The Tender Beauty is Sweetly Doted in the 20th Century Novel!-Chapter 186 - 185: From Now On, I’ll Be All Alone

"Why do you want to take it to your home?"

The team leader treasured these two things, so as soon as Ye Guoqiang asked, he immediately pushed through the crowd and came out from behind the desk.

"This is the glory of our Qingshui Village, not just your family’s business. Why should it be taken to your house? Haven’t you also not cared about Manman?"

Besides, these two things represent the entire village’s honor. From now on, whenever the team needs to evaluate any collective honor, the fact that our village produced a provincial top scorer will always be weighed. The team leader couldn’t comprehend Ye Guoqiang’s desire to claim them as his own.

Ye Guoqiang had always been quite honest and never dared to challenge the team leader.

But today, he was angry, "It’s true I haven’t cared for her, but she’s still my daughter. Her things shouldn’t be kept in the village; they should be at home."

Having been oppressed most of his life, Ye Guoqiang didn’t want to miss this rare opportunity to feel proud.

It seemed that no one expected him to be so tough today, standing up to the team leader.

However, this toughness seemed a bit unreasonable.

Someone couldn’t bear it anymore, "Guoqiang, what you’re saying is a bit unreasonable. These two things were sent down from the province to the village for commemoration; they don’t belong to an individual. Look at the small words on the left side of the banner."

He pointed to the small line of words on the left side of the banner, "Presented to: Qingshui Village, hometown of the 1980 Provincial Top Scorer Ye Manman."

When that line was read out, Ye Guoqiang’s face immediately turned ugly.

He hurried over to look, but since he couldn’t read, he couldn’t confirm whether it said that or not.

Seeing everyone giving him either disdainful or disgusted looks, Ye Guoqiang’s old face turned red with embarrassment.

He stammered a bit and then remembered the photo.

"Then what about the photo? My daughter’s photo can’t stay here, can it? I want to take it back."

As soon as he said that, everyone’s expressions became even more peculiar.

That person again, under the team leader’s watchful eye, carefully picked up the photo frame, afraid Ye Guoqiang couldn’t see clearly, and deliberately handed it to him.

"Look, there’s a line of small words below the group photo too, personally written by the director of the Provincial Education Bureau: Presented to Qingshui Village, hometown of the top scorer."

Ye Guoqiang couldn’t believe these were all meant for the village. He wanted to take it and have a look, but the team leader, afraid he’d just snatch it and run, hurriedly took the photo frame away.

He carefully placed the photo frame securely, wiped the glass in front, and then turned his head with particular dissatisfaction to look at Ye Guoqiang.

"Ye Guoqiang, it’s not that I’m saying this, but you’ve never taken care of that girl Manman. It’s normal for her not to acknowledge you now. Instead of trying to mend the relationship with her, why are you here arguing with the village over these things?"

Someone else beside him also strongly agreed, "Yeah, I heard Manman is going to Jing City soon, and she might not come back for years once she leaves. Arguing over these things here is pointless. You’d better go and coax her, or else she might really not acknowledge you in the future."

Others nodded in agreement, "While she’s still in the village, quickly give her some gifts, say some nice things. Make her life easier in Jing City so she can focus on her studies."

"Villagers have been giving them things, and here you are, a father, arguing with us over this stuff without showing any gesture at all. It’s no wonder Manman doesn’t acknowledge you."

"Sometimes you need to lower your head when necessary, especially since it’s originally your responsibility. That girl seems kind-hearted; if you’re nicer to her, she probably won’t refuse to acknowledge you as her father in the future."

"..."

Everyone tried persuading for quite a while, and Ye Guoqiang felt his head buzzing, not knowing when he had already backed out.

Truthfully, being humiliated by Ye Manman in front of the crowd this morning, losing all his face, made Ye Guoqiang still resentful toward her.

So, at first, he really couldn’t bring himself to swallow his pride and speak kindly.

He was very conflicted, but eventually realized that what those people said made sense, deciding to get some things and money to give to Ye Manman, to be nicer and lower his head.

Anyway, being nice to her now wouldn’t make him not acknowledged as her father in the future.

He imagined it optimistically, but while he was getting things and money at home, Yang Xiumei spotted him.

They had another big fight.

In the end, they decided to live separately in the future, sleep in separate rooms, eat separately, and only then was Ye Guoqiang able to leave the house with his things to go to the He Family.

However, because of the delay, when he went to knock on the He Family’s door, he found it locked tight, and Ye Manman had already left with He Chen.

Only then did Ye Guoqiang finally realize that he had missed his last chance, the last chance to apologize to Ye Manman.

She might really not acknowledge him anymore in the future.

...

Ye Manman never thought Ye Guoqiang would come looking for her, or rather, even if she knew he’d try to say nice things, she wouldn’t listen.

For her, the Ye Family in Qingshui Village was no longer related to her; it was Ye Xiaotong’s maternal home now.

After returning to the town, He Chen decided to transfer the store.

Originally, this shop was intended to be transferred to Jiang Yuan to sell fried chicken, but now they’ve become chain stores, with branches everywhere in the city; Jiang Yuan has become a big boss and doesn’t need such a small town shop anymore.

So, He Chen contacted the landlord, settled the rent deposit and other things with both parties, and set a move-out date for August 20th. As for whom to transfer it for what business, that’s the landlord’s concern now.

Of course, during this period, they would still cooperate with the landlord in showing the house to others.

The admission notice from Qing University should be mailed soon, and they would stay in the store until then.

Some things they couldn’t take, He Chen decided to bring back to the village house before heading to Jing City, and the rest would be packed and taken along.

As the weather got hotter, Ye Manman became more and more lethargic.

Her appetite also increased significantly, and aside from severe morning sickness in the first week, her appetite surged afterward. Despite the hot weather, she could eat one and a half times her usual portion at a meal.

But even with this eating and sleeping routine, her belly showed no change, not even a slight bump, remaining flat as if she weren’t pregnant.

On the 10th, the notice arrived, along with a personally written letter from Mr. Nie of Qing University.

In addition to various detailed instructions and welcomes, it mentioned the school had arranged accommodation for her, so she could move in anytime they decided to leave soon.

He Chen bought tickets for the 13th in advance and spent two more days moving the unmovable items to the house in the village, then they just had to wait to head to Jing City together the next day.

On the afternoon of the 12th, Cheng Yuan and Jiang Yuan came to say goodbye.

The two girls cried uncontrollably, and although Ye Manman hadn’t felt much before, seeing them cry made her nose a bit sour too.

Seeing her get emotional, Jiang Yuan quickly wiped her tears, laughing while crying.

"Oh, let’s not cry! Manman is pregnant, you know. I heard crying during pregnancy isn’t good. We’ll see each other again anyway. I’ll definitely visit you soon. No more crying for everyone!"

Then she tugged Cheng Yuan’s hand, "And you, Yuanyuan, you’re going to Jing City too, right? Though not in the same school, you still have way more chances to meet each other than me. You shouldn’t cry, wait until you leave, and we can all cry again."

The more she spoke, the more her tears fell, her voice carrying a sob.

"You must remember to write me letters often. I’ll be the only one left in town, and I’ll miss you every day..."