Chapter 18, "I'll Never Leave You"...
Chapter Eighteen: "I Will Never Leave You"
Lin Su didn't take the incident of him putting his arm around her waist too seriously, and the two continued to interact as usual.
However, Lin Su would occasionally look down and measure her waist with her hand... It was quite slender and soft. The feeling of him holding her must have been nice, but the man's tone suggested that he only found it amusing.
He probably really just wants to focus on his career.
Starting in November, sugarcane is harvested and sugar mills begin processing sugar.
Zhou Yunqi is busier than before, sometimes coming home very late.
But he seemed to feel that taking her to school was his mission. Every morning he would get up on time, take Lin Su to school, and then drive directly to the factory.
One morning, he was driving and yawning.
Seeing his sleepy face, Lin Su said, "If you're busy, you don't have to take me. Getting enough sleep is the most important thing. I'll take a shortcut; it only takes an hour."
He dismissed it, saying only, "There was a little trouble at the factory yesterday, so I got back a bit late."
“But I heard that during the busiest times, the workers work in three shifts, pressing sugarcane continuously for 24 hours. Sometimes you even live at the factory.”
Zhou Yunqi said calmly, "At least not for now. There isn't much sugarcane left to harvest. You should return to the capital during the busiest two or three months."
Lin Su fell silent.
"That reminds me of something. When you go back next year, do you want to transfer to the senior year of high school? That way, your review will be more efficient and targeted."
Lin Su: "Okay."
“Then I’ll ask someone to help you find a school.” He turned the steering wheel. “Next month I’ll take you to the hospital to get a medical certificate that will allow you to return to the city. I’ve already taken care of the doctor.”
Hearing him speak so fluently and decisively, Lin Su turned her head to look at him.
Zhou Yunqi turned around and asked, "What's wrong? Don't you want to go back?"
"No," Lin Su replied softly.
She just felt that he didn't seem to care at all.
“Although I could have sent you back to Beijing sooner,” he explained, “your health was too poor at the time. If you didn’t get better, it would have been pointless to go back.”
Lin Su nodded her head like a chick pecking at rice: "I know."
She really wanted to ask him when he would give up his business here and return to Beijing to develop his business. But then she thought about it; he was the one who turned the sugar factory around and built it up from a loss. Xu Yaodong had told her that the sugarcane planting area was even larger this year, and many orders had already been signed... He certainly couldn't be sure when he would return to Beijing, and besides, even if he went back to start a business, he would need to accumulate some capital.
She silently closed her lips and didn't ask any more questions.
By late December, the number of production teams harvesting sugarcane had increased significantly, and tractors alone could not transport all the sugarcane. Zhou Yunqi organized the borrowing of several large trucks and coordinated the transportation times to various production teams, thus ushering in a busy period for the sugar factory.
But he still insisted on taking her to school every morning.
Their farm's sugarcane was also being harvested. Lin Su spent her Sunday morning reviewing her lessons and working on a practice test, and then went to help out in the fields in the afternoon.
The children from the farm were also in the fields, since there was free sugarcane to eat during the harvest season. Wang Ping found a sugarcane that was straight and long, with each segment being very slender and looking quite beautiful. After cutting it down, she peeled off the outer skin with a knife, giving one to her two children and another to Lin Su.
Everyone sat on the edge of the field and ate sugarcane together. Wang Ping said, "After a year of hard work, this is the first time we can taste the sweetness of life."
Lin Su smiled and said, "It is quite sweet."
"Aren't you itchy?" Wang Ping asked.
"It's alright now. Didn't you see that I've tucked my sleeves in tightly and even wrapped a towel around my neck to keep the thorns out? But the leaves can easily cut your hands."
Wang Ping shook her head and sighed, "You have such delicate skin, unlike us who have thick skin."
Sun Xiaoqing also came over with a piece of sugarcane and sat down, asking, "Do we get half a day or a long break for New Year's Day?"
Wang Ping said, "At least half a day will be spent slaughtering pigs."
"Having pork to eat gives us something to look forward to."
As the sun set, Lin Su returned to the farm with the team. Without even eating, she took a shower first.
It wasn't completely itch-free, but it was still a little itchy. I only felt much better after washing my hair and taking a shower.
On her way back to the dormitory, Lin Su saw Xu Yaodong and greeted him, asking, "You guys are back so early today."
Xu Yaodong said, "It's the weekend today, so I came back as the factory is operating normally."
"Oh, I'll go back to my dorm first."
"Wait a minute, you haven't eaten yet, have you?"
"No, but I've already gotten my food."
"Go eat at the farm manager's place, hurry up."
Seeing the cunning glint in his eyes, Lin Su sensed something good was about to happen, so she took her lunchbox and went to the farm manager's office.
"Manager," she called out.
Zhou Yunqi came out from the inner room.
Lin Su asked, "Dong-ge, is there something you need?"
