Li Liyun's appearance was like a pebble dropped into a deep pool, causing ripples but not a big splash.
Jiang Suichu studied, ate and played with Lu Zhinian and Pei Shuo every day as before.
She was so calm that no one could see her sadness.
But if a pebble falls into the pool, the water will be calm. But the stone was still pressed at the bottom of the pool. It wasn't heavy, but it was impossible to ignore.
Every time late at night, when everyone is quiet, the scene in the milk tea shop will appear in my mind uncontrollably.
She sat quietly on the bedside, holding half of the photo of her father in her hand.
In the photos, Jiang Zhiwei always looks young, and her resolute eyebrows always give her strength.
"Dad, I can't forgive her, right?"
On her thin white wrist was a copper coin given to her by her grandma. She rubbed the red rope and smiled slightly: "Grandma, I'm fine now."
Don't worry.
Time flies so fast, and the Spring Festival is here in a blink of an eye.
Jiang Suchu, Lu Zhinian and Pei Shuo were responsible for the decoration of the home. Aunt Yuan and Aunt Wu were preparing lunch in the kitchen, while Uncle Lu and Uncle Pei were playing chess in the study.
Jiang Suchu was hanging lanterns and small lanterns on the trees in the yard. Lu Zhinian was standing on the ladder pasting couplets, and Pei Shuo was holding the ladder for him.
Lu Zhinian held up a couplet in his hand and asked them, "Is it correct?"
Pei Shuo looked up and said perfunctorily: "That's it."
Jiang Suichu put down the things in his hands, stood in the middle, squinted his eyes and said, "I think your horizontal couplet is posted too far?"
Lu Zhinian glanced at it: "Is it biased?"
Jiang Suichu nodded: "Off! Move a little to the left."
Lu Zhinian glanced down at Pei Shuo speechlessly, "Didn't you just say it right?"
Pei Shuo: "...Looking from my side, it is indeed correct."
Lu Zhinian: "......"
He couldn't trust Pei Shuo, so after posting it, he asked Jiang Suchu directly: "Are you okay now?"
"Okay. Jiang Suichu touched his chin and nodded with satisfaction, not forgetting to boast, "As expected, I still have to take action. "
After saying that, she clapped her hands and ran into the house to put window grilles on the windows.
Lu Zhinian glanced at her bouncing back and silently curled the corners of his lips.
Pei Shuo held the ladder with his hand and looked at Jiang Suichu who was busy in the room through the window, then raised his head and smiled at Lu Zhinian.
It seems that the former princess Sui Sui is really back.
The window grilles needed to be wetted with water and attached to the glass, so Jiang Suichu went to the kitchen to get a basin of water. She saw Shu Yuan frying meatballs, and she could smell the smell from outside: "Wow, it smells so good."
Shu Yuan took a ball and blew it to cool down and fed it to her: "Come on, Sui Bao, can you give it a taste?"
This is what Jiang Suichu eats during the Chinese New Year in her hometown, and this is her first time making it.
Jiang Suchu bit off half of one. The meatballs were still a little hot, so she fanned them with her hand.
Shu Yuan reached out and put her bangs away from Jiang Suichu's forehead: "How is it? Is it salty?"
"Neither salty nor salty." Jiang Suichu shook his head, then gave Shu Yuan a thumbs up: "It's delicious!"
After saying that, she took the remaining half of the meatball into her mouth in one mouthful, her cheeks bulging: "Aunt Yuan, I'm going out first."
After saying that, she trotted towards the living room with water in hand.
"Slow down." Shu Yuan reminded her with a smile from behind.
There were several windows in the living room. Jiang Suichu took off his shoes and stepped on the sofa against the window grilles.
Just as she was pressing it seriously, Pei Shuo suddenly pressed it against the window outside and made a face at her.
"Ah!!" Jiang Suchu was startled, screamed and took a step back as a reflex. As a result, she forgot that she was standing on the sofa, and her whole body fell backwards.
Lu Zhinian came out after washing his hands. As soon as he came over to help her put up the window grilles, he saw that silly roe deer Pei Shuo doing something.
Just when Jiang Suchu thought he was going to fall to the ground, his waist tightened. Lu Zhinian held her waist with one hand from behind, lifted her up and placed her on the single sofa on the other side.
By the time Jiang Suchu reacted, Lu Zhinian had already let go of her. He bent down and picked up her shoes from the side and put them at her feet: "Put on your shoes."
