She hadn't seen Shang Liu Xin for a few days. When she stopped, Zheng Qinglan couldn't help but think of her, thinking of her wearing a pink floral blouse, greenish-gray pants, and white wedge shoes. What is she doing now? Is she working in the mine, in the dormitory, or chatting with someone else? Will she miss me as much as I miss her? It's a pity that I don't have time to look for her now. If only she was in front of me now. Looking at her, my heart would be at ease. Zheng Qinglan also felt that her motive for meeting Shang Liu Xin wasn't simple. Young couples would definitely have feelings for each other like it was like three autumns after not seeing each other for a day. Moreover, it was definitely the main emotion. If they were to calculate according to the ratio, this kind of emotion was at least 99.9%. However, there was still a little bit. Subconsciously, he was a little worried about Shang Liu Xin. She liked to interact with others too much and did not avoid anyone. Zheng Qinglan had told her to pay attention to this point so as not to cause misunderstandings and rumors. Shang Liu Xin rejected Zheng Qinglan without thinking, saying,"Don't think badly of others. It's just a normal relationship. What can happen? As for myself, I'm selfless and magnanimous. Let others say what they want. I can't just lock myself in a safe and not interact with others, right?”Zheng Qinglan thought that as long as she opened her mouth, Shang Liu Xin would listen to her. She didn't expect her to reject her directly. She was a little angry, but she didn't want to flare up, so she could only hold it in. However, in his heart, he was somewhat worried about Shang Liu Xin. Even though this worry was vague and he didn't even admit it, it did exist. He was worried that Shang Liu Xin was a casual person and couldn't resist the temptation. Did Zheng Qinglan find out that Shang Liu Xin had some frivolous actions? No, ever since they got to know her, they had never seen her do anything overboard with a man. It was hard to say, perhaps it was another kind of yearning.
Zheng Qinglan went home as soon as the holidays started. His mother said,"Everything that needs to be prepared is almost ready. The kitchen master has been appointed. The guests that should be invited have already been invited. The wedding cakes have also been reserved. We just have to wait until the time to pick them up." The only problem is that the new house is still lacking some sand and stones. We have already talked to Third Uncle, who is working in the village, and asked him to drive a tractor to the river to pull a car. The road is not easy to walk and it is far. You and your father should get up early tomorrow morning and go with Third Uncle. The ground should have been beaten long ago, but you can't get away. It's a little late now. The weather is too cold. After beating, you have to build a fire in the house at night. Otherwise, it won't be easy to solidify and it will be easy to freeze. It wasn't easy to spend effort, but he had to manage it for a few years. After leveling the ground, he still had to paste the ceiling and fix the walls. All of this required time. It's almost your wedding day. I'm so anxious.”
Early the next morning, Zheng Qinglan took her father to her third uncle's house on her bike. Her uncle asked them to push the tractor out of the garage and start it. At first, Third Uncle shook it alone. After shaking it twice, he released the pressure relief lever. The engine thumped twice, and there was no sound after a puff of black smoke. Third Uncle asked Zheng Qinglan for help again. They shook the handle together. Zheng Qinglan held the handle while Third Uncle held her hand with his rough and wide hand. They shook it dozens of times. The wheel was spinning very happily. Their speed could not keep up with the speed of the wheel. Third Uncle shouted," Okay!" and put down the pressure relief lever. Then, they shook it dozens of times with the wheel. The engine made two thumps and spurted out a puff of black smoke. The two of them were already sweating profusely from exhaustion. "Qinglan, if it weren't for you getting married, I wouldn't have bothered to go out at this time," Third Uncle said.”Dad said,"It's hard for me to be a brother. I'll invite you to sit at the banquet on Qinglan's wedding day and pour you a glass of wine."”"It's not that I want to drink more. I just can't let go of people. Otherwise, on such a cold day, I would have slept in the morning at home and made a fire. I would have cooked a few bones and eaten comfortably and warmly.”"That's right, that's right. Who asked you to be Qinglan's brother-in-law? Such hardship can only be done by a real relative. If it were anyone else, they wouldn't be willing no matter how much they asked.”"Let's not talk about formalities. I'm not an outsider. I'm just joking. When faced with such a situation, who else can we count on if we don't help our own family? It seemed that he couldn't shake it head-on. He wanted to give it a try.”His uncle found a wire and wrapped a ball of old cotton wool around one end. Then, he stretched it into the fuel tank and dipped it in diesel. He took off the iron shell outside the filter, lit the cotton wool, and let his father hold it to the air intake. "Qinglan, come and help me.”This time, it was a success. After a few thuds, the engine spewed out a thick smoke. Uncle stepped on the accelerator, and the tractor kept thudding.
