Lin Wenxi woke up early the next morning. He was just stretching his back when he got such a bad fright that he straightened his back. What he saw were none other than a furious-looking Lin Ziwei, a teary-eyed Huang Xiya, and a steely, expressionless Hong Xuan.
"No!" Lin Wenxi blurted out.
"No, how could we only have one day? How could our reunion last only one day?!"
"You don"t look ill!" Lin Ziwei sneered.
Zhao Yuan stood behind her and gave Lin Wenxi a meaningful look.
Lin Wenxi immediately understood what he meant. "I was feeling under the weather when I met my university cla.s.smate. That"s why I decided to come here and rest."
"Then why didn"t you inform your Uncle Hong Xuan over the phone? Are you so ill that you can"t even make the call?" Lin Ziwei asked coolly.
"After ending the call, I felt dizzy and had to lie down for a day. I"m only feeling better now," Lin Wenxi said. He was smiling but deep inside, he was shuddering. "I was planning to call you immediately."
Only then did Lin Ziwei"s expression mellowed. Just as swiftly, he steeled his face. "Remember to keep us informed next time. Let"s go!"
Lin Wenxi was just making up lies. He didn"t really think they would believe him and was surprised that he managed to survive this ordeal. Knowing that his alibi had likely matched up with Zhao Yuan"s, he couldn"t help rejoicing in secret. To make his lie even more believable, he gently placed a hand on his forehead. "The countryside has better air. It doesn"t matter if I stay here for a couple more days. Why don"t you return first and I"ll go back in another two days...?"
"You brat! I know what you"re up to with just a raise of that tail of yours! Watch your att.i.tude! We"re leaving!" Lin Ziwei"s face was filled with anger.
Huang Xiya"s sorrow turned into joy after seeing that her son was fine. She smiled and said, "He won"t be comfortable inside a moving car. Nothing wrong with letting him stay here for a couple more days. This place is pretty nice. He had been working hard for a few months; it"s no big deal to let him rest for a bit." Lin Wenxi played along and nodded.
Coincidentally, Cao Damiao and Liu Lanhua were just done with their morning farm work. The moment the good-natured farmers saw so many people in their house, they jumped with fright. They hastily asked, "A Yuan, are all these people your friends?"
Zhao Yuan, hit by a wave of awkwardness, immediately tried to lead his aunt and uncle out of the house. Lin Ziwei said with a smile, "We"re Wenxi"s parents. This kid came out to play but he"s coming home with us now."
Ca Damiao hurriedly but carefully put away his hoe and patted the mud off his body. He gently gave his wife a nudge and said, "I see! So it"s Teacher Lin"s parents. Come, come. Please take a seat! Teacher Lin is amazing! Hey, wife, fetch the wine that I"ve kept for a few years and slaughter the hen to serve the guests! Hurry, hurry! Don"t just stand there!"
"Please don"t be so courteous. We"re just about to leave. I need to thank you for your hospitality to my good-for-nothing son. We"ll return another day to express thanks for allowing him to bothering you." Lin Ziwei immediately stopped the simple and honest man. He asked with a smile, "How"s the harvest lately? Where are your children studying?"
"Pretty good! A new village is being built and the roads are paved up to our doorway. They even distribute seeds and seedlings for free in the village. We"re rushing for the year-end harvest!" Cao Damiao said. "Wa"er? Well, Wa"er is Teacher Lin"s student. She managed to enter a primary school in town. She"ll be going there once the semester begins in half a year."
Huang Xiya couldn"t help smiling. Her husband would always steer the conversation back to his profession.
"That"s great. I hope Wenxi wasn"t being mischievous yesterday?" Lin Ziwei asked.
"No! A Yuan took him out to play. He was so happy!" Liu Lanhua walked toward the ma.s.s of string beans growing on the bamboo rails with a smile.
Lin Wenxi"s smile froze on his face.
"Thank you so much for your hospitality. We"ll take our leave now." Lin Ziwei left after flashing them a bright smile. Cao Damiao and Liu Lanhua continued to be courteous. With a face full of smiles, Huang Xiya told the couple not to see them off. She didn"t forget to shoot a glare at Lin Wenxi.
