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Chapter 62
Xia Qingning didn’t go out to disturb them. She walked over quietly.
She went to Guo Yumei’s room, but she wasn’t there. As she looked around, she saw Xia Qingcao, who had finished washing up and was returning to his room. She hesitated and asked:
“Qingcao, would you like to chat with your sister?”
Perhaps the more sensible children are, the heavier their thoughts, and the more they care about someone, the less likely they are to get close to them easily.
Although Xia Qingcao had been ignoring her, every detail showed that he loved his sister and missed her deeply.
So before she left, she had to help him resolve his heart knot.
Hearing Xia Qingning ask this, Xia Qingcao didn’t say anything. He quickly walked into his room, but he didn’t close the door.
Xia Qingning knew that he didn’t close the door because he wasn’t against chatting with her. So she followed him in.
After entering the room, Xia Qingcao struck a match and lit the kerosene lamp on the cabinet. Then he sat on the bed, his head down, his face cold. He didn’t look at Xia Qingning who had walked in.
The kerosene lamp was dim, but fortunately, the room was small, so it was enough to illuminate every corner.
In the dim light, Xia Qingning saw that the room was empty except for a small cabinet and a wooden bed.
Since there was nowhere else to sit except the bed, Xia Qingning didn’t hesitate. She walked over and sat directly on the wooden bed.
She was already very light, but when she sat down, the old wooden bed creaked, as if it was resisting the extra weight.
Xia Qingning looked at Xia Qingcao. In the dim light, he looked thin and frail. Xia Qingning couldn’t imagine how such a small body could carry such a heavy load of green grass.
Thinking of Lu Xiaoxue, who was spoiled and bossy and had hogged both chicken legs at dinner, then looking at Xia Qingcao, who had to do a lot of farm work every day and could only eat rough dough balls, the two children were about the same age, but they had completely different lives.
They say that poor children grow up fast! Did they want to grow up quickly? It was because they had no one to rely on! They had to use their thin shoulders to bear the responsibility that they shouldn’t have to bear at this age.
Xia Qingning pulled herself out of her thoughts. She reached out and patted Xia Qingcao’s shoulder, trying to force a smile. She said:
“Our Qingcao has grown so much taller. In a couple of years, you’ll be taller than your sister.”
Xia Qingcao still didn’t say anything. When Xia Qingning patted him, he moved his body to the side, showing his dissatisfaction with his actions.
“Qingcao, don’t be angry with your sister. Sister is leaving tomorrow. If you don’t talk to your sister, you won’t have time to spend with her.” Xia Qingning leaned closer to him, looking at him pitifully.
Hearing that she was leaving tomorrow, Xia Qingcao seemed to forget that he was still angry. He immediately turned to look at her and asked urgently:
“Leaving so soon?”
Seeing that he was finally willing to talk to her, Xia Qingning smiled. She felt much more relaxed. She explained to him:
“Sister wants to stay longer and spend time with you, Mom, and brother, but I have to work. I can’t take time off.”
Xia Qingcao immediately immersed himself in the sadness of his sister leaving. He turned around and didn’t look at her again.
Xia Qingning knew he was sad. She patted his shoulder and said:
“Sister has to work. When I earn money, I’ll buy Qingcao delicious things.” Then, as if she thought of something, she asked:
“Did you like the candy today?”
Xia Qingcao no longer felt so resistant to Xia Qingning. Especially when he heard that she was leaving tomorrow, he felt even more reluctant to let her go. He replied in a low voice:
“It was good.”
“Sister will buy you more next time. I’ll buy so much, so much, more than you can eat.” Xia Qingning gestured exaggeratedly with her hands. Seeing a hint of a smile on Xia Qingcao’s face, Xia Qingning finally felt relieved.
Little children who are full of love for you, how could they really be angry with you? They just want you to coax them, to coax them, and they’ll be fine.
“Don’t worry. I’ll write to you often. You stay home, study hard, and take care of yourself. Don’t do heavy work. If you bend your back, you won’t grow tall. Sister will send money back. Our family’s life will get better and better.” Xia Qingning instructed. Then she thought for a moment and continued:
“When I have the chance, Sister will take you to the city…”
Before she could finish, Xia Qingcao suddenly jumped up from the bed. He became agitated:
“You’re lying to me again! You said the same thing the day before you went to the city. But we went to the city to find you, and you thought we were poor and embarrassed you. You didn’t even want to see us. You knew Brother’s leg was bad, but you didn’t find a place for him to stay. Do you know that sometimes he would sleep under a tree or under a bridge when he couldn’t get back in one day after delivering things to you?”
The more he spoke, the sadder he became. Tears welled up in his eyes, but he stubbornly refused to cry. He suddenly reached out and pulled Xia Qingning out of the room:
“I don’t want to go to the city. The people in the city are not good people. Everyone who goes to the city becomes bad. I don’t want to go to the city for the rest of my life!”
Xia Qingning felt a pang of heartache and helplessness as she was pulled out of the room. Perhaps the original owner had said the same things before, but her actions later had hurt their hearts.
Now, hearing her say the same things, the half-grown boy was completely heartbroken and no longer believed her.
She paused at the door for a moment. Xia Qingning didn’t knock again. She just said to the person inside:
“Sister won’t lie to you this time. You can come whenever you want. Sister promises that she will never abandon you, never abandon brother and Mom again.”
She waited for a while, but the child inside didn’t react. She knew that Xia Qingcao was still emotional and needed to calm down alone. So she said softly:
“Don’t be sad. Get some rest.” Then, with a touch of apology, she turned and left.
After his sister left, Xia Qingcao finally couldn’t hold back his tears. He covered his head with the blanket, trying not to make a sound.
Poor children! They always have to appear strong. Even when they cry, they have to do it quietly, so that no one can hear them.
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