The Journey Home

On the morning of May 1st, the small town awoke much earlier than the big city.

On the branches of the jujube tree outside the window, several magpies were chattering away, holding their morning mobilization meeting.

On the 1.2-meter-wide single wooden bed, the light blue quilt swayed gently.

Lu Yan woke up first. Or to be more precise, he was awakened by a completely numb arm.

He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze momentarily blank, before immediately focusing on his hands.

Aemeath half-on him, her head resting on his right arm, her legs loosely pressed against his, and half of her body almost completely pressed against his chest.

Lu Yan tried moving his right arm, and a tingling sensation instantly spread throughout his hand.

His hand was completely numb, but he didn't immediately pull his arm away; he just sighed helplessly.

With his still-functioning left hand, he gently brushed aside the strands of hair that were obscuring Aemeath's cheek.

The sleeping Aemeath had lost her usual liveliness and cheerfulness, appearing exceptionally well-behaved and quiet.

Aemeath seemed to sense the touch on her face, wrinkling her pert nose uncomfortably and letting out a muffled whimper. "Ugh... A-Yan ~"

Her long eyelashes fluttered twice, and she finally slowly opened her eyes, her gaze still slightly dazed from just waking up. She stared blankly at Lu Yan, who was so close to her, and after several seconds, as if she had finally finished loading the boot process, a bright smile bloomed on her face.

"Good morning~" Her voice was dry and soft from the early morning.

"Good morning," Lu Yan replied softly, placing a good morning kiss on her forehead.

Aemeath was about to sit up, she suddenly realized something.

She looked down at the arm she had been using as a pillow all night, then at Lu Yan's slightly stiff expression, even as he tried to hide it, and instantly realized what was going on.

Ouch! Is your hand numb?

Aemeath immediately jerked away as if electrocuted, scrambling to tumble off him. She sat on the bed like a duck, her face full of annoyance, and grabbed Lu Yan's right arm. "Why didn't you push me away! This bed is so narrow, it must have been very uncomfortable to sleep on it all night."

As she spoke, she reached out her small hand and gently massaged the muscles in his arm, trying to relieve the soreness and numbness caused by poor blood circulation.

Lu Yan's heart melted at the sight of her nervous expression.

Letting Aemeath knead him, he propped himself up on the bed with his left hand and said with a soft laugh, "I can't bear to push you away."

He paused, a hint of teasing in his voice, and said, "I think it's a sweet burden."

A blush instantly spread across Aemeath's cheeks. She scoffed and said, "You're so good with words."

The two lingered on the small bed for a while longer before getting up to wash up.

When I changed my clothes and went downstairs, the main room was already filled with a rich aroma of food.

"Xiao Yan, Little Aemeath, are you up?" Grandma was carrying a basket of steaming buns out of the kitchen. Seeing the two of them, her face crinkled into a smile. "Go wash up quickly, it's time for breakfast. There's an early market in town today, your uncle went early to buy beef pan-fried buns, and I also made a thick and spicy soup."

"Thank you, Grandma," Aemeath replied sweetly.

After washing up, the family sat around the eight-immortal table.

Lu Shuyao walked through the main room like a ghost, sporting two huge dark circles under her eyes, clearly having stayed up late playing games or watching anime last night.

"Good morning, brother and sister-in-law~" She yawned listlessly and slumped into a chair.

When she saw Aemeath take a big bite of the beef pan-fried bun, then drink a large mouthful of hot and sour soup, with an expression of enjoyment on her face, Lu Shuyao's eyes lit up instantly.

"Sister-in-law, you have such a good appetite! I love watching you eat, it makes me so hungry!"

Aemeath swallowed the food in her mouth and winked at her. "Because Grandma and Uncle's breakfast was so delicious!"

These words not only made Grandma beam with joy, but even Uncle, who was watching the morning news next to her, couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Lu Yan placed a fried bun into Aemeath's bowl, "Eat more, I'll take you for a walk in the old street of town later."

Over the next few days, time seemed to slow down in this warm and welcoming town.

There's no bustling traffic of a big city, only the purest form of life.

Lu Yan held Aemeath's hand and walked past the elementary school he used to attend, under the old locust tree with a history of over a hundred years.

They went to the clear stream on the edge of town. Aemeath took off her stockings and stepped onto the cool pebbles. She displayed amazing reflexes, catching two lively crucian carp with her bare hands, which amazed the passing villagers.

In the afternoons, they mostly spend time in the courtyard of the old house.

At night, that cramped 1.2-meter single bed became the place they looked forward to most each day.

Under the dim light of the night lamp, they embraced tightly, sharing the fun they had during the day.

Lu Yan smiled and placed a goodnight kiss on her forehead.

In the past few days, Aemeath part of the family.

Her maternal grandmother taught her how to make authentic hand-pulled noodles, and her aunt took her to the market to pick out fabrics. Lu Shuyao became her little fangirl, following her around every day and calling her "sister-in-law" repeatedly.

For Aemeath, this was more than just a May Day holiday; it marked the beginning of her appearances in his hometown.

However, one must always return to their own home.

On the evening of May 4th, the setting sun once again bathed the town in orange-red hues.

Inside the bedroom on the second floor, the blue suitcase had been reopened.

Aemeath was neatly folding their clothes and putting them into a box.

This once somewhat empty and cold unfinished apartment has been filled with the scent of life since they moved in these past few days: two water glasses placed side by side on the desk, matching jackets draped over the back of the chairs, and the air filled with the scent of the two of them.

Lu Yan walked up from behind, wrapped his arms around her waist, and rested his chin on the crook of her neck.

"You don't want to leave?" he asked softly.

"A little." Aemeath stopped what she was doing, leaned back into his strong chest, and a hint of longing flashed in her eyes.

"A-Yan, I think this place is really great. Grandma, Uncle, Aunt, Yaoyao, they're all so good to me."

"That's because you're charming." Lu Yan tightened his arms around you. "We can come back anytime you want."

Aemeath turned around, wrapped her arms around his neck, and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

"But our home is the key; many things are inconvenient here," Aemeath said with a mischievous grin.

Lu Yan blushed deeply at those words.

At noon on the day of parting, the courtyard of the old house was bustling with activity.

"Xiao Yan, take good care of Little Aemeath on the way." Grandma held Aemeath's hand, her eyes a little red, and kept stuffing things into her hands. "These are a few jars of beef sauce that Grandma made; I've packed them all in your suitcases!"

"If you miss the taste of home while you're in the city, just call Grandma!"

"I know, Grandma. Please take good care of yourself at home," Lu Yan said gently, reassuring the old woman.

Auntie was giving Lu Shuyao all sorts of advice about daily life, while Lu Shuyao hugged her plush bear and looked at Aemeath: "Sister-in-law, don't forget to log on and play games when you get back! How can I live without you!"

Aemeath was amused by her and stepped forward to pat Lu Shuyao's head. "Okay, I'll definitely take you with me."

Lu Yan and Aemeath walked out of the courtyard, the wind carrying the fragrance of earth.

Aemeath leaned on Lu Yan's shoulder and looked back at the house.

"A-Yan, I think I've become more greedy."

A bright smile curved Aemeath's lips, her eyes brimming with anticipation for the future. "Before, all I wanted was to be by your side."

"And now?" Lu Yan held her hand.

"Right now, I want to watch countless sunsets with you, eat countless breakfasts, and travel to all sorts of places, forever and ever."

Looking at the girl beside him, Lu Yan felt a deep and unfathomable tenderness welling up inside him.

He whispered his promise, "Okay~ all your wishes can be fulfilled."