As soon as Bai Yun turned the corner and made sure Xi Mufan was out of sight, she suddenly leaned against the wall as if all her strength had been drained.
She squatted down, buried her face in her arms, and the suppressed sobs could no longer be contained, her shoulders shaking violently.
“Sigh…” Lei Yongkang stood aside and sighed heavily with helplessness. Seeing her pained expression, he took out a clean handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. “Comrade Bai, wipe yourself… why are you doing this to yourself?”
Baiyun didn't look up, but shook her head vigorously, refusing in a muffled voice. "No need."
She kept her head down, fumbling in her pocket for a handkerchief, wiping her face haphazardly, sniffing hard, trying to stop the torrent of tears and sobs.
After a while, the sobbing gradually subsided.
Baiyun wiped her face hard with a handkerchief, took a few deep breaths, and slowly stood up, supporting herself on her knees.
Her eyes were red and swollen, and the tip of her nose was also red, but she had tried her best to regain her composure, though her voice still had a heavy nasal tone.
“Deputy Factory Director Lei,” she said, looking at Lei Yongkang, her voice a little hoarse but clear, “Thank you so much for today’s matter. I’m really sorry for causing you trouble.”
Lei Yongkang waved his hand, looking helpless. "No need to thank me. We're all colleagues, and you're the factory director's most cherished sister. It's only right that I help you. It's just that helping you like this... sigh, I'm feeling quite uneasy."
Comrade Baiyun, your method is too... too extreme! That marriage certificate is fake, aren't you afraid of being exposed? That was a fake certificate obtained with the help of the commune director! If Comrade Xi Mufan goes to the commune to inquire, if he finds out..."
Baiyun interrupted him, her tone carrying a sense of weariness after a desperate attempt to salvage the situation, "No, he's already very upset. The things I said were so vicious, he must be heartbroken and has no mind to go in and verify anything."
Lei Yongkang truly felt helpless and regretful.
Baiyun suddenly approached him this morning, asking him to help her put on a play. He initially refused, but she kept crying her eyes out.
He could see her determination and could only nod in agreement.
The commune director actually disagreed with Baiyun's approach, but Baiyun asked them a question.
Baiyun asked, "They are men too. If they give up their future for a woman when they are young, won't they regret it when they are old and their lives are not going well? Won't they blame that woman?"
Baiyun's question silenced them all.
To be honest, that's a really hard question to answer.
And they are more inclined to believe... yes!
So in the end, they had no choice but to bite the bullet and agree to Baiyun's request to put on this show.
Baiyun wiped away her tears and said firmly, "Only when he completely gives up and 'sees' me get married will he... will he willingly return to the city to go to university. I can't... I can't be a burden to him."
Lei Yongkang looked at the girl in front of him, who was clearly very fragile but was trying to appear calm, and sighed again, "Sigh, you young people, your love life is something we older folks just can't understand."
"Alright, alright, but Comrade Baiyun, this really shouldn't happen again! This fake marriage certificate issue could be a big deal or a small one; making a scene wouldn't do you, me, or the director any good!"
Bai Yun nodded silently and took out the brand-new "marriage certificate" from her pocket, which still smelled of ink.
Without even looking at it, she tore it into pieces in a few quick movements, clutching them tightly in her hand. "I know, thank you, Deputy Factory Director Lei."
Lei Yongkang looked at the shards she was clutching tightly in her hand and shook his head. "Alright, go back and rest. Don't go to the workshop today."
After saying that, he put his hands behind his back, shook his head, turned around, and walked away quickly.
Baiyun stood there, spreading her hands, looking at the glaring red fragments in her palm, her heart aching so much she felt like she was suffocating.
......
After experiencing 'betrayal', Xi Mufan fell ill upon returning to the production brigade and lay in bed for two days in a daze.
Upon learning the news, Che Wang kept having his wife bring him meals.
After hearing this, Che Xiaoni secretly came to Xi Mufan's place while her parents were out.
She brewed medicine for Xi Mufan.
Just then, she carefully walked to Xi Mufan's bedside, carrying a bowl of steaming medicine. "Mufan, you've had a fever for two days, drink some medicine..."
Xi Mufan kept his eyes closed, his back to her, his voice hoarse and cold, "Thank you, but no need, take it."
Che Xiaoni brought the bowl closer. "You have to drink some, otherwise your body won't be able to handle it. Besides, there are plenty of women in the world, she's just a fleeting cloud, you..."
"Shut up!" Xi Mufan suddenly swung his hand and slammed it hard against the bowl!
Smash!
The medicine bowl fell to the ground, splattering brown medicine all over the floor.
"Get out!" Xi Mufan's voice was filled with suppressed anger and extreme disgust.
Che Xiaoni was startled. Looking at the broken pieces and medicine on the ground, she was both angry and anxious, her face turning red. "Xi Mufan! Why are you taking it out on me! Did I let you get dumped by Bai Yun?! You didn't have the ability to keep her, no wonder she found someone else!"
Lei Yongkang is the deputy factory director! He has status and position! And you? You're nothing! What's wrong with Baiyun choosing him?!
Xi Mufan sat up abruptly, his face as pale as paper, but his eyes were like ice-cold knives, shooting straight at Che Xiaoni.
He only uttered two words, "Go out."
Che Xiaoni felt uneasy under his gaze and trembled with anger at his ruthless dismissal. She stomped her foot in frustration.
"Hmph! You don't know what's good for you! You can just keep lying there and let yourself get moldy!"
After saying that, she stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
The room fell silent again.
Xi Mufan took a few deep breaths, threw off the covers, and got out of bed with somewhat stiff movements.
He walked to the corner where the luggage was piled up and dragged out an old wooden box.
He opened the box, rummaged through a few pieces of clothing, and pulled out a flat... old wooden box with a lock from the bottom.
He sat on the edge of the bed, stared at the box for a few seconds, and then his fingers trembled slightly as he unlocked it.
Inside the box, stacks of letters were neatly arranged.
At the top are several simple line drawings of white clouds, depicting them going to the doctor together and taking a walk by the river.
There were also a few dry... uniquely shaped leaves, which Baiyun said were pretty and tucked into his book.
Underneath was a thick stack of letters, the envelopes of varying ages, with neat handwriting that read "Dr. Xi (for)".
These are all Baiyun's handwritings from the past few years. Although the two are in the same place, writing letters seems to be a way to shorten the distance between them.
Every letter and every scrap of paper here is evidence of their love over the years, carrying countless memories and hopes.
Xi Mufan's gaze swept over these things, and the last glimmer of light in his eyes was completely extinguished, leaving only a deathly coldness.
He expressionlessly grabbed everything from the box…
Letters, pictures, dried leaves…
Without the slightest hesitation, he suddenly raised his hand and threw them all into the broken bamboo basket filled with trash next to the bed!
Paper and leaves rustled and fell onto the waste paper at the bottom of the basket.
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