In the fiery red era of the heavens, refrigerators are refreshed daily.

Rural houses are not soundproof, and besides, Yang Guangming and his companions did not deliberately lower their voices.

At this moment, both Tian Yufen and the old lady had a complex expression that was hard to detect.

Tian Yufen lowered her head, her hands, calloused and rough from years of labor, unconsciously twisting the faded corner of her old clothes. Her eyes seemed a little red, but she stubbornly refused to let the moisture gather into beads.

Qin Lanying, her back hunched, gazed at the flickering flame of the kerosene lamp inside the glass dome, her eyes cloudy yet still clear, her expression distant. Between her thin fingers, she slowly twirled a blade of grass she had picked up from somewhere.

Yang Guangming chose to talk to his two uncles first and ask for their opinions. He hoped that his second uncle, who was the most reasonable, would agree to bring up the matter with his mother and grandmother.

He was, after all, a junior, and this matter directly involved his father, so it could even be said that he had to "rely" on his father's strength. It was more appropriate for his second uncle to speak up than for him to do so, and it would also be better to persuade and enlighten his mother, who was strong-willed and harbored resentment.

The eldest uncle, Tian Yulin, is honest and straightforward, and he could easily anger his eldest sister with just a few words. The second uncle, Tian Yuzhu, is more organized in his speech and is better at understanding people's feelings.

Tian Yuzhu cleared his slightly tight throat. His voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet night, breaking the almost stagnant and suffocating atmosphere in the main room.

He looked at Tian Yufen and Qin Lanying, his tone softening, and he spoke in a cautious, consultative manner: "Elder sister, aunt, the three of us were chatting inside just now, and we talked about some things... Guangming has an idea in his mind, and it's not a small matter. We'd like to hear your opinions so we can make a decision together."

Tian Yufen abruptly raised her head, glancing warily at her son and two brothers standing to the side. Her voice was low and hoarse, with a barely perceptible tremor:

"What are you thinking? Why are you being so mysterious, and why are you hiding it from us? Can't you just say whatever you want?"

She had already guessed most of it in her heart, but she was unwilling to touch that scar that had scabbed over for many years.

Tian Yuzhu forced a kind smile, not directly answering the sensitive question, but instead steer the conversation towards a more pressing practical issue weighing on everyone's mind—the best way to break the deadlock:

"Sister, Aunt, let's talk about the immediate situation first. As you both know, this year's summer harvest is worse than last year's."

The wheat in the field was shriveled and barren; after paying the grain tax, there was barely enough left to fill a tooth gap.

Look at the autumn crops again, the corn and sorghum, they're only about a foot tall, tender and yellowish. Whether there will be a harvest, and how much, depends entirely on whether God will be kind enough to provide for them, and whether there will be a few good rains.

If we continue doing things like we did the previous two months…

He shook his head and didn't continue, but everyone understood the weight in his unfinished words.

He paused, a deep worry appearing on his face. This wasn't feigned; he was genuinely concerned about the future of his family and this land.
"Guangming, my elder brother, and I have been secretly estimating and calculating, and we think that this winter and spring will probably be even more difficult than last year."

The team's warehouse is almost empty; even rats that go in would come out crying.

Every household was tightening their belts, carefully calculating every grain of food to make ends meet.

Elm seeds, willow buds, shepherd's purse... anything edible, was stripped bare.

Qin Lanying sighed deeply, a sigh filled with the vicissitudes of time and endless weariness, and then she spoke:
"That's right, these days are getting tougher and tougher, I wonder when it will end. I'm fine with being buried anywhere, but it's the children who suffer..."

As she spoke, she looked up at her grandson, Yang Guangming, with loving and tender eyes, and then glanced towards the west room.

Tian Yuzhu then steered the conversation toward family, which was the part that most likely touched Tian Yufen's soft spot:
"Auntie, you're getting old and can't stand being hungry anymore; your stomach and intestines are getting thinner."

