Li Baolong and Wang Yumei stayed with Officer Li at the police station. Time passed slowly, and by noon, they still had no leads on Wang Yumei's father. They had checked all forty-odd people in the village who met the criteria, but none of them were him.
"Thank you, Officer Li," Li Baolong said sincerely. "Let's have lunch together." Wang Yumei chimed in from the side. Officer Li smiled and declined, saying he could continue helping with the search in the afternoon.
After a quick meal, Li Baolong bought a pack of Snow Lotus cigarettes at a nearby store—the same brand he'd seen on Officer Li's desk. Wang Yumei nodded in approval. They went into the police station and placed the cigarettes on Officer Li's desk, but he quickly stood up to refuse. Li Baolong earnestly said, "Officer Li, you're like an older brother to us. You've worked hard today; this is just a small token for your colleagues who are working overtime." Officer Li smiled helplessly and said he needed to report to the station chief.
In the afternoon, Officer Li showed him information on the two largest villages nearby. "If it's not in these two villages, the chances are slim. The person may have left Tiemenguan Township. There are more Han Chinese here, while other villages are mostly inhabited by ethnic minorities." Li Baolong thought this made sense and he and Wang Yumei immediately intensified their search.
As the saying goes, perseverance pays off. They found Wang Aiguo's information in Dawu Village, next to Tiemenguan Township. He was a teacher at the village school, but the records were all from six years ago.
Li Baolong and Wang Yumei were extremely grateful to Officer Li and Chief Zhang, and they were eager to get to Dawu Village. Officer Li understood their feelings and asked a friend who worked at the township government to drive them there.
After a bumpy ride in a farm vehicle, they arrived at Dawu Village School, ten kilometers away. The dilapidated school buildings and mud-brick houses came into view, filling Li Baolong with memories. The uncle explained that the village only had a primary school with just three grades; the older children had gone to study in the township. Wang Yumei eagerly began searching for her father room by room, and Li Baolong, after saying goodbye to the uncle, hurried off as well.
Suddenly, Wang Yumei's cries rang out. Li Baolong ran over and saw Wang Yumei hugging a thin, old man and crying bitterly. It was love and longing that had been suppressed for more than ten years that burst forth like water from a burst dam. Father and daughter embraced and wept.
Wang Aiguo was extremely grateful to Li Baolong for being his daughter's classmate and for accompanying him to Tiemenguan to find him. He led Li Baolong into his school dormitory. Li Baolong gently pushed open the door to Wang Aiguo's dormitory, and the simple scene came into view. A small wooden bed, a worn-out desk, and a wardrobe were the only large items. The leftover food from lunch on the stove hadn't been cleaned up yet. The austerity of the place made Li Baolong's heart ache.
After the three sat down, Wang Aiguo looked at Wang Yumei, his eyes filled with complex emotions, and began to explain why he didn't want to go back. Wang Yumei's family lived a comfortable life in Jianzhou, while Wang Aiguo was just a boy from a rural background who had managed to stay in Jianzhou by passing the entrance exam for a vocational school. Through an introduction, he fell in love with and married Wang Yumei's mother, but because of his family's poverty, he had always suffered discrimination from his in-laws.
After Wang Yumei started primary school, Wang Aiguo resolutely went to Korla, Xinjiang, to teach under the guise of supporting education in the border regions. Later, he volunteered to go to Dawu Village, where conditions were the most difficult, and stayed there for eight years. Wang Aiguo said with a firm look in his eyes that he wanted to work for another ten years, and that he should retire when the children all had better schools.
Wang Yumei's eyes reddened. She knew all too well how hard her father had worked over the years, how all the hardships and difficulties he had faced alone had transformed into a deep love for this land and its children. She knew that her father's love for her had never diminished; it had simply continued in another great way, igniting the light of hope for more children in this remote place.
Li Baolong listened quietly, looking at Wang Yumei and then at Wang Aiguo. He was moved by their deep emotions and gained a deeper understanding of the father and daughter. Wang Yumei, besides feeling sorry for her father, felt even more admiration for him. She knew that her father's love was like the brightest star in the night sky of Dawu Village, brilliant and eternal.
That night, the moonlight bathed every corner of Dawu Village like water. Father and daughter seemed to pour out all their years of longing and unspoken words in this one night, their eyes gleaming with the light of a long-awaited reunion. The wrinkles on Wang Aiguo's face appeared even more pronounced under the lamplight, yet they couldn't hide the tenderness in his gaze towards his daughter.
The three of them bought some beer, drinks, vegetables, and fruit at the village store. Back in their dormitory, Li Baolong tied on an apron and busied himself at the simple stove. Soon, a few simple dishes were on the table, steaming hot—the taste of home. Wang Yumei watched all this, a happy smile on her face, her eyes filled with gratitude for Li Baolong. He was like a ray of light shining into her world after a long separation from her father, making this night so warm and comforting.
Night deepened, and all was quiet. Li Baolong lay in bed and quickly drifted into a sweet dream. In his dream, he returned to the small desert town where he had lived as a child. The sun was blazing, and even the sand felt warm. Ah Jun was still smiling mischievously, his round face rosy, and they were chasing and playing in the town's streets and alleys. The familiar earthen walls, the old elm trees by the street—everything was so clear, as if time had never passed, and he was still that carefree boy. And in this sweet dream, the figure of Wang Yumei seemed to appear and disappear, intertwining with the beauty of his childhood, weaving a unique dream.
In the days that followed, Wang Yumei found her gaze involuntarily following Li Baolong. His every move seemed to possess a magical power, drawing her in. She didn't know what kind of feeling this was, but every time she saw him, her heart fluttered like a deer. Li Baolong, too, felt a special affection growing within him during his time with Wang Yumei. In this remote yet warm village of Dawu, the seeds of love between the two young people were quietly sprouting.
A week later, sunlight streamed down the path in Dawu Village. Li Baolong found Wang Yumei, his eyes gleaming with complex emotions. He said, "I'm going to the desert town, the place where I've lived for over a decade. There are some things I need to go back to see." Wang Yumei looked at him, a surge of emotion welling up inside her: "I want to go with you. I want to see the place where you've lived since you were a child." Her eyes were filled with anticipation and curiosity.
Hearing this from the side, Wang Aiguo nodded slightly and said earnestly, "Go, see more of the world. Traveling thousands of miles can sometimes be more useful than reading thousands of books." With her father's support, Wang Yumei's smile became even brighter.
So the two embarked on their journey once more. Their car sped along the highway, the scenery outside the window flashing by like a slideshow. As they drew closer to the desert town, Li Baolong's excitement grew, long-forgotten memories flooding back. Wang Yumei clung tightly to him, sensing his emotional turmoil and also filled with anticipation for the place they were about to reach.
Two days later, after arriving in the county seat, they boarded a minibus to the small town. As the outline of the desert town came into view, Li Baolong's eyes welled up with tears. The familiar yet unfamiliar earthen walls and streets were like a key, unlocking the softest door in his heart. Wang Yumei looked at him and couldn't help but hold his hand, as if in this moment, she could step into his past through this method. And the feelings between them, growing deeper and deeper along the way, were like the tenacious poplars growing in the desert, taking root in each other's hearts.
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