There was a thick layer of frost on the ground. Looking into the distance, it was a vast expanse of whiteness, as if it had snowed lightly. The green wheat seedlings, yellow withered grass, black soil, and green branches had all lost their original colors. Sitting on the cold railing of the tractor, a gust of cold air grabbed every nerve in his body. His hands and feet hurt as if they were being torn apart. Zheng Qinglan saw a layer of frost on her father's eyebrows and beard. Thinking that she might be the same, she wiped some water off her face. When they passed by a pile of haystacks by the roadside, Third Uncle stopped the car and said to Zheng Qinglan,""Go to the haystack and tie two straw handles to sit on. It's more comfortable and warmer this way.”Zheng Qinglan jumped out of the car and ran to the haystack. She tore off a bundle of straw and grabbed some from the haystack. She tied it up randomly and ran back to the car. He wasn't afraid of others saying that country bumpkins wouldn't care about these two jerks. He was just afraid that he would feel embarrassed.
The tractor had gone up and down many hills. Anyway, the road was either uphill or downhill. There was almost no flat road. After walking for about two hours, they came to a river bank. It was very wide here. One could imagine how wide the river was when the water was heavy, but now only a few thin strands were flowing silently. The river bank was uneven. It was filled with piles of sand and stones of different sizes and pits of different depths. It could be seen that this was the sand mining point of the nearby villagers. Those who needed sand and stones to build their houses and walls would dig here to save some expenses.
Third Uncle and Father went away with shovels. Zheng Qinglan didn't know what they were going to do, so she waited for them. After a while, they returned. Third Uncle said," The better sand here has been dug up by others. What's left is soil and sand mixed together. Moreover, the proportion of soil is too large. We can't level the ground. "If we have to use it, we have to wash it. Besides, we didn't bring any tools. We can't wash it. Even if we want to wash it, there's no water.”"Uncle, what should we do?" Zheng Qinglan asked. "I can only go downstream." "How far do we have to go?" "Not far, just a few miles. This is Shangguan Village, and downstream is Xiaguan Village.”In Xiaguan Village, Zheng Qinglan's heart skipped a beat. Wasn't the dog that abandoned Shang Liuxin from Xiaguan Village? Those unbearable images began to play out in Zheng Qinglan's mind again. Anger, pain, and helplessness pressed down on his heart. The dog that deserved to be killed stabbed the shovel into the sand. "Uncle, let's just find a place to dig a car here. If we go further down, we'll know what the situation is.”Zheng Qinglan didn't want to go any further. Although she didn't know that bastard, she hated him and despised him. "No, the river sand here obviously can't be used. If it can't be used downstream, then we'll think of another way. We've spent so much effort running such a long way and are frozen like dogs. Don't be afraid of hardship. Even if it's dark today, I'll bring a cart of sand back. Don't be afraid even if it's dark. I'll bring a lamp.”"At the critical moment, family is still the best. If it were someone else, they would be eager to go back as soon as possible.”"Of course. The ancients said that you have to be a brother to kill a tiger.”
The engine was still hot. Third Uncle shook the tractor effortlessly. However, Zheng Qinglan's heart was dark and heavy. He didn't want to move forward. He really didn't want to move forward. It was as if one step forward was one step closer to that dog that deserved to be killed.
"We're here." Hearing her third uncle's voice, Zheng Qinglan snapped out of her pain and anger. The river bank here was the same as the one he had seen earlier, but it was wider. Third Uncle and Father took the shovel and went far away again. Zheng Qinglan looked into the distance and saw some low houses. He didn't look down and quickly looked away, as if that dog was living in one of the rooms. Shang Liu Xin completed the transition from a girl to a woman in that room. Thinking of this, his heart twitched, and he was so angry that he wanted to use a white knife to enter and a red knife to come out.
