Rebirth: Ordinary Life and Living

Zhou Xinyue looked at the image of herself in the mirror and her memory seemed to have returned to the past, with a lot of emotions in her heart.

The self inside seemed to have not changed at all, still so beautiful, with fair skin, watery peach eyes, high nose bridge, and lips shaped like red peach petals, so beautiful that one could not take their eyes away.

Zhou Xinyue smiled, and as she smiled her eyes turned to tears.

I am now over 50 years old and no longer as young as I looked in the mirror. Life is like a book that can never be closed. Life is a road that you cannot turn back on once you embark on it.

Youth can be fantasized about, missed, and recalled, but that is ultimately a time that can never be returned.

Zhou Xinyue couldn't help but touch herself in the mirror. Although this face was not her own, it did not belong to her, but in Zhou Xinyue's heart, this was herself.

Time is like a whetstone, dulling the edges of those memories. As time passed, Zhou Xinyue slowly spent the rest of her life with both good and bad memories.

Wu Kaisheng has become a white-haired old man. He wears glasses and reads a newspaper on the balcony in the sun, muttering to himself some of his views and comments on the news reported in the newspaper. Sometimes he is in high spirits, sometimes he is depressed, sometimes he talks incessantly, and sometimes he is silent.

Zhou Xinyue's gray hair already showed that she was no longer young and had turned into an old woman with a hunched back.

She was smiling as she held a tea tray filled with some fruits and snacks, a pot of scented tea, and a plate of pastries called peach cakes.

Wu Kaisheng took off his reading glasses with a smile, folded the newspaper and put it on the table, put his reading glasses on the newspaper, and said with a smile: "Come, sit down, let me see if there is any peach cake that I like. I mentioned it to you several times in the past two days. I want to eat the peach cake you make, but you just won't make it. I went to the market outside to look for it for several rounds but couldn't find the peach cake I wanted. Even if I finally came across some cakes that looked especially like the peach cake you made, as soon as I tasted it, it was completely not my taste. I just like to eat the peach cake you made."

Zhou Xinyue said angrily: "If you hadn't made me angry the other day, why wouldn't I have made peach cake for you."

Wu Kaisheng shook his head helplessly and said, "You are just stingy. I went hiking with a few old friends and came back a little late, but you got angry and scolded me for not making me my favorite peach cake. Even Lao Zhang said that you are old now and your heart has become small."

Zhou Xinyue hurriedly defended herself, "Don't you think about why I'm angry? The mountain is so high and steep. Even young people's legs would tremble when they climb it, not to mention an old man like you. Nothing happened, but if something happened, what would you do? Don't you know your body is getting worse day by day?"

"Nonsense, I'm in very good shape, I'm not any less fit than young people, look, I still have muscles!"

"Come on, look at your old arms and legs. I don't know who told me last night that his legs were weak and a little painful."

Wu Kaisheng replied with a guilty conscience: "No, I don't remember. I have a bad memory and can't remember so much. Now, I just want to eat this peach cake."

After saying that, Wu Kaisheng took a piece, took a bite, closed his eyes and started eating with satisfaction. The special aroma of the peach pastry instantly filled his mouth.

Wu Kaisheng was very happy. He nodded and said happily, "This is the taste, this is the taste. This is the taste I like the most. I can't find a second peach cake like this one anywhere in the world. No one else can make it as delicious as you, old lady."

Zhou Xinyue finally laughed helplessly and said, "I know. This is my unique skill."

After finishing his meal, Wu Kaisheng patted Zhou Xinyue's hand and said, "Thank you for your hard work, old lady. Can I take some to Lao Zhang? He's craving your peach pastry, too."

"Didn't you just say that he called me stingy? I won't let you give it to him!"

"See, you're really stingy. Someone said something to you, but you still hold a grudge."

"That's right! Since he said I was stingy, then I will be stingy and not give it to him."

"Then I have good news for you. In half a month it will be New Year's Eve. Xiaozhi, Xiaokang, Xiaonian, Xiaoxing and the others will definitely be back."

Zhou Xinyue's eyes widened immediately and she said excitedly, "Really? Don't lie to me? Didn't they just video chat with us two days ago and say they were busy with work and couldn't come? How come they can come back suddenly?"

