Chen Family Village

"Dad! Come inside!" Chen Mo said. Actually, in Xiqin, more people called their fathers 'Da', but it depended on habit. In Chen Family Village, they mostly called them 'Die' or 'Ba'. Chen Mo's family called him 'Ba'.

His father looked at Chen Mo, sighed deeply, threw away the cigarette butt he had just finished, then nodded and stood up to go back inside together.

When their son returned, parents were happy in their hearts. Although some troublesome things were encountered right after his return, it was good that they could be resolved.

His parents helped carry the luggage into the house. It wasn't that Chen Mo couldn't carry it himself, but it was a gesture of care and love, so he went along with his parents.

His mother quickly offered to make some soup noodles. Returning home late at night, regardless of whether they had eaten or not, parents' hearts always worried. So, before Chen Mo even finished washing up, a bowl of steaming noodles with two poached eggs on top was already on the table.

Food at home was still the best. For those working hard outside, wasn't coming home just for a taste of mom's cooking? As Chen Mo ate, his nose felt a little sore. After several years away, it was still comfortable to be back.

After he finished eating, because it was quite late, he took out the gifts he bought for his parents and then went to rest. Rural people valued sleeping early and waking early, so they usually went to bed early. Noticing that his parents' mood seemed not very good, perhaps they hadn't recovered yet, he didn't say much more. It was also very late, so it was best to discuss anything tomorrow.

Chen Mo's house was a Siheyuan Courtyard architectural style, with a main gate on one side and houses on the other three sides. His parents' house was directly opposite the main gate, while Chen Mo's room was on the side, consisting of three consecutive rooms. The first room was his sister's, but she rarely came home after getting married, though the room was kept.

In the middle was his own room, with a bed, a desk, and a self-made bookshelf and wardrobe, all crafted by the village carpenter at the time. The bedding on the bed was originally put away, but his mother had already made it. Next to his room was his younger brother's room.

Opposite his room were the kitchen and warehouse, a shower room, and an aisle leading to the backyard, which had a small vegetable patch and an open-air outhouse.

Chen Mo didn't sleep after entering the house. Instead, he sat cross-legged and sank his Spiritual Sense into the Universe Bead. First, he soaked the seeds, bulbs, and cuttings he bought in different containers. The liquid used was water from the small stream. These items were to be planted in this place, so he soaked them first.

He also looked at the three seedlings, which had grown a little longer. Chen Mo was very happy, praying they would grow quickly, as he wanted to see what kind of plants they were.

It was unknown how the small stream water in the Universe Bead was generated, but according to the information from the Universe Bead, the stream water would neither increase nor decrease. No matter how much was used, it would always be the same amount. However, after refining 10 Restrictions, the stream water would double in size. Perhaps after the final refinement, the stream water would become a large river.

Chen Mo prepared the items he bought in West City one by one and directly used his Spiritual Sense to sow them, planting all the seeds and live plants he had bought.

After everything was done, he then assumed the cultivation posture, placed the Universe Bead in his palm, and ingested a drop of Spiritual Energy Liquid, swallowing it slowly. Instantly, his limbs and bones felt as if warmed by the gentle sun, and his whole body felt comfortable. His True Essence also rejounted with joy, circulating faster in his meridians.

This was Chen Mo's cultivation method after obtaining the Universe Bead. This method could not only speed up his True Essence accumulation and rapidly increase his Cultivation Level, but also further widen his meridians and enhance his physical fitness. Additionally, it slightly increased his Soul Strength and expanded the range of his Spiritual Sense. Although the effects were not yet apparent, as time went by, these effects would become terrifying.

As the sky gradually turned white, Chen Mo slowly finished his exercise and got up, preparing to help his family with farm work. Although he hadn't discussed his plans after returning with his parents yet, there was a lot of farm work during the day, so he would talk about it tonight.

Some roosters raised by farmers had already started crowing, signaling people to get up and work.

Chen Mo's father's name was Chen Jianguo, and his mother's was Fu Huili. His younger brother was Chen Hui, already a freshman. His older sister was three years older than him and had been married for two years. Her husband's family ran a restaurant in the county town, and they met while working.

