“Fu Bobo, you don’t need to say anything more. Since I promised my dad, I naturally have to do it. Besides, my visit to the forest farm to see you is just a side trip. You know, my family lives in Shisong Village at the foot of the mountain.”
And since I only recently reunited with my family, to prevent my parents from missing me, I have to go back to the village every two weeks—it's a must for me!
Song Lan said this because she didn't want Fu Wenhan to feel guilty, but Fu Wenhan was a smart man, so how could he not have thought of it?
His emotions, which he had just managed to control, began to crumble again.
Song Lan looked at him with concern: "Uncle Fu... are you alright?"
"It's alright, Uncle is fine!"
With tears welling in his eyes, Fu Wenhan turned away and quickly wiped them. Once he had calmed down, he turned back to face Song Lan, his eyes sincere, and said, "Thank you! Uncle, thank you!"
"Uncle Fu, you don't need to be so polite."
Song Lan smiled and said, "Given the relationship between you and my dad, I've long considered you an elder in my family. If I ever hear you say thank you again, I'll get angry."
Upon hearing this, Fu Wenhan laughed and said, "Okay, okay, Uncle Fu understands. I promise I won't do it again."
Song Qinghui listened quietly without saying a word.
Unbeknownst to Song Lan and Fu Wenhan, someone they both knew was pushing a bicycle, sweating profusely as he climbed the hill towards the forest farm.
"Comrade, how far is it from here to the forest farm?"
"Climb three more hills, then cycle for four or five minutes and you'll get there."
"Thanks!"
Fu Jinheng, that's right, it was Fu Jinheng who was thanking him. To be precise, the person climbing the hill was Dr. Fu, whom Song Lan knew, and also Fu Wenhan's nephew.
To be honest, he had considered that the road to the forest farm would be difficult, but he hadn't expected that his bicycle, which he used to get around, would now become a burden. Although it wasn't to the point where the bicycle was riding him, having to push it forward with such difficulty, instead of being able to ride it, really tested his physical strength and endurance!
With one hand firmly on the handlebars, Fu Jinheng took out a gray-white checkered handkerchief from his pocket. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked at the passerby who had just asked him a question and was now walking several feet away in the opposite direction.
The mountain road under our feet is not very wide, but it is not very narrow either. After all, the timber from the forest farm needs to be transported down the mountain by truck and then to the processing plant we cooperate with. If the road is too narrow, it will be impossible to pass.
The road surface is paved with cement and gravel, which is very solid and won't become potholed and difficult to travel on rainy days. Even so, trying to ride a bicycle from the foot of the mountain to the forest farm is definitely asking for trouble.
Fu Jinheng rested by the roadside for a while, then pushed his bicycle and continued to climb the hill step by step. If he could, he would definitely not ride a bicycle next time he came to the forest farm, but the problem was... could he manage without riding a bicycle?
Does he have to walk all the way down the mountain from where he lives?
Thinking this, Fu Jinheng couldn't help but sigh, but then a bright idea flashed through his mind.
Shuttle bus?
How could he forget that there's a bus service in town?!
On his way here by bike today, Fu Jinheng saw a road leading from the town to the forest farm, but the final stop was about a mile or two away from the foot of the mountain.
No problem. Getting off the bus and walking a mile or two to the foot of the mountain, then climbing this mountain path, is much easier than pushing his bicycle all the way.
Time passed, and Song Lan and Song Qinghui sat with Fu Wenhan for twenty or thirty minutes. In order not to delay him from making lunch and resting, Song Qinghui stood up at Song Lan's signal and said goodbye to Fu Wenhan with Song Lan.
Standing at the dormitory entrance, watching Song Lan and Song Qinghui walk away, Fu Wenhan looked away, turned around and went inside to get ingredients to cook for himself.
It's worth mentioning that Song Lan had thought about making lunch for Fu Wenhan and even mentioned it to him. However, Fu Wenhan insisted that Song Lan not do it, saying that he would do it himself.
In short, nothing Song Lan said made a difference, and in the end, she could only sit and chat with Fu Wenhan until she got up and left.
"After you enter the gate, turn left for about 50 meters and then turn right and walk for about 200 meters. You will see a row of mud-brick houses on the right side of the road. The third dormitory house from the inside is where the person you are looking for lives."
Fu Jinheng pushed his bicycle to the gate of the forest farm. He gave the gatekeeper a box of Daqianmen cigarettes and slipped him five yuan. He immediately learned about Fu Wenhan's information at the forest farm.
And the other party's attitude was extremely polite. Seeing Fu Jinheng pushing his cart into the forest, they immediately got up, went out of the gatehouse, and asked a colleague walking over to keep watch for him at the gatehouse for a while.
He then led the way for Fu Jinheng. When they were almost at the door of Fu Wenhan's dormitory, he pointed and then said goodbye to Fu Jinheng before heading back to the gatehouse.
"Second Uncle?"
A familiar yet somewhat thin figure appeared before him. Afraid that he might have mistaken someone else for someone else, Fu Jinheng couldn't help but tentatively call out to the figure.
"..."
Fu Wenhan was scooping noodles from the pot when he heard the sound behind him. He paused for a moment, then shook his head and continued with his work.
Yes, he didn't turn around to look at the owner of the voice, because he hadn't seen his nephew for many years, and the voice calling "Second Uncle" definitely wasn't his nephew's.
Besides, his nephew is in the capital and couldn't possibly be here.
"Second Uncle, are you Second Uncle? I'm Jinheng!"
Fu Jinheng noticed Fu Wenhan's subtle changes, such as his body stiffening slightly and then shaking his head slightly. What did this mean? It meant that the other party was his second uncle, who probably thought that his nephew was far away in the capital and could not possibly come here, which was why he reacted that way and did not think of turning around to take a look.
"..."
His hand holding the bowl of noodles trembled involuntarily, and Fu Wenhan's emotions became obviously agitated. He slowly turned around and his gaze fell on the young man who looked very much like his deceased elder brother not far in front of him.
"Hengheng? You're Hengheng!"
Struggling to control his emotions, Fu Wenhan's voice trembled as he stared straight at Fu Jinheng.
"It's me, Second Uncle!"
Pushing the bicycle to Fu Wenhan's side, Fu Jinheng set up the kickstand, took the travel bag hanging on the handlebars, and, supporting Fu Wenhan's left arm, said, "Second Uncle, I've come to see you!"
Fu Wenhan: "Come on, let's go inside and talk."
Fu Jinheng nodded and replied, "Okay."
But when he entered the house and saw the simple furnishings, he felt particularly bad.
As if guessing what he was thinking, Fu Wenhan said gently, "This house is quite nice. It doesn't leak rain or drafts. Although the space isn't large, it will definitely be warm to live in during the winter."
"Second Uncle, can a house like this even be considered warm in winter?"
Not to mention the supply of heating, it's probably impossible to even use a coal stove for warmth. Moreover, they sleep on simple wooden plank beds instead of heated brick beds. When it gets coldest, with snow covering the outside and the wind howling, how can anyone sleep at night in such a room?
"Look at the bedding on my bed, it's all made of new cotton. And my winter cotton-padded jacket, trousers, and shoes are all brand new. Whether I'm going out or sleeping in the dormitory at night, I'll never get cold."
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