The matter of the threshing machine, Lin Tang had long stopped worrying about.
Money or not, she wasn’t too concerned.
But more is always better!
Who would complain about having too much money?
"I’m fine with anything, you decide, I trust you, it’s not like you would let me suffer a loss, right?"
Gu Yingzhou, "Of course not."
"Well then, that’s settled."
-
After a night’s rest in the county, she was fully revived.
Lin Tang first went to the Post Office to send two bottles of Medicinal Wine to Jing Ting and then rode her bicycle back to the brigade.
Seeing her return, everyone was pleasantly surprised.
After distributing the gifts, the Lin Family asked Lin Tang about her trip to Jin City, and she recounted the events one by one.
Hearing about Jing Ting’s help, they felt grateful and decided to take good care of the two young people from the city.
After talking for a good while, the Lin Family members were satisfied and went about their business.
In the blink of an eye, evening came.
After dinner, Lin Tang and her family enjoyed the breeze in the courtyard.
Suddenly, Lin Zhicheng ran in, saying Tang Kairui was looking for her. Lin Tang was puzzled, but she soon left the house.
There were quite a few people outside, and Tang Kairui waited in a less crowded spot.
He stood there, his back to the direction Lin Tang was coming from, his figure slender and tall, the streetlight casting a long shadow of him.
Just this silhouette alone would make him a campus heartthrob in future generations.
Before Lin Tang could speak, Tang Kairui turned around.
"You’ve come." His face wore a faint smile.
"What did you call me here for?"
Lin Tang felt something was off about the young man in front of her, she looked him up and down and noticed that he seemed to have dressed up with seriousness...
Indeed, a fine shirt, neatly pressed trousers, and even leather shoes in the village.
He looked strikingly handsome.
"What’s this all about?" Lin Tang looked Tang Kairui up and down, her eyes showing surprise.
Tang Kairui didn’t answer but rather lightly tapped his chin, "Walk with me?"
"...Sure, let’s go."
The two walked along the village path toward the village entrance.
Tang Kairui was enjoying his last walk in Shuangshan Brigade, so he remained silent for the time being.
After a while, Lin Tang couldn’t help asking, "Why are you silent, what did you call me out here for?"
"I’m leaving..." Tang Kairui didn’t look at her, his eyes turned towards the village lights, a mix of reluctance and wistfulness in his gaze.
"Leaving?" Lin Tang didn’t understand what he meant by "leaving," "Go where? You want to get some air, right? Where do you want to go? Do you need me to make a plan for you...?"
She thought Tang Kairui wanted to take a break.
Though the outside world is a mess right now, going out for a visit is still possible.
Tang Kairui interrupted Lin Tang for the first time, saying, "No, I am going to Port City..."
"What?!" Lin Tang was shocked.
"Why the big fuss." Tang Kairui smiled.
"Tang Xiaorui, stop joking around." Lin Tang frowned, lowering her voice, "You’re trying to sneak over there, aren’t you?"
Given the current situation, going to Port City meant either sneaking out or catching a favorable breeze above.
But that’s very difficult...
Tang Kairui smiled and said, "Don’t be so tense, you don’t know about my family yet, do you? My grandfather and my uncle are in Port City, I’m just going to find them, that’s all..."
"Others go to Port City, why did you stay behind?" Lin Tang asked sharply.
Leaving Tang Kairui somewhat at a loss for words.
Why did they stay behind?
Because his dad is the second son of the Tang family and not favored by his grandfather, left behind to watch over the ancestral home.
Why does he have to leave? Because he must...
The stigma attached to the Tang family couldn’t be erased; if you get rid of one Guo Shaohua, another Wang Shaohua or Liu Shaohua would appear.
Instead of resolving it over and over, it’s better for him to leave sooner.
In his view, this was just the beginning.
"Because my dad likes it here, doesn’t want the hassle, you know, some people are homesick," Tang Kairui came up with a reason.
Lin Tang didn’t say whether she believed it or not, but looked at him and asked earnestly, "Do you really have to go?"
Tang Kairui didn’t think much of it at first, but her question sparked a strong sense of reluctance in him.
Remembering the plans he had made a while ago, the young man’s eyes darkened.
"Yeah."
Lin Tang subconsciously bit her lip, and the slight sting helped her calm down instantly.
Considering Tang Kairui’s situation, she couldn’t bear to urge him further.
It was good to go to Port City, where his relatives were. The city was in its prime.
"Then you should go," she said.
Tang Kairui knew Lin Xiaotang wouldn’t stop him, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
"Don’t worry, I will come back."
"Why would I worry? This is your hometown, it’s perfectly normal for you to come back," Lin Tang said indifferently.
Tang Kairui burst into laughter.
His mood had improved considerably.
Suddenly, he spread his arms, his tone light but his eyes brimming with anticipation.
"Won’t you give me a farewell hug?"
Lin Tang was taken aback.
She stepped back.
"...No!"
Looking up at the young man, her expression was serious.
"When you come back, there will be hugs, an upgraded version of Milk Tea, and homemade meals..."
"So, Tang Xiaorui, you must come back, come back safe and sound."
Tang Kairui’s eyes grew warm, and he looked away.
His voice was slightly hoarse, "We agreed, didn’t we..."
"Yes, we agreed," she affirmed.
The streetlamp wasn’t bright, but its yellow light fell on the teenager, and for a moment, it became a vivid memory for Lin Tang.
"Okay, I should go now, someone is waiting," Tang Kairui said with a smile.
He stared at Lin Tang without blinking, as if he wanted to etch her into his memory forever.
"You’re leaving now?" Lin Tang hadn’t expected it to be so soon.
Tang Kairui nodded.
"Wait for me a moment, I’ll be right back," Lin Tang said, suddenly turning and running toward her house, her figure quickly vanishing.
Tang Kairui stood still, waiting until she was no longer in sight before averting his gaze.
A gentle smile played on his lips, his head tilted up slightly, a mist of moisture glinting in his eyes.
"...I’ll come back, once everything has settled down."
The words fell into silence.
Lin Tang gathered a few things from inside the house and quickly ran back towards the village entrance.
Tang Kairui was no longer where he’d been.
She thought he had already left and her expression changed subtly as she continued running to the village entrance.
"Tang Xiaorui!"
Only her voice echoed.
"Tang Xiaorui, I’m going to be angry if you don’t show up..."
No sooner had she finished speaking than the young man emerged from behind a tree.
"Couldn’t you have called out a few more times, looked for me a little longer?" Tang Kairui said, sounding helpless.
He had to hide behind the tree because people were passing by, and he didn’t want to attract attention.
Lin Tang let out a sigh of relief, her face lighting up with a radiant smile.
Tang Kairui’s eyes flickered intensely, a torrent of unspoken words welling up.
"I can’t!" Lin Tang declared deliberately.
Saying so, she pushed the items in her hand toward him.
"Take these with you, and may your journey be smooth."
Tang Kairui didn’t ask what they were, simply extending his hand to receive them.
A whistle sounded in the distance.
His expression paused briefly.
"...I should go," he said.
Lin Tang: "I’ll walk you to the village entrance."
Tang Kairui’s lips moved.
But in the end, he didn’t voice his refusal.
The two walked silently to the village entrance.
A young man was waiting there.
He seemed a bit startled to see Lin Tang.
He nodded at her in greeting, then turned to Tang Kairui.
"It’s time to go."