“There’s a lot of water, and the corn has been soaked rotten. I don’t think we can count on the harvest this year.”

The man took off his rain shoes, and his voice was muffled.

His brows were knitted into a knot, and his face was full of worry.

“Old Wu, let’s eat first. There’s always a way. If there’s trouble, we’ll take care of it,” Fang Huilan helped her husband take off his coat and said with concern.

Soon, the three of them sat down around the wooden table in the hall.

Wu Yan served the dishes.

“I have a stomachache and can’t eat such hot rice. Finish it, father and daughter.”

Fang Huilan scooped out two bowls of rice, but she pulled out the drawer and started to eat bread that was already dry and hard.

Wu Yan saw everything, and her eyes unwittingly turned red.

After a while, the three of them finished eating. She saw her mother cleaning up the bowls and chopsticks while her father sat in front of the door and smoked one cigarette after another.

Witnessing this scene, Wu Yan could not hold it in any longer and immediately said, “Mom… if our family’s really in trouble, how about… I don’t pay this year’s textbook fees for now. Let Brother use it first.”

Fang Huilan raised her head. Just as she was about to speak, old Wu’s voice came from outside.

“No, no matter how poor our family is, we cannot leave school out.”

Hearing the rather dull voice, Fang Huilan smiled slightly. She rubbed Yan Yan’s head and gently said, “Listen to Dad. Go to school, understand?”

Yan Yan nodded, and her ponytail swayed in the air. Her serious face was quite cute.

Soon, Fang Huilan brought the bowls to the kitchen to clean up, while little Yan Yan returned to her room to review her homework.

At that moment, old Wu, who was sitting on the threshold, sighed softly and shook off the ash from his cigarette.

The calluses on his hands were even yellower than the butt of the cigarette.

The entire family’s burden was on him, making him feel a little suffocated.

However, he was the family’s pillar, and he was also a standard Chinese father.

Even if there was pressure and annoyance, he would only hold it in his heart and never express it.

The night gradually deepened…

There was the sound of birds chirping and dogs barking outside.

Little Yan Yan was lying on her side in her own small room.

Her parents were in the master bedroom to the right of the living room.

In the master bedroom, besides a cabinet with a fortune bag from when Fang Huilan got married, there was only a small wooden bed.

Right then, the moon was hanging high outside the window, and the white moonlight shone on old Wu’s face through the dark glass.

Something seemed to flash in his slightly cloudy eyes.

A few minutes later, he heard the sound of even breathing.

He propped himself up from the bed and carefully put on his clothes before he pushed the door open and walked out.

The lights in hundreds of family homes in the village had already been turned off.

Only the only street lamp close to the road was still on in the village.

He put on his shoes, pushed open the courtyard door, and walked out, wearing the stars and the moon.

In the dark, he walked all the way to the dock a few kilometers away from the village.

He helped unload the cargo ships that were moored there.

However, such work was usually done by young and strong men in their thirties.

After all, it was hard work, and it would take more than ten hours to do it. If one was too young or old, one would not be able to last that long.

After old Wu agreed on the price with a steward, he rubbed his fists and started to work.

It was not until eight o’clock in the morning that the day’s work was considered completed.

Holding the ¥100 note that the other person gave him, old Wu’s footsteps were much lighter when he returned home.

Although the night’s work made his hands tremble, his face was full of joy.

When he reached the village entrance, he greeted a few villagers whom he knew. Then, he went to his own green-tiled house, pushed the door open, and walked in.

At this time, his daughter, Yan Yan, was still studying in her room, while Huilan was washing the pot. When she saw her husband push the door open and walk in, she frowned slightly. She immediately put down the work in her hands and walked up to him.

“Old Wu, where did you go last night? I couldn’t find you in the morning.”

Seeing her husband’s exhausted look and the red veins in his eyes, Huilan’s heart ached. At the same time, she questioned him with concern.

“Hehe… It’s nothing. My hands were a little itchy last night. I went to find a few old men to play cards. I’m a little sleepy after playing all night. Here… This is the money I earned last night. My luck was pretty good,” old Wu scratched his head and said with a smile.

Huilan looked down at the brand-new notes in old Wu’s hand and instantly understood.

However, she did not point it out. “Why are you still playing cards? Your health is more important. Go to sleep quickly.”

“Sigh, it doesn’t matter. Our kid’s about to graduate. He needs money to find a job and rent a house. In a few days, we’ll go to the town cooperative and call him.”

“Alright, alright…”

Huilan agreed readily and pushed him into the house.

In her bedroom, Yan Yan heard her parents’ voices and immediately put down her book and walked out.

Just then, a voice suddenly rang out from outside.

“Hey… that person… Old Wu’s son is back. Everyone, go to the village entrance and take a look. The village chief is here too!”

Hearing the voice outside the door, Fang Huilan was stunned for a moment. Then, she quickly became excited.

Old Wu was even faster, though. He immediately grabbed his slippers and tried to run out.

“Old Wu, slow down…”

Fang Huilan wiped her hands and went together with him.

Wu Yan was overjoyed when she heard that her brother was back. She chased after him excitedly.

Along the way, the three of them saw a few villagers running toward the village entrance as if they were curious.

After all, there were only a few families in the village who had sons who were learning to forge.

A while later, the three of them arrived at the open space at the village entrance.

At that moment, they saw a young man who was dragging his luggage beside the slightly hunched old village chief. It was Wu Mo!

The second she saw her son, Huilan’s nose turned red, and her footsteps grew more urgent.

Old Wu, who was usually like a closed jar, immediately grinned.

“Our son is really home!”

“Brother!”

…

Wu Mo dragged his luggage and stood at the village entrance. The village elder beside him said, “Kid, did you graduate from your school in Shanglin City?”

“Yes, Village Elder. I’ve come back to visit my family after graduation.”

After he finished speaking, he raised his head and looked at the road not far away. When he saw that many villagers were rushing over, he appeared a little shocked.

He was only going home. Did the village elder have to organize a mobilization meeting?

However, those thoughts did not even last for three seconds because he saw his parents and younger sister in the crowd. He had missed them for a long time.

When he saw their faces after more than a year…

His entire body seemed to fall in a daze. Waves of buzzing reverberated in his mind.

Without hesitation, he threw down his suitcase and ran toward his parents.

At that moment, old Wu slowed down a little. His daughter, Wu Yan, was so excited that her eyes were filled with tears. Fang Huilan hugged her son in her arms, and the countless thoughts in her heart turned into clear tears.

“Dad, Mom, Sis… I’m back to see you.”

Wu Mo’s tone was a little gloomy. It was obvious that he was worked up.