Chapter 17.1 Xie Hezhang, We’re in the Same Boat

The young man’s eyes widened suddenly.

After a while, a blush rose on his wheat-colored cheeks.

Young men and women in this era were always reserved and shy. There were a few who were as outgoing and enthusiastic as Tong Yuan, but someone as direct as Shu Qingyao…

Was a rare bird.

Xie Hezhang had never encountered such a thing before. He was a little annoyed, but he didn’t know if it was because he had been hit on the spot or something else. He pushed Xie Xiaoqian into Shu Qingyao’s arms and said in a slightly rough voice, “… Go to class!”

Shu Qingyao looked at Xie Hezhang’s flushed face and felt a little happy.

What a shy little puppy, blushing over a single sentence?

Shu Qingyao clicked her tongue lightly. Thinking about being with him in the future, she wondered how shy Xie Hezhang would be.

She pursed her lips, blinked innocently, and asked naively, “Xie Comrade, your face is so red. Is it too hot today?”

Xie Hezhang was embarrassed and angry. He chased Shu Qingyao, who was teasing him recklessly, out of the yard like he was chasing chickens and ducks.

Shu Qingyao, holding Xie Xiaoqian’s hand, laughed and dodged, finally stopping her teasing. She took the iron lunchbox out of her small cloth bag and stuffed it into Xie Hezhang’s hand, “I brought you something delicious. Remember to eat it early, it won’t be good if it gets cold. Don’t thank me, I’m leaving!”

She didn’t wait for Xie Hezhang to react before she pulled Xie Xiaoqian and ran away.

In the morning light, the girl’s two black braids flew in the wind as she ran. The hem of her skirt, lifted by the morning breeze, seemed to lift a corner of his bleak reality, giving him a glimmer of hope for life.

Xie Hezhang stood there, not moving, looking at Shu Qingyao’s back for a while. Then, Xie Helan suddenly opened the door and walked out of the house, saying sarcastically, “These young people, they just met and started dating, and they’re all lovey-dovey and moonlit nights. But when they actually get married, they become realistic. They want gold, they want silver, they want a dowry, they want a good family background.”

Xie Hezhang glanced at her coldly.

Xie Helan sneered, “Xie Hezhang, Shu Qingyao is the daughter-in-law I have my eye on. She’s your brother’s woman. I advise you to recognize your place. You’re not worthy!”

Xie Hezhang didn’t say a word. He took the sickle from beside the fence, turned around, and went out.

He knew it without her saying it.

He and Shu Qingyao were not a match.

He was penniless. How could he give her a good life?

He couldn’t even afford to raise Xie Xiaoqian.

But even though he knew it rationally, he couldn’t refuse the sweetness that Shu Qingyao brought into his life.

A layer of gloominess appeared in the young man’s dark eyes because of the pain.

His long fingers clenched into fists, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged.

*

Although Shu Qingyao seemed very easygoing, she was very strict when it came to teaching.

She set a strict piano practice schedule for Xie Xiaoqian: four hours in the morning and four hours in the afternoon. It took about six hours to get from home to school. Basically, by the time Xie Xiaoqian finished the breakfast she brought on the way, it was time to start learning.

When she needed to teach, Xie Xiaoqian had to take her textbook and memorize the pieces.

To Shu Qingyao’s relief, Xie Xiaoqian didn’t complain once about being tired or hard on the first day of practice.

She had talent and was hardworking. Maybe she would really bring her surprises in time.

…

Time flew by, and it was soon the weekend.

Early in the morning, Shu Qingyao had just finished washing up when she heard someone calling her:

“Teacher Shu, someone is looking for you!”

Shu Qingyao quickly tied her braids and opened the window. She saw Xie Hezhang and Xie Xiaoqian standing at the entrance of the educated youth dormitory.

They were here to pick her up to go to town to buy things together.

Xie Xiaoqian saw her and raised her head, waving to her vigorously. Xie Hezhang stood by the roadside with his arms crossed, looking indifferent.

“Wait for me five minutes!”

Shu Qingyao shouted to them, quickly tied her braids, and went out.

“Teacher Shu, are you going to town today?”

“Teacher Shu, please bring me back a kilogram of flour!”

…

The supply and marketing cooperative in Helian Village was in the town, about two hours’ walk from Helian Village. It wasn’t far, but it wasn’t close either.

Shu Qingyao thought about all the things she had to buy today. It might be too conspicuous to carry them all back at once. It would be more normal if she said she was carrying them for a friend.

So she nodded and took a few flour coupons and meat coupons, “I’ll help you look, but I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to buy them.”

“Thank you, Teacher Shu.”

Everyone thanked her with a smile.

“I’m coming!”

Shu Qingyao ran out the door and walked away with Xie Hezhang and the others.

Not far away, Jiang Xun, carrying a copy of “Les Misérables,” walked slowly towards them. He saw Shu Qingyao and Xie Hezhang’s backs in the distance and stood in the corner, watching them for a while. It wasn’t until the three figures disappeared completely on the path that he started walking towards the educated youth dormitory again.

“Teacher Jiang, you’re here!”

As soon as Ruan Wenhui saw him, she ran out. Her face was flushed with excitement.

Jiang Xun smiled gently and handed her the book, “This is the book you asked me to find for you yesterday. I’m sorry, I only have one copy, and it has my notes in it. You won’t mind, will you?”

“No, no, I don’t mind.”

Ruan Wenhui was just using this as an excuse to talk to Jiang Xun. He was an intellectual, and she had just casually mentioned the name of a book she had seen on Shu Qingyao’s bookshelf.

Holding the book, which exuded a faint scent of ink, Ruan Wenhui looked at the man’s fair and handsome face, and she was completely smitten.

“I won’t disturb your meal.”

It wasn’t until Jiang Xun was about to leave that Ruan Wenhui came to her senses. She quickly took out the Dongfang brand fountain pen she had in her pocket and stuffed it into Jiang Xun’s hand.

Although the Dongfang brand fountain pen wasn’t as famous as the Hero brand, it was still a good pen in this era.

It was also the most valuable thing Ruan Wenhui had on her.

“Jiang… Teacher Jiang, this pen is for you. You intellectuals need it!”

Jiang Xun glanced at the pen in his hand and declined, “How can I accept your things?”

Ruan Wenhui quickly said, “It’s okay, it’s okay. I don’t write anyway, so it’s useless to me. It’s better to let Teacher Jiang use it to its full potential!”

Jiang Xun declined for a while before accepting it. He smiled at Ruan Wenhui, “Then thank you, Ruan Wenhui. The pen at my house is broken. I’ll use this one well.”

Ruan Wenhui looked at his smile and felt her heart pounding. It wasn’t until Jiang Xun’s figure disappeared from sight that she came to her senses.

Next time, when she returns the book to him, what should she give him… Ruan Wenhui thought foolishly.

…