Although the air conditioning is turned on at home, it is not as good as the floor heating in the north, and the floor is still a little cold.
Jiang Suichugang's voice was so loud that Pei Tian and Lu Shenghua, who were playing chess in the study, also heard it. The two thought something had happened, so they dropped their chess pieces and came out.
Shu Yuan naturally heard it and ran out with the spatula in her hand: "What's wrong? What's wrong?"
Lu Shenghua glanced at Jiang Suichu who was sitting on the sofa, "Suibao, was it you who called me just now?"
Pei Tian also looked at Jiang Suchu, and he heard her voice just now.
Lu Zhinian glanced at the three adults, turned his head and glanced at the culprit outside the window, with a hint of schadenfreude hidden in the corner of his mouth.
He raised his eyebrows at Pei Shuo and said: You are finished.
When Pei Shuo saw the battle, he quickly winked at Jiang Suchu and clasped his hands together to beg for mercy.
Jiang Suchu pretended not to see Pei Shuo's begging for mercy, pouted and looked at Pei Tian aggrievedly, complaining: "Uncle Pei, Lele scared me just now. I almost fell off the sofa."
When Pei Tian just came out and saw his son outside the window, he guessed that this boy must be causing trouble. As expected, he roared with all his strength: "Pei Shuo! Get out of here!"
Pei Shuo was still bowing his hands, but when he heard Pei Tian calling him, his whole body suddenly became excited. He didn't dare to run, so he entered the house with his head hanging down and hid directly behind Shu Yuan.
"I'm just having fun with Suisui~"
"Playing? Playing? How old are you? You know how to play every day." Pei Tian walked up and waved.
Pei Shuo hid behind Shu Yuan and kept shouting for help: "Ah ah ah!! Aunt Yuan help me."
Shu Yuan was so shaken by Pei Shuo that she almost fainted. She smiled and stopped Pei Tian: "Forget it, forget it, there is no one who spanks children during the holidays."
"Humph!" Pei Tian glared at Pei Shuo with a straight face, "Is he still a child? He will be eighteen after the Chinese New Year."
He is still stupid every day, and sometimes he feels upset just looking at his son.
Thinking of this, he pointed at Pei Shuo with a bit of resentment: "When can you learn from An Nian? You two are about the same age. I think A Nian is much more stable than you."
Pei Shuo hid behind Shu Yuan and pouted at Lu Zhinian.
He wants to say that he is just pretending, but you haven’t seen how dark and childish he is behind the scenes!
Lu Shenghua patted Pei Tian on the shoulder and said with a smile: "Old Pei, I don't agree with what you said. Xiao Shuo has such a good character."
This kid has been naughty since he was a child, but he has a good personality. He is careless and forgets things, unlike Lu Zhinian who is thoughtful.
Lu Shenghua actually felt a little guilty about Lu Zhinian. At first, because he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, he was very depressed and negative. Lu Zhinian was still young at that time, and he was so frightened that he turned pale when he saw Lu Shenghua's excessive reactions many times.
Lu Zhinian has always been very sensible, and he has never had to worry about his studies or life. But Lu Shenghua actually knew that it was that incident that forced him to become sensible too early.
If possible, he wished Lu Zhinian could be like Pei Shuo.
Be a happy child.
Shu Yuan also smiled and said, "That's right, they are all good children."
Someone supported her, and Pei Shuo hugged Shu Yuan's arm and acted coquettishly: "Aunt Yuan is the best."
Pei Tian saw his pretentious look and couldn't hold back the slap in his hand. It was Lu Shenghua who grabbed him and said with a smile: "Let's go, let's go, we haven't finished playing chess yet."
Lu Shenghua and Pei Tian returned to the study, and Pei Shuo dared to stand up from behind Shu Yuan.
Shu Yuan smiled and clapped his hand: "Lele, if you dare to scare Sui Bao again, Aunt Yuan will be the first to deal with you if you throw her away."
After saying that, she took the spoon and returned to the kitchen. Before leaving, she did not forget to warn: "Suibao, let Anian and Lele put up the window grilles. Don't climb so high."
Jiang Suichu nestled on the sofa and responded sweetly: "I know, Aunt Yuan."
After Shu Yuan left, Pei Shuo came over with his hands on his hips: "Hey, Princess Sui Sui, you are really bad. Why are you always complaining like you were when you were a child?"
Jiang Suchu tilted his head and looked at him: "Humph, who asked you to scare me?"
