It's still the fifth watch today!
"Grandma, what can I do?"
"You don't need to do any work, just wait to eat."
"That's so embarrassing."
"You're leaving tomorrow, so don't touch anything today."
"There's such a thing about this?"
"No, I just don't want you to do it."
"Grandma, I forgot to tell the principal. The food isn't ready yet. I'll go over and tell him."
"Go ahead, and come back quickly, dinner will be ready soon."
Zhang Hongmei knocked on the door. "Principal, I won't go in. I'm leaving tomorrow morning. Take good care of yourself. If you need anything, go find my third uncle, Liu Maocai."
"Okay, you can go now. We'll talk again when you come back from your vacation."
Zhang Hongmei had just returned when she heard Hu Aifen's voice.
"Hongmei, come and try it on, the sweater is finished."
Zhang Hongmei took off her cotton-padded coat and tried it on; the size was just right. "Auntie, you have such skillful hands."
"It looks really good on you. It'll be perfect to wear when the weather gets warmer and you take off your winter coat."
Dinner was steamed buns made from a mixture of wheat, water, and cornmeal, and glutinous rice balls. Since there was no oil, we couldn't fry them, so we just boiled them.
“Hongmei, I made ten big pancakes, enough for the two of you to eat on the train.”
"Big sister, the two of us can't eat ten pancakes, can we?"
"It's alright, it won't spoil now. You can all take it with you, and I even boiled ten eggs for you. There's also a jar of meat sauce."
"So much delicious food? I reckon the people sitting next to us are cursing us in their hearts."
"Why bother with them? Just make sure you two don't suffer."
Zhang Hongmei felt particularly happy. In her previous life, her family would take her to school because her home was close to the capital, so they would drive there. At that time, her mother gave her a lot of money so that she wouldn't suffer any hardship.
Even here in this life, there are people who tell me not to suffer.
Zhang Hongmei ate one bowl of glutinous rice balls and then stopped. She refused Liu Jingze's offer to escort her home and went straight home. Now, she stood at the door, looking out at the village swallowed by the dark night.
I'm about to leave. Life is unpredictable. I originally thought I'd stay here for the rest of my life, but somehow I've ended up like this.
Zhang Hongmei stood there for a while, and Liu Jingze, who had been secretly following her, was getting anxious before she finally went inside.
Before I leave tomorrow morning, I need to burn paper money for Mr. and Mrs. Zhang Aiguo. I'm leaving this paradise and stepping into the mortal world.
Holding a candle, I walked through all the rooms of the house, recalling every little detail of the past three years.
I am extremely reluctant to leave. Although there were some awful people, some frictions, and some material poverty, there was more laughter and warmth than anything else.
Only now do I truly realize that I'm about to leave this world, heading towards a future that may be bright or dark.
I didn't go into the space today. I just lay in bed on the kang (a heated brick bed), chuckled to myself, and remembered how the hard kang made my back ache when I first woke up. Now, however, I could feel that it was comfortable.
Human potential is truly limitless; there is no suffering that cannot be endured, but there is no happiness that cannot be enjoyed.
At five o'clock the next day, before dawn, in the darkest hour before sunrise, Zhang Hongmei lit candles, dressed, and prepared to go up the mountain to burn paper money.
When I opened the door, I was startled to find Liu Jingze standing outside.
"Brother Jingze, what's going on?"
“I knew you would go back to burn paper money today. That’s why I’m waiting for you here.”
"How long have we been waiting? Why didn't they knock on the door?"
"It's alright. I've only been here about ten minutes. I was afraid of waking you up. Let's go. I'll go with you. It's too dangerous for you to go up the mountain alone."
Zhang Hongmei was deeply moved. Her nose tingled with emotion. Although she didn't have romantic feelings for Liu Jingze, she felt a sense of kinship with him.
"Thanks, Brother Jingze. Here's a flashlight."
"Give me the bag and the shovel too."
Half an hour later, the two arrived at the graves of Zhang Aiguo and his wife. Zhang Hongmei knelt on the snow and lit the paper money on a small patch of ground that Liu Jingze had cleared away.
I silently told myself, "I will live a good life. No matter what difficulties I encounter in the future, I will not give up. I will definitely live a fulfilling life."
Liu Jingze also took some paper and threw it onto the fire, thinking to himself, "Don't worry, I'll treat her well for the rest of my life."
After all the paper money had burned, Zhang Hongmei kowtowed three more times before Liu Jingze helped her up and the two of them went down the mountain.
When the two arrived home, Hu Aifen came over and called them to come home and eat dumplings. There's a saying here: dumplings before getting on the train, noodles upon getting off.
After finishing the meal and packing up all the food, the old lady looked at her two children in front of her and said, "My only requirement for you is that you stay together. Jingze, you're older, so please take good care of Hongmei."
"Of course, Grandma, don't worry." Then Liu Changhe and his wife, as well as Liu Aiguo and his wife, came over to instruct Liu Jingze to take care of Zhang Hongmei.
Ten minutes later, the two came out and went back to Zhang Hongmei's house.
Liu Maocai's family came to see them off. Er Ya's child, Zhu Zi, also left today. They were going to register for high school in the city.
Liu Jingze was carrying food on his back. Zhang Hongmei pushed out her bicycle and said, "Uncle, this bicycle is for the collective. I was thinking of giving it to you, but I felt that wouldn't be right, so let's keep it for the collective."
"It's alright, just be more careful, okay?"
"Don't worry, Uncle, we're leaving."
Zhang Hongmei didn't let them bring any luggage. There were two sets available in the city, which was just right for them; otherwise, they would just be sitting there.
Zhu Zi snatched the basket from Liu Jingze's back and carried it on his back, and the four of them set off.
“Hongmei, remember to write to me. I read in a book that you can take pictures in front of the city gate again. Remember to mail me your photos.”
"That's too unsafe. I'll bring it back for you when I come back from my vacation."
"You still have to write a letter, right? Do I need to give you my address?"
"Hehe, no need, I know the address. Don't worry, I'll write a letter, but don't get your hopes up too high."
The four of them chatted and laughed as they arrived at the station in the village, but the bus had not yet come.
As soon as Zhang Hongmei boarded the bus, she was greeted warmly by the ticket seller, which made her feel embarrassed.
"Auntie, maybe I'm just lucky. Your child will definitely get into university."
"Thank you for your kind words, Top Scholar."
Zhang Hongmei was finally relieved when someone got on the bus in the county.
She sighed quietly. This was so troublesome; she couldn't stand this kind of flattery. After a while, she didn't know how to respond anymore, and could only force a smile.
Er Ya was trying not to laugh. Zhang Hongmei rolled her eyes at her, thinking, "She has no compassion at all. She's in such dire straits, and no one's coming to her rescue. They're such bad friends."
After a bumpy three-hour journey, they finally arrived in the city. Er Ya and Zhu Zi went home with Zhang Hongmei and the others, since they didn't know the way around yet.
"Sister Er Ya, why don't you stay at my place?"
"It's too far. I'd better stay in the dormitory. It's less strenuous and safer."
"Alright, I'll give you the key before I leave. Brother Dashan has a key too."
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