Leisurely Traveler with Check-in System

Chapter 304 - 133: Going Home: New Year’s Little Happiness

Generally speaking, this place is not open to the public, but when the security saw Li Younan’s car, they lifted the barrier for him without asking any questions. They probably mistook him for a big client, which is an implicit advantage of driving a nicer car.

In the past, when Li Younan picked up his mother, he would park outside. Today, driving in directly was a first for him.

He parked the car in the courtyard of the Rural Commercial Bank, leaning against the car door waiting for his mother to come down.

At this moment, Xiao Xue was coming downstairs with a few colleagues.

The colleagues who were on good terms with Xiao Xue were all about the same age, give or take a few years. The differences weren’t significant, as all of them had only been out in society for a short time.

Now, a colleague whose son just passed the civil service exam last year was somewhat proudly recounting the event, but more so with a tinge of melancholy.

She said, "My son took the provincial civil service exam, and since last year, he’s only been back home once and stayed for three days."

There was a faint bitter smile at the corner of her mouth. "When he was studying away from home, I didn’t feel so reluctant. But once he started working, I suddenly realized that the boy was really independent. He’s gradually finding his feet in the province, has a place to live, the job is going well, and he’ll probably find a local girlfriend in the future, so he’ll come back even less."

Her tone was quite calm, yet it resonated with several people.

Another person nodded and said, "What’s raising a son to such an age for, anyway? It feels like picking up a little animal, raising it slowly, but the animal is a wild protected species that eventually has to be released back to nature, just like that feeling..."

Someone else chimed in: "If the kid doesn’t have skills and always stays home living off the parents, it’s a headache too. But if they’re really capable and go out, it’s hard for them to come back, which is a bit sad. Haha, it seems like nothing is ever perfect, especially with raising kids."

Xiao Xue just listened quietly, without saying anything.

They all walked to the stairway, and as they looked up, they saw Li Younan waiting by the car for Xiao Xue.

The several colleague aunties all knew Li Younan, and some had even ridden in his car before.

They were all a little surprised, and Li Younan came over to greet the aunties and even offered to give a ride to any who were headed the same way.

However, they had a gathering today, so in the end, Li Younan took his mother home alone.

When Xiao Xue got into Li Younan’s car and left, the remaining colleagues all inadvertently glanced at his car with a hint of... envy in their eyes.

Driving, Li Younan didn’t notice his mother’s gaze. It suddenly dawned on him that she had been watching him since getting in the car, and he smiled awkwardly, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Xiao Xue shook her head and smiled warmly, "It’s nothing, just feels quite happy..."

Li Younan was taken aback, "Oh..."

Xiao Xue stretched out comfortably and said, "Being happy once in a while, it’s really nice.

"Let’s go back and make dumplings!"

"Okay."

...

In the time that followed, Li Younan stayed at home peacefully and didn’t embark on the next journey for the time being.

Since starting this lifestyle, he’s realized that there are too many places to travel, but he is still most nostalgic about that one transversing experience.

Truly beautiful scenery can only be found in purer places. From the perspective of natural landscapes, places constructed by humans are, in a sense, a kind of pollution, aren’t they?

The weather became colder. Before the New Year, his mother took her annual leave and planned a trip to Hainan.

It wasn’t the Spring Festival yet, and although there were quite a few people there, it wasn’t an overwhelming number.

In fact, every winter, the mother and son would spend some time in Hainan because Li Younan’s uncle has been working and living there for years, and this year was no exception. Once his cousin Lu Xiaolan’s winter break started, they’d go together.

Since acquiring the system, Li Younan hadn’t been to Hainan yet, and there were four checkpoints on the island. Although it’s less compared to other provinces, Hainan is a relatively small island, so the density is quite high.

His uncle was one of the early Sichuanese who went to Hainan to pursue development. Initially, he managed a Sichuan restaurant, and recently, he acquired a guesthouse with plans to have a pool.

This excited Li Younan slightly, as he didn’t know how to swim yet.

This time, he was determined to learn to swim.

December 20th, departure.