Chapter 53

Zhou Rong’s request could not be called anything but presumptuous.

They were neither relatives nor friends. Ye Wanqing of course could not be so easygoing as to agree at once.

Only she had not yet had time to refuse when Zhao Lingxian frowned and spoke. “You’re too particular, aren’t you? Who’s willing to give their bed to someone else to sleep in? We’re not even that familiar. If you ask me, you shouldn’t have brought a child to school at all. This dormitory isn’t yours alone!”

The three of them had arrived at the dormitory yesterday afternoon and had already spent one night together.

Zhou Rong was living in the dormitory with a four-year-old little girl. Although the girl was fairly obedient, at night she whimpered and woke several times, and also kept Zhao Lingxian and Lin Kejia from sleeping well.

Zhao Lingxian was not a temper that could endure. She already had opinions the moment she got up in the morning. Now it burst out directly.

Zhou Rong also reacted, and her face immediately turned awkward.

“Sorry, sorry… I didn’t think it through. I was too rude.” Zhou Rong apologized again and again. “Lingxian, Kejia, we disturbed your sleep yesterday. Sorry. Really sorry.”

Sensing her mother’s unease, the little girl gripped Zhou Rong’s hand tightly, lips pressed, silent. A pair of big eyes holding tears was full of fear.

Because she was pitifully thin, looking malnourished, a face with almost no flesh made her eyes look extremely large, dark and heavy, so that people felt she was terribly pitiful.

Ye Wanqing now knew Zhou Rong had a reason for this request. After all she had a child. If there was one more bed, mother and daughter could sleep a little better.

But this was hard to handle.

First, she truly did not want to give the bed to someone unfamiliar to sleep in.

Second, even if she agreed, she had to consider Zhao Lingxian and Lin Kejia’s feelings. Right now Zhao Lingxian clearly did not want Zhou Tian living in the dormitory.

Ye Wanqing did not bring the matter up again. She smiled and said, “I don’t think it’s early anymore. Let’s go to class first.”

“Right, right, class is starting!” Zhao Lingxian immediately packed her things in a rush. Because her nature was impatient, she soon dropped something on the floor and grew frantic.

Lin Kejia and Zhou Rong had long packed everything and were only waiting for Zhao Lingxian so they could leave.

By the time Zhao Lingxian finally had her things ready, it was already very close to class time. Fortunately Ye Wanqing was familiar with the school. Otherwise finding the classroom would have taken quite a while, and they definitely would not have made it.

The few of them ran and only stepped into the classroom with the bell. They were not late for the first class.

After sitting down, Zhao Lingxian stuck out her tongue and apologized to Ye Wanqing and the others. “Sorry. Next time I’ll definitely pack early and not make you wait for me again.”

—

The morning classes were full. But the new semester had just started. To give students time to adapt, the courses were not arranged tightly, but strengthened step by step.

There was another female classmate who had come to school with a child like Zhou Rong. Her child was not even one year old and fussed a little in her mother’s arms. The young mother flushed, wishing she could cry.

In the end, so as not to affect the others’ study, the female classmate could only take the child outside the classroom to soothe her.

By comparison Zhou Tian was much quieter. She sat obediently beside Zhou Rong, staring at the desk in front of her. She ignored other people’s curious looks, as if the whole world was only that palm-sized place on the desk before her.

At noon the few of them ate in the cafeteria.

Zhao Lingxian was not short of money. The dishes she ordered were the best in the cafeteria. She said she would treat them to make up for delaying everyone that morning, but none of them let her.

Lin Kejia ate in a normal way. Ye Wanqing was the same.

Zhou Rong bought one steamed bun, ate half herself, and gave the other half to her daughter Zhou Tian. The two of them ate the bun with plain water, as if used to it. Or rather, already very satisfied.

Ye Wanqing wanted to share some food with the two of them, but she did not know Zhou Rong’s temper and did not know whether doing so would prick her pride, so she did not speak.

Zhao Lingxian looked at the bun and plain water in Zhou Rong’s hands, also frowned, and in the end still said nothing.

—

After eating, Ye Wanqing went back to the dormitory with her roommates.

