Chapter 222

The old family house no longer needed renovation, but furniture and appliances still had to be complete, after all, they would need to live there for some time before the new house was ready.

After sorting out the express delivery, Lin Mo contacted the nearby village’s quarry for two trucks of broken stones.

The yard at home had to be paved, otherwise, it was all mud pits—there wouldn’t even be a place to set up the stove when welcoming relatives on the third day of the Lunar New Year.

…..

After finishing all the tasks and returning to the village, it was already around four or five in the afternoon.

A Range Rover with three trucks in tow entered the village grandly, once again attracting the attention of many villagers; various whispers resurfaced.

Some were envious, others disparaging, and some were thinking if they could take advantage of the situation to get a little something for themselves.

The village was a microcosm of society—not big, but with all kinds of people.

As soon as the vehicles stopped at the family home, everyone came out to greet them.

Xu Qin and Lin Changshui were complaining about Lin Mo’s extravagant spending while instructing the delivery men to handle the packages carefully.

“Yo, Mo, what did you buy this time?”

“Wait a minute, I’ll get my husband to come over and help you install it.”

“Changshui is really lucky to have such a good son.”

“Auntie will come help you too.”

When unloading the truck, the neighbors who could come did so to help out, plus Lin Mo and his in-laws, quickly placed all the large items where they belonged.

Lin Mo moved the Maybach and the Range Rover to make room, and with the truck parked at the entrance, everyone helped unload together.

Many hands make light work.

In less than an hour, the yard was almost sorted out.

The remaining work of fixing the ground was done by professional handymen.

Xu Qin and Lin Changshui wanted to keep the neighbors for a meal, but almost no one stayed—after a brief chat, they returned to their own homes.

Tomorrow was New Year’s Eve, and they had many things to do that day too.

After most of the guests had left, Lin Mo said with a smile, “Mom and Dad, Jin Wen and I will take care of upstairs, please tidy up downstairs for now; we’ll finish up with the kitchen together at the end.”

The father-in-law nodded and teased, “You’re the backbone of our family now—we have to listen to you.”

These words made everyone laugh.

Lin Mo felt a bit embarrassed and quickly added, “Mom, Dad, Zhang Li, you guys go try on the clothes I bought for you and see if anything doesn’t fit. Oh, and Mom, my sister’s clothes are with yours, so pay attention to that when trying them on.”

Xu Qin also chimed in, “Alright, alright, we’ll listen to you, listen to my precious son.”

“Mom, why are you also…” Lin Mo was truly embarrassed and hurriedly said, “Dad, hurry and take Mom inside to try on clothes; if they don’t fit, there’s still time to exchange them.”

Lin Changshui also nodded with a smile, unusually joking: “Hmm, this child, he’s starting to taste like the head of the family.”

Ha ha…

The people around laughed heartily, and then Lin Mo, holding Lin Xiaoxiao and taking Li Jinwen by the hand, went upstairs.

Cough…

He had never noticed before that his two dads and two moms were quite good at teasing people.

Watching Lin Mo and his family of three go upstairs, Zhang Li had a hint of tears welling up in his eyes when he heard that new clothes had been prepared for him too.

His memories of the New Year were those few years in the army; otherwise, he usually spent it alone and had never felt the warmth of a large family.

Once the cleaning was finished, it was time to offer incense to the ancestors.

Their custom was like this—offer incense on the twenty-ninth of the twelfth lunar month, signifying inviting the ancestors home for the New Year.

The parents-in-law and Zhang Li did not participate; Lin Mo, Li Jinwen, Lin Siyu, and their parents gathered in the freshly tidied living room.

Lin Changshui took a bunch of incense, lit it, and passed it to Lin Mo: “Son, this year you offer the incense.”

“Me?” Lin Mo shook his head, “Dad, is that right?”

“What’s not right about it?” Lin Changshui forcefully handed over the incense, saying very seriously, “Dad is going to retire…

From now on, you will be the head of the family. All the matters of this house are for you to decide.”

After finishing,

Lin Changshui turned to Li Jinwen and said, “Daughter-in-law, don’t worry, he can manage everyone, but you manage him. If he bullies you, I’ll thrash him to death.”

“Xiaoxiao, come here too, stand between your parents.”

Lin Xiaoxiao was unclear what was going on, but she obediently stood between Lin Mo and Li Jinwen as her grandfather had told her.

Lin Changshui and Xu Qin, with Lin Siyu by their side, stood next to Lin Mo.

It was clear from the positioning that Lin Mo had formally taken on the mantle of head of the family from his father.

This was not only a responsibility, a commitment,

but also the deepest trust from one man to another.

“Huff….”

Lin Mo took a deep breath, looking at the ancestral tablets that had been brought out, and after brewing his thoughts, he spoke the necessary words for ancestral worship in the manner his father used to.

After finishing, Lin Mo solemnly placed the incense into the censer and stood by the side.

Li Jinwen, after some resistance from her parents, was the second to stand in front of the ancestral tablets. After bowing, she said, “Ancestors, please protect our family to be safe and smooth. We don’t seek great wealth or grandeur, only to be free from illness and disaster is enough.”

“Xiaoxiao, come and kowtow to your great-grandfather and great-grandmother.”

“Okay!” Lin Xiaoxiao didn’t quite understand what she was doing, but obediently performed three kowtows before standing up.

Lin Changshui smilingly said, “Xiaoxiao, is there anything you want to say to your great-grandfather and great-grandmother?”

“Uh…”

After thinking, Lin Xiaoxiao said, “I hope great-grandfather and great-grandmother live to a hundred years old and get younger and younger.”