Chapter 101: The Letter Is Short, But the Feelings Are Deep

Dai Lihua and Lin Anan walked home talking and laughing all the way.

Dai Lihua said with emotion: "An An, don't take those gossips to heart. You did the right thing. A person with integrity has nothing to fear. People should distinguish between public and private affairs."

"I know, Sister Lihua. I won't let these things affect my mood."

When they arrived at the door of the house, Lin Anan invited Dai Lihua to come in and sit down.

Dai Lihua waved her hand, "No, Jianmin is still waiting for me at home, you should have a good rest and remember to take your medicine on time."

Lin Anan nodded, watched Dai Lihua leave, then turned around and prepared to go into the house.

"Comrade Lin."

Lin Anan looked in the direction of the voice and saw Qiao Xu behind a big tree...

At this moment, he was leaning against the wall, holding a cigarette in his mouth, his eyelids slightly drooping, and he looked very tired and lazy. When he raised his eyes, there was a rebelliousness in his bones.

Lin Anan was stunned!

"Why are you here?"

She frowned slightly, obviously not very happy.

Qiao Xu did not come out from behind the tree. He just looked at her quietly, with a barely perceptible flash of heartache in his eyes. "I was just passing by. I heard that you were not feeling well..."

Lin Anan was alert in her heart, and her tone became more distant: "Thank you for your concern, I'm fine. If there's nothing else, I'll go in first."

Qiao Xu nodded, flicked the cigarette on the ground, and kicked away, "I will stay in the Northwest Military Region until the 16th day of the first lunar month. If you need any help, you can come to me anytime."

Lin Anan felt that this man was inexplicable, so she didn't respond to him and quickly quickened her pace to go in.

With a bang, he closed the door.

Qiao Xu took out a cigarette, tapped it lightly on the back of his hand, put it to his lips, took out another one, but didn't light it, just held it in his mouth.

At this moment, he felt extremely sorry for this little girl. She was so beautiful when she blossomed on the stage...

Qiao Xu found out more information about Lin Anan, of course, all from Tang Jingqiao.

When Qiao Xu learned that Chu Mingzhou used Lin Anan's marriage to advance his career, he wanted to beat him up. This behavior was too despicable!

Lin Anan had to enter into this marriage just to fulfill the engagement left by her elders...

She was so talented and longed for freedom, but in the end she bowed her head and came to this completely unfamiliar city. But the ending would not change, Chu Mingzhou would still ruthlessly abandon her, completely disregarding her reputation.

Qiao Xu stood quietly by the wall for a long time.

But Qiao Xu didn't know that all his actions were seen by Aunt Wang, the neighbor of the Chu family.

Not only did Aunt Wang hear every word of their conversation, but she also remembered every look in Qiao Xu's eyes, and the sadness in his eyes.

What hasn’t Aunt Wang seen?

How could she not see what the young man was thinking?

Including Lin Anan's failure to dodge, in her opinion, it was all due to guilty conscience.

Aunt Wang smacked her lips and muttered softly, "Lin Anan is really capable. As soon as her husband left the house, she immediately started to fight with another man at the door. How can this be tolerated!"

As she thought about this, she took small steps towards the door. Along the way, she felt like she was worried and couldn't wait to spread the news.

Aunt Chu and a few children have already started preparing food for the New Year.

Lin Zihuai has changed a lot in the past few days. Maybe he has realized the sense of responsibility as an older brother, which makes him efficient and diligent in his work.

And he couldn't help but praise, whenever the little ones said: Brother Zihuai is so awesome.

Even if he had to grit his teeth, he would get the job done.

“It’s a little more difficult to make this fish fillet in soy sauce, but it tastes really good when it’s ready.”

Seeing Lin Anan coming back, Aunt Chu just took the last dish out of the pot.

Lin Zihuai said that his sister loves to eat fish, and her favorite is Suzhou's fish fillet in fermented wine.

Aunt Chu heard it and took it to heart.

This morning, she specially bought a big black fish, and asked an old lady from Suzhou for advice on how to make the fish fillets in pickled wine.

