Chapter 91: Laughter and Scolding, Perhaps This Is Home

They furiously stormed into the previously viral thread titled #WhatIfIHadA100%ChanceToEatBraisedPorkRice, and indignantly shared their experiences!

They accused the original poster of having malicious intentions!

—Why did the OP only show us the good side and rile us up! Why didn’t they mention the consequences of getting caught!!!!

—BOO HOO HOO! Who said the grandparent generation doesn’t use forums?! My grandpa saw this thread, and I was forced to be the family’s "tool person" for the day. I had to watch Dad eat, Mom eat, Grandpa eat, Grandma eat, my other grandpa eat, and my other grandma eat, while I was stuck holding thin air and couldn’t eat a thing!

—+1, my grandpa said I was messing with him.

—+2, my grandma said I was disrespecting her.

The thread inexplicably split into two parts. The first half was full of people smugly "checking in" after successfully recruiting their "tool person" fans, while the second half was filled with the tragic tales of those who got caught using their parents and grandparents as "tools." Everyone complained about their own misery while laughing their heads off at everyone else’s. HA HA HA.

Even though the whole thing had backfired spectacularly, there was a strange warmth to the thread. Despite all the complaining and roasting, the tone was surprisingly heartwarming.

Perhaps it was because, at the end of the day, that’s what family is.

All the teasing, laughter, anger, and scolding were tied together by bonds of love and blood. No matter how much they complained, the deepest feelings still held the warmth of home.

Meanwhile, a related thread popped up and instantly went viral. Its title: #AboutMy100YearOldGrandfather.

—Before today, I always thought my grandparents just stayed at home watering flowers, tending to their vegetable garden, and occasionally going fishing with friends.

I figured they weren’t very good with smart-terminals or robots, since we have so few robots at home. I even thought they disliked them.

But today, I found out I was wrong!

Today, he showed me a screenshot of that thread—of the part with my "check-in" post! I practically fell to my knees and admitted I was wrong. Honestly, when I first decided to use his account to follow the streamer, I didn’t think it was a big deal. It was only when my grandfather looked at me that I realized how rude I’d been.

Maybe because my apology was sincere, my grandfather wasn’t too angry. He just chatted with me and asked why I didn’t just tell him directly to follow Juju...

I’m sure that as soon as you hear that question, a bunch of thoughts flash through your mind: ’How could my grandpa possibly watch a livestream? Does he even know how to use the Star Network? Wouldn’t he think watching food streams is frivolous? He’d never understand the hobbies of young people.’ And so on. I was thinking the exact same thing.

Then my grandfather asked me if I knew how he got that screenshot.

I said I had no idea. And then—here comes the best part!

I discovered that our grandfathers and grandmothers have their own private, encrypted groups!!! I took a look at their group, and while we’re over here discussing how to borrow their terminals to follow Juju, they’re over there discussing why we’re treating them like "tool people"!!

They use the Star Network, they’re in online groups, they even use virtual Mecha! My grandfather is just as good at surfing the Star Network as I am, if not better!

So, I had a chat with my grandfather, and afterward, I realized I don’t know him at all...

Look at that other thread. It seems like everyone’s stereotype of the elderly is just gardening, drinking tea, and fishing. But the truth is, your grandpa and your grandma might have a wide range of interests too. They might even be an internet-surfing pro!

—Anyway, we really hit it off. My grandfather is a truly wise and knowledgeable man. I suggest that after this whole incident, everyone should try talking more with their families.

We always think that because we’re young and have grown up, we’re spreading our wings and flying away, leaving our parents and grandparents behind. But maybe that’s a pretty one-sided way of looking at things.

At the end of the post, the OP reflected that they never imagined they would finally bridge the distance with their family... all thanks to a food streamer’s channel.

—One last thing: even though my grandfather is amazing, after talking with him for a bit, I got the feeling he’s a little lonely. He mentioned that I used to be so clingy when I was little, and he doesn’t know why I stopped talking to him once I grew up.

P.S. One more thing. Grandpa, if you’re reading this post, please remember my answer. You used to be in the military, and when you’re not smiling, you seriously look like you’re about to open fire on someone. I was scared! How was I supposed to just casually chat with you? I was afraid you’d give me a good smack across the face.

The thread reached its absolute peak when the grandfather himself showed up in the fifth comment with a reply: "#WhenDidIEverHitYou?"

A key trait of young people is their fearlessness. The heat from the previous thread’s backfiring hadn’t even died down, yet seeing others having such harmonious, heart-to-heart talks with their families, they were inspired. They sidled up to their own stern fathers and mothers, their seemingly aloof and intimidating grandfathers and grandmothers, only to discover—

—that communication wasn’t nearly as difficult as they’d imagined. That some of those cold, hard exteriors were just a facade.

And after that, for a short while, Jiang Qiuqiu’s fan community became a channel for family communication.

Perhaps the distance between you and your stern parents, between you and your aging grandparents, is just a single step.