Chapter 136: Mengmeng’s Filial Piety

Cao Jianguo’s words made Cao Shujie laugh, “Dad, even when working, there’s always time for a break. It’s perfectly normal to take a stroll during a break, right?”

It seemed reasonable enough, so Cao Jianguo didn’t pursue the matter further.

As Cao Shujie drove closer to Huaxi Mountain, he looked up the slope from the car. A glance revealed a vast expanse of deep red, as if the entire mountain was draped in red robes, creating a stunning view.

“Wow, it’s so beautiful!” Mengmeng exclaimed in surprise from the back seat.

Although Huaxi Mountain was only about 100 kilometers from Cao Family Village, Cao Jianguo and Wang Yuelan had never been there. Seeing the scenery now, their eyes lit up, and they felt it was the right decision to come along with their son.

“Shujie, it’s really beautiful here!” Wang Yuelan said, looking out the car window.

The car continued up the mountain road, and they soon reached a parking area halfway up.

Since they arrived early, Cao Shujie easily found an empty parking spot.

As soon as the car stopped, Mengmeng was eager to get out, but the child lock was on, so no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t open the door from the inside.

“Daddy, I can’t open it,” Mengmeng said, tugging at the door handle with a pout, seeking her father’s help.

Before Cao Shujie could get out to open the back door, Cheng Xiaolin scolded her, “Mengmeng, if you keep being so impatient, I won’t want you anymore.”

“Fine, I don’t want you either,” Mengmeng retorted stubbornly, her tone as firm as ever.

But when Cao Shujie opened the door from the outside and Cheng Xiaolin didn’t pick her up, Mengmeng immediately started wailing, abandoning her earlier defiance.

In the end, it was Wang Yuelan who carried her out of the car, while Cao Shujie retrieved a black backpack and Mengmeng’s stroller from the trunk.

“Mengmeng, do you want to sit in the stroller?” Cao Shujie asked.

The little one shook her head vigorously, “No, I’ll walk by myself.”

Before he could say more, afraid her dad would put her in the stroller, she took off running ahead, so fast that even her grandmother, Wang Yuelan, couldn’t keep up.

“Mengmeng, there are cars, slow down,” Cheng Xiaolin called out anxiously.

At this time, cars were gradually coming up from below. Mengmeng had no sense of traffic safety, and her reaction time was poor. Even if a car approached, she wouldn’t be able to dodge it.

Cheng Xiaolin regretted her earlier words, wondering why she had argued with Mengmeng.

Hearing her mom call, Mengmeng immediately stopped in her tracks and turned to run back to Cheng Xiaolin.

Reaching her mom, she hugged her leg with a big smile on her face.

Wang Yuelan chided her, “Mengmeng, why did you run so fast? Grandmother couldn’t catch up with you.”

“Hehe, Grandmother,” Mengmeng giggled, running over to hold her grandmother’s hand. Every time Cheng Xiaolin saw her daughter like this, she couldn’t help but laugh, thinking Mengmeng was a clever little one who understood people well.

Cao Shujie and his father, Cao Jianguo, walked behind them.

Cao Jianguo reached over and said to his son, “Shujie, give me the stroller. I’ll push it.”

He wasn’t used to having nothing to do.

Understanding his father’s thoughts, Cao Shujie handed over the stroller.

Cheng Xiaolin was worried about her daughter running off and getting into trouble, so she held Mengmeng’s hand tightly, not daring to let go.

Following the signs, they walked upward, soon reaching a flat area surrounded by yellow catalpa trees with red leaves.

In the distance, on a flat lawn, there were many small tents set up, with children darting in and out.

Seeing this, Mengmeng looked at the tents longingly, clearly envious.

Unfortunately, Cao Shujie and Cheng Xiaolin weren’t familiar with the area and hadn’t prepared a tent.

Noticing Mengmeng’s disappointment, Cheng Xiaolin bent down and said, “Mengmeng, next time we come, we’ll bring a tent so you can have fun, okay?”

Hearing this, Mengmeng’s face lit up with a smile, “Okay!”

“Let’s go, let’s see what’s ahead,” Cheng Xiaolin pointed forward, “There are lots of fun things over there.”

“Mom, hurry up,” Mengmeng tugged on her mom’s hand, eager to run ahead.