There were still several classes in the afternoon. Today she planned to nap in the dormitory, to save running back and forth. The weather was still a bit hot. Riding a bicycle under the big sun was also rather hard.

Lying on the bed, Ye Wanqing closed her eyes.

Although the dormitory had no fan and was a bit stuffy, she had gotten up too early and had had a whole morning of classes. Tired, she soon grew sleepy and drifted off in a daze.

Only she had not slept long before a thin crying woke her.

She distinguished where the crying came from, turned her head and looked down, and found it was the little girl Zhou Rong had brought who was crying.

The little girl’s crying was thin, a suppressed low sob. Zhou Rong was comforting her in a low voice and telling her to endure a little. Perhaps her mood was a bit agitated. Her voice was also a little choked.

Once Ye Wanqing’s noon rest was disturbed she had a hard time sleeping again, especially in this situation.

She got down from the bed lightly and walked to Zhou Rong’s bed.

Zhou Rong started, quickly turned over and sat up, smoothed her hair, and apologized awkwardly. “Sorry. Did our Tiantian disturb you?”

The little girl timidly clutched the pillow. Dark big eyes looked over, full of panic. She did not even dare cry.

“Nothing of the sort. I’d already slept enough.” Ye Wanqing smiled and shook her head, took two pieces of date-paste cake wrapped in oil paper from the bag on the chair, and handed them to Zhou Rong. “I made these myself. Let Tiantian eat some.”

“This, this isn’t necessary…”

The date-paste cake smelled fragrant. Zhou Tian’s big eyes were drawn despite herself. She swallowed a little, but without her mother speaking she still stayed obediently still.

“Take it. A little snack I made myself isn’t worth anything. The child will be happy eating it.”

Perhaps the last sentence touched Zhou Rong. She lowered her head, wiped the corner of her eye, thanked Ye Wanqing in a low voice, and took the date-paste cake for Zhou Tian.

The date-paste cake was brown, soft, palm-sized. Sweet red date paste had been added to the little cake, and quite a few eggs, honey, and sugar kneaded in. One bite had the clear fragrance of red dates and the sweetness of honey.

Zhou Tian’s little hands cupped a piece of date-paste cake, took a tiny bite, then suddenly widened her eyes, as if she could not believe there was something this good in the world.

Then the corner of her mouth lifted a little, as if she smiled, and she carefully held the cake to Zhou Rong’s mouth. “Mama, eat.”

Seeing her like this, Zhou Rong’s eyes suddenly reddened.

Zhou Rong did not refuse. She bit lightly along the little hand, only a bite the size of a fingernail. Zhou Tian immediately smiled even happier. Her two big eyes curved into two crescent moons.

Seeing Zhou Tian eat happily and stop crying, Ye Wanqing beckoned to Zhou Rong, signaling her to go outside to talk.

Standing in the corridor, Ye Wanqing thought a moment and asked indirectly, “Is the child uncomfortable somehow?”

Actually, when Zhou Tian reached out and offered the date-paste cake to Zhou Rong just now, Ye Wanqing had already seen the bruises on the child’s arm. Those marks looked as if someone had beaten her that way.

Zhou Rong’s tears rolled down at once. She wiped them quickly before lifting her head.

“Her whole body is injured. Her father beat her… Daytime is all right. It’s just when she sleeps she inevitably touches the injuries, and she can’t help crying…”

Actually it was also because the bed was too small. Otherwise letting the child turn over easily would be more comfortable.

Zhou Rong had thought of sleeping face-down on the desk and letting her daughter sleep in the bed alone, but Zhou Tian was too sensible. If she did not get on the bed Zhou Tian would not close her eyes, and insisted on waiting for her.

“How could it be like this?” Ye Wanqing frowned.

Even a tiger does not eat its cubs.

“Some parents are worse than enemies.” Zhou Rong smiled bitterly.

She was an educated youth sent to the countryside. At the start she still held a heart of building the countryside and giving off light and heat, but later reality wore down her enthusiasm and courage and slowly made her numb.

Later, in an accident she fell into the water and was saved by a village youth. For her reputation, and because her heart had stirred a little, she married that youth who looked honest and steady.

She thought taking root in the countryside was fine. At least she would have a support. Maybe life would be better later.

