latelenovela Chapter 115 It’s rare to be confused
Chapter 115 It’s rare to be confused
It was another sunny morning, and the small courtyard was bustling with activity. Usually quiet and deserted, the courtyard was now filled with chatter as Xiao Bao brought four children. They were either picking vegetables in the garden or fruit from the trees. In short, the courtyard was filled with laughter and joy, something the elderly couple hadn't experienced in many years. It was Gong Yong who brought joy to the couple, a joy in their later years.
After breakfast, the children were playing cards in the sunshine outside when they heard the sound of a car approaching in the distance. They all knew it was either their eldest aunt or their second aunt. They put down their cards, looked towards the intersection, and saw several familiar license plates and cars. They laughed and joked as they finished playing cards and went to the entrance of the courtyard to greet their eldest aunt, her husband, and their children, their cousins.
As soon as my aunt and uncle got out of the car, the children crowded around them, calling out "Auntie!" and "Uncle!" Their affection was heartwarming. Inside the courtyard, the adults sat together chatting, while the children played and laughed. Around noon, the aroma of food wafted from the kitchen, and the family gathered around the table, enjoying this cozy moment. In the afternoon, the sun grew warmer; some rested in the shade, while others continued exploring the courtyard. The lively atmosphere gradually subsided as the sun set, but the joyful day was etched deeply in everyone's hearts.
As evening fell, they heard cars approaching again. They were certain their second aunt and uncle were arriving. The children excitedly ran to the intersection to wait for them. They all knew their second uncle was a mysterious figure, with white hair and eyebrows, someone they always looked at with a sense of wonder, even though they had lived together for a long time.
The car slowly drove into the courtyard. There were already three cars parked in front, making this the fourth. When the second son and his wife got out, there were already six children in the courtyard, all chattering away. It was unclear whether it was because the white-haired man had existed for too long—over 5000 years without a reproductive system—or something else entirely. In any case, his cultivation was too high, which might have affected his fertility, resulting in the second son and his wife never having children. Therefore, they cherished their eldest sister's children and their younger brother's children.
Dinner was a grand feast of twenty-four dishes prepared by their grandfather. The children ate the delicious food he had prepared for them amidst laughter and chatter. The best ingredients were all grown in their own yard—simple yet full of love. After dinner, everyone went to wash up. The original plan was for everyone to go to bed, but after the children went to sleep, the adults chatted around the old man and their second uncle, catching up on things over the past few years. They hadn't seen their second uncle for several years, and they missed him quite a bit, but time always seems to be unpredictable.
As the night deepened, the adults' conversations gradually subsided, and the courtyard slowly fell asleep in the tranquil moonlight, leaving behind only warm and beautiful memories, awaiting the arrival of a new day.
The children began their exploration the next day. Their grandfather, Gong Yong, led them to catch fish and shrimp, and to the fields to find loaches and eels. They also picked pomelos from the fields and carried them home. The children didn't seem tired at all; they felt that fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boys had boundless energy. They were busy in the small courtyard, laughing and chatting.
The pomelos were growing well in the mountains, and no one expected them to be picked so quickly. But the young men busied themselves picking all the peaches and pomelos from their second uncle's orchard on the mountain and taking them home. Gong Yong said, "You'll pick too many; you can't preserve them." The children suddenly remembered that they had their own personal spaces, right? They could just store them in their own spaces, wouldn't that be enough? But then they thought of their second uncle's house. Their second uncle also had a personal space, given to him by his grandmother/mother, but it didn't seem to be with him. Gong Yong hadn't noticed whether his younger brother had it or not, but the children seemed to have. Gong Yong felt embarrassed and asked his brother, but the children persisted. They asked, "Second Uncle, where's your personal space?" The second uncle said, "I put it away." Was it really put away? No one knew; only his second uncle knew the truth.
As evening fell, the children sat together, still discussing where their second uncle's spatial dimension had gone. Grandpa Gong Yong shook his head with a smile, saying that children's curiosity was just too strong. The second uncle listened silently to the side, a mysterious smile on his face. That night, the courtyard was once again filled with the children's arguments and laughter, the sounds drifting in the night sky as if they would never stop.