Shanshan is at the age where she's growing taller and stronger. With just a little bit of fruit, wild vegetables, and coarse grain porridge mixed with bran, how can she get enough nutrition? Her complexion is pale and sickly.

In winter, the weather is freezing cold, and the northwest wind is like a knife. If you have a weak constitution, you are more likely to get sick.

A cold or fever is considered mild. In our poor, remote area, there is a lack of medical care and medicine. The barefoot doctors only have a few folk remedies. If someone gets a serious illness, it will be a major disaster, and no one can predict what problems might arise.

Last year, Old Wang's kid in Houtun just couldn't make it out of a cold..."

He stopped again, leaving a chilling silence.

Upon hearing this, the old lady's wrinkles seemed to deepen instantly, like cracks in parched earth.

She turned her head and looked at the door of the west room, where Yang Shanshan was peeking out, her face still flushed with satisfaction after eating. The little girl's big, dark eyes were full of curiosity, completely unaware that the adults were discussing a major event concerning her fate.

The old lady's eyes immediately filled with heartache and reluctance as she murmured, "Yes, Shanshan is still so young..."

Tian Yuzhu then looked at Yang Guangming, his tone filled with heartache and helplessness for the younger generation: "Let's talk about Guangming. We all know he's in Kyoto. This kid is capable and resourceful. He can occasionally get some high-priced grain through his classmates' connections and try every possible way to send it home."

But as you know, the post office is very strict and won't allow the sending of food parcels at all, saying it's prohibited.

Finding someone to give you a ride is fine once or twice, but if it happens too often, it's not safe. If something goes wrong on the way, you'll not only lose money and food, but you might also get into trouble. Besides, it's not a long-term solution.

He's studying at a university away from home, which is a respectable future, but he still has to worry about his elderly parents at home who aren't eating or sleeping well every day. How can he concentrate on his studies? How can he not be distracted?
As elders, we can't hold our children back.

As her younger brother peeled away the layers of harsh reality, Tian Yufen listened to his words, as he spoke. These hardships, which she had personally experienced and repeatedly pondered day and night, weighed heavily on her heart like cold, hard stones.

She wasn't afraid of hardship; she could survive by chewing tree roots and swallowing chaff. But she worried that her elderly mother-in-law wouldn't be able to endure it, that her young daughter would suffer from malnutrition and stunt her development, and that her son would be worried about his studies while he was away.

The son's future is the family's greatest hope.

Her brows furrowed tightly, forming a deep "川" (river) shape, and her fingers twisted the hem of her clothes even more tightly.

"Then... what can we do?" Tian Yufen's voice was hoarse and tinged with the helplessness of life. "If God doesn't send rain and the crops don't grow, what magic can we do? Life goes on, we'll just have to get through it one day at a time."

These words reveal the resilience unique to rural women, as well as a sense of resigned sorrow.

Seeing that the groundwork had been laid and the atmosphere was right, Tian Yuzhu finally brought up the main topic of the evening, his tone becoming even more solemn:

"Just now, Guangming gave us this suggestion inside. We listened to it and thought about it carefully... and felt that... perhaps this is a solution that can solve the problem in the long run and at its root."

At least, it's a path worth trying.

Qin Lanying raised her somewhat dim old eyes, her pupils reflecting the flickering lamplight: "What method? In this day and age, what good method is there? Unless a pie falls from the sky."

Her tone carried a sense of skepticism born of experience, but also a faint hint of expectation, a reluctance to hold too high a hope.

Tian Yuzhu spoke each word clearly to make sure they could hear him clearly. "Guangming thought, if... if the family's household registration could be moved to Kyoto and settled down, becoming a proper city resident, then they could eat the state-supplied grain, with a fixed amount of food, oil coupons, and cloth coupons every month."

