59 "Homeland is the river that flows endlessly in her body"
At the beginning of 2026, Wen Dongyang, who had been in a coma in the hospital for more than half a year, finally woke up.
Deng Zixiong was transferred to the prosecution, and after the verdict, the investigation team officially withdrew from Rongcheng. Before leaving, Lu Yuan made a special trip to visit Wen Dongyang, who was still recovering. The doctor said he was in good health, and all his tests were within acceptable ranges. It was almost a miracle, as if he had simply gotten a little extra sleep.
But unlike others, He Yu was delighted. He was afraid that there might be mistakes, so he took the case to domestic experts in the field for consultation. After getting the exact answer, he finally felt relieved.
Lu Yuan informed Wen Dongyang of the verdict in the Deng Zixiong case, including the punishment meted out to those who abused their power for personal gain and acted as protectors. His years of covert investigation into Deng Zixiong's information and informants provided the most direct and powerful evidence in the unfolding case.
"This is all because of you." Wendong Yang's weak voice was still humble. "I just did what I should do."
"I wrote you down in the case report. The Economic Investigation Team hopes you can return after you recover." Lu Yuan paused. "And your master, his case has also been investigated. It's all Deng Zixiong—"
Wen Dongyang didn't let him continue and raised his hand to stop him.
"My master has left."
If justice is delayed for too long, people will wonder whether it is still meaningful to persist. However, after so many changes, what Wen Dongyang can be sure of at this moment is that the belief in his heart remains the same.
"I'm doing fine at the police station. You don't need to cause too much trouble for me."
Lu Yuan was not doing this out of personal feelings or pity for him after the accident. He just felt that he should have had the opportunity for promotion a long time ago. If he had not been framed, he would not have stagnated in the past few years. He just wanted to fight back for what originally belonged to him.
But seeing his firm attitude, I didn't say anything more.
"Then you should take good care of yourself. I will come to Rongcheng to see you when I have time."
Wen Dongyang smiled when he heard this, knowing that he was being sincere and not being polite. After thanking him, he signaled with his eyes for He Yu to help escort the man out. The inpatient hallway was quiet. Two men of similar height stopped in front of the elevator.
He Yu spoke first, his voice was very soft, "Thank you."
"Thank you for what?"
Lu Yuan, dressed in casual clothes and with a cropped haircut, looked even more energetic. When he wasn't in uniform, he looked like a fresh-out-of-collar student, though the intensity in his eyes made him seem older than he actually was. From a man's perspective, his face was quite striking.
But He Yu was not so superficial as to judge people by appearance. He just looked up seriously because he wanted to express his gratitude.
"Thank you for finding out the truth and clearing my name, as well as my relationship with Wan Ji..."
"Hey, stop it," Lu Yuan answered first, his logic rigorous. "The Tao Wanjia I know is just a reporter who came to report on this case. As for the other things you mentioned, they're all in the past, so there's nothing to thank him for."
"If you really want to thank someone, thank your fiancée."
He glanced at the two figures who had just entered the ward, with a hint of envy in his tone.
"When I was in the police academy, I often heard Dongyang talk about you. At that time, I thought that the relationship between childhood friends was just close acquaintances who became awkward acquaintances when they grew up. Now I realize that it's not the case. At least the four of you look like a family who have been through thick and thin together."
Having a few friends like this in one's life would be worth it; unwavering sincerity is the most valuable. Besides, Lu Yuan didn't need to hear about it to see that the three of them had been taking turns accompanying him for the past six months. Except for Tao Wanjia, who had special circumstances and returned to Rongcheng less frequently, He Yu brought almost all of his work to the hospital.
Time is the standard for testing all relationships, and only true love can resist time.
The years are long, but they will never be afraid of the rough road ahead.
A week after the beginning of spring, Wendong Yang was officially discharged from the hospital.
Although the doctor still asked him to observe for a while, his body told him that he had to go out and feel the fresh air.
Rongcheng is dry this winter, with very little rain or snow. Unexpectedly, it snowed heavily the day after Bentong Yang returned home.
He stood at the window, looking down. In the neighborhood, groups of children, wearing hats and gloves, were playing snowball fights. It was a world of ice and snow, and the children's red clothes looked like candied haws dropped into the ice. He was captivated by the scene and opened the window to hear the laughter more clearly.
