Chapter 219 Return
Wen Shihua sighed, "It's just something I did wrong when I was young. Being criticized by others is naturally not a good thing, so there's no need to mention it. Don't worry about me. Although it's hard work here, I'm also distributed with rations. You brought these to me, so I won't be hungry or cold. This is good. I suffered a lot on the battlefield before, so this is nothing."
Wen Wan asked him, "So, is this going to be like this from now on? Are you going to stay here forever?"
Wen Shihua sighed: "I don't know about this. However, I will behave well, reflect on myself, and strive for leniency." It was not a big deal in the first place. He joined the army when he was young and had been away for so many years. There was no wedding or marriage certificate. At that time, he didn't even know what would happen if the two of them had sex. He sent all the allowances he received for joining the army back home. After staying in that family for a few years, he had already paid it back. When he knew what love was, he met Xu Ruyin, and there was no room for anyone else in his eyes and heart. How could he remember the one or two times in the past? Later, Xu Ruyin passed away, and the woman came to him with her son and daughter-in-law, and he readily got the marriage certificate. Even so, it was still used as a handle to be pulled out.
People should never make mistakes at any time. Once they make a mistake, there will be cracks even if they try to make up for it later.
Wen Wan looked around and said, "Dad, are you cooking here? Do you have any food? Let me cook for you. I can cook!"
Wen Shihua smiled and said, "It's not convenient to cook here. I'll eat your cooking again when I have a chance. Let's talk for a while. Then I want to talk to Dongping. After that, you can go back!"
Wen Wan was stunned for a moment: "I just got here. I've been riding the bus for a week, and my legs and feet are swollen. I just got here and you want me to go back?"
Wen Shihua shook his head: "If it were at home, Dad would wish you would come back and not leave. But it's not like that here. It's not easy for Dad to ask for leave, and it's only half a day. I can't accompany you if you stay here. Besides, Anbao, you have to think about Dongping too. Didn't you say he works in the Armed Forces Department? He has serious things to do. It will take a few days to go back and forth. Don't delay it if it's not necessary. Dad is really happy that you can come to see me. Seeing that you are relieved, Dad is relieved too. This is good. If you have anything to say or anything, you can write to me. It's very convenient to send and receive letters here."
He has been here for more than a year, and the situation is much better now. At least on the farm, he is free. Although writing and receiving letters are subject to inspection, at least he can receive and deliver them.
In the early days, I was treated like a prisoner and was not allowed to contact the outside world. Someone followed me while I was working, and I wrote letter after letter of self-reflection.
He is very optimistic. He thinks that as long as he works hard enough, he will leave here sooner or later.
Wen Wan said, "Why are you the same as Xu Qi? I actually wanted to go visit my grandparents at my uncle's place. They're old, and I live so far away, so it's not easy for me to come back. But as soon as I opened my mouth, he started to scold me, saying that running back and forth took too long."
Wen Shihua nodded: "Well, what Qingming said makes sense. As long as you have the intention, there is no need to go. Qingming has become more stable after going to the countryside. It can be seen that going to the countryside is indeed beneficial. The countryside is really a good place to hone people. With him looking after you there, I can feel more at ease. If there is anything you are unsure about and cannot tell Dongping, you can ask him more. Of course, you must also take care of him to the best of your ability."
Wen Wan agreed to all of them.
After talking to her for a long time, Wen Shihua called Lu Dongping in and drove Wen Wan out to stop her from listening.
Wen Wan didn't walk far, just wandered around the cowshed and sheepfold.
This season should have been the off-season for farmers, but due to the drought, the laborers on the farm were basically digging canals and ponds, and I hadn't seen a single person here for quite some time.
There is a poplar forest next to it, but this side is bare and there is nothing, no shade at all. The sun is scorching, and the smell of feces is getting stronger and stronger.
She couldn't stand it for just a moment, so how could she endure it for years?
But she could only watch Old Wen suffer here, without any way to do anything.
The man in the room squatted in the corner, hugging his knees, his eyes sliding down his cheeks to his pants.
Why should we change? It would be so much better if we could stay the same as before.
The two stayed here from noon until the sun was about to set. Wen Shihua went out again and asked someone if there was an ox cart returning to Gaotai from the farm, so he took them on the ox cart.
After asking all the questions he needed to ask and giving all the warnings he needed to give, Wen Shihua just waved his hand as the two of them boarded the oxcart. Finally, he gave a warning: "Be careful on the road."
Lu Dongping responded, Wen Wan waved her hand and couldn't say a word, tears streaming down her face.
The oxcart started moving down the road, gradually moving further away. She peered over to see Old Wen standing there all alone, raising her hand and waving until she was out of sight. Only then did she burst into tears. Only then did she realize what she had lost when she had left home in such a rage. She would never know what was happening to Old Wen, and she couldn't care less about whether he was doing well or not. She had sweated her way back and forth for half a month, only to see him once, and then, in the blink of an eye, she would never see him again.
It was already past ten o'clock in the evening when he arrived at Gaotai Railway Station. It was completely dark, and Lu Dongping did not delay any longer and bought a midnight ticket back to the capital.
Wen Wan was listless all the way, and when she wasn't sleeping, she was crying silently.
I didn't expect to return so soon. There is still one day before the time agreed with Xu Qingming.
Lu Dongping asked Wen Wan: "Should we find a nearby guesthouse to stay, or should you go back and take a look?"
