Colorful years

Congcong walked along a path, and the sound of birds chirping could be heard.

After walking for a long time, Congcong arrived at a small wooden house.

He pushed open the door and went inside. The room was simply furnished, but clean and tidy. On a wooden table sat a thick book and an oil lamp.

Congcong walked to the table, picked up a book, and began to read. It was Goethe's famous work, "The Sorrows of Young Werther."

Just then, Yin Meijuan reappeared in his sight. She walked in carrying a bowl of steaming hot herbal soup. "Congcong, are you tired from reading? Here, drink this bowl of herbal soup to nourish your body."

Congcong looked at Yin Meijuan in surprise: "Sister Meijuan, what are you doing here? Is this medicine for me?"

Yin Meijuan smiled and nodded: "Yes, this is a medicinal soup I specially made for you. You study so hard, you must take good care of your health."

A warm feeling welled up in Congcong's heart, and he was moved to tears. He took the medicine and drank it all in one gulp. The medicine tasted sweet and had a faint fragrance.

After drinking the herbal soup, Congcong felt refreshed and full of energy, as if he had inexhaustible strength.

Yin Meijuan watched Congcong finish his medicine and nodded with satisfaction: "Congcong, study hard. I'm leaving now."

Watching Yin Meijuan's departing figure, Congcong was filled with gratitude and reluctance. He continued to bury himself in his studies, immersed in the romantic journey of young Werther in his pursuit of knowledge and love.

After some time, Congcong felt a little tired. He put down his book, intending to rest for a while. Just then, he heard a series of hurried footsteps.

Congcong looked up and saw several men dressed in black with fierce expressions burst in. They held sharp knives and glared menacingly at Congcong. "Kid, hand over your money, or don't blame us for being impolite!"

Congcong was startled when he saw this. He knew he had encountered robbers and had to find a way to escape.

So, forcing himself to remain calm, he said, "Brothers, I have no money. Please let me go."

However, the robbers didn't believe Congcong at all. They rushed forward, trying to grab Congcong.

Seeing this, Congcong took off running. He ran through the forest, crossed the stream, and ran for his life. However, the robbers were hot on his heels and were about to catch up with him.

Just then, Yin Meijuan reappeared in his sight. Holding a long sword, she stood defiantly in front of Congcong. "You bunch of villains, don't you dare harm Congcong!"

The robbers were surprised when they saw Yin Meijuan. They hadn't expected this frail woman to know martial arts. However, they quickly recovered and brandished their blades, slashing at Yin Meijuan.

Yin Meijuan moved with the lightness of a butterfly in flight. She wielded her sword to meet her enemies; the blade flashed like lightning, instantly felling several robbers to the ground. The robbers, terrified, fled in panic.

Looking at Yin Meijuan's brave and fearless figure, Congcong was filled with admiration and gratitude. He ran to Yin Meijuan's side and said, "Sister Meijuan, thank you for saving me."

Yin Meijuan smiled and said, "Congcong, you don't need to thank me. It's what I should do."

Looking into Yin Meijuan's gentle, watery eyes, Congcong felt an indescribable emotion welling up inside him. He wanted to tell Yin Meijuan how he felt, but he didn't know how to begin.

Just then, Yin Meijuan suddenly said, "Congcong, actually I've always liked you. Your intelligence, courage, and kindness deeply attract me. However, our social statuses are too different, so there's no possibility for us."

"Sister Meijuan, no! It can't be! As long as we keep working hard, there will definitely be hope!" Congcong said with a determined look, while opening his broad arms, eager to hug Yin Meijuan tightly in front of him.

However, just as he was about to touch Yin Meijuan's body, he missed her completely; the person who should have been standing there had vanished without a trace.

Congcong blinked in disbelief and reached out again to feel around, but in the end he only grasped a wisp of air.

Congcong stood there like a statue, blankly, as if she had lost her soul, looking completely lost and bewildered.

His eyes were empty and lifeless, his heart shrouded in a gloom of loss and confusion, so heavy that he could hardly breathe.

Just then, a gentle breeze swept by, like a tender hand gently caressing his face.

The gentle breeze ruffled the disheveled hair on his forehead, strands of it fluttering in the wind, adding to his sense of loneliness.

Suddenly, as if startled awake from a deep sleep, Congcong abruptly opened his eyes. His once dull and lifeless eyes now became sharp and bright, staring straight at the vast and boundless sky outside the window.

In the distant eastern sky, a faint, fish-belly white hue had already appeared, like a thin veil gently covering the horizon. Gradually, the fish-belly white grew brighter and brighter, and a bright red sun slowly peeked out from behind the distant mountains.

At first, the red sun only revealed a small part of itself, radiating a soft and warm light; as time went by, it rose higher and higher, finally leaping completely out of the mountains' cover, showering the earth with its golden light.

The brilliant sunshine instantly illuminated the whole world and dispelled the shadows in Congcong's heart.

Golden light streamed into the room through the window, bringing warmth and hope. Only then did he realize, as if waking from a dream, that all the thrilling, joyful, and tragic events he had just experienced were nothing more than a fleeting, absurd, and fantastical dream.