033 House Viewing (I)

Money opens doors, and Lin's father was nothing if not efficient. Just two weeks into the new school term in September, he had already found a suitable house. That morning, neither Lin's father nor mother went to the market for business; the family slept in and had breakfast around ten o'clock, locked the main gate, and set off to the county town to view the property.

The county town bore a refined name: Rongcheng. "All rivers run into the sea; capacity makes greatness." The name Rongcheng was chosen for its meaning, embracing all things. Though it was merely a small county, its cost of living was not modest. When Lin Xia later attended university, she found that the expenses in W City were actually lower than those in Rongcheng. Of course, that might be because W City was a college town.

Now, the family boarded the bus, heading toward Rongcheng. Besides house-hunting, Lin's parents also planned to rent a small shopfront to run a modest business. Their finances were less strained now, so they intended to open a small supermarket first, observe the market, and then decide on their next move. Lin Xia wholeheartedly supported this idea.

The Lin family had been small vendors for more than a decade. Lin’s mother, exposed to the cold winds for years and unaware of proper care in her youth, had developed rheumatism. Even in summer, she dared not wear clothes that exposed her knees. This was Lin’s mother's persistent worry. So every winter, Lin Xia and her brother would wrap their mother up tightly. It became a habit; later, when Lin Xia went to university, she noticed classmates in their twenties suffering from rheumatism, their knees aching whenever it rained, even more reliably than the weather forecast. All because they neglected to guard against the cold when young.

Thinking about this, Lin Xia felt extremely satisfied with their plan. She was only in eighth grade, had time to write, and possessed a “space” cheat. Whenever she hadn’t finished her writing, she’d simply stay inside, since barely any time passed in the outside world while she was in there. With this in mind, Lin Xia felt confident about the future, convinced their family’s life would only get better, their prospects shining bright.

After getting off the bus and leaving the station, the Lin family of four walked toward Second Aunt’s home. Her apartment complex was not far from the station, located in the heart of the county town. Nearing the entrance, Lin’s mother stopped by a small supermarket to buy some fruit as a gift, then, with Lin’s father and the siblings, proceeded to Second Aunt’s home.

Building Two, Room 302.

“Ding dong—ding dong—” Lin Hui pressed the doorbell, and soon Second Aunt opened the door.

“Aunt, Uncle,” Lin Xia and Lin Hui called out sweetly.

“Oh, you didn’t have to bring gifts,” Second Aunt said, casting a playful glance at Lin’s mother.

“Don’t stand in the doorway, let them come in,” Second Uncle said with a gentle smile.

Second Uncle’s face was naturally kind; even when angry, he made people want to laugh. He had a good temper and rarely lost it. At least, in Lin Xia’s nearly thirty years of memory, she had never seen him truly angry.

“Have you eaten? I still have dishes cooking in the pot—just eat here,” Second Aunt said, turning to Second Uncle, “You entertain them and pour some tea, I’ll check the food.” With that, she briskly entered the kitchen.

Lin’s mother replied, “Oh, don’t trouble yourself—we already ate, don’t cook too much rice.”

“How could that be? You rarely visit, you can’t just leave without sharing a meal,” Second Aunt’s voice mingled with the sound of stir-frying from the kitchen.

Lin’s mother hurried to insist, “Really, we already ate. Besides, if we end up buying a house in town, we’ll be close, and there’ll be plenty of chances to eat together.”

Despite her protests, when mealtime arrived, Lin’s father was still dragged to the table. Luckily, it was just a little wine and a few simple dishes, quite palatable.

“Do Xia and Hui want to eat a bit more?” Second Aunt asked, sitting beside Lin’s mother with a bowl in hand.

“Oh, don’t fuss over them—those two are sly. Lin Xia’s little satchel is full of snacks. No matter who’s hungry, it won’t be them,” Lin’s mother laughed.

Second Aunt smiled and studied Lin Xia, “It’s been a year since I’ve seen you, Xia—you’ve grown into quite the young lady, gotten taller, and fairer too.”

Lin’s mother replied, “Oh, don’t start with her. At her age, who knows where she learned it—she had someone send her a bunch of cosmetics from Beijing: cleansers, moisturizers, sunscreen, all sorts of lotions. Kids these days! I’ve lived all these years and barely heard of such things.”

“I only heard about that Dabao cream on TV, spent a lot of effort getting her a bottle, and she turned up her nose. Said Dabao was too greasy and not suitable for her skin at her age,” Lin’s mother grumbled, “I’ve scolded her several times, but she always says I don’t understand, and somehow manages to turn the tables on me.”

Though her words sounded annoyed, pride shone from her brow and eyes, which Second Aunt easily noticed. It was criticism on the surface, praise underneath.

Lin Xia, just a kid, could earn eight hundred thousand by casually writing a couple of books. Meanwhile, Second Aunt’s two sons—her eldest already nearly twenty-five—still hadn’t found a wife.

The family lived in this eighty-square-meter apartment; her sons couldn’t save much, and she and her husband had no lucrative business, and it worried her. Yet the youngest sister’s daughter was more capable than any adult—how could Second Aunt not feel envious? She didn’t realize this was the result of Lin’s parents deliberately keeping a low profile. After all, human nature is unpredictable; it’s best not to flaunt one’s wealth.

Thinking of the Lin family moving into town, Second Aunt felt a faint dissatisfaction. Once, her family had been the best off among the sisters. The others had married villagers, but she alone had married into town. Now, the second and fourth sisters’ families were prospering, while hers remained unchanged. Her health had declined in recent years, she couldn’t work, and medical expenses ate up much of their money. Without capital, how could they open a shop?

At this thought, Second Aunt watched Lin’s mother, reflecting: Lin’s parents were still young, and once they moved to town, they’d surely find some work. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to ask them for a little help. Previously, she hadn’t wanted to ask, partly because they lived far apart, and partly because she looked down on the countryside. But now, she was helping them with the house hunt, and after more than a decade, she felt it reasonable to finally ask for assistance.

Thinking so, her smile grew more sincere. As they ate, she chatted with Lin’s mother, probing into their plans.

Lin’s parents had never lived in town, knew nothing of the market, and had no clear plan, so when asked, they had little to say.

Seeing this, Second Aunt wasn’t worried—they were moving nearby, after all. She continued chatting about Lin Xia and Lin Hui, making Lin’s mother beam with joy.

Lin Xia listened quietly, feeling a faint melancholy in her heart.