The wet snow particles were blown onto his face by the wind. At this moment, Wen Dongyang felt that he had really woken up in the darkness.
"Don't open the window, you'll catch a cold."
Huang Zheng came over with a blanket and covered his shoulders. Seeing that he was concentrating, she looked down and smiled with emotion: "These kids are not afraid of the cold at all. They are still young."
He Yu and Tao Wanji, who were preparing dinner in the restaurant, turned around upon hearing this. One of them had flour on his hands, and the other was stirring the meat filling vigorously.
"Children, this is called enjoying childhood. Didn't we often do this when we were young?"
"Yeah, every time I see snow, I'm more excited than not having classes." He Yu was a little puzzled when he said this, and asked the three people seriously: "It's okay for me, a southerner, to be passionate about snow, but why do you guys see it every year and never seem to get enough?"
He smiled and shifted his gaze to Huang Zheng, who was holding Wen Dongyang by the window, and joked, "Look, Huang Zheng forgot to mix the dumpling fillings when she heard it was going to snow. Is she still thinking about having a snowball fight?"
When they were young, they played this childish game countless times in the open space outside the family building. However, many times, because the steel plant had to transport a lot of iron powder, the snowflakes falling around them were not clean. So every time they played, they would move the "battlefield" and run to the mountains together to find uncontaminated snow.
In my memory, the fine snow piled up and sparkled golden in the sun, and it is still deeply imprinted in my mind after so many years.
Wen Dongyang had probably been lying down for too long. Now, just listening to the laughter made him feel restless and his blood flow faster. He wanted to feel the cold snow up close for the first time in a long time.
Their eyes met, and He Yu knew what he was thinking without him even saying anything. They always had this kind of tacit understanding, and their companionship over the years was real, and they could understand each other with just one look.
So they each put down the things in their hands, put on their coats, and walked out the door, pulling their loved ones who had not yet reacted.
Tao Wanjia and Huang Zheng realized what the two men wanted to do when they forced them to wear hats and gloves.
In winter, the sun is covered with a thin layer of white gauze. The snow has stopped, but the soft touch under your feet reminds you that the weather is not so cold anymore.
The surroundings were noisy, and the chattering of children still lingered in my ears.
He Yu saw Wen Dongyang walking slower and smiled as he reminded him that it wasn't too late to go back.
"After all, we're almost thirty years old now. It really doesn't seem right to play in the snow with these kids."
He deliberately provoked her, actually wanting to find an excuse to make Wen Dongyang let go of those messy thoughts. There is no so-called age limit for people to do anything. Especially since they were together.
So He Yu took the lead, rolled up the snow under his feet and started fighting towards Wen Dongyang.
Huang Zheng, of course, refused to do so out of protection and bent down to pick up some snow to fight back.
In a short while, the three of them started fighting.
He Yu saw Tao Wanjia in a daze, lowering her head to avoid the snowballs from the two people opposite her, and pulled her hand over. "Are you just going to watch me get bullied by those two?"
Of course not.
When he was a child, he always hid behind her when playing this game, so Tao Wanjia still uses the same process now.
She was very fast at making snowballs, and few could match her speed. However, wearing gloves made her movements stiff, and the snowballs were too loose to throw very far.
"Wait, I will avenge you."
She took off her gloves as she spoke. He Yu was worried that she would catch a cold, so he picked up the gloves on the ground and wanted to put them on her. When he stood up again, Tao Wanjia had already run away after Huang Zheng.
The figures of the three people on the snow became blurred, but their laughter kept lingering in their ears.
He Yu followed, staying behind as he always did when he was a child, and finally they reached the top of the mountain without realizing it.
The residential complex where Wen Dongyang currently lives was inherited from his grandparents. In the past, just around the corner was the steel mill. Now, it's a completed and operational senior care center.
The light red wall gives people a warm feeling visually. As New Year is approaching, four people stand on the top of the mountain and look down.
"As usual, should we talk about New Year's resolutions now?"
Tao Wanjia brought it up first, and Huang Zheng quickly took over. "Before, we made wishes while watching the fireworks, but now there's nothing but snow. What can we say?"