He looked over and frowned immediately: "Your hair is still dripping wet. Didn't you dry it?"
Lin Su lowered her head and ran her hand through her hair: "I wiped it off, but it's still dripping."
Zhou Yunqi pulled over a dry towel and handed it to him: "Wipe yourself off first."
Lin Su placed the lunchbox on the table, then noticed several cans of dace on it. She asked excitedly, "You bought canned dace?"
"It was a gift from a customer. The taste is a bit strange and a bit salty."
Lin Su: "It's okay, I'll eat it with rice."
Lin Su was drying her hair when Zhou Yunqi came over and opened a can for her.
After sitting down, Lin Su picked up the can and examined it carefully: "It's a brand from Guangdong Province."
"Someone from over there came to place an order today, and they gave me a few cans."
“No wonder, fermented black beans are delicious when stir-fried with romaine lettuce,” Lin Su added.
Zhou Yunqi laughed: "You sure know how to eat."
Lin Su chuckled and said, "I've only eaten it once or twice."
"But why would people from Guangdong come here to order goods? Don't they produce sugar cane there? Even if they want to buy goods, they should go to neighboring Guangxi Province, where the output is the largest and the transportation distance is shorter, saving costs."
Zhou Yunqi said, "Guangdong Province has relatively low production. In addition, with the reform and opening up, forward-thinking Hong Kong people went to Shenzhen to investigate and set up factories as soon as they heard the news. There was a huge demand for sugarcane. Since Guangxi Province's sugarcane is a strategic material, it couldn't be supplied, so it came to us."
"That's true." The reform and opening up was officially announced in mid-December, and several days have passed now. But their ability to act is too strong.
Lin Su took a bite of a piece of dace.
Zhou Yunqi looked over: "Is it salty?"
"A little, but it's alright."
"..."
He sat on the sofa, leaning back, watching her eat. Lin Su found her hair in the way, so she gathered it up and put it behind her back, revealing one side of her snow-white neck.
At that moment, Zhou Yunqi frowned again: "Why is there a red patch on your neck?"
Lin Su: "Huh?"
I subconsciously touched that side of my neck.
“Don’t move,” he got up and approached, looking closely in the light. “It’s an allergic reaction, a red patch.”
"Maybe, it was a little itchy. I scratched it a few times when I came back, but it's not itchy now."
He scolded, "What are you doing running around in the sugarcane field with nothing better to do? Are you afraid there won't be any sugarcane to eat?"
Lin Su was frustrated: "I did take precautions, but it's just this one group."
"I scratched it so much that it's bloodshot."
Lin Su didn't take it seriously: "I'll just apply some medicine when I get back."
Zhou Yunqi entered the bedroom and soon came back with a jar of green ointment in his hand. He said to her, "It's for relieving itching."
He asked, almost jokingly, "Will you wipe it yourself or should I help you?"
Lin Su was taken aback and looked at him: "You wipe it for me."
He was clearly taken aback by her answer, but quickly said, "Pull your hair to one side."
Lin Su obediently swept her hair to one side, revealing her long, fair neck.
Under the orange light, the red mark on the back of her neck was particularly glaring. Zhou Yunqi dipped his fingertip in ointment and applied it to the mark.
The moment his slightly rough fingers touched her fair skin, both of them felt as if they had been electrocuted, and trembled slightly.
"It's a little cool, with minty notes." His voice was low, and his warm breath brushed against her ear.
Lin Su gave a soft "hmm," lowered her head, and tugged at her collar, revealing more of her neck that had been scratched red. Zhou Yunqi was even angrier: "You're having an allergic reaction all over your body, aren't you?"
No, just around the neck.
Helpless, he spread the ointment little by little with his fingertips, the thin calluses gently scraping her skin.
The ointment was indeed cool, and the minty scent mixed with the faint shampoo fragrance in her hair. The room was extremely quiet, and his fingertips were very gentle, as if afraid of hurting her. Lin Su's ears unknowingly turned crimson.
Zhou Yunqi looked at her reddened ear tips, and his breathing became deep.
"Okay." His voice was hoarse, and his hand, which he had withdrawn, unconsciously clenched.
"Oh, thank you." Lin Su let down her hair and straightened her collar.
"Don't get it wet for a while, and don't go to the sugarcane field next time. You'll suffer if you get a large-scale allergic reaction." His tone was still full of reproach as he tightened the cap on the ointment.
"knew."
"Also, do you only have classes in the morning on Tuesdays?"
Lin Su: "Yes, what's wrong?"
"I'll pick you up this afternoon to go to the hospital to get a medical certificate," he said. "Once the certificate is ready, we'll go back to Beijing as soon as winter break starts, and I'll ask someone to help you buy a sleeper ticket."
Lin Su turned around and looked at him with a puzzled expression.
Zhou Yunqi: "What, don't you want to go back?"
