C24 To the Wind City

When Gao Ming's grandfather died, Gao Ming and Uncle Gao returned to the northern countryside to attend the funeral.

Su Qianyun looked at the empty seat on the windowsill and felt a sense of emptiness in her heart, as if something was missing. Even her favorite class had become long and tasteless.

For many days, she lay on the bed with Duo Mi in her arms. She looked at the familiar name on the screen of her phone and wanted to call Gao Ming, but she was afraid that Gao Ming would be busy and disturb her.

But even though Gao Ming had left for a week, he never called her. Even if he told her about the situation over there, she would not be so worried.

"I really want to see you again..."

The familiar melody suddenly sounded. Su Qian's heart tightened and she quickly took out her phone to check.

However, it was Li Zezhe.

She couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, but she quickly covered it up and answered the phone politely.

"Hello, Brother Zezhe."

"Hey, Xiao Qian, you're not asleep yet?"

"I was just about to sleep. What's wrong?"

"Uh, there's something I don't know if I should say..."

The person on the other end of the phone was stuttering, as if there was something difficult to say. Su Qian couldn't help but be curious, "It's okay, Brother Ze Zhe, go ahead."

"Oh okay..." He laughed dryly and went on, "Well, Gao Ming's grandfather died, and Gao Ming and I went back to our hometown in the Wind City. We were going to go back to the White City after we were buried, but something happened here, and we couldn't leave for a while."

Su Qian was slightly surprised. It turned out that Li Zezhe and Gao Ming had returned to the Gao family's old residence together!

"Is there anything I can help you with?" Su Qian saw that he stopped and took the initiative to ask.

"He will be 15 in two days. Gao Ming didn't let me call him, but you know his situation. I'm worried..." Li Zezhe hesitated.

Su Qian suddenly remembered that Gao Ming's frost Qi was about to flare up!

"If possible, I hope you can come to the Wind City," Li Zezhe finally made a clear request.

However, even if he didn't say anything, Su Qian wouldn't just stand by and watch, "I got it. I'll be there tomorrow."

"Thank you so much, Xiao Qian. I've booked the plane ticket for you. It leaves at two o'clock tomorrow. You'll be there by four o'clock," the man on the other side said happily.

Su Qian smiled, "Okay, I understand."

"Thank you for coming."

"Don't mention it."

"See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

After hanging up, she started to think about it. First she had to say hello to the school, whether the teacher cared or not.

The next morning, when she got back from school, she put the two days' worth of blood in the refrigerator and packed a change of clothes and the Yulu Paste her mother had forced into her bag. She took a taxi to the airport.

"Be careful on the way." Before she left, her mother reminded her again and again.

Su Qian was worried about her, but she replied, "Mom, I'll be back in three days at most. Take care of yourself."

"Don't worry, Mom will be fine."

"Duo Mi!"

Duo Mi, who was jumping on the ground, looked at her reluctantly. After Su Qian hugged her mother, she also touched it and finally left the house.

The plane set off at two o'clock on the dot. It flew across the sky that connected the north and south and landed at the Wind City Airport at 4: 05.

Su Qian followed the coordinates Li Zezhe had given her and took a short bus to Limestone Town. It was colder in the north at night than in the warm weather of the south.

The trees on both sides faded away. After an hour of driving, Su Qian finally arrived at her destination.

Next to the stone bridge was a short stone tablet with Egret Village on it.

Su Qian looked at her watch. It was already half past five, dusk was coming, and the light of the setting sun was spreading over the distant peaks. The light of the setting sun fell through the gaps between the leaves on the ground, and when she looked over, she saw a muddy path leading to the village, so she picked up her bag and walked over.

After walking for about twenty minutes, Su Qian finally saw a house with a white lantern on the top of a hill. It had green tiles and white walls.

As he climbed the winding stone steps, he saw a figure in a white T-shirt standing at the entrance to the courtyard. The figure had his arms crossed in front of his chest and was looking up slightly at the lush branches of the old locust tree.

