Chapter 128

What was the problem?

Whether Rachel was deliberately messing with him, or had some hidden reasons preventing her from helping him, it didn't change the outcome. Writing this letter was more about venting his emotions than serving any practical purpose.

When Henry sent that telegram to Rachel, he had already swallowed his pride. Asking again would only make him look desperate, something he couldn't bring himself to do.

So, he had to keep his frustration bottled up.

No matter how upset he was, he had to grit his teeth and endure it.

Charlie and Gabe were both taken aback by Henry's actions.

They were also starting to have their own suspicions. Charlie cautiously asked, "Could it be...something went wrong with the spots to return to the city?"

Henry still didn't respond.

He stood up from the table and said, "Let's eat first."

Seeing Henry's state, it seemed like that was indeed the issue.

Charlie and Gabe, sensing the tension, didn't press further. They, along with Henry, left the dormitory and called Sophia to join them for dinner in the kitchen.

Compared to Henry, Sophia's face showed more sadness and melancholy.

Naturally, Charlie and Gabe didn't bring up the topic during dinner. After feeding the pigs and chickens, the four of them went to sit by a small river near their lodging and finally began to discuss the matter seriously.

With Charlie and Gabe there, Henry felt less pressure and decided to share everything he could.

Sophia, too, only found out then that Henry had sent a telegram to Rachel asking for her help to secure a spot to return to the city for Sophia. Rachel had agreed, but they ultimately didn't get the spot.

After Henry finished speaking, the four of them fell silent.

Charlie played with a small stone, tossing it into the river now and then, while Sophia kept her head down, silent, and Gabe looked up at the not-yet-dark sky.

It was Gabe, the most impatient among them, who broke the silence first.

He looked at Henry and said, "Rachel really shouldn't have done that. If she couldn't help, she should have just said so or not replied at all. Saying she could help and then letting us down is worse than giving us no hope at all. Henry, do you think she might be doing this to get back at you for breaking up with her and not replying to her messages?"

Henry's gaze remained fixed on the lake surface as he took a deep breath.

Things were already like this, and complaining wouldn't solve anything.

Charlie, trying to lighten the mood, said, "Well, it's already happened, so let's just move on. If we can't go back this time, there will be other chances."

Henry stayed silent, knowing how much Sophia wanted to go back.

Sophia, head down and fiddling with her fingers, suddenly sniffled, sounding like she was crying again.

Hearing the sound, Charlie glanced at her.

Seeing her crying, he quickly comforted her, "Why worry? Life in the countryside might be tough, but isn't Henry here? He won't let you suffer."

Sophia turned her face away, trying to hold back her tears.

Wiping her eyes, she responded, "I'm fine, just suddenly feeling homesick."

Gabe chimed in, defending Henry, "Henry really did his best. If it were his own issue, he would never have asked Rachel for help. He's not someone who would sacrifice his pride. If asking Summer could have helped, he would have done it for you without hesitation. But you know, Summer left with us...and now it's too late anyway; the approvals are done."

Sophia nodded, "Yes, I know."

Even if she didn't want to accept it, there was nothing she could do; the situation was already set.

---

Since Summer and Logan were going back to the city for work, they had to return within the stipulated time to report to their new job positions, so their paperwork was processed quickly.

After submitting their applications, Summer and Logan began preparing to leave, with the most important task being handing over their school responsibilities to the next teacher.

The noodle stand didn't require much effort to hand over; Amy and Billy could take over directly.

Summer also taught Amy how to make the sauce, but how well she could replicate the taste depended on her skills.

Time flew by, and soon it was the day before they were to leave for the city.

Summer and Logan finished their morning tasks and had a heartfelt farewell with the students, shedding a few tears. In the afternoon, they had no work responsibilities.

They spent the remaining half day dealing with personal matters.

Aside from the grain and work points, they had three hens each and the two rooms and kitchen they had built.

Since it was harvest season, it wouldn't be long before they distributed grain again.

The grain they received last time was nearly consumed, so settling the grain and work points wasn't complicated.

The hens couldn't be sold privately, so Summer and Logan gave them to the team.

When they collected the money for the hens and work points from Ben, Leonardo brought up the topic of their house, saying, "The land is collective, but the house belongs to you. After you leave, the house will be unused. Our team discussed it and decided to take over your house as the teachers' dormitory, making it team property. Of course, we won't take anyone's hard-earned property without compensation. We'll pay you what it's worth. What do you think?"

The team had already considered this, so Summer and Logan had no objections.

But politeness was still necessary, and after the formalities, they accepted the money.

The money from the work points and hens was their own.

As for the money from the house, Summer and Logan agreed to split it equally since everything was shared equally, including the pots.

Returning to the dormitory with the money, Logan split it in half and gave Summer her share.

Summer took it without hesitation, counted it carefully, then happily put it into her money pouch.

With everything settled, all that was left was packing.

Since they lived modestly, their luggage hadn't increased much since they arrived. They packed quickly that evening.

It had been a busy day without a moment's rest.

After packing and washing up, Summer lay on her bed, feeling relaxed, and let out a long sigh.

Thinking about leaving for home the next morning, her emotions were mixed.

She felt excitement about finally breaking free from constraints and stepping towards freedom, as well as some surreal feelings and expected reluctance.

And then there was the matter of not absorbing enough of Logan's energy.

Lying there for a while, Summer sat up and looked in the mirror.

Her face in the mirror was still delicate and beautiful, every detail clear, from her long eyelashes to the texture of her skin under the light.

The mirror showed no issues, but others saw no change.

After a while, Summer put down the mirror and thought, tomorrow is the last day.

Tomorrow, she and Logan would leave the village and take a train back to the city, spending the entire day together, allowing her to absorb his energy.

She decided to make it through the last day and worry about the future later.