It's June, and the weather has started to heat up.

Outside the Nanshan City bus station, the constant flow of people embellishes this relatively developed city, making it even more bustling.

Back here, Taohua Village isn't far. Perhaps it was homesickness, but Cheng He felt a bit agitated.

For a long time, Nanshan City's economy wasn't doing well, barely keeping up with the rest of the country. However, in recent years, thanks to the sudden popularity of self-driving tours, Nanshan City's mountainous environment has seen some improvement.

Cheng He's shoulder sat a child carved from jade, who timidly said, "Dad, there are so many people here."

The child, having just been born, arrived in the city of Nanshan for the first time. With eyes like precious gems, they gazed curiously at the unfamiliar world before them.

Cheng He raised his hand and gently patted it, saying: "Baby don't be afraid, Daddy is here."

Not far away, a tow truck drove over and honked its horn. The driver yelled out, “Want a ride? To Huilong or Lvzhuang? Qi Fang is also doable.”

Cheng He asked from afar, "How much does it cost to go to Taohua Village?"

"You're going to Taohua Village? Since you have eyes, I'll give you a discount, just 20!" The taxi driver shouted.

Cheng He was a little surprised. He had noticed the price when he just came out of the station. The prices had been rising sharply in recent years. A round trip to Huilong cost 40 yuan, and Taohua Village was farther than Huilong. This person only charged 20 yuan.

This is quite a deal!

Cheng He walked over, and the truck driver suddenly exclaimed, “Blackie? Is that you? I’m not mistaken, am I?”

Cheng He's name, when pronounced in his dialect, sounds similar to "Cheng Hei." So people who know him usually call him "Hei Zi."

Cheng He was taken aback, and in an instant recognized the tow truck driver. It was his childhood neighbor who had grown up with him. He quickly replied, "Lao Shi, it's really you? How come it's not me? Oh my... It's been years, you've changed so much."

Cheng Shi chuckled: “Really! I thought I was mistaken. It’s really you! You haven’t been back in years. Come on, get in the car, I’ll take you home.”

Cheng He didn't refuse. He quickly took his daughter, Cheng Xinxin, down from his shoulders and placed her in the back seat of the car. He got into the car himself.

"Blackie, you're quite a character! You're the same size as us now. You even brought your child back. Hey, why are only the two of you? Didn't bring your wife back?" Cheng Shi heard that it was his son Cheng He's father and immediately started chatting.

Cheng He nodded, but didn't answer the question. Instead, he agreed and said, "Yeah, only the two of us."

Chengshi didn't think much and still enthusiastically introduced: "Hei Zi, you haven't been back these past few years, things at home have changed a lot! In recent years, self-driving tours have become popular, and many people from outside have come to Xiaolianshan for tourism. Our village is the closest to Xiaolianshan, so we've benefited."

Cheng Hechi said, "Since that's the case, if you're driving a taxi to make money, why don't you raise your prices?"

He didn't forget that as soon as Cheng Shi spoke, he offered himself a discount, with the fare only 20 yuan. Going to Taohua Village is quite a distance.

"Well, I give all visitors to our village a discount. You see, when tourists find that I don't overcharge them, they feel good and are more likely to eat at the local farmhouses. Isn't that good for our village?"

Cheng Heyi smiled: “You’re still the same! Such a kind heart!”

Chengshi let out a sly chuckle.

After leaving Nanshan city, we began to head up the mountain road. The child being held by Cheng He turned his eyes back and forth, taking in the sights around him.

The green mountains, the blue water, the blue sky, and the white clouds.

Li would chatter incessantly: "Daddy, there's a red tree over there."

"Daddy, there's a pond over there!"

"Daddy, there are fish in the water!"

"Daddy, there's a bird!"

"Daddy, what's that?"

Cheng He gently patted the child's head and said, "That's a wild rabbit. It runs very fast."

Cheng Xinxin nodded in agreement, saying: "It really runs so fast. It has to go back and cook for its little babies."