Third Uncle came over and said to Zheng Qinglan,""This trip wasn't in vain. The river sand here is much stronger than the ones above.”Zheng Qinglan followed the tractor to the place they had chosen. Third Uncle parked the tractor and said,""This is the place." Zheng Qinglan dug with a shovel, but only half of the shovel was left. When she threw it on the car, a lot of it spilled out of the car. Third Uncle said half-jokingly and half-seriously,"What a scholar. Holding a shovel is not as smooth as holding a pen. Come, give it to me!”He took the shovel from Zheng Qinglan's hand, dug a full shovel, and threw it into the tow box. On the other side of the box, his father, like Third Uncle, threw the sand into the box with a shovel. Zheng Qinglan looked at her reddened hands and rubbed her sore arms. She was full of admiration for the two elders. Feeling embarrassed, Zheng Qinglan said to her uncle,""Uncle, let me do it. You can rest." His uncle didn't stop. As he dug, he said,"Forget it, let me do it. It's getting late. We might really have to explore the night road.”
At dinner, Zheng Qinglan didn't want to eat. Her mother said,""You're a young man. Even if you don't work, you still have to eat two big bowls for a meal. Moreover, you've worked all day.”He scooped a bowl of rice and stuffed it into Zheng Qinglan's hands. " I didn't do anything," Zheng Qinglan said." It was my uncle and dad who got in the car."”Third Uncle said," Qinglan, you're different from us. We rely on shovels to make a living. You rely on pens to make a living. Don't take what Uncle said today to heart. Come, put down your food and drink with Uncle."”His father said," No matter what you do, you have to look good. You have to do it well. If you hold the pen well, you can earn a living. You don't have to rely on your physical strength to eat.”"I really don't want to eat it. I feel suffocated.”Third Uncle said," What's there to hold back? You see, everyone is busy with you. Everything that needs to be prepared is almost done. A man has to get through it even if something happens.”
He didn't know what was on Zheng Qinglan's mind. Zheng Qinglan knew that it was useless to say more to them, so she didn't say anything. She picked up the bottle and poured a full glass of wine for her uncle and her father."You guys drink. I don't want to drink.”"There are no outsiders here. If you don't want to drink, then forget it. We won't force you."”Zheng Qinglan took a few mouthfuls of rice and said to the people at the table," Enjoy your meal." Then she left. He scooped a few ladles of hot water into the pot, washed his face and feet briefly, and lay down on the bed. Third Uncle said to his parents," What's wrong with Qinglan today? He doesn't seem very happy. Did you say anything to him?"”"No, he went out with you guys early in the morning. He was busy outside for the whole day. My heart ached so much that I couldn't even wait to talk about him. I was wondering if you guys said something about him. This child has never liked to talk much since he was young. He always likes to keep things to himself.”"We didn't say anything. Did you have a disagreement with your colleagues at work or did you have a fight with Shang Liu Xin?”"Maybe. I'll ask him later.”Zheng Qinglan's little sister said. "No, no. My brother was fine when he came back yesterday. He talked and ate as usual. It's just that he went out with you guys and changed when he came back.”"That's strange. He said that he was tired. He really didn't do much. After digging a few shovels, he couldn't hold on anymore and gave it to his uncle. We didn't say anything about him. He should have caught a cold or caught a cold.”"You're making wild guesses. Qinglan's body is perfectly fine. He's not cold, not feverish, not coughing, not even sneezing. Alright, let's not make wild guesses here. His father, accompany your brother to drink well. You're tired from the whole day until dark. You guys enjoy your meal. I'll go ask him now.”
Zheng Qinglan was lying on the bed, half-asleep, half-awake. The things she saw in Shang Liu Xin's room were like a devil that was entangled in his mind. He knew that he shouldn't think about these things, but they came uninvited and out of nowhere. Could they still get married? Damn, my mind is always entangled with these things. Can I treat her well? How good could it be? Shang Liu Xin's perception wasn't weak at all. What if she wasn't satisfied? If I don't marry her, where would I put Shang Liu Xin? Isn't this forcing her into a dead end? This is not only against social justice, but also against my conscience. How can I bear it? How can I do such a terrible thing like that man who deserves to be killed? Difficult, difficult, really difficult! What should I do? No, no matter what, this marriage had to be done. He had to change it slowly in the future. As time passed, it might slowly fade away or even be forgotten.
There was a knock on the door. His mother called out from outside,"Qinglan!" Zheng Qinglan pretended to be asleep. Her mother pushed open the door and walked to the bed. She called out softly, but Zheng Qinglan still didn't say anything. Her mother put her hand on Zheng Qinglan's forehead and said to herself,""It's not hot or cold. He was tired after working on the tractor for the whole day. If there was anything else, he would talk about it tomorrow.”As she spoke, she went out and closed the door.