And a youth willing to jump into the water to save her must be kind-hearted. Even if the family was a bit poor, as long as the husband was considerate and the two of them worked steadily, they could definitely make life prosperous.

Unfortunately life was nothing like she had imagined.

After she married, the in-laws immediately changed their faces. When her belly had no movement for three months they went to seek all kinds of folk remedies for her and forced her to eat them. After several doses she got pregnant, and they began hoping every day it was a grandson.

When she gave birth to two girls in a row, the in-laws’ patience ran out. They began beating and cursing her at every turn and using her like an ox or a horse.

The two girls she bore were also sent far away the moment they were born. She did not know whether they were sold somewhere or simply killed.

Zhou Rong had asked without giving up, but no matter how she asked she could not get an answer. She wanted to inquire, and not a single person around her knew.

She lost heart toward the in-laws, and also lost heart toward that husband who looked honest and steady but in fact could not even let out a fart, and took his mother’s words as imperial edicts.

It was not that she had not thought of running, but she simply did not know where to run.

The village would not issue a letter of introduction. She could not leave.

After another two years she finally bore a boy. The family had a male. The in-laws’ faces toward her looked a little better. She got pregnant again and bore another girl. This time she cried and begged. The in-laws finally showed great mercy and let her keep her.

This girl was Zhou Tian.

When she bore Zhou Tian she injured her body. The doctor said she could never have children again. The fortune in the misfortune was that the in-laws no longer forced her to keep bearing.

Not only did they not force her to bear children, they wanted to drive her out of the house, saying that since she was dissatisfied with the in-laws they would let her roll as she wished.

She agreed.

She divorced the husband who looked dull and honest but was actually numb and heartless, left that terrifying home, and had not the slightest reluctance. Her only request was to take Zhou Tian.

After returning to single status she lived in the village with Zhou Tian. It was still very hard, but however hard it was she got through it alone. Her ex-husband married another. Her former mother-in-law came now and then to say cold words in front of her. She never responded.

She thought her whole life would be like this, only silently hoping her daughter could live a little more easily later. Who knew national policy actually changed, and in despair she saw a way out.

The country restored the college entrance exam. This was gospel for all educated youth.

She was wild with joy, wanted to study hard for a few years and get into university, and swore to take Zhou Tian far from that village and give her a good life.

And she did succeed. But somehow before she left her ex-husband heard the news. Their whole family rushed over and would not let her leave.

That family used Zhou Tian as an excuse and talked all kinds of reasons. Anyway they would not let her go. They could not bear to see her live well… If the village head had not been reasonable, she might not have gotten away.

It was also in that quarrel that she and Zhou Tian were both beaten badly by the ex-husband’s family. The injuries had not healed even now.

Because of this she changed Zhou Tian’s surname and no longer intended to let Zhou Tian acknowledge that disgusting family.

Ye Wanqing lightly lifted Zhou Rong’s sleeve and found bruises and swollen red marks on her arm as well. Besides these new injuries, her skin had many old scars. Some looked as if they had been scalded by something…

“You said you wanted to sleep in my bed just so Zhou Tian could sleep well?” Ye Wanqing asked.

“…Mm.” Zhou Rong nodded.

Ye Wanqing thought. “Since you’re in this situation, I can understand. Lending you the bed for a while, until Zhou Tian’s injuries heal, is nothing. But the dormitory is after all a place four people live. I think you’d better get Lingxian and Kejia’s agreement first. That way it won’t be so hard for me either.”

“Re… really?” Zhou Rong covered her mouth and looked at Ye Wanqing, suppressing her joy.

Ye Wanqing nodded.

“Thank you, thank you. When they wake I’ll talk it over with them.”

—

Zhao Lingxian and Lin Kejia had actually woken earlier because of the noise in the dormitory. When Ye Wanqing and Zhou Rong walked back in, they got up one after another.

Remembering what Ye Wanqing had said, Zhou Rong used the chance to briefly explain her situation and asked Zhao Lingxian and Lin Kejia to accept Zhou Tian living in the dormitory for the time being.

She also guaranteed this stay would not be for years. She would find a house and move out as soon as possible, and hoped they would let her get through a period.

