Chapter 15: The Mandate of Parents

After Huo Qingshan left, Ye Zhiting stepped out from the darkness.

She had always been a willful little princess, used to bullying him. Why was it that when she saw Huo Qingshan, she suddenly became so gentle and demure? What kind of force had changed her?

In the past, whether she bullied him or he blamed her, even if they bickered and tussled, she had always been by his side.

Now, she had suddenly become sensible and tender for another man. He felt an indescribable taste in his heart. That feeling was unreal, flustered, even tinged with fear, and it was something he could not accept.

Was he going to lose her?

Realizing this, he was startled, and he chased after her back toward the Educated Youth Point.

“Brother Ting, you’re finally back!” Ye Manman immediately rushed up to him, her voice tinged with sobs. “I was worried sick. You must be starving. Hurry and eat!”

Ye Zhiting, however, did not feel hungry at all. He said to Ye Manman, “Think of a way to persuade Yingying, tell her not to be foolish.”

Ye Manman cried, “Brother Ting, how could Sister Yingying possibly listen to me? No matter what I say, it’s always wrong.”

Ye Zhiting said nothing more and instead stepped into the house. He saw Lin Yingying humming a tune as she combed her hair. Leaning against the doorframe, he said, “Yingying, I’m hungry.”

Lin Yingying turned her head to glance at him. “I’m not your mom. If you’re hungry, go find Ye Manman.”

See! She was still as sharp-tongued as ever, still just as unkind to him. Calling her considerate was simply blind talk!

Ye Zhiting said bitterly, “I want to eat your biscuits!”

Lin Yingying grabbed half a box left over from what she had shared with the mud monkeys and tossed it to him. “Snatching biscuits from me—serves you right if you drool to death over them.”

Ye Zhiting caught the biscuits but could not be bothered to eat them. His expression shifted between dark and light, and he refused to say a word.

Lin Yingying could not be bothered with him. With Huo Qingshan, she was so happy she could hardly contain it, even dreaming in pink bubbles.

Ma Pingping said, “Yingying, I’ve boiled some water for you.”

Lin Yingying then went to wash her hair and take a bath.

The next morning, the educated youths went out to work, and Ye Zhiting and Ye Manman were no exception.

Ye Zhiting still wanted to ask for leave so he could keep an eye on Lin Yingying, but the team leader did not give him the chance. “Aside from Educated Youth Lin, everyone else, hurry up and go harvest the wheat. The sky looks a bit overcast, so make the most of the time!”

The brigade leader and the Party secretary had already given orders to each team leader, allowing Educated Youth Lin to skip work for the time being so she could settle an important matter in her life.

After all, Huo Qingshan was the pride of their village, someone they had watched grow up. No one wanted to see him end up a lifelong bachelor, right?

Besides, Huo Qingshan had gone to work an extra night shift yesterday and had already harvested the wheat assigned to Educated Youth Lin for the next two days. It was only right for her to take a rest. But since Huo Qingshan did not want this mentioned, the brigade leader naturally kept his mouth shut.

After they all left for work, Lin Yingying waited and waited, glancing at her watch dozens of times, yet still saw no sign of Huo Qingshan. She then went out to look for him.

He had promised to take her to the commune. How could he go back on his word?

She was thinking of finding a little mud monkey to send a message to Huo Qingshan when she saw him leading the black stallion over. Like a lark, she spun around twice in delight. “Brother Qingshan is going to take me riding~~”

Huo Qingshan’s gaze lingered on her for a moment. “You ride by yourself.”

Seeing his aloof, restrained demeanor, Lin Yingying deliberately wanted to tease him. She leaned forward slightly and tilted her head up to look at him, saying with a touch of mockery, “Huo Qingshan, we’ve already hugged and kissed. What’s the point of pretending to be distant now? Everyone already knows we’re courting.”

Huo Qingshan looked at her with that infuriatingly provocative expression, and his fingers instinctively curled tight. Yesterday, after that passionate hug and that fiery declaration of liking from her, his blood had surged so strongly that he could not control himself and went to harvest wheat for half the night.