"Poof..." Cheng He was amused by Er's naive and innocent thoughts.

The mountain road for the past two hours was winding and bumpy, making everyone feel sick. Finally, Taohua Village was just within sight.

The village nestled in the mountains was as peaceful, impoverished, but resolute as it had been when he left years ago.

Stepping onto this road again, Cheng He inexplicably felt a surge of sadness.

After being away for so long, I thought he would be more composed. Now, a sense of "the young one who left home and became the eldest son" suddenly arises in me.

We're almost at the village entrance. Cheng Shisheng said with a hint of seriousness, but it sounded like a joke: "Hei Zi, when you see something in a little while, don't cry..."

The two of them originally lived next door to each other and were classmates from elementary school to middle school, so they've always been close. Even though they hadn't seen each other for a few years, chatting all the way back brought them slowly back to their childhood feelings.

Before, speaking was like this, nothing to be concerned about.

Cheng He asked, "What else is there for me to cry about?"

That year, he graduated from high school. His family went through a tragedy; his parents passed away. He arranged everything at home, including the farmland and their only dog, then left this place of pain.

It's been so many years since I last came back.

Now, is there anything left to cry about?

Chengshi knew his words had brought up painful memories for him, and sighed, not knowing what to say.

As they approached the village head, Cheng Shi slowed his pace. Cheng He held their child in the back seat and spotted a dog sitting at the village entrance from afar.

The dog sat quietly at the crossroads, facing the direction out of the village, as if waiting for someone. Perhaps it had been waiting for too long, its eyes seemed a little vacant. The way it sat, was like a statue.

Cheng He suddenly felt his eyes were a little sore, he hugged the child and got off the car.

This is a yellow earth dog. Besides being a little larger, thinner, and looking older, it's almost exactly the same as the dog he used to raise.

Between the eyebrows, a tuft of white is all the same.

That dog was very close to Cheng He. When Cheng He went to school, it would obediently wait at home. When Cheng He came back after a week or a month, the dog would be the most excited and run towards him from afar, licking him with great affection.

As long as Cheng He is home, the dog always follows him closely, and it always rushes to the front in any situation, never backing down.

Could this be it?

It has been so many years already!

Cheng He's head was a bit fuzzy. He tentatively called out, "Napoleon."

Before that, his dog was Napoleon.

The original yellow dog, who had been sitting on the ground like a statue, suddenly went mad and rushed over. It carefully looked at Cheng He, circling him and sniffing him. Suddenly, it raised its head and barked at him, "Woo woo," sounding miserable and pitiful, its eyes seeming to be filled with tears.

It is it, that's right!

Cheng He's heart ached, and as he reached out, the big yellow dog immediately leaned its head over and rubbed against his palm.

Cheng Shi stood on one foot, leaning against the car frame, and said with a smile: "I told you so, don't cry. Do you know that after you left, this dog would wait here every day? He thought you were going to school like before, and you would be back soon. For so many years, he didn't miss a single day, rain or shine."

>For over six years, it has been keeping watch here?

Cheng He hugged the big yellow dog, his hands trembling slightly. At first, he was afraid it would die, so he sent it to live at his uncle's house.

Chengshi said, "This dog doesn't want to stay at your uncle's house. Ever since you left, it has been guarding here every day. I can't bear to see it, and I also wanted to take it home, but it refused to stay at my place. It comes here every day waiting for you. Everyone in the village thinks this dog is loyal, and people bring food to feed it every day."

Cheng He's tears flowed out, hugging the dog without saying a word.

Cheng Xin saw her father's dog and was very curious. She reached out to the big yellow dog, tentatively. When she got close enough, the dog didn't bite and she couldn't help but giggle with delight.

The Golden Retriever lay docilely on Cheng He's lap, its ears drooping and tail wagging happily. The pair were close together, the dog softly whining, "Woo woo," as if sharing some secret.

Cheng Shi watched from the side, his heart also filled with emotion.

My childhood playmate, and my brother who has been away from home for many years, is back!

(Editor in charge：james novel)