Zhao Lingxian and Lin Kejia were not unreasonable people. Seeing Zhou Rong’s reddened eyes, and the child looking at them warily, as if afraid she would be driven out, they immediately softened.

Both agreed.

Lin Kejia also took a cloth tiger from the head of the bed, put it by Zhou Tian’s hand, and said it was a little thing she had made herself, a gift for her. Zhou Rong, moved, let Zhou Tian accept it. Zhou Tian carefully held the clumsy, cute cloth tiger and smiled a little again.

“Then I’ll give something too.” Zhao Lingxian said crisply.

Only she rummaged and rummaged and could not find anything suitable. What she had brought was either pretty clothes or skincare and cosmetics, none of it fit for a child of a few years to play with.

Unable to find anything, she pulled out a five-yuan note in frustration and stuffed it into Zhou Tian’s hand. “Here. This is from Auntie. Keep it well!”

Of course this five yuan was not given in the end. Zhou Rong refused it.

Young miss Zhao Lingxian was a bit puffed up with anger, but Ye Wanqing watching from the side pressed her lips and smiled, feeling these roommates of hers were all rather cute.

—

Afternoon classes ended. It was only a little after three.

Ye Wanqing felt staying at school was boring. Thinking that treating people to a meal at home also needed some preparation in advance, she simply called Zhao Lingxian and the others to go home.

At home they could still have an electric fan and eat some fruit. Wasn’t that more comfortable than staying in the dormitory?

“I won’t go. It’s not convenient with Tiantian. I’m afraid she’ll cry and fuss.” Zhou Rong shook her head.

Ye Wanqing directly put little Zhou Tian on the back seat of the bicycle and told her to follow at ease. “How is bringing a child a reason not to go eat? Your Zhou Tian’s stomach is so small. Can she eat me into ruin?”

Zhao Lingxian also urged, “Don’t you want to see Wanqing’s husband? I’m curious.”

Lin Kejia rubbed Zhou Tian’s head. “Tiantian is so good. She won’t fuss.”

Ye Wanqing’s smile was bright. Zhao Lingxian and Lin Kejia also urged. Zhou Rong did not want to spoil the mood because of herself, and in her heart she also longed to get along well with her roommates, so she did not insist and thanked them in a low voice.

The group walked toward Ye Wanqing’s home, talking and laughing, and before they knew it they were at the little courtyard gate.

“This is my home. You must have worked up a sweat. Come in and sit.”

Ye Wanqing smiled and opened the courtyard gate. The moment one foot stepped into the courtyard, a black shadow charged at her and startled her.

“Eh?”

What was this?

A soft ball hit her foot. It did not hurt at all, like being lightly struck by a ball of yarn. Ye Wanqing focused and found this “ball of yarn” was actually a little black puppy.

Seeing her bend down to look, it wagged its little tail, barked “wang wang” in a milky voice, and still looked rather spirited.

“Ah, you have a puppy at home!” Zhao Lingxian liked it extremely. She squatted and hugged the puppy into her arms, eyes shining. “I’ve especially wanted to raise a dog, but my mom won’t let me. She says she’s afraid it’ll bite the leather sofa at home. Tch… actually she’s just too lazy to bathe the dog, and minds the dog pooping everywhere!”

The moment the puppy appeared, even Zhou Tian’s eyes brightened a little. The dead water in them was gone, and a few parts of a child’s longing sprouted.

Ye Wanqing patted her chest and could not help laughing. “I didn’t know a little thing like this would pop up at home either. It must be my husband who caught it and brought it back, and hasn’t told me yet.”

Having a dog to watch the house was also quite good. After all they had only just come to a new place.

“Where’s your husband?” Zhao Lingxian asked again.

“Not home. He might not be back for a while.” Ye Wanqing said.

Ge Yue had been sent to kindergarten. Ge Yuan was not back yet. Only Old Zhong was reading in his room. Zhao Lingxian and the other two had met Old Zhong, greeted him politely, and sat in the main hall chatting.

Ye Wanqing turned on the electric fan, cut them a basin of fruit, took out the braised dishes prepared for dinner and mixed some as snacks, and also brewed a few cups of ginger-salt tea.

“This is a specialty here, ginger-salt tea. I don’t know if you’re used to it.”

