Zhou You's hometown was a rural courtyard with three main rooms and a side room. In the yard, there was also a hand-pumped well. Although tap water was available, they still used the well more often because the water from it was clearer and purer.
In front of the small yard, some vegetables were planted. Summer was the season for cucumbers, tomatoes, and beans. After getting out of the car, Zhou You didn't say a word—he just picked a tomato and washed it with the car. Homegrown tomatoes tasted so much better than the ones sold in supermarkets, which were all bred for easy transport and were terrible in flavor.
"You, why didn't you tell us you were coming back? Whose car is this? Such a big one—who dared to lend it to you?" his father asked.
"I just bought it myself. I made some money recently with my advisor and classmates," Zhou You said, reciting the excuse he had already prepared. He definitely couldn't mention gambling on matches. If he did, he was afraid his father would beat him. Even more, he worried his parents would fret.
Don't let the fact that Zhou You was an only child fool you—in the countryside, the idea of never hitting a child didn't exist. Especially his father, who, despite being honest and steady, still believed in the traditional method of raising children: "Spare the rod, spoil the child." It was only because Zhou You had been obedient since childhood that he had avoided many beatings.
"You, just because you've earned money doesn't mean you can waste it. How much did this car cost? Couldn't you have just bought something that runs? Save the rest for a house, so you can get married someday. Your father and I have scrimped and saved our whole lives, and we'll add it all to your pot," his mother worriedly said.
Zhou You's father was Zhou Bencheng, and his mother was Li Fengying. They had spent their whole lives working the land. His father had once gone out to work as a migrant laborer for a few days, but he hadn't earned much and ended up injuring himself from a fall. After that, he never left for work again.
"Dad, there are some things I bought for you and Mom in the trunk. Go unload them."
No matter how old you get, coming home makes you a child again.
Zhou You was tired from driving all the way and just wanted to lie down and rest for a bit.
There was a book that said it well: Where does a person recuperate? In a place they know well. Modern city dwellers are always in unfamiliar environments, and their bodies are constantly on guard. That's why people are often exhausted, stuck in a state of alertness with no time to relax, never able to rest properly.
Where is the best place to rest? Back home, in the place where you grew up, because you're familiar with every blade of grass, every tree, the surroundings, the sounds, the people.
You don't worry about danger lurking around every corner. And with your parents nearby, you have a safety net. It calms your entire mind, soothes you, slows you down, and your body naturally gets better, reducing anxiety, depression, and unease.
Zhou You lay down on the bed and fell asleep in no time.
"Wife, do you think what Xiao You said is true? Is money that easy to make out there?" his father worriedly asked.
"Xiao You is a teacher now, a university teacher—he must have skills. Otherwise, why would so many people study? Look at those who go out to work—money isn't that easy to earn. They're out in the wind and rain, facing danger, and they barely make a few tens of thousands a year," his mother said. She didn't understand much, but she instinctively chose to believe her son wouldn't do wrong.
"That's true. We raised him from a child—he has a good temper and isn't that bold. Hey, come over and try the clothes your son bought you."
Not bad. He earned money and still remembered to buy his old man a few bottles of good liquor.
Zhou You hadn't dared to buy Maotai to bring home. How many people in the countryside drink Maotai? He'd change things slowly, gradually improve their standard of living. If things changed too fast all at once, the old folks definitely wouldn't be able to handle it.
This time, he brought two cases of Jiannanchun, which was top-tier liquor in the countryside. Besides, people around here weren't used to the sauce-flavor type.
He slept straight until 5 p.m. His whole body felt completely relaxed—he hadn't slept this well since being reborn. Home was truly a harbor, letting you drop all your defenses.
By now, Zhou You felt like he had fully reintegrated into this world.
"Dad, I ran into Second Uncle on the road. Tonight, I'll go invite him over for a drink."
"Sure, go ahead. Your eldest uncle's family isn't home. Your second uncle and his wife are the only ones there—their kids have all gone out to work."
"Drink the liquor I brought tonight. Don't be stingy with it," Zhou You reminded.
Second Uncle lived just in front of their house. In the countryside, homesteads were usually allocated nearby. His second uncle's house and eldest uncle's house were all together. His grandparents had passed away early, when Zhou You was still young.
"Second Uncle! Second Uncle! Are you home?" Zhou You shouted from outside the door. In the countryside, with such close distances, people mostly just yelled.
"Stop shouting, stop shouting! What is it?" Second Uncle said irritably. Ever since that curse phrase "screw your second uncle" became popular, hearing someone call him "Second Uncle" always put him in a bad mood.
"Come over to my place for dinner tonight. I brought two bottles of good liquor on the road for you to try."
"Alright, I'll head over now. At least you've got some conscience, kid." Now Second Uncle was happy.
There were hardly any people in the countryside. The young had all gone out to work, leaving behind the old, the weak, the sick, and the children.
Farming could only sustain survival. It couldn't do anything else—not afford medical care, education, or even buying a few things.
Zhou You's family had eight mu of land. They planted twice a year: once with wheat, once with corn. The total annual income didn't exceed 20,000 yuan. After deducting the costs of seeds, pesticides, fertilizers, and harvesting, the net income was less than 10,000 yuan. And that didn't even account for labor costs. Working construction outside might not guarantee year-round work, but at least you could earn a few tens of thousands.
Zhou You used to resent his parents a bit, blaming them for not going out to work and save some money for him. But later, he thought about it and was glad they hadn't. If they had ruined their health, they wouldn't have earned much, and then their retirement would have become a problem.
Relying on migrant labor to buy a house in the provincial capital was just laughable. His parents staying home and doing farm work at least kept them healthy.
Enough of that—talk too much, and you'd miss the point.
That evening, Second Uncle was also curious, so Zhou You repeated the excuse he had prepared. It made Second Uncle sigh repeatedly. "Studying is good, studying is good. If I'd known, I would have made both your cousins study too."
"Oh well, they weren't cut out for it anyway. They can only do hard labor."
"It's fine. Life will get better," Zhou You comforted him.
And it was true. Later on, his two cousins stopped going out to work and lived a pretty good life in the countryside.
At least Zhou You felt it was much more comfortable than his own life paying off a mortgage in the provincial capital.
In the end, comfort was what mattered most in life.
Just signed the contract, feeling happy, so here's an extra chapter.