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Chapter 23
Why is his face turning red?
Meng Yinyin looked at Lu Chen strangely, and then urged: “What on earth are you thinking, Lu Chen. Lu Chen?”
The repeated calls finally snapped Lu Chen out of his thoughts.
He came back to his senses and saw Meng Yinyin’s anxious expression. It seemed like if he didn’t agree soon, she might even start crying.
In the end, Lu Chen could only try to reason with her.
“It’s too early for us to live together now, it’s not appropriate…”
It really was too soon.
In Lu Chen’s understanding, Meng Yinyin was with him on impulse or for some other purpose. After all, he knew very well that there was nothing attractive about him and his personality was weird, so it was abnormal for her to like him.
He was sure it couldn’t be because she liked him.
Since everyone already knew they were together, he would naturally take on some responsibilities, like taking care of her, bringing her food, and fulfilling her wishes.
But this didn’t include getting married so quickly and moving in together.
Even if people in the countryside marry quickly, there’s still some preparation time before a new family is formed.
He didn’t know how the process worked for those in love, but he didn’t want to make things harder for Meng Yinyin.
However, Lu Chen’s hesitant tone came across to Meng Yinyin as reluctance.
She was frustrated.
“Then when do you think it’s appropriate? I went to your house before, it’s not like there aren’t any empty rooms. I’m not asking to share the same room with you, so what’s the worry?”
Was he worried she’d take his room, sleep in his bed, and affect his life?
Was she really that kind of person?
“And you saw how Lin Xiaoxia treats me. If I stay at the Educated Youth point, she might continue to cause trouble for me!”
Of course, she wouldn’t actually let herself be bullied—she wasn’t the type to suffer in silence.
But saying this made it clear to Lu Chen how “dangerous” her current situation was.
Sure enough, as soon as Lu Chen heard “Lin Xiaoxia,” his expression instantly changed, and his demeanor turned serious.
Lin Xiaoxia was indeed a problem.
She already had resentment toward Meng Yinyin, and after what happened today, she would likely hate her even more. In her anger, she might do something extreme without thinking.
So, keeping Meng Yinyin and Lin Xiaoxia together was dangerous for her.
Once Meng Yinyin’s safety was involved, Lu Chen’s priorities shifted. He no longer cared about reputation or any bad influences. Those concerns were pushed aside.
In the end, Lu Chen gave in and nodded to Meng Yinyin.
“Alright, I’ll talk to the brigade leader.”
At least this way, the brigade leader would know that Meng Yinyin moving in had a reason behind it: to avoid further conflict among the Educated Youth. That way, if anyone tried to criticize her for moving in with her partner without being married, the brigade leader could back her up.
When Meng Yinyin heard this, she stopped caring about the details. As long as Lu Chen had agreed, that was enough.
“Alright, I’ll wait for your good news! I’ll go pack my things now!”
After speaking, she turned and rushed off, seemingly worried that Lu Chen might change his mind.
Of course, she didn’t forget to pocket some loquats as she left.
Lu Chen watched her go and could only sigh silently. He decided he’d talk to the brigade leader at noon.
…..
At noon, after hearing Lu Chen’s explanation, the brigade leader stayed silent for a long time.
When he finally spoke, it wasn’t to agree or disagree, but to ask with a slightly bemused expression, “Was it that girl Meng Yinyin who brought this up?”
Lu Chen froze for a moment, unsure of how to respond.
Seeing his reaction, the brigade leader knew he was right and couldn’t help but laugh in amusement.
In this day and age, everyone was worried about girls being taken advantage of, yet when it came to Lu Chen and Meng Yinyin, the brigade leader was more concerned about Lu Chen being the one to get taken advantage of.
But seeing how deeply Lu Chen was entangled, the brigade leader could only give him a serious reminder.
“Lu Chen, although I’ve always hoped you’d interact more with others and not let rumors get the better of you, you have to understand—someone like Meng Yinyin, an Educated Youth, isn’t meant to stay in a place like ours forever. We come from different worlds.”
Although no one knew the exact details of Meng Yinyin’s family situation, it was obvious from her usual way of dressing, her habits, and her personality that she came from a well-off family. She had clearly been raised with care and was accustomed to comfort, not hardship. She was a bit spoiled and had a strong temper.
Girls like her were not easy for most families to handle.
Let alone someone like Lu Chen, who had grown up with a difficult life, having to endure hardship and suffering just to survive.
His past life had been hard enough. The brigade leader, sympathizing with him, naturally didn’t want his future to be filled with further suffering.
Every year, some Educated Youth try to use their connections to return to the city because they can’t bear the hardships of rural life. Just a couple of days ago, one from the neighboring brigade went back to the city.
Meng Yinyin’s family was likely already working on a way to help her return. It was probably not long before she would be going back to the city.
So, even though it wasn’t ideal to be involved in his and Meng Yinyin’s matters, the brigade leader still felt the need to pour some cold water on Lu Chen.
