Year: I planted trees in Saihanba

Chapter 113 Father and Daughter's First Meeting (Part 1)

Early the next morning.

Qin Xuemei yawned and got up early.

Qin Xuemei, who has always slept well and never suffers from insomnia, had trouble sleeping last night.

"Xuemei, you're up so early?"

Meng Yue was woken up by the noise of Qin Xuemei getting up.

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep, so I just got up early!"

"Oh fine!"

Meng Yue looked at Qin Xuemei tidying up and didn't continue the conversation.

She turned over, hugged the blanket, and continued to sleep.

Qin Xuemei strolled alone on the campus path.

The morning mist had not yet completely dissipated.

The trees along the roadside were silhouetted against the hazy light, much like her confused and bewildered state of mind at that moment.

Vague images of her childhood with her father kept flashing through her mind.

Those images have become somewhat faded over the years.

But at this moment, the news brought by Li Yue'er awakened him, making things even clearer.

"Dad, when will you be back?"

Young Qin Xuemei tugged at her father's clothes, her eyes filled with reluctance.

"Be a good girl and listen to Mommy. Daddy will be back in a little while."

The father knelt down and patted her head.

The warm touch seemed to still linger in my hair.

But after that, my father seemed to have vanished into thin air, and there was no news of him since.

For so many years, her mother raised her alone.

The hardships she endured are self-evident, and her longing for her father is palpable.

As the days went by, complaints gradually crept in.

A gentle breeze blew by, ruffling the ends of Qin Xuemei's hair.

She raised her hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, a gesture tinged with melancholy.

Before she knew it, she had walked to the artificial lake on campus.

The lake was shrouded in mist, calm and still, just like her turbulent and suppressed heart at this moment.

Over the years, her mother never complained about her father's departure in front of her.

He silently bore the heavy burden of life, using his frail body to support her.

Every night, Qin Xuemei could hear her mother sighing softly in her room.

The voice was like a dull knife, cutting into her heart again and again.

She had sworn countless times in her heart to wait for him to grow up.

I must repay my mother well and give her a stable life.

Now, with her father, who had disappeared for many years, possibly suddenly appearing in front of her, Qin Xuemei was at a loss.

She didn't know how to face him.

Should we question this long-standing absence, or choose to remain silent?

In the dormitory.

"Moon, are you saying that Xuemei went out alone early this morning?"

Li Yue'er looked at the sleepy-eyed Meng Yue and asked.

"Yes, Xuemei said she's going out for a walk!"

"Let's go find her quickly!"

"Why are you looking for Xue Mei?"

Meng Yue was a little confused and asked a question.

"Think about it, what if that leader from the Ministry of Forestry really is Xuemei's father!"

"Xuemei hasn't seen him in so many years!"

"How much pressure must he be under now that he suddenly hears news about his father?"

Qin Xuemei and three others lived together for more than two years.

They are also familiar with each other's families.

"It's all my fault. I actually told Xuemei such important news yesterday!"

"Xuemei must not have slept well last night either."

Li Yue'er said with some self-reproach.

"So we have to go find her."

"Then you two go ahead, I won't go. I stayed up too late reading letters last night!"

As Meng Yue spoke, she tried to lie down on the bed again.

Before his head even touched the pillow, Li Yue'er grabbed him.

Are they sisters?

"If you're a sister, come with us!"

Li Yue'er turned her gaze to Zhao Xiaoxuan, who was tidying up.

Zhao Xiaoxuan nodded in agreement.

The three of them quickly packed up and set off to find Qin Xuemei.

……

"Xuemei!"

Suddenly, a crisp sound broke the morning's tranquility.

Qin Xuemei turned around and saw Li Yue'er running towards her in a flurry of activity.

Behind them followed Meng Yue and Zhao Xiaoxuan, both still sleepy-eyed.

"Finally found you! What are you doing here so early in the morning?!"

Li Yue'er ran to her side, panting, and said.

Qin Xuemei forced a smile.

"I couldn't sleep, so I went out for a walk."

Meng Yue rubbed her eyes and yawned.

"Yue'er, you insisted on dragging us out of bed to look for Xue Mei. Now that we've found her, can I go back to sleep for a while?"

Li Yue'er rolled her eyes at her.

"My dear Sister Meng, what time is it? You're still thinking about sleeping. There's something important to do today!"

As she spoke, she looked at Qin Xuemei, her eyes full of anticipation.

"Xuemei, you'll be meeting that leader soon; he might really be your father!"

Qin Xuemei's eyes darkened, and she spoke softly.

"Even if it were him, so many years have passed, and we don't know what to say to each other anymore."

"Let's go back to the dorm first!"

Zhao Xiaoxuan stepped forward, took Qin Xuemei's hand, and offered a word of comfort.

"Don't put too much pressure on yourself!"

Qin Xuemei followed her three roommates back to their dormitory.

Back in the dormitory, Qin Xuemei sat on the edge of the bed.

His eyes were somewhat vacant as he stared out the window at the gradually brightening sky.

Li Yue'er plopped down next to her and took her hand, saying...

"Xuemei, it doesn't matter whether you're meeting your father or not."

"We'll always be here for you, don't be afraid."

Meng Yue also came over, and although she was still a little sleepy, she tried her best to cheer herself up and comfort her.

"Yes, Xuemei, tell us what's on your mind. It's so hard to keep it inside."

Zhao Xiaoxuan quietly walked to the table, poured a cup of hot water and handed it to Qin Xuemei, saying softly.

"Have a sip of water first, and calm yourself down."

Qin Xuemei took the hot water from Zhao Xiaoxuan and felt the warmth emanating from the cup.

A warm feeling welled up in my heart, and my eyes became slightly moist.

"Thank you so much. I really don't know what I would have done without you."

The group sat with Qin Xuemei for a while, and time slowly passed, with the arrival time of the leaders drawing ever closer.

"Let's go, it's about time!"

"If you go too late, there won't be any good seats left!"

"Xuemei, whether it's true or not, we'll find out by going to see for ourselves!"

Li Yue'er took Qin Xuemei's hand and left the dormitory, heading towards the school's small auditorium.

"Hey, Young Master Wu, what are you doing here?"

As soon as Li Yue'er stepped out of the dormitory, she saw Wu Yansheng waiting not far from the dormitory entrance.

"I'm waiting for Xuemei, thinking we could go to the auditorium together!"

Wu Yansheng took two steps forward and shook his head.

He struck a pose that he thought was very cool.

"I'm afraid it won't work today."

Li Yue'er glanced at Wu Yansheng and rejected his suggestion.

For the past two years, Wu Yansheng has been pursuing Qin Xuemei relentlessly.

Although Qin Xuemei did not agree to his request, Wu Yansheng remained persistent and did not give up his wicked intentions.

Li Yue'er and the other two didn't have a very good impression of Wu Yansheng to begin with.

But I was also moved by his persistence.

So I sometimes intentionally or unintentionally try to bring them together.

But it definitely won't work today!

……