Late at night, with a lone man and a woman in someone else’s house, and someone outside being extremely attentive, the question was whether to meet or not. Fortunately, he didn’t need to ponder much. A bold and thunderous voice rang out, “You little wench, why are you knocking on your brother’s door in the middle of the night? It seems like your skin needs a good tightening.” Well, thankfully, Grandma Luo had been vigilant during the day, keeping a close eye on this girl doing some inappropriate things. She thought everything was fine after observing the whole day and was ready to rest.
Little did she know that this girl hadn’t given up. In the dead of night, she pulled such a stunt, attempting to seduce the city guest in her brother’s room. This was just shameless!
Caught by her family, the panicked female voice quickly forgot about being charming and hurriedly explained, “Grandma, I didn’t mean anything else. Tonight, I noticed that the city brother ate very little, afraid that our hospitality was lacking. So, I specially went to the kitchen to cook something and wanted him to feel the warmth of being treated as an honored guest. That’s all, really, with no other intentions.” She just wanted Fu Peian to remember her kindness when he left, never thinking of seducing him. But people in this era think so narrowly and superficially. When a girl shows kindness to a boy, it can only be associated with romantic feelings, and she had difficulties expressing her true feelings.
Will Grandma Luo believe it? She’s quite shrewd. While inwardly cursing this restless girl, thinking she’s gone mad for men, she simultaneously twists the girl’s ear and drags her away. “Do you need to worry about whether someone is hungry or not? Go back to your room and don’t disturb your little brother’s sleep.”
And so, Yin Yue is pulled away, still indignant even as she leaves: Little Bao again! Why is it that every time she tries to be kind, Xiao Bao interferes? Little did she know, Xiao Bao is just an excuse for Grandma Luo. Otherwise, if news spread about the granddaughter seducing a guest in her grandson’s room, she would have a hard time facing the villagers.
Grandma Luo grumbles to herself after locking her granddaughter in the room, lying in bed. She reflects on her granddaughter’s recent bold and reckless behavior, coupled with the unpleasant gossip circulating in the village, leaving her feeling annoyed and frustrated.
The next day, she summons the couple from the main house. Without waiting for Yin Yue to wake up lazily in the late morning, they pull her out of bed. The three of them discuss Yin Yue’s future plans, with Yin Yue mainly listening.
Because everyone in the family is busy, the eldest granddaughter is obedient and sensible. She manages household chores while still attending high school. Grandma Luo doesn’t understand many big words but hears from the school teacher that the girl’s grades are excellent. Though she can’t grasp what “excellent” means, she understands that if the grades stay stable this year, going to university won’t be a problem.
Heavens! University! Grandma Luo is astonished. She initially thought it would be good if her eldest granddaughter pursued a vocational degree. Nowadays, even vocational graduates are guaranteed jobs by the government, let alone university graduates who receive subsidies and scholarships. The future is secure. Even if they don’t have money, they would scrape together whatever they can to send the academically successful granddaughter to university.
After the restoration of the college entrance examination, the first university student in Wenshui Village would indeed bring great prestige.
As for Xiao Bao, in the morning she heard the young man say that when Xiao Bao is a bit older, they would take him to the city for education. The man even mentioned something about acting on TV and becoming a big star. Grandma Luo, upon hearing this, dropped a bowl, feeling dizzy and almost losing her bearings.
She was about to refuse, but the young man spoke earnestly, “Grandma, Xiao Bao is my lifesaver. As the saying goes, for a drop of grace, a gushing spring of gratitude should follow. If it weren’t for Xiao Bao’s encouragement, what you might have seen is my memorial photo. I must repay Xiao Bao. Xiao Bao is very clever; I saw him singing in the yard this morning. He’s well-suited for this path. When every household has a TV in the future, Xiao Bao will become famous.”
In reality, earlier in the morning, Yin Minglu, while folding blankets, was singing and humming off-key children’s songs, “This is a city, many stories here. Friends, come as guests, listen to my song, la la la la~” Even if he was off-key the entire time, he sang with great enthusiasm, exceptionally infectious.
