Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Sheng Ning shook her head. “That’s okay. Thank you!” She felt indignant. She really wanted to see him. That was why she had gone there impulsively. But after being left at the gate to stand in the sun, although she felt dizzy, her head had cleared. The calmer she was, the more upset she felt. She felt she’d failed the goal she had set before it could even be realized.
She wanted to give up, to just turn and walk away. But when she recalled Xu Qigang’s warm embrace at her death, she couldn’t do it.
Sheng Ning gritted her teeth, then squatted at the door. She hugged her legs and shrank herself into a little ball.
“Miss, our Chief is in a meeting. You should go back.” Liu Chun scratched his head in embarrassment.
Sheng Ning stood up from the floor and held back her tears. She nodded and said, “I understand.” She knew it was because Xu Qigang didn’t want to see her. It made sense. A cold man like him wouldn’t see just any random woman. If he saw any woman who came to look for him, she would want to cry even more.
After she accepted this, Sheng Ning didn’t feel hurt anymore. Instead, she smiled at Liu Chun and didn’t look as pitiful as before.
“Hehehe… I’m glad you’re not angry.” Liu Chun scratched his head.
“I’m not angry. I came too suddenly. Don’t worry. I’m leaving like this now, but one day, I’ll make Xu Qigang beg me to come,” Sheng Ning said proudly.
Liu Chun gave her a thumbs-up. “Miss, if you can really make our Chief beg, you’ll be my most respected person.”
“That’s called an idol.”
“Okay, idol it is. How will you get back? There are no cars at this hour.”
“It’s fine. I can walk back.”
Liu Chun had asked to leave to bring her the message, so he didn’t dare take too long. After a few words, he returned inside.
Sheng Ning saw the sun was about to set and didn’t want to waste any more time. She headed toward the city on foot. In the 80’s, it was barren everywhere. She walked a full two hours before she arrived in the city.
She got blisters on the bottom of her feet. When she reached the train station, night had already fallen. She was so tired she didn’t even eat dinner. She bought a ticket and made it onto the last train headed toward home, then fell asleep on the train.
Halfway through the night, Sheng Ning woke up from a nightmare. Many people were resting in the crowded car. She was bent over on the table. Her arms were sore from cushioning her head.
She found a jacket to put on and got up to get a cup of water. She felt much better after she drank it.
Sheng Ning had dreamed about her past life. The scenes from it haunted her like a ghost. Shen Jianguo’s hurt voice, Meng Ping’s sinister gaze… all of this made her hair stand on end.
She hugged the cup. In hot weather, she was covered in a cold sweat.
Sheng Ning couldn’t fall asleep for the rest of the night. The green train galloped through the plains. It entered Tong’an Town just as the sun was about to rise.
This was Sheng Ning’s hometown. It was an ordinary Northeastern town. After she got off the train, Sheng Ning counted the money in her pocket. She drank a cup of soy milk, then spent one dollar to buy a ticket to ride to town.
In her previous life, around this time, her stepsister had married the mayor’s idiot son. In this life, she had to redeem what she had lost.
The car was a tattered, old car. They were common in the countryside. There weren’t enough seats. Many villagers put the items they were selling on the floor and used them as stools.