In the late autumn evening, the sky begins to darken, and the rustle of fallen leaves can be heard in the alleys, which seems to draw a suitable end to the season. Li Mei sat on the old wooden bed, the train ticket in her hand had been crumpled by her, and her little heart beat wildly with the train journey.
Stepmother Zhou Fang stood beside her, and the autumn wind blew in through the window, blowing through her slender figure. The smile on her face couldn't hide the smugness in her heart, but her tone was full of fake concern, "Go and pack your bags, tomorrow you will go to a new place, which will be your new home." ”
Li Mei raised her head, her eyes flashing with childishness and uncertainty, "Stepmother, do I really want to go by myself?" Will Daddy come and pick me up? Her voice trembled slightly, hoping to get a positive answer from Zhou Fang.
Zhou Fang stroked her long hair, glanced at Li Mei, and said in a resolute and unquestioning tone, "Dad is too busy to come over." It's okay if you go alone, you have to be good and take care of yourself. She emphasized every word, as if paving the way for her future days.
Xiao Li Mei was terrified, but she tried to calm down, after all, she was a brave and good boy in the mouth of adults, wasn't she? She crouched down and put away the toys that she had been familiar with for years, the fairy tale book she had flipped through page by page, and the red coat her father had given her.
The night couldn't hide Meimei's sadness, she sat at the window, the moonlight outside the window was exceptionally cold, the night seemed to be particularly long, and countless "ifs" swirled in her young mind. If Mother hadn't left, if Dad hadn't been so busy, if she could see Dad often......
"Meimei, what are you thinking?" Zhou Fang's voice interrupted her thoughts, "Go to sleep, you have to get up early tomorrow morning." ”
Her heartbeat continued to beat faster and faster throughout the night, in her still-inhabited mood. Early the next morning, she followed Zhou Fang's instructions, dragged her luggage, and embarked on a journey to a distant place.
"Remember my words, don't cry." Zhou Fang's words when she left hit Li Mei's heart hard.
When the train slowly moved away from the platform, Li Mei's tears were late. She looked at the fading hometown, the place of laughter and crying, and at this moment, the tears slipped down disobediently.
The train moves slowly, through the tranquility of the town, through the hustle and bustle of the city, and straight into the unknown distance. Li Mei sat in the seat by the window, wiping the foggy window with her little hands from time to time, trying to see the passing scenery outside. The passengers on the train are busy with their heads, or reading books with their heads down, or resting with their eyes closed, or chatting in groups of threes and twos. Li Mei sat alone like this, she was so quiet, so quiet that one almost forgot her existence.
Gradually, the train entered the night, and the people in the carriage began to prepare for bed, but Li Mei's heart became more and more sober. She looked out the window at the endless darkness, and her little face showed loneliness and unease. Alone, she began to imagine her father's appearance, imagining that he would suddenly appear in front of the car door, smiling and calling her "daughter".
At this moment, a gentle female voice interrupted Li Mei's thoughts, "Little sister, why haven't you slept yet?" A middle-aged woman in the seat next to her asked with concern.
Li Mei raised her head and shook her head a little shyly: "I... I'm not sleepy. Her voice was small, so small that it was almost drowned out by the sound of the wheels rolling.
The woman took out an orange and handed it to Li Mei, "Here, eat one, the fruit can help you relax, maybe you can fall asleep." ”
Li Mei was a little hesitant, but she still carefully took the orange and politely said thank you. She peeled the orange, and the air was filled with a fresh aroma, which belonged to the smell of home, the smell of the orange tree that her father planted. The thought hit like a wave, and she bit her lower lip hard to keep herself from crying.
After a while, a little boy ran to the empty seat next to Li Mei and sat down, still holding a toy train in his hand. "Hello! My name is Xiao Ming, can I play with you? The little boy looked at Li Mei with innocent eyes.
Li Mei nodded, Xiao Ming suddenly became happy, and began to share his little train with her, "My dad bought it for me, you see, is this train very similar to the train we are riding now?" ”
This night, the laughter of two children could be heard in the carriage. Li Mei also gradually relaxed, as if she was no longer the helpless girl who was about to step into a strange world. She and Xiao Ming had a lot of fun, and the simple happiness made her put aside her worries and longings for the time being.
But in the dead of night, Li Mei curled up in her seat again, and Xiao Ming had fallen asleep in her mother's arms. Li Mei looked at Xiao Ming, who was sleeping quietly in the moonlight, and a trace of envy rose in her heart. She thought how good it would be if she could dream in such a warm embrace. And at this moment, all she can do is hug herself tightly and quietly wait for the dawn to come.
Time flies, and 26 years have passed in the blink of an eye. That lonely little girl, Li Mei, has grown into an independent tree in the outdoor city and has become a daring entrepreneur. Working hard day and night, Li Mei watered the flowers of her career with her wisdom and sweat, so that it bloomed brilliantly in this prosperous world.