Lin Wenxi glanced at Zhao Yuan. There were a million words that he wished to say but they were all stuck in his throat. He lowered his head and walked out of the door. Only then did he turn his head.
Liu Lanhua and her husband saw them out of the door all the way to the footpath between paddy fields. They repeatedly tried to make Lin Ziwei and Huang Xiya stay for a meal.
"Uncle, what are you daydreaming about? Hurry and ask me to see them off." Zhao Yuan stomped his feet.
"What are you daydreaming about? Hurry and see them off!" Cao Damiao gave him a nudge.
"You must yell for me to see them off. Otherwise, wouldn"t a kid like me look like I"m acting on my own accord?" Zhao Yuan said, frowning.
"How are you considered a kid? You"ve always been opinionated since young. We"re not too bright and can only play second fiddle to you," Cao Damiao retorted.
"Help me put on an act then! Yell and ask me to see them off!" Zhao Yuan gnashed his teeth in anger.
"Huh? You"re taking me seriously? Does a brat like you know how to respect your elders?" Cao Damiao frowned and raised his hand, wanting to hit Zhao Yuan.
"If A Yuan asks you to yell, then you yell! Don"t laze around! Him seeing them off is also a demonstration of our sincerity!" Liu Lanhua jabbed her husband"s head. Cao Damiao swiftly yelled, "A Yuan! Hurry and see Old Brother Lin and Teacher Lin off!" The farmer"s voice was loud. Even though the trio were one hundred meters away, they heard him loud and clear.
"Look at that kid! He"s acting like he"s going to the market even though he"s supposed to see them off! I"m not done talking yet; why has he already run so far away?" Cao Damiao grumbled to himself while pointing to Zhao Yuan"s back. The moment he started yelling, Zhao Yuan had already vanished like a wisp of smoke.
"No need, my friend!" Lin Ziwei turned around to respond but he saw that Zhao Yuan, with his forehead drenched with sweat, was already running over to them. He stared at Zhao Yuan with a grim expression and said, "You two collaborated so well that I was nearly fooled!" Seeing as Zhao Yuan was here, he had no choice but to take several steps away to let the youngsters have a chat.
The four of them walked along the main road. When the trio was about to board the car, Zhao Yuan had no choice but to stand in place and waved. He no longer had any excuse to see them off. He stared at Lin Wenxi turning around every few steps before finally entering the car. He saw how Lin Ziwei pulled Lin Wenxi into the car.
"Zhao Yuan!" Lin Wenxi poked his head out from inside the car and waved continuously at Zhao Yuan.
"Goodbye, Zhao Yuan!" he yelled.
"Goodbye…" Lin Wenxi"s voice suddenly turned hoa.r.s.e. A stab of pain, along with that sorrowful voice, pierced deep into Zhao Yuan"s chest.
Zhao Yuan felt a tartness in his nose and his tears nearly fell.
After painstakingly searching for Lin Wenxi for more than three months, he finally came across the latter by coincidence. How could he bear such their painfully brief reunion of no more than two days? How brief it was! How many months or years would it be before they meet again? Zhao Yuan could only see the way Lin Wenxi looked when they first met last year, with his head lowered shyly. He could only see Lin Wenxi"s faint smile, his stubborn eyes, and his pained tears. Zhao Yuan was such a fool yesterday. Why did he say that he would take Lin Wenxi in as his younger brother? He felt immense regret eating at him. There were many words left unspoken. How could he have let Lin Wenxi leave just like that?
"Wenxi!" Zhao Yuan yelled. However, the car had already left the road and disappeared behind the mountain. He broke into a run, making his way to the mountaintop shortcut leading to the town. He ran without a care. It was as if the force in his body could take him to Yangzi County and to the end of the world.
At first, he didn"t think that he would be able to catch up to the car. To his surprise, at the mountaintop, he saw the car stopping at the former compound of the countryside government office.