Chapter 699 Yang Xiaohua Arrives
Even if Wang Jianguo really had feelings for her, how could she monopolize his attention?
She knew very well that she did not have the charm to let a man with a broad mind only guard his own small world.
"Stop talking nonsense in the future."
He Yushui's voice suddenly became very soft, so soft that it seemed to be swept away by the evening breeze. She got on her bicycle, and the wheels made a crackling sound as they rolled over gravel.
"Brother Jianguo has someone he likes." He said this as if he was saying it to them, but more like he was saying it to himself.
As dusk deepened, He Yushui rode her bike along the dirt road. The wind whistled past her ears, drying the tears that had fallen from her eyes.
The wild flowers on the roadside were blown all over the place by the wind caused by the wheels, and smoke rose from the village in the distance, but she felt empty inside.
She remembered that when she met Wang Jianguo, he was standing next to the kiln in the brick factory, looking firmly into the distance. At that moment she knew that this man's world was very big, and she might never be everything to him.
The wheel rolled over a small puddle, and the splashing water wet his trouser legs. He Yushui bit her lip and pedaled faster.
Behind her, the shouts of Cheng Erhua and Liu Erzhu gradually faded away, but she did not dare to look back, for fear that someone would see the loneliness and unwillingness in her eyes.
In this vast world, some thoughts are destined to be hidden in the wind, disappearing into the endless twilight as the wheels turn.
The heat of the summer evening had not yet completely faded, and Wang Jianguo was riding his bicycle at full speed on the country dirt road, his wheels kicking up clouds of dust.
His forehead was covered with beads of sweat, which slid down his cheeks and soaked his collar. The sweat on his back left large dark marks on his dark blue work jacket.
But at this moment he ignored all these and only wanted to see the captain Zhao Shuzhuo, whom he had not seen for a long time, and Yang Xiaohua, whom he had always heard of but never met.
The bicycle bell rang rapidly, startling the birds perched on the treetops by the roadside. Wang Jianguo turned the last corner and finally saw the familiar sign of the supply and marketing cooperative in the distance.
He breathed a sigh of relief and pedaled faster. The wheels bumped violently on the gravel road, but he didn't care at all.
When he was almost at the entrance of the supply and marketing cooperative, he braked hard with both feet, and the bicycle left a long mark on the ground before it stopped steadily.
He didn't bother to wipe the sweat off his face. He just leaned his bicycle against the wall and strode towards the hall of the supply and marketing cooperative.
Before he even stepped into the hall, he heard familiar voices of talking and laughing. Wang Jianguo straightened his slightly messy collar, took a deep breath, and then stepped into the hall.
Inside the supply and marketing cooperative, warm yellow lights shine on the shelves, and a wide variety of goods are neatly arranged.
Zhao Shuzhuo was standing next to a shelf full of fabrics, a happy smile on his face. Next to him, Yang Xiaohua was wearing a light pink floral dress, her soft long hair tied into two braids hanging in front of her chest, looking gentle and charming.
Zhao Shuzhuo pointed at the colorful fabrics on the shelf and excitedly introduced them to Yang Xiaohua:
"Xiaohua, look at this piece of blue cloth. It's perfect for making a shirt. And this piece of red cloth will definitely look great if it's made into a skirt..."
Wang Jianguo walked forward quickly, a happy smile on his face, and said loudly as he walked:
"Brother Shuzhuo, you're finally back! You don't know, things have been happening one after another in the factory recently, I'm almost too busy to keep up. If you don't come back, I'm almost going to collapse!"
He walked up to Zhao Shuzhuo, held his hand tightly, shook it vigorously a few times, his eyes full of joy of reunion.
After letting go of Zhao Shuzhuo's hand, Wang Jianguo extended his hand to Yang Xiaohua with a gentle smile on his face:
"Comrade Yang Xiaohua, we meet again. The first time I saw you was at the hospital in the provincial capital. I was in a hurry at that time and didn't have time to say hello properly."
"Welcome to Beidahuang this time. Although it's not as good as the city, everyone here is very welcoming and I guarantee you'll have a comfortable stay."
He paused slightly, concern evident in his eyes.
"I heard from Brother Shuzhuo about your family situation. I'm really sorry. Please accept my condolences."
"But don't worry, we are a family here. If you have any difficulties, just ask us and we will help you solve them."
Under the dim light of the supply and marketing cooperative, Yang Xiaohua's thin figure was cut into pieces by the shadows cast by the shelves.
The light pink floral shirt she was wearing was washed to a pale color, and the empty cuffs swayed slightly with her movements, as if a gust of wind could blow her away.
Wang Jianguo noticed that the collarbone exposed at her neck was as sharp as a knife, and blue blood vessels were faintly visible under her pale skin, like a winding stream in winter.
Hearing the greeting, she tried to pull the corners of her mouth, but all she managed was a smile that was uglier than crying.
Those almond-shaped eyes, which should have been bright, were covered with a layer of mist, like the moon shrouded in gauze, and sadness overflowed from the eyes like a tide.
She tried to raise her hands to tuck the scattered hair behind her ears, but her arms were shaking so badly that the hair ends slipped several times before she succeeded.
"Brother Wang, long time no see."
When she spoke, her voice was as hoarse as sandpaper rubbing against a dry riverbed, with a barely perceptible choke at the end.
"Thank you...I'll have to trouble you in the future."
These words were like a thorn that pierced Zhao Shuzhuo's heart.
His Adam's apple rolled violently, and he reached out and gently put his arm around Yang Xiaohua's shoulders. The warmth of his palm was transmitted through the fabric, and he was afraid that if he used a little force he would hurt her.
He lowered his head and stared at her pale profile, his eyes full of pity and self-blame - if it weren't for him, she wouldn't have experienced the changes in her family, and she wouldn't have dragged her tired body far away.
"Xiaohua, don't be afraid."
Zhao Shuzhuo's voice was so gentle that water could drip out of it. He subconsciously pulled her closer to him, as if this could shield her from all the wind and rain.
"Look, the shelves of this supply and marketing cooperative are filled with good things from our Great Northern Wilderness. I'll take you to see the golden wheat fields in a few days. They're more beautiful than in the paintings."
He used his index finger to gently wipe away the tears that were about to fall from the corners of her eyes, his movements as light as touching fragile glass.
"The people here are honest. If you want something sweet, Aunt Cheng can bring you freshly baked jujube paste cake. If you want to have fun, Jianguo and his friends can make you laugh in all kinds of ways."
Yang Xiaohua looked up at him, her eyelashes still stained with tiny tears, like dew on grass leaves in the morning.
When Zhao Shuzhuo said these words, his stubble gently rubbed her forehead, and his tone was firm and unquestionable:
"I swear, I will never let you suffer any injustice. In the days to come, I will hold an umbrella for you and shield you from the wind, and we will live a prosperous life together."
His voice echoed in the empty hall of the supply and marketing cooperative, startling the sparrows perched on the beams and making Wang Jianguo's eyes slightly warm.