Going home for the New Year during the winter break, I encountered a cool school girl on the high-sp

Lin Muxi slowly stretched out her hands, took the lilies, and held them tightly in her hands, as if they were not just a bouquet of flowers, but an incomparably precious warmth.

She tilted her head slightly, tears of emotion glistening in her eyes, and said playfully, her voice filled with deep gratitude:

"Thank you, my mom's future son-in-law."

The dim light softly bathed the three of them, draping the small storage room in a warm veil.

Looking at Lin Muxi clutching the lily tightly, Liu Xiuying felt a pang of tenderness and couldn't help but reach out and gently pat her head.

"It's getting late, you should go to sleep first. I'll wake you up tomorrow morning so you can go early."

As Liu Xiuying spoke, she began to tidy up the pruned branches and leaves.

"it is good."

Chen Chen pulled Lin Muxi out of the storage room and upstairs.

Chen Chen's room was still as clean and tidy as when he left, and the blankets still smelled of sunshine.

Even the room where Lin Muxi slept temporarily was the same.

It's obvious that someone cleans it regularly.

Lin Muxi walked to the bedside, sat down gently, and leaned back slightly against the soft headboard.

She narrowed her eyes slightly, a hint of intoxication and emotion on her face, and said softly:
"It hasn't been long since I've been back, but it feels like so much time has passed."

Chen Chen smiled, sat down next to Lin Muxi, and said:

"Yes, I feel the same way. No matter how long I'm away, it always feels familiar when I come back."

Lin Muxi turned her head and met Chen Chen's gaze, her eyes sparkling with tenderness.
"I really like the feeling of being at home. There are no worries, no pressure, and I feel especially at ease."

Chen Chen gently brushed a strand of hair behind Lin Muxi's ear and said affectionately:

"As long as you like it, we'll come back often in the future."

Lin Muxi nodded happily, "Okay."

……

The next morning, sunlight gently shone on Lin Muxi's face through the gap in the curtains. She slowly opened her eyes, washed up quickly, and went downstairs.

Chen Chen was already waiting for her downstairs, with a sumptuous breakfast laid out on the table.

Liu Xiuying came out of the kitchen and said with a smile:

"Eat quickly, you'll have the strength to perform the ritual when you're full."

After the two finished breakfast, Chen Chen picked up the bag full of offerings and went out with Lin Muxi.

As the car drove along the street, a gentle breeze blew, and the flowers by the roadside bloomed in vibrant colors, as if adding a touch of warmth to this special day.

Park the car.

Chen Chen and Lin Muxi arrived at the cemetery, where many people were already paying their respects during the Qingming Festival.

Lin Muxi led Chen Chen to her mother's grave, gently put down the bag, and arranged the fruit, chicken, mugwort cakes, and other items one by one, and then lit a few sticks of incense.

Chen Chen placed the trimmed lilies in front of the tombstone. "Hello, Auntie, I'm Xiaoxi's boyfriend. I've come to see you."

Lin Muxi looked at her mother's photo on the tombstone, and her eyes welled up with tears again.

She said softly, "Mom, I've come to see you. I'm doing very well now. I met Chen Chen and his family, and they've all been so kind to me..."

Chen Chen remained silent.

At that moment, he understood that Lin Muxi needed time to have a good "talk" with her mother.

A gentle breeze rustled the lily petals, as if a mother were responding to Lin Muxi's words. Chen Chen helped clear away the weeds and fallen leaves nearby.

After a long while, Lin Muxi wiped away her tears, got up, and packed her things with Chen Chen.

As she left the cemetery, Lin Muxi turned back to look at her mother's tombstone one last time, her eyes filled with longing, but also with a renewed determination.

Chen Chen grasped Lin Muxi's hand and said, "Let's go, we'll come every year from now on."

The two walked hand in hand into the sunlight, leaving behind a bouquet of quietly blooming lilies at the grave, and an eternal longing and warmth.

When they returned to Chen Chen's house, it was still early.

At this moment, the family was preparing to set off to pay respects to their ancestors.

Chen Chen looked at Lin Muxi and said softly, "Xiaoxi, you should stay at home."

Lin Muxi pouted slightly: "Can't I go? You've already gone with me to pay respects to my mother, I want to go with you too..."

Chen Chen gently held Lin Muxi's hand and patiently explained:
"It's not that you can't go, it's just that the journey to our ancestral temple is quite complicated and not so simple."

The whole process might be quite long and arduous, and I'm worried that your body won't be able to handle it.

Lin Muqi pursed her lips, asking with a hint of disbelief, "Is it really that exaggerated?"

Chen Chen leaned closer to her and said, "It's not an exaggeration at all. What if you really are pregnant? Be a good girl and stay home and wait for me to come back."

Yuanyuan should be back later, then you two can chat.

Lin Muxi's eyes lit up, and she asked, "Is Yuanyuan on vacation?"

"Yes, she'll have a day off. The workload in her senior year of high school is so heavy, and she works so hard every day. It's rare for her to have a day off, so let her rest at home during the Qingming Festival this year."

After hearing this, Lin Muxi nodded obediently: "Okay then, I'll wait for you to come back at home."

Chen Chen patted her head: "Don't worry, it won't be long."

After saying that, he got into his BYD electric car and headed towards his destination.

The car slowly drove out of Chenjia Village and headed towards the outskirts.

The wheels rolled, raising dust along the way.

Chen Chen sat in the passenger seat, looked outside, then turned to his father and said, "Dad, how about I drive?"

In the past, whenever it was time to pay respects to his ancestors, Chen Chen would look at the winding and rugged mountain road and feel itchy inside, especially wanting to experience what it was like to drive on a mountain road.

The winding road through the mountains was like a mysterious realm full of unknowns and challenges to him, constantly stirring the adventurous spirit deep within his heart.

However, because I was young in the past and had many concerns, I ultimately lacked the courage to speak out my thoughts.

Now that I'm in my twenties and an adult, I'm mentally and physically ready to drive up the mountain and have the confidence to face any challenge.

However, Chen Jianwen gripped the steering wheel firmly with both hands, his eyes fixed straight ahead, and smiled slightly:

“I trust you to drive on other roads, but on this road to pay respects to our ancestors, your old man will have to drive.”

"Just sit still and carefully familiarize yourself with the route. When I get old and can't walk anymore, the task of ancestral worship will have to be carried on by you younger generations."

In Yuecheng, people attach great importance to ancestor worship.

The ancestral worship tradition here carries the remembrance and respect of generations for their ancestors.

Even if they don't know which specific ancestor is being worshipped, as long as the older generation insists on worshipping that ancestor, the younger generation will devoutly follow suit.

No matter how far the distance, even if the journey requires crossing countless mountains and rivers.

No matter how difficult the process, even if it involves trials and tribulations, this tradition has never been interrupted. (End of Chapter)