Chapter 1342: Rural Absurd Past Events Chapter 1342: Huaimin, Too, Had Not Slept

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

When Gu Wenqing uttered those five words — "Huaimin, too, had not slept" — Wang Xiaohua couldn't help but freeze for a moment.

These simple five words seemed to possess some kind of magic, causing the negative emotions pent up in Wang Xiaohua's heart with no outlet to dissipate considerably all at once.

These five words come from Su Shi's "Record of a Night Visit to Chengtiansi."

It was a text from high school.

"On the night of the twelfth day of the tenth month in the sixth year of Yuanfeng, I was undressing to sleep when moonlight entered my room. Delighted, I rose and went out. Thinking there was no one to share the joy with, I went to Chengtiansi to seek Zhang Huaimin. Huaimin, too, had not slept, and we walked together in the central courtyard. The courtyard below was like accumulated water, clear and transparent; water plants crisscrossed in the water — they were in fact the shadows of bamboo and cypress trees. Which night lacks a moon? Which place lacks bamboo and cypress? Only idle men like the two of us are few."

These few dozen characters record the friendship between Su Shi and Zhang Huaimin over nine hundred years ago. At that time Su Shi had been exiled, and his heart must have been pressed with many negative emotions, yet accompanied by a friend like Zhang Huaimin on a night stroll, he found a thread of solace in his feelings.

And now this piece of writing, crossing time, was casually quoted by Gu Wenqing with those five words "Huaimin, too, had not slept," striking Wang Xiaohua's heart precisely and aptly.

The friendship between the two of them now — how is it unlike the friendship between Su Shi and Zhang Huaimin back then?

One with a disappointed heart blocked by negative emotions, one willing to accompany without asking the reason.

"Come on, let's go out for a walk?"

Gu Wenqing took the initiative to invite the still-stunned Wang Xiaohua.

Wang Xiaohua laughed:

"Sure, let's go eat a late-night snack."

So the two of them groped their way out of the living room, took the living room key, and went downstairs together.

The small county town at a little past one in the morning was quiet like a soundly sleeping infant.

Few figures on the highway; the shops on both sides of the street all had their rolling shutters closed.

Occasionally a motorcycle or vehicle passed by, the sound it made like the occasional snore of this small county town.

The two walked on the dim street.

Wang Xiaohua had both hands shoved in his trouser pockets, trying hard not to let his hands appear too restless.

Gu Wenqing looked at the night scenery of this small county town, a smile appearing on her face.

"This small county town, really not bad, suitable for living."

Wang Xiaohua asked:

"How did you know I wasn't asleep?"

Gu Wenqing smiled and said:

"I didn't know. I couldn't sleep myself, heard sounds coming from the toilet outside, thought you probably couldn't sleep either, so I came out to take a look — didn't expect it really was you."

Wang Xiaohua asked again:

"Why can't you sleep? Is it because you're not used to the new environment?"

Gu Wenqing smiled and denied it:

"No. Your second brother's house, I think it's quite good. It's just that my mind was full of wild thoughts."

"Wild thoughts?" Wang Xiaohua froze, as if struck.

Because he was exactly the one who suffered insomnia due to wild thoughts.

Gu Wenqing then explained:

"After I finished dinner in the evening, I started constructing a story outline in my head. As a result, once I started constructing, it got out of control — all kinds of ideas popped up, the more I thought the more alert I became, and then I couldn't sleep."

Hearing this, Wang Xiaohua's face showed a complex smile:

"So it was that kind of wild thoughts."

"What else?" Gu Wenqing's face carried a smile; under the moonlight her features had a tranquil, elegant beauty. "Classmate Wang Xiaohua, I feel that if this story is written, it'll definitely be a huge hit!"

Wang Xiaohua had thought Gu Wenqing's wild thoughts were the same kind as his.

But they weren't the same type of wild thoughts, and instead he felt happy for Gu Wenqing.