Although I've heard that supplies in the city are also being reduced and rations are not as high as before, it's still much more stable than the situation in our rural areas where we rely entirely on the weather, have very little left after paying the grain tax and levies, and live hand to mouth.

At least it provides a guarantee of a stable income regardless of drought or flood, so you don't have to worry about the next season's harvest every day, or live at the mercy of the weather.

The picture he painted was undoubtedly very tempting for rural people struggling to make ends meet.

"Transferring your household registration to Beijing?"

Tian Yufen was stunned for a moment, as if she had heard something unbelievable. Then, a bitter smile appeared on her lips, and she shook her head vigorously, as if trying to shake off this unrealistic fantasy.

"Yuzhu, aren't you talking in your sleep? That's the capital! Under the emperor's nose! We're just ordinary folks, with no connections and no way to transfer our household registration."
That's a dream come true for so many people!

I've heard that a Kyoto residency permit is incredibly valuable, more precious than gold! Even if our ancestors' graves were emitting auspicious smoke, we wouldn't dare dream of such a thing!

Her reaction was intense, with an instinctive rejection, both because she felt it was impossible and because she vaguely guessed that this "possibility" would require the help of someone.

The old lady, Qin Lanying, slowly shook her head, her tone carrying a detached acceptance of the world and a deep-seated sense of fate:
"You can have anything in your dreams, mountains of gold and silver. We country folk are destined to toil in the soil, so we only dare to dream like that."

But when you wake up, things have to go on as usual. This is no good, too difficult, harder than climbing to heaven. Let's stop thinking about it.

Her words seemed to pour cold water on the suggestion.

Tian Yuzhu glanced at his emotionally agitated eldest sister, then at the pessimistic old lady, took a deep breath, and knew that the most crucial moment had arrived; he had to make things clear.

He straightened his back and finally revealed Yang Guangming's core, and most impactful, plan:
"Elder sister, aunt, please don't be in a hurry, let me finish what I have to say."

Guangming's idea wasn't just a random thought.

He felt that back then... in that divorce, his older sister really suffered a huge loss!
His father... Jianxiong started another family and became a cadre in the city. We don't care how glamorous his life is, nor can we. But his older sister stayed in the countryside, enduring hardship and toil, guarding this crumbling home, taking care of her elderly mother-in-law, and raising two underage children. Over the years, she has spent her youth and energy on this.

Both morally and logically, he owes his elder sister compensation—a tangible guarantee for her later years and the future of her children!
He couldn't refuse to give this compensation, nor should he!

When the name "Yang Jianxiong" and the word "divorce" were mentioned, Tian Yufen's body visibly stiffened.

She suddenly raised her head, her lips pressed tightly together, and her eyes flashed with undisguised pain, anger tempered by the years, and a stubborn refusal to bow down.

That name is a wound in her heart that will never heal; every time it is touched, it bleeds profusely.

Ignoring his elder sister's instantly unpleasant expression, Tian Yuzhu knew he had to get past this hurdle and continued:
"Guangming's meaning is definitely not to make my eldest sister grovel and beg for mercy. That's not how the Tian family behaves!"
Instead, she went to reclaim the compensation that rightfully belonged to her eldest sister! She negotiated with him on an equal footing, even from a position of superiority!
With Yang Jianxiong's current status and influence, he could easily find his eldest sister a regular job in Kyoto that she could handle, even the most ordinary position, such as guarding the gate in a factory, helping out in the canteen, or cleaning the workplace. As long as he was sincere in his efforts and used his connections and network, he could definitely make it happen!
He definitely has that ability!

He paused, observed the reactions of the older woman and the old lady, and then continued:

"Once you have a formal job and your employer issues a certificate of acceptance, it's only natural to transfer your household registration along with your employment. There's room for maneuver and a policy basis for this!"

Shanshan is a minor, so her household registration can be transferred with her mother, which is allowed by policy.

