Early on New Year's Eve, Sun Hui brought her husband to Lu Xuefeng's old den.
The old man returned last night, and as soon as he arrived, Zheng Qilu left immediately. Simon remained, but the old man was eerily silent that night, so much so that Simon didn't dare to say a single word to him.
New Year's Eve would be a dinner for four people, but Lu Xuefeng's attitude towards Lu Jiande and his wife was particularly cold, making them uneasy.
While Lu Xuefeng and Lu Jiande, the grandfather and grandson, were busy in the kitchen, Sun Hui secretly pinched her son's cheek, "Did you make Great-Grandfather unhappy?!"
Simon stammered, "No."
"Then why is he..." Sun Hui paused, "...so difficult to talk to?"
Simon said, "He went to the nursing home yesterday."
"Ah... that's it, that's it, then it makes sense," Sun Hui seemed startled by the words "nursing home." Simon could say he had never seen his mother look like that, her brows tightly furrowed, creating fine, shallow lines like the character 'river' between them. "Did your Great-Grandfather say anything after he came back?"
Simon shook his head and then lowered it. He also felt very tired. The silent demeanor of an elder was a terrifying form of pressure, and Lu Xuefeng had scared him all night yesterday.
Sun Hui fiddled with her phone for a while, about three minutes. During this time, Simon obediently sat down in a chair, propped his elbows on the dining table, and looked towards the kitchen. His father was busy at the chopping board, his clumsy movements making one laugh, while the stove belonged to Great-Grandfather. He was the undisputed king of the kitchen; Lu Jiande, a mere Social Credit Level 3, was just a lowly errand boy. At this moment, the range hood was working hard, but there was still the smell of cooking oil. This was quite normal, wasn't it? There were always scent molecules that could diffuse against the flow, just as a strong wind couldn't carry away all the dust and smoke, just like...
Simon tried hard to find something to compare it to, but failed miserably. Damn, my vocabulary is so poor!
Sun Hui secretly slipped to her son's side and whispered, "Later, during dinner, you should persuade your Great-Grandfather to take the Social Credit exam."
Simon nodded. In his opinion, this matter was actually a sure thing. After all, Great-Grandfather genuinely wanted to take the Social Credit exam. He must have been influenced by a smart, sensible, and energetic child like me. He also wanted to pass the Social Credit exam, return to public view, and chat more with the younger generation.
Oh right, Simon remembered an important question, "Mom, where did Great-Grandmother go?"
Sun Hui shushed him, nervously glancing at Lu Xuefeng's back. Seeing that he was still busy, she breathed a sigh of relief, pulled her son up, and took him outside to talk privately.
"Don't mention Great-Grandmother in front of your Great-Grandfather from now on, okay?"
Simon nodded. He had been here for many days, and there was no trace of Great-Grandmother in the house. That woman, who was so important even in the family tree, could disappear so silently.
"Your Great-Grandmother went to a very distant place..." Sun Hui prevaricated with her son. She was serious when she said this, as she herself had once been deceived in the same way.
The idea that people go to a distant place after death is an ancient fantasy, one that doesn't stand up to scrutiny for modern people.
After all, in the past, being separated by mountains and seas meant eternal parting, but now, even if you go to another planet, you can still communicate in real-time.
Simon didn't ask where that distant place was; he probably knew it was a tragedy. Great-Grandmother's story was hidden in Great-Grandfather's years; no one would bring it up.
"Dinner!" Lu Jiande took off his apron and set the dishes on the table. Looking at the fully laden table, it was rare for any family's dinner table to look so splendid on an ordinary day. It was only during the New Year, on New Year's Eve, that having dinner with the elders was considered a beautiful thing to talk about.
In Lu Jiande's heart, this was a task to be completed as part of a routine. With such high work pressure these days, who still had that kind of genuine feeling, right? It was a new era; no one remembered the Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars. So he was the most relaxed of the four, which was also related to his low emotional intelligence. Even seeing the pitifully haphazardly chopped vegetables, he felt no shame at all.
Simon responded loudly and scurried into the living room. Sun Hui paced by the door until her husband repeatedly urged her, then she put away her phone and went inside.
During the meal, even a stubborn old man like Lu Xuefeng showed a touch of warmth, and the atmosphere was truly harmonious. The only thing missing on this New Year's Eve was the traditional program of a projected gathering, but there was nothing to be done; Great-Grandfather didn't have that privilege. Before coming, Lu Jiande and his wife had already informed their relatives, and everyone was very understanding.
Simon poked at the potato and onion stew for a while. His father's knife skills made both the cook and the eater feel the suffering of these potatoes and onions. Some were too thin and had turned to mush, while others were as thick as radish sticks, their cores still hard. Eating them was a series of surprises.
Sun Hui began to give her son a look. Simon understood, swallowed a mouthful of rice, and looked up with an innocent smile, "Great-Grandfather."
Lu Xuefeng was still chewing but put down his bowl and chopsticks, adopting a listening posture.
"Do you want to take the Social Credit exam?"
Lu Xuefeng swallowed his food and coldly uttered two words, "No exam."
Lu Jiande was a bit bewildered. He looked at his wife, then his son, then his grandfather. Even he felt the atmosphere at the dinner table suddenly drop.
Sun Hui gently persuaded, "Grandfather, you see, you're not young anymore. You should pass the Social Credit exam early. Then you can retire, and we'll take you to live in the city, or whichever family you want to live with..."
Lu Xuefeng interrupted her, "No, I won't go." He continued eating.
Lu Jiande, "Grandfather... uh, are you unhappy?" He cautiously probed. Lu Xuefeng completely ignored him.
Simon, "Great-Grandfather, are you angry?" Lu Xuefeng put down his bowl and chopsticks and said gently, "No, you should eat quickly. Don't worry about Great-Grandfather's business."
Lu Jiande, "..." They say there's a special bond between grandparents and grandchildren, but you're two generations removed.
After dinner, what's next?
The Spring Festival Gala was about to begin. As a traditional program that was just shy of a hundred years old, even if its content was increasingly overlooked, the program itself was solemn, sacred, and well worth watching with the whole family.
Simon felt a bit listless after eating. Moreover, he was truly disappointed. Great-Grandfather's refusal at the dinner table was so blunt, like snapping a sugarcane, cutting off all conversation. It seemed he really didn't want to take the Social Credit exam anymore?
Just because he went to a nursing home once?
If he passed the Social Credit exam, he could enjoy his golden years at his children's and grandchildren's homes, but he just wouldn't. Was the nursing home that appealing? Simon pondered in a daze, his eyelids unconsciously drooping.
Before falling asleep, his last thought was, what should I eat tomorrow morning?
When he woke up, he was already in the car heading to the train station. Forget about eating; he wouldn't even get a fart.
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