After the staff meeting, Qiu Ting returned to school, packed her luggage, cleaned her dormitory room thoroughly, and even washed her roommates' pillowcases and duvet covers and brushed their shoes. Thinking about her university life over the past six months, she breathed a sigh of relief and a smile unconsciously appeared on her face.
She met three great roommates who didn't discriminate against this Cinderella from the mountains. On the contrary, they took good care of her in every way, especially Sister Yanwan.
Helping her build confidence and providing her with a job are the best things people can do for her besides her grandmother.
She took one last look at the dormitory, slung her bag over her shoulder, picked up her suitcase, and prepared to go home.
Just then, the dormitory door was suddenly pushed open, and Lin Yanwan stood outside the door, patted the snow off her body, and walked in.
Qiu Ting was stunned for a moment, "Sister Yanwan..."
Seeing Qiu Ting's attire, Lin Yanwan smiled gently, "Ready to go back?"
"Mm." Qiu Ting nodded slightly. If she didn't have to go to work, she would definitely have gone home after the exam, just like Si Si and the others.
She misses her grandma so much right now.
"When is the flight?" Lin Yanwan asked.
"The train leaves at 1:30 PM," Qiu Ting said softly.
She checked the prices on the official website and found that airfare for the same itinerary was several hundred yuan more expensive than train tickets. Although taking the train was slower, the money saved could be used to supplement her grandmother's household expenses.
Lin Yanwan was stunned for a moment. When she came to her senses, she didn't ask any nonsense like why they didn't buy plane tickets. Instead, she patted Qiu Ting's head and asked, "If we take the train, how long will the journey take?"
"About two and a half days."
"It takes so long, and it's so far..."
Lin Yanwan sighed. In this era, most trains in China were green-skinned and slow. The distance from the capital to Qianzhou was more than 2,000 kilometers. Along the way, they had to pass through many cities and stop frequently, which was really not easy.
Is it a sleeper berth?
"Um."
Lin Yanwan sighed softly. Without even thinking about it, given the child's personality, she figured he would probably buy a slightly less desirable hard sleeper to save money.
How long will it take to get home after I arrive at the station?
Qiu Ting thought for a moment, "It will probably take another six hours by long-distance bus, then transfer to a bus in the county to get to the town, and then walk for a few more hours to get there."
Lin Yanwan felt extremely uncomfortable upon hearing this. According to the development process of her previous life, the country only achieved complete poverty alleviation in 2020. One can only imagine how poor Qiu Ting's hometown must be now.
In the remote mountains, transportation is inconvenient, and in many places, one has to walk.
Fortunately, Qiu Ting studied diligently from a young age, and knowledge changed her destiny, enabling her to leave the depths of the mountains and reach the bustling capital. But such people are ultimately a minority; many more children in impoverished mountain areas may never leave the mountains in their entire lives.
"Qiu Ting, going home must be tiring."
Qiu Ting shook her head. "It's alright, Sister Yanwan. I took the train to register at school before. Besides, this is how I've lived since I was little. I'm used to it."
Seeing the smile on her face, Lin Yanwan couldn't help but smile too. "Remember to call me when you get home, and say hello to Grandma for me."
“Yes, yes!” Qiu Ting nodded emphatically. “Sister Yanwan, Grandma asked me to thank you. She said you are a very good person. You gave me confidence and made me unafraid of strangers. You gave me a job so I can support myself. I… I will always remember your kindness to me.”
As she spoke, she actually tried to kneel down before Lin Yanwan, but Lin Yanwan grabbed her arm.
"Qiu Ting, this is all thanks to your own hard work. I only did a very small thing. Keep going. You are still very young, and this is Tsinghua University, a place that countless students dream of. Don't be afraid of owing us anything on your path to growth. You can repay us. Knowledge is your most precious asset."
Qiu Ting was stunned.
Lin Yanwan continued, "Qiu Ting, apart from your own parents and the grandmother who raised you, never kneel before anyone else. Do you understand?"
Qiu Ting sniffed and nodded vigorously.
"Understood, Sister Yanwan."
"Alright, it's getting late. It's still quite a distance to the train station. You should hurry up and not miss your train." Lin Yanwan smiled slightly.
"Mmm!" Qiu Ting took a soft breath, suppressing the emotion in her heart. "Sister Yanwan, when are you and Brother Jiang Xia going home?"
Lin Yanwan felt helpless when she thought of what that guy had said, that he wanted to spend some time alone with her in the capital.
“It might take a few more days, but it’s much easier for me to get home than for you. It only takes half a day.” She smiled. “When you come to the capital again after the New Year, I’ll buy you a plane ticket. You’ve never been on a plane before, have you? It’s much faster than a train.”
Qiu Ting shook her head. "No need, Sister Yanwan. I'd rather take the train. Airfare is too expensive, and besides, you've already helped me so much."
"This is what your brother Jiang Xia wanted."
Lin Yanwan seemed to have anticipated Qiu Ting's response and laughed, "The company starts work on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year. If you take the train and leave three days early, how will you celebrate the New Year? How will you spend time with your grandmother? Didn't I just tell you not to worry about owing me anything? You can pay me back."
Qiu Ting bit her lip. "Thank you, Sister Yanwan."
"Alright, go ahead. It's snowing outside, so I won't see you off at the train station. Be careful on the road, and remember to call me when you arrive." Lin Yanwan smiled slightly.
"Yes, definitely!"
Qiu Ting stepped forward and hugged Lin Yanwan, then slowly let go after a few seconds. "Sister Yanwan, I'm leaving now. I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too," Lin Yanwan said earnestly.
Qiu Ting opened the door, took her luggage and left. Lin Yanwan watched her back, touched her pockets, and suddenly remembered something.
"Qiu Ting, wait a moment." She quickly called out to her.
"Hmm? Sister Yanwan, what's wrong?" Qiu Ting stopped and turned to look at her.
Lin Yanwan took out a red envelope she had prepared beforehand from her purse and handed it over with a smile, saying, "Here, this is for you. Happy New Year."
Looking at the New Year's red envelope in front of her, Qiu Ting quickly waved her hand and refused, "No, no, no, Sister Yanwan, I can't accept this."
"Take it, go back and have a good New Year."
"Sister Yanwan, the company already gave me a lot of money today, including my salary and year-end bonus. I really can't accept this." Qiu Ting refused to take it no matter what.
“Salary is salary, year-end bonus is year-end bonus, and red envelope is red envelope. One thing is one thing. This is a gift from Sister Yanwan to you separately. Consider it my way of wishing Grandma a Happy New Year.”
Hearing her say that, Qiu Ting accepted it with embarrassment.
"Thank you, Sister Yanwan." This was the first time she had ever received a New Year's red envelope in her life, and her palms felt unusually hot.
"Alright, let's go now, there's really nothing else." Lin Yanwan waved her hand with a smile.
Qiu Ting sniffled, took two steps back, bent over, and forced back her emotions. She picked up her luggage and left without looking back, not wanting Yan Wan to see her tears.
(End of this chapter)
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