133 A Visit to Brookside Town

After a moment of inward satisfaction, Lin Xia gathered her thoughts.

It seems that throughout the ages, no matter how long one lives, everyone cares about their reputation, regardless of gender. Even if she appeared indifferent on the surface and felt strong within, she still felt a prickle of vanity.

Lin Xia smiled at Liu Chunhua. "I’m just visiting my grandmother, then I'll be on my way."

"Oh, these must be your friends, right? When did you get to know such handsome young ladies and gentlemen?" Liu Chunhua was the biggest gossip in the area, always the first to know everything. The neighbors had gathered at her doorway, and she questioned Lin Xia directly.

"We met back when I was in school. Auntie, I need to head to the main street now, so I’ll be going," Lin Xia said with a smile. She turned to Chen Zimo and the others, saying calmly, "Let’s go."

"Hey, the auntie you just talked to—the one who asked first—she had such a deceitful look on her face. You can tell at a glance she’s not a good person," Sun Xiaoxiao whispered to Lin Xia as they walked.

"Not necessarily. Even though the second woman didn't look very pleasant, she's actually quite kind-hearted. As for the first one, don't let her honest, plain appearance fool you; she’s the biggest gossip of them all. If the Zhang family’s son and his wife have an argument, she’ll make sure the whole street knows about it. If the Li family’s chicken gets sick, she’ll spread a rumor that it’s bird flu," Lin Xia warned. "When it comes to judging people, you can't just look at their faces."

"Ah, that’s terrifying," Sun Xiaoxiao exclaimed.

"You haven't seen the destructive power of gossip," Lin Xia said gravely. After all, she had been one of its greatest victims in her past life. It was none of these busybodies' business when someone married or whether they had children, yet they were insufferable.

"This place is small. Everyone lives here their whole lives and cares so much about appearances. If the rumors get too nasty, it can actually lead to tragedy."

Reflecting on this, a complex, melancholy expression crossed Lin Xia's face. "Years ago, there was a woman here who hadn't married by thirty. This Auntie Liu spread rumors everywhere, claiming the poor woman had some sort of affliction. It eventually drove the girl to her death. Her parents moved away afterward, and who knows where they ended up. And yet, Liu Chunhua is still living perfectly fine, continuing her gossip and slander."

"Oh, such a thing actually happened? There are people that evil?" Sun Xiaoxiao and the others were shocked.

Xie Xitong was equally surprised, but for a different reason—the information revealed in Lin Xia’s words. *Women can marry at thirty?* In her world, girls married at sixteen, and by thirty, one could already be a grandmother.

"Yes. It’s truly disheartening," Lin Xia sighed.

Zhao Qian laughed. "Oh, give it a rest. You were serious for a moment, and now you're back to your old self."

As they chatted and laughed, Lin Xia observed the changes in her hometown. The narrow asphalt road she remembered had been widened and paved with concrete. Because of the expansion, the trees along the sides had been chopped down, leaving the highway looking stark and barren—a ridiculous sight.

Familiar buildings had been replaced by strange, modern structures. "That used to be the Public Security Bureau, and now it’s a private residence. I wonder where they moved the station," Lin Xia said to the group, pointing at a newly built five-story building.

"This whole area used to be single-story houses. As kids, we loved to play hide-and-seek at night, ducking into people’s homes or climbing onto their roofs. There weren't as many streetlights back then, but we were never afraid."

"And now, they’re all tall buildings," she said, her voice filled with nostalgia. "As time passes, the things from childhood really do drift further and further away."

Xie Xitong smiled, "Even if those things were still there, it would just be for the sake of nostalgia. You certainly wouldn't be running around playing hide-and-seek like you did when you were little. It’s better to let those memories stay as they are, fragrant with time."

Lin Xia thought about it and nodded. "You're right. I was overthinking it."

She pointed to an arched bridge not far ahead. "That’s the Moon Arch Bridge. Once you cross it, you’re in the market."

Sun Xiaoxiao looked at her curiously. "Why are you taking us to a market?"

Zhao Xin understood and smiled, "In a small town like this, wherever the market is, that’s where the main street is."