"Do you know that Brother Shuo is very scary when he is fierce?" Pei Shuo glared at her and reached out to pinch her face.
Before he could reach out, someone grabbed the collar of his clothes from behind, strangling him so hard that he could hardly breathe.
"Hey, Ah Nian, what are you doing?" Pei Shuo was pulled back and staggered a few steps, twisting his body to push Lu Zhinian's hand away.
Lu Zhinian let go of his hand and patted his hand with a bunch of red window grilles: "Go to work."
"Hahahaha." Jiang Suichu sat on the sofa and imitated Lu Zhinian's tone and said, "Let's work, you two."
Pei Shuo took the window grill and walked to the other window: "Oh, I do everything. It's the princess who enjoys the blessing."
Jiang Suchu laughed mercilessly when he heard Pei Shuo's complaint, then put his hand to his mouth and whispered to Lu Zhinian, "Lele is so childish."
Lu Zhinian was dipping the window grill in his hand. He turned his head and glanced at Jiang Suchu, who was nestled in the sofa, and said with a smile, "You are about the same."
"Huh?" Jiang Suchu looked at him with squinted eyes, "You say it again?"
Lu Zhinian looked at the clear threat in her eyes, looking a bit arrogant as a child. He chuckled, "He is childish, you are not."
Hearing what he said, Jiang Suchu raised his chin proudly. Then he put on his shoes, took an orange from the fruit plate on the coffee table, and prepared to go upstairs.
Lu Zhinian stopped her: "Where are you going?"
Jiang Suichu paused and stuffed a piece of the orange he peeled into his mouth: "I want to call my uncle."
Lu Zhinian nodded and reminded her: "Don't fight for too long, it's time to eat."
"Yeah." Jiang Suchu nodded. Then he divided the remaining orange in his hand into two halves and handed it to him, "Would you like to eat it?"
Lu Zhinian held the window paper in his hand and raised an eyebrow at her, indicating that he had no time on his hands.
Jiang Suchu glanced at him, then reluctantly stepped forward and stuffed it into his mouth.
As soon as Pei Shuo finished putting the paper in his hand and turned around to get the window grilles, he saw Jiang Suchu feeding Lu Zhinian oranges.
He jogged over and said, "I want to eat too!"
There was just half of it left in his hand, so Jiang Suchu stretched out his hand and handed it over: "Here, here it is."
She originally wanted to give it to him to eat, but Pei Shuo thought she was going to feed him, so he bent down and reached for it with his mouth. Lu Zhinian, with quick eyes and quick hands, took the orange from Jiang Suchu's hand and stuffed it into Pei Shuo's mouth.
Pei Shuo held an orange in his mouth and said vaguely: "Have you washed your hands?"
Lu Zhinian tapped his chin on the basin used to stick the window grilles: "Wash it."
After he finished speaking, Pei Shuo's chewing movements slowed down: "Did you wash your hands with this water?"
Lu Zhinian raised his eyebrows and hummed noncommittally: "Hmm."
"Bah, bah, bah." Pei Shuo took out a few pieces of paper from the table and spat out the oranges in his mouth, "Lu Zhinian, you are so disgusting."
Lu Zhinian twitched the corner of his mouth, ignored him, turned around and continued to press against the window grille.
Jiang Suichu was too lazy to watch the two of them bickering, but before going upstairs, she peeled another orange and put it on the table: "Lele, you can eat it later."
After Jiang Suichu went upstairs, Pei Shuo wiped his fingers with a tissue, picked up the orange peeled by Jiang Suichu and stuffed it into his mouth.
While eating, I didn't forget to say: "The oranges are so sweet when the princess peels them off."
Lu Zhinian glanced at him faintly, snorted and ignored him.
Going upstairs to the room, Jiang Suichu sat by the window and called his uncle. Since she was taken to the Lu family last year, she has not been back to Muyang Town, but she still calls her uncle often.
The call was quickly connected, and Jiang Zhiguo's voice came from the other end: "Sui Sui."
Jiang Suchu smiled: "Uncle, it's me."
Jiang Suchu: "Uncle, Happy New Year."
Jiang Zhiguo's honest laughter came from the phone: "Happy New Year, Happy New Year."
Jiang Suichu pursed his lower lip and said, "Uncle, I should go back and see grandma."
In fact, today is the first anniversary of grandma's death, so she should go back today. But today is the Spring Festival, and Uncle Lu and Uncle Pei are both here, so it is difficult for her to bring up the idea of returning to Muyang Town.