As for the old lady…

Tian Yuzhu looked at Qin Lanying and said, "You have no immediate family members left in your hometown village. You are getting old and need your children to support you. Your household registration issue should be easy to resolve. You should be able to move there as well. We still need to ask the commune and county about the specific policies."

But overall, the hope is very high!

Before Tian Yuzhu could finish speaking, Tian Yufen's tears had already silently surged forth, flowing freely down her rough, dark cheeks.

Those weren't tears of emotion, but rather a mixture of years of pent-up grievances, unvented anger, excitement at having the most sensitive and vulnerable corners of my heart touched, and an indescribable sense of humiliation from being "given a handout."

"No...I'm not going!"

She shook her head vigorously, her voice broken and intermittent due to sobs, yet carrying an unusually stubborn determination: "Yang Jianxiong is Yang Jianxiong, and I am me! We've long since gone our separate ways!"

I have no objection to the old lady and Shanshan transferring their household registration there. I'd love for them to escape this misery and live a better life! I wholeheartedly support it!

But I myself will absolutely not benefit from Yang Jianxiong in any way! I will never let him see me make a fool of myself!
I've lived in the countryside my whole life, and I think it's great! Even if I die of poverty or starvation, I'd never beg him! I wouldn't even step foot in his door!

Her voice grew louder and louder, carrying a do-or-die determination, as if she wanted to use it to build a bulwark to defend her last shred of dignity.

Her reaction was exactly what Tian Yuzhu had expected.

He knew this older sister too well. She was fiercely independent and unyielding. She would rather suffer any hardship or exhaustion than bow down to the man who had "abandoned" her and her child, or accept his seemingly "charitable" help.

This concerns her last vestige of dignity as a woman, a betrayed wife.

Tian Yuzhu didn't rush to refute or offer advice. Instead, he turned his gaze to his nephew, Yang Guangming, who had remained silent but whose eyes were always fixed on his mother. His tone became unusually heavy, filled with emotional intensity:

"Big sister, don't rush to conclusions, close the door tightly."

You know what Guangming's attitude was before. Because of his parents' divorce, he had a lot of resentment towards his father, and he harbored a lot of anger in his heart. He was almost like a stranger to him, unwilling to talk about him, and even hated him! You know this better than anyone!
Yang Jianxiong later tried to make amends, writing him many letters and sending him money and gifts. What did Yang Jianxiong do? He simply left them untouched or asked Yang to return them, let alone contact him proactively!
The knot in this child's heart is deeper and harder than anyone else's!

Upon hearing this, Tian Yufen and Qin Lanying both instinctively turned their gazes toward Yang Guangming.

Yes, they all knew how stubborn this child used to be, and how deep his resentment towards his father, Yang Jianxiong. It was the most direct and irreconcilable hatred in the heart of a young man.

Tian Yuzhu continued, his voice filled with praise for his nephew and a guiding advice:

"But look at him now, what is he doing this for? Who is he doing it for? It's not for himself!"

He has a promising future and studies in Kyoto. He could easily ignore all of that, or just take you and Grandma there for a short-term stay.

But he did this for you, so that Grandma could enjoy her old age, so that Shanshan could have a better environment to grow up in and educational opportunities, and so that this family could have a better and more stable future!

He was willing to put aside the resentment that had accumulated in his heart for so many years, take the initiative to speak up, to face the father he once resented, to deal with him, and even... to ask him for a favor!

"Sister, think about it, was this easy for Guangming? What a huge hurdle he had to overcome? What sacrifices and concessions he had to make?"

He spoke earnestly, almost word by word, striking at Tian Yufen's heart:

"What does this show? It shows that Guangming has grown up and matured! He knows what to fight for, how to fight for it, how to weigh the pros and cons, and that for a more important goal, sometimes he needs to temporarily put aside some personal emotions, some so-called face and backbone!"
A person's integrity is important, but a child's future is even more important!
We can't let the grudges of the previous generation ruin our child's life!

