“Hello, my name is Yu Qing,” Yu Qing said with a gentle smile.
Noticing the strong medicinal scent on Xue Chongsu, she couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Chongsu, are you studying medicine too?”
“Yep.”
Seeing the two of them chatting happily, Xue Li’s eyes lowered slightly. He stepped between them and spoke in a calm tone, looking down at his younger brother:
“It’s the weekend. Shouldn’t you be doing your homework?”
“I don’t have homework,” Xue Chongsu replied.
“Why not?”
“I’m in my third year of high school.”
He had just skipped a grade to enter high school this year. High school didn’t have much homework; students were expected to study on their own. Once the college entrance exam was over, he would officially enter the medical program at Tsinghua or Peking University.
The Xue family had high hopes for him.
They wanted him not only to inherit traditional Chinese medicine but also to study Western medicine.
Mastering both would be beneficial to him in any case.
After hearing this, Xue Li fell silent.
He carefully examined his younger brother, who was only as tall as his knees, and spoke with a complex expression, “Ten-year-olds can take the college entrance exam now?!”
Back when he was in school, he wasn’t allowed to take the exam, so he joined the military instead.
The policy had only been relaxed a few years ago, and while he had heard about age restrictions being lifted, this was the first time he had seen such a young candidate.
“Special admission.”
Hearing this, Yu Qing couldn’t help but give Xue Chongsu a thumbs-up, admiringly saying, “Chongsu, you’re amazing. You’re so young and already about to take the college entrance exam.”
Xue Chongsu’s face turned red from the praise.
“Stop chatting. Your uncles are waiting.”
A woman in a cheongsam approached, waving at Xue Chongsu. “Come here. Don’t disturb your sister-in-law’s first visit to our home.”
“Okay.”
Xue Li glanced guiltily at Yu Qing, then looked at his mother, somewhat annoyed. “How did my uncles end up here in the time it took me to pick someone up?”
“You’re the eldest son of the Xue family. Continuing the family line is a big deal. When your uncles heard you were bringing a girlfriend home, they dropped everything to come. That’s quite the honor.”
Xue Li: “…”
He had nothing to say.
In fact, he was worried that the situation might become too overwhelming to handle.
Xue’s mother and Xue Chongsu walked ahead, while Yu Qing and Xue Li followed behind. He whispered, “Maybe we should find an excuse to slip away. I’m guessing it won’t just be my uncles but my aunts too.”
“Your family is quite large.”
Yu Qing, holding gift boxes in both hands, felt a wave of nervousness. Thinking about meeting Mr. Xue today, her expression gradually grew determined. “It’s fine. I can handle it.”
“Alright.”
·
By two o’clock.
Wen Ci woke up, stretching lazily.
The bunk on the green train was narrow, and the corridor was filled with an indescribable, unpleasant smell, especially when people passed by to fetch hot water.
She leaned against the headboard, pondering what she should do next.
After getting up, Wen Ci went to the hospital.
She wanted to find out how long Huo Jingyuan would need to recuperate. If it was a long time, she planned to develop her career in the capital. The 1980s were a golden era, the easiest time to make money, as the country was still in a state of rebuilding.
Just as she left the capital military district, Wen Ci saw a plainly dressed man squatting by the gate, holding a high school math book.
The military gate was guarded at all times, and only military personnel or their family members were allowed entry.
Wen Ci walked over and asked curiously, “Are you studying here? Or are you waiting for someone?”
She had the mindset of helping others whenever possible.
Hearing this, the man squatting on the ground looked up. His handsome face lit up with joy when he saw Wen Ci. “Are you A’Ci?”
“Huh?”
Wen Ci blinked, confused, and tentatively asked, “You are?”
The man slowly stood up, a smile in his eyes as he pointed at himself. “It’s me, Gu Che from Shixing Village. When we were kids, our families lived on the same mountain.”
“Uh…”
Wen Ci had no memory of this.
But she smiled warmly. “Then what are you doing squatting here?”
Gu Che sighed, his gaze lingering on Wen Ci as he opened his mouth, hesitating. “It’s nothing. I’m just waiting for a friend.”
“I see.”
Suddenly, Wen Ci’s stomach growled at an inopportune moment. She hadn’t eaten since the instant noodles on the train last night, only drinking some water in between.
“You haven’t eaten? How about I treat you to a meal?”
As he spoke, Gu Che rummaged through his worn-out bag, pulling out a few crumpled coins. He smiled awkwardly. “It might not be enough for a proper meal, but it’ll cover two bowls of hot noodles.”
“No, I still have things to do.”
As soon as she finished speaking, her stomach protested again.
Wen Ci couldn’t help but blush. Even though she had no memory of the man in front of her, having her stomach growl twice in a row would make anyone feel embarrassed.
Under Gu Che’s enthusiastic invitation.
Wen Ci agreed.
People in the 1980s were simple and kind, often quoting a few proverbs: the four great joys in life are rain after a long drought, meeting an old friend in a distant land, the wedding night, and success in the imperial exams.
Wen Ci thought that being from the same mountain, their relationship must have been good.
Gu Che led Wen Ci to a nearby street vendor selling noodles. At this time, many factories were laying off workers, encouraging them to start their own street businesses.
The entire street was filled with food stalls.
Soon, steaming bowls of noodles were served. Gu Che glanced at Wen Ci’s fair skin and smiled. “What brings you to the capital?”
“What about you?” Wen Ci asked in return.
Gu Che ate his noodles as he spoke. “Our village didn’t have a middle school, so I went to the county to study. Later, I came to the capital for high school. I’m about to take the college entrance exam.”
“How old are you this year?”
“Twenty-five, two years older than you.”
Gu Che was born in a poor mountain village. Although he was a boy, he had been doing farm work at home since he was young. He only started first grade at the age of twelve.
His family was poor, and he didn’t grow well. Even in his teens, he looked only slightly older than the average elementary school student.
“And you?” Gu Che asked again.
“My husband was injured and is hospitalized, so I’m staying in the capital for now.”
“You’re married?” Gu Che’s eyes widened in shock, and the chopsticks in his hand fell to the ground. He hurriedly picked them up, asking, “How did you get married so quickly?”
“It’s not that fast,” Wen Ci replied.
In rural areas, it was normal for girls to marry in their teens. Her adoptive parents, wanting to keep control over Wen Ci, had never arranged a marriage for her.
“You… you… you…”
Gu Che opened his mouth but couldn’t find the words. Finally, he sighed deeply and said bitterly, “When we were kids, you said you’d marry me.”
“I said that?”
Wen Ci was both skeptical and unsure.
Her gaze fell on Gu Che’s face. Perhaps the original owner, who had suffered from emotional neglect, had indeed said such a thing to a sunny boy like Gu Che.
But she wasn’t the original owner.
Wen Ci smiled and teased, “You can’t take childhood promises seriously. I heard you’re taking the college entrance exam. Which university are you aiming for?”
“Tsinghua or Peking University!”
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