This delay meant another week had passed.
A week later, He Bingqian's health improved and he was able to get back on the road.
Everyone then boarded the train back to Beijing.
This time, we bought tickets for a soft sleeper compartment. Five of us, along with two children, squeezed into the compartment to avoid being disturbed by outsiders.
He Bingqian looked a little better; he had cut his hair short, shaved his beard, and gotten a new pair of glasses.
Wearing a clean Zhongshan suit, apart from being too thin, he looked refined and modest, and you couldn't tell that he had looked disheveled on the farm just a week ago.
He Bingqian was quite talkative on the way, chatting with Jiang Zhiyuan about his old colleague, his university teacher.
He would occasionally tease the Jiang brothers, Jiang Chen and Jiang Zhan, his eyes filled with envy.
Occasionally, he would lose focus, his eyes filled with melancholy, probably thinking of someone from the past.
More often than not, he would bury his head in his work, scribbling away on a stack of paper.
When he was writing, without Jiang Zhiyuan reminding him, Xu Ningyan would take the initiative to pull Sister Mei and the children to play in the corridor outside.
Jiang Zhixing would also come out to keep him company.
There were only Jiang Zhiyuan and He Bingqian in the private room.
Usually, people only go into the private room at night when He Bingqian is resting.
At night, Xu Ningyan and Sister Mei slept on the upper bunk with the two children, while He Bingqian slept on the lower bunk. The Jiang brothers took turns sleeping, with one sleeping and the other sitting by the bed to keep watch.
When we arrived in the capital, we got off the train.
Many people have been waiting for this for a long time.
Jiang Zhiyuan only had time to give a brief instruction to Jiang Zhixing to take Xu Ningyan and the others home before he hurriedly escorted He Bingqian away.
This trip lasted for several days.
I saw Jiang Zhiyuan again three days later.
Jiang Zhiyuan came home with a scruffy beard and smelled strongly of pickled vegetables.
When Jiang Zhiyuan leaned over to kiss them, the two little brothers, Jiang Chen and Jiang Zhiyuan, kicked his face with their little feet.
Even the lackeys couldn't stand it anymore. They grabbed Jiang Zhiyuan's trouser leg and dragged him toward the washroom.
Jiang Zhiyuan reluctantly released Jiang Chen and his brother: "You lackeys, let me go. Can't I go take a shower? You have to let me go back to my room to get some clothes, right?"
The lackeys barely let go of him, still fearing that Jiang Zhiyuan would run off to harass Jiang Chen and his brother again, so they stood guard in the middle.
Xu Ningyan laughed until her stomach hurt. Seeing Jiang Zhiyuan's aggrieved expression, she comforted him by getting him a change of clothes and watching him go to take a shower.
I boiled another kettle of water and prepared soap and a razor blade.
When Jiang Zhiyuan finished washing up, Xu Ningyan asked him to sit down, lathered his chin with soap, and carefully shaved his beard with a razor blade.
Jiang Zhiyuan closed his eyes, enjoying this rare and heartwarming moment.
Not long after, Jiang Yuan also came home from get off work. She washed her hands and changed her clothes before hugging her two grandsons.
Sister Mei is cooking in the kitchen. Dinner will be ready soon when Jiang Zhixing returns.
After shaving, Jiang Zhiyuan looked refreshed and handsome again.
The two children finally agreed to let him hold them.
He made the child in his arms giggle, then casually said in a tone as if asking whether he would eat steamed buns or dumplings for breakfast tomorrow, "I saw him when I went to run some errands this time."
Him? Who?
Xu Ningyan, Jiang Yuan, and Jiang Zhixing were all stunned and didn't react for a moment.
After a long pause, Jiang Zhixing tentatively asked, "Gu Yong?"
Jiang Zhiyuan nodded.
Jiang Yuan couldn't help but frown: "Why bring him up? It's bad luck!"
Jiang Zhixing thought for a moment and asked, "How is he doing now?"
Jiang Zhiyuan answered truthfully: "Not so good! But compared to the others on the farm, it's not too bad."
"Oh, that's fine then!" Jiang Zhixing didn't ask any more questions.
Jiang Zhiyuan continued, "I spoke to him for a couple of minutes, gave him some money, and then left."
Jiang Yuan rolled her eyes at her son, annoyed: "Do you have a lot of money? Why are you giving him money?"
Jiang Zhiyuan smiled but didn't say anything.
Xu Ningyan glanced at Jiang Zhiyuan, thinking, "Wow! Boss!" Jiang Yuan, the mother-in-law, had always lived in Beijing and had no idea what kind of life those people on farms and those who had been sent down to the countryside lived.
What they need is not money, because money can't buy anything.
What they need are all kinds of tangible supplies, such as food, clothes, cotton-padded coats, and shoes.
Therefore, even if Jiang Zhiyuan gave him money, it probably wouldn't be of much use to Gu Yong.
I wanted to say something, but seeing Jiang Zhiyuan's expression, I decided against it.
Just then, Sister Mei came out to tell everyone that it was time to eat, and the conversation ended there.
Nobody mentioned it anymore.
But by evening, only the two of them were left alone.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder; the couple hadn't been intimate for half a month, from their trip to the Northwest to their return.
Having finally had a good time, Xu Ningyan patted Jiang Zhiyuan's abs with one hand while talking to him lazily.
I don't know how we got to Gu Yong, but Xu Ningyan was worried that Jiang Zhiyuan's encounter with Gu Yong during his business trip was either intentional or a coincidence.
Jiang Zhiyuan, who was gently stroking Xu Ningyan's hair, paused upon hearing this concern.
He gave her a reassuring kiss before saying, "Whether it was intentional or coincidental, I've done nothing wrong! Besides, I already reported it to my superiors after I came back! I never inquired about where Gu Yong was sent to, and this mission was also arranged on short notice. No matter how you investigate, it's all a coincidence on my end! Moreover, the farm manager there also said that after Gu Yong was sent to the farm, no one visited him, and he never received any letters!"
"Although I've severed ties with him, since I saw him, it's only right and proper that I met him and gave him some money. That's more than enough! Even if someone wants to make a fuss about this, they'll have to see if I agree to it!"
His movements were gentle as he comforted Xu Ningyan, but the chill in his voice at the end made Xu Ningyan shiver slightly.
He immediately softened, hugged her, kissed her, and comforted her: "Don't be afraid! Don't worry, I have you, the children, and this family now! I will definitely be careful and will never let myself get caught in this whirlpool!"
Xu Ningyan naturally trusted Jiang Zhiyuan, after all, he was a big shot.
Besides, the overall situation will change soon, and no matter what happens to Gu Yong, it won't affect them.
Thinking of this, Xu Ningyan felt relieved, and sleepiness washed over her. She fell asleep under Jiang Zhiyuan's gentle comfort.
Time flies, and it's almost October.
Jiang Zhiyuan has received confirmation that the national college entrance examination is about to be reinstated.
As expected, on October 12, the State Council officially announced the resumption of the college entrance examination.
On October 21, People's Daily, China National Radio, and other media outlets jointly released the momentous news of the resumption of the college entrance examination.
The whole country was in an uproar.
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