He pressed on, painting an even more enticing picture of the future: "Think about it again. If you really go to the city and settle down, Shanshan can study in a city school. The teachers in the city are all educated and competent, they teach well, and the learning environment is good. Unlike the village primary school, where one teacher teaches several grades."

Maybe Shanshan will be able to study hard like her brother, get into university, and have a bright future! She'll fly out of this yellow earth!

But if we adults let our unresolved issues or our pride ruin our children's future, it will be too late to regret it later!

Back then, we were so desperate we couldn't even find the right tone to cry!

These words were like a heavy and precise hammer, striking Tian Yufen's heart, which was shrouded in suffering yet incredibly tender.

She can endure any hardship or injustice alone, and she can support her family on her own without anyone's pity or help.

But when it comes to her children's future, to the bright future of her daughter Shanshan and son, her hardened heart begins to waver and hesitate.

She couldn't help but look at the doorway of the west room again. Her daughter, Yang Shanshan, seemed to have vaguely understood something. She peeked out, her big, clear eyes looking at this and then at that, her little face showing a hint of confusion.

Her daughter's pure eyes were like a soft feather, gently brushing against the softest part of her heart.

Just then, Qin Lanying, the old lady who had been silent all along but whose heart was already in turmoil, spoke up. In her traditional view, no matter what the mistakes were, they were all her son's fault.

The divorce already wronged the daughter-in-law, so it is only right to provide compensation now.

I didn't think much about it when I got divorced because I didn't have the means at the time, and I couldn't think about such a long-term perspective.

Before 1955, cadres like Yang Jianxiong who started working before liberation did not receive a salary. Their living necessities were allocated according to need, and they received a small amount of subsidies.

If the whole family were to move to Kyoto and settle down, it would require a large sum of money, which would be very difficult for an ordinary family without savings.

After liberation, many cadres did not bring their families to Beijing because of practical difficulties. They had no savings and faced numerous challenges if they did not abuse their power for personal gain.

But now, the family is not short of money and has sufficient financial strength. If the whole family moves to Kyoto, all they lack is to arrange a formal job for their daughter-in-law.

The key is solving the problem of feeding the whole family; that's the most important thing.
The situation is different now. The eldest grandson has his own ideas, and these ideas concern the survival and future of the entire family.

The old woman's voice was slow, with the hoarseness typical of the elderly: "Yufen, Yuzhu is right. Listen to your mother's advice."

She paused, as if gathering her strength, and to make her words carry more weight, "Back then, when we divorced, it was indeed Jianxiong who wronged you. He was the one who wronged his heart and ruined our family."

When we divorced, we agreed in black and white that he would send half of his monthly salary back to support the family, take care of me, and raise our two children.

But over the years, it has been intermittent and has never been achieved at all.

He had his own difficulties. He acted kindly and righteously in helping the families of his fallen comrades, and we can't say he was wrong. But in terms of our household expenses, he ultimately didn't give enough and didn't fully fulfill his responsibility.

He can't deny that.

Her cloudy gaze swept over her daughter-in-law's weathered face, and her tone became even more resolute:
"Since he didn't fully fulfill his promise and his commitment was compromised, he has to compensate you and your family in other ways."

This is a debt, and it must be repaid!

Right now, just wanting a formal job isn't too much to ask!

Although my wife has never traveled far from home, she has heard people say that some workers in the city, for various reasons, have to return to their hometowns or go elsewhere, and they transfer a formal job position for a few hundred yuan.

A single job opening, with a clearly marked price, costs only a few hundred yuan.

The old lady looked at Tian Yufen, her eyes filled with kindness, but even more so with determination and guidance:

"If you really can't get over it, don't want to benefit from Yang Jianxiong's fame, don't want to be indebted to him, and feel inferior to him, then let's change our mindset! Just consider it as paying money to buy a job!"

All the money he owed us over the years, if you calculate it off, would be more than enough to buy a job for each member of our family!