Though outwardly steady and serious, when it came to matters of the heart, he was purer than a sheet of blank paper by three degrees.

Lin Yingying saw that while he remained calm and reserved, the tips of his ears had turned red. She pressed her lips together in a smile. This man really could not handle being teased~~

She grinned and tried to climb onto the horse, but overestimated her own arm strength and height. Several times she ended up sprawled against the horse’s belly, unable to reach the stirrup, and grew so anxious she began stomping her feet.

She turned on him with a pair of reproachful, love-filled eyes. “You’re bad. Afraid I’ll hug you, you deliberately didn’t ride the bicycle so you could make me look foolish. I’m angry!”

Huo Qingshan reached out his rough, calloused hand, bracing the sole of her foot to lift her up. “The bicycle tire’s punctured.”

Lin Yingying looked down at him. “Really?”

Huo Qingshan’s expression did not change. “Really. Riding a horse is more comfortable than sitting on a bicycle, less bumpy.”

And it would not let her cling to him so recklessly, so provocatively. Ever since last night, just thinking about her soft body pressed against him gave him the feeling that his whole body was about to be scalded through.

Lin Yingying, knowing when to stop, no longer made things difficult for him. Sitting atop the horse, swaying gently, was indeed very pleasant.

Huo Qingshan raised his hand and gave the horse’s belly a light pat, setting it into motion, then walked quickly alongside.

Though he was on foot, their pace was not slow at all, nearly matching that of riding a bicycle. And with the small quilt he had placed over the saddle, Lin Yingying truly felt more comfortable than when sitting on a bicycle.

The post office had already opened. Lin Yingying slung her small handbag over her arm and, leaning forward on the horse, tried to slide down. Unfortunately, her height was not in her favor. Her two slender legs flailed against the horse’s belly, but she still could not reach the ground.

Huo Qingshan hurriedly gave her a hand and lifted her down.

Lin Yingying pouted again. “Can’t you hold me? I’m not a sack of flour!”

Huo Qingshan wisely did not respond, instead motioning for her to go inside.

The female telephone operator immediately spotted the pair as they entered—a handsome man and a beautiful woman. She waved and called out, “This is Huo Qingshan’s sweetheart, isn’t it? Your parents sent a telegram!”

Yesterday, after they had left, the entire post office had gossiped about them from top to bottom. In the end, everyone was waiting to see whether her parents would agree or not.

Smiling, Lin Yingying hurried over to the telegram counter.

The telegraph clerk pulled out a thick stack and handed it to her. “Sign here!”

Lin Yingying was stunned. …What was going on? Why were there so many?

Huo Qingshan walked up beside her and took the top one to glance at it. It was from Mother Lin: Baby, calm down! Wait for my call!

He silently returned the telegram to Lin Yingying, looked at her deeply, and said in a low, husky voice, “Let’s go back.”

Lin Yingying saw that his face showed little expression, yet it was as if the light in those dark, bright eyes had dimmed. She quickly handed him the second one and said, “In our family, my dad has the final say.”

Huo Qingshan lowered his eyes. Written on it was Father Lin’s reply: Daughter, you have guts! Approved!

Different opinions? He glanced at her. It seemed her parents also found her quite a headache. Then he noticed the thick stack of telegrams beneath it.

Huo Qingshan: “……”

Lin Yingying pulled him aside to a bench so they could sit and read.

Her mother’s second telegram had been sent more than an hour after the first. Its content read: Baby, received a call from your Little Uncle. You have a good eye for people. Wait for my call at ten tomorrow.

As expected, with her grandmother and Little Uncle agreeing, her mother would not go against them. No wonder Comrade Old Lin said that even at her age, she still listened to her mother.

Smiling, Lin Yingying handed the telegram she had finished reading to Huo Qingshan and went on to read the third one.