"They said they were able to take leave and would do whatever they could to come back to see us, saying they missed us. They also said Xinxin (granddaughter, from Xiaokang's family) and Longlong (grandson, from Xiaozhi's family) cried and made a fuss to come back to see grandpa and grandma, saying they hadn't seen us for more than half a year and missed us terribly."

Zhou Xinyue said excitedly: "Oh, that's great, that's great, hahaha..."

Wu Kaisheng saw Zhou Xinyue was so happy, so he took the opportunity to say, "Old Zhang wants to ask you for some peach cakes. Are you willing to give them to me now?"

Zhou Xinyue was in a very happy mood. Without thinking, she said, "It's just a few pieces of peach cakes. It's a small problem. Give it to him!"

Wu Kaisheng laughed and said, "Okay, I'll call Lao Zhang now and send it to him this afternoon!"

Zhou Xinyue said to herself excitedly: "I will be able to see my sons and grandchildren soon. That's great. I have to call them and see what they want to eat."

After saying that, Zhou Xinyue happily called the children.

Soon it was New Year's Eve, Xiaozhi, Xiaokang, with their wives and children, finally came back. Xiaonian and Xiaoxing were also coming back.

The moment the door opened, Zhou Xinyue and Xu Kaisheng couldn't stop smiling.

The grandchildren rushed in and hugged them, calling them grandpa and grandma.

Zhou Xinyue couldn't help but hug the children and kiss them. At this time, the sky outside the window was full of fireworks, and colorful fireworks kept blooming in the dark night sky.

"Cheers, and happy new year!"

Zhou Xinyue and her family toasted to celebrate the New Year. At this moment, the Spring Festival Gala was playing on TV.

Bursts of laughter rang out from the room, as if floating away into the distance.

Lanterns were hung high in every household. Zhou Xinyue spent a happy New Year's Eve and New Year with her family.

The fat monk disappeared outside the window and floated in the air. The dog barked softly a few times. The fat monk smiled and said, "Forget it. It's better not to show up and say Happy New Year to her, so as not to scare their family on New Year's Eve."

The dog barked a few more times. At this time, Zhou Xinyue was happily handing out New Year's money. Suddenly, she seemed to hear a dog barking outside the window and looked out curiously.

But at this moment, there was nothing but fireworks blooming in the sky outside the window, and no sound of the dog. Perhaps I was hallucinating.

Xinxin said happily: "Thank you grandma for the New Year's money, I wish grandma a happy new year!"

Zhou Xinyue was brought back to reality by her granddaughter's blessing, and continued to celebrate the New Year with her family with a smile.

The fat monk said happily: "It seems that you won't have the chance to ask her for the sausage. Anyway, wish her a happy new year!"

The dog barked a few more times at the window of Zhou Xinyue's house, but the sound was drowned out by the blooming fireworks.

The fat monk disappeared while laughing.

After who knows how many years, Zhou Xinyue sat alone by the window, putting on the reading glasses left by Wu Kaisheng, and wiping the black and white photo of Wu Kaisheng over and over again.

He muttered to himself, "I remember you often said that I liked to be alone and daydream. Sometimes I looked at you with empty eyes as if I was looking at someone else. Sometimes you often asked me what I was thinking about. Sometimes I told you a few words, and you often said that I was really daydreaming. So gradually I didn't like to tell you about the things I had experienced, lest you think I had dementia. But no one knows that those things really happened. Sometimes I often feel that those things are like a dream to me. As time goes by, even I think that maybe it is just a dream!"

After saying that, Zhou Xinyue slowly stood up and, leaning on her crutches, slowly hung up Wu Kaisheng's photo.

"Don't worry, I may come to see you soon."

Walking in the endless years, the wind blew my hair, messed up my hair, and blew away the good years. Unknowingly, flowers bloomed and fell for several years, and on the long road of life, the memories sealed in my heart are flying, the tides rise and fall, and the flowers bloom.

Time continued to pass, and who knows how long it had been. Zhou Xinyue was lying on the hospital bed, with her children by her side.

When she was dying, she looked ahead and it seemed as if she had turned into the Goudan in her memory again.

