Rebirth after the college entrance examination

Chapter 103 The Phoenix of Xiaohewanpan

Of course Lin Jiajia knew the meaning of "Ten Miles of Red Makeup".

She was stunned, three parts happy, seven parts excited, and ninety parts disappointed.

There was no response to Xia An.

The green hills and peach garden before my eyes at dusk are as beautiful as a dream.

Girls always weave two kinds of dreams for themselves throughout their lives.

Snow White and the Prince, Cinderella and the Prince...

They yearn and yearn for it, after all, the ending of the story is always happy.

Lin Jiajia is no exception. She also had such a dream in her childhood.

Later, when she woke up from the dream, she found that others could have those dreams for longer.

But to her, it was just a fairy tale.

She couldn't explain exactly what kind of feelings she had for Xia An.

Like? Like for little boys?

Close? Close enough to be considered a close friend?

I have no clue and can't figure it out.

But, at least for now, there is more gratitude.

He is young, so young that he seems reckless.

Dare to say, dare to do, and even dare to promise many things.

This kind of reckless "dare" is passionate and direct.

Lin Jiajia is not a stone. When she is with Xia An, she can feel the warmth coming from him.

Close to each other, warm and comfortable.

The little deer in her heart will jump for joy, making her feel that she is still loved.

But she didn't dare stay there for long, for fear of getting burned.

Not to mention his own illness, let alone his age?

If Xia An was also thirty years old, or even forty, or even fifty.

Lin Jiajia tried to think, maybe she would really lean over and lean into his arms at this moment?

"Eh?"

Startled.

The shoulders were held.

A gentle force came.

Take a step forward.

Lin Jiajia was hugged by Xia An.

The man beside me said, "Ten, twenty, thirty years from now, I'll still be like this. Just wait and see if you don't believe me."

"Ugh."

A sigh.

……

it's dark.

All the way down the mountain, until she entered the yard, Lin Jiajia was still checking whether there was still weeds and dust on her body.

I must not let grandma notice anything unusual.

But the swollen lips cannot be concealed.

Lin Jiajia glared at Xia An angrily, then hurriedly took out a mask and put it on.

He made an excuse of having a cold and didn't even sit down for dinner.

It only reappeared when I was washing the dishes.

Since Zhang Tiancheng, who is very perceptive, knew that the boss lady was sick, how could he let her take over?

He finished the rice so quickly that he almost washed the table as well.

While Xia An was brushing her teeth, Lin Jiajia, who was shy for a while, walked into the yard under the pretext of pouring water for the dog that was sleeping in the bed.

Xia An grumbled, leaned over and whispered:

"Why are you ignoring me? Are you really uncomfortable?"

How could Lin Jiajia dare to get too close to him again?
I didn't even have the nerve to discuss the absurdity of the evening with him.

You are bewitched, Lin Jiajia!

Why let him touch and scratch in the wilderness?

"Go away, dirty."

He paced a few steps and turned back, adding unhappily:
"You'd better leave quickly tomorrow. It's so annoying."

After saying that, he went into the house.

That night, accompanied by Zhang Tiancheng's snoring at the head of the kang, Xia An grinned and stared at the ceiling for half the night.

The beautiful scenery in my mind could not be dispelled and even entered my dreams.

The dream is crimson and the oriole's cry is ringing in the ears.

Lin Jiajia, who was moved, was like a piece of soft tofu.

Chewy and smooth.

……

When I woke up, it was already bright outside.

Xia An found that Zhang Tiancheng had finished washing up and had obviously gotten up early again. He repeatedly seemed to want to say something to her but hesitated.

He immediately felt something was wrong and almost broke out in a cold sweat.

Could it be that I was sleepwalking last night?

It was disgusting just thinking about it. Xia An called him over and asked, "Didn't you sleep well?"

Zhang Tiancheng laughed and said it was okay.

"That's right..."

Zhang Tiancheng lowered his voice and said:

“Maybe the mountain is evil, I always hear faint ghost laughter when I fall asleep.

"Just like...yes, the same lewd laugh as the Japanese on TV."