Her mother was not simple. She had to worry about all the big and small things in the family. There was no time to rest all year round. She was already so old and still had her mother to worry about her. It was really too wrong. Tears flowed out unconsciously, and his throat rolled. He could not help but cry. He was afraid that his family would hear him, so he pretended to cough twice. Her crying made her feel a little better. After a while, she fell asleep unknowingly.
After two days of hard work, the leveling was done. Then, he used white paper to paste the walls and paper to paste the bamboo plaque as the ceiling. It was easier to paste the wall. He just needed to brush the wall with the paste and then paste the white paper on it. The bamboo plaque was not glued tightly, and when it was pushed up, it would fall off easily. Later, someone said that he couldn't just paste the paper up. He had to wait for the paste to dry and stick it firmly before he could push it up. He had to slow down and wait for the paste to dry before pushing it up. The effect was much better, but it delayed a lot of time. Fortunately, there was enough time and it didn't reach the point of burning his eyebrows. Later, he installed a new bed and placed a writing desk. When all this was done, the new house looked like it. Eldest Uncle said,"Once Shang Liu Xin's dowry is placed in, this house will be full and it will be more like a bridal chamber."”
Zheng Qinglan didn't say anything, but her mother said,""It's all because of everyone's hard work that it's like this.”Uncle said," It's always been like this. Marriage is a big deal. The whole family can't handle it. It's only right for relatives and friends to help.”Zheng Qinglan didn't have the slightest interest in talking. She just lowered her head and did her own thing. He was a man of few words, and everyone was used to it. No one expected him to have such thoughts.
Seeing that things were almost done, Zheng Qinglan went to work for another two days before the official wedding. In fact, at the end of the year, people's minds were no longer on work. Those who had to do New Year's goods did so, and those who had to buy clothes did so. At this time, the leaders were more magnanimous than before. Most of them turned a blind eye to people sneaking around to do private matters. At this time, everyone had finished their work. All that was left was to write a summary of the materials. This was just a formality. Zheng Qinglan didn't have to come, but he didn't feel at ease. He was afraid that his colleagues would ask him what he was doing. To tell the truth, he was unwilling to say it because of the hurdle in his heart. If she lied, she would be afraid that her colleagues would blame her. There was a saying that went," If you don't accept it, you fight. If you accept it, you snort." It meant that when a family had something big to do, such as a wedding, it was very difficult to inform others. If they didn't inform others, they would blame them. Even if they weren't willing to come and give gifts, they would still complain about why they didn't inform him. He was afraid that others would not be willing to come. Zheng Qinglan also had a strict requirement for herself. All work must be completed according to the time requirement and quality requirement. He was not allowed to delay or be perfunctory.
The summary of work was not a problem for people like them. Moreover, Zheng Qinglan's real work and achievements provided strong support for his summary. He didn't need to spend any effort to decorate himself. He just needed to organize those things and summarize them. In less than two hours, a well-written, well-thought-out, well-reasoned summary of experience and analysis of mistakes was completed. Zheng Qinglan handed it to Luo Tianyin. Luo Tianyin flipped through it and said,""Your conclusions have always been good. Leave this here. I'll read it again when I have time.”Then, she put Zheng Qinglan's summary aside and asked," The marriage is almost done, right?"”
"Thank you for your concern. Yes, it's ready. It'll be in two days.”"How about this? Anyway, the work is already in the final stage. You've also handed in your summary. If you have anything to do, go and be busy. If you have time, come to the unit to take a look.”Zheng Qinglan was so grateful to her teacher for thinking so much about her. He had wanted to ask for leave, but he didn't know how to say it. "Teacher, you're so thoughtful for me. I really don't know how to thank you.”"You're welcome. It's a special situation, so we can naturally relax a little. Usually, we still have to follow the rules.”