Cao Shujie and his father followed slowly, carrying their things and enjoying the scenery. After a moment of thought, Cao Jianguo said, “Shujie, do you think if we planted more trees and flowers on our mountain, making it prettier, we could sell tickets like they do here?”

Cao Shujie turned to his father, almost thinking he misheard.

He hadn’t expected his father to have such a business-minded thought.

Last time, when buying a little trailer for his daughter, he casually mentioned Taobao, and his father started considering selling their fruits online.

Now, seeing Huaxi Mountain, his father was already thinking about developing their fruit orchard mountain into a tourist spot.

“Dad, you’re really something,” Cao Shujie said sincerely, “You thought of all this.”

Cao Jianguo, thinking his son was about to say something else, dismissed it, “It’s nothing hard. Just copying what others do. Anyone with a bit of sense could think of it.”

Cao Shujie didn’t want to say more; he hadn’t even thought in that direction.

This little delay made them walk much slower. Wang Yuelan called out from ahead, “Can’t you two walk faster? Mengmeng can’t wait to play up there.”

“Let’s hurry, or your mom will keep nagging,” Cao Jianguo said with a pained expression.

Laughing, Cao Shujie hurried after his father.

Huaxi Mountain is divided into six levels from top to bottom. The second level is similar to the first, with a saying at Huaxi Mountain: Return to nature, experience life.

Visitors who come here often set up camp, seeking to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. They find themselves at Huaxi Mountain, a place that, while not the fabled Peach Blossom Spring, surpasses it in beauty. Here, nestled between verdant waters and crimson mountains, they can truly experience the allure of nature.

Nearby, a tour guide was leading a group, saying, “Everyone, look this way. Ahead is an ancient canyon that retains its original appearance, filled with the essence of a primitive lifestyle. If you have brought tents, you can camp here, listen to the birds, enjoy nature, and find joy in the beautiful scenery and delicious food.”

After speaking, the tour guide, a woman in her thirties, put a finger to her lips and hushed the group. Once everyone quieted down, she cupped a hand to her ear and smiled, “Do you hear it? The chorus of birds.”

Seeing her gesture, many of the independent tourists instinctively closed their mouths and listened intently, including Cao Shujie and his group.

Cao Jianguo even held his breath, straining to hear the bird calls.

The term ‘chorus of birds’ was clearly an exaggeration, but upon careful listening, there were indeed many distinct bird songs. Some were melodious and pleasant, like the sound of wind chimes, while others were sharp, like the cry of an eagle.

“Did everyone hear that?” the tour guide asked.

Some people instinctively responded, “Yes, so many birds!”

However, not everyone was captivated. For instance, little Mengmeng, who felt no connection to the sounds of nature, was uninterested. Seeing her parents and grandparents stop, she grew anxious and tugged at Cheng Xiaolin and Wang Yuelan’s hands, “Mom, let’s go.”

“Mengmeng, you’re such a buzzkill!” Cheng Xiaolin teased her.

But Mengmeng didn’t understand. She scratched her head in confusion, unsure of what her mother meant.

Leaving the area, they continued upward, and the view suddenly opened up, as if emerging from a narrow canyon. The mouth of the canyon widened into a large trumpet shape, making it easier to see the full panorama.

Here, they discovered layer upon layer of terraced fields, though the scale was quite large.

“Shujie, let’s go up a bit more. I heard there’s a place to sing up there,” Cheng Xiaolin suggested.

Cao Shujie nodded, but the uneven ground and abundant natural vegetation made it difficult for the stroller to move smoothly.

“Why don’t we see if there’s a place to store it? If there is, we can leave the stroller here for now,” Cheng Xiaolin proposed.

She noticed her husband and father-in-law struggling with Mengmeng’s stroller, moving slowly.

Cao Jianguo waved his hand dismissively, “It’s fine, it’s not that heavy. Once we get past this section, it should be easier.”

“Dad, since Mengmeng isn’t sitting in it, why not leave it here and pick it up on our way back?” Cheng Xiaolin suggested, spotting a long table ahead with two staff members sitting behind it. Nearby, there were several bags and strollers.

“Shujie, go ask if we can store it temporarily over there,” Cheng Xiaolin said.

