Jiang Cheng stood outside the train station, tiptoeing to look around.

A mass of people came out, carrying large bags and small bundles along with sacks, some on their shoulders, some carried on poles, and some in baskets.

Finally, Jiang Cheng saw Ma Chunhua.

Jiang Cheng smiled knowingly.

Ma Chunhua was definitely wearing her best clothes, just like the intentions of Ma’s old bones.

They both wanted the other to know they were doing well.

"Ma Chunhua!"

Jiang Cheng raised her hand and shouted.

The somewhat anxious Ma Chunhua’s heart calmed for a few seconds upon seeing Jiang Cheng.

"Jiang Cheng!"

They both walked toward each other to meet.

"Jiang Cheng, this is my dad Qi Dong, my mom Liu Hua, and this is my husband Zhou Chenghui."

Ma Chunhua introduced everyone, and Jiang Cheng greeted them all.

She led the way out of the train station, guiding the whole family to a truck.

"I originally planned to borrow a couple of sedans, but it couldn’t be arranged."

"Jiang Cheng, this — this—this"

Ma Chunhua wanted to ask if there could be a car.

She thought they would just walk back.

Even if there was a car, she expected it to be at most a donkey cart or horse carriage.

Who would have thought there was a truck.

"No need for this, Master Ma has helped our family several times. I’m just helping to run errands. Everyone get in the car."

Jiang Cheng opened the truck door. Ma Chunhua’s adoptive parents, holding two small children, got in, and Ma Chunhua squeezed in after them.

Ma Chunhua’s husband sat in the front, and Jiang Cheng sat alone in the cargo compartment.

She patted the truck, and Master Li inside the truck waved his hand and drove off.

The truck was borrowed by Jiang Cheng from the food factory this morning.

When borrowing the truck, she coincidentally met Factory Director Fang from the textile factory.

As Jiang Cheng left, Factory Director Fang’s gaze was full of resentment.

He specifically reminded her, "Our textile factory has cars too!"

Jiang Cheng could only placate him by saying, "I know you’re not at the factory, and I’m not familiar with the others, so I was embarrassed to ask."

Director Lu next to them pouted in disbelief.

You’re embarrassed?

Ha.

Regardless, Jiang Cheng, who smoothly borrowed the truck, gave Master Li two boxes of cigarettes and brought a piece of good fabric for Master Li’s sister-in-law.

The truck quickly reached the alley entrance of Ma’s old bones’ house in just a few minutes.

The truck couldn’t enter.

Jiang Cheng jumped off the truck and called for them to get out.

Inside the truck, as Ma Chunhua entered this street, a flood of memories washed over her.

Her adoptive mother Liu Hua, a very gentle woman, held Ma Chunhua’s hand.

"Take your time, no rush."

"Yeah."

Ma Chunhua tried hard to control her emotions and tears.

The moment she got out of the truck, the small alley in front of her overlapped with the scene in her dreams.

At the end of the alley...

An old man with a bent back struggled to straighten up, his eyes not as bright as in her memory.

But the emotions within made Ma Chunhua’s tears break the dam, unable to hold them back.

Though she thought it would be hard, a single word slipped out uncontrollably.

"Dad——"

A cry of "Dad" through the currents of memory.

The image of the daughter with braids in Ma’s old bones’ mind gradually merged with the girl before him.

"Yue——Yue Ya!"

Through her tears, Ma Chunhua pulled up the corners of her mouth and shouted loudly, "Yes!"

She was Yue Ya.

As father and daughter reunited, everyone around them was wiping away tears.

"Damn human traffickers."

Grandma Shen wiped a tear and then took Shen Yue and Shen Xing’s hands, softly admonishing, "You must be careful, understand?"

Shen Xing and Shen Yue nodded firmly.

The usually reticent Granny Sun also chimed in, "Those human traffickers should all eat peanuts."

In the small alley, in the middle were the father and daughter clinging to each other in tears.

