“Who’s there?”
Yun Qian’s deep and vigilant voice came from inside the cowshed. It echoed through the cramped space, carrying a trace of tension and unease.
Recognizing her father’s voice, Yun Yixuan quickly lowered her own and tried to sound as relaxed as possible.
“Dad, it’s me, Yixuan.”
The moment Yun Qian heard his daughter’s voice, his anxious heart finally settled. He hurried to the entrance and, with trembling hands, carefully opened the battered wooden door that looked ready to collapse at any moment.
The hinges let out a harsh creak that sounded especially loud in the stillness of the night.
He quickly pulled Yun Yixuan inside and slowly closed the door behind her. He even used his body to block the gaps in the door, afraid that even the faintest glimmer of light might escape.
Lowering his voice, he spoke with both worry and reproach.
“Why did you come here so late? It’s pitch-black outside. How dangerous is it for you to wander around alone at this hour?”
Hearing the concern in her father’s voice filled Yun Yixuan’s heart with warmth, like sunlight shining upon her in the middle of winter.
Ever since coming to this era, she had experienced far too much hardship and loneliness. It had been a long time since anyone had spoken to her with such genuine warmth and concern.
From the innermost part of the cowshed, Yun’s mother also made her way over, feeling her way through the darkness with the help of the faint light.
As she approached, she complained, “You child, you’re still as disobedient as ever. Why would you come out when it’s so dark? Your father and I are doing fine. You don’t need to worry about us.”
Her voice was thick with emotion. She clearly felt both distressed for her daughter and helpless about her stubbornness.
Yun Yixuan’s lips curved into a bright smile as she reassured them.
“Don’t worry about me. I’m already grown up. I know how to be careful. Nothing will happen.”
As she spoke, she handed the bag she was carrying to her mother.
“Mom, I sold some medicinal herbs in town today and made some money, so I bought some food for you and Dad. You have to eat it, okay? Don’t try to save everything.”
At this point, she looked especially proud, her eyes sparkling as though she were showing off an incredible accomplishment.
“I can earn enough money to support myself now, and I can take care of you two as well!”
“You child. You should keep these things for yourself. Your father and I have enough to eat.”
Yun’s mother accepted the bag but gently pushed Yun Yixuan’s hand away in disapproval.
Looking at the pastries, meat buns, and candies inside, her eyes were filled with both pride and heartache. She was happy that her daughter had become so capable, yet distressed at the thought of how hard she must have worked to obtain all these things.
“Oh, Mom, I still have plenty for myself. Just eat them without worrying. Dad, Mom, I can’t stay too long. If someone discovers me here, there’ll be trouble. I’ll come visit you again in a few days.”
As Yun Yixuan spoke, she had already opened the door.
Just as she was about to leave, however, she turned back and reminded them once more.
“Remember to eat everything. Don’t be reluctant to. Your health is more important.”
“We know. But don’t bring anything next time. Your father and I really have enough food,” Yun’s mother continued to remind her.
She knew perfectly well that in an era when supplies were so scarce, her daughter must have gone through considerable trouble to obtain these things.
Standing nearby, Yun Qian sighed helplessly, his voice filled with self-blame.
“We’re already this old, yet we’ve become a burden to our daughter.”
Yun Yixuan’s eyes reddened slightly. Holding back her tears, she waved goodbye to her parents before turning around and quickly walking away.
Under the darkness of the night, her figure appeared somewhat thin and fragile, yet there was an undeniable strength in every step she took.
Her parents remained silently at the doorway, watching Yun Yixuan’s figure gradually disappear into the darkness.
Only then did they slowly close the drafty wooden door.
The moment it shut, darkness once again enveloped the cowshed.
Yet their hearts remained warm because of their daughter’s visit.
The moonlight was cold and clear as it spilled across the country path.
The surroundings were so quiet that the silence almost felt oppressive. The occasional chirping of insects only made the night seem even more still.
Li Meiling pulled her somewhat thin cotton-padded coat tightly around herself and paced anxiously back and forth. Her eyes remained fixed on the direction of the cowshed, filled with worry for Yun Yixuan.
She knew that the people living in the cowshed were those who had supposedly committed mistakes and had been sent down for reform through labor.
How could Yun Yixuan possibly be connected to them?
