Chapter 644
Chapter 644
The silver bell-like laughter was like the warm sunshine in spring, echoing freely in the yard without reservation, dispelling all the haze and fatigue.
Qin Jingru was looking around boredly when she inadvertently caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye - He Yuzhu.
In an instant, her eyes suddenly lit up, and she was stunned for a moment. It was as if a small motor was running rapidly in her mind, trying hard to recall who this figure was.
Instantly, memories flooded back like a tide, and a smile of surprise instantly blossomed on her face. The corners of her mouth lifted high, and her eyes narrowed into crescents. With a hint of uncertainty, she tentatively called out in that direction, "Brother?"
This cry was like the most moving bird song in spring, or the sound of a clear spring in the mountains. It was like the sound of nature, and it went straight into He Yuzhu's ears.
His originally somewhat lost expression disappeared in an instant, his eyes sparkled with surprise, and he was immediately overjoyed. Without hesitation, he responded happily at the top of his voice, his voice full of uncontrollable joy, as if he wanted to spread this happiness to every corner.
He Yuyan's crisp cry of "Brother is back" was like a thunderclap. It not only caught He Yuzhu's attention instantly, but also quickly alarmed Wen Yuping and He Yutang beside him like ripples.
When He Yutang heard the shout, he instantly became like a lit firework, almost flying with excitement.
His head, which was originally drooping over the homework book, suddenly raised up, his eyes instantly became as round as copper bells, and a bright light burst out from his eyes.
A smile brighter than the warm spring sun instantly bloomed on his face, and the smile almost reached his ears.
He didn't even have time to think. His hand loosened and the pencil in his hand rolled happily on the wooden table for several times, and finally fell to the ground with a "click".
And his whole body, like Nezha with the wind under his feet, rushed towards He Yuzhu at lightning speed. His speed was so fast that he created a gust of wind and even the shoes on his feet were almost thrown off.
He rushed to He Yuzhu and hugged He Yuzhu's thighs tightly with both hands. His little body was shaking with excitement and he kept shouting and yelling. He looked as if he had found a long-lost treasure. He was as excited as a child who got his favorite candy. He kept saying to himself: "Brother, you are finally back! I missed you so much!"
In comparison, He Yuyan was still young and had not seen He Yuzhu for several months, so her memory was a little fuzzy. She only vaguely remembered that there was an older brother in the family who loved her very much.
When someone told her that the person in front of her was her eldest brother, her originally confused eyes lit up instantly, and her surprise was beyond words.
She couldn't wait to stretch out her short legs and run towards He Yuzhu like a nimble little rabbit, each step filled with the eagerness and joy unique to children.
He kept calling out "Big Brother" in a clear and pleasant voice, like the gurgling of a spring in the mountains, or like the warm sunshine in spring that dispels the haze, shining straight into He Yuzhu's heart, warming it and causing ripples in the softest part of his heart.
Wen Yuping was sitting on the old wooden bench, concentrating on sewing the soles of shoes, the rough hemp rope moving skillfully in her hands.
Hearing the familiar footsteps coming from the yard, her hand suddenly stopped, and her originally focused eyes instantly lit up.
She quickly put down the unfinished work in her hands, and the half-finished sole and the thin needle and thread were casually placed on a small bamboo basket beside her.
She stood up so quickly that she almost knocked over the stool next to her.
She walked quickly towards the door, with a hint of urgency in her steps.
There was a look of concern on her face. Time had left some traces on her face, but at this moment, her eyes were full of concern for He Yuzhu.
After seeing that the person was indeed He Yuzhu, she panted slightly and asked with concern, "Zhuzi, you're back?"
Qin Jingru saw that He Yuzhu's hands were full of things and his arms were red from being squeezed.
He hurried forward and said with concern, "Brother Zhuzi, look at you, you must be exhausted after buying so many things. Give them to me, I'll help you."
As she spoke, she took the object from He Yuzhu's hand with swift movements.
He walked into the house with brisk and hurried steps.