We don't owe him anything! Not a single penny! This isn't accepting charity; this is taking back what's rightfully ours! It's what we deserve!

The old lady's words were like a solid and logical stepping stone for Tian Yufen, who was struggling and caught in a dilemma, on a turbulent river.

If you treat it as paying money to buy a job, then the nature of the situation is completely different!

This is not about accepting charity and favors from that unfaithful man, but about rightfully taking back the "debt" owed to you and exercising your legitimate rights.

Thinking this way, the most stubborn barrier in my mind instantly developed a huge crack.

For the sake of her children's future, Tian Yufen's heart had already softened, but she was blocked by dignity and resentment. Now, after listening to her mother-in-law's reasonable analysis that gave her a perfect excuse, she felt much better. The pent-up anger in her chest seemed to have found an outlet.

Yes, if it's viewed as a cold, hard transaction, as a demand for deserved compensation, then she can absolutely accept it, and should even actively seek it out!

She didn't want to owe Yang Jianxiong any favors, but it was only right and proper for her and her child to take back what they deserved!

In this way, she could still stand straight when facing him!

Now, the whole family agrees with the plan.

The son was the initiator, mature and sensible; the child's second uncle was a supporter, analyzing the pros and cons; even the usually reasonable mother-in-law stood firmly on this side, and gave her such a perfect reason.

For the sake of her children and for a better future for her family, Tian Yufen knew she could no longer act impulsively or let her personal emotions dictate the fate of her entire family.

Moreover, she harbored a secret worry deep in her heart.

She herself would never forgive Yang Jianxiong in her lifetime, but she never wanted or was willing to let her two children, especially her son, remain in this cold, isolated, and hostile state with their father.

A father and son are bound by blood; prolonged hatred is of no benefit to the child.

Previously, her son, Yang Guangming, refused to have any contact with his father, and his attitude was resolute. She didn't say anything on the surface, but she was actually very worried. She had tried to persuade him in a subtle way many times, hoping that her son could soften his stance a little, but unfortunately, it never worked.

Now, for her sake and for the sake of the family, her son has actually taken the initiative to change his mind and is willing to communicate with his father. This is a huge change that makes her feel gratified.

Based on this alone, she cannot deny her son's efforts and good intentions and chill his filial piety just because of her own inability to get over it.

She remained silent, tears still flowing silently and torrentially, as if trying to wash away all the grievances, bitterness, and struggles of the past years.

But the stubborn resistance on his face gradually softened, replaced by a complex mix of pain, helplessness, relief, and a hint of emptiness about the future.

She looked at her son, Yang Guangming, who was also looking at her with a calm and firm gaze, his eyes clear and full of deep love, understanding and a reassuring expectation for her.

The main room was extremely quiet, with only the occasional faint crackling of the kerosene lamp wick and Tian Yufen's suppressed sobs.

Time seemed to become viscous and slow at this moment.

Tian Yuzhu held his breath, not daring to disturb her. Qin Lanying also silently watched her daughter-in-law, her eyes filled with understanding and encouragement.

After a long while, it felt like an eternity of inner struggle and weighing of options.

Tian Yufen suddenly raised her sleeve and, as if in a fit of pique, fiercely wiped her face, erasing the tears and snot that covered it. This action carried a roughness and determination unique to rural women.

She seemed to have made a tremendous decision; her voice was unusually hoarse from crying and excitement, and each word seemed to be squeezed out with great difficulty from her throat.
"If... if it's really for Shanshan's future, so that you, Mother, can enjoy your old age in peace and not have to worry about us anymore, eating coarse food and wild vegetables... so that Guangming can study with peace of mind outside and not have to worry about home all the time."

If... if we consider it as us paying for this job, and we get back what he owes us... I... I agree.

The last two words were so soft they were almost inaudible, yet they landed clearly in everyone's ears, like a thunderclap, or a sigh of relief.

