Chapter Seventy-Five: Farewell

  Tomorrow, my mom is coming to pick us up and take us back. Although something happened yesterday, I and my cousin still need to say goodbye to our friends. Who knows if we'll be back next summer vacation?

  Lu Zhanfeng went to find his group of friends, and I went to find my group of sisters. The first person I thought of was Peng Zhēnzhēn. In her previous life, she had dropped out of school in the second year of junior high and was working in a garment factory during her third year when she was deceived by a boy into running away to City A. Thinking about it, City A is really far behind compared to City N - they're like heaven and earth! Even though Peng Zhēnzhēn lives in a rural area, she has never gone hungry for three meals a day. But once she's there, who knows what will happen? I must do my best to help her, I cannot let her be deceived into leaving home again, giving birth to a child and then spending the rest of her life suffering in that place.

  After I tidied up my mood and words, I went to Peng Zhēnzhēn's home to find her. Very politely, I called out "Peng Nǎinai". As soon as Peng Nǎinai saw me coming, she smiled and said: "Come to our house to look for Zhēnzhēn, she is in the room watching TV, go find her."

  I nodded and walked into the house. She was engrossed in watching "The 9-year-old County Master", didn't even have time to pay attention to me. The TV was playing that scene where Liu Gui Xiang fell for Zhang Xiū Cāi, but her mother, Dou Fu Xi Shi, looked down on Zhang's poor family and refused to agree. Mothers are always worried about their children, from ancient times to the present. I remembered how my friend Zhen Zhen's mom had also tried to stop us back then, but Zhen Zhen was determined like she had eaten a steel pill. Liu Gui Xiang was also resolute in not marrying anyone else, but what happened in the end? It ended in tragedy too. In between, Chen Wen Jie mediated for them and came up with a couplet to test Zhang Xiū Cāi, which revealed Liu Gui Xiang's thoughts: "Ten mouths thinking of father, mother, and Zhang Lang". But Zhang Xiū Cāi couldn't come up with the next line.

  Peng Zhenzhen was so anxious that she said, "Xiao Xiao, this Zhang Shucai is not a scholar at all. How can he not come up with anything? It's really a waste, I thought he and Liu Guixiang were quite compatible, but it seems he doesn't have much to offer after all."

  I smiled and said, "In the past, it was all about eight-part essays and selecting scholars based on their expertise in certain fields. These xiucai were just specialized in their own areas, who would have paid attention to antithetical couplets? So how could those bookworms possibly come up with decent antithetical couplets?"

  "Peng Zhenzhen complained: 'Xiao Xiao, what's with the eight shares? What's this about Ming Jing? What tree leaves and specialized work? I've never heard of any of that before. Can't you just say something I can understand? You know I'm not interested in studying.'"

  "I patiently said: 'Zhen Zhen, then do you want to know what Zhang Xiucan's next couplet should be?'"

  "Of course, of course, what is it? Xiao Xiao you know, hurry up and tell me."

  "It is delightful to appreciate the scenery, enjoy the breeze, admire the moon, and savor the fragrance of osmanthus."

  Peng Zhenzhen thought for a moment, beaming with joy, and said: "Xiao Xiao, you're so clever! I'm so envious of you, I really admire you. It's true. Look, I said I wasn't good at reading between the lines, how could I not have thought of it? I watched this episode last night, and today is a rerun. I didn't expect it at all."

  I shook my head and said, "This wasn't something I came up with, you'll understand if you keep watching tonight. This is the couplet that was shown on TV, I'm not some kind of god or a master of couplets, I've never put any effort into it, how could I possibly come up with one so easily? I just happened to have seen it before."

  Peng Zhenzhen nodded and said: "Oh, I see."

  "Jen Jen, I remember correctly, right? This year I'm going to junior high and you should be entering second grade too. Actually, the eight-legged essays and Ming dynasty classics I mentioned earlier are all things you'll learn in junior high, they're not that hard to understand. As long as you put in the effort, you'll come to understand a lot of things you didn't know before, isn't that a great feeling? I remember you saying you really liked language class, so you should be pretty interested in language and history, right? If you read more and think more, you definitely won't be like this now, you can become someone who knows a lot. I heard from Cao Qiang that your language score was very good when you entered junior high, it's just that the other two subjects dragged you down..."

  "Peng Zhenzhen was silent for a moment, then said: 'Xiao Xiao, actually it's not that I don't want to study, but I originally didn't understand very well, now I don't understand, the more I don't understand the less I want to listen, and it's like this vicious cycle. To be honest with you, I think after finishing junior high school I won't read anymore, reading is really not interesting, it's better to go work in a clothing factory and earn money, my mom said that if I'm willing to suffer for one year I can earn several thousand.'"

  I know that Jingjing was shaken by what I said earlier, so I took her hand and looked at her very seriously. "Jingjing, listen to me," I said. "No matter what, you have to finish middle school, understand? You want to go to the city, right? If you finish middle school, you can attend vocational school, and then you can find work in the labor market. By that time, your annual salary will definitely not be just a few thousand yuan. Do you want to come to the city to find me? Do you want to live in the city? Do you want to make a lot of money in the future? All of this requires studying. It's not too late to start now. In third year, there will be systematic review, and at that time, you can listen carefully to the teacher's lectures, ask questions when you don't understand something, and everything can be made up for."

