"Xuemei, you're back?" Liu's mother said as she put down the dumpling wrappers.
"Well, Mom, I just came back! I was wondering why I didn't see anyone in the main room just now. You guys are all making dumplings here? What kind of filling did you make today?" Xuemei took a basin of hot water and prepared to wash her hands before joining the dumpling-making army.
"During the last freeze and snow, almost all the leeks in the yard were frozen to death. There were still some left. Today I cut them all and mixed them with eggs to make a leek and egg filling, and another with pork and vermicelli filling." Liu's mother replied.
"Mom, I remember that the last time I made leek pancakes, I also added some small shrimps. Can we put them in the leek and eggs together?" Xuemei said, wiping her hands clean.
"Let's talk about it next time. We're almost done. By the way, don't make the dumplings yet. Before your hands get dirty, take a bowl and send some dumplings to the educated youth center for the kids to try. I don't know if they can cook dumplings?" Liu's mother instructed.
"Mom, the three male educated youth are all from the north, how come they don't know how to cook dumplings!" Ruirui interrupted.
"That's not necessarily true. Like you and your second sister, you can't learn no matter how hard you try," replied Liu's mother.
"Mom, don't expose my shortcomings like this. Why don't you say that my second sister and I are strong and good at fighting? Right, second sister?" Ruirui nudged Qingya next to him with his elbow.
"That's right, mother. Every inch has its own strengths and weaknesses. You only see our shortcomings every day. You should also praise us more. Look, the dumplings Ruirui and I make are very good!" Qingya took the dumplings she had just made and held them up to show Liu's mother.
"Okay, I was just giving an example just now. Stop making a big deal out of it! You two siblings, no, all four of you siblings are equally excellent in my heart!" Mother Liu thought that her child had grown up and had his own opinions, so he was not easy to fool. She had to be more careful with what she said.
Qingya and Ruirui nodded in satisfaction.
"Mom, would you like some of both?" Xuemei asked, holding a bowl.
"Take fifteen as well, and come back quickly! Will we start cooking after we finish wrapping these?" Liu's mother reminded.
Xuemei nodded, and after carrying the bowl out of the kitchen, she remembered the pen Han Chen had given her last time. After closing the kitchen door, Xuemei secretly returned to her room, took a piece of letter paper, wrote a few words, folded the pen and letter paper, put them inside, and sealed them.
In order to avoid being noticed by others, he put a stamp on the envelope and wrote the address on it.
When Xuemei felt that it was almost time, she took the envelope and the dumplings and hurried to the educated youth center.
Boom boom boom…
"Comrade Liu Xuemei, why are you here at this time? Is there something wrong?" Zhou Bing opened the door and was surprised to see Xuemei.
"Zhou Zhiqing, it's nothing. I'm here to deliver something!" Xuemei said, raising the bowl in her hand.
"Then you come in and sit for a while. The others are eating in the kitchen. I'll go call them." Zhou Bing said as he stepped back to make way.
"Don't call them, I won't come in! My mother and the others are still waiting for me to eat dumplings at home. These dumplings are for you, they are not cooked yet, go get a bowl and free some up!" Xuemei handed the bowl in her hand to Zhou Bing and said.
"Thank you, Comrade Liu Xuemei. I didn't expect to be able to eat dumplings in the village. Wait a moment, I'll give you the bowl!" Zhou Bing said and strode into the kitchen.
After a while, Zhou Bing came out with a bowl, followed by Han Chen.
"Han Zhiqing, you're out too. I just wanted Zhou Zhiqing to help me give this letter to you! This should be sent by your family. The postman asked me to bring it to you when I went home today!" Xuemei handed the letter to Han Chen and said.
"Ah? Okay, thank you, Comrade Liu Xuemei." Han Chen took the envelope with a bit of confusion. Why would his family send him a letter? Did he have any family? Could it be that she wanted his help again?
"Comrade Liu Xuemei, this is your bowl. Thank you and your family. When you go home, remember to thank the village chief and Aunt Li for us!" Zhou Bing said sincerely.
Xuemei felt a little guilty when she saw Han Chen, who was a little distracted while looking at the envelope. She nodded randomly and quickly turned around to go home.
"Han Chen, what are you daydreaming about? Let's go and have dinner." Zhou Bing waved his hand in front of Han Chen.
"Why don't you go eat first? I'll go back to my room and read the letter!" Han Chen said and walked towards his room.
Han Chen sat down, threw the letter on the table, and heard a "clang" sound.
Han Chen heard something wrong and quickly picked up the envelope. He felt something like a pen inside and the words on the envelope were also unfamiliar. There was no postmark on the envelope!
Han Chen thought about Xuemei's unnatural expression when she mentioned the letter just now, and began to suspect that it was from Xuemei. The more Han Chen thought about it, the more restless he became, and his heart almost jumped out of his chest with joy.
Han Chen carefully opened the envelope and poured out the contents. The moment he saw the pen, an expression of disbelief flashed across Han Chen's face. He stared blankly at the pen in front of him. At this moment, he felt as if someone had poured a bucket of cold water on him from head to toe. His whole body was cold and his heart seemed to have stopped beating.
Han Chen couldn't accept the reality before him. He knew his last attempt at probing Xuemei had failed. Xuemei didn't have him in her heart at all, and it had always been his own self-righteousness and wishful thinking. She even returned the gift he'd given her. Perhaps in her heart, he wasn't even a friend. And he was just an educated youth sent to the countryside. Being able to support himself was good enough. He couldn't give her anything. Why would he pursue her? She was so outstanding and beautiful...
"Han Chen, your food has been put away on the stove!" Zhou Bing shouted outside the room.
Han Chen came to his senses after hearing Zhou Bing's voice, picked up the envelope, and planned to put the pen in it forever, just as if to seal his love forever. Just as Han Chen put the pen in the envelope, he found a piece of letter inside. He took it out with trembling hands, opened it, and found that it said.
"Comrade Han Chen, thank you for the pen you sent me, but it's so expensive that I feel uncomfortable accepting it! I have received your thoughts and blessings, but you should keep the pen for yourself! Thank you very much, and I wish you a happy new year in advance!
Comrade Liu Xuemei stayed"
Han Chen gave a wry smile after reading the letter. Although Xuemei hadn't rejected his advances, he wondered if she hadn't yet come to her senses, completely oblivious to his subtle thoughts, or if she was just subtly rejecting him. If he had read the letter before he saw the pen, he wouldn't have stopped pursuing Xuemei.
But Han Chen had just thought a lot and didn't have the courage to pursue Xuemei anymore. He felt that he couldn't give Xuemei a better life now and that he was not worthy of Xuemei. For a moment, Han Chen didn't know what to do. Because he was forced to give up Xuemei, he felt very unwilling and painful!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