At this moment, the room was very quiet, with only the subtle sound of turning pages and the rustling sound of pen tips touching paper.
He Yushui, who was studying at his desk, always had sharp ears and instantly caught the movement outside the house.
She was full of curiosity and the pen in her hand stopped unconsciously.
My mind was full of doubts. Who on earth had come to make my brother, who was always carefree, so cautious?
She couldn't help but stick her head out to look.
As soon as He Yushui saw He Yuzhu, his eyes widened in shock and his mouth opened involuntarily.
It was as if she saw her brother, who had always been eccentric and reckless, suddenly become a person she didn't recognize at all.
His eyes were full of disbelief, and he kept wondering what happened to his brother today, why did he bring back a strange girl?
He Yushui was like a happy little deer, looking forward to something at the entrance of the alley.
I saw the familiar figure of He Yuzhu from afar.
In an instant, her eyes were like lit stars, instantly emitting a light of surprise.
The light was hot and bright, as if the most precious and rare treasure in the world had been discovered.
She couldn't wait to take a step forward, her feet seemed to have the wind, and her steps were so light that they almost left the ground.
The whole person ran towards He Yuzhu at full speed.
Her long, shiny black hair was like lively black satin, dancing freely in the gentle spring breeze.
Each strand of hair seems to have its own independent life, sparkling with a soft and charming luster under the warm sunshine.
In the blink of an eye, she was like a young swallow returning to its nest, throwing herself into He Yuzhu's arms with a heart full of joy and attachment.
Her arms were like tough and vital vines, tightly wrapped around him, as if she was using all her strength.
Countless worried images flashed through her mind, fearing that He Yuzhu would disappear in an instant like a fleeting phantom in the early morning when the sunlight suddenly appeared.
So I just wanted to use my own strength to embed He Yuzhu deeply in my heart and make him an eternal existence.
He Yuzhu was caught off guard by his sister's sudden warm hug. Caught off guard, his body instinctively stiffened slightly.
But in just a moment, feeling the genuine emotion in his sister's arms, he relaxed and let his sister hold him tightly.
The corners of He Yuzhu's mouth unconsciously rose, revealing an expression that was both helpless and amused.
That expression was full of undisguised fondness for his sister.
He stretched out his broad, calloused hands, hands that had cooked countless meals for his family.
Now he patted He Yushui's back gently, as if this could soothe all her emotions.
He laughed and joked, "Silly girl, you're already so grown up, why are you still like a little girl, crying tears of joy when you're excited? Look at your tears, they're flowing like they're free. If you keep crying, it won't look good."
After hearing this, He Yushui's face, which was originally stained with tears, suddenly turned red, just like a ripe apple. She looked bright and beautiful, with a bit of shyness that is unique to young girls.
A hint of anger flashed in her eyes. She loosened her arms around He Yuzhu and raised her hand to gently hit his chest.
She scolded him in a soft voice, "Brother, you just laugh at me."
She grumbled slightly, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks.
The voice was like the gentlest spring breeze, wrapped in the shyness unique to young girls, and she retorted softly, "You are the fool, my silly and adorable brother."
After saying this, she looked around nervously like a frightened deer, afraid that others would see her loving and shy look.
She quickly turned slightly to the side and gently raised her slender arms, her movements extremely cautious, as if she was protecting the most precious treasure in the world.
The white fingertips trembled slightly as they slowly wiped away the tears that quietly overflowed from the corners of the eyes due to happiness.
Crystal tears slid down her fingertips, dripped onto the corner of her clothes, and left a small stain, just like the unspeakable sweetness that overflowed from her at this moment.
He Yushui leaned on He Yuzhu's shoulder, her body trembling slightly, and her tears wet his clothes.
After a long time, the sobbing gradually subsided and his emotions calmed down a little.
Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, like the wings of a butterfly, and she slowly opened her eyes, with a look of confusion and trance in her eyes.
Then, she slowly broke free from He Yuzhu's embrace, which was as warm as the spring sun, her movements gentle and slow.
