The courtyard is lush and green.
Ling Huanwu sat in the courtyard with her child in her arms, her gaze fixed on the direction of the crystal cave on the high mountain.
That's the direction where Zhou Jiuzhen disappeared, and it's also a place where many people on the island miss their loved ones.
The village women often came over, and when they looked at Ling Huanwu, their eyes were full of heartache.
"Xiao Ling, you're so young, raising a child alone, how will you manage in the future?"
"There's a young man in the next village, he's reliable and capable. How about I set you up with him?"
Ling Huanwu always politely declined with a smile, "Auntie, I know you mean well, but right now my mind is entirely on the child, and I haven't really thought about these things."
After each such conversation, she would go back inside and look at the only photo she had with Zhou Jiuzhen, tears welling up in her eyes.
She couldn't believe Zhou Jiuzhen was gone just like that; they had made so many promises together.
How can those days we spent together just disappear like that?
That day.
Ling Huanwu went to the clam farm as usual to check on the clam production progress.
As soon as I got home, I ran into Song Panmei waiting at the door.
Song Panmei had just returned from a mission that year.
Ling Huanwu was taken aback when she reappeared.
She originally thought that he had let her go after she insisted on coming back, but she never expected that he would come to the island to find her again.
Song Panmei put down her suitcase somewhat awkwardly, touched her nose, and explained somewhat stiffly, "The team just happened to be on holiday, and that Qin Jinshen kept writing to my team asking me to come see him. I had no choice but to stay here at your place since I have nowhere to stay in the city."
Ling Huanwu twitched her lips, even she felt embarrassed by his lame excuse.
Qin Jinshen was serving his sentence in the city, which was separated from this place by more than an entire ocean, yet he was still able to cross the ocean to stay here.
Don't go too far!
"Ignore that guy surnamed Qin. He's been writing to me for over a year, but it's always the same old stuff. Let's just ignore him."
"Yeah, yeah, this guy almost killed me back then, how dare he ask to see me!"
As Song Panmei carried her luggage into the house, she looked exhausted. "I have nowhere to stay, so I'll stay here tonight..."
Ling Huanwu originally wanted to stop him, but seeing him covered in sweat, she couldn't bear to ask him to leave. That night, she moved to the military dormitory herself.
Song Panmei watched Ling Huanwu's departing figure in the night, her eyes darkening involuntarily.
But the next day he was still full of energy and rallied his spirits.
He helped chop wood, carry water, and even played with the children, his eyes filled with undisguised tenderness.
At night, the moonlight was as clear as water.
As usual, Ling Huanwu carried her daughter to the military dormitory, but the atmosphere was a little awkward as they were leaving.
Just as Ling Huanwu turned around, her body stiff.
Song Panmei finally couldn't help but call out to her, "Big Girl, I like you!"
With that one sentence, Ling Huanwu's departing figure froze.
But Song Panmei behind him was still making a heartfelt confession.
"After you left for Hong Kong, I knew that my feelings for you were not those of a brother and sister, but true love."
“In my previous life, I went to Hong Kong to find you, only to find out that you were already married. At that time, I was filled with regret.”
"I finally found you again in this life, but we missed each other again. I don't want to miss you again. Please give me a chance."
Ling Huanwu was stunned, and tears instantly welled up in her eyes.
She remembered the broken look in Song Panmei's eyes when they parted in her previous life; she realized that such emotions were hidden within them.
But she still shook her head: "Panmei, I've always thought of you as my brother. I don't believe Jiuzhen is dead. I want to wait for him to come back."
Song Panmei looked at her and said stubbornly, "I know you have feelings for him. I can wait until the day you are willing to accept me."
From then on, Song Panmei still often came to help Ling Huanwu.
He wanted to do everything quietly, without disturbing Ling Huanwu's waiting.
I just quietly stayed by her side.
She hoped that one day she would turn around and see his feelings.
But his secret plans were shattered by a sudden letter.
The postman came to deliver the mail as usual, saying it was from the city prison.
The two knew that this was another letter from Qin Jinshen.
Ling Huanwu picked up the pen, intending to sign for the package and throw it away, when Gou Sheng, who happened to be strolling near her yard, suddenly darted over like a rocket, snatched the package from the postman's hand, and shouted, "My goodness! It's a postcard from our Wantan Island! Everyone come and see, our island is making postcards now!"
His shout drew a crowd of villagers working nearby, who craned their necks to look at the postcard of Wantan Island.
Beside the boundless sea, a unique, towering stone pillar stands prominently on Wantan Island, while on the high mountain beyond the sea, a rainbow leaps across the mountain, with the words "Most beautiful Wantan Island, most sparkling crystal cave" written at the top!
Ling Huanwu also peeked over to look, surprised that their island postcards were appearing on the market.
The villagers were amazed and delighted, and subconsciously flipped the postcard over, thinking there was something "good" on the back. But when they saw what was written on the back of the postcard, everyone's expressions were quite interesting.
The postcard contained only a few simple lines of text, yet they exploded like a bomb, leaving the onlookers speechless.
"Ling Huanwu, if you don't come to see me in prison again, I'll expose your affair with that Song Panmei to everyone!"
The villagers looked at Ling Huanwu, then at Song Panmei, their eyes darting between the two.
His gaze held a half-smile, as if he had already concluded that the two were having an affair.
Ling Huanwu took a deep breath, her hands trembling with anger.
Looking at the words on the postcard, she could almost see Qin Jinshen's clenched teeth and wicked smile of triumph.
That cunning old man must have done it on purpose, deliberately sending a postcard with ambiguous words in order to threaten her into seeing him.
Ling Huanwu snatched the postcards from the villagers' hands, intending to tear them to shreds, but couldn't bring herself to do it when she saw the stunning scenery of Wantan Island on the postcards.
She put away the postcard, gave the villagers an awkward smile, and said, "This guy surnamed Qin has lost his mind. Don't believe him or spread rumors. It would be terrible if my Jiuzhen misunderstood!"
Ling Huanwu spoke with great seriousness, but the villagers all looked at her with strange expressions.
More than a year has passed, and they have all come to accept the fact that their loved ones died in the explosion.
Several aunties sighed and waved their hands, advising her with the air of experienced women, "Xiao Ling, we've all let go, so you should too. You're still so young, you can't stay a widow for the rest of your life."
“Yes, they’re dead, but we survivors still have to keep going, right? Before, we wanted to introduce you to a good match, but alas, that’s just how island men are. But Pilot Song is great, and you two have been friends since childhood…”
Several aunties surrounded her, praising Song Panmei endlessly, practically forcing the two of them to get married right away.
Ling Huanwu raised her eyes and looked at Song Panmei outside the crowd. At this moment, he was blushing and looking at her with hopeful eyes, waiting for her answer.
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