In a public welfare activity, Li Mei suddenly got a piece of news: her father, the father who had long become a blurred image in the depths of her memory, Li Gang, had been living in a small town not far from her.
Restless, she wrote a letter to her father: "Dad, I heard that you are not far away, and I have often dreamed of you for so many years. In my dream, you have grown old, but I am still that ignorant little girl. Tomorrow, I want to go and see you, and I hope you will not refuse. After sending the letter, she didn't close her eyes in the middle of the night, her heart tumbling up and down, anticipation and throbbing intertwined into indescribable emotions.
After dawn, Li Mei stepped on the train to the town, she tried to calm herself down, but the air on the train seemed to be filled with the sound of her heartbeat, poof, poof, resounding in every corner.
When the train arrived, Li Mei stepped out of the car door with a hint of nervousness and excitement, and came to the small town where the father's love that had guided her for many years was located. The fields and houses in front of you seem to be the same as in memory, but time has quietly carved the vicissitudes here.
On a familiar and unfamiliar street in the town, two generations met - his father Li Gang, raised his eyes into the distance, waiting for this figure he missed every day, although his face looked tired, but his eyes flashed with expectation.
"Daddy." Li Mei softly called out this title that she hadn't called for years, it was the cry of many nights crying in her dreams and no one answered.
Li Gang turned around, a trace of panic flashed in his eyes, and he looked at the lady in front of him in a daze, the "daughter" he had lost in the years. used to be an ignorant girl, but now she is a tall and powerful boss.
"Meimei?" Li Gang's call was carried by Douyin, as if confirmed, confused, and shocked, "Is it really you?" My Meimei, have you grown so big? ”
Li Mei's eyes flashed with tears, but she tried to suppress her emotions, her voice firm and a little trembling, "It's me, Dad." I've finally found you. But what I want to ask is, after all these years, why didn't you come to me? ”
This question was like a hammer hitting Li Gang's heart, he was stunned, the pipe in his hand almost fell, and his eyes began to moisten, as if all the bitterness and helplessness were crowded at this moment.
The air seemed to freeze, and the confrontation between father and daughter was silent on this old street. The world around them was still running, but for them, the entire universe seemed to be silent, and only the anxiety and unresolved feelings of confrontation remained.
Li Gang finally couldn't help it, "Daughter, dad is sorry for you." His voice was lonely and hoarse. But love never goes far, and my father's love is like every wisp of smoke in this town, silent but persistently existing.
After a long confrontation, Li Gang slowly spoke, his voice hoarse and low, with the warmth and pain precipitated by the years. "Meimei, you know, over the years, in the dead of night, I always think of you. The eyes that miss you crying, your childish laughter, and that little face that is always full of dirt. His eyes didn't blink, for fear of missing the teardropping daughter in front of him.
Li Mei listened quietly, tears unable to stop slipping down. Years of suspicion and anger gradually melted at this moment, "Dad, I just don't understand, why after so many years, there is nothing else between us except these thoughts?" ”
Li Gang sighed softly, as if he wanted to release all his guilt, "Meimei, the situation at that time was very complicated, after I married your stepmother, a lot of things happened in the family, and it was difficult for me to choose. I've been looking for you, but I didn't expect to turn around the street corner like this......"
"You're looking for me?" Li Mei's voice trembled, and there were ripples in her heart.
"Yes, daughter. I've tried many times, but each time I'm always disappointed. Your stepmother always says that you are doing well and doesn't want to disturb you......" Li Gang's eyes showed a hint of helplessness, as if every word was carrying a heavy burden.
"So, you've always cared about me?" Li Mei tried to confirm this, and she needed this answer to fill the long-standing hole in her heart.
Li Gang nodded lightly, staggered closer to his daughter, and gently held Li Mei's hand with both hands, "Meimei, I've always blamed myself, I know that I missed your most important years." ”
The old man in front of him is no longer the strong father in his memory. The traces left on his face by time deeply portray his pain and powerlessness over the years.
Li Mei closed her eyes and finally decided to let go of the mustard in her heart, she took a deep breath, and then said softly: "Dad, I forgive you." ”
The father's call and waiting, the daughter's tortuous search and questioning. The layers of fog dissipated at this moment, leaving only the hearts that needed to be healed to get closer. Despite the complexity of the past, I hope that the future can give warmth and a new starting point.
Li Mei felt the weight in her heart gradually dissipate, as if the haze that had been shrouding her life had finally waited for a ray of sunshine to shine. She understands that the feeling of home is not about the distance of a place, but about the mutual embrace and integration of hearts.
They snuggled up on the benches in the old street, talking about the future as they often did many years ago, but this time, both of them cherished the warmth in front of them more. Although this encounter is late, it means a new beginning, a long-lost sense of belonging.
As night fell, Li Mei and her father hugged each other and walked in the direction of home, the familiar light was waiting for them warmly, flickering as if telling the story of the years and the hope of the future.