She blinked her eyes, which were still moist and lively like a deer. The mist in her eyes had not yet completely dissipated, revealing a pitiful look.
Her voice was as gentle as a spring breeze, and she asked with a hint of concern, "Where are my sister-in-law and the others? Why didn't they come back together?"
He Yuzhu's mouth corners slightly raised, revealing a gentle and soothing smile.
He patiently explained, "When they first got off the train, they were exhausted from the journey, and their faces were filled with fatigue. I couldn't bear to see them, so I thought I'd let them have a good rest for a day to recover and then come back to meet us tomorrow."
As he spoke, a trace of extremely subtle worry quietly emerged in his eyes, and that worry was like a fleeting ripple on the water.
He frowned slightly, then added with concern, "Those little ones were suffocating terribly on the train. The carriage was packed, extremely congested, and the air wasn't circulating very well, making it very stuffy. One child, who was a bit weak, caught a cold and developed a low-grade fever. I was so busy asking the conductor for hot water and using towels to cool the child down. The child hasn't fully recovered yet, and his face is so red from the fever. It's really heartbreaking to see."
The climate in Hong Kong in November is mild and pleasant, as if spring has never left.
The flowers and plants on both sides of the street are still lush and green. The breeze blows gently, and the branches sway gracefully, emitting a faint fragrance.
People can stroll comfortably on the streets and leisurely wander through the bustling streets wearing two thin jackets.
Or you can sit in a tea shop on the street, leisurely sip the fragrant tea, and enjoy the comfort and leisure.
However, in sharp contrast, the capital city thousands of miles away was already shrouded in the merciless cold winter.
The temperature dropped rapidly like a slide, quickly falling from its original cool state into an ice cellar.
The biting cold wind was like a roaring beast, carrying an icy breath, rampaging through the streets and alleys, making a shrill whistling sound, as if it wanted to freeze everything in the world.
Thick white snow had already accumulated on the roadside, layer upon layer, covering the ground like a white velvet blanket.
In the sunlight, the snow piles sparkled with crystal clear light, like pieces of dazzling diamonds, decorating the entire capital city in silver, but also revealing a hint of coldness.
The little ones were exhausted after a long journey on their way south and the long journey by horse and carriage.
The warm and humid climate in the south formed a huge contrast with the dry and cold weather in the north. Their tender bodies could not withstand this sudden change, and they all caught colds.
Their little faces were red like ripe apples, and they coughed from time to time. They looked so weak as flowers swaying in the wind.
He is still fighting the cold stubbornly, which is heartbreaking to see.
He Yuzhu and the Mitao sisters sat side by side on the sofa in the living room, looking particularly relaxed, without the slightest restraint.
Their words flowed naturally and smoothly like a trickle of water in the mountains.
During the conversation, they sometimes talked about the interesting things that happened recently. Those little episodes in life were described vividly, which made each other laugh, and the crisp laughter echoed in the room.
Sometimes I fall into memories of the past, my thoughts drift back to those unforgettable times, my eyes are full of tenderness, as if I am reliving those beautiful moments.
Just as they were talking excitedly, they heard a familiar sound of footsteps in the yard.
He Daqing came back from outside, holding fresh ingredients he had just bought from the market.
He gently pushed open the door and walked in. The lively atmosphere in the room instantly surrounded him.
He immediately caught a glimpse of He Yuzhu sitting on the sofa, and his originally peaceful face instantly lit up like a lamp, blooming into an extremely happy smile.
That smile was filled with the joy of reunion after a long separation.
He strode forward, his steps brisk as if he were ten years younger, muttering to himself, "Ah, I was just wondering to Yu Shui a few days ago, 'You're so busy in Hong Kong, aren't you planning on coming back for the New Year?' It's New Year, and your family is really looking forward to your return."
In the cold winter of 1961, the night fell slowly from the horizon like a thick piece of black silk, silently and tightly enveloping the entire courtyard.
The lights from every household swayed in the cold wind, adding a touch of hazy warmth to this ancient building.
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