Cousin, Lin Mo Cousin

“On moving day, cleaning up the trash made the house look as though a battle had been fought.”

After tidying up, Lin Mo once again offered incense to his parents.

A week had passed since the incident at Lelin Plaza.

Life had returned to normal.

Ordinarily, he would have gone back to the countryside today to have New Year’s Eve dinner with his second grandaunt. However, since his third uncle, Lin Gongcheng, had invited him over for dinner, he decided to go.

After turning eighteen, Lin Mo’s guardianship had belonged to him personally, so he no longer needed to consult his third uncle about anything. Still, Lin Gongcheng had never done anything wrong to him. In fact, he could even be considered someone who had helped him, so Lin Mo figured he should pay him a visit.

After changing clothes, Lin Mo was about to leave when a message from Xie Yuling flashed across his phone.

“Are you heading out for New Year’s Eve dinner now?”

“Yep. Aren’t you going to your eldest uncle’s place too?”

“Yeah. I’m taking Qingcheng with me. My mom even asked why you weren’t taking Qingcheng back to your hometown.”

“What did you tell her?”

“I told her that if Qingcheng went back to your hometown with you, people might steal her inheritance. My mom got so scared that she wouldn’t let Qingcheng go with you.”

Lin Mo couldn’t help laughing when he read that.

“Then Qingcheng is in your hands.”

With Ning Qingcheng there, Xie Yuling’s safety would not be an issue.

After dinner tonight, he would also return to his maternal grandmother’s home. In any case, dinner at his third uncle’s place was quite early.

After gathering his things, Lin Mo headed out.

Although he was only going over for dinner, Lin Mo didn’t consider himself the host. As a guest, he naturally had to bring something.

He went to a toy store and bought a complete Super Sentai toy set. Then he bought some Yuen Long egg rolls, a tin of Blue Can biscuits, and finally a carton of Soft China cigarettes.

For New Year’s gifts, those things were practically foolproof.

It wasn’t until after four o’clock that Lin Mo arrived at the door.

His third uncle lived in an apartment complex in Yangcheng’s old town.

At market value, the apartment could probably sell for one or two million yuan.

That was already considered expensive at the time. Although the housing market had yet to reach its peak, homes in the old town were worth about that much.

Naturally, properties in good school districts were even more expensive.

Carrying a large bag of gifts, Lin Mo easily walked through the entrance of the complex.

There was practically no security here, much like Old Yang’s place on Tao Street.

The complex wasn’t far from Tao Street, though Old Yang was no longer there. He had moved out and was now living with his son’s family.

It was probably because of what had happened last time, so he had simply gone to stay with his son.

Following his memories, Lin Mo arrived beneath his third uncle’s building and pressed the doorbell.

Before long, a childish voice came through.

“Hello, who are you looking for?”

“It’s Doudou, right? Open the door. It’s your cousin.”

“Huh? Which cousin?”

Even so, the door opened. After all, Doudou was the nickname of Lin Mo’s younger male cousin, and usually only family members would know it.

Lin Mo took the elevator straight up. The apartment door was already open.

His third uncle, Lin Gongcheng, was standing by the balcony in the corridor, smoking. An ashtray sat on the windowsill, already holding two or three cigarette butts.

Hearing the elevator, he turned to look.

When he saw Lin Mo, Lin Gongcheng froze for a moment before resting his cigarette over the ashtray.

“Oh, Mo-zai is here.”

He coughed once, glanced into the apartment, and lowered his voice.

“That kid at home won’t let me smoke, and your aunt keeps an eye on me too. I can only sneak out here for a couple of puffs. Don’t go inside and rat me out to your third uncle, all right?”

Lin Mo walked over with the bag in hand.

“Third Uncle, it’s been a long time.”

He smiled and pulled a carton of cigarettes from the bag, handing it directly to him.

“Let me wish you a happy New Year in advance.”

Lin Gongcheng accepted it, his hand pausing halfway.

“Hey, you brat, why did you buy such expensive cigarettes?”

When Lin Gongcheng saw the entire carton of Soft China cigarettes, he was startled.

A single pack cost several dozen yuan, which was already very expensive for cigarettes.

He usually smoked Wuyesheng. At most, he would open a couple of better packs during the New Year to make the occasion feel special.

Now Lin Mo had given him a whole carton in one go, and instead of feeling pleased, he felt a little uneasy.

In the past, whenever this nephew visited, he had been quiet, sitting for a while before leaving. The gifts he brought had always been conventional—fruit, milk, and the like.

Today was different.

He was still the same person, but standing in front of him, his back was straight, his expression relaxed, and he spoke without hurry. He seemed taller and more handsome somehow.

“I’m giving them to you, Third Uncle. Of course they have to be good.”

Hearing that still made Lin Gongcheng feel good, though he carefully asked, “You haven’t started smoking, have you?”

As he spoke, he had already taken out his own pack of Wuyesheng. But after thinking it over, he put it away and prepared to open the Soft China instead.

Lin Mo waved his hand.

“No. I don’t smoke.”

Lin Gongcheng studied his nephew’s fingers. They indeed showed none of the signs of a smoker.

After all, smokers’ fingers tended to turn yellow. It was easy enough to tell.

“Good. Don’t smoke. Young people shouldn’t get hooked on that stuff. It wastes money, and then you’ll have to take an earful from your wife.”

Lin Gongcheng didn’t continue smoking either. He stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray, then picked up the large palm-leaf fan beside him and waved it vigorously.

When he finished, he still wasn’t satisfied. He lowered his head and sniffed his sleeve.

Watching the whole routine, Lin Mo couldn’t help laughing.

“Third Uncle, you’re so practiced at this that it’s heartbreaking.”

Lin Gongcheng glared at him.

“Quit fooling around. Once you start a family, you’ll have to master the same skills. Ah, I forgot—you don’t smoke.”

He waved a hand.

“Come on, let’s go inside. Your aunt is preparing tonight’s dishes.”

Lin Mo had already swept the apartment with his spiritual sense. Only Doudou and his aunt were inside.

So he followed Lin Gongcheng in at a leisurely pace.

The apartment looked exactly as he remembered.

The dining table was pushed against the wall. Sunflower seeds and candies were spread across the coffee table, while the television was tuned to a children’s channel with the volume turned low.

From the kitchen came the sound of chopping vegetables, and something was simmering in a pot.

This wasn’t Lin Mo’s first time here. As a child, he had been rather reserved, and he had visited several times in his previous life as well. Now, however, he felt completely at ease.

“Sit down for a bit. I’ll put the cigarettes away.”

With that, Lin Gongcheng headed toward the bedroom.

At that moment, Doudou emerged from another room.

He looked at Lin Mo with a face full of curiosity and wariness.

Lin Mo had rarely appeared in his life. Given a child’s limited memory, Doudou probably barely remembered this older cousin.

But from now on, he would remember Lin Mo for the rest of his life.

Because…

“Doudou! Do you still remember me?” Lin Mo asked with a smile.

This sort of soul-searching question was something practically every child had experienced.

Lin Mo suddenly remembered that his third uncle had once asked him the same thing.

What goes around comes around.

Doudou hugged a toy and shook his head.

Lin Mo took the complete Super Sentai toy set out of the bag.

“Then you’d better remember me from now on. I’m your cousin, Lin Mo.”

No little boy could possibly resist a Super Sentai toy set.

Doudou’s eyes went wide, and he immediately reached for the toys.

But Lin Mo lifted them out of reach with one hand.

“Wait. What’s my name?”

“Cousin! Lin Mo Cousin!”