Chapter 259: Chapter 259: It’s Snowing
259 Snowfall
"Mrs. Sun, Mrs. Sun, come out quickly! Your second son is back!"
Zhao Zhitong raised her head, listened intently, blinked, and said, "Mom, there are people outside shouting for you, saying the second son is back. Who’s the second son?"
At this remark, everyone else was still processing the news.
Then, Zhao Zhitong’s eyes widened, and she shouted, "Mom, Xiao Ge! It’s Xiao Ge!"
Zhao Dong and Sun Mei looked at each other, obvious surprise and joy illuminating their faces. They put down what they were holding and hurried to open the door.
As soon as the door opened, they saw two women standing at their doorstep. The women smiled and said, "You’ve finally opened the door! Hurry and go greet him; your family’s young hero has returned!"
No sooner had they spoken than a young man’s voice drifted in.
"Uncle, Auntie."
Upon hearing this voice, Zhao Dong and Sun Mei grew excited. Indeed, it was the voice of their Zhao Yu.
After the two women stepped aside, Zhao Yu appeared before them.
"Uncle, Auntie, I’m back."
As he spoke, Zhao Yu knelt and kowtowed. "I have been unfilial. I wasn’t able to return home for the New Year last year."
Zhao Dong and Sun Mei quickly moved forward and helped Zhao Yu up from the ground. "Good child, quickly, get up."
Although Zhao Yu had been away, he regularly sent letters home. Last winter, Zhao Yu had written to say he had important matters to attend to and thus couldn’t return home for the New Year.
This year, he had returned earlier than expected.
Seeing the family reunited, the two women didn’t want to intrude and quickly took their leave.
Smiling, Zhao Dong and Sun Mei took Zhao Yu by the arm, talking as they walked towards the house.
Zhao Zhitong stood at the doorway, curiously observing the young man before her. Two years had passed, and Zhao Yu had changed significantly. He had grown much taller and looked more robust, his skin considerably darker, giving him a somewhat rugged appearance.
"Sister."
Zhao Yu’s gaze fell on Zhao Zhitong as he called out to her.
This familiar call instantly dispelled the sense of unfamiliarity that the two years of separation had created.
"Xiao Ge!" Zhao Zhitong cried out and ran to him. "Xiao Ge, you’re finally back! Tongtong missed you so, so much! Xiao Ge, did you miss Tongtong?"
Zhao Yu smiled. "Of course, I missed you very much."
He reached out and patted Zhao Zhitong’s small head. "My, Tongtong has grown so much taller."
Zhao Zhitong grinned, revealing two sweet dimples, and said proudly, "Yes, yes! I’m much taller now. Xiao Ge, you probably can’t even carry me on your back anymore."
Zhao Yu couldn’t help but laugh. "Well, that’s not necessarily true. Your Xiao Ge is much stronger now. Carrying you would be like carrying a little chick."
Zhao Zhitong blinked. "Really? Really? Then Xiao Ge, do you have muscles? Let me see, let me see!"
Zhao Zhitong pestered Zhao Yu, wanting to see the muscles on his arms.
With a helpless but indulgent smile, Zhao Yu squatted down, raised his arm, and let Zhao Zhitong pinch his bicep.
Her small hands squeezed and poked his arm, and then Zhao Zhitong’s mouth formed an ’O’ shape. "Wow, Xiao Ge’s muscles are so big!"
Not content to feel them herself, she called out to Zhao Ya, who was nearby, "Sister Yaya, come look! Xiao Ge’s muscles are huge!"
Then, Zhao Ya ran over, also calling out, "Xiao Ge."
Zhao Cheng approached at that moment, and the siblings gathered in the courtyard, chattering away, their joy at being reunited palpable.
Meanwhile, Zhao Dong and Sun Mei were already busy preparing a feast for Zhao Yu.
They were slaughtering a chicken and preparing fish.
