Chapter 246 – Ticket Home
Before traveling through time, the day she died, Xu Jinning had just celebrated her 18th birthday.
At 18, her appearance was exquisite. When her features were examined separately, they weren’t particularly stunning, but when combined, they harmonized unexpectedly well.
It was as if they had been meticulously outlined by a divine hand.
Subtle yet precisely balanced, every stroke was just right.
Not too light, not too heavy.
Her lips were naturally red, her eyebrows were perfectly arched, her nose was small and rounded, and her face wasn’t the trendy melon seed or oval shape favored by modern people. It resembled the silver moon, a dignified and elegant face shape revered since ancient times.
It was also considered a blessed appearance by the elders.
Now, at 17, Xu Jinning’s face was almost identical to her modern 18-year-old self.
In modern times, she had been taught by etiquette teachers since childhood, ingraining certain manners and behaviors into her very being, even after traveling through time.
So sometimes, Xu Jinning’s every move seemed to exude the grace of a young lady, which was quite charming to behold.
Sometimes, even her family was amazed.
“Ningning, you’re so beautiful, like a fairy descended from heaven,” Wen Yulan would occasionally exclaim.
Honestly, because she had always had a very beautiful face since childhood, seeing herself in the mirror every day had inadvertently raised her standards for beauty.
Few people or things could impress her with their beauty.
But the appearance of her younger sister-in-law, now that she had matured, was truly exquisite and carried an ethereal quality, with a gentle and approachable aura that naturally drew people closer.
It’s no wonder the villagers all thought of her as a fairy.
With such a appearance and aura, who else could be considered a fairy if not her?
“Thank you, sister-in-law, you’re also very beautiful.”
Xu Jinning had a normal sense of aesthetics. She knew how attractive her modern face was, so she considered her current face to be attractive as well.
Back in modern times, her step-sister was quite jealous of her appearance. Although her step-sister was also considered attractive, it was only average, and there were some artificial elements involved.
In contrast, Xu Jinning’s beauty was natural and innate.
Not only her family but also everyone in the Qinghe Production Brigade thought Xu Jinning was extremely beautiful.
“I used to think that the Xu family was at a disadvantage, after all, Xu Fangfang is good-looking and still a high school student. When Ningning just arrived, she was thin and dark-skinned. How could they be compared? Ningning was clearly at a disadvantage.”
“But now, I understand what it means to be a true member of the Xu family. The children of Xu Aiguo and Zhang Ailian are all good-looking. Xu Fangfang is comparatively less attractive. But now, Ningning’s appearance truly resembles Xu Aiguo and Zhang Ailian.”
“Yes, Ningning looks much better after growing up. No, Xu Fangfang doesn’t even have the qualifications to be compared to Ningning.”
“In fact, it was right for the Xu family to bring Ningning back. Xu Fangfang doesn’t have a good heart. Look at how good Ningning is, good-looking, with a good personality, good-hearted, and her luck…”
“The Xu family has given birth to a fairy, a lucky star. Their blessings and good fortune, I have a feeling, are still to come.”
…
The entire Qinghe Production Brigade held Xu Jinning in high esteem, even subtly defending her and not allowing anyone to speak ill of her.
Because many villagers had directly or indirectly benefited from Xu Jinning’s kindness.
Especially those who could hear Xu Jinning’s inner thoughts or see her inner image, they were even more protective and respectful of Xu Jinning, with a sense of reverence towards the divine.
They firmly believed that their current well-being was because of Xu Jinning.
They also believed that as long as Xu Jinning was around, the entire Qinghe Production Brigade would continue to improve.
*
On this day, Xu Jinning went to her grandmother’s house in the Dahe Production Brigade with her mother.
“Ningning, do you think your aunt will come back?” Grandma, whose hair had turned gray, asked after they had finished eating.
“Yes, definitely,” Xu Jinning answered confidently.
“When do you think she’ll come back?”
“I think it’ll be this year!”
“This year? Good, good.”
If she remembered correctly, it should indeed be this year.
This year, the restrictions on people from the Hong Kong side coming to the mainland had decreased significantly, and there was much more freedom.
According to the book, this year, Zhang Linglan finally found an opportunity and boarded a ship to the mainland. However, it took her a whole year to find the Dahe Production Brigade after arriving on the mainland.
From the beginning of the year to the end, she finally found it.
Xu Jinning thought, it would be great if her aunt could find them early.
If she could meet her aunt early, she could take her aunt back home sooner.
Actually, if Xu Jinning really met Zhang Linglan, even if she didn’t ask for her name, she would definitely recognize her.
Because after growing up, Xu Jinning and Zhang Linglan really looked alike.
They were about seventy to eighty percent similar.
Zhang Linglan, who was not much older than Xu Jinning, could be said to be Xu Jinning’s aunt, but she looked more like her sister.
People who look so alike, as long as they stand together, can be recognized at a glance.
*
On the Hong Kong side, Zhang Linglan had looked out of the window countless times, watching the fireworks across the river.
Those were the mainland’s Spring Festival fireworks.
She knew her home and her family were there.
“Knock, knock…”
At that moment, a middle-aged woman walked in.
“Linglan, your boat ticket has been bought,” the woman handed Zhang Linglan the ticket.
Zhang Linglan carefully took the ticket, her eyes instantly reddening.
This was not just a boat ticket; it was her way back home.
“Sister Haitang, thank you.”
“No need. You said it yourself, I’m your sister. Have you decided how long you’ll stay this time? The visa this time is only for a month. If it goes over a month…”
“Then I’ll come back and get a new one.”
Zhang Linglan lifted her head, “I’ll get a new one, and keep going until I find them.”
“…Alright, as long as you’ve decided. But Linglan, you need to consider, if you’re away for too long, if you’re out of the public eye for too long, if you don’t have any new works for too long, the audience might forget you, and your fame might…”
“I know, but Sister Haitang, when I chose to enter the entertainment industry, it was to become famous, to one day have the ability to find my family, and also for my family to find me. Nothing is more important than my family.”
“Okay, I understand. However… this time, I’ve contacted people from the mainland film studio. They’re planning to shoot a Republican-era film, and when they heard you were coming, they wanted you to play the female lead.”
“But I…”
“Let me finish.”
“That film studio, if the movie is successful, it will be shown across the mainland. By then…”
“By then, my family can see me in the movie!”
Come on home, auntie!!😭