Chapter 66

Xia Qing Shu looked at his sister in disbelief. He thought she was joking. The college entrance exam had been suspended for almost ten years. To go to college, you basically had to be recommended, and the quota was very limited. How could they recommend a disabled person like him to go to college?

Seeing Xia Qing Shu looking at her in a daze, Xia Qingning explained to him:

“Brother, the college entrance exam will be resumed soon. You are not inferior to anyone else. You have a sharp mind. You did so well in your studies before, and you even published articles. As long as you are willing to pick up your books again, I believe you will definitely be able to get into college.”

“Really? The college entrance exam is going to be resumed?” Xia Qing Shu knew it was unlikely, but he couldn’t help but want to believe it.

“Trust me!” Xia Qingning said confidently, then continued to encourage him:

“Brother, didn’t you say before that you wanted everyone to see your articles? Once you go to college, all of that can be achieved.”

Xia Qingning’s words were like a spark thrown into Xia Qing Shu’s overgrown heart. The two words “university” seemed to have a powerful magic, tempting his heart, causing his dull eyes to suddenly light up.

“Can I?” Xia Qing Shu asked, his voice trembling.

“You can!” Xia Qingning said with absolute certainty: “As long as you want to go out, as long as you are willing to look ahead, you can!”

Not only Xia Qing Shu, but even Lu Jingzhe was moved. The girl in front of him had such a firm and sincere gaze. Her fragile body radiated a powerful strength. She spoke so confidently that it was undeniable.

“Then let’s give it a try!” Xia Qing Shu finally nodded. “Now I have nothing left. How much worse could it get?”

Xia Qingning finally smiled and held his hand tighter:

“We’ll go to college together. You know I’m stupid, but even I have confidence. You can do it!”

Inspired by his sister, Xia Qing Shu completely relaxed. His eyes became determined:

“Okay, let’s go to college together!”

Hearing the agreement between her brother and sister, Guo Yumei couldn’t hold back her tears anymore. They fell one after another, but a smile appeared on her face. Her old and cloudy eyes suddenly lit up.

Lu Jingzhe hadn’t heard about the resumption of the college entrance exam. He thought Xia Qingning was just comforting Xia Qing Shu, giving him something to look forward to. He didn’t want to break the news.

After breakfast, Lu Jingzhe and Xia Qingning prepared to return to the city. Guo Yumei came out of the kitchen, carrying a large cloth bag. Inside were scallion pancakes and boiled eggs she had made that morning, for Xia Qingning and Lu Jingzhe to eat on the road.

Xia Qingning took it and felt its weight. She opened it and saw at least ten pancakes and eight or nine eggs inside. The pancakes were made with all white flour. As soon as she opened the bag, she could smell the rich aroma. Each pancake was golden yellow, clearly made with a lot of oil.

The Xia family was now practically penniless, yet Guo Yumei was so “generous” to prepare such provisions for them. Xia Qingning was touched.

This wasn’t just a meal for the road, it was Guo Yumei’s heavy motherly love.

At that moment, Xia Qing Shu came out with another bag. Inside were freshly killed chicken and rabbit. Xia Qingning repeatedly waved her hands and said no, but Xia Qing Shu wouldn’t listen. He kept trying to stuff them into her bag.

Only when Xia Qingning said that the weather was too hot and they wouldn’t be able to eat it if they took it back, and it would be a waste, did Xia Qing Shu finally stop. He was still feeling guilty for not being able to bring his sister anything back.

A moment later, as if he had thought of something, Xia Qing Shu went back to the main room. After a while, he came out with a large bag of wild mushrooms. He scratched his head, a little embarrassed, and said:

“I picked these up in the mountains. They’re not worth much, but they taste good. If you don’t mind, take them back and eat them.”

This time, Xia Qingning didn’t refuse. She quickly took it and said that she didn’t mind at all, and that she loved them. She directly praised:

“This is the best thing to eat!”

Xia Qing Shu said, “You like it, that’s good.” Then he went back into the house. After a while, he brought out a basket of golden loquats.

“Brother, did you climb the tree again?” Xia Qingning took the loquats from him and asked worriedly.

“No, no, Qingcao picked them. When I woke up this morning, I saw the basket on the table. That kid must have climbed the tree to pick them while we were sleeping.”

“Where is Qingcao?” Xia Qingning asked quickly. She hadn’t seen him since she woke up this morning.