Her face is as beautiful as a spring plum blossom blooming in the snow, with slender crescent-shaped eyebrows, eyes like peach blossoms, a cherry mouth, black hair like a waterfall, crystal clear snow-white skin, beautiful and elegant, and a temperament like orchid.

It was as if I had returned to that forest and cave in my memory a long, long time ago. You Ran still remembered the first time I saw him by chance. He had fair skin, sharp eyebrows, a high nose, and picturesque features. His delicate facial features were like a boy who had walked out of a painting, with a few strands of black hair fluttering in the wind.

You Ran remembers discussing life and expressing his inner thoughts. He remembers saying to himself at the time: "For me, I don't have as big ambitions as you. Although the world is big, only home is the foundation. Only home is the root. I just want a place to accommodate one person. In my spare time, I can chat with three or five friends in the small courtyard. In spring, I can drink wine under the drizzle of peach blossoms. In midsummer, I can enjoy the coolness and fan myself to appreciate the summer moon. In autumn, I can watch the osmanthus flowers fall. In winter, I can drink wine and talk about heroes. I think this is life, this is where life is."

And you looked at me tenderly with your sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes, and replied: "That's great! Although my ambitions are different from yours, your words make me yearn for home. I think many people want to have such a comfortable life, but there are no brave men to defend the country. If the country is gone, smoke will rise everywhere, and wars will rage. Brother, how can you talk about your aspirations?"

The memory of that time seems like yesterday. The tone of his voice and the way he spoke are never forgotten.

I still remember that during the initiation ceremony, you held up your hairpin and said to me, "May you be safe wherever you come from and happy wherever you go. May all your wishes come true and everything you encounter be smooth."

By then, my heart had already been filled with warm tears, flowing like a river, filling my heart with warmth.

You Ran still remembers that in Cangdu City, you put on that charming smile and said, "I want to tell you what I want to say to you, Yue'er, I like you. Ever since we were together in the cave, I found that I had already fallen in love with you at that time. Since we parted, I regret not keeping you by my side. I have been asking people to find you. Yue'er, I really like you. Are you willing to stay by my side? Let me take care of you, let me accompany you forever and protect you, okay?"

I vaguely remember you saying to me tenderly, "I like your straightforwardness, I like the way you treat me honestly, I like your indifference to life, I like the way you look at me, I like the way you are shy, I like the way you call me Ayi, I like everything about you..."

As I listened to your confession, I could no longer control myself. I embraced you under the starry sky filled with fireworks and expressed my love for you on the highest rooftop of the capital city.

Under the eaves in front of the house, when the moss and leaves turn yellow, the wind chimes under the eaves ring in the wind, shaking the past. Memories are those scenes, the scenery pieced together frame by frame. I only want to remember the beautiful moments.

Memories are like an old photo, a yellowed old photo. Staring at it silently, youth is gone, beauty is gone, and the past is gone with the wind.

Once upon a time, at the other end of the space, when you were gray-haired, at dusk, have you ever thought of someone, have you ever recalled the beautiful people and beautiful things, once upon a time, have you ever remembered... me.

I want to tell you, I really want to tell you the same words: "May you be safe wherever you come from, and happy wherever you go. May all your wishes come true, and may everything go smoothly for you."

The vivid memories were playing before her eyes like a movie. Zhou Xinyue stretched out her hands and tried her best to touch the person and everything in front of her. After she had used all her strength and took her last breath, her hands seemed to touch it.

Yes, it seemed as if she had touched it. She smiled, tears streaming down her face, and her hands finally fell down powerlessly, and she closed her eyes with a smile.

Zhou Xinyue lived out her legendary life amid the crying and shouting of her children.

The author sighs: Zhou Xinyue is happy and joyful. The memories of her youth are like yellowed old photos, recording the time and years that have passed by quietly. But the years cannot take away the memories of our youth.

Looking back on the past, memories are like colorful lights and shadows, brilliant and dazzling, which amaze the time in the fragments of our memories. We who were young and loved to pursue dreams, those people who once made our hearts beat, those things have long gone away, and it seems like a dream.

For you who are young, take advantage of your youth, work hard, live a good life, the efforts you make now are a kind of precipitation, you will become a better person. Don't wait for opportunities, be brave to create opportunities, believe in yourself, you can do it.