lerbook Chapter 510 5 steps of laughter
Chapter 510 5 steps of laughter
Yu Songnian yanked open the back door and plopped himself in, causing the car to dip slightly.
He exclaimed excitedly, "Brother Huan, how romantic! I saw a letter tucked inside that bouquet of delicate roses in the trunk. Are you planning to give Sister You Rong this surprise after she finishes recording the show?"
"You're such a clever little devil." Yu Huan smiled, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
He secretly thought to himself that he should move the flowers to the back seat later, so that the fragrant roses wouldn't have a fishy smell and ruin the surprise for his wife.
Thinking this, he turned to look at Yu Songnian and asked with concern, "Did you pay attention when you put it down? Did you crush it?"
"Of course not! I'll be very careful!" Yu Songnian patted his chest to assure him, a simple and honest smile on his face. Suddenly, he leaned forward and asked curiously, "Brother Huan, are you going to Yanjing soon?"
He was outside just now and obviously overheard some of the conversation.
Yu Huan waited for Yu Songnian to close the car door before gently stepping on the engine.
The BMW started slowly, and he replied with a smile, "Yes, your sister-in-law is going to Yanjing for a gala during the Lantern Festival. I happened to have some time off, so I went with her to join in the fun and visit my aunt."
Yu Songnian scratched his head, his voice deep and muffled, tinged with a touch of melancholy: "I really should go. I remember when I was little, my great-aunt would always give us pocket money whenever she came to visit. We were so happy back then, but I haven't seen her for many years. She's getting old, and every time we meet, it's one less time we'll see her!"
The old man smiled broadly, turned around to look at his chubby grandson, and teased, "Oh, you little rascal, you know how to be grateful!"
"Of course!" Yu Songnian grinned, revealing a set of bright white teeth. "With Grandpa's teachings and example, which of us younger ones isn't grateful?"
Yu Huan couldn't help but chuckle softly, her fingers unconsciously tapping a rhythm on the steering wheel.
He pondered for a moment, then turned to look at the old man and asked cautiously, "Grandpa, aren't we going to visit those two great-uncles?"
Upon hearing this, Old Master Yu's smiling face instantly turned serious. He shook his head without hesitation and said decisively, "Forget it!"
As soon as he said this, Yu Huan and Yu Songnian exchanged a glance, understood each other perfectly, and burst out laughing in unison.
However, after the laughter subsided, Yu Huan quickly stopped smiling, nodded seriously, and expressed her agreement.
In the past, when people from Yanjing came to visit my grandmother's grave, it was always my great-aunt's children.
But my two great-uncles, apart from showing up once when my grandmother passed away, have been almost completely out of touch with us over the years, never caring about us at all.
Over time, they naturally lost contact with each other, and their relationship became increasingly distant.
The little BMW drove along the winding asphalt road, the trees on both sides of the road rushing past.
Yu Huan rolled down the car window, and fresh air, carrying a cool breeze, instantly rushed into the car.
He took a deep breath, and vague fragments of his childhood involuntarily surfaced in his mind. His elders sat together, occasionally mentioning his grandmother's past in Yanjing, and his thoughts drifted away.
Yu Huan knew all too well the old man's attitude towards his great-uncles.
From the very beginning, the two great-uncles disliked the old man, and when the old man tried to communicate with them, they would quickly fall out.
As the days went by, this indifference, like a dull knife, gradually deepened the estrangement between them. Now, this distant relationship is as difficult to cross as a chasm.
Yu Huan's gaze inadvertently swept across the flat, straight road ahead, which seemed to have no end, and suddenly a thought struck her.
Taking advantage of the smooth road conditions, he turned his head to look at the old man sitting in the passenger seat and asked, "Grandpa, why don't you come with us to Yanjing? You can visit your great-aunt and also take the opportunity to look around and have some fun."
The old man, who was leisurely gazing at the scenery outside the window, was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, as if he had not expected Yu Huan to say such a thing.
However, he quickly came to his senses, waved his hand gently, and said with a touch of emotion, "No, no, I'm too old, my old arms and legs can't take long journeys. You young people can go, have fun."
Upon hearing these words, Yu Songnian's eyes lit up instantly.