The third telegram was from her father: Girl, received your Little Uncle’s call. Dad does not agree! You’re still young, and where does he get the nerve to dare dream such a dream? Even a good soldier won’t do! Tomorrow at ten, I’ll call you.

Yet again, two telegrams with completely opposite opinions.

Lin Yingying: …Dad, Mom, you’re really too good at undermining me.

Huo Qingshan looked at her, his tone even and without much inflection. “In your family, your dad has the final say, huh?”

Lin Yingying lifted her chin proudly. “That’s right. In our family, when it comes to daily life, my mom has the final say. In political matters, my dad has the final say. Since marriage is a trivial daily-life matter, of course my mom has the final say.”

Huo Qingshan lowered his lashes and said lightly, “What else?”

Lin Yingying quickly continued reading. The next telegram was from her Little Uncle: Baby, your parents have differing opinions. We voted. Grandpa’s whole family, along with Huanhuan and Lele, all support you.

Huanhuan was a border collie, and Lele was a short-eared cat.

Lin Yingying let out a sigh of relief and said with a smile, “See, my grandparents agreed, so there’s no problem. Comrade Old Lin’s opinion can be ignored.”

Huo Qingshan said quietly, “So, in other words, it’s your grandmother and your uncle who have the final say in your family?”

Lin Yingying stared at him in alarm. How could his nose be so sharp—he had sniffed out the truth from so far away? She gave a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. In our family in the future, we’ll be the ones making the decisions. They won’t interfere.” Leaning closer to his ear, she added playfully, “No meddling from the in-laws in government affairs!”

A shiver of numbness ran through Huo Qingshan’s ear, and the tips of his ears flushed red. He lowered his voice to remind her, “Sit properly.”

Those inside by the window, those walking outside, and even the ones peeking about were all secretly spying on them.

Lin Yingying slapped all the telegrams of agreement into Huo Qingshan’s hand. “Alright, there, you’re satisfied now.”

Her tone was just like coaxing a sulking child.

Huo Qingshan looked at her. Was she simply being whimsical and lighthearted, or did she truly mean it when she said she had fallen in love with him at first sight?

In the city, what kind of young man had she not seen? Even among the talented in the military, she had surely met more than a few, with many far more outstanding than him. So why did she have to choose him?

From the depths of his eyes, Lin Yingying caught the hint of doubt. She breathed out softly, her voice as sweet and teasing as a seductress. “What are you imagining? Of course I want to marry you because I like you. Have you never felt love at first sight?”

Huo Qingshan lowered his gaze to hide the depths of his eyes and shook his head.

Lin Yingying clicked her tongue. “What a pity. It’s a truly wonderful feeling.”

She tilted her head slightly, her fair face glowing, the clear peach blossom eyes shimmering with rippling light. Then, folding her hands over her chest, she spoke in that luxurious, sensual recitation tone, low and gentle:

“Love at first sight—when you first see him, you feel as though the daylight suddenly brightens, and the air is filled with a sweet and fragrant scent. Time slows down, the wind becomes gentler and more lingering, your irritation melts away in an instant, and your taut bad temper softens because of him. Looking at him is like seeing a chocolate ice cream in June. Ah, one bite, and it refreshes your very soul. For him, you are willing to become a better version of yourself.”

She smiled faintly, her bright peach blossom eyes fixed on him. “Huo Qingshan, this is what it means to like someone.”

To make him believe her, her gaze was steeped in honeyed tenderness, her voice growing even more alluring. “Huo Qingshan, this is my one-and-only kind of affection for you. Have you remembered it?”

A warmth spread through Huo Qingshan’s chest as he lowered his gaze to look at her. Then he heard that voice, as sweet as a yellow oriole leaving the valley, continue to tempt him. “Huo Qingshan, you like me too, don’t you?”

Before the last syllable faded, her soft, delicate white hand came to rest on his large one, patting it in a coaxing way.

Huo Qingshan gazed at her, for the first time looking into her eyes without the slightest reserve, even with a hint of impropriety, his eyes direct and burning.

He liked her. In his heart, he said it with the solemnity of a vow.