As the Spring Festival approached, Zhou You, as usual, bought some gifts and drove home. Another year had passed without him noticing, and after the New Year, it would be 2012. During this time back, Zhou You had lived a much more exciting life than his previous one. Although his past life was longer, he mostly followed others' orders, doing things he disliked every day—busy, hardworking, yet barely earning any money. Not like now, where he could do things his own way; life was so much more comfortable. Some are born in Rome, others are born as beasts of burden.
This time home, Zhou You felt noticeably lighter and happier. The household was mostly sorted out, and his parents could live peacefully and leisurely at home. He was now essentially the center of the village. In the past, village banquets, weddings, and funerals always required inviting older, respected figures to sit at the head table. His father, who had been honest and unassuming his whole life, never expected to earn the village's respect in his old age, occasionally even sitting at the head table. And since buying the new car, he occasionally served as a wedding car driver. In the city, a car worth over a hundred thousand wasn't a big deal, but in the countryside, it was enough for a wedding car.
When he got home, he found his father and the car were both gone. He asked his mother, "Mom, where's Dad?" "There are a lot of weddings before the New Year; your dad went to pick up a bride for someone," she said without looking up, clearly used to it. Well, he hadn't expected his dad to become a social figure in the village. Around here, weddings usually happen in the morning; the groom drives to the bride's house before dawn, and if it's close, they need to be back at the groom's house by 10 a.m. "Whose wedding is it today?" Zhou You asked curiously. He shouldn't have asked. His mother put down her broom, straightened up, and looked at him: "Old Black's kid at the village entrance—five or six years younger than you. Look around, everyone your age in the village is married with kids." Zhou You knew he'd spoken out of turn. Why ask about weddings? Getting married at twenty is perfectly normal in the countryside. Some people become grandparents in their forties. "Come on, if your son hadn't gone to college, you'd have grandkids by now. Would you want that?" His mother wasn't happy: "You've graduated and settled down now. While I can still help with the kids, hurry up and get married and have children."
The best strategy was to retreat. Unable to argue or listen, Zhou You left the car at home and went out for a stroll. He walked along the road. Their village was a typical clustered rural settlement, with houses packed tightly together, unlike some southern villages where homes are scattered far apart. Here, houses were almost touching. When he was a kid, everyone would bring their meals to the front door to eat, facing each other across the road, chatting easily. He ran into many familiar faces along the way; neighbors greeted him: "Teacher Zhou, you're back! Come over sometime!" "Zhou You, ever since you bought your dad that car, he's been fetching brides every day. He's seen plenty of young wives. When he gets back, he'll definitely nag you," said an elder. Zhou You just smiled and said nothing. "Brother You, when did you get in? Let's grab a drink tonight!" It was a childhood friend inviting him to dinner. "Sure, I brought two bottles of good liquor. I'll bring them over tonight, and we'll have a few drinks," Zhou You replied casually. That's how it was back in the village—eating, drinking, and having fun.
He slowly walked to the east end of the village, where a small river ran alongside. It served both for irrigation and flood control. When he was young, it was clear, perfect for swimming and fishing in the summer. But now, there were hardly any fish, let alone swimming. The water was murky and sometimes even dried up. There were many reasons: overuse of pesticides, upstream congestion, and villagers not taking care of it, dumping trash into the river. Gradually, the river became polluted and abandoned. The once beautiful scenery was gone. This situation persisted for many years without recovery. Watching the little river that held such fond childhood memories deteriorate like this, Zhou You felt helpless. It wasn't something one person could change.
As he stood there lost in thought, a car pulled up beside him. "Hey, what are you doing here? Want to join me for the wedding feast at noon?" His father had just returned from picking up the bride and was about to park the car before heading to the feast. In the countryside, wedding feasts work like this: each family contributes a small amount, and everyone goes together. Honestly, it rarely covers the cost—most people chip in just a hundred or two. But rural feasts are different from city ones. They hire local chefs who specialize in big dishes, starting preparations days in advance, especially in this weather, when many dishes can be prepped the day before. They cook and buy everything themselves, no need to pay the helpers—just offer some cigarettes, alcohol, and food. So costs are low. Tables and chairs are borrowed from a rental place. If the weather's good, no need for tents; yards, streets, and neighbors' homes can all host. The servers are local young men who hang out together, helping each other out. I help at your wedding, you help at mine, and the same goes for building houses. In the countryside, it's all about mutual aid and neighborly support. That's why rural life feels a bit more human than the city—everyone needs each other at some point.
"It's too cold. I don't want to go. I'll stay home with Mom. You go ahead," Zhou You said. As a kid, he loved wedding feasts because they meant a rare chance for good food. "Get in the car. I need to tell you something, so you're prepared." Seeing his father so serious, Zhou You opened the door and sat in the passenger seat. "What is it?" "A few days ago, your uncle and his family came back. They stopped by to chat and mentioned work. They want you to give them some advice on what to do next." Zhou You had already been thinking about this: "Yeah, I have an idea." His father paused slightly: "Help them if you can, within reason. But everyone has to live their own life. Take care of yourself first." The saying goes: first generation close, second generation cousins, third generation forget it. Zhou You and his cousins still had some bond, but their kids would likely drift apart. Just like in their village—though they all shared the same surname and many were related, they were technically beyond the fifth degree of kinship. Zhou You had already figured out what to do; it just depended on what they wanted. In essence, it was like all his other projects—an investment. But living off the land, as a rural person, there weren't many options. The money they could earn was hard labor. Still, if they could make a living at home, no one wanted to leave their hometown.
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