It was as if the surroundings darkened, and the stage lights converged only on this child who was singing his heart out.
The young man was somewhat moved, involuntarily applauding. He felt that this child was like a little sun, full of vitality and exceptionally charming. He was very captivating. So, he consulted Grandma Luo, the one who could make decisions at home, of course, using gratitude as the reason. Initially hesitant about Xiao Bao going so far, Grandma Luo had reservations. Perhaps everyone in the family felt the same way—happy that the child was successful but unable to suppress the longing when they were far away. However, for the child’s future success, they had to let go.
“I won’t take Xiao Bao away; he’s still a resident of Wenshui Village. I’ll just occasionally come to see him, take him to the city to broaden his horizons, maybe act in some films. He’s still young, and it’s better if he stays close to his family.”
With the conversation reaching this point, Grandma Luo, although reluctant, agreed. She didn’t want her grandson to end up as a laborer, working in the fields.
Now, the only concern at home was Yin Yue. She had been studying until two years ago, but due to intellectual challenges, she wasn’t cut out for it. She dropped out of school and started helping with household chores.
Seeing her granddaughter getting older and idling around at home, Grandma Luo decided to prioritize her matters and held a small family meeting.
The daughter-in-law from the main house suggested that the girl go back to studying, but Grandma Luo dismissed the idea without much thought, “Going back to school now is definitely not an option. Just two years ago, they loosened the exam restrictions. The difficulty isn’t that high yet. If she didn’t do well before, and she goes back now to build a foundation, do you think the school would accept her?”
Yin Yue interjected, “I don’t want to go back either. I’ve forgotten the knowledge from the textbooks a long time ago. Going back means starting from scratch, and it’s so troublesome. Besides, in a year, I can take my sister’s spot and go to college. Why bother going through all that trouble?”
“Then you go work at the factory for me!” Grandma Luo was about to scold. The family was worried about her, and here she was, still nonchalant. “I’ve arranged a job for you at a textile factory. It’s the position your sister, Zhang, retired from. If you go, you’ll earn twenty-five yuan a month.” The wages were calculated hourly, and if one worked diligently, it could be even more. Many people were eager for this position. If it weren’t for Grandma Luo’s connection with Zhang, it wouldn’t have been available.
“Is it the textile factory to the south? I inquired. Work there for three years, and they even provide housing. You can cook your own meals most of the time, no need to eat at the employee cafeteria.” The couple from the main house were quite satisfied, beginning to calculate and figure out how much money their daughter could save in a year.
Not to mention the meager monthly wage of twenty-five yuan, Yin Yue wouldn’t go to the factory even if it paid more. She immediately refused, “I won’t go!” Working in a factory like that, with no prospects and the risk of layoffs, plus the low wages – why would she want to go?
Everyone was stunned. It was such a good job that many people were eager to get, and it had been arranged for her. How could she refuse?
Yin Yue’s father frowned, “Why don’t you go to such a good job? You’re not studying, and now you don’t want to work. What do you want to do?”
“I…” Yin Yue faltered. She couldn’t just say that this second chance at life was a gift from the heavens, not meant for her to lead an uneventful life forever. She was thinking of waiting until she got into college and then going to the city with Qin Mao to strive for something better. It was much better than working in a factory. The current trend was such – some workers were reluctant to give up their stable jobs, but those with foresight would resign, start their own business, and eventually achieve success.
She knew that these thoughts were valid, but saying them now seemed like wishful thinking. So, she mumbled without expressing her thoughts.
In the eyes of her family, it seemed like she just wanted to be lazy. They began scolding her, making Yin Yue increasingly annoyed. She didn’t know how to explain these concepts to these relics of a bygone era who were resistant to change.
