"Dad," Shen Siyuan called out.
Shen Jianjun parked the vehicle steadily and just nodded at him, his expression serious and stern.
But Shen Siyuan was already used to it. Ever since he was a child, his father had always been this stern in his memories.
But his personality was the exact opposite; he was a very gentle person.
Seeing him lift a lot of things from the back of the Motorcycle, Shen Siyuan went forward to help, but Shen Jianjun dodged him.
"This stuff is heavy. I can manage it myself."
Shen Siyuan felt quite helpless; he was still being treated like a child.
However, Shen Siyuan didn't insist, instead asking directly, "What's all this?"
"Two chickens and some Eggs. You're visiting Grandmother this afternoon, so take these to her," Shen Jianjun said.
Shen Siyuan's grandmother was named Yu Suzhen. She lived in the nearby Yujia Village, which, like Linjia Slope, was part of Clearwater Town.
She was seventy-three this year. As for Shen Siyuan's grandfather, he was an Educated Youth sent down during those years.
In order to return to the city, he divorced his grandmother. His grandmother never remarried and raised his father all by herself.
Shen Jianjun and his wife had tried bringing her over to live with them, but after a while, she found it hard to get used to and insisted on going back. She said she was still healthy and could take care of herself, and would only come live with them when she was truly bedridden and couldn't move.
The old woman was very stubborn, and the couple couldn't do anything about it, so they could only agree and just visit her more often to look after her.
"Oh, I haven't seen Grandmother in almost two months either."
He had come back once a month ago, but it was a hurried trip, so he didn't get to visit her.
"Yeah, your grandmother misses you. I bought her a Mobile Phone, but she doesn't know how to use it and doesn't want to be taught…" Shen Jianjun said, sounding a bit helpless.
He went inside and put the things in the Refrigerator. The weather was hot, and if they weren't refrigerated, they would spoil by the afternoon.
"She's so old, if she can't use it, then just let it be. Let her be."
"I was just thinking that if she missed you, she could call you herself," Shen Jianjun said.
Shen Siyuan fell silent, then asked, "What about the mobile phone? Has the service been disconnected?"
"No, your Mom has been paying the bill. She can't make calls, but she can answer them.
We call her sometimes, but she often forgets to charge the mobile phone. I have to be the one to charge it for her whenever I visit…"
"Leave it to me.
I'll talk to her this afternoon," Shen Siyuan said.
Just then, his Mom, Huang Huijuan, came out of the kitchen with a large glass of water.
"Old Shen, have some water."
Shen Jianjun took it naturally and tilted his head back to drink it down.
Huang Huijuan just as naturally pulled two tissues from the table and helped him wipe the sweat from his neck.
While wiping, she said with feigned disgust, "Look at you, you reek of sweat.
Go take a shower and change your clothes first."
She said this, but her face didn't show the slightest hint of actual disgust.
"No need. I'm about to start cooking, so I'll just get all sweaty again," Shen Jianjun said.
"Isn't our Son back? Let him cook," Huang Huijuan said.
Shen Siyuan: …
What happened to coming home to my favorite Green Striped Fish and Chicken with Edamame? After all that, I still have to cook it myself?
In the end, it was his Dad, Shen Jianjun, who made lunch, though Shen Siyuan helped out as his assistant.
As for Huang Huijuan, she sat in the living room, hands clasped, chuckling foolishly at the TV.
The father and son were both used to it and didn't think there was anything wrong with it.
While they were cooking, Shen Jianjun also asked about Shen Siyuan's work, saying that if he wasn't happy with his job, he could come back and raise chickens with him.
The chickens he raised were a special breed from Qiongzhou called Purple Shell Chicken.
This chicken was characterized by its squarish, round body, thin and short shanks, thin skin, brittle bones, and fragrant, sweet, and tender meat.
Therefore, the Purple Shell Chicken was ranked first among the Four Famous Dishes of Qiongzhou, and it sold so well that they never had to worry about sales.
But Shen Siyuan wasn't too keen on the idea. Raising chickens was hard and tedious work.
Although he earned less at his current job, it was easy and liberating.
However, Shen Siyuan didn't give a definitive no, just saying he would think about it.
Shen Jianjun was just saying it casually and didn't insist. He wasn't that old yet and was in good health, so he didn't really need Shen Siyuan to come back and help him.
"By the way, what was that blind date my Mom set up for me again?"
"Your Mom told you?"
"No, I guessed. What other reason could there be for her to rush me back?"
Hearing this, Shen Jianjun was amused by him, a rare smile appearing on his face.
"It was your Seventh Aunt who arranged it. A girl from the neighboring Shiqiao Village, she also works in Binhai…"
Shen Siyuan listened to him go on for a while before asking directly, "Is she pretty?"
"What's the use of being pretty? When looking for a partner, you need to find someone with good character who knows how to live a proper life," Shen Jianjun said disapprovingly.
"Then why did you marry my Mom?"
Huang Huijuan's character was certainly fine, but as for knowing how to live a proper life, well…
"Because she was pretty."
"Hee hee~"
The two of them laughed.
"What are you two, father and son, talking about that's so funny? Let me in on the joy too."
"We were saying you're pretty."
And at that, all three of them laughed.
After lunch, Shen Siyuan didn't delay, directly hopping on Shen Jianjun's motorcycle and heading for Yujia Village.
It wasn't that his Dad couldn't afford a Car; he just loved riding his motorcycle.
He really couldn't understand what went through his mind.
He doesn't actually think he looks cool riding a motorcycle, does he?
It was actually quite possible he thought that.
Although Shen Jianjun now had a round face and a potbelly, back in his youth, he was the most handsome young man in the surrounding villages. After all, his grandmother had good genes; otherwise, Shen Siyuan's grandfather, the Educated Youth sent down from Shanghai, would never have married her.
Thinking of his grandmother, he started to feel impatient. The motorcycle passed through the sun-dappled Shaded Path, riding against the gentle breeze towards Yujia Village, and its speed unconsciously increased.
Fortunately, it was midday, and there wasn't much traffic on the road. Other than watching out for the occasional chicken or dog darting out, it was very safe.
In truth, it wasn't far from Linjia Slope to Yujia Village, only about half an hour by motorcycle.
The road was just a bit winding and convoluted.
The Shaded Path, the Riverside Road, the Low Field Ridge—it was enough to confuse anyone unfamiliar with the area.
Shen Siyuan's grandmother lived on the northernmost edge of the village.
After entering the village, a right turn and a four- or five-minute ride would take him directly to her front door.
The Red Brick Tile House his grandmother used to live in had become too dilapidated, so a few years ago, his Dad had built three Flat-roofed Houses for her.
He also had a Cement Ground paved in front, and beyond that lay a vast expanse of interconnected Rice Paddies.
In terms of living environment, it was even better than where Shen Siyuan's family currently lived.
At this moment, the Cement Ground in front of the house was covered with drying Radish Strips.
Hearing the sound of the motorcycle, his grandmother came out from inside the house.
Her face was full of wrinkles, her body was thin and frail, and she wore simple Gray Cloth Clothing with a Blue Headscarf wrapped around her head.
Because her eyesight wasn't very good, she had a habit of squinting when she looked at people.
Seeing that it was a motorcycle, she immediately called out, "Is that you, Jianjun?"
"Grandmother, it's me, Siyuan." Shen Siyuan turned off the motorcycle's engine.
Hearing his voice, his grandmother immediately strode forward, a brilliant smile blossoming on her wrinkled face.