Lin Kejia and Zhou Rong both thought it was all right. Zhao Lingxian took one sip and would not drink any more.

She spoke bluntly. “Wanqing, do you have coffee at home? Brew me a cup of coffee.”

Ye Wanqing glared at her without good temper. “Does my house look like it has coffee? If you have some, treat me next time.”

“Hahaha…” Zhao Lingxian was delighted. “Right, right, I was silly. Next time my aunt comes back from abroad I’ll have her bring you a jar of coffee beans too.”

“I don’t have a coffee machine either. Too lazy to fuss with that. Instant would be fine.”

“Tch. No taste.”

Ye Wanqing glared at her again.

A few jokes like this, and the relationship actually drew much closer.

—

Ge Yuan came back around four or five, covered in sweat.

Seeing a tall, straight, strong and solid man come in from outside the courtyard, Zhao Lingxian and the others sitting in the main hall all stood up, a little uneasy.

Ge Yuan also froze. Remembering Ye Wanqing had said she would invite people home to eat, he nodded to them from a distance and carried the things hanging on the bicycle toward the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Ye Wanqing was indeed busy.

“Wife…” Ge Yuan leaned close and kissed her face. “You came back this early today?”

“Isn’t early good?” Ye Wanqing turned her head and pecked his lips with a smile. “Come, let me see what you brought back. My roommates are all quite nice. Tonight we have to host them a bit better.”

Ge Yuan put down what he was holding and started claiming credit. “Today I got a few jin of eel. I don’t know if you’re used to eating this. My mother made it for me once when I was little. Really fragrant. There’s also an old water duck. Good for soup. There are some vegetables here too. Take a look.”

Ye Wanqing glanced. Truly rich.

She reached out, grabbed her big man’s collar, pulled him down, and kissed his lips with a sweet smile, praising him. “Our Yuan-ge worked hard. You’re really capable.”

She had only just straightened when she met Zhao Lingxian’s eyes, widened round.

Ye Wanqing: “…”

Ge Yuan followed her gaze and also froze.

Not having seen Ge Yuan clearly just now, Zhao Lingxian had originally come to the kitchen to sneak a curious look at him, then go back and describe him properly to the other two. Who knew she would see such a stimulating scene!

And it was her roommate of one day who took the initiative!

Did this count as a forced kiss?

Many thoughts turned in Zhao Lingxian’s head. She suddenly stepped back, face flushed, and ran off.

Ye Wanqing could not help laughing. She was not embarrassed at all. She sighed in a show. “Ai, seems I scared my classmate. What to do? Maybe in her heart I’ve become a female bandit, and you’re the poor husband dragged off to be the mountain stronghold’s man.”

Ge Yuan: “…”

He helplessly pinched Ye Wanqing’s face. “I’ll go rinse off.”

Covered in sweat, he had to tidy up a bit before meeting people. He was planning a brilliant entrance.

He must make his little woman’s roommates feel he was a good man, worth entrusting a life to, and then have them publicize his gentleness and consideration… pah, his wise and mighty valor!

Ye Wanqing called him back. “Wait. Handle the duck and the eel first.”

“…All right.”

—

She lifted the lid. The old duck soup, stewed on low heat for a long time, sent out a rich fragrance from the ceramic jar.

Ye Wanqing stirred the clear soup with a spoon, put in the winter melon cut into pieces, let the soup cover the winter melon, then put the lid back on and turned the fire up a little.

In summer you needed a soup to relieve the heat. Winter melon and old duck soup was a good choice, nutritious and cooling, nourishing yin and the stomach.

Ge Yuan had brought eel today. She cut the deboned eel into three-centimeter sections, put a little huadiao wine, a little white pepper, and minced ginger in a bowl, and marinated it a while to remove the fishiness.

She heated the pan and added oil. When the oil smoked a little, she added several peeled garlic cloves, scallion whites, old ginger slices, star anise, and chilies to fragrance the pan, then quickly put in the marinated eel and stir-fried.

When the eel sections curled slightly and changed color, nearly cooked, she scooped them out.

She added oil again and stir-fried cucumber sections cut as thick as a little finger. When the cucumber had softened a little, she poured the fried eel and spices back into the pan, added a handful of finely chopped red millet chili, salt, and soy sauce, and stir-fried until it could come out of the pan.