Chen Mo and Chen Hui were still relying on their parents for their living expenses. However, fortunately, Chen Mo had stopped asking his family for money two years ago and earned money through work, so his parents were now more at ease. His sister didn't receive much dowry when she got married, as the family had no money. Moreover, his parents didn't ask for a bride price from his sister's husband's family. The 20,000 yuan bride price was given back to his sister as her dowry when she got married. In his parents' words, they didn't want to profit from marrying off their daughter; they just wanted their daughter to live well.

His parents were honest, hardworking farmers. Since his grandparents passed away, they didn't interact much with their uncles and aunts in the village, mainly because the family was too poor, and everyone looked down on them. However, the fact that two university students came out of the family allowed his parents to hold their heads up a little in the village.

While Chen Mo was burning firewood to heat water in the kitchen, his father and mother had already woken up.

"Er Wa, why aren't you sleeping in more?" his mother asked. Er Wa was Chen Mo's nickname.

"I'm used to waking up early," Chen Mo replied with a smile, then continued, "Shall I cook some rice porridge this morning or...?"

"Hey? Er Wa, you should go feed the chickens in the backyard first. I'll handle the cooking," his mother, Fu Huili, pushed him out of the kitchen.

"The wheat bran is in the storeroom, the usual spot. You haven't forgotten how to feed the chickens, have you?" Mother Fu Huili was a bit worried that Er Wa, who hadn't been home for two years, might have forgotten the process.

"Mom! Don't worry, I'll handle it." Chen Mo replied with a smile and quickly went to the storeroom to get the wheat bran.

Chen Mo's father was brushing his teeth by the water pool in the yard. He watched Chen Mo coming and going. Although his expression didn't reveal much, the joy in his eyes was undeniable.

Er Wa hadn't been back for two years. It would be impossible to say he didn't miss him. But Er Wa had always been independent since he was young, even earning his own tuition during winter and summer breaks. Despite missing him, he never brought up asking Er Wa to come home. The travel expenses were costly, and it wasn't easy for the child to make a living elsewhere. He wanted to save him some money. The family had been through difficult times before, and he felt he owed Er Wa a lot!

After dinner, Chen Mo prepared to go to the fields with his father to help. At this time, the wheat seedlings in the family's fields had already been planted. They just needed to be watered and weeded periodically. Today, his father was going to the fields to weed.

"Dad! Wait for me, I'll go to the fields with you today," Chen Mo said.

"Why would you go? You rest at home first. The work in the fields isn't urgent. Everything that needed to be planted has been planted; it's just weeding," Father Chen Jianguo said.

Chen Mo didn't agree. Instead, he picked up the hoe and said, "Let's go together. I haven't done any work for two years, and resting at home isn't much fun."

Seeing Chen Mo's persistence, Father Chen Jianguo didn't object further and let him have his way.

The two walked on the road, one before and one after. Some villagers were also coming out to head to their fields. Seeing Chen Mo following behind Chen Jianguo, they all curiously inquired.

"Isn't this Er Wa? When did you get back?"

"Er Wa, it's been a long time!"

"Old Chen, your second son is back?"

"Er Wa, why are you back at this time? Is something up?"

Father Chen Jianguo answered one by one. Chen Mo also chatted a bit, and handed out cigarettes from his pocket. He greeted some elders respectfully. In the village, it was customary to offer a cigarette when meeting someone, regardless of whether they smoked. It was a matter of politeness. Those who smoked would accept and light it, while those who didn't would wave their hands in refusal. This was different from the city; it was how people communicated in the village, a habit that had formed over time.

Because many young people had left to work elsewhere, the remaining villagers were either old or children. Out of a village with over a thousand people, only a few hundred remained. Most of the villagers shared the surname Chen, so Chen Mo encountered many of his "aunts and uncles" when he returned, all distant relatives.

There was an error in this chapter published by Xiaoxuesheng, so I've corrected it. I also thought about asking for recommendations and votes, and I hope readers will cast theirs. Thank you!