Lu Hang grabbed Guo Yanqiu’s wrist, “What’s wrong with you? You used to be so aloof and looked down on everyone. After not seeing you for half a year, why are you acting like a lunatic? It’s frightening.”

Just then, Jiang Lin, Sun Qinghui, and Zeng Hongjie were passing by.

Jiang Lin immediately saw Lu Hang bullying a female student and shouted, “Lu Hang, what are you doing?”

Earlier, Jiang Lin had run into Sun Qinghui and Zeng Hongjie as she entered the school.

Sun Qinghui was from the mechanical engineering department, and Zeng Hongjie was from the literature department.

When Lu Hang heard Jiang Lin’s voice, he was about to greet her happily but was scratched on the neck by Guo Yanqiu.

Lu Hang yelped in pain, covering his neck, “Damn, are you a cat?”

Jiang Lin walked over and glared at him, “Serves you right. What are you doing?”

Guo Yanqiu looked at Jiang Lin, noticing her beautiful features and flawless, fair skin.

Even as a woman, she had to admit Jiang Lin was stunning.

“You’re Jiang Lin, right?” she asked.

Jiang Lin smiled, “Yes.”

Lu Hang: “Linlin, don’t pay attention to her. She’s crazy. If she scratches you, what will you do?” He was worried about Guo Yanqiu’s claws scratching Jiang Lin.

Guo Yanqiu, initially feeling jealous and angry, was deflated when she saw Jiang Lin’s calm and clear demeanor.

She lost interest and said, “It’s nothing.”

She turned to Lu Hang, “Forget it. I’ll scratch you once, and we’ll be even. We won’t owe each other anything.”

Lv Hang: “I don’t owe you anything in the first place.”

Jiang Lin, knowing Lu Hang’s tendency to flirt with pretty girls, said, “Lu Hang, if you’ve done something wrong, apologize and make it right. Otherwise, we’ll cut ties with you. I’ll have Brother Shan deal with you!”

Lu Hang: “……”

Guo Yanqiu looked at Jiang Lin with surprise, realizing that Jiang Lin’s feelings for Lu Hang were purely friendly and not romantic.

She reached out her hand to Jiang Lin and introduced herself, “Hello, I’m Guo Yanqiu, the doctor at the school’s health office.”

After graduating from the worker-peasant-soldier medical program last year, she had stayed at the school to work in the health office.

Jiang Lin shook her hand and said, “Hello, Dr. Guo. Lu Hang has a bit of an issue. Could you take a good look at him?” Turning to Lu Hang, she added, “We have to go now. Take care of yourself.”

She waved goodbye to Lu Hang and left with Sun Qinghui and Zeng Hongjie.

The three of them settled into their respective dormitories and agreed to meet at the library during free time to read and study together.

Jiang Lin carried her backpack to her designated classroom.

Because of their major, they had access to a specialized drawing room.

A few students had already arrived in the classroom, and Jiang Lin estimated there were about twenty or thirty students, with likely more to come.

Su Xingyun noticed her and immediately greeted her warmly, “Jiang Lin, over here.”

He had already flipped through the registration list and got to know some of the more prominent students in the class, including those who were known for their looks, academic performance, or previous work reputation.

Jiang Lin walked over to him and listened as Su Xingyun provided some information about the class.

There were around sixty students in their class, but only five were female.

One of them was planning to switch majors, leaving just four.

It was a typical case of more males than females, and the single male students had been complaining about it privately.

Soon, more classmates arrived, making the room crowded.

At this time, the class leader, Liu Jianwu, strolled in slowly.

He was around fifty years old, bald, wore black-framed round glasses, and was dressed in a jacket with four pockets, two of which held pens.

“Let’s have a few students come with me to move some books,” he said, waving his hand.

Su Xingyun and about ten other eager male students followed him to move the books.

Jiang Lin sat down at a large table, looking around.

Their major, Architectural Engineering, was part of the Civil Engineering Department.

Because of the nature of their studies, the classroom was larger than usual, with seven or eight big tables and various architectural drawing and surveying tools.

The students in the classroom had a wide range of ages.

Some, who had been working for over ten years, looked quite worn and could easily be in their forties.

Others were recent high school graduates, around sixteen or seventeen years old, full of youthful energy and enthusiasm.

The atmosphere in the classroom was somewhat tense, though not intentionally so.

People tended to group themselves according to their life stages.

Those who were married with children formed one group, while recent graduates and those who were unmarried or childless formed another.

The older students were more reserved and quiet, discussing only study or life, avoiding political topics.

The younger ones were lively and animated, often debating current events with a sense of superiority, believing themselves to be the most knowledgeable.

As a result, the older students saw the younger ones as inexperienced kids, while the younger students thought the older ones were outdated and should be staying home with their families instead of being in school.

Three other female students came over to greet Jiang Lin as she sat alone.

They introduced themselves.

One of them, Yao Zhenxia, looked very young, about sixteen or seventeen, and was a recent high school graduate.