That kind of negative emotion — to tell the truth — really makes one feel terrible.

Ever since Li Jianjia passed away, Wang Xiaohua had actually been struggling against this kind of negative emotion all along; it's just that he never easily told anyone. He always used the strongest exterior, the calmest emotions, to suppress the surging torrent in his heart.

"What about you? Why can't you sleep?"

Gu Wenqing at this moment asked Wang Xiaohua this one sentence.

"Nothing, just can't sleep..."

The bitter smile on Wang Xiaohua's face was clearly insincere.

Gu Wenqing didn't press further, but said:

"There's a da paidang up ahead. Let's sit down and eat and chat! This meal's on me!"

Wang Xiaohua hurriedly said:

"How can that do? You're a guest from afar; it should be me treating!"

But Gu Wenqing said:

"This treat of mine isn't for free."

Wang Xiaohua froze: "Oh? What do you mean?"

Gu Wenqing said: "I'll pay for the drinks, you provide the story."

Wang Xiaohua froze again, then smiled knowingly:

"Deal!"

So the two sat down at the outdoor tables of the da paidang, ordered little lobsters, barbecue, congee, rice noodles, and half a dozen beers, eating and chatting as they went.

Gu Wenqing wasn't in a hurry to ask either, just chatting idly back and forth.

After Wang Xiaohua drank a few bottles of beer, his heart finally opened up.

He spoke his true inner thoughts, telling Gu Wenqing that actually ever since Li Jianjia left, he had been living in self-blame and guilt, always unable to help wondering, if things had been different back then, would the outcome have been different.

Gu Wenqing downed a cup of beer, wiped her mouth:

"Actually the one who most deserves to die is me, I shouldn't have made that phone call."

Gu Wenqing looked at Wang Xiaohua, her eyes full of remorse.

Actually a large part of the reason for all her help to Wang Xiaohua stemmed from this very remorse.

If she hadn't made that phone call to Wang Xiaohua back then, if she hadn't said those words blaming Wang Xiaohua for marrying too early on the phone, perhaps Li Jianjia would never have leaped from the high building.

"Xiao Hua, I'm sorry."

Gu Wenqing said sorry to Wang Xiaohua.

Actually she had apologized to Wang Xiaohua long ago.

But tonight, she still wanted to apologize once more.

Wang Xiaohua smiled bitterly and waved his hand:

"It's all in the past, saying these things is useless now. Actually it's not your fault, given Jianjia's state at the time, even without your phone call, she probably wouldn't have lasted much longer. It's all my fault, for failing to give her timely care and help."

Gu Wenqing just said:

"Xiao Hua, you must pull yourself out, you can't stay trapped in there forever, after all a lifetime is still very long."

Wang Xiaohua smiled and said:

"Got it, I'll regulate my own emotions myself."

The two ate and chatted.

Besides talking about Li Jianjia's matter, they also talked about many other things.

Chatting on and off, until past three in the morning, only then did the two go back.

The next morning, Wang Xiaohua and Gu Wenqing both woke up very late.

When they got up, they discovered Wang Erhai and Zhang Yueran had both gone to work, and on the dining table Wang Erhai left a note: "Breakfast is keeping warm in the electric rice cooker, there's milk in the refrigerator, heat it in the microwave and you can drink it."

Wang Xiaohua went to get the breakfast, ate breakfast together with Gu Wenqing, then returned to Shangou Village hometown.

When setting out, Wang Xiaohua sent a message to Wang Erhai.

After receiving the message, Wang Erhai called him back:

"Third Brother, when you go back, help me check on my farm. My farm is now being looked after by Zhou Zhihao, you check how well he's managing it."

Wang Erhai didn't greet Zhou Zhihao, instead having Wang Xiaohua go back for a surprise inspection, because only this way could the truest results be seen.

Wang Xiaohua then said:

"Okay Second Brother, then I'll go back and check for you."