Coming over and sitting on the edge of the kang, Zhang Tiancheng said seriously:

"I heard a lot of Japanese soldiers died in this area during the Anti-Japanese War. Boss, before we start digging, should we do a ritual or something? I think there's always this kind of ceremony before any real estate excavation begins..."

Xia An calmly put on her clothes and patted his shoulder before going downstairs.

"You've been very thoughtful. I'll leave this to you. The old lady might believe this, too. It'll give her peace of mind. Go for it."

Feeling that he had done a good deed, Zhang Tiancheng smiled foolishly as he watched Xia An stretching his body.

——As expected, rich people are superstitious.

——The boss is really easy-going.

……

On October 6th, it was indeed time for Xia An to leave.

Tang Wan and the other two took the boat ticket to leave the island today.

It’s hard to imagine that Xiao Lening didn’t actually return to the provincial capital during the entire National Day holiday.

Zuo You will fly directly to Shonan the day after tomorrow to start rehearsing for the Golden Eagle Festival at the end of the month.

But Xia An has to go back to Binhai tomorrow night and can't see her off.

Zuo You sent him a message last night, asking if he could go back today?

Of course I have to go back.

After just a quick taste of Lin Jiajia yesterday, Xia An is craving for meat.

He knew that Zuo You was the same.

After breakfast, Lin Jiajia took Xia An down the mountain.

The two of them were carrying large and small bags, all of which were daily necessities and stationery that they had asked Zhang Tiancheng to buy in the city the day before.

Lin Jiajia wants Xia An to visit Yaya's house.

The morning mist was still lingering over the river, and dewdrops were bending the grass tips.

The crickets were chirping from under the rocks.

As the two of them approached each other, there was no movement.

Walk away and call again.

The bugs in the countryside are very naughty.

On the other side of the path, there were bungalows next to each other, and there was chaos in the fenced yard.

When no one was around, Xia An held Lin Jiajia's hand.

Lin Jiajia said nothing.

Occasionally, a peasant woman would come out with a basin to pour water into the drain, and Lin Jiajia would immediately shake off Xia An's rubbing claws.

Say hello to the villagers.

"Xiao Jiajia, are you taking a walk?"

"Aunt Zhang, can you pour some water?"

...

"Uncle Li, are you harvesting wheat?"

...

"Uncle Wang...I'm Jiajia..."

...

It didn't seem like they were familiar with each other at all, and Xia An laughed out loud.

Lin Jiajia's face flushed at his smile. "Uncle Wang is over 80, he doesn't remember me."

Seeing her coquettish look, Xia An took advantage of her inattention and kissed her on the cheek.

Lin Jiajia pouted and said, "They all watched me grow up."

Xia An smiled and nodded.

He knew that Lin Jiajia had been in the city for many years and had few friends.

In the concrete buildings, most of the neighbors live in a place where they only know each other’s chickens and dogs but never interact with each other until they die.

The village is different, it has a strong sense of worldly affairs.

Later, grandma passed away. Although Lin Jiajia never returned to the village, Xia An knew that she missed her days in the countryside very much at that time.

Pointing to a big willow tree by the river, Lin Jiajia told Xia An that she and her friends played there every day when she was a child.

There are hemp ropes and wooden boards tied to the tree, which is a simple version of the swing.

There is a stone table and stone bench under the tree.

The surrounding area was overgrown with weeds, and it looked like no one had come to play there for a long time.

The Hewan Village Primary School has moved to the township, and there are few children in this village now.

Time is like this. As spring turns to autumn and the grass grows and the birds sing, we grow old.

Holding Lin Jiajia's hand, Xia An asked with a smile, "Are you the only phoenix that flew out from the foot of Phoenix Mountain?"

The hill where Taoyuan is located is called Fenghuang Mountain. At the foot of Fenghuang Mountain is Hewan Village.

Among the generations of people in this small village, Xia An only knew Lin Jiajia.

I just want to know Lin Jiajia.

Lin Jiajia was not modest at all, and said to him with her head held high: "Yes."

"Among the three classes above and the three classes below, I was the only one who was admitted to a junior college from the village primary school."

The junior college degree she received back then was more valuable than the undergraduate degree today.

Xia An held the little hand in his hand lovingly.

