Chapter 251 Lovesickness
She lowered her head, opened her mouth, and gently took the candy into her mouth.
The sweetness slowly melts on the tip of the tongue.
She raised her hand and gently ruffled Yang Qingyan's soft hair.
"Thank you, Yan Yan."
Hearing the voices outside gradually subside, leaving only scattered whispers, Li Kangjun, who was in the main room, couldn't help but raise his voice and ask, "What's going on outside? There was so much chatter just now, what happened?"
Zhou Shufen helped Zhou Liya stand up, looked down at her, and her eyes were full of heartache.
Then she subtly winked at her, signaling her not to mention what had just happened.
She took a deep breath and raised her voice to call into the house: "Father-in-law, it's nothing! It's just an acquaintance who came to ask for directions, said a few words and left. We'll chat for a while longer and then go inside."
Li Kangjun hummed in agreement and didn't ask any further questions.
He can't see it, but he can hear it.
Zhou Shufen's voice sounded much more relaxed than before.
Reassured, he continued to lean against the bamboo chair by the fire pit, stretching his hands out to warm them in the flickering flames.
The firewood crackled and popped, occasionally sending sparks flying.
Zhou Shufen watched as Zhou Liya finished drinking the sweet soup, sip by sip.
She took a clean tissue and gently wiped away a little water from the corner of her mouth.
"Alright, stop being so gloomy."
"We're going to Ningcheng tomorrow. You need to start packing your schoolbag and get ready to go back to Gangcheng to study."
She held Zhou Liya's hand and said earnestly, "Tell Mom what you want to buy. Although Mom can't pick stars for you now, I'll buy you anything that money can buy."
Zhou Liya's eyes lit up immediately when she heard that she was going back to Hong Kong to study.
She had originally thought her mother would let her continue her studies in Ningcheng.
After all, she had managed to adapt to the courses and pace over that period of time.
She grabbed Zhou Shufen's clothes, her small hand digging into the fabric with such force.
"Mom, I thought you were really going to keep me here! I was prepared to endure another semester!"
Zhou Shufen felt a pang of sadness as she watched her daughter jumping and skipping around.
She nodded gently, her fingertips brushing against her daughter's slightly disheveled hair.
“The schools in Gangcheng are good, with ample teaching resources and dedicated teachers. Our family has recovered now, and life is getting more stable every day, so naturally we want you to go back and study hard.”
She paused, gazing intently at the fading light outside the window.
"Go to university, study what you like, and do what you want to do. That way, you won't have lived a life in vain. Mom doesn't want you to look back and feel like you missed something."
Li Huachen walked over with a cup of warm water.
She gently handed the water glass to Zhou Shufen.
"Shufen, have you bought the tickets to Ningcheng? Would you like some food and snacks? The journey is long, and the children can have something to eat if they get hungry."
Zhou Shufen took the water glass and took a sip.
"The tickets are bought. The train leaves at 5:30 tomorrow morning. Time is tight, so we need to leave early. Don't bring too much food; the train has everything, including food in the dining car, which is clean and hygienic. But you and your second brother, don't push yourselves too hard."
She looked up at Li Huachen, her tone becoming serious.
"Take your time with the factory and shops, and do what you can. If you overwork yourself, you'll lose everything. Your health is the most important thing; don't wait until something bad happens to regret it."
"Go in peace, we know what we're doing."
Li Huachen smiled gently, with fine lines appearing at the corners of her eyes.
She reached out and straightened Zhou Shufen's collar, then whispered, "Take Liya and Yan Yan with you and keep a close eye on them on the way, especially the two little girls. They may be lively, but don't let them run off and disappear. There are a lot of people and people at the train station. What if they get lost?"
Zhou Shufen nodded and solemnly agreed. Suddenly remembering Li Kangjun sitting there, she called out to the door, "Father-in-law! Tomorrow, Liya, Yan Yan, and I will go to Ningcheng. Once your letter of introduction is ready, I will have my second brother escort you there. We will rest in Ningcheng for a couple of days to get used to the environment before going to Gangcheng to see your eyes."
A deep, resounding reply came from the main room.
"I understand. Please be careful on your journey. It's cold, so don't let the children get cold. Remember to let us know you've arrived safely."
"Okay, done!"
Zhou Shufen should have agreed readily.
It took a while for Li Kangjun to get his identity document processed.
The procedures are complicated and involve multiple layers of approval.
Due to the loss of documents during the war, coupled with his frequent relocations in his early years, his household registration records were incomplete.
It took a lot of effort just to verify the birth date.
Fortunately, Qin Wenyu took the job.
He was an old acquaintance in the municipal public security system, with extensive connections and a reliable work ethic. Once he agreed to help, he didn't refuse again.
I recently heard from my second brother that the application materials have been submitted for approval, and we should get a definite answer in a few days.
Zhou Shufen finally felt relieved.
The next morning.
The sky was still shrouded in a gray-blue fog when Zhou Shufen quietly took her two children out the door.
The morning breeze was damp, making one's cheeks feel slightly cool.
But Liya and Yang Qingyan were too excited to sleep and chattered all the way.
Finally, they boarded the train bound for Ningcheng.
The carriage was filled with the noise of people, and the smell of coal stoves mixed with the aroma of tea.
The green train emitted a deep rumble and slowly started moving.
Zhou Shufen settled the two children by the window and carefully covered them with blankets.
Guo Zhenyi was already waiting on the platform of Ningcheng Railway Station.
Early in the morning, he was wearing a dark gray woolen overcoat, his eyes constantly scanning back and forth at the exit of the station.
He was tall and stood out in the crowd.
As soon as Yang Qingyan stepped out of the station, she spotted that familiar figure.
She ignored her luggage and ran forward with her short legs.
She bumped right into Guo Zhenyi's arms and looked up at him with her little face.
"Uncle Guo! I've missed you so much! I've been lovesick for just one day!"
She blinked her big eyes, her eyelashes fluttering.
Guo Zhenyi was amused by her quirky and clever antics.
He reached out and pinched her little nose, deliberately putting on a stern face.
"Yan Yan, where did you learn that from? 'A day apart feels like three autumns'? How old are you, and you already know what lovesickness is?"
He had mentioned it to Zhou Shufen in casual conversation before.
This child speaks in a very refined and literary way, unlike children from ordinary families.
Both of them suspected that the little girl was probably the daughter of a wealthy family who had been lost as a child and was living among the common people.
Otherwise, how could a six or seven-year-old child be able to quote ancient poems so fluently and logically?
But in the past year or so, not even a missing person notice has been seen.
They were so anxious they could only watch helplessly, losing their appetite and unable to eat or drink.
But Yang Qingyan was too young, and her past memories were completely blank.
However, those words must have been something my family members said every day.
She heard it so many times that it was unconsciously etched into her mind.
"Uncle Guo, is what you said wrong?"
Yang Qingyan tilted her head, her eyes clear and earnest.
“I used to hear people say that all the time, and people would often hold my hand and recite it to me, so I wrote it down.”
Her voice was childish and carried a hint of uncertainty.
"Yes, yes, yes! Yan Yan is absolutely right!"
Guo Zhenyi's eyes lit up, and his voice trembled slightly with excitement.
"This is a secret code passed down in my family; outsiders have no idea about it!"
He picked her up and lifted her high in the air.
"Let's go home! Our real home!"
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