Ye Wanqing liked the taste of perilla. Before taking it out she added a few perilla leaves, so the eel with cucumber would have more flavor.

Besides these two, Ye Wanqing also prepared a few specialty dishes from this side of Xiangnan.

There happened to be a grass carp kept in the water jar at home. She planned to make chopped-chili fish head.

She laid a layer of ginger slices, scallion sections, and garlic in a bowl, put on the fish head split in two, then laid a thick layer of chopped chili on the fish head. The chili was green and red. It looked especially pretty.

She put the fish head on the pot to steam. Eight minutes and it was done. When it came out she added some light soy sauce for seasoning, and it was delicious.

She cut the pork into thin slices and set them aside. First she put the soft white fat in the pan to fry out fragrant oil, then scooped out the cracklings and set them aside.

While the oil in the pan was still hot, she added minced garlic and a few fermented black beans to fragrance it, turned the fire high, added the pork slices and stir-fried quickly. When the pork was nearly cooked she added soy sauce for color and salt for taste, then a handful of sliced green peppers, and stir-fried.

When it was about to come out she poured the cracklings back in, added a small spoon of salt, and it could be eaten.

Chili stir-fried pork was simple, but it also counted as a famous dish on this side of Xiangnan.

Some people did not like cracklings, but Ye Wanqing felt the mouthfeel of cracklings after they took on a little sauce was very good, crisp and soft, and quite tasty. Chili stir-fried pork without cracklings always felt less authentic.

People of this time liked oil and fat, though. They should not reject cracklings. Especially Comrade Ge Yuan, who ate fatty meat like radish, without any pressure.

She also stir-fried a plain loofah and made a smashed cucumber. Several dishes could go on the table.

When Ye Wanqing carried the dishes out of the kitchen, she found Ge Yue, back from school, pulling Zhou Tian to play to one side, sharing the toys in her little tin bucket, and proudly showing off that she was a child deeply favored by pretty sister-in-law, with lots and lots of good food.

In front of someone her own age Zhou Tian was not so dull. She looked like a child, watching Ge Yue with a face full of amazement, especially supportive.

Seeing this, Ye Wanqing could not help smiling.

“Time to eat!” she called.

She called Ge Yuan to drag the table to the middle of the main hall, and had him call Old Zhong out. Zhao Lingxian busied herself setting stools. Lin Kejia and Zhou Rong followed Ye Wanqing to the kitchen to help with bowls, chopsticks, and rice.

Six dishes in all, filling a table.

Meat and vegetables were matched well. Light and fresh-spicy were both suitable. The colors looked very pretty.

Zhao Lingxian swept her eyes over the table, and her eyes immediately widened. “Wanqing, your cooking is really good!”

Zhou Rong and Lin Kejia nodded with the same feeling, admiring that Ye Wanqing had made such a rich table of good-looking, good-smelling, good-tasting dishes in so short a time.

Ye Wanqing smiled. “I made two local specialties. I hope you can get used to them.”

“Definitely good!”

Once they started eating, Zhao Lingxian nodded again and again. Even spicy enough to stick out her tongue, she did not slow down, and had no time to give opinions. With only one mouth, not even enough for eating, she stopped talking.

The meal was eaten in a very good atmosphere.

After eating they rested a while. Seeing the sky about to darken, Zhou Rong and Lin Kejia said they should go back to school.

Walking at night was not good. Ye Wanqing did not keep them. She packed a packet of little snacks for Zhou Tian and saw them out the door.

Because she had agreed to temporarily give the bed to Zhou Rong at night, but did not want to share a set of bedding, Ye Wanqing also packed an old set of bedding, washed clean, for Zhou Rong.

The things were not new. Zhou Rong was a little embarrassed, but still accepted them. She knew that if she refused, she would only add more trouble for Ye Wanqing.

Zhou Rong was the last to leave the courtyard gate.

Before leaving she looked at Ye Wanqing a little hesitantly, and finally spoke in a low voice. “Wanqing, actually what I told you today… was deliberate. There was a bit of private motive.”

The purpose was to make Ye Wanqing sympathize with her situation and lend her the bed.