"Sister, wash your hands and eat."

"OK."

The family sat around the table, ready to eat.

Lin Anan frowned slightly, still thinking about Qiao Xu, and felt that this man was inexplicable. Moreover, she had a bad first impression of him, so she couldn't help but be more wary.

Aunt Chu put a piece of fish fillet into Lin Anan's bowl and said, "Anan, did something happen to you? Don't just stand there, eat first."

"Oh, nothing."

Lin Anan took a bite of the pickled fish fillet, and the familiar taste spread on her tongue. She was visibly stunned!

"This fish fillet...isn't it delicious?"

When Aunt Chu heard this, she smiled so much that her eyes narrowed into slits, and she was so happy in her heart.

Lin Zihuai also took a piece and nodded as soon as he tasted it. "It's delicious. My aunt is really amazing."

Then she looked at Lin An'an and said, "Sister, I told my aunt yesterday that you liked it, so I made it specially today."

Lin Anan felt a sudden pang in her heart, and that awkward emotion rushed straight into her mind...

In this strange world, she experienced too many emotions that she had never experienced before.

She looked at Aunt Chu and Lin Zihuai, her eyes slightly reddened, "Thank you, thank you Aunt Chu for thinking of me so much, Zihuai is also thoughtful."

He quickly put a piece of fish fillet into his mouth, "This fish fillet tastes really good, especially good."

Aunt Chu paused and looked for her handkerchief, "Why are you crying?"

Hearing their aunt say that Lin Anan was crying, the little ones all looked over eagerly.

Lin Anan wiped her eyes quickly and said, "No, I didn't cry. My eyes are a little sore from being burned by the fire. I was eating so happily, how could I cry?"

Everyone then breathed a sigh of relief.

"Silly child, as long as you like to eat, it's fine. You are not in good health, so don't be stingy when eating. You need to keep up with the nutrition. Only with good nutrition can you keep your body strong."

"Okay, I'll listen to you, aunt."

After the family finished their lively meal, Lin Anan played with the little ones for a while and then returned to her room.

She sat at her desk, took out the manuscript, and began to sort it out. While sorting it out, she also wrote the English version.

Time passed quietly with the rustling sound of the pen tip touching the paper, and soon it was evening.

I thought everything was normal until I finished washing up and lay down on the bed.

Usually at this time of year, Chu Mingzhou would always be by my side. With him lying next to me, I could always sleep especially soundly.

However, at this moment, Chu Mingzhou was not at home, and the huge earthen kang seemed particularly empty. Lin Anan tossed and turned, but couldn't fall asleep, and always felt empty in her heart.

"I haven't achieved much in other aspects, but I have developed habits very quickly."

Lin Anan simply sat up and went back to the desk. After thinking for a while, she took out a pen and paper and decided to write a letter to Chu Mingzhou.

I still remember reading a passage: In the past, transportation was slow, letters were far away, and a lifetime was only enough to love one person.

Now, she has come to this era of slow transportation, and she can't help feeling a little nostalgic.

Well, letter writing can also be top-notch romance.

She paused for a moment, as if organizing her words, and then slowly began to write.

Mingzhou:

Reading this letter makes you look happy, seeing your letter is like meeting you in person.

At this moment, it is late at night, and everything is quiet. I am sitting alone under the dim light, picking up a pen, and want to use this piece of letter paper to send you the lingering feelings in my heart.

Since I met you, my world seems to be lit up, just like a barren land suddenly encountering the warm sunshine of spring, and flowers blooming in an instant.

Once upon a time, I was wandering in this complicated world, not knowing where to return, until you brought warmth and love, like a breeze into my arms, and quietly walked into my life.

Every moment I spend with you will become the time I cherish most. The inadvertent encounter of our eyes, the gentle touch of our fingertips, and your soft words in my ears are like thin threads that tightly entwine my heart with you, making them inseparable.

I often secretly feel fortunate that the trajectory of fate allowed me to meet you.

The letter is short but the feelings are deep, and cannot express all the thoughts in my heart.

Where the heart is, where the feelings are...

Lin Anan's book

February 7, 1975