What Should I Do If I Time-Traveled Forty Years Later and My Lover Has Become an Old Man? - MLFYL: 36

Even though Yu Yao didn’t feel as close to her old cousin’s family as she did with Mother Jiang and Father Jiang, they weren’t bad people. They were pretty warm and welcoming when she came over.

They all shared lunch together, and that’s when she took a good look at the whole family. Jiang Zhonglin’s eldest nephew and a pair of twins who just started junior high were stuck upstairs, totally absorbed in their games, not bothering to join the rest.

You know how teens can be—rebellious with that cool, aloof vibe.

After lunch, Yu Yao headed up to her room to chill out. While she was up there, she stumbled upon the twins gaming and got super intrigued. She ended up watching them for a bit and then jumped right in to play.

She has a knack for picking up games quickly, which is sort of her hidden talent. Plus, she’s got a lucky streak. Back in the day, when she played with her friends, they’d always want her to handle the card draws in those games, and they jokingly dubbed her the ‘Hand of God.’

She had a bunch of friends from those gaming sessions. But now, a lot of the games she used to enjoy have been shut down, and those friends who only connected with her through gaming have vanished.

At first, she didn’t really think much of it. But as she went through her time travel, little memories started flooding back. Even the tiniest things could hit her hard with nostalgia. Thankfully, she isn’t one to linger on the past.

She’s got a big heart, so she manages to keep living her life happily every day.

The two junior high kids quickly helped her level up in the game.

As they played, Yu Yao stumbled upon some awesome loot for their trio, which got those two previously stoic kids all hyped up, drawing them in for some fun chatter and laughter.

“Hey, over here! Come quick, we found another one! Let’s check it out!”

“Wow! It’s super red! I’ve opened this thing more than ten times and never got this one! How did you manage to open it just like that?”

Yu Yao wore a proud grin as she stared at the game screen that filled half the wall.

Her fingers danced over the controls, “Watch out, the enemy’s creeping up! Come over to my side.”

Just as she finished speaking, she effortlessly took down an opponent.

The two junior high kids followed her into the game zone, buzzing with excitement, feeling like luck was finally on their side.

Meanwhile, Jiang Zhonglin chatted with his two nephews downstairs for quite a while. Noticing Yu Yao hadn’t come down yet, he decided to check on her.

As he approached the room, he caught a glimpse of her and the kids totally absorbed in their game, with her clearly leading the charge. They were so focused that they didn’t even notice him lingering behind.

He watched for a moment, then quietly slipped back downstairs.

When it was time for their New Year’s Eve dinner, the twins who had been ignoring Yu Yao earlier were now grinning at her like she was the best thing ever. Their parents were taken aback, totally confused about how their two rebellious kids suddenly turned into such charming little hosts.

They skipped the New Year’s Eve dinner at home and instead snagged a spot in a riverside restaurant on the 166th floor, where they had a stunning view of the river and the bridge below, along with the impressive skyline across the water.

The city was lit up beautifully at night. The stars above might have been faint, but the ground was alive with its own kind of stars—crowds and cars moving like fleeting meteors. From up there, the city’s hustle and bustle felt like whispers from a distant world, almost serene.

As everyone settled into the banquet hall, the Spring Festival Gala was playing in the background.

They dug into their food with excitement. Yu Yao was drawn in by the music at the start of the Gala and looked up to see a festive red scene that felt like a blast from the past. The vibe had hardly changed from decades ago, and even the opening dance had that same quirky, lively charm. While plenty had evolved and improved, the Spring Festival Gala seemed to hold onto its roots, with the opening male host’s voice sounding just like it always had.

But when she took a closer look, she realized it wasn’t a familiar face on stage—none of the hosts she remembered from years gone by.

It hit her that those people must be much older now, or maybe even gone, which is why they weren’t up there anymore.

She found herself lost in thought for a moment, reflecting on this subtle realization. In the end, it just felt different.

The clinking of bowls and chopsticks brought her back to reality.

She noticed Jiang Zhonglin had served her a small bowl of tangyuan. A few little white rice balls bobbed in the creamy soup, and the sweet smell was almost intoxicating.

As he dished out some glutinous rice balls for her, he glanced at the big screen where the Spring Festival Gala was playing, “Looks like these hosts have been doing this for a few years now.”

“Looks like?” Yu Yao chuckled. “Haven’t you watched the Spring Festival Gala in the past?”

He grinned, “I catch bits and pieces.”

For him, watching the Gala during the Spring Festival feels more like a family tradition. With his loved ones gone, he finds himself alone in front of the TV. The livelier the show gets, the more empty the space around him feels. So, he usually tunes in for the opening acts and maybe a couple of skits before calling it a night. Otherwise, he ends up dozing off on the sofa, only to be jolted awake by the sound of firecrackers at midnight.

Since the private room was buzzing with energy, Yu Yao leaned in and remarked, “I swear all their voices sound the same. If I hadn’t seen their faces, I wouldn’t have reacted just now.”