She was a little ashamed, but…

“Was everything you said true?” Ye Wanqing asked.

“True. All true!” Zhou Rong grew a little anxious. “I had a little thought, but… I wouldn’t use those words to deceive people.”

“Then it’s fine.” Ye Wanqing smiled slightly.

Actually she had seen Zhou Rong’s intention at the time. Otherwise how would a person say so many private things to a roommate she had known for less than a day, even tearing open her most painful scar for someone to see?

But she would not therefore think Zhou Rong’s mind was complicated.

Zhou Rong froze, then her eyes quickly reddened, and she gratefully took Ye Wanqing’s hand. “Thank you. I’ll remember this kindness. Really, thank you.”

“It’s nothing.” Ye Wanqing smiled and gave her a little push. “Take Zhou Tian back to rest. Lingxian and the others have already gone far.”

“…Mm.”

Zhou Rong smiled gratefully and took Zhou Tian’s little hand.

After walking a stretch, Zhou Tian suddenly turned her head. Seeing Ye Wanqing still standing at the door, this little girl, timid and dull, suddenly lifted the corner of her mouth slightly and waved her little hand at her.

Ye Wanqing froze, then also smiled and waved back.

—

Time passed quickly. In a blink school had been open a week.

Ye Wanqing commuted every day, attended class, kept an eye on the food street stall now and then, and lived a shameless life at home with Ge Yuan. The days were full and pleasant.

She had not forgotten Wei Jun and Wei Hong still in Qingshui County, and remembered to supervise their studies.

When she arrived in the provincial capital she had called the Wei siblings. Thinking a week had passed, today she walked to the street corner again, planning to call and ask how things were.

In passing, she would also ask about Ye Mingzhu.

Although she meant not to manage the Ye family’s affairs, what had happened to Ye Mingzhu was really too worrying. Added to the Ye family’s reaction… she was a little afraid Ye Mingzhu would seek death.

As if there was a connection of hearts, when she dialed the second call, Wei Hong on the other end picked up and spoke of Ye Mingzhu.

“Jie, Ye Mingzhu is missing!”

“What?” Ye Wanqing raised her voice in surprise. “What do you mean missing?”

“It’s… I’m not very clear either. I heard it from other people. They said Ye Mingzhu’s grandparents treated her badly, forced her to die, forced her to marry an old bachelor whose wife had died. Ye Mingzhu couldn’t think it through and ran.”

“Where did she run?” Ye Wanqing asked.

“I don’t know that either. But…” Wei Hong paused. “A lot of people say Ye Mingzhu may have jumped in the river because she couldn’t think it through. She may already be dead. They just can’t find the body.”

The moment Ye Wanqing asked she knew she had asked a foolish question. Hearing Wei Hong’s answer, her heart sank further.

She hung up and did not know how she walked home.

Her feelings toward Ye Mingzhu were a little complicated.

If she said Ye Mingzhu was good to her, in her previous life the two had grown apart after they grew up. Like Ye Xiangdang and his wife, Ye Mingzhu only contacted her more after she married Ge Yuan.

To put it plainly, Ye Xiangdang and his wife coveted Ge Yuan’s property, and Ye Mingzhu was a bit vain, thinking Ge Yuan could introduce her to a decent man so she could also live a rich wife’s life.

And even if in the previous life and this one Ye Mingzhu had never treated her badly or schemed against her the way Ye Xiangdang and his wife did, she had always kept a bystander’s attitude.

Ye Mingzhu sometimes could not stand Ye Xiangdang and his wife’s favoritism, and would say a word or two of fairness for her, but that was all.

She only spoke. She never did anything.

Time after time like this, Ye Wanqing’s heart had also cooled a little. After all no one hoped the feeling given and the feeling received would be unequal.

If she said Ye Mingzhu was not good to her, Ye Mingzhu had never done anything to wrong her… The feeling between them as children was not false either. Back then Ye Mingzhu was soft and cute, always calling her sister softly, and her dependence and liking were also real.

Some memories existed in the mind. They truly could not be forgotten just because you wanted to.

In her previous life Ye Mingzhu had not gone through anything so terrible. In this life, because of all kinds of changes, her whole life had changed. No one knew how it would be later.

