The closer it got to New Year, the livelier the village became. Children ran and skipped about, and laughter rang out everywhere. His house was no exception. New Year was what the children looked forward to most all year.
Since the wind kept him from going out to sea, Ye Yaodong took the opportunity to cycle into town specifically to see the photo studio owner.
It was only the twelfth day of the twelfth lunar month. Ever since returning from his mother-in-law's a few days earlier, he had been busy going out to sea. Only today had he found the time.
With New Year still some way off, the photo studio probably wasn't too busy, and the weather was decent today. He needed to hurry over and invite the man to come take pictures. In another few days, there would probably be more people wanting photos.
Last year, his first year back after his rebirth, he hadn't taken a portrait of the whole family, only one of the four of them. He already regretted that deeply. This year, he absolutely had to get a full family portrait.
Everything else could be put off until later, but time alone would never stand still, and memories would fade too. If they didn't take more pictures now, the moments they recalled later would be nothing but a blur. With photographs, they could look back clearly on the past.
Capturing all the good things now and taking the pictures out to look at later would bring back so many memories. That was what truly mattered most.
Ye Yaodong pedaled his bicycle as the cold headwind blew straight into his cuffs and collar, chilling him. Behind him sat Ye Chenghu, who had shamelessly pestered him until he agreed to bring him along.
Father and son