Chapter 46: Forward Production Team

Upon returning to her room, Xiao Qingru found that he was already gone. She noticed a note on the desk, picked it up, and read:

“Love letter received!”

She checked her desk, and sure enough, the thank you note she’d written earlier was gone. Looking at the bold, flamboyant handwriting, which mirrored his brash personality, she couldn’t help but chuckle. “Love letter? Where did he get that idea?” That guy always had a way of twisting things!

After seeing Mu Zhou, Qingru felt she didn’t need to pine over his letters anymore. Humming, she carefully placed the letters back into their envelopes and stored them away in a drawer. Mu Zhou was the first person to write her letters, making them worthy of being cherished as keepsakes.

Meanwhile, Mu Zhou, back in his dorm, pulled out the letter and read it over and over. Although it was a straight forward thank you note for the New Year gift he sent, Mu Zhou was convinced it was a confession. If Qingru didn’t care for him, she wouldn’t have looked at the gift twice, let alone written a thank you note. And if she’d known his address, she might have sent it sooner.

In his mind, she had long decided to be with him since New Year’s. That was how it had to be!

Grinning, Mu Zhou thought that everything meant for him would find its way back to him, just like that letter… and Qingru. When he’d finished reading it, he locked it in a drawer with satisfaction.

His roommate, finding the situation funny, teased him, “Now that you’re dating Xiao, there’ll be no shortage of letters. Why lock them away like some priceless treasure?”

“Oh, absolutely,” Mu Zhou replied with a grin, “but you wouldn’t get it you’re single.”

“Wow. No need to rub it in, though!”

“Maybe try harder to find someone, then.”

The roommate was left speechless. “Ouch.” He knew Mu Zhou could hit where it hurt!

Afterward, Mu Zhou took a cold shower and lay down to sleep, excited to see Qingru in his dreams. No one better disturb him tonight!

The short visit he had with Qingru made her realize how busy he’d become. Their time in the mess hall together had noticeably dropped. She didn’t think too much of it promotions came with more responsibility, after all.

When her next break arrived, Qingru thought about preparing a gift for the Xu family in return, so she went to see her friend Song Yuan.

The Forward Production Team wasn’t far from the family housing, but the road was rough, and part of the way had to be walked. It took over two hours to reach her destination. This wasn’t her first time here, so she easily found her way to the school.

The conditions were poor, the entire school only had two classrooms. Next to the classroom was a small mud brick room serving as Song Yuan’s dorm.

The school had two teachers, one of whom was a “sent down” youth who lived at the commune, so once school was out, Song Yuan was the only one there.

Hearing the students’ recitations, Qingru stood outside, listening to the hopeful voices.

When Song Yuan saw Qingru after class, she was overjoyed. “Qingru, what brings you here?”

“I came to see you and to trade some local goods,” Qingru replied.

“Come with me,” Song Yuan said, pulling her to her small room. The room was tiny, with just a wooden bed and few belongings. A basin with toiletries sat on the ground, and a rope strung across the room held towels and clothes.

The place was simple and nothing like her room back home. Qingru admired Song Yuan’s dedication, despite the tough conditions, her friend was willing to endure anything to fulfill her teaching dream.

Setting a bag down, Qingru said, “I brought you some meat buns. They’ve gone cold, so you’ll need to reheat them.”

Song Yuan, who hadn’t been home in over a month and hadn’t had any meat, was practically teary eyed. She hugged Qingru and said, “You’re truly the best just like getting coal in the snow!” She grabbed a bun and immediately took a bite.

“Tastes amazing!”

“Be careful not to upset your stomach,” Qingru warned.

“Don’t worry! I have a strong stomach. Cold, frozen, I can eat it all!”

“Remember, a strong body is the foundation of all good work. Take care now so you can shine longer,” Qingru advised.

Song Yuan nodded, “Alright, I’ll just have this one. The rest I’ll warm up. I want to keep teaching into my sixties and seventies, not retire early for health issues.”

Laughing, Qingru said, “You’ve got drive, I could never match that.”

“Well, I just can’t sit still,” Song Yuan shrugged.

“No, you’ve got a true sense of purpose,” Qingru replied.

Ideally, Qingru would have preferred a more relaxed life retiring around fifty would be perfect. With enough savings, she could travel a bit without stress. Retirement sounded like the start of a new chapter to her.

Working until old age? That idea alone was terrifying!