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墨書 Inktalez
Back in 2008, shortly after the outbreak of the Asian financial crisis, Lin Xi mentioned the state of her company to Qinglan, who jokingly invited Lin Xi to come work for her. At that time, Qinglan's fruit and vegetable storage and transportation company was just starting out. When Qinglan said this, it was half in jest but also half serious.
It was half in jest because her company had just begun, and there were no formal employees; they only had temporary workers from Liu Family Village and nearby farms. As for management, besides her and her father, Qing Shusheng, there was only Xu Wen. It felt a bit lacking in confidence to imagine having a talented woman and a beauty like Lin Xi working at her company, so she only thought of it as a joke.
It was half serious because the company indeed needed talent at its early stage, especially someone like Lin Xi, a good friend who understood the business well. It wasn't just about needing skilled workers; it was more important to have sincere and dedicated people. Besides Xu Wen, Lin Xi was the only other person who fit that description.
What had previously been a half-joking suggestion now became a serious proposal. Her company had grown to a certain scale, so inviting Lin Xi wouldn't be too embarrassing for her. Moreover, Lin Xi's own company was struggling and on the verge of collapse; she had already expressed to Qinglan several times her desire to leave her job and start something on her own but didn't know where to begin. Therefore, joining Qinglan's company and working together seemed like the best option for her. As Qinglan put it, two individuals going solo would be less effective than two sisters partnering together.
Thus, in the past two years, Qinglan repeatedly brought up this idea.
Lin Xi walked ahead with her back to Qinglan. After a while, she turned around to look at Qinglan and said, "I remind you, if you want me to work at your company just to set me up with Xu Wen, I won't go."
Qinglan stood frozen in place, mouth agape in shock.
"It's not about the salary or the difference between the countryside and the provincial capital," Lin Xi sighed. "I know your intentions, which is why I need to consider...," she said softly. "Your company is already on track now with Xu Wen helping out; do you really need me? It's not just about that reason, so I won't go."
Qinglan felt stifled by Lin Xi's words and shook her head. "Since you understand my concerns, why are you being so stubborn? You refuse something beneficial for both of us and insist on making it unfavorable for both; what's the point?"
"What's beneficial for me? There's nothing beneficial for you or Xu Wen either; why would you want me to do this? Do you want me to feel indebted to you for life?" Lin Xi raised her chin defiantly, slinging her backpack over her shoulder and walking away.
Watching Lin Xi's retreating figure, Qinglan felt a pang in her heart and helplessly shook her head with a sigh.
When she returned to the hospital room, Qingmei was already asleep. The IV drip attached to her hand continued to drip steadily, while her small hand outside the blanket felt cold. Qinglan tenderly placed the little hand inside the blanket and leaned down to kiss her forehead.
She sat alone in the hospital room in a daze.
Two years have passed, and thinking back on the difficult path she has walked over the years, Qinglan finds herself in tears. However, now when she recalls those times, aside from a light sigh, she no longer weeps. This does not mean she has let go of the hardships of her past or forgotten them; rather, perhaps she believes that all her tears have been shed. Or maybe her heart has grown stronger.
Is it strength? Or hardness? Who knows? In any case, she is no longer so easily moved to tears.
When she thinks back to those days, not only does she not cry, but sometimes she even laughs. It is not because she remembers a moment of happiness; did she have happiness in those past few years?
She simply finds it laughable!
She will no longer cry over past events, but that does not mean she will forget them!
She cannot forget that cold afternoon six years ago.
Yes, it was around this time, just after the New Year and the arrival of spring, when everything had yet to awaken. The sky was still gloomy and gray, and it was a cold afternoon when she quietly slipped back from the hands of death in the hospital. She did not know where she was and stared blankly at the white walls. She had almost forgotten all her previous experiences, even that she had been pregnant. Yes, she moved slightly; her body felt light. So when she woke up, she thought that her lightness meant she had returned to campus, back to her dormitory, lying on her dorm bed or in the warm blankets at home.
Yes, wasn’t it so? She opened her eyes; everything was blurry but filled with familiar faces. Jiang Liuying was the first person she saw closest to her, followed by Hu Jiao'er, then Shen Xiaomeng, and finally Lin Xi.
Oh? Why is Lin Xi here again? What is she doing in our dorm so early? Did she have another argument with Lu Chenyu? Every time they fought, she would definitely run to their dorm to cry about it the next morning.
Then there was someone else—wait, why is Xu Wen here?
What is Xu Wen doing in the Girls' Dormitory?
She struggled to recall...
In fact, everything was already in her memory; there was no need for any effort to remember. The events of the past came back to her as easily as reaching up to grab a sun hat from atop her head.
However, she was unwilling to remember; she only wanted the past events to not exist, as if she had never experienced them. She still wanted to be the light and agile Qinglan, who could jump and bounce around, sitting in class with her classmates, laughing and joking, or sitting by the window deep in thought.
She moved her body slightly, and everyone around her followed suit. She quickly stopped moving because she still had an IV drip attached to her hand, and she didn't want everyone to stare at her like she was a wounded soldier on the battlefield.
She was not a wounded soldier; she had not been hurt. She was just tired and wanted to rest for a while. She was sleepy and just wanted to take a short nap.
So, she closed her eyes again.
At that moment, she did not even know what her current state was, but she did not want to ask or know. She just wanted to sleep peacefully in this brief state of ignorance and tranquility.
She heard them whispering softly, talking among themselves.
If she consciously listened carefully, she could understand their conversation.
But she chose not to listen; she intentionally drifted into a daze, emptying her mind so that she could not hear what they were saying because she wanted silence. She wanted her brain to be in a blank state.
After a while, she heard them leaving one by one.
It was good that they were gone; the world had truly become peaceful!
She pulled her consciousness back, and all the memories flooded back into her mind.
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