When they were little, they were always obsessed with making wishes, even brazenly believing that the bright things in the sky were shooting stars. The first time He Yu celebrated Chinese New Year in Rongcheng, he saw these three people staring at the flashing and changing fireworks in the night sky as if they were discussing homework. He thought their childishness was a bit amusing then, and he still thinks so now.
"What's so hard about wanting fireworks?"
He put the gloves in his pocket on Tao Wanjia, and then called Xiao Zhang to give instructions.
At ten o'clock that night, the last remaining time of Valentine's Day, fireworks continued to be set off in the suburbs of Rongcheng until midnight.
Tao Wanjia was brought to the highest point by He Yu. "If you have any wish, make it now."
The man's eyes were gentle, and he didn't look up at the specially customized fireworks. The most precious thing to him was his lover who was smiling brightly at the moment.
Tao Wanji clasped his hands together and was about to close his eyes when he suddenly remembered something.
"What about you? What do you wish for?"
"As for me..." He paused, the corners of his lips curled up slightly, "My wish is that someone can marry me early next year."
He Yu was jokingly hinting at this because she had recently teased him about being a considerate househusband who kept a mistress in his house.
He no longer felt uneasy because of her frequent business trips. He was sure in his heart that they had each other, so he thought it was time to settle down. However, Tao Wanji obviously had not considered this yet.
Their eyes met, and she looked apologetic. "But what I'm thinking about is doing some more meaningful in-depth reports next year..."
At the end of her words, her voice became weaker, and she coughed lightly and hurriedly tried to make amends for herself.
"But don't worry, I already have a plan for you—"
"What are your plans?" He Yu interrupted her, his tone becoming grave. "Can I even rank in the top three now?"
"What top three?"
"Work, Huang Zheng and Sheng Sheng, I'm fourth in line with you, right?"
His childishness came out of nowhere, and Tao Wanjia couldn't help but raise the corners of her mouth. He Yu was still He Yu after all, no matter how much his appearance changed, he would never change in her eyes. All those childish calculations and emotions were only for her.
Her heart suddenly softened, she reached out and hugged him, coaxing him softly: "Of course you are the most important."
"But getting married is a bit time-consuming." They were fine with either of them, but last time they were in Nancheng, Yu Li was very enthusiastic. She wanted to help them prepare a year in advance and even screened more than a dozen countries as alternative locations.
Tao Wanjia doesn't have that much energy for the time being. Although she feels that the relationship between the two has reached a very stable point, getting married is still a big deal for her, at least not now.
"Can we discuss this later when I'm less busy?"
She moved her fingers upwards and slowly pinched his face. This action was a habit from childhood. He Yu was coaxed into submission by her, nodded in agreement, and held him tightly in her arms.
He is not in a hurry, as he still has a lifetime to live.
There was an event at the health care center on New Year’s Eve, and local integrated media came to interview the first group of elderly people who moved in.
Once Deng Zixiong's incident was made public, people in the shantytowns who had previously misunderstood He Yu also realized that those misunderstandings were nothing but someone's obstruction. It is difficult for a person to always keep his ears and eyes clear throughout his life, and he will be affected by the rumors around him. This is true on the Internet and in reality.
But the incident has passed, and when He Yu appears again, people will only praise and express gratitude. However, compared to his previous ease, he is still a little more uncomfortable, avoiding the camera and asking the staff to take care of the logistics.
Tao Wanjia happened to be delivering dumplings to Old Lady Sun. The cafeteria was equipped with a TV showing the Spring Festival Gala. She found a figure sitting alone in the back and sat down next to him with a smile.
"Happy New Year!"
"Please eat more. I made all of this myself. It's stuffed with pickled mustard greens and oil residue."
Old Lady Sun saw a smile on her face. She was used to being alone and had long been fearless of forcing herself to fit in at her age. However, she couldn't hear clearly from far away. Only when she turned around and looked out the window did she realize that the excitement was caused by He Yu.
"Why don't you let Xiao He in? Everyone's talking about him." She took the dumplings and asked Tao Wanjia, then looked around with emotion, "This place is really well-maintained."