He hurriedly leaned forward from the back seat and said loudly, "Brother Huan is absolutely right! Grandpa, you're just idling around at home all the time."
"This……"
The old man's gaze began to wander, a hint of hesitation in his eyes.
His fingers unconsciously tapped lightly on his knees, betraying his inner turmoil.
Yu Songnian keenly noticed the old man's subtle movement, gripping the back of the front seat with both hands and leaning forward even more.
He practically whispered in the old man's ear, teasingly saying, "Grandpa, look around now! So many old men and women your age are going on tours. Now your grandson is taking you along, aren't you going? This is such a rare opportunity!"
Yu Huan chimed in at the opportune moment, a bright smile spreading across her face, and said in a lighthearted tone, "Exactly! It would be such a waste not to take this great opportunity! We might as well go!"
The old man sighed softly, a helpless yet expectant smile appearing on his face. He said, "My old arms and legs are probably just a burden to you... But Huanhuan, how many days do you and Yourong plan to stay in Yanjing?"
Yu Huan naturally sensed the insincerity in the old man's words.
He immediately replied without hesitation: "Just two or three days, not too long, not too short. Visit some relatives and do some sightseeing in the city. You'll have enough time, and it definitely won't tire you out."
The old man coughed slightly and said, seemingly casually, "About You Rong..."
Before the old man could finish speaking, Yu Huan interrupted, "Don't worry, there won't be any problems with You Rong."
Upon hearing this, the old man finally nodded slightly and said with a hint of anticipation, "Alright, I'll go to Yanjing too and see what changes have taken place over the years."
“Changsha is changing so fast, the changes in the capital must be even greater!” Yu Songnian urged enthusiastically. “Especially the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube built for the Olympics, Grandpa really has to go and see them with his own eyes, they are truly magnificent!”
The old man stroked his chin and said, "Now that you mention it, Yanjing really is worth a trip. But it depends on whether your brother Huan and the others have time to accompany this old man on a leisurely stroll!"
“Of course I have time!” Yu Huan replied without hesitation, her tone resolute.
The little BMW drove along amidst the laughter and conversation of the grandfather, grandfather, and grandson.
Before we knew it, we had arrived at the wide bend of the Liuyang River...
Time flies, like a bird soaring across the sky, and before we know it, it's dusk. The sunset on the horizon is like a spilled palette of paint, coloring the sky with vibrant hues.
The three of them rushed home for lunch and then returned to the river to continue fishing.
However, the catch that day was not plentiful, except for the old man who was quite lucky and caught a carp weighing one pound and six ounces.
Besides that, there were a dozen or so crucian carp of various sizes. When I got home, I weighed them on a scale in the yard, and they weighed a little over five pounds in total.
The last rays of sunlight shone into the courtyard.
Old Yu sat on a small stool, his back slightly hunched, processing today's catch of fish. He held a cleaver in his hand, deftly flipping it up and down, and fish scales fell off the blade one by one, making a soft rustling sound.
Yu Songnian stood next to Lao Yu, a cigarette between his fingers.
He squinted slightly, squatted down with a grin, and said, "Uncle, come on, have a smoke and take a break."
"it is good."
Old Yu smiled and turned his head to the side, waiting for Yu Songnian to bring the cigarette to his lips before gently taking it in his mouth.
With a crisp "snap," the lighter emitted an orange-red flame that flickered gently in the breeze.
Old Yu took a deep breath, and white smoke instantly and slowly billowed out of his mouth, rising into the air.
While blowing smoke rings, he glanced sideways at Yu Huan standing not far away and said jokingly, "I'm busy as a bee here, and my son is just standing there with his hands on his hips. My nephew even knows to offer me a cigarette!"
As he spoke, his hands did not stop moving at all. The blade skillfully sliced open the fish's belly, his technique was skillful and smooth, and the internal organs were cleanly and neatly removed.
Yu Huan smiled brightly and quickly replied, "Dad, I don't smoke! Besides, look at these few fish. For you, a master fish-cleaning expert, it's a piece of cake. You can handle it easily. If I were to try, I'm afraid I'd be clumsy and you'd have to redo it, which would be a real hassle."
Old Yu shrugged lightly and said with a smile, "Your quick wit really comes from your grandfather."
