There was no hysteria, no descent into wailing. Duan Liping considered she had maintained a sufficient degree of dignity.
From today onwards, she would bid farewell to her past cowardly self. This was her last cry.
Cheng You and Sun Xiaowan accompanied her as they left first. As for Yuan Yutang, they simply did not care.
"Liping, have you decided about going abroad?"
Duan Liping nodded. "I've submitted the application with the academy, and it's been approved. I leave on the third of next month."
Sun Xiaowan calculated the time. "That's not many days away, is it?"
It was too fast!
Duan Liping smiled. "Don't come to see me off. I'm afraid I'll regret it and be unwilling to leave."
These last few days before departure were the most agonizing, oscillating between regret and courage.
If Cheng You and Sun Xiaowan came to see her off, she would definitely be reluctant to leave.
Cheng You patted her shoulder. "You're amazing."
Duan Liping smiled. "I'll be back next year. It'll be quick."
In just half a year, she hoped to see her transformation.
This farewell meant they likely wouldn't see each other again for half a year.
Cheng You alighted from the bus and walked home slowly, a lingering sense of melancholy in her heart.
As the start of the semester approached, Old Master Yun came to find her to inquire about the invitation.
Cheng You had almost forgotten about it.
"How did you know? I hadn't even had a chance to tell you yet."
Old Master Yun smiled. "Professor Zhao mentioned it to me. I'll have someone send an invitation to Zhen Shan Tang. Remember to come then."
Cheng You smiled and asked, "Zhen Shan Tang is a newly established pharmacy with insufficient foundation. Would it be inappropriate for me to ask you for an invitation?"
Old Master Yun chuckled and stroked his beard.
"You only feel it's inappropriate now? Isn't that a bit too late?"
Cheng You let out a little laugh. "I heard you're the chairman, so with such a capable person by my side, how could I miss out!"
Old Master Yun tapped her on the head. "You know how to make the best use of things! Don't worry, your method of propagating Mu Xi grass has already caused a stir in the botanical research institute. Since this achievement is under Zhen Shan Tang's name, how could they not qualify to participate in the academic exchange conference?"
Hearing this, Cheng You felt a little more at ease.
The moment she received the invitation, Cheng You handed it over to Chen Qin.
The exchange conference was to be held before the National Day, jointly organized by the Chinese Medicine Association and several universities.
The date was set for two days before the National Day.
Chen Qin held the invitation with the embossed seal, his eyes turning a little red.
"Our Zhen Shan Tang can also participate? Cheng You, you didn't forge this, did you?"
Cheng You chuckled. "Do you think I'd have the guts?"
Even if she succeeded in forging it, she wouldn't be able to get in.
Chen Qin asked incredulously, "Then how are we qualified..."
Following that, Cheng You produced a document.
"Speaking of which, you should take a good look at this. Otherwise, when people ask you about it, you won't be able to answer a single thing."
Chen Qin glanced at the file for a moment. He spent his days at the pharmaceutical factory and of course knew what Mu Xi grass was.
He suddenly recalled Cheng You allocating a plot of land in the medicinal herb garden to grow grass.
Employees had also reported to him that the grass Cheng You was growing didn't look like medicinal herbs, resembling weeds.
"You planted Mu Xi grass in our medicinal herb garden!"
Cheng You nodded and placed a finger on her lips.
"This is a secret. Don't tell anyone."
Chen Qin was beyond excited. So much Mu Xi grass, perhaps only their Zhen Shan Tang's medicinal herb garden possessed it!
"Cheng You, you've truly surprised me. So many researchers at the botanical research institute have pulled their hair out without finding a way to cultivate it, and you've planted an entire plot!"
If those researchers knew about this, they would go crazy.
"Just keep these things to yourself, Chen Ge. Too much attention can be a bad thing. We have an unstable foundation, so it's best not to let it get out," Cheng You instructed.
Chen Qin nodded repeatedly. "Of course, I understand."
However, what Cheng You had revealed to him gave him more confidence to participate in the exchange conference.
Cheng You said, "You should also pick a few of our products to participate in the exchange conference. I'll speak to Old Master Yun and ask him to reserve an exhibition booth for us."
Chen Qin excitedly replied, "Okay!"
After this event, perhaps they could expand the pharmaceutical factory.
Having delivered the invitation to him, Cheng You prepared to head back.
As she stepped out, she saw Pei Kesheng's smug face again.
Chen Qin said in a low voice, "He comes here every day. Just ignore him."
Cheng You: "...He's not still coming about the exchange conference, is he?"
"Exactly!"
Chen Qin had been increasingly annoyed by him in the past few days, wishing he could chase him away with a broom.
But now that he had an invitation, seeing Pei Kesheng's smug look didn't bother him anymore.
Cheng You smiled. "Let him be."
She was quite looking forward to seeing Pei Kesheng's surprised expression at the academic exchange conference.
Chen Qin patted the invitation in his pocket with satisfaction, feeling a rare sense of being able to hold his head high in front of Hui Chun Tang.
Having resolved the issue of the exchange conference invitation, Cheng You still had to accompany the Fengs back to Yongcheng before school started.
It was a rushed trip, only a few short days to finalize the relocation of the grave.
However, as expected, Cheng Tianhua refused outright without any negotiation.
He was not interested in whose daughter Jiang Qing was, but since she had married him, Cheng Tianhua, she was his in life and his ghost in death. Relocating the grave was out of the question!
The Fengs exchanged glances, remaining silent.
Cheng Tianhua was Cheng You's father, so their attitude had been good at first.
But Cheng Tianhua was different. The moment the matter of relocating the grave was brought up, he exploded like a firecracker.
"If you have nothing else to do, please leave. I will never agree to relocating the grave! Cheng You, don't forget, your surname is Cheng, not Jiang, and certainly not Feng! Your mother has been dead for how long, and you still want to dig up her grave? Is this how you are as a daughter!"
Cheng You remained unmoved by his reprimand.
It was precisely because she loved her mother that she didn't want her to remain here.
If Jiang Qing were still alive, she would surely find this place dirty.
"The reason I still carry the surname Cheng is not because I consider myself your daughter, but simply because my name was given to me by my mother! Do you think if my mother were still alive, she would want to continue being with you?"
Cheng You's words deflated Cheng Tianhua's initial bluster.
Ever since he had gone to the old Jiang family and been scolded by Liao Hongmei, he had frequently dreamt of Jiang Qing after returning home.
She still looked as young and beautiful as ever, asking him if he had taken good care of their two children.
Cheng Tianhua dared not answer. Upon waking suddenly, and seeing the widowed Lin beside him, he felt an unspeakable sadness.
When did his life start to go downhill?
He thought about it carefully. It seemed to be after Jiang Qing left him.
Cheng Tianhua refused to relocate the grave, and he didn't quite know why he wanted to keep Jiang Qing there.
In any case, he just didn't want her to leave completely.