With Luo Tianyin's permission, Zheng Qinglan felt much more relaxed. She didn't have to worry about discrediting her teacher anymore. However, she still had to be careful, or her colleagues would have objections. Jin Ling immediately jumped out of his mind. He hadn't seen her for a long time, and his impression of her seemed to be a little blurry. It was time to visit her. Once this thought appeared, it became abnormally strong. Go, go immediately. He looked at his watch. It was almost 12 o'clock. Normally, it was lunchtime. Zheng Qinglan closed the door and bought two big buns on the street. She ate as she walked and thought," Hopefully, he could buy a ticket. It was almost the New Year, and there would definitely be a lot of people taking the bus. Zheng Qinglan's luck was pretty good today. There weren't many people in the waiting room. Zheng Qinglan bought a ticket as soon as she arrived, and the train was about to depart. Zheng Qinglan's mind was suddenly opened up. She felt that there was a mysterious force helping her.
In her anxious anticipation, the bus finally stopped in front of Jin Ling's shop. Zheng Qinglan got off the bus and saw many bicycles parked in front of the shop. Among them were a few brand new motorcycles, which looked very different. There were a lot of people going in and out of the shop. Obviously, they were all here to buy New Year's goods. Zheng Qinglan walked into the shop among the crowd and saw Jin Ling in a white coat. She was busy. Her hair was messy and her face was red. There seemed to be a layer of sweat on her face. Zheng Qinglan squeezed in front of Jin Ling and called her "Jin Ling". Jin Ling said,""Please wait a moment. I'll get you whatever you want immediately.”His voice was a little hoarse. "I don't want anything." Jin Ling couldn't help but glance at him, and her eyes widened." Ah, it's you!”"I'll help you greet the guests." "Alright, it's really timely assistance," Jin Ling said.”Zheng Qinglan squeezed into the counter and imitated Jin Ling to greet the customers. However, he wasn't familiar with the location of the goods and needed to ask Jin Ling from time to time. Jin Ling pointed out the location to him while she was busy with her work, and then he went to get it. Although Zheng Qinglan was a greenhorn, there were two of them after all. After a while, the customers in the shop were all sent away, and there were fewer people coming back.
"Look at you. It's such a cold day, and you're only wearing so little. You're still sweating. You must be exhausted.”"Yes, I'm a little tired. I've only eaten a bowl of noodles since morning. I haven't even had time to drink. He didn't feel it when he was busy, but when he took a break, he felt a little unsteady.”"Sit down and rest. I'll get you a glass of water.”He pulled out a chair and handed it to Jin Ling. Then, he jogged to the back to pour a glass of water. "Here, the water is here. Drink it slowly. I'll peel an orange for you. Sichuan orange. It's so sweet.”"You're spending money again. Our shop also sells oranges, so it's definitely cheaper than what you bought.”"It's not that expensive. Besides, I didn't buy much. It's just a token of my appreciation.”"You don't work at the office. Why are you here? Are you experiencing life everywhere again?”"The work at the unit has been finished. There's nothing to do. It's going to be a holiday, and the leaders have loosened up a little. I wanted to come and see you when I had time. I didn't expect you to become such a busy person. By the way, you can't handle it alone. Why don't you ask someone for help?”"I also asked for help. They were all relatives. I helped them for two days and went back. It's going to be the new year in a few days. They have a lot of things to do at home, so it's not easy to find someone at the last minute. I could only fight alone. Fortunately, you came today and helped me a lot. Otherwise, I don't know how busy I would be. At the end of the day, her entire body was sore and sore. Her throat was so sore that it felt like it was being burned by charcoal. Her mouth was dry and she did not want to eat anything. In short, she was tired.”"It's good to be tired. There's money to earn. I can't be tired even if I want to. You're not earning money. You're clearly using a rake to get money. You should be so happy that you can't close your mouth.”"It's good to have money, but people should rest too. They're busy from day to night and don't even have time to drink water. Fortunately, it's only a few days before the new year.”"Is it the same with your parents?" "Yes, they're just as busy selling vegetables. In recent years, the conditions in the countryside have been much better than before. There are especially many people who buy vegetables at the market during the New Year. They are like me, busy from morning till night. But my parents said they weren't tired. They didn't say that they weren't tired, but that they weren't tired anymore when they saw a lot of money. I laughed at them for being two old money-grubber. They said that they were afraid of poverty and would not refuse anyone who could earn as much as they could. Hehe, do you think that the taste of money grubber is especially strong?”"It's really strong. I'm about to faint from the smell here. You spend your days with them every day. You must have become a little money-grubber long ago.”The two of them laughed. A few customers came in. Zheng Qinglan said,""I'm already familiar with this place. I'll take the things, and you just need to settle the accounts and collect the money.”After a while, the few customers were sent away. "It's good to have a little waiter," Jin Ling said with a smile."Why don't you stay here and be a waiter?"”"Then you are the shopkeeper." "That's right." "I don't think we're allowed to hire workers now.”"I'm not hiring you, and I'm not paying you.”"Then wouldn't I be helping you for nothing? I'm worse than a slave, and you're even crueler than a slave owner.”"I don't want to be a slave owner. I provide for you to eat and drink, treat you as a VIP, and even treat you as a family member.”As she spoke, she subconsciously glanced at Zheng Qinglan and blushed. "It's good, but I don't have the fortune to do so.”"I'm just joking with you. What are your plans for today? It's getting late. Stay here tonight. Anyway, we have plenty of rooms at home. You can go back to work tomorrow morning. I guarantee that it won't be delayed.”Zheng Qinglan agreed readily, saying,""I don't have anything to do tomorrow. I'll help you here tomorrow. I have to go back the day after tomorrow.”"Then it's settled. You sit here and rest for a while. I'll go over and tell my mother to cook for you and make you delicious food. She'll treat you like a VIP.”Without waiting for Zheng Qinglan's reply, she giggled and ran to tell her mother.