  Peng Zhen nodded heavily and said: "Alright, I promise you, I will work hard from now on. What you said is what I've been thinking, I'll definitely go back to the city to find you."

  I stretched out my little thumb, Peng Zhen Zhen smiled tacitly and also stretched out her little thumb. I happily said: "Make a promise, one hundred years no cheating, cheating is a small dog. Zhen Zhen, write your home phone number for me, I'll make a surprise inspection sometime."

  Then I told Peng Zhenzhen that I was going home, and Peng Zhenzhen hugged me for a long time, saying: "Bad girl, you always say come and go, it's like we're not in the same world. Heaven knows how much I envy you. Fortunately, you didn't leave without saying goodbye this time, otherwise, I would never have spoken to you again. Have a safe trip home, most importantly, remember to call me, remember to miss me."

  Jen Jen suddenly became nagging, saying a lot, and inevitably increased our inner reluctance. I nodded desperately to assure her, and she barely believed me. Of course, although we had some reluctance, the two of us still watched TV together happily, eating melon seeds. At noon, Peng Jen Jen insisted on keeping me at her house for lunch, and I couldn't refuse. She said she wanted to show off her cooking skills to me, and I really didn't expect it - Jen Jen could actually cook! She smiled and said to me: "There are many things you don't know about, just wait and see the delicious food I'll make." "Then I won't be angry, waiting for a delicious meal."

  I had eaten and spoken, there's no banquet that doesn't disperse. After saying goodbye to Zhenzhen, I went to find others, of course including Liu Liangru. Actually she was quite pitiful, but a pitiful person must have a hateful side. When I arrived at her doorstep, she happened to be washing dishes. I told her I would leave tomorrow and that I didn't entirely blame her for yesterday's events. She looked dull and had no reaction, so I lifted my leg to prepare to leave. Suddenly, she rushed in front of me, raised her head, and said sincerely: "Sorry, really sorry." I knew she needed those words badly, so I also looked at her and said: "No big deal, I forgive you. Goodbye." Liu Liangru stood there staring at my back until I left, still standing there in a daze, as if it was hard to believe, but with an indescribable comfort in her heart.

  After going back, my brother-in-law has not returned yet, don't know where he is having fun, after all tomorrow will leave. I just sat down to drink some water, suddenly realized that there was another person I should shout loudly to him, fortunately his grandma's house is very close, just behind a section.

  As I walked to his doorstep, I was just about to knock when someone opened the door. It turned out to be Cao Qiang. I smiled and said: "So you have the ability to predict the future, knowing that I was going to knock on the door, so you came to open it."

  Cao Qiang smiled warmly and said, "I don't have that kind of skill. If I did, I would have told you a lot when you left last time. I've been waiting for you all along, but since you didn't come, I thought you probably wouldn't come at all, so I was going to go find you. But it just so happens that as I was about to go find you, you came, really a coincidence."

  My face suddenly felt a bit hot, and I lowered my head slightly, saying: "If you don't know how to use ancient poetry, then don't misuse it. Having a spiritual connection is not used in this way, is it? Also, you said you wanted to find me, what's the matter?"

  I heard Cao Qiang's bright laughter, and a voice came from beside my ear, "Aren't you leaving tomorrow? Zhan Feng Ge has come to bid me farewell long ago, but you have been delaying until now. I reckon you only remember those young ladies of yours and won't come to say goodbye to me, so I'll take the initiative to come and bid you farewell instead."

  It sounds strange to say that I took the initiative to deliver it to his doorstep. Never mind, I won't think about it too much. Anyway, there are only a few sentences left, and I can just stand here and finish talking with Cao Qiang. I raised my head and said: "No, no, I haven't forgotten. Here I am, and I haven't even had a sip of water yet." "Then hurry up and come in, I'll pour you some water to drink."

  I waved my hand repeatedly and said, "No need, it's not that urgent. Actually, I just wanted to tell you that I'm going back tomorrow. After the new semester starts, we'll meet again at school. By then, we'll be alumni."

  Cao Qiang smiled and nodded, saying: "En en, we'll meet again soon. As your senior, I'll take good care of you, my junior sister. Have a smooth journey tomorrow."

  I waved goodbye to him and walked back with a light step. And I didn't know that Cao Qiang had been watching my back, smiling so warmly and brightly.

  Cao Qiang thought to himself: Xiao Xiao, three and a half years have passed, I've finally seen you again. My efforts won't be in vain. From now on, I'll get closer to you, I'll work hard to become worthy of you, and I'll treat you well. Silly girl, I know what it means when two people's hearts are connected, that's exactly what I'm hoping for. Your blushing face just now was so adorable. And I'm not in a hurry, sooner or later you'll realize that I'll always be by your side.