Hearing her finally relent, everyone in the room—Tian Yuzhu, Yang Guangming, and even Qin Lanying—breathed with relief, and the tense atmosphere instantly eased.

Yang Guangming immediately went to his mother's side, reached out and gently grasped her hands, which were rough and calloused from years of hard work. He whispered words of comfort, his voice full of warmth and strength:
"Mom, I'm sorry you had to go through all this. I know you're upset. But don't worry, things will get better from now on. I promise you."

His promise was like a warm current flowing into Tian Yufen's cold and weary heart.

Tian Yufen gripped her son's hand tightly in return, as if she had grasped her only support and reliance. Her tears flowed even more fiercely, but this time, there seemed to be less bitterness and despair than before, and more relief and a sense of entrusting her fate to her son and to the future.

She choked up, unable to speak, but nodded forcefully.

A relieved smile finally appeared on Tian Yuzhu's face. He quickly struck while the iron was hot to consolidate the results and definitively define the nature of the matter:
"Big sister, it's good that you understand! That's right! We're not bowing down to Yang Jianxiong, nor are we begging him!"
This is for a better future for our family, to reclaim what rightfully belongs to us!
Guangming is right. Logically and emotionally, this is compensation Yang Jianxiong owes! He's the one who owes this family! We have every right to stand up for him!

Now that the matter was settled and the biggest psychological obstacle had been removed, Yang Guangming took the lead and began to arrange the specific itinerary and steps.

His calm and clear tone demonstrated the planning and responsibility expected of a college student, which reassured his mother and grandmother, who had just made a difficult decision, and gave them a sense of security and support.

"Mother, Grandmother, eldest uncle, second uncle, now that it's decided, let's not delay."

My summer vacation is limited, only a little over a month at most, so things need to be done as soon as possible and can't be delayed.

He quickly calculated the time and said in a steady voice, "I'll take some time in the next two days to visit my two aunts in the neighboring village. I haven't seen them for several months, and I'll also say hello. After all, I don't know when I'll be able to come back after this trip."

At home, I'll take advantage of these last couple of days to slowly tidy up the important things.

Items that are not frequently used or heavy furniture can be left untouched for now. The main focus should be on packing clothes, bedding, important documents, and the medicine that Grandma usually takes. Also, pack away any valuables in advance.

We'll set off for Kyoto early the day after tomorrow.

His arrangements were well-organized and thoughtful.

He looked at Tian Yuzhu and instructed, "Second Uncle, I'll trouble you with the letters of introduction. We need letters of introduction for the few of us going to Kyoto to visit relatives and handle household registration transfers. Please prepare them thoroughly, and it would be best if the relationships and reasons for our trips were clearly stated."

Tian Yuzhu patted his chest and readily agreed: "No problem, leave it to me! This is a perfectly legitimate reason for us to visit relatives and handle household registration matters at the same time, which is perfectly reasonable!"
I'll go to the brigade headquarters first thing tomorrow morning and personally get it ready for you! I guarantee it won't delay your departure the day after tomorrow!

As the village party secretary, he still has this kind of convenience.

Yang Guangming nodded, confident in his second uncle's competence.

He continued to explain the upcoming arrangements to his family, so that everyone could be mentally prepared: "When we get to Kyoto, we'll first stay at a guesthouse near the military district, and then find... find him."

He was still not quite used to calling his father "father," and said, "Let's make things clear and state our demands and the basis for our statement."

If all goes well, finding a job, transferring your household registration, and then finding a suitable place to settle down in the city will all take time.

Moreover, I must sort these things out roughly during my vacation, at least have a clear picture and progress, before I can return to school with some peace of mind.

Otherwise, I can't feel at ease leaving you in a place that's unfamiliar and uncertain.

He was talking about real issues, and his words were full of a sense of responsibility towards his family.

Everyone else, including Tian Yufen who had just calmed down a bit, listened silently without raising any objections.

