The Sweetness of the Seventies
Chapter 188: Appointment, "Achieve Great Merits" (1180+) _1

Chapter 188: Chapter 188: Appointment, "Achieve Great Merits" (1180+) _1

Because Huo Yingjie had to catch the six o’clock train the next day, He Tiantian got up at four in the morning to make pancakes for him to eat on the road. Since it wasn’t very far, preparing just one meal would suffice.

Heading out with dumplings and coming back with noodles.

He Tiantian boiled dumplings to see Huo Yingjie off. She made a bit too many and ended up eating some herself. Huo Yingjie, eating the plump dumplings, felt that each little dumpling was as adorable as He Tiantian.

White, tender, and aromatic.

After their meal, He Tiantian, holding the parcel she had prepared in advance, said, "Brother Yingjie, this is the lunch I’ve prepared for you, please take it with you."

"Alright," Huo Yingjie said unceremoniously, taking it in his hand.

Huo Yingjie, holding He Tiantian’s hand with his other, stepped out the door with her. Since they didn’t have much to carry, they chose to walk. Moreover, it was dark, and cycling would be unsafe.

Anyway, it was still early, so they wouldn’t be late even if they walked.

Along the way, Huo Yingjie’s warm large hand constantly held He Tiantian’s slightly cold small hand, walking by the roadside.

Even though they didn’t speak, the emotions between them were quietly changing at this moment. It was like fermenting rice wine, becoming more mellow with the passage of time.

When they arrived at the train station, He Tiantian wanted to buy a platform ticket to send Huo Yingjie off.

Huo Yingjie stopped her and said, "Don’t go any further in, seeing you makes me fear I won’t be able to leave."

He Tiantian chuckled and replied, "Me too, I might just hold you and not let you go."

"The train is at six, and it’s still a bit dark outside. Wait until I’m inside before you leave," instructed Huo Yingjie. "But whenever it is, you must take good care of yourself. I will strive to make significant achievements at the research institute early so I can visit you in Qijia Village."

He Tiantian’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she asked, "Really? You can come to see me?"

"Yes, I have annual leave, and if I make a significant achievement, there will be rewards," said Huo Yingjie, pinching He Tiantian’s face, reluctant to let go of the smooth touch.

A significant achievement, huh?

As if that was so easy!

He Tiantian did not wish for Huo Yingjie to overexert himself and said, "Brother Yingjie, don’t force yourself, and certainly don’t ruin your health. Being able to see each other makes me so happy, but even if we can’t meet, I won’t be sad. ’If love persists through time, then does it truly matter to be together every single moment?’ Having each other in our hearts is more important than anything."

Huo Yingjie couldn’t help but smile, Sweet Treasure was worried about him!

But in fact, he indeed had many research achievements, any one of which would suffice for significant recognition. Such an endeavor might be difficult for others, but not for him!

"I will take it as I can, don’t worry," Huo Yingjie reassured her, holding He Tiantian’s head and planting several kisses on her forehead and face.

As for those rosy lips, Huo Yingjie also wanted to kiss them, but he feared that after doing so, he wouldn’t be able to leave.

Besides, although the spot was somewhat secluded, it was still a train station with people coming and going; he did not want him and He Tiantian to become the subject of public gossip.

As Huo Yingjie and He Tiantian were exchanging sweet goodbyes, two women not far away spotted Huo Yingjie and He Tiantian.

The two whispered among themselves, mumbling and chuckling with disdain from time to time. It was broad daylight, and they were behaving like hooligans.

These two were none other than Wang Bing and Feng Qiaoqiao. Their arrivals were by the same train, and so were their departures. However, this time they were in sleeper berths, and due to buying different tickets, Huo Yingjie had no need to face those two people.

Tickets had already been checked, and Huo Yingjie was the last to go; he could not stay any longer.

He Tiantian kept smiling sweetly, as if she was heartless, while Huo Yingjie looked back at her three times with every step he took.

Huo Yingjie constantly comforted himself in his mind, telling himself that as long as they survived the difficult year of ’72, the Huo Family would be safe. He had some capability and was determined to take He Tiantian away from that place before ’73.

It wasn’t until Huo Yingjie had gone inside, and He Tiantian could no longer see him, that she let the look of loneliness in her eyes show.

Listening to the sound of the departing train, He Tiantian could no longer hold back and shed tears. The train took away her lover, but it couldn’t take away her longing.

It was already bright outside as He Tiantian walked out of the train station, slowly making her way along the road.

Not long after leaving the station, she bumped into Liu Lingli.

"He Tiantian, are you here to buy a ticket?" Liu Lingli asked, as she too noticed He Tiantian.

There was a smile on her face, but Liu Lingli was very angry inside. She felt that He Tiantian was really going too far. She had only been joking with He Tiantian, but she didn’t expect to be deceived by her lies.

Though He Tiantian’s family had gone through some setbacks, they hadn’t encountered disaster, and their living conditions were still quite good.

It wasn’t like what He Tiantian had said, that they could no longer lift the lid off their cooking pot, nor were they making paper boxes at home. They were actually living well, even inviting the old men and old ladies of Qijia Village over for the New Year, yet He Tiantian cried all the time.

He Tiantian felt dejected, but perked up at the sight of Liu Lingli. Brother Yingjie wasn’t with her anymore; she had to rely on herself for what was to come and couldn’t show weakness in front of others.

"Sister Lingli, are you here to buy a ticket?" He Tiantian asked, "I didn’t get one. If you can get a ticket, please buy one for me. As for the money, I’ll pay you back when I have it."

When Liu Lingli heard He Tiantian say this, she quickly and quietly patted her pocket where she kept her money, an instinctive reaction. But thinking of how He Tiantian had become full of lies, she guessed the words were probably to scare her.

"He Tiantian, what’s the point? No matter what, we’re neighbors, and you know my family’s situation. If you have money, I wouldn’t borrow from you, so why do you always say things like this?" Liu Lingli also had a fierce side and, seeing that He Tiantian had said so much, didn’t hold back either.

He Tiantian just smiled and said, "It is quite pointless. It’s just that I heard some complaints when I brought you the cotton-padded clothes last time, behind your house. It made me feel quite uncomfortable."

Upon hearing this, Liu Lingli guessed that her words had been overheard by He Tiantian, her face burning with embarrassment. "Hehe, I was just joking, you can’t take it seriously. Anyway, I’ve got things to do, I should go."

The atmosphere grew awkward, and Liu Lingli found it hard to continue the conversation, so she made an excuse to leave—and of course, she wouldn’t buy a ticket for He Tiantian.

He Tiantian watched Liu Lingli’s retreating figure, puzzled. This Liu Lingli was very different from how she had behaved in her previous life. She had tested Liu Lingli over and over again, just to prove this point.

After all, He Tiantian hadn’t taken Liu Lingli’s words seriously before, and had brought her things as a way of returning a favor!

But at that time, He Tiantian didn’t know Liu Lingli well. With Liu Lingli’s character of not waking early if there was nothing in it for her, she obviously wasn’t a helpful person and wouldn’t tell her parents’ situation without getting some benefit.

But who would give Liu Lingli any benefits?

He Tiantian pondered for a moment, analyzing all the events of her previous life and finally remembered that Liu Lingli was from Hujia Village, just a few miles away from Qijia Village. The only person likely to give Liu Lingli benefits and wanting to use her, she figured, would probably be Qi Jianguo.