As they spoke, they stepped onto the Moon Arch Bridge, which spanned the river from west to east. Standing on the bridge and looking down at the filthy, frightening water below, Zhao Qian asked, "Surely nobody still drinks this water, right?"

Lin Xia rolled her eyes. "Of course not. Would you dare to drink it? People here know better than that. When I was a child, I saw many people swimming in it, but later, the town opened a toy factory, and soon after, a paper mill. They dumped untreated sewage directly into the river, so the pollution just got worse and worse."

Looking at the water, You Xin mused, "The toy factory is one thing, but the paper mill’s pollution is too severe. I fear this little river won't be able to handle it for long; the factory will surely be forced to shut down eventually."

Lin Xia looked at him in surprise. He was right; the paper mill only lasted a year or two before being reported and forcibly closed. The people here might be obsessed with appearances, but they were no pushovers when it came to brawls or feuds; they possessed a natural, fierce stubbornness.

They were commonly known as the "stubborn folk." Every household was connected to a dozen others by blood; touch one, and you touched them all. The power of these united clans was immense. That was why some policies from above, while excellent in theory, were incredibly difficult to implement here. Different customs meant different characters.

Crossing the bridge, the area became significantly busier. The sides of the road were lined with small inns, supermarkets, and clothing shops, with bicycles, motorcycles, and minivans parked in front.

"Yumin Road Market," Xie Xitong smiled. "That’s a nice name, quite meaningful."

Lin Xia pointed to a storefront directly across from the market entrance. "That was my second aunt's home, but her whole family moved to Rongcheng."

They walked another dozen steps to a small alley marked with a sign that read "Old Street Road."

"My grandmother lives on Old Street. Wait here for me; I need to buy something." Showing up empty-handed wasn't her style.

Zhao Xin smiled. "Let’s all buy something. It wouldn't be right to visit her empty-handed."

Lin Xia declined, "No need. You’ve come all this way and haven't even had a good meal yet; I can't have you spending money on top of that."

"Don't refuse," Zhao Xin insisted. "It’s only a few dozen yuan—just a gesture from us. As long as you don't think it's too little."

"How could I?"

"Then say no more," Xie Xitong said, pushing her into a small supermarket by the side of the road.

Zhao Xin was right. Because the supermarket was small, most of the food items were inexpensive. Being students, they couldn't buy expensive gifts like high-end liquor or cigarettes. For most of them, this was their first time visiting someone's home as guests—unlike before, when their parents handled the gift-giving—so they felt a thrill of independence. Overcome by a sudden sense of "adulthood," they swept up the most valuable items in the small shop.

"This looks good—Brain Gold supplement. It's only a hundred yuan or so. I'll get this."

"Hey, I was going to pick that! If you buy it, what am I supposed to get?" Zhao Qian pouted, her eyes scanning the shelves. That supplement was considered a luxury item; the shopkeeper rarely stocked it, keeping just one box on the shelf for show.

"Qianqian, you and Cousin Xin are family, you don't need to spend extra," Lin Xia laughed. "No need for two gifts from the same family."

Zhao Qian considered this and agreed. Seeing Xie Xitong and Chen Zimo picking out fruit, she stopped worrying about the supplement. You Xin bought some soft, long-lasting snacks, while Chen Zimo and Xie Xitong bought fruit and a pair of wine bottles.

Zhao Xin remarked, "It’s hot, fruit won't keep, and since you grandchildren aren't around to eat it, the elderly might not touch it. They might even try to make us take it back."

Lin Xia nodded. In her past life, the gifts she brought for her grandparents would sit there until they rotted because the two elders were too frugal to eat them.

"Exactly. We're all students; let's not buy too much, or my grandparents will feel guilty."

You Xin smiled, "It’s just a token of our respect as juniors."

They paid and left the supermarket, leaving the shopkeeper beaming—her business today had matched nearly a month's worth of sales.

Lin Xia’s grandmother’s house was a typical two-story building, though it looked much newer than Lin Xia’s own home, with blue glass installed on the balcony.

"My house was built when my parents got married, over twenty years ago. This one was built for my uncle’s wedding less than a decade ago, so it still looks quite new," Lin Xia explained, carrying the gift boxes inside.