"Mom, hurry up and cook!" "Why? Are you hungry?" "Yeah, we've been busy all day. Aren't you guys hungry? Let me tell you, we have a guest tonight, a special guest.”"What special guest?" "It's our waiter and friend.”"Where did this person come from?”" Xiao Zheng?"" Which Xiao Zheng?" "Zheng Qinglan, a friend my brother met at the train station.”"Oh, I know. It's that author, Little Zheng. When did he become our waiter?”"Hehe, I'm just joking. He's already helped me for half a day, and he'll help me for another day tomorrow.”"Okay, okay, okay. I'll go cook immediately. Old man, take care of me. I'm leaving.”
" You're quite lucky," Jin Ling said to Zheng Qinglan." My mom stopped earning money and went to cook when I told her that you were here."”"Who knows how you fooled your mother.”"I didn't lie at all. I even lowered your level and said that you were our waiter. My mother didn't mind and went happily.”"Hahaha, my glorious image is right here. It's useless no matter how you demean me.”"Hahaha, I've given you a chance to brag.”"Let's not talk about this. Your brother and sister-in-law must be very busy over there.”"Haven't you been to their place recently?”"No, I haven't." "Of course they are. Every time I call them, no matter if my brother or sister-in-law answers the phone, they always say that it's okay and that we don't have to worry. I think they must be very busy during this period of time. I usually call them at night. Sometimes, they don't have time to answer the phone. Sometimes, they hang up without saying a few words. They must be busy and don't have time to talk. However, they also hired a waiter. You don't have to worry.”Then, she laughed. Zheng Qinglan laughed too.
"Aren't you getting married? Why did he still have free time? Wasn't he busy at home?”"I'm almost done with all the preparations. I can't help much at home, so I came to see you. I'm afraid I won't have the chance to see you after we get married. This is my unit's phone number. If you want to read any books or have anything else, you can call me.”As he spoke, he couldn't help but sigh. A sense of loss instantly surged into his heart, and his mood dimmed a lot. Jin Ling could clearly feel the change in him. Although she was also very sad, she still tried her best to pretend that she didn't care."It's okay. You see, it's so convenient to contact me over the phone now. If there's anything, I'll definitely look for you.”"Alright, I'll keep my word." As they were talking, Jin Ling's mother stood at the door and called for them to eat. They closed the door and went to the back. The dishes were already served on the table, filling it up. "You're too polite, Auntie," said Zheng Qinglan.”Jin Ling's mother smiled and said," You're not being polite. It's what you should do. You're a rare guest, and you've helped us do so much today. Come, old man, pour Little Zheng some wine.”"Auntie, don't worry about us. Come and eat with us.”Jin Ling's father put the wine in front of Zheng Qinglan and said with a smile,""Little Zheng, to tell you the truth, I'm so happy that you came today.”Zheng Qinglan didn't understand why he said that. She just smiled and replied,""I'm happy too." "You still don't understand why my dad is so happy.”Zheng Qinglan was a little nervous, afraid that she would say something embarrassing. "My dad finally found someone to drink with, right, dad?”"Hehe, I can't hide anything from you. I've been really tired these past few days. I just wanted to drink some wine to relieve my fatigue at night, but I didn't have any opponents. The mother and son left after eating a few mouthfuls of rice, leaving me to drink alone. It's boring. Come, don't just talk. Drink! We're going to have a few drinks tonight.”"Old man, why don't you just get drunk?”"I'm not stupid to ask for your criticism. He still had something to do tomorrow. He was drinking tonight to get a better job tomorrow.”"Grandpa, Auntie, your family is really interesting.”"Don't listen to him. The older you get, the crazier you get.”Although Jin Ling's mother said that, she was smiling and there was no hint of reproach in her tone. Jin Ling said," Waiter, don't just talk. Eat your food. You have to listen to the old shopkeeper's words. You have to drink your wine