Time Travel: My Comfortable Life After Going to the Countryside

Just after noon, Liu Xiangyang rode his bicycle to the edge of the village, put the bicycle away, and released the motorcycle from his spatial storage.

The roar of the engine shattered the afternoon silence. The motorcycle jolted and lurched forward, the dirt road bumping along, but its speed far surpassed that of a bicycle. The fields and trees on either side rushed past. The wind whistled past my ears, carrying the scent of the fields.

In less than an hour, the county town's gray walls and scattered buildings came into view. Liu Xiangyang packed up his bike and rode it into the police family compound, a place he knew well by heart.

After parking his car downstairs at Lu Dajun's house, he took out a piece of roe deer meat wrapped in lotus leaves, weighing about three or four pounds, and a bag of malted milk powder. Then he carried the things upstairs.

A knock came at the door, and Li Cuihua, Lu Dajun's wife, opened it. Seeing Liu Xiangyang and the things he was carrying, her face immediately lit up with a smile: "Xiangyang's here! Come in quickly! Old Lu, Xiangyang's here!"

Lu Dajun was sitting in a wicker chair in the living room reading a newspaper. Hearing the sound, he took off his reading glasses, saw Liu Xiangyang and what he was holding, and raised his thick, dark eyebrows: "You little rascal, got something good again? Come in and sit down."

"Uncle, Auntie," Liu Xiangyang placed the things by the door, "This is fresh roe deer meat, just caught yesterday. Have some, you and Auntie. There's also some malted milk powder for your younger siblings to nourish them."

"Oh, you silly child, don't be so polite!" Li Cuihua took the things, her face beaming. "Please sit down, Auntie will pour you some water!"

"No, Auntie, don't bother." Liu Xiangyang sat down opposite Lu Dajun and explained his purpose directly, "Uncle, I came to tell you that the commune has assigned me a task to go to Bingcheng with Uncle Zhang tomorrow to pick up the newly arrived educated youth. I'm leaving early and am preparing to head to Bingcheng now."

Lu Dajun nodded, took out a cigarette and handed one to Liu Xiangyang, then lit one for himself: "Well, picking up the educated youth is the important thing. As for Bingcheng... is there anything your uncle can do for me?"

"No need, Uncle, everything's arranged. They'll stay at our guesthouse; Uncle Zhang gave them a letter of introduction." Liu Xiangyang took the cigarette, didn't light it, and tucked it behind his ear. "I just came to let you know and drop off a few things."

Lu Dajun took a drag of his cigarette and looked at him through the smoke: "Okay, I trust you to handle things. Be careful in Bingcheng, follow the procedures when picking people up, and don't make any mistakes. If anything happens, just let me know." He spoke the last three words slowly, but with great weight.

"I understand, Uncle," Liu Xiangyang replied.

At this moment, Lu Dajun's wife brought out a cup of sweet soup, insisted on giving it to Liu Xiangyang, and then warmly urged him to stay for dinner: "Xiangyang, have dinner before you leave! Auntie will cut the meat right away, we'll have braised pork for dinner tonight!"

"Really, Auntie." Liu Xiangyang stood up with a smile, his tone sincere but firm. "I made an appointment with Secretary Zhang and have to get on my way. Next time, next time for sure."

After a few more polite refusals, seeing that Liu Xiangyang was determined to leave, Lu Dajun waved his hand and said, "Alright, official business is important. Let him go. Be careful on the road."

"Oh, Uncle, Aunt, I'm leaving now." Liu Xiangyang didn't linger any longer and got up to say goodbye.

After going downstairs, I rode my bicycle straight to the main road outside the county town.

The road to Harbin was a national highway paved with gravel, which was smoother than the dirt roads in the village, but it was still dusty when running. Liu Xiangyang put on sunglasses, picked up speed, the wind howled, the scenery rushed past, and a kind of freedom that was rare in this era, with a metallic texture and a sense of speed, briefly enveloped him.

Liu Xiangyang was lucky along the way and didn't encounter anyone. Otherwise, his motorcycle would have attracted a lot of attention, and he wouldn't have had a peaceful life.

As dusk approached, the familiar silhouettes of the Russian-style buildings in Harbin finally appeared on the horizon. Liu Xiangyang switched to a bicycle and skillfully navigated the streets and alleys where the lights were gradually illuminating. Finally, he turned into a relatively quiet street, looked around in front of a small courtyard, and put his bicycle away.

He picked up his satchel, dusted himself off, pushed open the gate, and went inside. The courtyard wasn't large, but it was tidy.

Just as Liu Xiangyang stepped onto the steps to knock on the door, the door opened from the inside.

Chen Jie stood inside the door, as if she had been waiting for a long time. She was wearing a casual light gray thin sweater and dark blue polyester pants. Her hair was loosely tied back, revealing her smooth forehead and slender neck.

Upon seeing Liu Xiangyang, her eyes instantly lit up, surging with emotions so intense they were almost overwhelming—surprise, longing, the relief of finally seeing her loved one return, and a hint of suppressed passion unique to adult women.

"Why are you here?" Her voice was a little hoarse. She stepped aside and said, "Come in quickly."

Liu Xiangyang slipped into the house, gently closed the door behind him, and bolted it shut, cutting off the outside world for a moment. The warm atmosphere inside, mixed with the faint scent of soap on her body, enveloped him.

He didn't say anything, put down his bag, turned around and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as if he wanted to squeeze away all the distance they had shared over the past few days.

Chen Jie's body stiffened at first, then completely softened. She buried her face in his shoulder, took a deep breath, wrapped her arms around his waist, and hugged him back tightly. The two hugged quietly for a while, neither of them moving, only their heartbeats and breathing mingling in the quiet room.

After a while, Chen Jie finally managed to pull away slightly, looked up at him, and gently stroked the newly sprouted stubble on his chin with her fingers. Her eyes were filled with concern and a tender care: "You've lost some weight. Were you tired on the way? Have you eaten?"

"I'm not tired. I haven't eaten yet, and I was thinking of coming here to eat something delicious." Liu Xiangyang looked down at her, brushed a stray hair from her forehead with his fingers, revealing her smooth forehead, and couldn't help but peck her with a kiss.

A blush rose on Chen Jie's face. She slapped him lightly, as if it were a tickle: "You're so naughty. Wait, I'll make you some noodles, it'll be quick." She turned to leave.

Liu Xiangyang didn't let go. He pulled her back to him and kissed her lips.

The kiss began lightly, with a sense of tentative anticipation and the preciousness of a long-awaited reunion. It quickly deepened, becoming urgent and greedy, as if to confirm each other's existence and to draw upon all the longing accumulated over the years.

At first, Chen Jie gently pushed him away, but soon she wrapped her arms around his neck and responded passionately. Their breaths mingled, their lips and tongues intertwined, and all the restraint and anxious waiting melted away in this kiss.

After what seemed like an eternity, the two finally separated, panting heavily.

Chen Jie's eyes were like water, her lips a rosy red. She leaned against his chest to catch her breath. Liu Xiangyang's thumb caressed her flushed cheek as he whispered, "Did you miss me?"

"What do you think?" Chen Jie glared at him, her eyes charming yet tinged with a hint of grievance. "Qiqi and Yaoyao, those two girls, when they came to my place last time, they didn't say anything, but I could clearly see the satisfaction and peace in their eyes... I knew you were living a good life in the village." There was a hint of bitterness in her words, but more than that, there was understanding and a touch of complexity.

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Brothers, writing about Liu Bei is tough, revising it is giving me a headache. Please send some votes, bookshelves, and support with your love for the story!