After hanging up the phone, Lewis took a moment to calm his emotions.
Then he pulled out a stack of papers from his backpack, all the bucket list items he had printed out.
A total of 199 items, all listed there.
Minus the two he had already completed, there were 197 left.
Lewis went through them one by one until his gaze finally settled on the fifth item, [Trek Across No Man's Land].
This item had a specific requirement: he needed to stay in the no man's land for at least 30 days.
Lewis stared at this item for a long time before suddenly uttering a soft "huh."
"I have the encyclopedia!"
He suddenly realized that the encyclopedia he won from the raffle yesterday seemed to have a purpose now.
But having just the encyclopedia wasn't enough.
Being able to identify various animals and plants could only prevent him from accidentally ingesting poisonous wild fruits and such.
To fulfill this item, he needed more than just the encyclopedia; he needed to know how to survive.
After all, once he chose this item, he would have to spend at least 30 days in the mountains.
Lewis took out a pen and circled this item.
Tentative, he had all the time he needed.
...
It was half-past eleven.
Lewis was in a taxi, and he would be home in ten minutes.
He had talked to his dad on the way, and Mom and Dad had arrived home just after ten.
Sitting in the car, watching the scenery flashing by outside the window, Lewis felt great.
Soon, the car stopped at the village entrance.
Lewis paid the fare, got off the car with his bags, and walked towards the village.
These were nutrients he had bought for his grandparents, uncle, and other elders.
Since he didn't have a car, he couldn't bring back many things he wanted to buy.
As he walked towards the village, looking at the familiar scenery, he couldn't wait, and his pace naturally quickened.
His Village wasn't rich, but it wasn't poor either. Every household had a self-built two-story building.
With a fresh coat of paint outside, it looked like a new countryside village.
Not far away, a cluster of low mountains embraced a lake. Although it wasn't a famous scenic spot, the scenery was pleasant and the air was fresh.
As soon as he entered the village, a villager walked towards him and, seeing Lewis, exclaimed in surprise, "Lewis is back?"
"Uncle Greg," Lewis responded with a smile, "I came back to see Grandpa."
"I heard you participated in some show and made a lot of money. Is that true?" Greg asked curiously.
Lewis didn't hide it and nodded, "Made quite a bit."
Greg clicked his tongue and said, "I knew you'd make something of yourself. Going to college really makes a difference. It's hard for you to carry so many things, right? Come on, let me help you with some."
"No need, no need..."
"Stop talking, give them to me."
Greg grabbed them all. As farmers, they weren't bothered by such a little l
The two chatted as they walked, "Fifth Uncle's house has been bustling these two days. Cars have been coming all day long, from morning till night."
Fifth Uncle referred to Lewis' grandfather, Oscar. He was the fifth in his brother's generation, and now he was the only one left.
Everyone in the village called him Fifth Uncle.
Lewis asked, "Who are they all?"
Greg said, "People from other villages and the county. They say they're relatives, but I've never seen them during holidays before."
Lewis nodded and didn't say anything else.
They were probably distant relatives, and he could guess why they came with just his toes.
When they reached the gate, Greg shouted through it, "Fifth Uncle, Lewis is back."
It was lively in the yard. An old man with silver hair sitting on a rattan chair was Lewis' grandfather.
Next to him, a middle-aged man in a short-sleeved shirt was Lewis' father, Julian.
Their gazes turned towards him at this shout.
"Lewis is back."
"Come in quickly."
"Greg, come in for a cup of tea too."
"No, no, I have to check the fish pond. I'll come over later to play." Greg waved and smiled as he left.
Since Lewis became famous, some young villagers found out immediately, and soon the whole village knew.
But compared to these distant relatives, the villagers had a better mindset.
"See, this is what studying brings. You have to focus more and not just play around."
"When you grow up, you don't have to be like Lewis, but you should at least buy a house and settle down in a big city."
For a moment, Lewis became the child everyone else wished they had.
Walking into the yard, Lewis glanced around and was surprised.
The yard was full of family members, including his dad and grandpa, as well as his uncle and little uncle.
He thought other distant relatives would come, but he didn't see any.
He didn't know that many people had planned to come today but were rejected by his grandfather.
Today, his grandson was coming back, and he didn't want these distant relatives to disturb him.
"Grandpa, Uncle..."
Lewis greeted everyone one by one, put his things in the house, and came out to ask, "Grandpa, where's Grandma?"
Grandpa said, "She's washing vegetables in the river. Knowing you're coming back, she's been running around since early morning, catching chickens and killing ducks."
As he finished speaking, Grandma, Mom, and Auntie came back with their baskets.
Inside were the cleaned chickens, ducks, and intestines.
"Grandma," Lewis ran over and took the basket, slightly scolding, "Don't you know how old you are? And you still keep going to the river. It's slippery there. Stay away from it. You can wash vegetables at home. We're not short of water."
Grandma grabbed Lewis' arm, and her wrinkled face lit up with a smile, "My dear grandson is back. Are you tired? Go rest, Grandma will make something delicious for you."
"I'm not tired. I just closed my eyes for a bit in the car and got home."
This was Lewis' first contact with his family after his travels, but he didn't feel strange at all.
Instead, he felt a natural blend, as if this was his home, his parents, and grandparents.
Mom and Grandma went into the house to cook, and Lewis, feeling bored outside, went in to help with the stove.
Soon, a pot of food was ready, and the whole family sat around the table.
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