“From now on, be more careful. Don’t let yourself get too deeply involved,” he warned.
Meng Yinyin, the type of girl who could easily forget someone once her interest faded, would likely forget about Lu Chen in no time.
But Lu Chen, the kind of person who would stubbornly hold onto things, would probably never escape this “romantic entanglement” in his lifetime.
Lu Chen didn’t say anything, but his lips tightened, and his hands, hanging at his sides, clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
Finally, he lowered his head and spoke in a hoarse voice to the brigade leader.
“I understand.”
He knew it.
She couldn’t possibly like him.
Their relationship would end as soon as her interest in him faded.
He was just a little reluctant to let go of this beautiful, fleeting time.
Even if it was just a dream.
….
Meng Yinyin didn’t know what Lu Chen had said to the brigade leader, but by the afternoon, before the others had finished working, he came to the Educated Youth dormitory.
He had come to find Meng Yinyin, to tell her that he had clarified everything with the brigade leader. The brigade leader said that if Meng Yinyin and he insisted on staying together, they were free to do so, but it would be better to wait a few more days before moving in to avoid affecting their reputation.
As for whose reputation it affected…
Normal people might think it was for Meng Yinyin’s sake, but only Lu Chen knew that the brigade leader was actually concerned about his own reputation.
Meng Yinyin didn’t pay much attention to these small details. When she heard that the brigade leader didn’t object, she was so happy that she nearly jumped up.
“Then let’s move in a couple of days! We can take the time to clean up the room I’m staying in, and then I can move in right away!”
Lu Chen responded with an “Mm.” Seeing that Meng Yinyin seemed to have plans to arrange the room herself, he hesitated but didn’t refuse.
He was a simple man and didn’t know what kind of room she would like. So, he decided to leave it to her to arrange, and he would just help out.
Thus, taking advantage of the daylight, Lu Chen and Meng Yinyin went to his house. She would pick a room and clean it up.
Since he had been thinking about coming to tell Meng Yinyin the decision, Lu Chen had already finished his work for the afternoon, and he had earned fifteen work points for it.
The others were naturally slower than Lu Chen. They were still in the fields, so the entire village felt unusually quiet.
This wasn’t the first time Meng Yinyin had been to Lu Chen’s house, but it was the first time they were walking together.
As they walked, the sun hung slanted in the sky. Whether it was coincidence or intentional, Lu Chen happened to stand on the side where the sunlight was coming from, shielding Meng Yinyin from all of it.
Meng Yinyin subconsciously looked up at Lu Chen but only saw his usual silent, expressionless face. There was nothing to read in his demeanor.
In the end, she could only pout, thinking to herself that it was probably just a coincidence.
After all, Lu Chen didn’t like her, so why would he deliberately stand in the sun’s path to shield her?
It was a good thing she didn’t get ahead of herself, or it would have been awkward.
She adjusted her mood and stopped overthinking. When she came back to her senses, she realized they had reached Lin Xiuzhi’s house.
Thinking of Lin Xiuzhi made Meng Yinyin remember the time when Lu Chen had gone into the fields to help Lin Xiuzhi.
Her brows involuntarily furrowed as she recalled Lu Chen’s decisive actions at that moment. She felt a strange discomfort in her heart.
Could it be that Lu Chen had feelings for Lin Xiuzhi? But Lin Xiuzhi was already married with two children. Lu Chen couldn’t possibly still…
No, if it were really Lu Chen, the quiet, secretive type, it was possible that he secretly liked her!
Otherwise, with his personality, why would he go out of his way to help her, especially a woman?
He definitely had feelings forLin Xiuzhi!
At the thought of this, Meng Yinyin felt even more uncomfortable.
Although in their situation, where they were dating with clear intentions, she had no position or right to blame Lu Chen, thinking that he had agreed to be with her while possibly having feelings for someone else made her furious!
She couldn’t help it. She bit her lip and glared at Lu Chen fiercely.
Lu Chen noticed and lowered his head slightly, his gaze shifting toward Meng Yinyin. He only saw her quickly turn her eyes away, followed by a vague snort.
Lu Chen frowned slightly, confused.
What was going on?
Before he could ask, a short figure appeared from Lin Xiuzhi’s house. It was Dabao, the little boy who had once sweetly called her “fairy sister.”
But now, Dabao’s usual sweet smile was replaced with a rare look of worry. His clothes were also a bit messy, as if he hadn’t changed them for two or three days.
Meng Yinyin was quite fond of Dabao, especially since, at such a young age, he had such good taste.
At this moment, seeing Dabao looking troubled, as if the sky was about to fall, she raised her hand and called out to him.
“Dabao, what’s wrong? Why do you look so sad?”
What could have happened to him at such a young age? Even if his father had a disability, that had been some time ago, and he should have come to terms with it by now.
Upon hearing her voice, Dabao immediately looked towards the door and saw Meng Yinyin and Lu Chen.
Especially when he saw Lu Chen, his little face immediately fell, his lips quivered, and he looked like he was about to cry.
