Chapter 137 - 134: Before the New Year
Looking at his silent parents and younger siblings, Li Xiu said nonchalantly, "I’m not staying. These are the New Year’s gifts for this year. I just got back and don’t have time to linger. You’re all busy, so I’ll be going."
With that, he put the things down and left. Second Brother Li opened his mouth as if to say something, but watching his eldest son already walking away, his mouth drooped in a helpless frown. Li Xiu hadn’t wanted to hear anything they had to say. That was why he hadn’t even sat down—he’d simply walked in, dropped off the gifts, said a few words, and left.
Li Xiu didn’t dwell on the people at the old house; he was still busy. He soon had to pay a visit to the homes of the village chief and the production team leader. Some things required a bit of tact. After all, this was his hometown, and he would be back in the future. It didn’t cost much to maintain a good reputation, a trade-off Li Xiu was more than willing to make.
The pre-New Year rush is always the busiest time. On the twenty-fourth, Li Xiu, with his wife and child in tow, rode a bicycle borrowed from Li Bao to Zhou Family Village to visit his in-laws.
The Zhou family gave their daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter a warm welcome. Looking at the six bags of various sizes, Zhou Kun couldn’t help but say, "Li Xiu, now that Nuonuo’s mother is in school, things aren’t easy for you. Don’t bring so much next time, and stop mailing things from the post office. We have everything we need. You have plenty of expenses in the city; you can’t be so extravagant with your money!"
"Dad, this is my first year away at school," Zhou Lian interjected. "In a place like the Capital City, you even have to pay for a drink of water. But some of these things aren’t available here, so since we bought them, just take them. We’ll be more mindful of our budget in the future." She understood the saying that a small kindness is a blessing, but too much help can breed resentment. ’Li Xiu is doing this for my sake, but I’m not a fool. How much I help my side of the family is my decision. I must be filial to my parents, but as for my siblings, they all have their own families now. I’ll help where I can, but where I can’t, it won’t matter what even Li Xiu says!’
"Good. A household needs careful budgeting. And with Nuonuo growing up day by day, you’ll have plenty more expenses in the future!" Mrs. Zhou said happily upon hearing Zhou Lian’s words. ’Good heavens,’ she thought, ’my second daughter has finally wised up! She understands that life isn’t easy!’
"Dad, Mom, this set is for the three brothers’ families, those two are for Eldest Sister’s and Third Sister’s families, and this big bag is for you," Li Xiu said, understanding his wife’s unspoken message and backing her up.
After the meal, Li Xiu took his wife and daughter home, taking advantage of the warm afternoon sun. They made plans to get together again after the third day of the New Year. The whole family would gather on the sixth—Zhou Lian’s birthday—to celebrate before she and Li Xiu had to return to the Capital City on the eighth.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Zhou family members who unpacked the gifts were left feeling surprised, happy, and something more complex. ’Li Xiu really spoils Zhou Lian, letting her haul so much back to her family,’ was the unanimous thought of the three Zhou daughters-in-law. Perhaps they had forgotten that the gifts had been divided into three portions, one for each of their own families.
Back home, they left Nuonuo in Grandma Li’s care. Zhou Lian rolled up her sleeves and, dividing the labor with Li Xiu, officially began their New Year preparations. Grandma Li held Nuonuo and watched the two of them bustling about with cheerful energy. A weight was finally lifted from her heart. ’My granddaughter-in-law is a good woman. She cherishes her husband and doesn’t look down on him. This is good, this is very good!’
Several hectic days of preparations flew by. Everything was finally ready. Looking at the spotless little courtyard and the freshly pasted spring couplets, Zhou Lian said softly to Li Xiu, "After we eat, you should pack some offerings and go visit Uncle Ge’s grave. You still have to go to the ancestral graves with Eldest Uncle, Third Uncle, and Li Bao this afternoon."
Li Xiu reached out and gently stroked Zhou Lian’s thick, dark hair. He looked at her tenderly and nodded with a smile. ’My wife understands me best,’ he thought. He needed to go see Uncle Ge early this year, to have a long talk and put his soul at ease. He wanted to let him know that he was still the same Li Xiu. In this lifetime, he would not fail the legacy his master had passed on to him.
Six plates and eight bowls of food, a bottle of baijiu, a pack of cigarettes, a number of paper ingots, and a string of firecrackers were packed into two shallow, flat-bottomed bamboo baskets. Li Xiu carried them on a shoulder pole as he walked toward Uncle Ge’s final resting place.
The few people scattered along the road saw where Li Xiu was headed and fell silent. By now, everyone in the village knew the story: Uncle Ge, the man who used to herd cattle, had been a master of incredible skill, and he had passed everything he knew to Li Xiu. While the formal traditions of accepting a master were no longer in fashion, in the old days, he would have been considered a true benefactor and mentor. In the traditional hierarchy of respect—Heaven, Earth, Emperor, Parent, Teacher—a master was someone who commanded genuine filial piety and worship.
Uncle Ge’s grave was located in his family’s cemetery plot. Since he’d had no brothers or nephews, and had never married or had children, both his grave and the joint grave of his parents were quiet and overgrown. The plot was still somewhat tidy from when Li Xiu had come to clean it in the summer.
After setting down the baskets, Li Xiu silently cleared the weeds from the grave of his master’s parents. As he began to clear the weeds from Uncle Ge’s grave, he whispered, "Master, I can now openly and proudly call you my master. I’ll come to visit you, and your father and mother, often. Rest assured, as long as my lineage continues, your graves will never be without tribute."
He took out the sacrificial offerings and arranged them neatly. "Master," Li Xiu said softly, "even on your deathbed, you couldn’t stop worrying about me. I’m doing well now, so you can finally rest in peace. My wife was accepted into university, and we have an adorable little girl. If you were still alive, you would have doted on your little granddaughter. The worst you feared for me... it already happened in my last life. But Heaven took pity on me, and I was given a chance to live again."
He paused for a moment before continuing, "In this life, I will not be blinded by false kinship again. I will cherish the people who truly matter and will not let down your teachings. Master, if we are fated to meet again, I would want to be your student and learn from you all over again."
After setting off the firecrackers and completing the rites, he silently packed everything up. Then, he knelt before the graves and kowtowed deeply to his master and his master’s parents. ’Across two lifetimes,’ he thought, ’aside from my wife and child, Master was the most important person to me. He taught me to read, taught me reason, taught me how to be an honorable man who could stand tall with a clear conscience. In my last life, I failed him and his teachings. But not this time. This time, I will not give him cause to regret ever teaching such a foolish student.’
Seeing Li Xiu’s somber mood, Zhou Lian thought for a moment before stepping forward and saying softly, "If you live your life well, your master will be at peace. Don’t let all the care the old man put into teaching you go to waste."
Li Xiu pulled Zhou Lian into a hug, soaking in her warmth. "I promised Master," he whispered, "that as long as my bloodline continues, his grave will never be neglected."
"Good," Zhou Lian said firmly. "’A teacher for a day is a father for life.’ You’ve done the right thing. Your master may not have married or had children of his own, but he had a disciple, and in the future, he will have grand-disciples. His grave will not be left desolate and overgrown. We must teach our children that your master was one of the most important people in your life. They must come to pay their respects every year and hold gratitude in their hearts." She was deeply pleased with Li Xiu’s decision. ’My husband has always been a man of integrity and honor, a man who stands tall.’