Not only was the decor and facilities top-notch, but He Yu also provided special funding, allowing all elderly residents of Rongcheng, who were single children and had no relatives or children, to come here free of charge. While there was much discussion about this, both praise and criticism, He Yu felt that this was within his power, something he had promised and envisioned long ago: to provide these elderly people with a place to live in their old age.
When they went out, Tao Wanjia told He Yu about this matter, took her arm and praised her seriously.
“Although I regret that you didn’t become a great painter, I think what you are doing now is more meaningful.”
An entrepreneur should have a sense of social responsibility and a sincere heart, rather than just pursuing profit.
She spoke in a firm tone, and she rubbed his shoulder, a rare gesture. But before she could even touch him for two seconds, she quickly turned away, seeing a familiar face in the security room not far away.
"I saw him on the roadside when I went to inspect the construction site before, so I told Xiao Zhang to take good care of him."
He Yu knew her confusion and answered her in a low voice, "I originally planned to arrange a better job for him, but his education level is too low. The security office is relatively easy, and he doesn't have to rely on hard labor to make a living. I will find him a suitable job after he finishes night college."
After Maixiang passed away, the boy has been doing odd jobs everywhere. He originally thought that he would live a dull life like this, but he never thought that there would be such a new day.
Tao Wanji stared at the serious figure's back, thought about it and decided not to disturb him.
He just turned around and suggested to He Yu, "Let's walk back."
She was in a good mood today and had a smile on her face the whole time. He Yu agreed. Although they were far apart, he still took her hand and walked slowly towards home.
"It was the first time I discovered that there were so many stars in Rongcheng."
Before coming here, Tao Wanjia had drunk some wine at the New Year's Eve dinner at home. The wind blew away the drunkenness. He stopped after walking a few steps, squinting his eyes and looking up. "But why couldn't I see such beautiful stars when I was a child?"
He Yu stared at her flushed cheeks, took off his coat and wrapped it around her. He faced her drunken rage with the same patience as a child, "Because we've been working on environmental protection for years, closing so many factories, the environment must be better without pollution, right?"
Yes, all the ones that should be closed have been closed, and the mountains that were originally dry due to mining are gradually growing green. Tao Wanjia smiled and nodded.
"Very good, maybe this is what Rongcheng should be like."
The land she loved was finally no longer gray.
Hometown is a river that flows endlessly in her body. Even if it has experienced many storms, rainstorms and mudslides, she will never really hate it. It is just because this is the place where she was born and raised, so she will always have a sense of attachment to this land.
This feeling is like a brand, the longer you are away from it, the deeper it becomes.
She suddenly said, "He Yu."
"What's wrong?" He stopped and looked at her quietly under the snow-covered branches. "Is it too cold?"
Tao Wanjia shook his head and slowly stretched out his hand, "Carry me."
He did as he was told, bending down and carrying her up.
Tao Wanjia hadn't felt so happy in many years. Although she couldn't tell whether it was because of the alcohol, she didn't feel cold at all. She put her arms around He Yu's neck and chattered incessantly in his ear.
It’s like I want to say out everything that I’ve missed and missed over the years.
He was still difficult to deal with when he got home. After he finally finished talking, he took out an old-fashioned dictionary and excitedly said that he wanted to name Huang Zheng's new store.
He Yu was always indulgent, holding her while she took a bath and blew her hair dry. He was so busy that he was extremely sleepy, but she was still very energetic.
"Let's go to sleep, okay?"
He touched the top of her soft hair and said, "Shengsheng will come to pay New Year's greetings tomorrow morning."
Tao Wanji nodded in a daze, circled two pretty good words with a pen, and then snuggled into his arms.
The desk lamp was turned off, and the two of them snuggled together in the darkness.
Tao Wanjia realized belatedly that the alcohol had worn off. Burying her head in his chest, she spoke seriously about their story, her voice a little tense. "He Yu, I was just joking when I said that the other day. I can marry you anytime."
The surroundings were quiet, and she soon heard shallow and even breathing.
He Yu didn't hear it and fell asleep.
Tao Wanji smiled, staring at his face in the dim light, "It's not that I didn't give you a chance, it's you who missed it."
After saying that, she hugged him tightly, closed her eyes and slowly fell asleep.
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