Lin Su said sullenly, "Are you annoyed by me and in such a hurry to get rid of me?"
Those clear eyes were tinged with a bit of moisture, making them look even more aggrieved because of the haze.
The man froze, feeling a tightness in his throat. After a long pause, he let out a cold sneer: "Get out of here? You heartless bastard."
Without saying much, he placed the ointment on the table and said, "Take it back and apply it. Close the door after you finish eating." Then he left the office.
Watching him leave, Lin Su felt that he seemed angry.
-
A few minutes later, Lin Su left with her lunchbox. As she passed through the courtyard, she saw several people chatting together.
Some people said, "It seems that the educated youth in the rainforest are on strike, and we don't know when this matter will be resolved."
“I heard from my classmates that it’s not as strict for them to visit relatives now. Their regulations are quite strict, while ours are relatively lenient.”
Because news doesn't spread as quickly now, by the time they found out, the other side had already united and made demands for several days.
The incident was triggered by the unfortunate death of a female educated youth due to the inaction of the barefoot doctor.
Lin Su remembers that it was the collective efforts of the educated youth there that secured the policy for all of them to return to the city. Although many educated youth had already tried various methods to return to the city before that, such as retiring due to illness, taking care of family members, getting married, taking over jobs, being transferred, or going to school, a large number of educated youth were unable to return.
Conditions on their farm weren't as harsh as in the rainforest, and management was relatively lax. Normal leave for family visits wasn't restricted, and in the following years, thanks to the sugar factory, their benefits were comparable to those of city workers. Since they wouldn't have jobs if they returned to the city, some of the educated youth felt it was acceptable. Of course, if they could return to the city unconditionally, everyone would want to.
Listening to their conversation, Lin Su suddenly realized that Zhou Yunqi wanted to send her back to the city as soon as possible because he was worried that there might be unforeseen changes in the policy and that staying would only lead to more problems.
Her blunt remarks about wanting to get rid of her were extremely inappropriate.
Although she was just joking, the listener might misunderstand.
Just then, someone called out, "Farm manager."
Looking up, Zhou Yunqi, a cigarette between his fingers, walked towards them.
"What are you talking about?" he asked.
"Let's talk about the educated youth in the rainforest."
He gave a low grunt and looked at one of the male educated youths: "You also want to go and help?"
The man said, "That's not true. Even if I wanted to go, the conditions wouldn't allow it. It's so far away; it would take a whole day to get there by train."
Zhou Yunqi exhaled a puff of smoke and said meaningfully, "If you don't want to work these next few days, just rest in the field. There are still workers on the farm, and the sugarcane will eventually be harvested. If you want to work, just start doing it. Anyway, you'll be paid by the day, so you won't be shortchanged."
The group exchanged bewildered glances. Someone tentatively asked, "Manager, have you heard what's been circulating in Beijing? How will this be resolved? Will we be able to return to the city?"
Zhou Yunqi clicked his tongue: "What news could I possibly hear? If I can return to the city, I will naturally return."
"Don't be modest, manager. You have connections."
Zhou Yunqi looked at the other party with a serious expression and said, "There is no one above me, but whatever you do recently, you must be careful. If something happens, I can't save you."
Lin Su kept looking at him as he spoke.
Lin Su only looked away when his gaze swept over her.
"Have you finished eating?" he asked.
Lin Su nodded and said, "I'll go wash the lunchbox."
The water in autumn is a bit cold, and the side of my neck also feels cool.
Lin Su washed the lunchbox, wrung out the water, thought for a moment, and finally returned to the place where they had been chatting. Seeing that he had already left, she went to his office.
He stood in the doorway, looking over with bright eyes: "Did you leave something behind?"
"No." Lin Su looked at him from two meters away.
His gaze swept over the lunchbox in her hand: "Didn't you prepare any food for tomorrow tonight?"
Lin Su said, "I'd like to have a bowl of rice noodles for lunch tomorrow."
"Alright." The man tilted his head in a gesture. "Shall we go inside?"
"I'm not going in."
He frowned: "So you came here because..."
Lin Su looked directly at him and took a deep breath: "I was just joking when I said you were in a hurry to get rid of me."
He couldn't help but laugh: "That's it?"
"Okay," Lin Su said. "I will get the certificate the day after tomorrow and submit my resignation to the principal. I will return to Beijing after the winter vacation."
Because of that hug, she has indeed been inexplicably irritable and sentimental these past few days.
However, in times of war and chaos, some personal feelings should not be allowed to grow unchecked.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yunqi's eyes darkened as he calmly gazed at her, her fair and delicate face framed by her long, flowing hair, which was disheveled by the wind.
The man looked away, reached out and ruffled her hair, his voice gentle: "Everything is chaotic right now, living well is more important than anything else, I will never abandon you."
Lin Su bit her lip and nodded solemnly, "Mmm!"
...
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Author's Note: Second update complete!
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