After a bit, she realized she wasn’t getting the jokes and was totally lost on what was so funny.

She nudged Jiang Zhonglin, “What’s the joke? Why am I missing it?”

He looked at her with a blank stare, clearly just as clueless.

The twins, however, rolled their eyes and chimed in, “That’s an old joke from last year.”

Yu Yao chuckled, saying that the memes she knew were ancient—like, 40 years old. To her, last year’s memes already felt fresh.

At that moment, she and Old Jiang were totally on the same wavelength, even if he didn’t get it.

Listening to the two kids gripe about things, Yu Yao found it pretty amusing. They were all bonding over their shared complaints about the Spring Festival Gala, which added a quirky twist to the night.

The New Year’s Eve dinner stretched on forever, but the family soaked in the atmosphere for a bit before heading out.

On their way home, Yu Yao noticed tons of people strolling along the road, and the square was packed. There were these massive screens playing the Spring Festival Gala from different locations, and vendors were out in full force, bringing in some small-time celebs to sing and dance while holding lotteries. The crowd was massive.

Even though she felt tempted to join the fun, she glanced down at her belly and thought better of it. There was no way she was going to squeeze into that crowd and risk an early delivery.

Once they got back home, they resumed watching the Spring Festival Gala, but it turned into more of a background soundtrack. The guys were deep into their chess and card games, the women were all about mahjong, and the kids were glued to a princess animated series on the projector.

Yu Yao decided to play some games with the two older kids. After a bit, she heard the crack of firecrackers outside. Spotting a stash of fireworks in the room, she gathered the kids and headed out to the yard to light them up.

The new cold fireworks are super safe—no fire hazards or injuries. They’ve really upped the safety game, so you can even set them off in downtown areas indoors. Plus, they’ve managed to get rid of the pollution and smell, but you still get all the sound.

Yu Yao was surrounded by a bunch of kids of all ages, lighting up fireworks in the courtyard. A few of the little ones were too scared to light them, but two older kids were brave enough to join her. They took turns lighting the fireworks, stepping back a bit to watch the show. The fireworks shot up into the sky, bursting into beautiful flower shapes.

She was in awe; those fireworks were stunning! Some of them even exploded three or four times in a row, each time changing into a different shape.

Then there was this massive firework with 233 shots. By the time the first one was still hanging in the air, the last one was already shooting up.

The sky was practically filled with falling fireworks. One tube created a spectacular effect that felt like hundreds were going off all at once.

The others in the house couldn’t resist and rushed out to catch the fireworks show too.

Yu Yao stepped back a bit, only to be caught by someone behind her.

It was Jiang Zhonglin, who warned her, “Watch your step!”

She grabbed his hand and pointed, “Check that one out! It’s gorgeous—way better than the fireworks show we saw last time.”

He helped her steady herself, “The display is still going, and it’s even more amazing than before. We can totally go again if you want.”

Yu Yao turned to him and smiled, “Sounds great! When Guagua is born, we’ll take the little one to see it together.”

Jiang Zhonglin looked at her and smiled, his eyes sparkling softly under the fireworks.

The two spent a night at the Qu’s place and headed home on the first day of the Lunar New Year.

“I’ve got a bunch of students who will be coming over to wish me a happy New Year, so I can’t stay away from home,” Jiang Zhonglin explained.

Even though the old cousin wasn’t too keen on it, he let them head back.

Sure enough, not long after Yu Yao and Jiang Zhonglin returned home, students started dropping by to extend their New Year wishes.

He had previously told his students not to visit Yu Yao specifically, but with it being New Year, it wouldn’t be right to turn away the students who came every year. So, taking advantage of the occasion, even more students showed up this time around.

Students who had been working for years and even some still in college came in groups. From the way they eyed Yu Yao with curiosity, it was clear they were eager to meet their teacher’s wife.

Plus, some old pals of Jiang Zhonglin and neighbors who often popped by also came to exchange New Year greetings.

Even though she wasn’t bothered by the crowd, she felt worn out after a whole day of it and just wanted to curl up on the sofa. Once the guests had all left in the evening, sitting quietly together with the TV on didn’t feel lonely at all. Instead, it brought a cozy warmth and a comforting sense of home.

She glanced over at Jiang Zhonglin, who was sipping tea beside her. The steam was rising, and he was glued to the TV, deeply engrossed in a poetry show featuring a young guy. She snuggled closer and rested her head on his leg.

His focus shifted right back to her, “Feeling tired?”

Yu Yao stretched her legs and replied lazily, “Just feeling a bit lazy.”

He grabbed a big blanket from the side and draped it over her.

Outside, the sounds of kids laughing and playing filled the air, mixed with the pops of fireworks and the soft hum of young people zooming around on hovercrafts.

Yu Yao shut her eyes, enjoying the peaceful moment as she rested her head on Jiang Zhonglin’s leg.