Meng Yinyin was stunned.
“Uncle Lu, woo woo woo, Mommy is sick… I’m so scared, I’m afraid she won’t wake up…”
As Dabao spoke, tears streamed down his face.
His small, dirty hands wiped at his face, quickly turning him into a “painted cat.”
Before Meng Yinyin could remind him, she saw Lu Chen quickly walk to the water tank outside the Lin family home, squat down, and wave to Dabao.
“Come here.”
Dabao, still crying, obediently walked towards him.
Then, Lu Chen scooped some water and began gently wiping Dabao’s face. Although his expression didn’t change, the gentle motion of his hand was enough to show his kindness.
Meng Yinyin stood there, stunned. She couldn’t really get jealous of a child, so she walked over and asked what had happened to Dabao’s mother.
Through Dabao’s sobs, she and Lu Chen learned about the events of the past few days.
Since the return of Dabao’s father, Dou Zhengrong, a former soldier who had retired due to his leg injuries, the Lin family had been sad for two days. However, they had decided to stay strong and keep going.
But with the addition of a sick family member, the pressure increased. Dabao’s mother, Lin Xiuzhi, unknowingly overexerted herself while working, trying to earn more work points to lessen the family burden.
She might have pushed herself too hard or maybe was just too exhausted from taking care of the sick family member at home and working outside. Eventually, she fell ill.
At first, it wasn’t anything serious, just weakness, a cough, and a runny nose. Most people in the countryside didn’t think much of a common cold. But to everyone’s surprise, Lin Xiuzhi’s cold didn’t improve and actually got worse over the past two days. She became unable to get out of bed and was starting to become delirious.
Upon hearing this, Meng Yinyin felt anxious and asked Dabao, “Didn’t you go to a doctor for medicine?”
Dabao shook his head through his tears and explained, “Mom said we can’t waste money. She’ll be fine after two days of rest, woo woo woo…”
How could that be? If rest could cure her, why was her condition worsening?
Meng Yinyin had grown up in the city, with parents who were well-educated, so she knew that seeing a doctor was the right choice when sick. Relying on rest alone could make things worse, and a small illness could turn into a serious one.
However, considering the Lin family’s current situation, it was understandable that Lin Xiuzhi didn’t want to spend money on a doctor.
But understanding or not, now that her condition had worsened, if they didn’t get her medicine, it was likely going to be a bigger problem!
Clearly, Lu Chen shared her thoughts. Frowning, he said to Dabao, “Dabao, do you remember your mother’s symptoms?”
Dabao paused, confused for a moment, but eventually nodded firmly.
He was already five years old. Although he has not been to school, he is not stupid and has a good memory. Naturally, he remembers his mother’s various symptoms and manifestations in the past few days.
Seeing him nod, Lu Chen said in a deep voice, “Okay, come with me. We’re going to the commune health center.”
With that, Lu Chen stood up and was ready to take Dabao to the health center without delay.
But just as he finished speaking, he remembered that he had promised to go back with Meng Yinyin to clean the house. He hesitated and looked at her.
Although Meng Yinyin felt a little uncomfortable, human lives were at stake, so she certainly wouldn’t be so ignorant.
“Alright, you go take Dabao to get the medicine. We can clean the house tomorrow.”
Seeing the urgency, Lu Chen didn’t hesitate any further. He nodded and said to Meng Yinyin, “Be careful when you return to the Educated Youth point.”
“I know, go quickly!” Meng Yinyin puffed out her cheeks, pretending to be impatient as she urged him to leave.
Soon, Lu Chen was walking away with Dabao, taking the shortcut, likely to reach the health center faster.
Meng Yinyin planned to return to the Educated Youth point on her own.
However, after walking a few steps, she heard the sound of a bicycle bell and then someone calling her name.
“Is this Meng Yinyin, the Educated Youth?”
Meng Yinyin paused in confusion, turned around, and saw a man who appeared to be a postman looking at her. The bicycle stopped.
She was sure she hadn’t seen him before, so she hesitated before answering.
“Yes?”
“Haha, I saw you from far away and guessed it was you. By the way, I have a letter for you!”
Everyone in the nearby communes knew about the beautiful, slender female Educated Youth in the Nanjiao Brigade. So, when the postman saw Meng Yinyin from behind, he guessed it was her and got it right.
A letter for her!
Meng Yinyin’s eyes lit up, and she eagerly reached out to take the letter.
Just as she was about to see who it was from, the postman continued, “Oh, there’s another letter. It’s from the same address!”
Thinking it was just another letter for her, Meng Yinyin instinctively reached out to take it.
But the postman didn’t hand it to her. When Meng Yinyin looked over in confusion, he explained awkwardly, “I’m sorry, Educated Youth Meng, this letter is not for you.”
Huh? Not for her?
Wasn’t this letter sent from the same address as the one in her hand?
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Ayalee[Translator]
。˚🐈⬛.𖥔 ݁ ˖