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墨書 Inktalez
Qinglan and Xu Wen stood facing each other, momentarily at a loss for words, their gazes wandering aimlessly, and their hands unconsciously rubbing together.
"Um..." Qinglan was the first to break the silence.
Since Liu Xiuzhen mentioned that they had something to do today, they couldn't just stand there. If Qingmei came out later, they wouldn't know what to say. Didn't Grandma say they had matters to attend to? Why were they still standing here?
Since they said they had something to do, they should find something to occupy themselves with. Although it was the weekend and there was no need to work at the factory...
"Today... we... um... the herbal seedlings should be sprouting soon. How about we go check the fields?" Qinglan stammered, sounding like a girl in her first love.
"Okay." Xu Wen nodded, resembling a boy in his first love.
After breakfast, Liu Xiuzhen took Qingmei out to play early. Today, Qingmei seemed particularly well-behaved and didn't fuss about wanting Uncle Xu. However, as she held Liu Xiuzhen's hand while leaving, she occasionally looked back at Xu Wen with a hint of longing and grievance, hoping he would keep her with him and play together. Yet she restrained her attachment and waved her small hand, saying, "Goodbye."
After walking a few steps, she turned back and reminded them, "Come back early." Her reluctant gaze was heart-wrenching, as if they were abandoning her and would never return.
Qinglan and Xu Wen smiled and nodded, saying, "We'll be back soon." Only then did she feel reassured and skip away with Liu Xiuzhen.
Arriving at the edge of the field, they indeed found that the roots of the herbs planted earlier had sprouted tender shoots.
There wasn't much to do; they came to this vast wild field to avoid people. As they walked along the ridge of the field in a zigzag manner, they chatted idly.
When they reached the center of the field, looking around revealed a sea of green, bursting with life. Xu Wen stopped against the wind, and Qinglan followed suit.
"After we harvest this season's herbs, I'll take you back to Beijing," Xu Wen suddenly said.
Qinglan was momentarily stunned; she thought he was going to talk about the topic from last night, but she didn't expect his thoughts to advance another step.
"After all, you still want to go to Beijing," Qinglan said, looking at the lush green wheat fields ahead.
"It's not me; it's you. You are more suited for Beijing. This place is too small," Xu Wen said, gazing at Qinglan standing beside him.
Glancing over, he noticed her neat short hair, the beautifully curved profile of her face, and the high bridge of her nose that gave her features a sculptural quality. Her slightly upturned chin and her graceful figure stood tall in the vast wilderness, dressed in a pure white short jacket with a dark green scarf casually draped around her neck.
She was no longer the girl from their university days, nor was she the helpless and sorrowful young woman who had just returned from Beijing to Liu Family Village.
How could she resemble an unmarried mother with a six-year-old child in a mountainous area? Even walking down Wangfujing Street in Beijing, she was a striking sight.
She was no ordinary creature; once a phoenix that flew out of the mountains, even if she returned, she remained a dazzling golden phoenix.
Qinglan smiled slightly and said, "You still think so highly of me."
Xu Wen looked down and smiled, saying, "You have always been the most wonderful in my heart."
Qinglan's heart trembled.
This was the first time he had spoken to her with such sweet and moving words.
"Is this your way of confessing?" To ease her own fluttering heart, Qinglan deliberately asked with a light-hearted joke.
Xu Wen looked at Qinglan and smiled lightly, radiant and sweet.
"This is the first time I've heard you confess. I didn't expect that I hold such a beautiful place in your heart. I always thought I was quite unworthy in your eyes," Qinglan said after a pause.
She initially intended to use a light tone to mask her feelings of being touched or shy, but despite saying it jokingly, when she saw Xu Wen's intense gaze fixed on her, her heart still raced with emotion, and tears welled up in her eyes.
"Let's go to Beijing first," Xu Wen said.
"What can I do in Beijing? Honestly, I'm not confident. I don't know what I would do there. Here, in the fields, I've been here for so long that I feel more suited to them, more suited to nature. I've been away from the big city for too long; I'm afraid I won't be able to adapt," Qinglan said calmly against the wind.
"You'll go to school in Beijing first, fulfill your dreams of college and graduate school, and then we can go wherever we want," Xu Wen said.
Qinglan's heart stirred. She still didn't have a college diploma, and graduate school felt like a distant dream. Yet it was a dream she couldn't let go of.
The campus, the grassland, the library, the classroom, the playground, the basketball hoop, the sports field, Academy Road, Academy Building, Lecture Hall, evening parties, speeches, Debate Competition, carefree laughter, youthful smiles, flowing hair, joyful footsteps—everything related to campus and youth had consumed her soul over these six years and entwined itself in her dreams. She dreamed of returning to campus.
Schooling and studying were far more tempting to her than love itself.
Qinglan hesitated. If it were about love, whether rejecting or accepting it wouldn't cause her such hesitation and entanglement. However, when it came to schooling and studying, her heart truly wavered.
"Let me think about it," Qinglan said as she brushed her hair tousled by the wind.
"Okay," Xu Wen nodded. "But don't take too long to decide because your time is precious."
"Mm." Qinglan replied, "I will make a decision as soon as possible."
"Let's go back." After standing on the ridge for a while, Qinglan said.
The wind had been blowing for a long time, and it still felt a bit cold.
"Mm." Xu Wen agreed and continued to walk forward with Qinglan.
The ridge was narrow, and lush green grass had already grown on both sides, feeling glossy and slippery.
At the end of the field, there was a ditch that was neither wide nor narrow. Qinglan lightly lifted her foot to step over it.
Unexpectedly, the water plants growing along the edge of the ditch, resembling vines, formed a trap. As Qinglan stepped on the water plants, her body began to sink.
"Be careful." Xu Wen shouted from behind.
In a flash, Xu Wen took a quick step forward, one foot striding over to the other side of the ditch. At the same time, he tightly grabbed Qinglan with both hands, pulling her up forcefully while stepping over the ditch himself, bringing Qinglan along with him.
Still shaken, Qinglan tightly pressed against Xu Wen's chest. His arms wrapped around her entire body, holding her close.
After a long time, Qinglan finally reacted from her shock. She slightly lifted her head, and Xu Wen's face came into her view. His high nose bridge almost touched her face, while her raised chin perfectly aligned with his gaze locked onto hers.
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