Ye Linlang stayed in Meihua Village to teach for a full half month. Although this place was very poor, when she was leaving, she still felt reluctant to leave the people in this village, especially the innocent and lovely children.
Compared to the small deserted village where she had grown up for more than a decade, the people in Meihua Village were much friendlier to her.
But the time to say goodbye has come, and I can't just delay going back.
On the day of leaving, the village chief and his family brought all the children in the village who had listened to her and Jiang Qiran's classes.
Everyone sent Ye Linlang and Jiang Qiran to the village entrance. Some of the children had tears in their eyes, which made Ye Linlang, who was so sentimental, couldn't help but feel a burning sensation in her eyes.
"Brother Qi Ran, Sister Lin Lang, are you really leaving?!"
"Can you please not leave?! Or you can stay a little longer, even if you don't teach. I can't bear to leave you."
After sending you thousands of miles away, we must eventually say goodbye.
Just like what Li Shutong said in the song, reunions are rare in life, but separations are common. What can you do even if you are reluctant
The chubby little son of the village chief ran over and hugged Ye Linlang's waist.
"Sister Linlang, Hu Wa is really reluctant to leave you, can you continue to live in our house? Anyway, we don't charge rent..."
Tiger Boy raised his innocent and childish face, and because of the cold weather, his skin was a little red.
Ye Linlang choked slightly and reached out to stroke the face of the village chief's son, Hu Wa.
"Tiger boy, don't cry, don't cry. Men shouldn't cry easily, you know? In the future, Tiger boy, study hard and try to get into a university outside. Maybe we will see each other again in the future."
Hu Wa stared blankly, and finally nodded.
The village chief took a packed red cloth bag and handed it to Jiang Qiran somewhat embarrassedly.
"Brother Qi Ran, this is a little gift from the villagers of our Meihua Village. There is nothing else, just pickled bacon and some white radishes, which are all local specialties of Meihua Village."
"You city folks may not find this new, but it is a token of our appreciation. We hope you can accept it."
Jiang Qiran looked at the sincere face of the village chief. He glanced at the earthy red cloth bag. Even though he didn't reach out to pick it up, he vaguely felt that the bag was quite heavy.
Jiang Qiran frowned immediately.
It’s not that he despised these things for being so little, but Jiang Qiran knew how difficult life was in Meihua Village. The white radish was fine, but if he took those portions of bacon, it would probably not be a good thing.
After all, eating meat is rare.
Jiang Qiran stood beside Ye Linlang and politely declined the offer to the village chief.
"No need, village chief. Linlang and I appreciate your kindness and that of the villagers, but the mountain roads here are quite rugged, and the things that Linlang and I have to take back are very heavy. If we take another one, I'm afraid we won't be able to carry it."
The village chief naturally knew that this was Jiang Qiran’s excuse.
He glanced at the bag in his hand in panic, not knowing what to do.
This is the collective intention of the villagers of Meihua Village!
I really don't want to be rejected like this!
"Brother Qi Ran, it won't be serious..."
Seeing that the village chief saw that Jiang Qiran was invulnerable and was too embarrassed to give the things to Jiang Qiran, Ye Linlang suddenly came up with a way to have the best of both worlds.
"Village Chief, bacon and other things are indeed too heavy, and it is not convenient for us to carry them on the road, but..."
Ye Linlang turned her head and looked at the most eye-catching scenery of Meihua Village, the ten-mile plum forest in full bloom in winter.
Although they were so far away, Ye Linlang seemed to still smell the light fragrance coming from the air.
The plum blossoms in Meihua Village are the most famous place for plum blossom viewing nearby. Ye Linlang and Jiang Qiran have naturally been there as well. There are white plum blossoms that look like they were carved out of snow, as well as red plum blossoms that are as beautiful as clouds and mist.
Deep and shallow, they are hidden in the snow scene, so beautiful that it looks like a fairyland.
"But what?"
Seeing that Ye Linlang was hesitant to speak, the village chief thought that he had finally managed to deliver the things.
But Ye Linlang smiled slightly and spoke very gently.
"Qiran and I are going to the small deserted village next door to pay respect to an old lady who has passed away. That old lady is very important to me, so I think it would be a shame to go to see her empty-handed."
Ye Linlang paused, and her gaze became somewhat distant, as if she had seen through all this and saw the old friend who was buried under the soil in the small deserted village.
"Village Chief, could you ask someone to pick a plum blossom for me? I think it would be a great gift, and I would be very grateful to you."
Upon hearing this, the village chief was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.
How precious is it to just pick a plum blossom as a gift
He still felt that the heavy piece of bacon in his hand meant much more.
But since Ye Linlang said so, and Jiang Qiran clearly didn't want to accept the bacon, the village chief finally let a 19-year-old young man pick the plum blossoms.
Unexpectedly, the village chief's son, Hu Wa, also ran very fast and immediately followed the young man, and he disappeared in an instant.
Ye Linlang couldn't help laughing.
"He is so short, is he trying to climb up the plum tree to pick plums?"
Jiang Qiran also smiled.
In fact, he has never liked children, but this lively little clever kid from the village chief's family usually doesn't cause trouble and always does things that make people laugh. He is very cute.
…
When the young man who was picking plum blossoms came back, the chubby little boy also followed him back, panting. Surprisingly, the little boy also had a bunch of plum blossoms in his hands.
The red plum blossoms are as fiery as fire, the white plum blossoms are as elegant as the moon. The two are intertwined together, like the light in Tiger Boy's eyes, which is moving.
"Sister Linlang, I have so many things in my hand, so I'll give you the plum blossom."
Ye Linlang nodded upon hearing this, and touched Hu Wa's head with great emotion. Only then did she reluctantly bid farewell to Meihua Village with Jiang Qiran.
…
When Ye Linlang went down the mountain, she had nothing in her hands except the plum branches, and she walked very briskly.
Thinking back to Hu Wa's tearful eyes, Ye Linlang couldn't help but sigh.
"I really hope that these lovely children here can have a good future."
Jiang Qiran had a calm expression.
"It will happen. I have asked my parents to come here to expand the school and build a road. They have agreed. Things should get better in the future."
Eh hey hey? !
What does it mean to expand schools and build roads
When Ye Linlang heard Jiang Qiran's words, she was suddenly speechless.
"Why do I feel like you are such a domineering president..."
Jiang Qiran rolled his eyes at Ye Linlang.
"Let's go and pay respect to grandma."
(End of this chapter)