Jiang Zhiguo knew her filial piety and comforted her: "Sui Sui, grandma won't blame you. Don't be burdened, just celebrate the New Year well. Uncle will offer incense to grandma for you."
"Yes." Jiang Suichu lowered his eyes and rubbed the copper coins given by his grandma with his fingertips.
The aunt's voice came from the other end of the phone, as if asking the uncle to chop wood.
Jiang Zhiguo: "Every year, be happy in the new year. Study hard and try to get into a good university next year."
Jiang Suichu sniffed and nodded: "Yes. Uncle, too. I want to be healthy in the new year."
Jiang Zhiguo responded with a smile: "Then I'll hang up first, your aunt is asking me to light the fire."
Jiang Suchu: "Yes. Bye, uncle."
After hanging up the phone, Jiang Suchu lay on the desk. There are light yellow wintersweet flowers in the vase on the table, which Aunt Yuan just changed for her today.
The faint fragrance lingers in every corner of the room.
She raised her hand to twist a flower bud, put it to the tip of her nose, smelled it, and said with a smile: "Grandma, Happy New Year."
During the meal, there were two empty bowls placed on the dining table.
Jiang Suichu looked at the two empty bowls, his eyes burning. She looked at Shu Yuan and her voice was choked: "Aunt Yuan."
Shu Yuan smiled and patted her head and said, "Let's eat. After dinner, let Anian and Lele accompany you back to Muyang Town."
Although Jiang Suichu didn't say it, Shu Yuan knew that today was her grandma's death anniversary, and Jiang Suichu definitely wanted to go back and see her grandma.
Lu Shenghua and Pei Tian sat at the main seats on both sides of the dining table.
Lu Shenghua held up his wine glass: "Come on, let's have a drink together."
Pei Tian also picked up the wine glass and said to the three children, "Yes, let's all join together."
Jiang Suchu and Lu Zhinian and Pei Shuo were sitting on the side. After hearing this, they smiled and clinked glasses with the adults while picking up juice.
The cups collided with each other and made a crisp sound.
Everyone said to each other in unison: "Happy New Year!"
After eating, Shu Yuan prepared a car for Jiang Suichu and asked Lu Zhinian and Pei Shuo to accompany her back to Muyang Town to see her grandma.
Before setting off, Shu Yuan straightened Jiang Suichu's scarf and said, "Go and come back early for the New Year's Eve dinner."
Jiang Suchu hugged Shu Yuan and rubbed her shoulder: "Thank you, Aunt Yuan."
Shu Yuan touched her head: "No thank you. Go quickly."
There are few people traveling on the Spring Festival day and there are no cars on the road. It usually takes more than three hours to drive back to Muyang Town from Yun City in less than two and a half hours today.
When we arrived in the village, we could hear the sound of firecrackers in the distance.
Pei Shuo glanced at the smoke that was constantly coming out of the mountain col, and asked Jiang Suchu, "What are you doing?"
Jiang Suchu: "Go to the grave."
It is a custom in the village that after lunch on New Year’s Day, people take the scented paper from firecrackers to the graves to pay homage to their deceased relatives.
Shu Yuan had already prepared the things she would need to visit her grandma's grave in advance. After getting out of the car, Lu Zhinian and Pei Shuo accompanied her to her grandma's grave carrying the things.
I haven’t seen her for a year, and grandma’s grave is no longer what it was last year. There are many weeds growing on the grave, and the tombstone has become much older due to the weather and sun.
The ashes in the incense burner in front of the grave are still warm. They should be the paper money that the uncle burned when he went to the grave.
Jiang Suichu knelt in front of the grave, while Lu Zhinian and Pei Shuo were burning paper money in the incense burner. After the paper money in his hand was burned, Lu Zhinian lit three incense sticks and handed them to her, and then walked aside with Pei Shuo.
Jiang Suichu took the incense and bowed deeply three times to the tombstone. She inserted the incense into the incense burner.
"Grandma." She raised her hand and stroked the falling ashes on the tombstone, smiling lightly, "I'm back to see you."
She knelt there and silently told her grandma a lot about what had happened over the past year. At the end of the sentence, her eyes were a little red, "Grandma, you should be one year old now."
She rolled her eyes and said, "You must be a happy child, grandma."
After the worship, Lu Zhinian lit the firecrackers he had brought. Firecrackers sounded, and thick white smoke flew into the sky.
Jiang Suichu looked at the sky and said silently in his heart: "Happy New Year, grandma."
