Chapter 251 – Parting is for the Joy of the Next Reunion
Zhou Yinsheng was confined to the educated youth spot, and the door was locked.
Zhou Yinsheng stayed in the dim room, his eyes full of confusion.
He failed the university entrance exam again, and couldn’t even leave this rural area, let alone go to Beijing University to be with Xuexue.
“Xuexue, what should I do, what should I do…” he murmured.
At this moment, Zhou Yinsheng had no idea that the Xuexue he spoke of had long forgotten about him and was already flirting with other boys.
Of course, he might have sensed it from their gradually decreasing contact, but he just didn’t want to believe it.
Just like he didn’t want to admit that he lacked the ability to get into university, he also didn’t want to admit that Shi Xue would forget and abandon him!
But no matter how much he didn’t want to admit it, the reality was that he was destined to stay in the countryside he despised.
*
After receiving the admission letter, the start of the school term was approaching quickly.
The Xu family was busily preparing Xu Jinning’s luggage.
As they were preparing, Zhang Ailian’s tears started to fall.
“Mom, why are you crying?” Xu Jinning noticed immediately and, seeing her cry, panicked a little. Not knowing what to do, she awkwardly tried to wipe her tears.
“Mom is fine. I’m sorry, Ningning, I scared you. It’s just that, just that…”
“Mom just can’t bear to part with little sister. Little sister, brother can’t bear to part with you either.”
“Yes, I can’t bear to part with you either.”
At this moment, Xu Jinning realized that both her older brother Xu Xiangdong and younger brother Xu Xiangbei, who were helping to pack, also had red-rimmed eyes.
Xu Jinning’s heart was inexplicably touched, and her eyes started to sting.
So this is what it feels like to be reluctant to part.
“Mom, brothers, I can’t bear to part with you either,” Xu Jinning said.
Two years had passed. She had been living with the Xu family for two years, and during these two years, she had completely understood what it meant to have family, to feel the love and care of family.
Now, she was about to leave. How could she bear to do so?
Having embraced light and warmth, how could she possibly accept being thrown back into darkness and cold?
Fortunately, even though she was leaving, she was carrying that light and warmth with her. She knew that no matter where she went, her family would always be there.
As she was thinking this, Xu Aiguo walked in.
“What are you all doing? Ningning getting into university and going to school is a good thing. We should be happy for her.”
He looked at Xu Jinning and said, “Ningning, just go to school with peace of mind. Come back often if you can, but of course, studying is the most important thing.”
“If you have time, you can call, send a telegram, or write letters.”
“Don’t worry, your mom, dad, and brothers will always be at home. We will always be here.”
Although he spoke cheerfully, Xu Aiguo’s eyes were also red. He just hadn’t realized it, trying to maintain a calm facade.
“Yes, yes, your dad is right,” Zhang Ailian quickly agreed.
“Dad, Mom.” Xu Jinning couldn’t hold back anymore and hugged her parents directly. Xu Aiguo and Zhang Ailian also held her tightly.
They told her to go with peace of mind, but their hearts still couldn’t bear to let her go.
But children will always grow up, and they will eventually have to let them go, to let them fly far like eagles. Only then can they grow and live better lives.
“Little sister, I want a hug too.” Xu Xiangbei couldn’t help himself and, for the first time, brazenly went over to hug his little sister.
Xu Xiangdong: …
Xu Xiangdong silently hugged his wife, Wen Yulan.
But actually, he also wanted to hug his little sister before she left for school. Who knew how long it would be before he saw her again?
As his wife, Wen Yulan noticed the longing and envy in her husband’s eyes.
She knew that her husband, like his younger brother, wanted to hug his little sister. But because he was older and usually more composed, he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
However…
“Adong, didn’t Mom and Dad arrange for you to take Ningning to Beijing? You can hug her when you part ways then,” she whispered to her husband.
“I…” Xu Xiangdong’s face flushed as his desire was revealed by his wife.
But his eyes lit up, realizing that Yulan was right.
Xu Jinning was going to school far away from the Qinghe Production Brigade, and there was no way the Xu family would let her go alone.
Especially considering how beautiful Xu Jinning was. They feared that a young girl like her, unfamiliar with the world, might suffer in a strange place.
The outside world was complex, and some people could be cruel.
In the hearts of the Xu family, Xu Jinning was pure and delicate.
So, after much discussion, the Xu family decided to have the young and robust Xu Xiangdong personally escort Xu Jinning to Beijing for her studies.
He was to personally hand her over to Xu Fanghua and Song Yi.
Only after Xu Fanghua and Song Yi had taken over her care would Xu Xiangdong return home.
Everyone, including Xu Xiangdong, agreed with this arrangement.
Only Xu Xiangbei had a bit of a complaint.
Why wasn’t he older? Why wasn’t he more robust? If he were like his older brother, he could have taken his place and escorted their little sister to school.
“Mom, Dad, don’t be sad. No matter where I go or what I do, I will always be your daughter, and I will always come back. This is my home, and my roots are here.”
“I heard a saying: parting is for the joy of the next reunion. I believe the focus is not on the separation but on the reunion.”
“Yes, yes, Ningning is right,” Xu Aiguo quickly affirmed Xu Jinning’s words.
Xu Jinning continued, “Besides, our country’s technology is constantly advancing. I believe it will become more and more advanced in the future.”
“In the past, people who were far apart could only write letters and couldn’t even hear each other’s voices.”
“But now, we can make phone calls and hear each other’s voices.”
“Maybe in the future, there will be a tool that allows us not only to hear each other but also to see each other.”
“Right now, making phone calls costs money, so we can only call when it’s important. But in the future, it might not cost anything, and we can call and see each other whenever we want.”
“Really? Can it really be like that?” The Xu family was stunned by Xu Jinning’s description.
“Of course it can.”
Xu Jinning continued, “Now, it takes three days and two nights to travel from our Qinghe Production Brigade to Beijing by train. But in the future, there might be a faster mode of transportation. Maybe one day, we’ll be able to leave Qinghe in the morning and arrive in Beijing by the afternoon.”
“And there are airplanes, which are the fastest. In the future, I will definitely take you and Dad on a plane.”
“Little sister, you can’t be partial and only take Mom and Dad. I’m your brother, and I want you to take me on a plane too. No, I don’t want you to take me on a plane; I want to take you on a plane.”
“No, no, when I make money in the future, I’ll just… buy a plane. Then our whole family can go wherever we want, whenever we want!”
Xu Xiangbei originally wanted to say he would build a plane, but he realized that might be beyond his abilities, so buying one seemed more practical.
“I just don’t know if planes can be bought, or how much it would cost to buy one.”
Xu Jinning laughed, finding her second brother’s earnestness and naivety very endearing.
“I heard there’s something called a helicopter that can be bought, but it costs a lot of money. Second brother, you need to work hard to make money, and then our whole family can ride in the helicopter you buy!”
“Okay, no problem!”