During the summer vacation, aside from doing their homework in the courtyard, the children spent most of their time wandering around the area. They would help pick fruit, catch fish and shrimp in the nearby pond, and in short, they tried everything you could imagine and even things you couldn't do in the countryside. Their coworkers didn't supervise them much, only reminding them to be careful.
The adults stayed in the courtyard with the elderly for about 10 or 20 days before leaving. The children, on the other hand, stayed with their grandfather and their great-uncle for the entire summer vacation, two months, until school was about to start. Only then did Xiaobao and Coco come back to pick up the children and take them back to their current city for classes.
The courtyard finally quieted down, and Gong Yong felt the chattering noise in his head disappear instantly. He sat in the rocking chair, reminiscing about the lively fun the children had brought this summer, a slight smile playing on his lips. Sunlight streamed into the courtyard, making everything seem so peaceful and beautiful, but without the children, something felt missing.
The second child said, "Sigh, it's a little hard to get used to the kids leaving."
Gong Yong said, "Yes, when they were here, I thought they were noisy, but after they left, I missed them a little."
The second son said, "Several of my children, my grandchildren and great-grandchildren, haven't come back here for many years."
Gong Yong said, "Didn't my grandson and granddaughter just spend two months with you? Don't you find it noisy?"
The second son said, "Those are your descendants."
Gong Yong said, "If your descendants don't come to be with you, there's nothing I can do."
The second brother said, "Brother, I envy you."
Guo Yong said, "What do you envy about me?"
The second son said, "I envy you for having such a good sister-in-law."
Guo Yong said, "My sister-in-law is very good too."
The second brother said, "Your sister-in-law is very good, but she doesn't know how to raise children as well as your sister-in-law does."
Gong Yong said, "Your child grew up with his grandparents. What does it have to do with your younger siblings? Don't blame your younger siblings for not raising your child well. Part of the fault lies with you."
The second son said, "I know it's my problem."
Gong Yong said, "Since you know it's your own problem, don't talk nonsense. Your sister-in-law will be sad too."
Gong Yong said, "My wife and I both know that we both have problems."
The two brothers were silent for a while, then the younger brother sighed and said, "Sigh, we should keep in touch with the children more often in the future."
Gong Yong nodded: "Yes, as elders, we should take the initiative." A gentle breeze blew through the courtyard, seemingly reflecting on their conversation.
Gong Yong spent nearly half a year in this peaceful life with the elderly couple. The couple had no illnesses, but they felt that they were about to leave this place.
One day, the second brother suddenly said, "Brother, I miss my children. Please call them and tell them to come back soon."
Gong Yong said, "Okay, I'll call it for you."
Gong Yong called his brother's daughter and son-in-law and said, "Why don't you come back for a visit soon?"
The girl across from him asked, "Uncle, what's up?"
Gong Yong said, "Your parents miss you."
The girl said, "I'm so busy with work that I can't get time off."
Gong Yong said, "No matter how busy you are, get back within a week."
The little girl said, "I might not be able to get time off, Da Bai."
Gong Yong said, "Then let's just quit our jobs."
The little girl said, "If I quit my job, what will I eat?"
Gong Yong said, "You'll starve." Guo Yong angrily hung up the phone.
Then he called his brother's son and said, "Come back within a week and see your parents."
The young man said, "I'm busy, I'm at work, uncle."
Gong Yong said, "Your parents are not well, you have to come back."
The young man said, "My dad is in great health. He called me the other day and was full of energy. Uncle, don't talk so much. Did he fall or bump into something?"
Gong Yong said, "No, but your dad misses you all, so come back for a visit."
The young man said, "Dabai hasn't had a day off lately."
Gong Yong asked, "When do you have time off?" The young man on the other end of the line fell silent, and Gong Yong hung up the phone.
He returned to his room, unsure how to tell his brother and sister-in-law. The two children's response—a deep sigh—said nothing but bitterness. Gong Yong sat helplessly in his chair, his brow furrowed, his heart filled with heartache for his brother and disappointment at the children's lack of understanding.