Su Qianyun was standing not far away from him, looking at his calm, distant face. Her eyes were as clear as the sea of stars.

"Brother Gao Ming," Su Qian called out softly.

The other person turned around and her white face froze when she saw her.

"Why are you here?" he asked in surprise.

"I told Xiao Qian to come."

Just as Su Qian was about to reply, Li Zezhe came to the yard and greeted her gently.

"Thank you for your hard work, Xiao Qian. Leave it to me," Li Zezhe said and took the backpack for Su Qian.

"Thank you, Brother Zezhe."

Li Zezhe turned around and looked at Gao Ming, who was still standing at the gate of the yard. "Why are you still standing there? Don't you want to invite him in?"

Su Qian didn't know what was going on, but Gao Ming didn't seem to know she was there. After a while, he looked at Li Zezhe with a pair of reproachful eyes.

It was an ordinary old house, furnished with very old furniture, except for a few essential appliances, and there was a black and white photograph of Grandpa Gao on a pedestal in the center of the room. A row of benches lined both sides of the room.

"Uncle Gao, this is Xiao Qian, Gao Ming's classmate," Li Zezhe introduced him.

"Uncle Gao, my condolences." She bowed back. The man in front of her was a man of medium height, with a gentleman's haircut of twenty-eight. His hair was a little bald at the temples, and his features were regular but rigid.

"Thank you." He nodded.

Su Qian turned around and took three sticks of incense from the table. She lit them one by one and paid her respects to the deceased.

After everything was done, Gao Zhenhui went up and greeted her, "You haven't eaten dinner yet, right? Qiu Yin, go to the kitchen and cook two more dishes."

He told a woman in a long black dress behind him. Before Su Xuan-Yuan could say no, the woman smiled gently and said, "Okay." She then turned around and went to the kitchen.

"Sit down for a while."

"Thank you, Uncle Gao."

Su Qian took her seat after he greeted her. Apart from her, there were five other elders of different ages in the room. One of them was white-haired and wore a pair of reading glasses. He was writing something on the table by the light of an oil lamp.

"Uncle Gao, why don't I take Xiao Qian back to her room first?" Li Zezhe suggested to Gao Zhenhui.

"Okay, I'll ask your aunt to bring the food to her room later," Gao Zhenhui replied.

So after Su Qian greeted him, she followed Li Zezhe to the second room of the corridor.

He turned on the light by the door, and there was a faint smell of mildew and dampness, and Suzy saw a small white adobe room, an old wardrobe, square, poorly lighted wooden windows, a desk, and a neat single bed.

Li Zezhe put her bag on the bamboo chair, then took a clean pillowcase from the closet and changed her. "The guest rooms upstairs are full."

"What about you?" Su Qian saw his clothes in the closet and asked with concern.

"I'm going to squeeze with Gao Ming," he replied calmly.

Su Qian went up to help him and asked about the unfamiliar environment, "Are those the people who help here?"

Li Zezhe was a man who knew how to take care of himself. He quickly changed the pillowcase and began to loosen the bedding."

"What about the other auntie?" Su Qian asked.

"She is Uncle Gao's current wife, Gao Ming's stepmother." Li Zezhe seemed to know everything about the Gaos.

Su Qian nodded in understanding.

He went on to explain, "We had planned to return to White City in a week's time, but something happened to Gao Ming's second uncle. The old man had just been buried, and as soon as he arrived, he asked for a share of the family property."

"So that's how it is," Su Qian suddenly understood, but then she felt that something was wrong. "Uncle Gao, why don't you just buy the old house from Uncle Gao?"

With Uncle Gao's current assets, it shouldn't be a problem for him to buy the old house, right?

Li Zezhe looked helpless. "If it were that easy, we wouldn't have been delayed for so many days. Uncle Gao promised to buy the house at market price, but Uncle Gao insisted that the old man still had a precious heirloom and asked to sell it at market price."

"A treasure that he wanted to sell?" Su Qian looked at him in surprise.