Another, named Zhu Caiping, appeared to be in her thirties but was still unmarried.

The last one, Yang Lu, was from the city and had a four-year-old child.

When they heard Jiang Lin was twenty-five with an eight-year-old child, they were amazed.

Zhu Caiping looked at Jiang Lin in shock and said loudly, “Jiang Lin, are you really married with an eight-year-old child? You look so young. Did you get married when you went to the countryside?”

All the male students, who were deeply engaged in conversation, turned their heads to look.

With only four female students in the class, anything they did attracted attention.

When they gathered together and whispered, it naturally drew curiosity, as the others tried to see who was more beautiful.

Now, everyone was openly staring.

Yao Zhenxia felt a bit embarrassed and gently nudged Zhu Caiping, asking her to lower her voice.

Zhu Caiping laughed, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be so loud. I’m just really surprised. Jiang Lin looks so young. She even looks younger than Yao Zhenxia. Jiang Lin, did you really get married in the countryside?”

Her voice was still quite loud.

Jiang Lin, who had already listed herself as married on the registration form, wasn’t worried about people knowing and responded confidently, “Yes, and what’s the problem with that?”

“No problem,” Zhu Caiping quickly shook her head, but she still found it hard to believe that Jiang Lin had married someone from the countryside and hadn’t even divorced yet.

This revelation discouraged some of the unmarried male students who had been interested.

Yang Lu examined Jiang Lin closely, as if she were a patient, and said in surprise, “Jiang Lin, your skin is really good. How do you take care of it? My parents and in-laws pamper me and I’ve avoided sun and wind, but my skin is still nowhere near as good as yours. Please teach me.” She turned to Yao Zhenxia and added with a smile, “Yao Zhenxia, don’t you think Jiang Lin’s skin is even better than yours?”

Yao Zhenxia, who was talking with Zhu Caiping, didn’t respond immediately.

Yang Lu nudged her, “Hey, I’m talking to you.”

Yao Zhenxia quickly said, “Oh, yes.” She also looked at Jiang Lin and complimented her, then said, “Sisters, you can call me Xiao Yu from now on.”

“Xiao Yu? Is that your nickname?”

“Yes. There are only four of us girls in the class, so let’s be like close sisters. You all are my older sisters,” Yao Zhenxia said with a sweet smile.

Soon, Su Xingyun and others helped the teacher move the books and began distributing them according to the class roster.

The homeroom teacher announced, “Please come up to the front to collect your books when your name is called, and also introduce yourself so everyone can get to know you.”

The teacher started with their own introduction, writing their name on the blackboard, and then began calling out names one by one.

After calling out the names of several boys, it was finally Zhu Caiping’s turn.

Liu Jianwu joked, “It’s a miracle! Our class doesn’t have any single men. I heard that some classes don’t have any female students at all. Haha!”

Everyone laughed.

Zhu Caiping introduced herself, mentioning her name and hometown, and then added with a smile, “Although I’m 26 years old, I’m not married yet. I’m quite straightforward and may speak too directly. I hope everyone can be patient with me and encourage me.”

The class applauded, especially the older unmarried male students.

Yao Zhenxia turned to Jiang Lin and said, “Isn’t she 28? Why does she say she’s 26?”

Jiang Lin laughed, “Maybe she’s referring to her age without counting the extra years.”

Next, Liu Jianwu called another female student, seeming to want to show off all four of the female students.

Yao Zhenxia added, “Please call me Xiaoyu from now on; it will feel more personal.”

A male student joked, “We’ll call you Little Raindrop!”

Yao Zhenxia laughed and said, “That’s fine.”

When it was Yang Lu’s turn, she introduced herself, starting from when her mother was pregnant with her, how her father took great care of her mother, to how she was cherished by her family, and finally, how her in-laws and husband have treated her lovingly.

The first three minutes ended, and everyone thought it was over, but then another five minutes started…

“I might seem a bit delicate because I’ve been pampered at home. When I was reviewing my studies, my family always kept me company. Even when I told them to rest, they wouldn’t listen, haha. That’s love, isn’t it?”

She showed no sign of stopping.

The class leader quickly intervened, “Let’s talk more about this later. Next, Jiang Lin.”

Jiang Lin, who had almost fallen asleep from listening, stood up and went to the front. “Hello, everyone. I’m Jiang Lin, from the provincial capital. I went to the countryside in 1970 and am married. I look forward to studying and progressing together with all of you.”

She introduced herself succinctly and then went to collect her books.

Someone called out, “Jiang Lin, is your husband a sent-down youth or a countryside person?”

Jiang Lin replied, “Does it matter? He’s from the village.”

The emphasis on “countryside” drew some nuanced reactions, with an undertone of meaning.

It was rare for a beautiful young sent-down woman to marry a countryside man, and such marriages were often viewed as forced, a way to escape labor, or for some other benefit.