Gong Yong knew in his heart that he had been the same way before. He was busy with work and his own family all day long, and had no time to visit his parents. In the past, whenever he had a holiday, he would drive his whole family back to his hometown, a journey of hundreds of kilometers that would take several hours, just to go back and see his parents.
But as time goes by, children grow up, and one's free time outside of work decreases. As the elderly grow older, whether or not one visits them, whether or not one is filial, is not truly determined by time or money, but by whether or not one has the heart to care.
At this moment, Gong Yong gazed at the scenery outside the window, his thoughts racing. He knew that maintaining family ties couldn't rely solely on occasional visits; it required daily care and companionship. Yet, the harsh realities of life caused so many to neglect this most precious emotion amidst their busy schedules. He resolved that, no matter what, he would make time for his loved ones, to prevent such regrets from happening again.
But Gong Yong looked back and wondered how many relatives he still had ties with. His own parents had passed away long ago, and his wife's parents and in-laws had also passed away 10 years ago. He and his wife were like strangers. He and his children and brothers... Thinking about it, he felt dejected and sat on a small stool under the eaves, looking into the distance, filled with an indescribable sense of desolation.
Because of his years of cultivation, many of the people he once knew had turned to dust. Gong Yong's eyes were filled with desolation and a sense of loss; he couldn't help but lament the ruthlessness of time and the fragility of life. Those once familiar faces had all vanished, leaving him alone to wander the world. A gentle breeze blew by, seemingly soothing his lonely heart.
He could imagine that, like many people in spiritual practice, he watched as those around him grew old, left, and died, while he alone remained alive in this world. In this world, his once familiar relatives, children, and grandchildren declined one by one before his eyes, while he himself still lived on in this human realm.
Is it loneliness? Is it solitude? Is it a disillusionment with the vicissitudes of life? When a spiritual practitioner reaches a certain level of enlightenment, the people around them pass away one by one. The desolation and desolation in their heart are something few can truly understand.
Gong Yong gazed silently at the sky, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He pondered what his pursuit of spiritual cultivation on this long journey of life had truly brought him. Was it wisdom that transcended the mundane world, or endless loneliness and desolation? Perhaps this was a question that would never have an answer. But he knew that, regardless, life had to go on, and he had to find his own peace and strength in this solitude.
Gong Yong took out his phone and dialed his son's number, telling him that his second uncle might be leaving soon and he hoped they could come and visit. After receiving the call, Xiao Bao also called the bosses of the companies where his second uncle's two children worked, hoping they would approve the two young people's leave. Because the jobs for these two young people were arranged by Gong Yong and Xiao Bao, it was a connection Xiao Bao had unintentionally made. Although he hadn't let his second uncle and their children know, it was essentially Gong Yong doing something for them.
When the two young people finally got their leave approved by their boss and were overjoyed, they rushed home to pack their things and head back. Meanwhile, Xiao Bao, whose children were still in school, entrusted their affairs to Xiao Xue and hurriedly headed back to his hometown with his second sister, brother-in-law, and eldest sister, all wanting to spend the last moments of their elderly parents' leisure time with them.
Despite all the careful planning, no one had anticipated that while everyone was filled with emotion, the two elderly people sat quietly in their rocking chairs, the afterglow of the setting sun casting a peaceful glow on their faces. However, as several younger relatives entered the village and walked into the courtyard, before they could even exchange a word with the old couple, they had already passed away peacefully in their rocking chairs—both husband and wife, at the same time. Gong Yong felt an overwhelming sense of desolation, tears welling in his eyes.
At this moment, a somber atmosphere filled the courtyard. Everyone stood silently, recalling the moments they had spent with the elderly man, their hearts filled with regret and reluctance.
Gong Yong recalled the few words his younger brother said before he left.
The younger brother said, "Big brother, I've been quite confused all my life."
Gong Yong said, "Being muddleheaded is actually quite good."
My sister-in-law said, "Brother, I'll have to trouble you to look after the child from now on."
The second brother said again, "Brother, I've lived my whole life in a daze. It's better to be a little confused, a little confused is better."
These words still seemed to echo in Gong Yong's ears, each one like a needle piercing his heart.
He gazed into the distance, lost in deep memories and contemplation.