Upon hearing this, Shen Qiang sighed and said, "Uncle, so this New Year's, it's just you and Aunt at home?"

The cornet player with pockmarks nodded, smoking a cigarette, and said, "Lian Shi's girlfriend is pretty good, her parents are also fond of Lian Shi, but they don't like that the families are too far apart. I just said, as long as the two are suitable, it doesn't matter where they live their lives. So, Lian Shi is going to her house for New Year's this year."

The third uncle asked, "Will he come back to see you after the New Year?"

The cornet player with pockmarks replied, "Why bother? Lian Shi starts work on the fifth day of the New Year, and it's far from home. I don't let him come back. Making money is what counts. His mom and I are healthy, no need for him to come back and fuss."

"Young people are getting fewer and fewer in the village." Old uncle Wu, sitting on a stone bench, smoking, sighed as he said, "The village used to be full of people, groups of kids laughing and playing, now you can't see them anymore."

"Yes, except for those still in school, they all leave after the New Year and come back at the end of the year. In recent years, more and more don't even return for the Spring Festival."

"What can we do? Our kids, in the South, make five to six thousand a month. What can they do when they return home? If they don't venture outside, relying on a few acres of land, they can't even have porridge. If they don't go out and make something of themselves while they're young, what will they do?"

"Sigh, we used to see some people at the end of the year, now the young are all outside. Those kids who study at home come and go during winter and summer holidays, but more people are leaving."

"Yes, like Qiangzi, who can come back punctually at the end of the year, are few. Only a few days off a year, going home is a big deal, with expenses everywhere. I even told them not to come back. Earning money is not easy, but the kid wouldn't listen. Last year, my youngest came back on the twenty-ninth of the twelfth lunar month and left early on the first, just had a meal and slept a few hours. But what can we do? Such is life; can you not go back to work?"

"Sigh, it's not easy for anyone. My kid wants to stay in the city now but can't afford a house. They want to come back but have no job, just stuck there, not up nor down."

Listening to them, Shen Qiang felt a complex mix of emotions.

In fact, if it weren't for gaining the Immortal opportunity, how would Shen Qiang's life be different from theirs?

Unable to stay in the big city, dreams that can't be fulfilled, a hometown that can't be returned to, a migratory bird-like Spring Festival.

Just as he was thinking this, his dad came holding a large thermos and a bundle of plastic cups, a chess set, and set them on the stone table at the door, saying, "Qiangzi, come inside."

Shen Qiang answered and said, "You guys stay here, I'll go inside."

Saying that, Shen Qiang walked into the house.

Then he heard people at the door whispering to his dad.

"Shen Honest, truly a fool has fool's luck. Look at you, usually in the village can't even be bothered, see your son, isn't he much better than you, the entire village, when you look around now, only your Qiangzi really made something of himself."

"Yeah, many people have left the village, but few truly did well outside. It's tough for everyone. The kid is back, so don't nag him too much. My kid, as soon as they come back, complains that I'm nagging, but I can't stop. Once they leave, you miss them; when they're around, you find them annoying."

"It's good just to have them back, never cared how much money they earn, as long as they're doing well."

They were chatting, drinking tea, soaking up the sun, and playing chess in the open space outside the main gate.

Back inside the house, Shen Qiang looked at his mom, who was smiling and in a super good mood, and felt very complex.

"Mom, maybe I should move back next year to keep you and Dad company," Shen Qiang said.

When his mom heard this, she got anxious: "Don't talk nonsense. You are in the Provincial City now, with a career, a house, a job, so many people envy this. What would you come home for? Do you think you can farm better than a tractor?"

Shen Qiang fell silent.

After hesitating for a while, he said, "How about you and Dad come with me after the New Year?"

"No," Shen Qiang's mom said, "Your dad and I get up at five in the morning and sleep after eight in the evening. Can you handle that? Besides, what would we do there? We can't manage things, don't know anything, go there to be fools?"

Seeing Shen Qiang sitting there somewhat dejectedly, his mom lowered her voice and said, "You silly boy, don't listen to what others say. Your dad and I are doing very well at home, have been used to it for a long time, now living in a big house, happy all day long, can walk over to visit neighbors whenever we like. Going to the Provincial City with you, we won't even have anyone to bicker with, we're not going."

"Unless your dad and I are both seventy or eighty and can't even cook anymore, then wherever you are, we'll go, at that time, you must take good care of us."

"Alright."

Seeing that his mom was as stubborn as his dad, Shen Qiang was at a loss.

Noticing Shen Qiang's spirits seemed low, his mom laughed, "After dinner, go to town and buy two sets of mahjong tiles, the girls are bored, I'll play mahjong with them."

Shen Qiang laughed, "You won't take them visiting, but play mahjong at home?"

Shen Qiang's mom rolled her eyes and said, "If you really brought back an ordinary girl, I'd take them visiting. But they're all as beautiful as fairies, taking them visiting would just make people envious during the festival."

"Besides, you brought back so many at once, how do I introduce them? How do I explain to others? So forget it, I'll just play mahjong at home with them."

Hearing this, Shen Qiang laughed.

A short while later, the beautiful demon fox Chu Qing and Lv Shuyao, the two main chefs, along with other girls, had already prepared the wine and dishes. Shen Qiang called his dad to eat and especially invited those at the door, but they didn't come, most had eaten already, those who hadn't didn't come either. After all, they were used to hanging out at the roadside, chatting and soaking up the sun, but when it came to eating at Shen Qiang's house, they didn't come.

Shen Qiang's dad went inside.

The family was divided into two tables.

Everyone was on the heated k'ang, nice and warm underneath, very comfortable.

Shen Qiang's dad was happy and even had a glass of white wine in the morning.

Shen Qiang didn't drink; now Shen Qiang's cultivation had already reached the middle stage of the Yang God Realm, so even seventy-two degree burning liquor could be sobered up with a quick turn of True Yuan, which made orange juice a more refreshing option.

They were eating joyfully.

Mom and Dad kept complimenting.

"This dish is really well made; I've cooked all my life but can't make this flavor."

"Hahaha, it's much better than Shen Qiang's mom's cooking."

Everyone ate happily, and after eating, Shen Qiang took out two Timeless Beauty Pills from his pocket, placed them in front of his parents, and smiled, "Dad, Mom, I especially prepared these for you two, the latest high-tech beauty product, eat one to stay youthful, better than an immortal."

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