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"Well, that's fine." Qinglan nodded in agreement with Qing Shusheng's viewpoint. "However, Father, Mother has also spent her whole life in the mountains, working hard all her life. If there comes a day in the future, how about I take you and Mother out to see the world? Places like Beijing and Shanghai." Qinglan tilted her head, looking at Qing Shusheng with a certain expectation in her eyes.
Qing Shusheng felt a bit embarrassed under Qinglan's gaze, smiling shyly before lowering his head.
At that moment, Grandma was also looking at him eagerly.
Finally, he nodded. "Okay." His voice softened considerably.
Qinglan quickly seized the opportunity to say, "Father, why didn't you take Mother with you when you went to Shenzhen to see Brother? You two could enjoy a few days in Shenzhen; I've heard it's very bustling."
"Oh, this time I'm mainly going to find your Brother and see how he's living outside, so I won't be taking your Mother. We'll talk about it later when there's an opportunity," Qing Shusheng said as he looked up at the fragrant locust flowers hanging above him.
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew by, and a few delicate locust petals fell onto Qing Shusheng's lap. He stood up and brushed himself off; it seemed he wanted to escape.
Qinglan was quick and grabbed his hand, suddenly leaning into Qing Shusheng's embrace and acting coy. "Father, don't go; stay and chat with me a little longer."
Qinglan wrapped her arms around one of Qing Shusheng's arms, pouting and smiling at him. "Father, I’ve come back with great difficulty. Besides, you're going to Shenzhen soon. I came back specifically to see you, and I don’t know when you’ll be back."
Qing Shusheng's heart softened as he stroked Qinglan's head and sat back down.
Grandma seemed to understand that Qinglan wanted to discuss matters between her and her Mother with Qing Shusheng, so she tactfully found an excuse to go inside.
"You two have a good chat. The bond between father and daughter is special; daughters grow up slowly, and there may not be many chances to talk in the future. I'm going to prepare dinner."
Grandma's words were neither profound nor shallow, but they resonated deeply in both Qing Shusheng's and Qinglan's hearts.
How could such words come from an old village woman who had lived her entire life deep in the mountains?
Perhaps only when a person's life is nearing its end will they have such a profound realization about life.
Qing Shusheng was momentarily stunned, then suddenly took the initiative to ask Qinglan, "Lanlan, what do you think about the relationship between me and your Lady Bai Cuifen?"
Qinglan was taken aback. "Uh? This." She had been considering how to bring up this matter with Qing Shusheng and did not expect him to mention it first.
After thinking for a moment, Qinglan straightened her expression and said, "Father, I say I have hardly ever thought about your relationship with the princess. Do you believe that?"
"Oh?" This rhetorical question surprised Qing Shusheng. "What do you mean by that?"
"Because, Father," Qinglan paused, picked up a large porcelain jar of tea that Grandma had placed on the ground, took a sip to moisten her throat, and continued, "because everything is quite normal. Why should we think about it? Just like our father-daughter relationship, is there a need to think about it? Your relationship with Mother, is there a need to think about it? Your relationship with Passerby as strangers, is there a need to think about it? Your relationship with the princess is just like my relationships with my good classmates; they are friendly relationships. Is there a need to think about it?"
As she spoke the last sentence, a person suddenly popped into Qinglan's mind.
Xu Wen!
Xu Wen, are you doing well?
How have you spent these days away from school? Is it lonely without anyone by your side? Are you feeling desolate? Handsome and lonely boy!
"But, Lanlan, I do like your Lady Bai Cuifen," Qing Shusheng said, his eyes revealing pain and helpless sorrow.
Qinglan smiled and said, "Of course I know you like her. We all like her. Even Lin Xi's Dad, Lin Yao Shu, liked her before. I like her too. But there's no need to think about it! Kind and gentle people are liked by everyone."
Qinglan looked at Qing Shusheng innocently.
Qing Shusheng moved his lips but did not make a sound. After a long time, he finally spoke in a low voice, "I have feelings for her that are different from yours."
"So what? Father, that's perfectly normal and doesn't require much thought. Who can say that Lin Yao Shu doesn't have romantic feelings for the princess? But so what? Uncle Yao is living well with Mother in the Provincial Capital, isn't he? After all these years, he must have missed her, worried about her, and cared for her. But he understands that everyone has their own responsibilities to bear and their own paths to follow," Qinglan said.
"Mm?" Qing Shusheng nodded as if enlightened, grunting a couple of times to acknowledge Qinglan's theory but remained silent otherwise.
However, Qinglan seemed to have more to say. After a pause, she continued, "On the journey of life, you will encounter many people you like, but you must pass by them because the timing is wrong. Many people can only be those who brush past each other. Although it's cruel, 'there is no clear sky yet there is sunshine.' Those who are emotional often turn out to be the most heartless because they tend to hurt their closest ones."
Qinglan shifted from her serious expression and suddenly smiled playfully at Qing Shusheng. She walked over, wrapped her arm around his, rested her head on his shoulder, and gently said, "Father, do you know? Mother loves you too. Don't think she doesn't understand love. Everyone has their own way of loving. Although Mother's way may be a bit rough around the edges, it might suit you better, don't you think? You've lived together for so many years and have gone through so much together; doesn't that prove it?"
"Oh?" Qing Shusheng merely responded with an "oh," neither refuting nor agreeing with Qinglan's words.
"Father!" Qinglan shook Qing Shusheng's arm and acted coyly.
"Alright," Qing Shusheng stood up and said, "It looks like Grandma's food is ready. Let's go eat."
Qing Shusheng still wanted to avoid this topic.
Perhaps the time wasn't right yet! Qinglan had no choice but to let it go. It was also time for dinner; Grandma was calling out in a long drawl, "Dinner's ready!"
Qinglan stayed at home for three days but never had another opportunity to sit down and talk with Qing Shusheng at length. He seemed to be avoiding any further deep conversations with her as well. Every day he worked hard from dawn till dusk with a hoe in hand as if he needed to finish a lifetime's worth of work in just those few days. His expression became more complex, filled with a sense of reluctance to leave a place he didn't want to part from and also a feeling of relief as if he was finally leaving somewhere he should have departed long ago. There was also hope and boldness for heading towards something cherished! Yes, it was reluctance, relief, hope, and boldness.
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