Go back to the past to plant trees

"Wu Yansheng, what do you want to talk to me about?"

As soon as Qin Xuemei and Wu Yansheng stepped out of the camp, they couldn't help but ask.

Wu Yansheng turned to look at her and said, "I'm leaving, leaving Saihanba! I'm going back to Beijing."

"Back to Beijing?"

Qin Xuemei looked surprised. "How could this happen so suddenly? Is it because the trees you planted didn't survive?"

Wu Yansheng said, "No, my father is in poor health. He developed this illness during the War of Resistance Against Japan. Last month, my mother wrote to say that he was hospitalized. I was a little worried about him. I had wanted to go back a long time ago, but I was worried about the trees I planted, so I put it off until now."

"The trees didn't survive, and although I'm disappointed, I feel relieved. I should go back now."

Looking at Wu Yansheng's relaxed expression, Qin Xuemei suddenly didn't know what to say. Should she let him stay? His father wasn't feeling well and wanted to go back home, closer to home. Besides, Wu Yansheng and Feng Cheng didn't get along, and if he stayed, the two were likely to have conflicts. Last night, Da Kui even said he wanted to beat up Yan Xiangli. If Wu Yansheng stayed, wouldn't something like that happen one day? Qin Xuemei couldn't be sure.

"If you go back now, will any organization accept you?"

Wu Yansheng said casually, "Let's go back first. Once we're back in Beijing, we'll ask our families to help us find a job. We'll be able to find one eventually."

"Xuemei, come with me! The trees in Saihanba have already survived, and Feng Cheng is overseeing the nursery. We don't need you anymore. You can come back to Beijing with me."

Upon hearing this, Qin Xuemei shook her head without hesitation. "I won't go back. I've only been in Saihanba for two months and haven't achieved anything yet. I won't go back now. I made up my mind to build Saihanba before I came here. It hasn't even started yet, how can I back down?"

Wu Yansheng said, “But what use are you here? Saihanba has already found a way to make trees grow. The next step is to plant trees step by step. You are a college student. Your knowledge should be of greater use. There are countless places across the country that are still struggling to find ways to make trees grow. They need your knowledge more than they do. You should help them find ways to make trees grow and improve the local environment, instead of wasting your time here, digging holes and planting trees. You are wasting your knowledge and time.”

Qin Xuemei continued to shake her head, "I don't think this is a waste. Feng Cheng said that we just graduated from school and only learned book knowledge. We don't know anything about practical application. How to plant trees, how to build a forest farm, how to apply our knowledge, I don't know any of these. What I need now is to participate in the construction of the Saihanba Mechanical Forest Farm and combine the knowledge we learned from school with practice. Only in this way can we integrate what we have learned."

"Feng Cheng, it's Feng Cheng again," Wu Yansheng couldn't help but get angry when he heard Feng Cheng's words. "Is what Feng Cheng said right? He's just a forestry major. Does he know anything about planting trees and afforestation? He's only read two books and he was lucky that the trees he planted here survived. Does he understand large-scale afforestation? Does he understand scientific afforestation?"

“Wu Yansheng, Feng Cheng is a forestry major, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know how to plant trees and afforest. Nobody is born knowing everything. We all learn, don’t we? You only studied for four years in college. If you can learn it, why can’t others?”

Qin Xuemei was also very angry. She couldn't understand why Wu Yansheng looked down on Feng Cheng so much. Feng Cheng's achievements were obvious to all. Would denying them make a difference? Shouldn't seeing someone else's achievements motivate one to work harder to improve oneself?

Qin Xuemei was disappointed in Wu Yansheng, who never looked for problems within himself and only picked on other people's faults.

"You don't want to leave Saihanba because of Feng Cheng, right?" Wu Yansheng's anger surged as he was provoked by Qin Xuemei's words.

Qin Xuemei firmly stated, "No, my purpose in signing up to come to Saihanba is to build this place. My decision will not change because of anyone, not you, not Feng Cheng, not anyone else."

"I knew it was because of Feng Cheng that you fell for him. That scumbag. I could tell he had ill intentions towards you the moment we got to the dam. He's always hiding in the shadows trying to sow discord. What a despicable person."

Wu Yansheng was getting angry, but the more he acted this way, the more disappointed Qin Xuemei became in him.

“Wu Yansheng, we are college students, the pillars of the nation. The country has spent so much money and resources to cultivate us so that we can build our country after graduation. You are always worrying about such a small thing as your feelings. Really, you have disappointed me.”

After saying this, Qin Xuemei was about to leave, but as she turned around, she seemed to remember something and turned back to say, "Wu Yansheng, you keep saying you like me, but you're having an ambiguous relationship with Shen Mengyin. It's hard for me to believe that you really like me."

"Also, Shen Mengyin is a very good person. Don't hurt her feelings. That's all I have to say. Take care of yourself."

After Qin Xuemei finished speaking, she left. Wu Yansheng watched Qin Xuemei's departing figure and couldn't help but kick the sand twice.

"Damn it, damn it."

"Feng Cheng, you scoundrel, you stole my girlfriend! One day I'll make you pay! Just you wait!"

Wu Yansheng roared in frustration. After Qin Xuemei returned to the camp, several girls looked over nervously.

"Xuemei, what did Wu Yansheng say to you?"

As soon as Meng Yue saw Qin Xuemei return, she couldn't help but ask.

Qin Xuemei took a deep breath and said, "Wu Yansheng is leaving Saihanba to go back to Beijing, and he wants me to go back with him."

Upon hearing Qin Xuemei's words, Shen Mengyin's face turned pale instantly, and a wave of pain surged into her heart.

"So...did you agree?" Shen Mengyin asked.

Qin Xuemei shook her head: "I volunteered to come to Saihanba. My ambition is to build Saihanba well. I will not leave here until Saihanba is built well."

Upon hearing this, Shen Mengyin felt a surge of hope, but Qin Xuemei's next words shattered her spirits once again.

“Shen Mengyin, I think you shouldn’t have too high expectations. I can’t really comment on Wu Yansheng. After all, he’s been pursuing me for so many years, but he’s really not right for you. You two won’t end up together.”

"I…"

"He's going back to Beijing soon. You two haven't officially started dating yet, and you're in a long-distance relationship. Are you sure you want to wait for him?"

Ji Xiurong also said, "Shen Mengyin, I think Qin Xuemei is right. He still cares about Xuemei. Of course, I'm not saying it's Xuemei's fault. I'm saying that Wu Yansheng never considered you. Otherwise, he wouldn't have refused to commit to a relationship with you. He didn't even discuss such an important matter as returning to Beijing with you. Instead, he told Xuemei. That already speaks volumes."

Shen Mengyin bit her lip. She knew this all along; she had been aware of it for a long time. But she also knew that if she wanted to leave Saihanba, she could only choose Wu Yansheng, because only he could take her away from here.