“He must have gone to cut grass again. I just looked around and couldn’t find him.” Guo Yumei walked over, a little helpless:

“Xiaoning, don’t blame your brother. He’s just stubborn. Actually, he really cares about you. Otherwise, why would he go out in the middle of the night to pick loquats for you?”

Xia Qingning sighed silently in her heart. She knew that she probably wouldn’t hear him call her “sister” before she left. This was probably the only regret she had about coming home this time.

Lu Jingzhe picked up all the things. Xia Qingning told Guo Yumei that she had asked someone to make clothes for them, and that she would send them over when they were done.

After giving Guo Yumei all the instructions, Xia Qingning turned to Xia Qing Shu and said that she would buy him books when she got back to the city and send them over. She asked him to study hard and do less farm work.

After everything was settled, Xia Qingning and Lu Jingzhe set off for the city.

Guo Yumei and Xia Qing Shu originally planned to send them to the bus station in town, but Xia Qingning considered that one was old and the other was disabled, so she resolutely refused.

The country roads were winding and twisting. They had walked quite a distance when Xia Qingning unconsciously looked back. She suddenly saw Guo Yumei and Xia Qing Shu standing on the hillside behind them, watching them. They didn’t leave for a long time.

The two figures, one thin and old, the other leaning and helpless, made Xia Qingning’s eyes involuntarily turn red. This was a farewell scene she had never experienced before. In this era of slow travel, because they didn’t know when they would be back next time, the parting became more reluctant, and the longing became longer, much longer.

They walked far, far away. Xia Qingning looked back one last time, but she still didn’t see Xia Qingcao. She felt a little uncomfortable. It seemed he wasn’t going to come and see her off.

“You can come back often, or you can take them to the city.” Lu Jingzhe saw that Xia Qingning was in low spirits. He hesitated for a moment, but still comforted her.

Xia Qingning nodded. Her heart warmed a little because of his words.

After spending so much time together, she had figured out Lu Jingzhe’s temperament. He might be a little cold-faced, but his heart was very kind and he was also very considerate. He was truly a very good man.

They walked for more than ten miles on the mountain road before finally reaching the bus station. Xia Qingning’s feet were so sore that she couldn’t lift them. She knew that Lu Jingzhe had deliberately slowed down on the road to take care of her. Even so, she felt like she had lost half her life. After getting on the bus, she didn’t want to move anymore.

The bus to the city ran once a day, leaving at 10:30 sharp. They got on the bus and waited for about twenty minutes before it finally started.

Xia Qingning sat by the window. She was so tired that she leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes to rest. As the bus swayed, she suddenly heard someone talking:

“Hey, why is that kid running after the bus?”

“Yeah, maybe he forgot to get on the bus.”

“No way, right? If he forgot to get on the bus, why isn’t he shouting? He’s just running.”

With more and more discussions, Xia Qingning slowly opened her eyes and looked out the window unconsciously. With just one glance, all her drowsiness disappeared. Her heart was suddenly pulled tight.

She saw a boy of twelve or thirteen years old running after the bus on the hillside outside the window. He was gritting his teeth, his thin body seemed to be putting in all his strength, stepping on the rough stone road, stubbornly running forward. He didn’t care that his calf was scratched by the weeds.

Xia Qingning immediately opened the window and shouted at the running boy:

“Qingcao, go back, don’t chase it.”

The boy heard the shout and looked at her window, but he didn’t stop for a moment. He continued to run. He gritted his teeth stubbornly, didn’t say a word, but in the next second, he tripped over a tree branch and almost fell. He managed to stabilize himself and continued to run forward, secretly competing with himself, trying not to be left too far behind by the bus.

Xia Qingning looked at the small figure running towards her, trying his best to keep up. She couldn’t control her tears anymore. They streamed down her face, and she choked out:

“Qingcao, go back, trust me, I’ll come back to see you.”

Gradually, the boy’s body began to weaken. Because he had overexerted himself, his face became increasingly red. Even though he was putting in all his strength, he was slowly being left behind by the bus.

He anxiously watched the bus slowly drive away in front of him, but he couldn’t do anything.

At that moment, his grievances, his sadness, his reluctance, all turned into a silent force, breaking through his teeth. He shouted at the departing bus, the name he had buried deep in his heart, but stubbornly refused to call:

“Sister!”