branch plum blossom

Chapter 51
"Alas, alas, alas..."

Watching Ma Yifang's disappearing back, Qin Yulan stood blankly for a while, and then couldn't help shaking her head and sighing after returning to the house.

"Mom, what's wrong with you?"

Baimei looked at Qin Yulan suspiciously.

"She got sick some time ago, I'm afraid it won't be long, she's afraid she won't be able to see Bai Yuan"

Qin Yulan sighed softly again.

"What? No wonder. I saw that she was very thin. I thought she was sick because she was old. Why didn't she say it earlier?"

Baimei frowned, sighing endlessly.

"By the way, Mom, you said she was sick, so you lied to her in the kitchen in the morning that she looked strong."

Baimei suddenly remembered something, and looked at Qin Yulan strangely.

"Why are you looking at me like that? I accidentally found out about her illness. It's not that you don't know her temper. She doesn't like to deal with people all her life, and she doesn't like to publicize her things. I was working on the slope that day. When I accidentally heard Bai Xinyou and Huo Xiulian talking, I realized that she was seriously ill, and she didn't let Bai Xinyou and the others talk about it."

Qin Yulan was very uncomfortable being stared at by Baimei, so she explained, paused, and then said in a low voice, "Maybe, she feels shameless."

"Is she really seriously ill? But, I don't think she looks abnormal except for losing weight. Mom, did you hear wrong?"

Baimei frowned, replaying the scene of Ma Yifang at their home frame by frame in her mind, trying hard to find clues that she was seriously ill, but to no avail.

"That's right, absolutely right. Alas, this child Bai Yuan, who is older than the New Year, will not come back to spend the New Year with her grandma. If her grandma really leaves, I don't think it's strange that she doesn't regret it. Alas, Third Aunt this life"

Qin Yulan nodded affirmatively at first, then shook her head helplessly, and hesitated to speak.

"Mom, what happened to the third wife all her life? What have you heard? Come on, tell me."

As soon as Baimei heard Qin Yulan's tone, she felt that there was a story, and hurriedly asked Qin Yulan to tell it.

"Oh, the children of the family, what a heavy heart, how can there be any story."

Qin Yulan lightly knocked on Baimei's forehead, then walked away with a smile.

"Mom, I'm not young anymore. Come on, tell me quickly. By the way, our school has assigned homework and asked me to do a reportage. I plan to write about our village."

Baimei chased Qin Yulan and kept pestering her.But Qin Yulan never opened her mouth. Later, Baimei had an idea and wanted to use her homework as a stepping stone.

"What? What is reportage?"

Qin Yulan was really fooled, she looked at Baimei seriously and asked.

"According to Mr. Mao Dun's explanation, reportage is a kind of prose. Between news reports and novels, truth is required, using literary language and various artistic techniques, through vivid plots and typical details, quickly and timely In fact, my understanding is that it is a bit like a newsletter, which is a long-form newsletter that describes very vividly. In addition, reportage should fully describe the environment and characters. The description makes the readers have an immersive feeling when reading, so as to understand the thoughts the author wants to express. Generally, the reportage I read is a detailed report on the things in real life, which attracts attention.”

When Baimei saw Qin Yulan's eyes, she couldn't help but answer her seriously.

"Contradictory? Is it a person's name? What do you mean when you say so much? Your homework is to write a report?"

Qin Yulan blinked and asked half-understanding.

"I forgot, you don't understand"

Baimei looked at Qin Yulan, was stunned for two seconds, then patted her head suddenly, as if she suddenly realized.

"Mom, it's like this. Let me tell you simply that reportage reflects people's real life. If it can be published, it will attract attention just like news reports. If some people appearing in reportage need help , someone might come to help.”

The more Baimei talked, the more excited she became, as if she had completed a [-]-word reportage and was recognized by Professor Yang, published and attracted attention.
"Ahem, mom, what I'm saying is that if it can be published, it will be useful. After all, I'm just a freshman, so I don't know if I can write it well."

Baimei came back to her senses, calmed down for a while, and stopped making cakes for Qin Yulan and herself.

"It's okay, write first, you haven't written it yet, how do you know it won't work?"

Qin Yulan didn't go to school very much, and she didn't understand those big theories, but she believed in Baimei and her eldest daughter.

"Well, that's what I thought too."

Baimei nodded and continued, "I just heard you talk about the third wife. I want to write about our old man in Baijiagou."

"We have a lot of old people in Baijiagou. Do we have to write every one of them? That might be a little troublesome."

Qin Yulan looked at Baimei worriedly.

"Mom, you don't need to worry about this. I have my own plans. You should tell me about the third wife first."

Baimei turned around and returned to Ma Yifang. Judging from the bits and pieces she heard when she was a child, Ma Yifang must be an old lady who hides the stories of the years.

"You want to write about her?"

Qin Yulan looked at Baimei warily.

"Yes, otherwise why would I pester you to tell you about her?"

Baimei giggled.

Qin Yulan was a little embarrassed, then pulled Baimei back to the room, and leisurely explained what she knew about Ma Yifang.

Just when Baimei was listening with gusto, the phone rang, and it was Baiyuan.

"Baimei, are you home yet?"

"Of course I'm home. I've been home for a few days. How are you?"

Baimei lowered her voice, got up and went to the dam, avoiding Qin Yulan.

"I'm okay"

Bai Yuan smiled reluctantly, her voice was full of disappointment.

"What are you doing now? Where's Zhu Tian?"

Bai Mei asked eagerly, she knew Bai Yuan too well, if she wasn't too sad, her voice wouldn't be so tired.

"I'm watching TV in the hotel. I'm bored. I kind of miss our Baijiagou, and I miss you too, so I'll call you and talk."

Bai Yuan said softly, Baimei could tell that she was trying to suppress her emotions.

"Come back if you're homesick, your grandma...she misses you too."

Baimei covered her mouth and almost told Baiyuan about Ma Yifang's illness.

There was no sound on the other end of the phone, only a low "hmm".

"By the way, where's Zhu Tian? He didn't accompany you? By the way, why do you live in a hotel? Doesn't his family live in a big villa? You still need a room?"

Baimei could clearly guess the answer, but she still couldn't help asking these questions.

There was no sound on the phone for a long time.

"Bai Yuan, why don't you come back, it's a lively Chinese New Year at home, and your grandma came to our house this morning, asking when you'll be back."

Baimei knew that she might have sprinkled salt on Baiyuan's wound, so she softly persuaded her to come back.

"Baimei, can you lend me some money? I. The little money I saved is almost spent. Didn't I tell my grandma that I am working in winter vacation? I want to buy her some gifts to go back. But I only have money to buy. Money for the train ticket."

After a long time, Bai Yuan said softly.

"Okay, no problem, I saved hundreds of dollars last semester, and I will give it all to you."

Baimei agreed to Baiyuan without saying a word, and didn't ask her where she spent all the money she had saved.

(End of this chapter)