well." These dishes were originally for the New Year. Since you're here, we'll take advantage of your good fortune to enjoy them in advance.”"Don't talk nonsense here. You're just like your father. Come, Little Zheng, eat. Let me ask you something. Do you have a girlfriend?”Jin Ling immediately interrupted." Mom, you should ask this. Xiao Zheng, how old is the child?"”"Go away, go away. Mom doesn't need you to teach her." "You need me to teach you. It's a century too late for you to ask. He's about to get married, and you're still asking if he has a girlfriend.”"It's not that I don't know, that's why I'm asking. Sigh!”Jin Ling's father raised his glass and said to Zheng Qinglan,""They say what they want, and we drink what we want.”"Mom, why are you sighing? It's as if she shouldn't get married.”"I'll sigh at you. Xiao Zheng is about to get married, but you don't even have a partner. I'm telling you, I have your brother and sister-in-law. I don't need you to bother me.”"Mom, let's eat first. Let's not talk about this, okay? Come, I'll get you your favorite steamed pork with vermicelli.”Zheng Qinglan raised her glass and said to Jin Ling's father,""Grandpa, come, let me toast you." The two of them touched each other, and Zheng Qinglan took a big sip. Her heart felt warm, and her face felt hot. Jin Ling glanced at him and didn't say anything else. She lowered her head and ate quietly. Jin Ling's mother sighed and said,"Every time we talk about your marriage, you pretend to be deaf and mute. You don't want me to have a worry-free meal."”"Old woman, can you stop talking? Why do you have to say this when it's time to eat? Can you let us all have a quiet meal?”"That's right. My dad is right." "Right my ass. Is he a worried person? If he didn't say it during dinner, would he have time to say it normally? Although they were so close, they ate in the same pot every day. How could they have the time to talk about this together? Xiao Zheng is also here today. I want to ask Xiao Zheng to help me out. Is there any suitable person to introduce to Ling?”"Mom, you're here again. You're really worrying about me. I'll handle my own matters. You just have to worry about yourself.”These words were obviously meant for Zheng Qinglan. There was a strong reproach in them. Zheng Qinglan naturally understood the meaning behind them. She remained silent and picked up the wine glass. She downed it in one gulp and picked up the bottle."Sir, let me pour you some wine." "Delightful!" Jin Ling's father said. He also downed the wine in one gulp and put the wine glass down with a smile, letting Zheng Qinglan pour the wine.
After Zheng Qinglan and Jin Ling's father had finished drinking and eating, Jin Ling's mother was cleaning up the dishes. Jin Ling made a bed and said to Zheng Qinglan,""Brother Qinglan, you can stay in this room later. This is the place where you made your masterpiece last time.”Then, she said to her parents," Dad, Mom, you've had a long day. Rest early."”"I'm getting old," Jin Ling's mother said."I don't sleep that much anymore. Don't worry about us."”Jin Ling's father said," I drank to my heart's content tonight. I feel a little dizzy now. I don't care about you guys anymore. I'll go to sleep first."”Jin Ling quickly pulled him to sit down and said," Dad, you look like you're breakdancing when you walk. Don't move. I'll get you some water. Wash yourself before you go to sleep."”Jin Ling's father sat down obediently and mumbled,"It's good to have a daughter." "Mom, you heard what my dad said, right? You still want to chase me away. My dad won't agree to it." Jin Ling immediately added.”"This is what he said when he drank too much. When he sobers up, I guarantee that he will be even more energetic than me.”"Mom, I can't be so pitiful, right? My parents are trying their best to chase me out.”"Everyone has their own home. I'm driving you to your own home, not kicking you out to wander. What's there to be pitiful about? Xiao Zheng, help me persuade her.”"Okay, auntie." "Mom, do you think Brother Qinglan is a matchmaker? Don't think that he will listen to you just because you treated him to a meal. Do you think your daughter is so easy to persuade? Don't cause trouble for him. Come, Dad, you take a bath."