"Grandma, Grandpa, I'm home!" Lin Xia called out in the local dialect as they entered the main hall.

After a few calls, an elderly woman emerged from the back, wiping her hands on an apron, clearly having been busy. A small, pure black puppy followed her, its watery eyes darting around as it wagged its tail, weaving between her feet. The girls’ eyes lit up.

"Wow, what a cute puppy!" Sun Xiaoxiao cried, trotting forward.

She had only taken two steps when a large dog emerged from the back door. Its fur was light gray, and upon seeing a stranger like Sun Xiaoxiao, it arched its back and began to bark fiercely.

"Oh my!" Sun Xiaoxiao shrieked, abandoning the puppy and darting behind Lin Xia, causing everyone to burst into laughter.

"Amao, it’s only been a few days, have you forgotten me?" Lin Xia scolded.

Hearing her voice, the dog stopped barking and lunged toward her, causing the girls to squeal in alarm. The dog had only taken a few steps before the sound of a metal chain rattled—it was tethered.

The group patted their chests in relief; such a scary dog was better off chained. Unable to reach them, the dog whimpered and circled, looking pathetic.

"Grandma, I've come to see you. These are my classmates. Where's Grandpa?"

"Xia-xia is back to see me! Your grandfather can't sit still; he's busy in the fields. I was just chopping pig feed," the grandmother said as she walked up. Her back was slightly hunched, her hair gray, and her eyes cloudy, but her wrinkled face was filled with kindness as she looked at Lin Xia and her friends.

"You're all Xia-xia’s classmates? Don't be formal here. Whatever you want to eat or drink, just tell me. Don't be shy, don't be shy," she said, her hands continuing to wipe her apron nervously. It was true—the group was dressed so brightly and fashionably that their presence made the room feel much more luminous.

Zhao Xin noticed that, just like at Lin Xia’s house, a crowd had gathered across the way, staring at them.

"Hello, Grandma. These are gifts we bought for you. It’s just a small token," Zhao Xin said, placing the gifts on the table near the shrine.

"Hello, Grandma." Still afraid of the dog, Sun Xiaoxiao left her gift and stayed far away from Amao. The little black puppy, however, wasn't shy; it kept weaving between everyone's legs, having the time of its life.

"You shouldn't have spent money on gifts. Xia-xia, take these back with you when you leave. There are no children here, and your grandfather and I can't eat all this."

Lin Xia hugged her grandmother’s arm. "It’s nothing, Grandma. Mom and Dad are busy and haven't visited you, so now that I’m finally here, you can’t stop your granddaughter from buying you something. If you can't finish it, just take your time. Aside from the fruit, these things last a long time. Don't worry about saving money for us; if they go to waste, that’s the real loss."

"Stay and play for a few days. Should I go cook?" The grandmother still seemed a bit uneasy.

"Don't worry about that. I just came to see you. They have things to do here; I just wanted to say hello, and we have to leave soon."

Hearing they were busy, the grandmother didn't insist, though she tried to push the gifts back on them. "Why buy all this? Take it back and eat it yourselves."

There were so many gifts that the table was completely covered. After a long time of persuasion, Lin Xia finally managed to excuse herself and step outside. Chen Zimo and the others were waiting; Xie Xitong and Sun Xiaoxiao were playing with the black puppy, and Xie Xitong had even pulled beef jerky from her bag to feed it—a sight that made Lin Xia sigh.

"Alright, let's go." Ignoring the gazes of the neighbors, the group left Old Street Road.

Once they were gone, the neighbors swarmed into the uncle’s house, asking questions all at once.

"Oh my, your third niece is really something. Those friends her granddaughter brought are incredible—I’ve never even seen clothes like that for sale in Rongcheng!"

"Oh? And how would you know what's for sale in Rongcheng?"

"I was there just yesterday looking for clothes, and I couldn't find anything that looked that good."

*Pfft,* the others thought with disdain. *Who in a ten-mile radius doesn't know you're the stingiest person alive?*

While the busybodies gossiped, Sun Xiaoxiao, unable to bear the stares any longer, pulled on Lin Xia’s sleeve. "Xia-xia, this place is so isolated. Walking here felt like being a performing monkey—why is everyone staring at us?"