But the train station was too noisy. An An did not hear what he said, but walked into the ticket gate with her mother.
Ning Zhe watched helplessly as Cree Yaqian handed the train ticket to the ticket inspector. He was anxious and wanted to catch up, but people around him stopped him in his tracks.
He chased after her, and An An had already followed her mother into the station.
"An'an... An'an..."
Ning Zhe shouted twice at the top of his lungs, but they were both covered up by the roar of people.
Just like that, I watched helplessly as two figures, one big and one small, were lost in the crowd.
That's too late……
Ning Zhe stood outside the station, looking at the direction they left, feeling lost.
Ning Qiushan walked up and patted his son on the shoulder.
"Dad." Ning Zhe raised his head and looked at Ningqiu Mountain.
"I just want to give these dolls to An An," he said.
"Dad knows." Ning Qiushan responded.
"But I still missed it. I was so timid and useless, Dad..." People like him should really live in loneliness all their lives.
"That's not true." Ning Qiushan retorted righteously: "Our little Zhe is the bravest and strongest person."
"You see, your life is not as smooth as ordinary people. You have experienced so many failures and disappointments, but you are still full of hope and you still bravely took that step.
This is something many people can’t do.”
"Really?" Ning Zhe seemed a little unconvinced.
"Of course, Xiaozhe, dad is very proud of you." Ning Qiushan said seriously.
"It's just... just be more decisive next time. Sometimes opportunities are fleeting and you might miss them if you're not careful."
"But...will there be a next time? I performed so poorly this time, she will be very angry with me, right?"
"Of course there will be. An An told me that she has regarded you as a friend. Of course, friends will not be really angry with each other because of a small mistake, right?"
"Really? Really?" Ning Zhe became happy and kept asking Ning Qiu Shan for confirmation.
"An An really said that I am her friend?"
"Of course. When did dad lie to you?"
…………
At this moment, An An was sitting on the train, looking out the window at the scenery gradually receding, silent.
"What's wrong? An'an, are you worried?"
Cree Yaqian is always the first to notice that something is wrong with her daughter's mood.
"Ah? No." An An shook his head: "I just miss brother Ning Zhe. If I leave, he will be the only one left."
"Are you quite worried about him?"
"It's not that I'm worried, I just think he's quite pitiful.
Mom, why do you think there is such a child? How did brother Ning Zhe live in the first few years?" An An turned her head to look at her mother.
"An'an..."
Just at this time, Wang Qiaoping poked her head out of the upper bunk.
"Quickly, grandma has made the bed for you. Come and sleep on it. It will be clean."
"Well, okay, grandma."
An An quickly put this matter aside and climbed into grandma's bed.
However, the grandfather on the lower bunk was not happy and poked his head to look at Wang Qiaoping: "Why do An An sleep next to you? Didn't we agree to sleep next to grandpa?"
"Go, go, how old is An An, and he still sleeps next to you, is it ridiculous? Besides, your feet are so smelly, don't smoke my granddaughter."
"An'an, just sleep next to grandma." Wang Qiaoping looked at her granddaughter again.
"Grandma's feet don't stink. She just sprayed perfume on them."
An An:……
The perfume grandma mentioned is toilet water, right?
It's so pungent to say...
Although it was pungent, An An didn't dislike it at all. Sleeping in grandma's arms felt so comfortable and at ease...
Especially on the train, when the curtains are drawn, all the outside scenes are cut off. The train shakes and shakes, and soon I fall asleep.
It's a long distance from Beijing to the city. It takes a day and a night to take a train, but it's even slower to take a car.
These days, cars can’t run very fast, and most of the roads are muddy and full of potholes, and we often get lost.
So when An An and the others arrived the next night, dad had not arrived yet.
They agreed that they would wait in the city all night and then go home together in Dad's truck.
Because Sister Yang also came with them this time, grandma was very generous and took them to stay in a hotel instead of a Datongpu or a small hotel.
The next morning, dad still hadn't arrived.
The second uncle then said he would take Sister Yang around the city.
After all, this is where the two went to high school, and they have many shared memories.
For example, the canteen at the school entrance, the wonton stall, and the small pond at the back door...
These were all things I was accustomed to back then, but when I revisited my old place after many years, I had a different state of mind.
"Are you hungry?"
At noon, Lu Yong's family asked Yang Hongxia.
"How about we go eat wontons?"
Speaking of this, the Lu Yong family smiled sheepishly.
"Actually, I have wanted to eat the wontons from that restaurant for a long time, but I have been reluctant to let them go. I really want to try them today."
Yang Hongxia laughed at him: "Then you can eat two bowls today."
"OK."
The two people came to the wonton stall talking and laughing.
"Boss, I want a large bowl and a small bowl of wontons." Yang Hongxia placed the order skillfully.
"okay!"
"You just sit here and I'll buy you a soda." Lu Yongjia said from the side.
"Okay." Lu Yongjia turned around and left.
"Yang Hongxia!" Just at this moment, Yang Hongxia heard a familiar voice.
She turned around and saw that the person in front of her seemed familiar, but she couldn't remember who it was.
"Who are you……"
"Ah." Yang Hongxia finally remembered: "You are He Xiaoman, right?"
"Yes, do you still remember me?" He Xiaoman opposite smiled at her.
"Why can't you remember? We used to live on the same street, but then my dad's job changed and we moved together.
Wow, you have changed so much now."
Yang Hongxia looked at He Xiaoman in front of her and couldn't help but exclaimed.
I really don't blame her for not recognizing her just now, she has changed so much compared to her high school days.
In the past, He Xiaoman was considered a beauty no matter what. Even though her family conditions were average and her clothes were patched, she still kept herself clean and looked in good spirits.
But where is she now?
It is no exaggeration to describe the appearance as unkempt, with sallow skin, loose hair, and sloppy clothes...
Is there any trace of the past?
"Well..." When He Xiaoman heard Yang Hongxia say this, he pulled the hem of his clothes a little awkwardly, touched his neck again, and laughed twice awkwardly.
"I was busy taking care of the kids all day, and I didn't have time to clean up. Hey, I'm a mother anyway, so I don't care about this anymore."
"You have children?" Yang Hongxia asked.
"Yes, yes..."
"The one with the surname Chen before?"
"Yes, that's him."
"Congratulations then. I've often heard your mother say that that person has very good conditions."
"Yes, yes..." He Xiaoman responded with a smile, but only she knew the sadness in her heart.
"What about you? How are you now?" she asked, trying to shift the focus of the conversation to Yang Hongxia: "I heard that you were admitted to Beijing..."
"Here comes the soda, your favorite orange flavor."
However, before He Xiaoman could ask the last part of the sentence, he saw Lu Yong coming from the other side with two bottles of soda and a smile on his face.