Even though it wasn’t New Year yet, the Zhao family was bustling with early celebratory excitement due to Zhao Yu’s return.
Seeing the table laden with delicious food, Zhao Yu’s eyes grew red. Sun Mei, however, kept heaping food into his bowl.
"Eat more," Sun Mei said. "Look how thin you’ve become. You must eat well and regain your strength these next few days."
Tears welled in Zhao Yu’s reddened eyes, but a blissful smile spread across his face. "Auntie, that’s enough. I’m full."
Sun Mei showed no sign of stopping and continued placing meat into Zhao Yu’s bowl. "How could that be enough? You’ve been away for so long; who knows if you even had a single proper meal out there. Now that you’re home, you absolutely must build yourself up."
The food in Zhao Yu’s bowl was piled high like a small mountain—a mountain built of love.
Zhao Zhitong, holding her small bowl, sat beside Zhao Yu, chattering happily as she shared all the family news. "Xiao Ge, Xiao Ge, our orchard is bearing fruit already, and it’s so sweet! Mom saved a lot of persimmons for you. And Da Bao has grown so much! Oh, and our little white pig? Last New Year, we took it to Butcher Zhao’s, and Mom cooked a huge pot of meat. It was so fragrant..."
Zhao Zhitong chattered endlessly, but Zhao Yu didn’t find it the least bit tiresome. He listened patiently, a happy smile on his lips.
「After dinner」
Snowflakes unexpectedly began to drift down, lending a serene beauty to the night.
Sun Mei regularly cleaned Zhao Yu’s room, so even though it hadn’t been lived in for two years, it was very clean.
She took a fresh set of bedding from the cabinet and made the bed for him.
The younger children went with Zhao Dong to heat the kang, a traditional heated brick bed.
Zhao Yu’s return had greatly excited Zhao Zhitong. After playing in the snow for a while, the children ran inside to play cards.
Zhao Dong had made the deck of cards himself, hoping to add some entertainment for the New Year.
The young ones crowded onto the kang, playing with great enthusiasm. Their laughter and cheerful chatter spilled from the dimly lit windows into the quiet night, creating an exceptionally warm and cozy atmosphere.
「Later that night」
When the night grew late and quiet, and everyone else, tired from playing, had gone to sleep, the brothers Zhao Cheng and Zhao Yu sat on the kang, talking.
Zhao Cheng asked, "When are you leaving this time? After the New Year?"
Zhao Yu looked conflicted. "Big Brother," he began, "I don’t know if I’ve made the right choice. Ever since I joined my master’s sect, I’ve often had to travel with him. I haven’t had any time to be filial to Uncle and Auntie. Perhaps..."
He struggled inwardly for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "Perhaps I should come back. I’ve studied with my master for several years now, and few of my fellow disciples in the sect can defeat me. I think I’ve learned enough. I could come home, help Uncle and Auntie with their work, and ease their burden."
Zhao Cheng’s eyes gleamed in the darkness. He turned towards his brother, though he couldn’t make out his expression in the dim light.
Zhao Cheng seemed to sense Zhao Yu’s feelings and asked, "Do you truly enjoy exploring all corners of the country?"
Zhao Yu was silent for a moment before replying, "Brother, that’s not important."
Zhao Cheng suddenly sat up straight and clapped Zhao Yu firmly on the shoulder. "If you enjoy it, then pursue it. Follow your master and learn well. Uncle and Auntie also wish for you to have a promising future. Don’t worry about things at home. I’m here; I’ll bear your share of filial duty for you."
He added, "But remember, as you explore all corners of the country, you must uphold justice. Never commit evil deeds or associate with wicked people. Don’t disappoint Uncle and Auntie."
Zhao Yu’s voice trembled slightly in the darkness. "Brother..."
That single word, "Brother," slowly dissipated, carrying with it a multitude of unspoken emotions.
The night deepened, and silence once again enveloped them. Nothing more was said for the rest of the night.