Her heart was filled with unease. She silently prayed that no one else would discover what Yun Yixuan was doing.
If Yun Yixuan became implicated because of her connection to the people in the cowshed, the consequences could be disastrous.
Cold gusts of wind swept past, making the dry grass along the roadside rustle.
Li Meiling shivered and rubbed her freezing red hands together. Every now and then, she stood on tiptoe and peered anxiously into the distance.
Just when she was becoming unbearably worried, a dark figure appeared beneath the hazy moonlight, cautiously making its way toward her.
As the figure drew closer, Li Meiling finally recognized Yun Yixuan.
Her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled, and she let out a long sigh of relief.
“Let’s go. It’s already completely dark.”
Yun Yixuan walked over to Li Meiling and smiled.
Even beneath the darkness of the night, her smile remained warm, though a faint trace of exhaustion was hidden deep within her eyes.
Li Meiling opened her mouth, wanting to ask something, but ultimately swallowed the words.
Yun Yixuan also remained silent, understanding that her friend had questions but wasn’t going to ask them.
The two walked side by side toward the educated youth compound.
Along the way, the only sounds were their footsteps and the occasional crack of a dry branch snapping beneath their feet.
Neither of them broke the silence.
By the time they returned to the educated youth compound, the entire courtyard was dark. The other educated youths had already climbed into bed.
Under the dim moonlight, the few dilapidated houses appeared especially quiet, without even a trace of light coming from the windows.
Yun Yixuan and Li Meiling quietly entered their room, moving as carefully as possible to avoid making any noise and waking the others.
The room was filled with a damp, musty smell.
After briefly tidying themselves up, the two eagerly crawled beneath their freezing quilts.
They had spent the entire day outside and were both exhausted and chilled to the bone. Although the bedding was still cold, at least it offered them a small measure of warmth and comfort.
Yun Yixuan lay on the bed and stared at the old, worn beams above her.
Her thoughts drifted back to the cowshed and the increasingly haggard faces of her parents.
Her heart filled with bitterness and helplessness.
She silently made a promise to herself.
She had to find a way to change their circumstances as quickly as possible and give her parents a comfortable life.
Li Meiling lay nearby, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.
She was extremely curious about Yun Yixuan’s connection to the cowshed, but she also understood that there were some things she shouldn’t ask about.
And so, on that cold and silent night, the two women gradually drifted into sleep with their own worries and uncertainties weighing on their minds.
Perhaps, in their dreams, they both carried hopes for a brighter and happier future.
Back at the cowshed, a dim yellow light illuminated the dilapidated room.
Ever since Yun Yixuan had left, the entire cowshed had fallen into an oppressive silence. Only the occasional howl of the wind outside broke the heavy stillness.
Yun’s mother continued staring in the direction her daughter had disappeared, unable to look away for a long time.
Only after that familiar figure had completely vanished into the darkness did she finally come back to her senses.
With trembling hands, she opened the bag Yun Yixuan had left behind.
The moment she saw the food inside, her hands suddenly froze and her breathing quickened.
The brightly colored wrappers of the fruit candies stood out beneath the dim light. The milk candies carried a faint milky fragrance, a familiar scent that her children had loved when they were young.
Peach crisps and mung bean cakes were neatly arranged inside, their wrappers seemingly still carrying the lingering warmth of her daughter’s hands.
Yun’s mother’s vision gradually blurred.
Unable to control herself any longer, tears spilled from her eyes, one after another, falling into the bag.
She had never imagined that even during such difficult times, her daughter would still think of buying these rare treats for them.
“Yixuan has really gone through so much for us.”
Yun’s mother choked back a sob, her voice filled with heartache and guilt.
She remembered how her daughter had always smiled brightly as a child, no matter how difficult life became.
But now, because of them, that same daughter had to work tirelessly and endure hardship.
Yun Qian sat nearby, watching his wife cry, and his heart ached as though it were being pierced by needles.
He slowly moved closer to her and reached out with his rough, cracked hand, gently patting her back in an attempt to comfort her.
“Don’t worry too much. Yixuan has grown up and become sensible. We can’t let the child keep worrying about us.”
Yun Qian’s voice was hoarse, carrying the weariness and helplessness brought by years of hardship.
He knew how difficult life was for his daughter outside.
Yet he was trapped here, unable to do anything to help her.