Time quickly passed and Ju-Long held Ming-Yue to him as her brothers were in their sling fast asleep, he walked into the yard that has been fenced in and looked at his family’s house that had finally been completed, it looked a bit larger than what he had estimated but it still brought a smile to his face. He walked through the house checking each room, a warm feeling spreading in his chest with every step he took and he could no longer hold back the smile on his face.
He ignored the looks he got from the people around him and became more excited until he finally stopped in the garden at the back, he walked through it until he reached the back wall and then placed his hand on it closing his eyes. This was their home, they finally had a place to stay with just them and he wouldn’t have to be bothered by his mother’s family, he opened his eyes and looked down at his children a sad feeling taking him over “if only she was here.”
He really missed her, Bai Qiu-Yue, his beloved wife and the mother of his children in both of his lives, on the day of her birth there was a full moon that shined brightly in the sky, and even though her mother had passed away that same day her grandfather had given her the name because her father had passed away in the army in both lives. Her grandfather raised her up in the palms of his hand, even though both of his lives had different circumstances he always did all he could for her, even marrying a son-in-law so she could stay by his side.
When he first met her, on their wedding day, her pale skin had glowed against the red dress she wore and she gave him a gentle smile as a red blush tinted her face because of how shy she was and at that moment he thought that maybe it wasn’t so bad to be married off by his family. Both he and the original had shared the same thought and so just like her grandfather they cherished her and held her in the palm of their hands until she slipped away from them.
Though it was only for a short few years he and the original finally felt the same love and care they had felt when their parents were around so they cherished it very much it was good enough for them to be able to bear the humiliation that was brought to them by having to marry into their wife’s family. And just like a good parent their grandfather-in-law treated them with respect and provided enough space for them to grow their wings and shine. If anyone asked they would say that those four years were the best thing that happened to them since their parents passed away and if they had the chance they would happily relive it.
He stood there for a while and then went back through the house to the front where the village head was waiting for them, Ju-Long smiled at the older male and the man chuckled. “When I see your face I feel so much better about this house, though it’s a bit bog for now when your sons grow and get married, bringing in their wives and possible children then this place might not even be big enough and building this kind of place actually brought me a peace of mind that you were actually here to stay.”
“Of course, eldest uncle Yan, I intend to settle here with my children and as long as nothing happens I’ll spend the rest of my life in this village, it may expand in the future but this will be the ancestral home of our Hung Family.” As he spoke the smile on the village head’s face grew wider and then he laughed out loud.
“Good, good, good, this is what we all want.”
They stayed for a while and walked around the yard the house will take a few more days to dry out but I’ll have them look after it and in the meantime, you can begin moving in the furniture that you had the carpenter build, but I have to say I had gone to check on the progress and I find that the furniture, even though it was odd, it suited the house well.”
Ju-Long chuckled to himself, a month ago when he had come to see the progress of the house and was told it would be finished soon, he asked the village head to help him get a carpenter in order to make furniture for the house so when it was done the furniture would be ready and he would be able to move in soon. The furniture type he had designed were those that belonged to the twenty-first century and were more practical and could be considered a luxury, the carpenter even mistook them for the capital's exclusive furniture.
“Since the house is finished I’ll ask the ones that helped build the house to help you with moving in the furniture and setting them up the way you want it.” Ju-Long nodded and they continued to talk as they went back to his rented house, he watched the village head leave and then went inside, he took off his muddy shoes and put his sleeping children on the bed, and helped them settle.
The next day he would have the people move the things that were by the carpenter into the house and buy the rest of the necessities in town and move them in and when he could move in next week he’ll take the things that he was currently using, he thought about it and realized he needed to hold a house warming so he went to his room took out some pare, his brush and ink and began making plans.
