Meng Yan's Transformation

Chapter 649 Hibiscus Blossoms

Yunqing's movements froze in mid-air. The golden rays of the setting sun slanted in through the window cracks, illuminating her newly added silver strands and her suddenly unfocused pupils—where a silent tide surged. Beads of sweat dripped from her forehead, but she was oblivious, staring intently at the hibiscus tree that Zhan Yingying had planted in her childhood in the corner of the wall and courtyard. The wind blew, and the swaying shadows of the branches were cast on her face, like a distant, indistinct embrace. A bead of sweat suddenly fell into her palm, and in the ripples that spread out, her hesitant lips and slightly reddened eyes were reflected.

"Mom, do you miss my sister? Then write her a letter and ask her to come home. I miss my sister too. Come on, let's go see the hibiscus flowers."

As Zhan Mengyan spoke, she pulled Yunqing to the hibiscus tree in the courtyard.

"No, I didn't." Yunqing turned to face Zhan Mengyan, a slight smile curving her lips. "Your sister said the cannery over there is doing well, and she'll come back once she's saved enough money."

Zhan Mengyan paused, her hand stroking the hibiscus branch. She remembered the letter she received from her sister last week. Her sister's handwriting was crooked and messy. Her sister said that she had to stand for 12 hours a day at the factory, and her fingers were cut by the sheet metal. But she said: It doesn't hurt. I'll buy Mengyan candy when I get home.

“Mom, look at this tree.” Zhan Mengyan took Yunqing’s hand and pointed to the blooming flowers on the hibiscus branches. “When my sister left, this tree was just sprouting buds, but now it’s blooming. My sister must miss us too.”

Yunqing's fingers gently brushed across the flower branches, as if touching a fragile dream. Suddenly, she shook her head, the silver strands in her hair shimmering in the setting sun: "Your sister has her own path to walk, I cannot..."

"What can't you do?" Zhan Mengyan stamped her feet anxiously. "My sister isn't eating or sleeping well outside, and you're just standing here staring at the tree? Mom, do you know what? I dreamt about my sister last week—she was wearing work clothes, her hair all messy, standing at the factory gate shouting 'Mom, I'm home,' but I couldn't catch up with her no matter what I did..."

Yunqing's tears finally fell, landing on the hibiscus leaves and splashing a few drops. She turned to leave. Zhan Mengyan grabbed her arm, saying, "Mom, please write to my sister. Just say... just say everything is fine at home, just say... just say I miss her too, and ask her to come home soon."

Yunqing's body stiffened, as if she had been burned. She slowly pulled away from Cheng Mengyan's hand, took out a handkerchief from her apron pocket, and wiped her eyes. "When your sister left, she said, 'Mom, don't cry, I'll be back soon.' But now..." She suddenly laughed, but her tears flowed even more. "Now I realize that waiting for someone to come back is harder than planting a tree."

Zhan Mengyan felt a lump in her throat. She saw her mother turn and walk towards the kitchen, her figure gradually blurring in the twilight, like a dandelion scattered by the wind. She looked up at the hibiscus tree stretching its branches and leaves in the twilight, its pink and white buds like strings of unopened letters. She suddenly understood that some waiting is longer than the hibiscus's flowering season.

"Xiao Mengyan, when did you get back? You've been on holiday for so many days, where have you been? And where did you get the money? To buy dumplings for the two of us?"

Zhan Zixun's voice broke Zhan Mengyan's thoughts.

Upon hearing the sound, Zhan Mengyan turned her head and saw Zhan Zixun and Zhang Xincheng approaching.

"Zixun! Zhang Xincheng! You two didn't wait for me?! I went to the exam hall to find you, wanting to surprise you, but you just left right there. I thought you had to go back to school to pack your things before going home!"