you're back, help me get some wood." ”
Xu Yang was a little surprised, but he did it.
At dinnertime, Xu Yang wanted to try to pick some daily topics, "Dad, do you want to know about my life in the city?" ”
"No need, life in the city is very different from here, I'm afraid I won't understand." Xu Hai said lightly.
Xu Yang shook his head and lowered his head sadly. He couldn't admit his escape, and he didn't know how to express his guilt to his father.
In the next few days, Xu Yang began to help in the village, chatting with the villagers, and he gradually discovered that his father's lonely back had endless toil and silent endurance.
In a small restaurant in the village, Xu Yang met his childhood friend Xiaoqiang.
"Hey, Xu Yang, why haven't you seen anyone all these years?" Xiaoqiang shouted in surprise.
Xu Yang smiled bitterly and shook his head, "Yes, some things make people have no choice. ”
"I heard that you and your dad are because of family affairs..."Xiao Qiang noticed Xu Yang's expression before he finished speaking.
Xu Yang sighed heavily, "Yes, there are many misunderstandings, but I hope to solve them." ”
They chatted for a long time, and Xu Yang learned that the relationship between Xu Hai and the villagers had become strained, and there was more truth about his mother's death.
That night, everyone gathered in the house, and Xu Yang plucked up his courage, "Dad, mother's matter, I think we have to talk about it." ”
Xu Hai was silent for a long time, and then said slowly: "You know, one day. ”
Xu Yang nodded, he understood that the process of reconciliation had officially begun. On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Xu Yang and his family sat in the living room, with new Spring Festival couplets hanging in the room, and music from the Spring Festival Gala on TV, the atmosphere should have been lively and warm. However, the tense atmosphere makes people ignore the joy of the Spring Festival.
Xu Hui and Xu Zhi insisted on setting off fireworks, which was their family tradition, but Xu Yang frowned.
"Uncle, have you forgotten those big fireworks that we set off every year?" Xu Zhi asked puzzled.
"Kid, fireworks in the city will pollute the environment, and we shouldn't just destroy nature." Xu Yang tried to explain to his nephew.
Xu Hui was a little dissatisfied, "But this is the fun of the festival, uncle." ”
Xu Hai had been listening quietly, and suddenly spoke, "Will people die if you make the children happy?" Every year, you have to change it when you come back this year? ”
Xu Yang felt the invisible pressure, but he didn't know how to compromise, so he had to be as tactful as possible, "Dad, I just think that we can't blindly pursue fun and ignore the importance of environmental protection." ”
"All these new ideas you have learned in the city in the past six years have forgotten where your roots are." Xu Hai's tone was reproachful.
This kind of conversation made the original festive atmosphere awe-inspiring, and the two little nephews were no longer happy, and Xu Yang's mood became heavy. He began to reflect on whether he had really lost touch with his family.
In the evening, when the family got together for a reunion dinner, Xu Yang couldn't help but mention the past.
"Dad, I know I'm late, but I want to make up for it now." There was sincerity in Xu Yang's voice.
Xu Hai said lightly: "Make up for it? Do you know that the year your mother left, there was a lot of trouble in the village? ”
"I... I didn't know what to do at the time, I ran away. Xu Yang's eyes began to moisten.
"You're not just running away from that." Xu Hai's gaze was deep, "This family, this place, what are you now?" ”
Xu Yang lowered his head, speechless.
After the meal, Xu Yang raised a topic that everyone avoided talking about, the property problem at home.
"I didn't come back, and I shouldn't have interfered in family affairs all these years." He tried to stay calm.
"Hmph, do you think you'll be willing to give away your share?" Xu Hai said with some sarcasm.
"No, I don't care about that." Xu Yang hurriedly explained, "I just hope that our family can be harmonious, as before." ”
Xu Hai was silent for a long time, and finally sighed heavily, "What do you want?" ”
Under the reflection of the moonlight, the eyes of the father and son finally collided with each other, and Xu Yang slowly spoke: "Can we let go of the past and start again?" ”
There were tears in Xu Hai's eyes, and he knew that he couldn't bear any more cracks in this family. "If you do, of course I do."
The two little nephews were gathered around, although they didn't understand the complex emotions of adults, but they felt the power of family warmth.
At that moment, years of misunderstanding and estrangement seemed to begin to slowly dissolve, and the home in front of Xu Yang, although still ordinary, had the hope of re-weaving. The Spring Festival holiday is slowly coming to an end, but Xu Yang's mood is like being reborn. The cold barrier between him and his father, Xu Hai, seemed to be gradually melting, and the feeling of home began to warm up.
The sun was warm that morning, and Xu Yang offered to help repair the dilapidated walls of his home. Xu Hai looked at his son holding bricks and mud in his hands, and a hint of relief flashed in his eyes.
"Xu Yang, you don't have to do it yourself, I'll ask someone to help." Xu Hai took a broom to clean the courtyard.
Xu Yang waved his hand, "Don't worry, Dad, I'm not the city guy who doesn't know anything now." ”
Xu Hai smiled, shook his head and continued to do his work. Xu Hui and Xu Zhi happily watched, occasionally passing tools or stirring the mud.
At lunchtime, Xu Yang wanted to do his son's duty and tried hard to talk to his father.
"Dad, have you ever thought about going out for a walk? The Spring Festival in the city is lively. Xu Yangjia gave his father a dumpling.
Xu Hai took the dumplings and said softly: "I'm used to the tranquility here, but I'm not used to the hustle and bustle of the city." ”
During the casual conversation after the meal, Xu Yang tried to inquire about his father's memories and thoughts of his mother. Xu Hai recounted the bits and pieces of the past, looking at the old willow tree outside the house from afar.
"Your mother... She likes this yard the most and loves to bask in the sun here. Xu Hai's tone was filled with nostalgia.
Xu Yang nodded, took a deep breath, and hoped that he would often go home to accompany the old man in the future.
Under the lamp, the father and son continued to repair the wall, although they did not say much, but they had a good heart. Xu Hui and Xu Zhi interjected occasionally, enlivening the atmosphere of silence.
Night falls, and the moonlight shines. Xu Yang looked at the wall that was about to be completed, and an inexplicable sense of accomplishment rose in his heart.
"Dad, if Mother sees us so united, she should be happy." Xu Yang said casually.
Xu Hai stopped what he was doing, looked at Xu Yang softly, and nodded, "She has always hoped that we could be harmonious." ”
The little nephew Xu Zhi suddenly interjected, "Then will the uncle often come back to accompany us?" ”
Xu Yang looked at Xu Hai with a question in his eyes, but Xu Hai showed a rare smile and asked softly: "What do you say?" ”
[This content is a fictional story, please read it rationally, do not sit in the right seat]