Cao Shujie, eager to lighten the load, approached and found out it was indeed a temporary storage point for the scenic area. The fee was only 10 yuan. Without hesitation, he handed over the money and received two tags marked with the number 72.

Following the staff’s instructions, he attached one tag to the stroller and kept the other on his wrist, to reclaim the stroller later.

Without the stroller, their pace improved significantly.

Climbing another level, they soon saw a crowd gathered ahead. Just as Cao Shujie was wondering what was happening, he heard singing: “Let me take your heart, try to melt it slowly, see if I still hold a flawless place in your heart, if you still care for me…”

It was Wu Bai’s classic hit “Norwegian Forest,” a popular choice in karaoke bars. Cao Shujie found himself humming along.

But little Mengmeng was unimpressed, covering her ears with her hands, “Daddy, that’s awful!”

“…” Cao Shujie was tempted to give her a playful smack, to remind her that her father was not to be trifled with.

“Shujie, stop singing, let’s keep moving,” Cheng Xiaolin urged, wanting to spare her ears.

Even Cao Jianguo looked at him with disdain, “Shujie, you’re not as good as me.”

With that, he continued walking.

Watching his father’s back, Cao Shujie thought, “Dad, where does your confidence come from? Are you getting carried away?”

Before they knew it, the morning had passed, and they had reached the top.

Upon arrival, Mengmeng’s eyes lit up like a 100-watt bulb, glowing with excitement.

No one would expect that while the lower levels were filled with mountains, water, and trees, the top was entirely dedicated to children’s play facilities.

There were treehouses carved from entire trees, slides made from sturdy PVC, sand pits filled with imported sand, and swings strung between two crooked trees.

“Daddy, look! Mommy, look!” Mengmeng called out excitedly, clearly delighted by the sight.

Without waiting for Cheng Xiaolin to take her hand, she dashed forward.

They had arrived early, not delayed by other attractions, and there were no other children around. Mengmeng quickly claimed a swing.

In their Beijing residential area, Xingheyuan, the central garden had many play facilities for children, including six swings. Mengmeng’s favorite activity was swinging with her mother.

Grabbing the fabric-covered chains with her left hand, Mengmeng turned her back to the swing, preparing to sit on the belt.

Unfortunately, the swing was a bit high, and she was too short to get on after several attempts.

Growing frustrated, Mengmeng called out, “Mommy, help me!”

“Mengmeng, I told you to eat more, but you didn’t listen. Regretting it now?” Cheng Xiaolin teased.

Mengmeng wasn’t in the mood to listen. She raised her voice, “Mommy!”

“Alright, alright, Mengmeng, stop shouting. Let me have some peace,” Cheng Xiaolin said, lifting her daughter onto the swing. As she stood by, keeping her safe, Cao Shujie approached, “Honey, why don’t you rest on that bench? I’ll watch her.”

Though they had climbed from halfway up the mountain, they often had to carry Mengmeng, leaving Cheng Xiaolin exhausted, her legs sore and arms aching.

Mengmeng, ever considerate, wanted her mother to rest. She turned to her father and called out, “Daddy, hurry up!”

“You really are something!” Cao Shujie teased her.

But Mengmeng paid no mind. She didn’t feel tired and was having a great time.

So, Mengmeng refused to leave the top floor, while Cao Jianguo and Wang Yuelan, the elderly couple, took a stroll around the area.

Getting up was difficult, but going down was easy.

They simply sat on a special grass-sliding cushion on the other side. The wind whooshed past their ears as they glided along, swaying with the uneven ground. Before they knew it, they had already reached the middle of the mountain.

(End of Chapter)

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Song mentioned “挪威的森林” (Norwegian Forest) is a 1996 Mandarin rock ballad by 伍佰 & China Blue, from the album 爱情的尽头 (The End of Love).

The song expresses longing and introspection, as the singer wonders whether he still holds a perfect place in a loved one’s heart. Through poetic imagery of a calm forest and moonlit night, it portrays emotions of love, memory, and quiet sadness.

It became one of 伍佰’s most iconic songs, blending emotional lyrics with rock instrumentation, and remains a classic in Mandarin pop-rock music.

Link – https://youtu.be/gPpZJlE0Ca8