When they finally stopped harping on the matter of Yin Yue refusing the factory job, the conversation, after meandering here and there, circled back to the issue of finding a suitable partner. Yin Yue’s recent behavior had been causing Grandma Luo a lot of concern. A well-behaved daughter should be modest, but Yin Yue seemed to be excessively fawning over men.
Not only was she pursuing men, but her taste was also questionable. Qin Mao’s family was poor, lacking even the most basic necessities. The head of the household had a gambling problem, spending most of his time at the casino. They could hardly save any money. If Yin Yue married into such a family, would she have a happy future?
Not only did Grandma Luo disagree, but even the couple from the main house didn’t want their daughter to marry into such a difficult situation. They began criticizing Qin Mao, listing numerous flaws in his family. They didn’t have a single good thing to say. They even considered introducing Yin Yuer to someone else, a primary school math teacher in town.
“He’s in his twenties, teaches math, and is a cultured person. In ancient times, he’d be considered from an intellectual family. His family is upright, and he’s an honest person. He earns twenty yuan a month.” What a great match! Many girls would eagerly want to start a life with someone like him.
“What? Just twenty yuan?” Even buying a leather jacket in the city would be impossible with such a meager income. Besides, an honest person often means they lack flexibility in their thinking, suitable only for a modest life with little potential for making big money. Yin Yue sneered at the offer, wearing a disdainful expression that shocked everyone. They thought, “Who do you think you are to look down on someone else? And this guy’s conditions? The Qin family at the village entrance can’t even afford a dowry.”
“Take a good look in the mirror yourself. Who do you think you are to criticize a people’s teacher?” Grandma Luo was genuinely on the verge of being infuriated by her rebellious granddaughter. She had arranged a good job for her, introduced a potential partner, and here she was, rejecting both. Grandma Luo felt like grabbing a broom and giving her a good beating.
Especially since Yin Yue was busy singing praises for Qin Mao, “Don’t scold Qin Mao! He’s a good person and will make a lot of money in the future. Just watch.” She was confident that she would have a comfortable life if she married him. This self-assured attitude infuriated the Yin family, who criticized her for being completely bewitched by Qin Mao and daydreaming. They couldn’t understand why she would reject such a good marriage prospect for a penniless guy.
Yin Yue couldn’t be bothered with their arguments and stormed out, heading to find Qin Mao.
About to leave, Yin Yue thought of her older sister and hesitated for a moment. She turned and entered Yin Yujiao’s room without knocking. Observing her sister diligently working on her assignments at the desk, Yin Yue felt satisfied and began her routine expression of concern.
“What’s up?” Yin Yujiao was somewhat surprised by her sister’s unusual attention. Yin Yue was usually indifferent to her studies, so this sudden interest was unexpected.
“Nothing, just suddenly wanted to check on your study progress. After all, the college entrance exam is next year.” The better Yin Yujiao performed, the more advantages Yin Yuer could gain. It was only natural to show some concern. Yin Yue put on the appearance of a caring sister and inquired, “How is it? Feeling stressed about your studies? Is it difficult?”
“It’s okay. There’s still a year, so the study pressure isn’t too great.” Yin Yujiao spoke casually, appearing relaxed and stress-free. She even took out a partially mended shoe sole from the drawer and continued sewing, asking casually, “What do you think about embroidering a peony flower on this shoe upper? Will it look good?”
However, Yin Yue was dissatisfied with her sister’s study habits. “Why are you like this? With just one year left, how can you still find time to mend shoe soles? You don’t look like a serious exam candidate at all. You should be like the scholars of ancient times, with your head hanging, a needle poking your thigh, carving walls to steal light, and reading by lamp late into the night. Work hard to get into a university. Li Hong next door, who is also taking the college entrance exam, sleeps only three hours a day and starts memorizing books as soon as she wakes up.” Although it seemed like Li Hong didn’t make it in the end, not even to a vocational college, it didn’t stop Yin Yue from instilling the philosophy of emulating such a dedicated study routine in her sister.
Moreover, the school Yin Yue would eventually inherit was the one her sister would attend. Naturally, the higher the score, the better! The more advantages she could gain!
