Chapter 47: The Rising Star Who Died from Cyberbullying (3)

Xie Xingzhou woke up even earlier than his dad. Seeing how his dad had transformed their entire home, he assumed the fields must have been somewhat neglected.

So, while the sky was still shrouded in mist, he went out to check on the fields, only to be surprised that the crops were growing well. The sweet potato vines had spread out nicely, and there were barely any weeds in the other plots.

As he carried a hoe back home, two chubby little puppies wobbled along behind him.

Xie Hui, following his usual morning routine, stepped into the courtyard and noticed that the gate had been opened. Seeing that the two dogs were no longer in their little shed, he figured that Xie Xingzhou must have gone out early.

No matter how many worlds he had reincarnated into, Xie Hui always had a preference for houses with courtyards. He trimmed the flowers, fed the fish, and made a mental note to check later if any neighbors’ cats had given birth to kittens.

Growing vegetables, tending flowers, a cat, a dog, and a small courtyard—this was the ultimate dream of a peaceful countryside retreat for most people.

“Dad, didn’t I tell you to wait for me to do the farm work?”

Xie Xingzhou put down the hoe, carefully checked his pant legs and feet, and only after the two puppies had followed him inside did he shut the courtyard gate.

“I’m not so old that I can’t do it anymore. No need to wait for you to come back.”

Xie Hui picked some fresh greens from the field, planning to make a simple vegetable porridge with boiled eggs and a side of pickled vegetables.

Xie Xingzhou, well aware of the routine, sat down on the rickety, old stool and started the fire. While tending the flames, he leaned forward to watch his dad cook and curiously asked:

“Dad, what was that thing you said you wanted to do?”

Nowadays, Xie Xingzhou spent most of his free time at school working part-time to cover his daily expenses, hoping that his dad wouldn’t have to work as hard as before. Seeing that his dad was finally willing to spend a little on himself, he was genuinely happy.

He had always known that his dad worked so hard to save money for one purpose—to buy him an apartment in the city when he got married.

But Xie Xingzhou didn’t want that. The thought of his father sacrificing half his life’s effort for his marriage made him deeply uneasy.

To him, getting married and starting a family was entirely his own responsibility. He was confident that with his own hard work, he could build a future.

He had never seen his future as a burden his father should bear. Instead, he had always been in a hurry to grow up so his dad could finally rest a little.

If he had to prioritize things, right now, making sure his father could enjoy life came first. A wife? That could wait until he had the ability to take on the responsibility of a household.

As Xie Hui washed the vegetables, he glanced at his son and replied in a low voice:

“Last time, when I went to send you money, I saw someone watching short videos on the bus. Thought I’d give it a try, so I bought a phone.”

Xie Xingzhou hadn’t heard much about this, but he fully supported his dad’s new interest.

“Dad, I actually learned some video editing before! Since I’m home for summer break, I’ll help you.”

“Alright.”

Xie Xingzhou didn’t really expect his dad to make something big out of it. He just figured it was a good way for him to take it easy at home.

This was much better than working in the fields every day, eating plain buns with water during harvest season.

“Later, let’s go pick up a package. I ordered some kudzu root online—figured you could take it to school as a snack.”

From the memories of the original body, Xie Hui knew that after his son graduated, he had developed stomach issues. He suspected it was because of irregular meals during college, often skipping meals to save money.

Xie Xingzhou was the type of kid who, even if given money, wouldn’t spend it recklessly.

In essence, he was just too considerate of his dad’s hard work. As long as the family’s financial situation remained the same, his habits wouldn’t change.

“Sure, Dad! I love the chili sauce you made—it’s amazing with mantou and mixed into rice!”

Xie Xingzhou grinned and agreed. After breakfast, they headed out together to pick up the package.

Their home was in a relatively remote area, so they had to go to the town’s package pickup point. When Xie Xingzhou saw the enormous package waiting for them, he was momentarily stunned.

It was the biggest package he had ever received—several large boxes stacked together. He tried lifting one onto his shoulder, then turned to see his dad effortlessly carrying two at once.

“Dad, be careful! Let me do it.”

Xie Xingzhou wanted to tell his dad to put them down and let him carry them instead, but seeing how easily his dad lifted them onto the cart while he was still struggling with one, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

The original body had been accustomed to farm work and was naturally strong. Xie Hui loaded eight out of the ten boxes onto the cart before turning to see his son finally lifting his second one.

They had taken the bus into town, but for the return trip, they rented a small tricycle.

After loading the kudzu root, they went to another pickup point to collect a few more boxes—this time filled with green tangerines.

The road back home was a bit bumpy. Xie Xingzhou didn’t check his phone but simply listened to his dad chatting with the tricycle driver. The sunlight bathed him in warmth, and instead of feeling the heat, he was overcome by a strange sense of peace.

Once they arrived home, he and his dad took the kudzu root to the nearby stream to wash it. By the time the sun set and smoke curled from chimneys in the distance, they finally carried the cleaned kudzu root back.

“Dad, isn’t this a bit too much?”

Looking at the sheer volume of kudzu root, Xie Xingzhou worried that even a large sack wouldn’t be enough to store it all.

Xie Hui walked ahead, carrying the kudzu root, with Xie Xingzhou following behind him. Behind Xie Xingzhou, a black and a yellow puppy trotted along, happily wagging their tails.

“Once it’s made into kudzu starch, it won’t seem like much.”

When they got home, Xie Hui started cooking while Xie Xingzhou worked on sorting the kudzu root in the courtyard. Looking at the massive roots, he still found it hard to believe his dad’s claim that it wasn’t much.

After thinking it over, Xie Xingzhou decided to just let it go.

From his dad’s perspective, as long as he was the one eating it, it wouldn’t be considered a waste—no matter how much there was.

Earlier, while washing the kudzu root, Xie Hui had set up a phone stand to record the process. That night, he reviewed the footage and planned to edit out any parts where Xie Xingzhou appeared.

The next morning, Xie Hui had Xie Xingzhou help him process the green tangerines. He instructed him to carefully scoop out the pulp without damaging the peels.

After cleaning them, they set the peels out to dry. Once dried, they filled them with beans and left them to air-dry further to hold their shape.

In the courtyard, Xie Xingzhou sat on a small stool, stuffing beans into the tangerine peels. Not far away, the two puppies playfully wrestled, while a majestic goose patrolled the yard. The blooming roses and cockscomb flowers swayed gently in the breeze.

With blue skies, white clouds, and a gentle wind, it was a scene of pure tranquility.