But Ye Wanqing felt that if Ye Mingzhu simply wanted to leave Qingshui County, leave those rights and wrongs and the place full of strange looks, it was not necessarily a bad thing.

She felt Ye Mingzhu was not the kind of person who would seek death. People who loved themselves too much were often very afraid of dying.

Ye Wanqing thought a great deal, and in the end did nothing.

Her ability was limited. At this time she also did not know where to look for Ye Mingzhu. She could only silently hope in her heart that she could live well.

Her heart tangled again and again. Ye Wanqing still worried for two days. On the third day she called back again. From Wei Hong she learned the latest situation, and only then did her heart settle.

Wei Hong said that before Ye Mingzhu disappeared she had taken some changes of clothes, and also taken the dozens of yuan in the drawer at home. It looked as if she had run away from home, not sought death.

Ye Wanqing was at ease then.

—

Time reached late September. The sun in the sky was still that bright.

Ye Wanqing rode her bicycle through campus. The wind blew her black hair. A fine strand stuck to the corner of her mouth, adding a thread of charm, drawing quite a few looks.

In a month everyone knew the School of Business Administration had an extremely pretty female classmate, also the provincial liberal-arts top scorer, talented and beautiful both.

Quite a few people admired Ye Wanqing. All kinds of love letters drifted toward her like snowflakes.

Ge Yuan had schemed to brush up his presence in front of Ye Wanqing’s roommates, hoping these people would publicize the fact that Ye Wanqing was married. His purpose was indeed achieved.

Zhao Lingxian and the others had eaten from his hand and had a sense of right and wrong. Even though Ge Yuan had not said it outright, they did often tell people Ye Wanqing was already married, not to disturb her, and so on… But basically no one believed it.

Or rather, only some people retreated knowing the difficulty.

Some boys, even believing Ye Wanqing was married, did not believe they could not dig at the corner of the wall, feeling their sincerity could always move heaven.

Ye Wanqing also found this a bit troubling.

She never accepted love letters and refused every invitation. Every time she directly stated she had a husband. But she could not stop the self-styled romantic bees and butterflies coming one after another, thinking those so-called romantic little tricks could move her heart.

After refusing another boy holding movie tickets who said he wanted to invite her to Hengxing Cinema to see The Second Time Holding Hands , Ye Wanqing hugged her textbooks and walked into the lecture hall.

The moment she entered she saw Zhou Rong sitting in the last row with Zhou Tian, in the corner away from the door. Zhou Tian was crying and struggling to go outside. Zhou Rong was soothing her carefully.

“What’s wrong?” Ye Wanqing walked over and asked.

Seeing it was her, Zhou Rong sighed. “Just now a classmate said something unpleasant. Tiantian is in a bit of a temper and won’t stay in the classroom.”

“Then how about this…” Ye Wanqing put down her books and bag, and took Zhou Tian’s hand. “Tiantian, your mama will sit in the seat near the door. You play near the back door of the classroom. Don’t run far, all right? That way you won’t count as staying in the classroom.”

Perhaps because of the good feeling built by the date-paste cake before, Zhou Tian thought, and gave her face by nodding.

Ye Wanqing’s eyes curved in a smile. “Tiantian is really a good child.”

There were still tears on her face. Zhou Tian shyly wiped them with her hand and buried her face in Zhou Rong’s arms.

Zhou Rong changed seats. Ye Wanqing remembered she had brought a few milk candies in her pocket today, quickly took them out and gave them to Zhou Tian as a reward, to make the child happy.

Who knew, the moment she finished giving the milk candies and returned to her seat, her sharp eyes found two love letters stuck in her textbook.

Ye Wanqing: “…”

Those bees and butterflies really came and went like ghosts.

She took the two love letters out and put them on the desk, hugged her textbook, and went to sit beside Zhou Rong, planning to watch Zhou Tian’s movements with her.

Zhou Rong pointed at two boys in the classroom. “The love letters were put there by those few.”

Ye Wanqing was speechless. “Forget it.”

Anyway, no matter what, she would not accept them.

She thought she had refused cleanly, but did not know the few Zhou Rong spoke of were not two, but three. A love letter had also been stuffed into her bag. She had not found it. Someone else had.