Chapter 14: Who He Likes Has Nothing to Do with Her

“Is he from this village?” Director Lü asked again.

Village Chief Yan hesitated.

Previously, Zhan Nanhui’s household registration wasn’t in Yan Family Village, but since he married Yi An’an recently, Yi An’an transferred his household registration into the village on the same day.

Although Village Chief Yan was unwilling, he still reluctantly nodded.

“Then register him!” Director Lü said.

Village Chief Yan was stunned, and so was the entire village.

“Director Lü, this man is a bad element—one of the key bad elements of our country. How can we let him sneak into the ranks of university students?” Village Chief Yan immediately protested.

“What did we agree on in the meeting yesterday?” Director Lü asked in a low voice.

Village Chief Yan paused. “We said that as long as someone has a high school diploma, they can apply.”

“The policy now is to recruit talent in all forms,” Director Lü said seriously. “According to national policy, workers, farmers, sent-down and returning educated youth, demobilized soldiers, cadres, and fresh high school graduates can all apply if they meet the requirements. Since he’s a high school graduate and now a resident of Yan Family Village, he can apply from here.”

Village Chief Yan’s expression was very unpleasant. Zhan Nanhui was like dog crap in Yan Family Village—and now he could actually take the university entrance exam?

He was extremely unhappy, but in front of Director Lü, he didn’t dare say much. He just impatiently shoved the application form toward Zhan Nanhui and said, “Hurry up and fill it out. Not like you’ll pass anyway!”

Zhan Nanhui’s lips trembled slightly. He suppressed the excitement in his heart, stepped forward, took the pen, and slowly wrote his name.

Chen Sisi stood nearby. When she saw that Zhan Nanhui had successfully registered, she couldn’t help stepping forward and grabbing his sleeve.

“Nanhui, congratulations! You finally got registered. We can take the university entrance exam together!”

Zhan Nanhui ignored her and calmly pulled his sleeve out of her grasp. He looked up and saw Yi An’an leaving the commune office with another woman.

Zhan Nanhui hesitated and wanted to follow them.

Chen Sisi followed and grabbed his sleeve again. “Nanhui, you’re good at math. Can you help me review it?”

Zhan Nanhui turned to look at her.

“Nanhui, I’m begging you. I really don’t want to stay in the countryside anymore. I want to return to the city,” Chen Sisi said. “There’s a set of books—a very rare educational series filled with the wisdom and hard work of many scholars. People say if you have this series, you can pass the college entrance exam. It’s so rare now you can’t even buy it. I finally had someone bring me one volume from Shanghai, but I can’t understand it at all. Here’s the deal: I’ll give you this book, and you explain it to me, okay?”

She took a book out of her army-green shoulder bag.

Zhan Nanhui glanced at the book—“Self-Study Series in Science”—the volume on Algebra. It was one of the books Yi An’an had given him. He’d been reading it recently and found it very helpful, but he didn’t know it was this valuable.

“I don’t need it,” Zhan Nanhui said quietly.

Chen Sisi blocked his path and tried to shove the book into his hands. “This book is really good. Everyone taking the college entrance exam is looking for it! People wouldn’t sell it no matter how much you offer! Nanhui, I know you’ve been mad at me, but if we can just leave this place, we can start over!”

Zhan Nanhui frowned and was about to push her away when he looked up and saw Yi An’an standing not far off.

Yi An’an had just seen off Director Lü’s wife and returned, planning to celebrate Zhan Nanhui’s registration. But what she saw instead was Zhan Nanhui entangled with Chen Sisi.

Thud! Zhan Nanhui didn’t hold the book properly and it fell to the ground.

Yi An’an stared at the book, her eyes darkening. She said nothing, turned around, and left.

Zhan Nanhui looked down at the book on the ground and immediately realized that Yi An’an had misunderstood. He pushed Chen Sisi away and tried to go after her, but Chen Sisi held him tightly.

“Nanhui, about the math tutoring…” Chen Sisi looked at him pleadingly.

“Sorry, I don’t have time!” Zhan Nanhui said coldly, pushed her away, and left.

Chen Sisi’s gaze darkened, filled with grievance and resentment.

Zhan Nanhui wasn’t the same person anymore!

She looked at the book on the ground, rage welling up from deep inside her.

She had spent two nights with a junior staff member at the publishing house to get that book. And now, not only could she not understand it, Zhan Nanhui wouldn’t even help her. What was she supposed to do now?

Yi An’an entered the kitchen and started kneading dough.

She was so angry that the dough slapped loudly against the counter.

Zhan Nanhui stood at the door watching. Seeing her like that made him a little scared, but after hesitating, he still went inside to get the Algebra volume from the study series and sat on the doorstep of the shed to study.

Yi An’an came over and yanked the book from his hands.

Zhan Nanhui froze and looked up at her.

Yi An’an hesitated, then handed the book back and returned to the kitchen to angrily knead dough again.

Her goal was to get this man into college so he could take her away from the countryside. So whoever he liked, whoever he was involved with—what did that have to do with her?

That’s what she told herself—but she was still furious.

“Are you angry?” Zhan Nanhui asked softly.

“No,” Yi An’an said coldly, slamming down another ball of dough.

“This book series is very valuable. I wouldn’t just give it to anyone,” Zhan Nanhui said quietly.

Yi An’an’s anger faded slightly—but then she remembered: he was still trying to give it to Chen Sisi. Because Chen Sisi wasn’t just anyone!

Zhan Nanhui noticed her expression and saw she was still angry. He had to ask again, “Was I able to register because you talked to Director Lü? You know him?”

Yi An’an glanced at him. “I know his wife.”

Yesterday, she had been busy all day. Through Fan Daniu, she met Director Lü’s wife.

Director Lü’s wife happened to be neighbors with the aunt who introduced a marriage partner to Fan Daniu. She liked Fan Daniu’s hairstyle and wanted a perm.

Yi An’an deliberately said she couldn’t go to the city today, so Lü’s wife came to the countryside to find her.

She followed her husband to Yan Family Village, and Zhan Nanhui was smoothly registered for the college entrance exam.

After hearing this, Zhan Nanhui felt even more grateful. “You’ve done everything you promised. I’ll take care of the rest. Don’t worry, I will get into university!”

With that, he sat down and continued reading.

Zhan Nanhui didn’t know if he had explained things clearly enough, or why Yi An’an was still angry. But with less than half a month left until the college entrance exam, he had no time to worry about anything else. What he had to do now was review, study hard, and get into college!