At this moment, Grandpa Yu, who also had a cigarette dangling from his lips, immediately retorted with a smile: "I've been eloquent and persuasive since I was a child. This kid was so quiet and reserved when he was young. He's such a good talker now. He's been through a lot in the world."
Yu Songnian chuckled and chimed in, "It's like one is an innate sacred body and the other is an acquired sacred body."
“Songnian,” Old Yu, a Chinese language teacher, put on airs and lectured with a hint of sarcasm, “read less of those online novels. They’re all just wild and unfounded nonsense. Spend more time reading world classics. Those are the real books that can nourish your soul.”
Yu Huan couldn't help but chuckle and quickly said, "The book 'Covering the Sky' is quite good, Song Nian. Is it nearing its end?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" Yu Songnian nodded hurriedly, shaking his head up and down like he was pounding garlic.
He then turned to Old Yu with a big laugh and said, "Fourth Uncle, look at Huan-ge, a top student, a graduate of a top university. Even he reads online novels, so it's not too much for me to read a little too, right? 'Covering the Sky' incorporates a lot of historical and cultural knowledge, and I've really learned a lot from reading it."
Grandpa Yu leisurely puffed on his cigarette, squinted at Old Yu, and said half-jokingly, "Fourth brother, don't laugh at others for being just as bad. Back in the day, when your generation was obsessed with martial arts novels, weren't you also engrossed in them day and night? If we didn't let you read them, you would secretly hide under the covers and read them with a flashlight. The enthusiasm you had for them was... tsk tsk."
Upon hearing this, Lao Yu couldn't help but sigh.
A look of embarrassment and helplessness crossed his face as he said, "Dad, you've really exposed all my secrets..."
The voice just fell.
Yu Huan and Yu Songnian exchanged a glance and then burst into hearty laughter.
Laughter echoed through the courtyard.
Grandpa Yu chuckled a few times, then looked up at the sky.
The western sky was dyed orange-red by the setting sun, resembling a magnificent oil painting.
The old man withdrew his gaze, turned to look at Yu Huan, and said gently, "Didn't you plan to bring some fresh vegetables back to the city to eat? You're just standing here anyway, why don't you go to the vegetable garden and pick some vegetables? It's not too late yet."
Yu Huan smiled and replied, "Okay, that's exactly what I was thinking about."
As he spoke, he turned around, raised his arm naturally, and gently patted Yu Songnian's shoulder, everything understood without words.
Yu Songnian understood immediately, knowing that he was being asked to help. He grinned and flicked the cigarette butt, which had burned out, into the drain beside him. The sparks drew a faint arc in the air before going out.
Then, he quickly caught up with Yu Huan, and the two walked side by side toward the vegetable garden...
As time passed, dusk gradually descended from the horizon, enveloping the world that had been so clear and bright during the day.
The scenery that was clearly visible during the day gradually became blurred.
The little BMW parked in the front yard was actually quite conspicuous.
Everyone in the neighborhood knew that "Brother Leader" was back, and the news spread like wildfire.
At this moment, a large number of relatives and friends had already gathered in front of the gate. They were in twos and threes, talking in hushed tones or craning their necks to look around, creating a lively scene.
The dim streetlights cast a faint glow, and the swaying shadows of people intertwined to create a lively and vibrant scene full of life.
Yu Huan weaved through the crowd, a sincere and enthusiastic smile always on her face.
He handled things with ease, greeting elders respectfully and exchanging pleasantries warmly.
When someone asked to take a photo with him, he readily agreed, standing generously in front of the camera and showing his approachable side.
When they met familiar young people, they would start chatting and banter, exchanging witty remarks that made everyone around them laugh.
Amid the lively atmosphere, Yu Huan keenly seized a break in the conversation. He politely said goodbye to everyone and, taking advantage of the brief moment, quickly opened the car door and nimbly sat in the driver's seat.
As the engine hummed softly, he drove away slowly, the little BMW leisurely pulling out of the parking lot.
Yu Huan glanced back in the rearview mirror. Under the dim streetlights, the outlines of the crowd were indistinct. As the car drove further and further away, those images gradually blurred until they disappeared from sight... (End of Chapter)