Chapter 9: In this lifetime, I will follow you up to here

"It's just... you didn't love me back... I understand. I actually thought about giving up before, but couldn't accept it. After all, I've loved for so long, always thinking just a bit more effort, being a bit nicer to you, then you'd fall for me," Lu Jingqiu said, tears rolling uncontrollably in her eyes. Who could she blame for all the suffering she endured for her?

Suddenly feeling sorry for herself, she just looked at him, her pretty nose turning slightly red, tears falling like beads off a broken string, unable to stop: "Gao Shu, this life, I chase you no further, I wish you happiness!" Having said that, she tilted her head back to stop the tears, wiped the tear beads from her face, and the heavy feeling in her chest was suddenly swept away.

She turned around with mixed feelings in her eyes as she thought about her previous life – a bit contemplative, a bit saddened, and a bit relieved. Not knowing what to say, she smiled, turned around, wiped her tears, and left without looking back.

Gao Shu was left with a belly full of persuasion, a belly full of warnings that were buried in his mouth. Hearing her words, seeing her lonely departing figure shook him to the core. His gaze was filled with pain, guilt, and a hint of relief, all condensing into one sentence: I'm sorry!

Alas, the person had already walked far away!

After leaving Gao Shu, Lu Jingqiu didn't return to the dormitory but took her flashlight and went to the crooked-neck tree on the back hill.

The sky was still faintly bright; Lu Jingqiu glanced down the steep slope to the south but didn't see him.

She felt a sudden relief in her heart, which meant he wasn't dead. Although she hated that man, she didn't have the courage to deal a deadly blow.

It's just that there had been no news for the past few days, so she came to check.

When she got back to the dormitory, the lights were out. Not wanting her roommates to know she had been crying, she didn't turn on the lights and groped her way to bed in the dark.

The other two on the bed weren't asleep, but by unspoken agreement, they didn't ask.

...

After a heavy rain, the weather in June heated up again.

The next day, Lu Jingqiu got the introduction letter from the team leader; it was still a one-month leave, and she had begun packing her things.

She had decided if her father could find a way for her to stay in the city this time, she wouldn't come back.

So she took everything she could, but the quilt was hard to carry.

Bringing home a quilt for a family visit could easily arouse suspicion.

"Jingqiu, are you buying tickets in advance or going straight to the station? When are you leaving?"

Yun Yuzhi saw her so happy and quickly reminded her.

Jingqiu cheerfully replied, "I'll go directly to the county's station. Once there, I'll call my dad, and he'll pick me up."

Li Yinger, seeing all her belongings, said, "You are just visiting for a month; why are you taking all your winter clothes too? Just pack a few summer garments. Bring some local specialties from here; you don't need the winter clothes."

Lu Jingqiu looked at the three large bundles on the ground and quickly made up an excuse, "I don't like these winter clothes anymore; I'll take them back for my niece to wear. Don't worry, they're very light; I can carry them. And, I can't take this half can of malted milk; I'll leave it for the two of you to drink."

Yun Yuzhi said, "If you can't take it, just leave it here. It won't spoil in a month. Lock it in your cupboard, and we'll watch over it for you."

Li Yinger said, "Exactly, keep it for yourself."

Lu Jingqiu replied, "It's for you two, don't be polite with me. Also, after I leave, don't forget to keep reading during your free time. Sister Yuzhi, I think Zhang Yumin is good; don't hesitate anymore. And Sister Yingying, actually, Comrade Li Qing is very smart and attentive; he's not just able to smile foolishly."

Li Yinger laughed at her rambling, "What's gotten into you today? It's only a month at home, and you're making it sound like a final goodbye."

Yun Yuzhi smiled, "She's excited, I guess. After all, she hasn't seen her parents in two years. I was the same when I went home for a visit.

Let's go send you off tomorrow, Jingqiu; I need to mail a letter to my family anyway."

Li Yinger nodded, "Right, I need to make a call too."

"Sure."

...

On the tenth day since her return to Ten-miles Village, Lu Jingqiu was finally leaving.

Early in the morning after breakfast, a few male comrades from the Educated Youth Spot helped carry her luggage to the brigade's ox cart.

Because Yun Yuzhi and Li Yinger were going to the county town to see her off, Zhang Yumin, not feeling comfortable with just the women going, decided to follow, and Li Qing naturally couldn't be left behind.

Shen Mu said he needed to buy some things in the county town, and pulled Gao Shu along with him.

Xia Lin, knowing that Lu Jingqiu was going back to her hometown today, came to see her and, hearing that Gao Shu was headed to the county town, she followed suit.

Just their group was enough to nearly fill the ox cart.

"Kid Mao's mom, I heard your eldest cousin was hospitalized?"

On the cart, an auntie was chatting with another woman in her thirties, Jingqiu had an impression of them but did not know what to call them.

"Indeed, he was running around the back hill the other day and ran into a wild boar. Luckily, he had the good fortune to fall into the gully under the crooked-neck tree."

At the mention of the crooked jujube tree, Jingqiu's body jolted, she bowed her head and listened intently.

"How is he now?"

Kid Mao's mom sighed and shook her head, "My uncle's savings over the years aren't enough to cover his medical expenses, and he's still in the hospital. That's why I'm going to see him."

Kid Mao's mom was also upset. Her uncle was such an honest man, how could he have raised such a wayward son? To outsiders, they said he stumbled upon a wild boar, but looking at that wound, it was clearly inflicted by a person.

It's a mystery who he had offended.

Upon hearing this, Jingqiu secretly breathed a sigh of relief; it meant that the man had not seen her face clearly. Yet she also felt that she had been too lenient, as her intention had been to leave him crippled.

The ox cart took them directly to the bus station in the town, heading for the county town.

It took forty minutes to get from the town to the county town.

Once they reached the county town, transferring to the bus station took another half an hour of hassle.

Jingqiu had previously been worrying about lugging three big parcels by herself on the bus, but fortunately, they had come along.

Though tired, the thought of being close to home had Jingqiu bubbling with excitement, "You all rest here for a bit, I'll go buy a ticket."

Before she could get up, Gao Shu stood up beside her, "I'll go. I know the next bus is passing by around this time, and don't you need to call Uncle Lu? You better hurry."

Jingqiu had intended to refuse, but Xia Lin grasped Gao Shu's arm, "I'll go with you. Comrade Shen Mu, could you accompany Comrade Lu to make the call? We should save time."

Seeing Xia Lin's look that could barely conceal her wish for Jingqiu to vanish in the next second, Jingqiu did not stand on ceremony with them, and took out two Great Unity RMB from her pocket, handing them to Gao Shu.

Gao Shu at first did not want to take it, but seeing Xia Lin next to him and fearing a misunderstanding, he silently accepted.

Jingqiu did not dally either, following Shen Mu to a telephone booth.

She dialed her father's office number.

After two rings, a familiar and long-missed voice came through, "This is Lu Xianrun, who are you looking for?"

Hearing the familiar voice, Jingqiu couldn't hold back her tears and, with a choked voice, she said, "Dad, it's me, Jingqiu."