"I'm going back to the city."
That day, Qiu Xiaohuan came to talk to Tian Cai, and suddenly blurted out this sentence.
Tian Cai looked up at her in surprise. As far as she knew, Qiu Xiaohuan didn't return to the city before not entirely because she couldn't, but because Yan Xudong was here. Why did she have to return to the city now?
She didn't ask, but her eyes expressed what she wanted to say.
Qiu Xiaohuan pursed her lips and said in a flat voice, "Some people's hearts can never be warmed. I guess I'll never get what I want even if I wait until I die. There's no point in waiting any longer; it's just a waste of time."
She had fallen in love with Yan Xudong since she first saw him at the age of fifteen. She had expressed it many times over the years, both openly and secretly. Even outsiders could see that she liked him. Qiu Xiaohuan didn't believe that Yan Xudong couldn't see it himself and had never responded. It was just that he had no feelings for her but couldn't say it directly for the sake of his parents' face.
She is 24 years old this year and has loved someone wholeheartedly for nine years.
Qiu Xiaohuan has had to come to terms with it recently.
She felt distressed because she couldn't get the love she wanted, and it was also a problem for Yan Xudong. After all, he used to bite any woman who approached him like a mad dog.
Yan Xudong is 27 years old now. She used to think that he was still single because he was waiting for her, but nine years have passed. She should have realized what she didn't understand. Even a blind person could see that he really had no feelings for her.
She no longer had time to wait. Yan Xudong's indifference made her see no hope. Her parents had not cared about these things before, but when they wrote to her last time, they asked her at the end of the letter, how long did she plan to wait?
When Qiu Xiaohuan saw these words, she couldn't help but burst into tears.
If someone else asked her this question, she would probably respond bluntly, "What's it to you?"
But this question was asked by her mother, who had always been extremely indulgent to her.
It’s been nine years. How many nine years can there be in a lifetime?
How many more years will she have to waste on a man before she wakes up?
"I went home in August and took the job exam for the machinery factory. I didn't pass. The factory only accepted 20 people, and I ranked 21st." At this point, Qiu Xiaohuan finally smiled. She thought it was just bad luck, but she didn't expect there would be a twist later. "I thought the matter was over, but the day before yesterday, my dad called and said that someone was killed by a flower pot falling from the upper floor. A position was vacant, and the next person would move up one position according to the order. So I passed the exam."
Starting from 1971, the planning meeting determined that "educated youth who have been in the countryside for more than two years can be recruited as workers", which is why Qiu Xiaohuan was able to take the recruitment exam for the machinery factory.
Tian Cai sighed that Qiu Xiaohuan was lucky, but at the same time he couldn't help but sigh for the person who was crushed to death. How unlucky this person was. He worked so hard to get admitted to the machinery factory, and just when he was about to get a stable job, he died.
"When will you be back?"
"I'm leaving in a few days. I just have a few more paperwork to complete. A trip to the commune tomorrow will be enough," Qiu Xiaohuan continued, gazing around the cozy farmyard. "In the past, the endless farm work made me want to get away from it as soon as possible, as far away as possible. But when it's time to leave, I'm still a little reluctant."
"Your father's side—"
"My dad's side is fine. I didn't use any connections this time. I passed the exam entirely on my own merit. No one can find fault with me."
Tian Cai nodded. After they got to know each other, she realized that Qiu Xiaohuan's father was an official in Beijing City, and his position was not low. This meant that they, the family, had to be cautious in their actions and could not get any privileges.
So her admission into the machinery factory and transfer back to the city was already one of the best outcomes.
"Work hard at the machinery factory, and I'll come to see you in Beijing later."
When Qiu Xiaohuan heard this, she immediately smiled happily, "You keep your word, is that true?"
"Of course it's true," Tian Cai also smiled, "I went to Beijing this time. I just came back. I will definitely have the chance to go there again in the future. I'll come to see you then!"
"Okay!" Qiu Xiaohuan hugged Tian Cai's arm and said with a slightly choked voice.
Although the two of them didn't have much contact and their previous interactions were always unpleasant, ever since Tian Cai rescued her on the mountain, Qiu Xiaohuan didn't know why, but always had an inexplicable sense of trust in her.
She thought that the people she lived with would be the ones she would be most reluctant to leave, but in fact, the one she was most reluctant to leave was Tian Cai.
It's a magical feeling.
Tian Cai kicked the sack on the ground with his toes and said, "Give me your address later. We've picked a lot of soapberries this year, so I'll make some soap and send it to you."
"Yeah, yeah, send more. Also, shampoo soap. My mom loves it. I want that bath soap you made, too. Oh, yes, and facial oil. I want at least double of each!"
"...Can you please have some shame?"
"……no."
…
Only after finishing this busy period did Tian Cai have time to go to the cowshed.
When she went there, it was just after dinner. Many people were busy cleaning hazelnut shells in the yard with lights on, without even looking up.
Tian Cai wandered along the way and soon arrived at the destination.
Just as she was about to reach out and knock on the door, Tingting heard the noise and came to open the door. When she saw that it was Tian Cai, she immediately smiled.
"Sister Tian Cai, why are you here? Come in and sit down!"
Tian Cai handed over the rabbit in his hand and asked, "Have you eaten?"
"I've eaten." Tingting frowned at the thing Tian Cai handed over and refused to take it. "Look, you're bringing something over again. Grandpa scolded me last time I accepted it—"
Tian Cai forced the rabbit into her hands and said, "Tell him I have to give it to him. I didn't catch it myself in the mountains. I can't eat it all by myself. If you don't eat it, it will go bad later. What a waste!"
Tingting pouted, knowing that Tian Cai was just trying to refuse. Who would let meat go bad these days? "Okay then, thank you, Sister Tian Cai!"
"Since I'm calling you sister, don't be polite to me!"
Tingting has grown into a big girl now. At the age of fourteen, she has grown very fast. The two of them are almost the same height when standing together, but Tingting is very thin, like a bamboo pole, and her clothes keep shaking when she wears them.
A few days ago, Tian Cai went up the mountain to collect mountain products during the day, and came back in the evening to process them in the yard with a light on. After seeing this, Tingting came to help for several nights in a row, and each time she would work until after nine o'clock.
The two of them talked while working, and time passed quickly. With her help, the mountain products were processed much faster.
Tian Cai had wanted to thank her for a long time, so after sending out all the packages today, she came over with the rabbit.
She stuck her head into the room and saw Wu Deying lying on the bed. Tian Cai didn't go in for fear of disturbing his rest. Anyway, she came here just to deliver the rabbit today.
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