The phoenix sings in harmony with Fei.

He said, "Don't be anxious, don't be melancholy. Most people die early in our memories. It's a good thing we met. In the next few decades of good life, I will accompany you, my little phoenix, to fly higher, okay?"

Feeling anxious and melancholy, Lin Jiajia was slightly moved when she heard Xia An directly express the most accurate emotions in her heart at the moment.

Not saying yes or no, just saying:
"You just like being ridiculous in the mountains and expressing your feelings in the countryside?"

Xia An said happily, "Anywhere is fine. Whenever we go to a new place, I'll tell you about it."

Lin Jiajia chuckled and tilted her head to look at him.

There was a different light in his eyes than yesterday, fresh and bright.

Lin Jiajia told him with a brisk pace, as if she was acting coquettishly or giving an order: "You promised to help me make money before, and you saw that I don't make money just for myself. You are not allowed to regret it."

Xia An nodded: "I will never regret it."

……

Yaya’s house is the last mud house at the west end of the village.

There is a crooked persimmon tree in the yard. It is not the season yet, so the fruits are half green and half yellow.

There is an old hen that lays eggs, just one.

We have a pig, just one, which we keep to sell during the New Year, not for our own consumption.

The water tank was covered with a wooden lid and smoke was coming out of the chimney.

It wasn't the smell of rice, but the strong smell of Chinese medicine floating in the air.

Lin Jiajia shouted with a smile, and the door creaked open.

A little head popped out.

Seeing Lin Jiajia, the little girl jumped out in surprise and joy.

"Aunt Jiajia..."

Seeing Xia An again, he paused, pinched the corner of his clothes, lowered his head, and did not dare to look at Xia An.

But she called out softly, "Uncle..."

"I'm going to take you to the police."

Xia An said with a smile, took two steps forward, held the plastic bag in his left hand, and picked up Yaya with his right hand before she started crying.

"Remember to call me uncle. He is conscientious and smart. Come in and have a delicious meal."

The little girl was shocked and surprised. She leaned on Xia An's shoulder and looked at Lin Jiajia who was following behind her, begging for help.

Have a conscience? Lin Jiajia was both angry and amused.

After entering the house, Xia An felt that the word "bare walls" was a very accurate description.

The kang and the floor are clean, and there are tables, chairs and benches. Nothing else.

Lying on the kang was a middle-aged man covered with a quilt, as skinny as Yaya.

There was no smell of dust in the room, but there was a mixture of moldy, sour and medicinal smells.

Xia An sat on the edge of the kang with a smile on her face, while Lin Jiajia put down the bag and went out to get something.

The little girl glanced at it reluctantly while going outside the house to pour two large jars of water from the stove.

He handed one cup to Xia An, placed another cup on the edge of the kang in front of Lin Jiajia, and stood there quietly.

I looked at the things Aunt Jiajia brought with curiosity.

The smart and sensible little girl knew that these were all gifts for her.

Want it, but don’t want it.

Look at Xia An, look at Lin Jiajia, and then look at his father with squinting eyes and drooling.

I want to say something, but I don’t know what to say.

Xia An waved his hand, and the little girl came over, just a little taller than the kang.

At this moment, he truly felt that poverty alleviation and agricultural assistance was the greatest national policy.

Xia An didn't even look at the man who seemed to be completely paralyzed, and asked Yaya directly: "Have you had breakfast?"

Yaya nodded obediently and timidly.

"Dad has to take medicine in the morning. He has to eat before taking the medicine. He has eaten."

"What to eat?"

The little girl pursed her lips and didn't answer, her eyes drifting towards the small table at the foot of the bed.

Xia An looked over and saw two bowls and a plate on the table.

Half a bowl of porridge, half a potato, and a plate of pickled carrots.

"Good, nutritionally balanced." Xia An said.

Yaya grinned.

Lin Jiajia sorted out the food and daily necessities and placed the stationery in front.

He kept talking to Xia An and went to talk to Yaya's father.

Xia An pulled the little girl onto the kang and said to her, "All the food is yours. Use less oil when cooking. You can share the snacks with the two kids from the other day."