Wen Wan shook her head: "Let's find a place to live and wait for Seventh Brother here. My family used to live in a military compound, but now my father has been sent down to the countryside, and there is no one else at home. It's time to take the house back. No one is there anymore, so how can it be called a home?" As for the house under Xu Ruyin's name, it has been locked and no one has lived there for a long time, so there is no place to go.
If I go there, I will just feel sad when I see the things.
Lu Dongping didn't care, as long as she stopped crying and felt better.
The train station is in the suburbs, and it takes a long walk to get to the city center. Lu Dongping gave up the idea of going out and stayed up late to catch up on some sleep in the guesthouse.
I agreed with Xu Qingming to meet at the ticket office door at noon the next day, and then they would take the 9 o'clock train.
Before twelve o'clock, Lu Dongping checked out of the room and went to the agreed place with Wen Wan, carrying a backpack that was mostly empty. However, by twelve o'clock, and until three o'clock in the afternoon, there was no sign of Xu Qingming.
Wen Wan began to feel uneasy: "I wonder if something delayed him. He is always very punctual."
"Then wait a little longer. Didn't he say he was going to your uncle's place? It's a bit far. Maybe he got delayed on the way."
They waited until after six in the afternoon before Xu Qingming appeared with his luggage.
Wen Wan and Lu Dongping were both stunned when they looked at him.
"Seventh Brother, why did you go back? How did you become like this?"
It's only been a few days since I last saw him. Xu Qingming has lost a lot of weight, his eyes are red, there are dark circles under his eyes, his eye sockets are sunken, his beard is very tall, and his hair is messy and greasy, as if he didn't bother to wash up after returning home.
Xu Qingming glanced at her unhappily and said, "It's all because of you. I was almost tortured to death by the old man and the old lady. After much persuasion, my aunt almost fell out with the old lady, and that's how I was finally freed."
Wen Wan was puzzled: "Why is it because of me?"
Xu Qingming looked at her with an expression that was hard to describe. "You are the old lady's precious child. If I go back without you, will she forgive me?" He grumbled, "I came all this way back just to take the blame for you."
His eyes flashed, and he turned to meet Lu Dongping's thoughtful face.
He chuckled and looked away.
Wen Wan asked him, "Then why don't you find a guesthouse and clean yourself up? You stink! We still have to sit in the car for several days!"
Xu Qingming raised his hand to check the time and said, "Forget it. There's water on the train. I can wash my face and change clothes in the restroom. Now I'll go buy a ticket and get something to eat at the station. I'm starving."
All right! Seeing how exhausted and pitiful he looked, Wen Wan felt that for the time being, she could just do whatever he said.
It gets dark late in the summer. It gradually gets dark after eight o'clock. The sun has already set, but the sky is still red.
The drought in the north is severe, but Xinxi County, which is surrounded by mountains, is not greatly affected. There was a heavy rain just two days ago, and then two big suns came out.
After finishing the meal, before it was completely dark, Lu Mingjiang ran to visit Lu Minghai's house. Gao Xiulan brought Chuyi here to talk to Zhang Hongying. Hu Qingqing also ran over and held Chuyi's armpits to teach her to walk. Although she had not been breastfed since she was a child and the family lived a tight life, Gao Xiulan was still very willing to spend time with her granddaughter. She can eat a lot now, and she eats whatever the adults eat. Every now and then, she has an egg cooked for her. The nine-month-old child is growing well, and her legs are very strong. She can stand up by herself with the help of something, and can stand for most of the day.
The two sisters-in-law were sitting in the yard gossiping. When they talked about Lu Mingqing, Gao Xiulan suddenly remembered: "I heard from Wang Mingfang that Liu Liumei is pregnant."
Zhang Hongying was stunned for a moment: "Pregnant? That's pretty fast."
Gao Xiulan said, "It can't be considered fast. We brought it in after the autumn harvest last year, so it's been more than half a year now."
"But in our family, Dongping's wife came into the family earlier than Sixth Sister, and there's still no news."
After hearing this, Gao Xiulan felt that she shouldn't have brought up this matter, so she changed the subject and said, "Speaking of Dongping's wives, shouldn't they be coming back soon? They've been gone for more than ten days."
Zhang Hongying sighed, "That's right. It's been more than ten days. I heard that we have to go on the road for more than ten days, and it will be delayed even if we go back. I remember that we went out together, so we have to go back if we say so. Dongping has always been very opinionated since he was a child, and now that he has a wife, he has to do everything as soon as his wife says so. You can't say no, and you can't be unhappy at all."
Gao Xiulan laughed. "Don't be so ungrateful. Dongping has saved you and your wife so much trouble since he was little. During those famine years, he completely supported himself and took care of your two children. He also got his job and found his wife on his own. He's capable of withstanding any task and has his own opinions. He's the man who can support the family. Unlike Dongcai, he's been like this all his life. He's honest and does what he's told. He doesn't react even when you nag him. He doesn't have a temper at all. Luckily, he's divorced from his last boyfriend. He's still young and his personality is okay for now. If he meets someone with a strong personality again, he'll be eaten alive."
"How could that be!" Zhang Hongying glanced to the side and saw Hu Qingqing and Lu Chun'e squatting there and teasing Chuyi.
"We still have you! Being small has its advantages. As long as they are capable and obedient, you just need to teach them well."
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