Seeing the condescending reactions from a few men, Su Xingyun raised his voice, “What’s with the ‘oh’? What’s so surprising? Our constitution guarantees freedom of marriage and prohibits arranged marriages. Jiang Lin’s choice to marry a countryside man is her personal decision. There are no regulations against it. The integration of workers, peasants, and soldiers means no one should be discriminated against.”

“No one is discriminating; we admire Jiang Lin’s courage and vision,” someone chuckled.

Su Xingyun continued, “Let me tell you, Jiang Lin’s husband is tall, handsome, and would be the most handsome in any performing arts troupe. So, no more snide remarks.”

“Oh, no one’s saying anything. We really do admire her,” came the reply.

It was easier to understand now that he was good-looking.

Jiang Lin smiled and thanked Su Xingyun, “Thank you, Su Xingyun.”

Su Xingyun replied, “I’ve seen you before, so I’m just being honest.”

Liu Jianwu, who was watching the students with pride, was delighted.

He saw that his class had both the most beautiful girl in the school and the top student, which made him incredibly proud!

He felt he needed to study hard too and not be outdone, especially since he had missed out on advanced studies for the past ten years.

Once the introductions were over, it was noon.

Liu Jianwu said, “It’s time to eat. This afternoon, we’ll have class officer elections. Think about running for a position and consider serving your classmates.”

Su Xingyun then invited Jiang Lin and the others, “Let’s have lunch together.”

Su Xingyun, 25 years old and unmarried, had an impressive appearance, was not short, and was dressed neatly in clean clothes and polished shoes.

His well-groomed nails were spotless, indicating a well-off background.

Zhu Caiping said with a smile, “Sure!”

Yang Lu said, “You guys go ahead. I need to return to the dorm to drop off my books.” She grabbed Jiang Lin’s arm, “Jiang Lin, your bed is still empty. Do you want to come with me to tidy it up?”

Jiang Lin winced a bit from the pull but agreed, “Sure.”

She needed to put her books in the dorm anyway; carrying them all home was too heavy.

The walk from the classroom building to the dormitory was only a few minutes, and they arrived quickly.

Along the way, Yang Lu said to Jiang Lin, “We married folks should stick together, and the unmarried ones should form their own group. It’s just more suitable. I’ll tell you, the young unmarried ones can be tricky. They don’t understand the hardships of life…”

Jiang Lin smiled and didn’t comment. She was there to study but wouldn’t deliberately distance herself from her classmates just because she was married.

After all, making friends is important, and who says married people can’t hang out with singles?

Yang Lu kept talking until they reached the dormitory.

Their dorm had eight people in total: four from their class, one transfer student, and three from other departments.

According to Yang Lu, among the eight, three were unmarried, while the rest were married with children.

At this time, everyone was out for lunch, so the dorm was empty.

Jiang Lin’s bed was on the lower bunk, with the upper bunk stacked with other students’ trunks and some miscellaneous items.

Yang Lu said, “Some of the younger girls don’t tidy up their things well. Boxes and bins are thrown around messily. I can’t stand the clutter, so I tidy up a bit every day.”

Jiang Lin said, “It’s okay. I’ll just bring my bedding over. I’ll be staying in the dormitory since the studies will be busy, so I need to bring a set of bedding.”

Yang Lu joked, “Jiang Lin, does your husband mind you going to university?”

Jiang Lin replied, “No, not at all. My family is quite supportive. My parents are taking care of the children at home, and my husband is working in transportation. He’s often away.”

“Transportation?” Yang Lu’s eyes lit up. “A driver, that’s quite good. Drivers not only earn good wages but also get hidden benefits and can access many resources others can’t.” He asked, “Where does he usually go?”

Jiang Lin answered, “Mainly within the province, but occasionally to other provinces. I don’t know much about it and rarely ask.”

Yang Lu immediately took on a serious tone and warned her, “Jiang Lin, don’t think I’m being nosy. You should really understand and investigate when your man is traveling far.

I heard about a case where a cadre frequently went on business trips, and later, a woman showed up with a child, claiming he had another woman over there and wasn’t even married.

That’s not even the worst. Many sent-down youth have returned to the city now that the college entrance exams are back. There are few who stick with their rural partners.

Most have divorced and returned to the city or left their husbands and children behind. Their marriages aren’t protected, and no one cares. In our family…”

Jiang Lin smiled, “I’ll keep an eye on it. Let’s go for lunch.”

Yang Lu continued, “You really need to be careful. A handsome man like yours will attract attention wherever he goes. If he doesn’t initiate, others might. He might not care at first, but over time, he might start having thoughts. Men are often fond of new things and get bored easily. Even if he’s a faithful husband now…”

Jiang Lin cut him off, “Thanks for the advice. Let’s go eat.”

She set her books aside and headed out.

Yang Lu kept talking, “I’m telling you, this man…” As he saw Jiang Lin reaching the door, he quickly grabbed his tea cup and lunch box and followed her.