Yin Yujiao was puzzled by her sister’s scolding. “But the exam is next year, there’s still more than a year. If I review like this, I’ll collapse.”
“What does a little physical exhaustion matter? The college entrance exam is a major event in life. Your nerves should be stretched tight, and you should strive to achieve the highest possible score for your future. Don’t let yourself regret it.” Yin Yue naturally wanted her sister to score as high as possible, preferably even higher than in her past life. At the very least, she hoped for a better undergraduate program.
Yin Yujiao nodded. “You make sense, but…” Her sister’s sense of urgency felt strange. It almost seemed like it wasn’t her sister taking the college entrance exam, but rather Yin Yue herself.
“Since you think what I’m saying makes sense, then listen to me.” With a determined tone, Yin Yue took charge and decided on her own. She even confiscated the half-mended shoe sole that Yin Yujiao intended to sell.
Examining the rather crude handmade item, Yin Yue sneered at its quality, mocking its worthlessness. This thing, which couldn’t fetch more than a few cents, was occupying valuable time meant for preparing for the college entrance exam. It simply wasn’t worth it.
As she passed by the household trash bin, she casually threw it in.
Despite being something she had painstakingly crafted, Yin Yujiao saw it and hurriedly picked it back up, feeling that her sister was becoming increasingly peculiar.
On the other hand, thinking she had successfully motivated her sister to study, Yin Yue then went to encourage Qin Mao, who was chopping wood on the hill. She buzzed around him like a diligent little bee, not as domineering as she was with her family but rather exceptionally sweet.
Enduring her chatter, Qin Mao glanced at her. “I heard your grandma arranged a job for you, paying a bit over twenty yuan a month. Why don’t you want to take it?” This news had spread throughout the village, and people were saying that the second daughter of the Yin family was lazy, refusing even a steady job like this. People were starting to wonder who would dare to marry such a girl in the future.
“That job at the textile factory pays just over twenty yuan a month. In a few years, it’ll close sooner or later. Working there is a waste of time. We’re definitely leaving Wenshui Village in the future to live in the city. By then, we’ll sell clothes, open a factory, or run a small restaurant. Whether it’s something like ‘Guandongzhu’ or ‘Mala Tang,’ it doesn’t matter. Whatever makes money, we’ll do it. The monthly profit will be more than this amount.” The girl gestured with her fingers, outlining specific profits, presenting a staggering figure. Then, with determined eyes, she encouraged, “In this day and age, business is like this. The daring thrive, and the timid starve. Those who dare to start first and second get to taste the meat. Those who come later only get a sip of the soup.”
“Qin Mao, do you want to eat meat or drink soup? Do you want those people in the village who look down on you to know that you actually have abilities, that you can make big money?” Yin Yue was painting a picture, though not exactly a grand one because this had indeed happened in her past life.
“Living together as partners, we’ll surely make a prosperous life. By then, those who look down on you will only envy and even curry favor with you. You might be the first person in our village to own a small car and live in a big house in the city.” Nowadays, most people lack the eloquence to express themselves, but Yin Yue, who had been bombarded by internet marketing, knew how to articulate her thoughts. Her words were stirring.
Qin Mao seemed to be moved by her words.
The entire village believed that his future was destined for a life of hardship. However, the girl expressed confidence in him, continuously praising him, affirming that he had potential and was a capable person. Over time, he couldn’t help but be touched, gradually developing feelings for the girl. As she continued to speak, he became convinced that he could break free from the impoverished life, go to the city, and lead a wealthy and comfortable life.
Even as the girl spoke more and more, he was persuaded, believing that he could truly escape the destitution of a life without enough to eat or proper clothing, and make a name for himself in the city, living a prosperous life.
Author’s note: I’m still feeling a bit unwell today. I’ll make up for yesterday’s update another day.
Thanks for your concern, going to have some brown sugar water.
Thank you for voting and supporting with nutrients, my little angels~
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