The thought that soon I would be leaving this village where I had lived for decades, a place filled with joys and sorrows, leaving behind every familiar brick, tile, blade of grass, and tree, was truly moving.

As they headed to the capital city of Beijing, a place they had only ever imagined or heard about, both Tian Yufen and her daughter-in-law Qin Lanying felt a complex mix of emotions.

There is unease about the unknown future, a sense of bewilderment and fear of unfamiliar surroundings, sadness and reluctance to leave one's hometown, but also a glimmer of hope as if one has found a way out of a desperate situation, and a faint, barely audible expectation for a new life in the unknown.

A mix of emotions made their hearts feel heavy, yet also somewhat light and adrift, without any support.

Having settled this momentous matter concerning the future of the family, the remaining tea in the cup had long since cooled and its color had faded.

Night had fallen, and the village was completely quiet; even the noisiest dogs seemed to have fallen asleep.

Only in the far distance, in some unknown house, a faint light still shone, and occasionally a weak bark of a dog could be heard, adding to the silence and profundity of the night.

Seeing that the matter was settled, the brothers Tian Yulin and Tian Yuzhu got up to take their leave.

Tian Yufen and Yang Guangming took a flashlight and escorted them to the gate of the courtyard.

"Big sister, go back and rest early. Don't overthink it. Things will work themselves out. This is a good thing; it's a step towards a better life." Before leaving, Tian Yuzhu turned back to comfort Tian Yufen, his tone earnest.

Tian Yufen nodded in the hazy night, a complex smile forcing a smile on her face, and said nothing more. A thousand words were stuck in her throat, and she didn't know where to begin.

After seeing his two uncles off, Yang Guangming carefully bolted the creaking wooden gate and locked it before returning to the main room with his mother.

Yang Shanshan was still young and couldn't stay up all night. She was so sleepy that she was slumped over and almost fell asleep on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed). Tian Yufen gently woke her up and sent her to sleep on the kang.

The old lady also looked deeply tired; after all, she was getting on in years and had just gone through such a mentally and physically exhausting family meeting.

"Mom, Grandma, it's getting late, go wash up and go to bed. We can discuss everything slowly and in detail tomorrow during the day," Yang Guangming said softly, his tone full of concern.

Tian Yufen and Qin Lanying both responded softly and went silently to the kitchen to fetch water for washing. Their movements were much slower than usual, as if each action was a silent farewell to this familiar home.

That night, the farmhouse was unusually quiet.

Sunlight streamed down his face as he lay on the earthen bed, his hands behind his head, gazing at the hazy moonlight filtering through the old window paper. His thoughts had already flown to the distant capital, Kyoto.

Tian Yufen tossed and turned, the earthen bed beneath her seemed particularly uncomfortable, and she couldn't fall asleep for a long time.

She was leaving the land where she had lived for nearly forty years, leaving the village that had given her birth, raised her, and witnessed most of her life's joys and sorrows, to go to a completely unfamiliar big city that she had only seen a few times in magazines.

This made her feel extremely uneasy and fearful, with a strong sense of floating as if she were about to lose her roots.

No matter how tough life is in the countryside, you have solid land under your feet and familiar neighbors around you, so you feel at peace.

For her, the city was a vast labyrinth filled with the unknown and uncertainties.

But when she thought of her mother-in-law's increasingly hunched body, her daughter's longing for education, and her son's steady and reliable eyes, she forced herself to be resolute and tried to dispel the fear and hesitation in her heart.

For her child, she could endure any hardship and suffer any injustice.

Moreover, this time there is no need to suffer. As long as I get over my mental hurdle, I won't be wronged.

Just treat it as a cold, hard transaction, she stubbornly told herself over and over again. This was about taking back what was rightfully hers, and no one owed anyone anything.

Thinking this way made me feel a little better, but the deep-seated sorrow of being tossed about by fate still lingered. (End of Chapter)