On both ends were concerned friends and family.

Jiang Cheng took a deep breath, first thanking Master Li with reddened eyes.

Afterward, she went to the middle to offer a few words of comfort.

Having comforted them, Ma Chunhua wiped away her tears and began to introduce her family.

Upon seeing Ma Chunhua’s adoptive parents, Ma’s old bones suddenly fell to his knees with a thud.

No one could stop him.

"Thank you!"

"Thank you!"

Ma’s old bones was truly bowing in gratitude.

Grateful they took in Ma Chunhua, grateful they kept Ma Chunhua’s surname, grateful they sincerely treated Ma Chunhua.

Ma’s old bones’ gratitude brought fresh tears to everyone’s eyes.

After another round of crying, Ma’s old bones was helped up, finally showing a smile.

Because he saw his granddaughter and his little grandson.

The whole family finally entered the house.

Ma Chunhua’s adoptive parents brought out photos of Ma Chunhua as a child.

"When we found Chun Hua, we thought, if someone lost a child, they must be heartbroken."

"So every year we took a picture of Chun Hua so that when we found her biological parents one day, it would be easier to recognize her."

Ma’s old bones must have said thank you until the words were worn out.

But no amount of thanks could express the gratitude in his heart.

Ma’s old bones trembled as he took out a tin box and some yellowed photographs.

The childhood photos from both sides matched.

The two photos with the closest resemblance both had Ma Chunhua’s radiant smile.

The hardships of the time in between seemed to dissipate just like that.

Everything matched, and now it was time for reminiscing, for speaking.

Jiang Cheng stayed inside, chatting with everyone, while Grandma Shen and Granny Sun helped cook.

Inside, they talked about future matters.

With Ma Chunhua bringing her family along, it wasn’t easy to move, but Ma’s old bones being alone could move anytime.

Though reluctant, Ma’s old bones felt more fear.

He feared that moving would add to Ma Chunhua’s burden, scared that he would bring instability to their stable family. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

"Let it be for now. I’ll visit you whenever I’m free. I’ve lived here my whole life; I’m used to it."

"And your mom is here too."

Ma Chunhua didn’t insist.

In truth, moving wasn’t just a matter of words.

At the very least, there needed to be a spare room at home for Ma’s old bones, but she didn’t have one at the moment.

"Then we’ll leave it at that. Dad, come visit me when you can, okay?"

Hearing Ma Chunhua call him Dad, the wrinkles on Ma’s old bones’ face seemed to lessen by a few lines.

"Alright! I’ll definitely come."

Actually, just finding Ma Chunhua and knowing she was doing well had already lifted the burden from Ma’s old bones’ heart.

He wasn’t looking for Ma Chunhua to rely on her for his old age.

"This is good too. Master Ma is only in his fifties, still at an age for hard work. He should earn well, and he has to buy candy for his granddaughter and grandson."

Jiang Cheng’s words brought laughter to everyone.

But Ma’s old bones took it to heart.

At around four in the afternoon, everyone had a meal together.

The meal lasted over an hour.

After dinner, everyone helped tidy up.

Once things were mostly tidied, Jiang Cheng and the others left first.

It was the first time Ma’s old bones came out to see Jiang Cheng off, looking at her with innumerable words in his eyes.

Jiang Cheng still smiled warmly and said, "No need to say it, keep it in mind, I might need your help in the future."

Ma’s old bones nodded very earnestly.

"Jiang Cheng!"

Shen Que came to pick up Jiang Cheng, Grandma Shen, and a few others.

It was Ma’s old bones’ first time seeing Shen Que, and his eyes were involuntarily drawn to Shen Que’s leg, deep in thought.

Just as Jiang Cheng was preparing to leave, she was stopped by Ma’s old bones’ shout.

The two of them walked to one side, where Ma’s old bones quietly asked, "That man is your...?"

"My unregistered husband."