Jin Ling's parents left after showering. Zheng Qinglan and Jin Ling sat down again.
"Jin Ling, auntie is right. You should consider your own matters. We live in this world. There are many times when we can't just consider ourselves. We have to consider others, society, and the country.”"I understand this logic, but I just don't have the intention to do so. It's not right to say that I've never done so. I did in the past, but I don't have it now.”"Why?" Zheng Qinglan asked. "You already know."
A strong impulse hit Zheng Qinglan's chest. He seemed to be able to hear the earth-shattering cry in his heart. Catch her. This is the one you love, the one you like. He raised his hand a few times, wanting to grab Jin Ling, but he eventually put it down and grabbed the cold table. The words " I like you too " that he was about to spit out became " You can't do this." "What can I do if I can't do this?" "There are many good men in the world. You have to try to change and learn to accept new things, including new people and new feelings.”"A person's feelings can't be changed just like that. I don't want to lie to myself.”"Jin Ling, what's the point of you being so persistent?”"I want to ask you, what's the point of your persistence? At least I know that I like you. Why are you so persistent?”"I can't tell you. I have my mission.”"If you don't say it, you've already said it. You treat your love and marriage as a mission. Mission, what a solemn word. You didn't treat love as a pleasant and joyful emotional exchange, and you didn't treat marriage as a mutual help on the basis of love. Instead, you treated it as a solemn and depressing mission. Is this the love and marriage you want?”"Jin Ling, let's not discuss this, okay? I came here to see you. I don't want to fight with you over these things. I'm about to get married, so there's no point in fighting over these things. I feel guilty discussing my marriage here. It's like I'm still hesitating and wavering at this point. This is unfair to Shang Liu Xin.”"Take responsibility. Love and marriage make people happy, not painful.”"Let's not talk about me. Let's talk about you. Is there no one who can make you feel happy? There were countless people in this world who had the ability and wealth. There would always be someone suitable for you.”"No, I want to talk about you, because you're already at the edge of the cliff. If you don't say it now, it'll really be too late. As for me, at least I'm still on the ground. I'm safe.”"Don't think that my situation is so dangerous. I know how to protect myself.”"Forget it. If you don't want to say it, then don't say it. I know my own matters very well. I know what I want. It's getting late. Go and rest. We still have a busy day tomorrow.”
Lying on the bed, the question popped up again. Zheng Qinglan tried to suppress it, but like a gourd in water, it popped up again when she loosened her grip.
Impossible!
Zheng Qinglan let out a long sigh and forced the thought to the bottom of her heart. Shang Liu Xin, at this moment, she didn't want to think about it. Everything should be ready at home. Are Mom, Dad, and Grandma looking forward to my return? When he thought of his parents and grandmother, a strong desire to go home rose in his heart. Tomorrow, he would go home after helping Jin Ling entertain the guests during the peak period. If he still hadn't returned home, his parents might be very anxious at home.
The next day, after Zheng Qinglan helped Jin Ling receive the customers during the peak period, it was already afternoon. Taking advantage of the time when there were no customers, Zheng Qinglan said,"Jin Ling, most of the guests today have arrived. I should go. I'm afraid that my parents will be anxious at home. There are always some things to do at home.”Jin Ling said," I'll go cook immediately. You've been tired for half a day. Eat before you leave. Otherwise, our family will feel bad."”"No, I have to take a taxi to the city and then ride back. It'll be dark if I'm late. It's too big there, so it's not good to walk at night.”"Then I won't keep you. I'll get you something to eat in the car so that you won't be hungry.”As he spoke, he pulled out a bag and stuffed it with a bag of biscuits, a bottle of canned food, a bottle of drinks, and a few apples and bananas. Zheng Qinglan said," Alright, alright. Stop pretending. These things are enough to pay me for two days. It's really worth it for me to come here this time."”Jin Ling smiled and said sadly,""If you want to leave, then leave. Don't come again.”After hearing the second half of Jin Ling's words, Zheng Qinglan felt as if her heart had been pricked by a needle. He took the things and turned around, tears streaming down his face. When she reached the door, she turned around and saw Jin Ling covering her face and crying.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]