Yaya nodded, her eyes never leaving the box of watercolor pens.

Xia An asked with a smile, "Can you write?"

Yaya shook her head shyly: "I haven't started school yet."

There are no kindergartens in rural areas, and preschool education is purely for play.

"Do you want to go to school?"

Xia An asked, flipping open a grid of characters, pulling out a pencil and writing three words on it.

Yaya leaned forward and placed her slender fingers, covered in ash, next to the characters.

He turned his head and smiled brightly at Xia An against the light: "Ma Duoduo."

Xia An rubbed her little head and said happily, "Do you know your own name?"

Yaya nodded.

She didn't answer the question just now, so Xia An asked again: "Do you want to go to school?"

Yaya lowered her eyes dejectedly and said nothing.

Xia An heard Lin Jiajia say to Yaya's father, "We'll treat Yaya's illness and support her education. Brother Ma, don't worry too much. Last year, your left arm could still move, and this year..."

After listening to a few words, Xia An saw that Yaya's father's lips were trembling and his eyes were red. He wanted to say something, but he kept drooling and couldn't speak. He seemed very anxious.

Seeing this, Yaya knelt down on the kang and crawled over to wipe her father's saliva with the handkerchief on the table.

Lin Jiajia pointed at Xia An and said to Yaya's father, "He has money, he's the sponsor, everything I said is true."

Lao Ma's eyes moved over and when he saw Xia An nod, two lines of tears flowed down his face.

When Yaya saw her father crying, she felt sad and started sobbing silently too.

Lin Jiajia couldn't stand this and her eyes turned red.

Xia An calls himself a capitalist, he has a heart of stone, he can see it.

He smiled at Lao Ma and said, "Don't try to speak. The spirit cannot control the body. If you spit it out later, it will be your daughter who will deal with it. She is like a carrot. Don't bother her."

"Live a few more years and watch her grow up." Xia An pointed at Lin Jiajia and added, "Grow up like her."

Lao Ma couldn't make any expression, but his eyes showed his joy and gratitude.

Lin Jiajia looked over in disbelief.

——Watch her grow up and become what she is now.

She looked at Xia An deeply.

I burst into tears all of a sudden.

……

Walk slowly up the mountain road.

"Do you miss our parents?"

"..."

Lin Jiajia's eyes were still wet, but Xia An's words dispelled all her sadness.

"Are you annoying?"

"Where is the grave? Since I'm here, I'd like to go see it."

Lin Jiajia was completely speechless. She swung her long legs and quickened her pace.

Xia An chased after him, "I'm not kidding."

Lin Jiajia stamped her feet and looked at him with gritted teeth.

Who are you? In what capacity are you going there?

All my thoughts are reduced to three words:

"Later."

"Hey, okay, just promise."

……

I didn't bother cooking at noon.

Before twelve o'clock, Xia An loaded the mountain products that the old lady had prepared for his parents into the car and headed back.

The clever Zhang Tiancheng planned to stay here and promised Xia An that he would return to the city every three days to supervise the work of the new employees.

"Old Liu will be back the day after tomorrow, and he can watch over it too."

Xia An smiled at him meaningfully.

Lin Jiajia drove him home and came back in the evening.

As soon as the car came down the mountain and before entering the village, it was stopped in the middle of the road by a group of four people.

Xia An, who was happily asking Lin Jiajia for credit and a kiss, came to an abrupt stop and almost bumped his head against the center console.

I looked up and saw four big men.

Seeing Lin Jiajia's puzzled frown, Xia An asked, "Do you know him?"

Lin Jiajia said: "The two young ones in front are my elementary school classmates."

Two lazy guys in the village.

He is a lazy man, not an idler.

I started working everywhere before graduating from junior high school, but I was unsuccessful in everything I did.

"You can see them when you go back to the village during festivals."

Lin Jiajia rolled down the car window and said, "What are you doing? Make way."

Xia An turned around and saw that Lin Jiajia's question was in vain from the flattering smile on the other person's face and the way he rubbed his hands while walking.

Obviously, this group of people came to cause trouble.

Xia An reminded her with a smile: "A little harder, harder than I was last night."

(End of this chapter)