Rebirth 78, the beginning of the marriage was broken off by the female educated youth

“I know, I know,” Pang Weinong said through gritted teeth, his voice strained and choked with sobs, “Xiang Nan, I’m sorry… I… it’s not that I didn’t want to see you and Ruobai, it’s not that I didn’t want to see the child, it’s just that I…”

He suddenly looked up, his face a mess, tears mingling with snowmelt, streaming down his weathered yet still handsome face. "Seeing how good you all are, seeing how lovely Xitang is... I'm afraid I won't be able to stop thinking, if only Dingxiang were still here... if we were together, our child..."

He couldn't continue speaking after that. He covered his face with his hands, letting out a wounded growl like a wild beast. His tall body hunched over in the cold wind, as if crushed by an invisible burden.

Li Xiangnan's eyes instantly reddened.

This tough man had long been crushed by the endless longing.

People say that tough guys have tender hearts, but who can truly understand the pain of the deceased?

He didn't try to persuade or pull him away; he simply reached out and patted Pang Weinong's violently trembling back repeatedly.

Sometimes, male friendships don't need many words.

After a while, Pang Weinong's emotions calmed down a little, but he still couldn't stop crying.

He wiped his face, forcing a look that was worse than crying: "Xiang Nan, don't blame me... I just... I just can't get over this! I'm happy for you all, really, so happy... but when I think of myself, when I think of Ding Xiang, I just..."

"I understand, Wei Nong, I understand everything!"

Li Xiangnan said in a deep voice, looking into the distance: "I don't blame you. If it were me, I might be in a worse state than you!"

He took out a cigarette, lit one for his friend, and continued, "People can't live in the past forever, everyone can say that. But that's easy for someone who's not in the same boat. Some wounds are etched into our bones, and they'll never truly heal!"

He looked at Pang Weinong and said, "I'm not advising you to forget Dingxiang, nor am I advising you to start a new life right away. That would be disrespectful to your relationship!"

Pang Weinong stared blankly at his brother.

Li Xiangnan looked directly into those red eyes and said sincerely, "But I hope that you can live well for Dingxiang's sake and for your own! Dingxiang is such a good girl, she certainly wouldn't want you to become like this! She hopes that you can live well, with flesh and blood, carrying your thoughts of her! Instead of trapping yourself in this snowy field, trapped in endless regret and longing for her, slowly withering away!"

"The Lilac Factory is a monument you erected for her! It's also a light you lit for all the women like her who may have suffered misfortune due to poor sanitation! You must watch this light shine in the darkness, the brighter the better! This is your responsibility, and also... another continuation of Lilac Girl's life!"

Upon hearing this, Pang Weinong's tears broke free of their dam and flowed freely once again.

But this time, the deathly stillness and despair in those eyes seemed to have been pried open by these words, letting in a faint glimmer of light.

"I know...I know!" He nodded forcefully, his voice still choked with emotion, but with a newfound strength. "The factory's permit has been issued. Youwei told me that I...I will do my best!"

"That's good!" Li Xiangnan patted his shoulder. "As for whether you come to see Xitang or when, it's up to you! You will always be her dear Uncle Pang, and that will never change! She will always be waiting for you!"

Suddenly, Pang Weinong remembered something, turned around abruptly, and ran towards the hospital dormitory area at the foot of the hill, shouting, "No... wait for me, you must wait for me!"

Li Xiangnan watched his staggering figure as he ran away, but did not leave; he waited in the same spot.

Before long, Pang Weinong ran back, clutching a cloth bag tightly in his hand, panting heavily.

He stuffed the cloth bag into Li Xiangnan's hand, his face still streaked with tears, but he forced a smile.

"Here, for Xitang. I've prepared it for a long time, but I... haven't dared to go!"

Li Xiangnan opened the cloth bag.

Inside was a soft, off-white knitted sweater with fine, even stitches, clearly showing that a lot of care had been put into its construction.

There was also a pair of exquisite silver ornaments strung on silver chains, adorned with lilac blossoms, the petals rendered in exquisite detail, lively and charming.

“Every winter when Dingxiang lived in Lijia Village, she would go to the brigade headquarters to buy yarn to knit sweaters. She taught me… I learned a few more tricks from Sister Zheng at the hospital. I knitted and unraveled, unraveled and knitted, and it was not easy to finish this! Yin Dingxiang, I learned to knit this by following my father’s technique…”

Pang Weinong rubbed his hands awkwardly, his eyes filled with anticipation and trepidation: "I don't know if Xitang will like it..."

Looking at these two gifts, which embodied countless sleepless nights and deep emotions of Pang Weinong, Li Xiangnan felt a tightness in his throat and a stinging sensation in his nose. He nodded vigorously, "Xitang will definitely like them. These are the most thoughtful gifts she has ever received!"

He carefully wrapped the gift and looked at Pang Weinong: "Weinong, come on, come home with me. Xitang hasn't met her Uncle Pang yet, and my mom and Ruobai have been talking about you!"

Looking into Li Xiangnan's sincere eyes, and then at the lilac seedlings sleeping under the snow on the hillside, Pang Weinong finally nodded heavily. The thick ice shell in his eyes seemed to crack even more at this moment.

"Okay, I...I'll go with you!"

The afterglow of the setting sun cast long shadows of the two people onto the snow-white hillside.

One moved forward with determination, while the other, though hesitant, finally caught up.

On the hillside, the wooden sign for Love Slope stands silently in the cold wind, guarding the hope sleeping underground, and witnessing a deep and resilient friendship that transcends life and death.

What should have been a ten-minute walk felt like an eternity to Pang Weinong.

He followed behind Li Xiangnan, clutching the cloth bag tightly in his hand, his knuckles turning white from gripping it.

The closer he got to the familiar alleyway of the Li family, the more rapid his breathing became, and the more unfocused his eyes became. Several times he had the urge to jump off the motorcycle.

Li Xiangnan noticed his nervousness and didn't urge him on. Instead, he occasionally slowed down and chatted with him about some changes along the roadside, trying to ease his anxiety.

Finally, we entered the courtyard house.

Dim light shone through the cracks in the door and windows, and the sounds of laughter and children's babbling could be faintly heard coming from inside.

The voice was like a soft feather, gently scraping against Pang Weinong's wounded heart, bringing an indescribable bitterness and a faint but real longing.

Li Xiangnan led him into the courtyard and called out to his home, "Mom, Ruobai, look who's here!"