Chapter 34

There was a knock at the door outside. He Xianqiu thought this time it must be Ji Chen Zhou.

At this hour, the brigade usually blew the whistle for everyone to record their work points before leaving.

So He Xianqiu happily ran out from the kitchen to the front door and opened it. Outside was indeed Ji Chen Zhou, which surprised her pleasantly.

“You’re here!”

Ji Chen Zhou nodded, and the two of them walked inside together.

At this moment, Grandpa Zhong had finished cutting the meat and brought the meat and vegetables into the room.

Remembering she hadn’t brought out the dipping sauce, He Xianqiu went back to the kitchen to get it.

When she came back out, Ji Chen Zhou had already lit the firewood and set the grill on top.

The three of them washed their hands clean and sat on the stools. Ji Chen Zhou took the serving chopsticks and placed the sliced pork onto the grill.

In no time, the pork began to sizzle with a zzzz, as the fat started to drip and melt.

Once both sides were golden brown, the fragrance began to spread, filling the room.

They each picked up their chopsticks and started eating.

He Xianqiu bit into a piece of freshly grilled meat, still hot, and felt it burst with juices in her mouth—the rich, savory flavor spreading across her tongue.

Coated in the sauce, the roasted meat looked like it was wrapped in a glossy brown glaze, impossibly tempting.

Thinking of the fresh lettuce, He Xianqiu scooped some rice and meat, dipped them in sauce, and wrapped them in a lettuce leaf before taking a big bite.

Her cheeks bulged full like a little hamster.

Ji Chen Zhou watched her eat like that, finding her method novel, so he copied her. After one bite, he thought it tasted amazing and wrapped another.

Seeing them eating so happily, Grandpa Zhong simply followed suit, and to his surprise, it really was delicious. He ate heartily.

The three of them were all very satisfied. This was the first time Ji Chen Zhou and Grandpa Zhong had eaten like this, and it was truly delicious.

Grandpa Zhong grinned broadly. “Xianqiu, this barbecue is incredible. And your sauce is excellent.”

Hearing this, He Xianqiu smiled, the corners of her lips curving up. “Of course! This is my secret recipe.”

Ji Chen Zhou also smiled. “It really does taste great.”

He Xianqiu thought that next time they could try hotpot. She still remembered all the ingredients they’d need.

She smiled at them. “Next time, we can try hotpot. It’s also delicious.”

Grandpa Zhong’s eyes lit up immediately and he nodded enthusiastically. “Good, good!”

Ji Chen Zhou didn’t often get to eat good food either, so he was interested and nodded.

After a while, the three finally finished eating. Every last scrap was gone.

Once she’d had her fill, He Xianqiu and Ji Chen Zhou gathered up the dishes to wash them, but Ji Chen Zhou wouldn’t let her do it, so she stood aside watching.

She thought of how the materials for high school studies had already been mailed to her from the capital. But she’d forgotten so much of the knowledge.

She could still manage the liberal arts by memorization, but as for math, you couldn’t just memorize your way through—memorizing formulas wouldn’t help you solve problems.

Thinking about this, He Xianqiu felt worried. Where could she find someone to teach her math?

Besides, she also had to teach at the village school. And if she wanted to go a bit further to look for help, she’d need the brigade’s official seal to leave. That was yet another obstacle.

She had no idea where to find someone with good academic skills who still remembered high school knowledge to tutor her.

But if she didn’t study math, when the college entrance exam resumed, she would lose so many points, falling far behind the others.

She sighed in distress. In her past life, she’d been a student admitted on special skills, so she’d never needed such high academic scores. Now that the special admissions policy was gone, only cultural scores would matter. She couldn’t afford to be left behind.

Ji Chen Zhou finished washing the dishes, wiped his hands, and noticed her frowning gloomily. Worried, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

She said softly, “I brought back some high school textbooks to study, but for Chinese and history, I can still memorize them. For math, memorizing won’t help much. So I’m worried.”

Ji Chen Zhou understood immediately. Though it had been many years since he graduated high school, he still remembered all the content.

He used to love reading, though he’d had no money to buy books. Back then, he’d often go to the bookstore and read there. After the commune bookstore closed, he hadn’t read in a long time.

He had no money or coupons to buy books, and later, he hadn’t had the time anyway, since he was so busy every day.

Seeing she was troubled over this, he smiled slightly. “I can teach you. I still remember.”

Her eyes lit up at once. Ji Chen Zhou could help—what luck!

She wondered why she hadn’t thought to ask him earlier. After all, this “Little Ji” in the book had been the antagonist who’d managed to qualify for a workers-peasants-soldiers college—though it was later taken away from him, he’d earned it himself.

She’d originally planned to learn herself, then teach Ji Chen Zhou. When the exams resumed, they could both take them together.

Now, knowing he still remembered everything, she was overjoyed. Her eyes glistened with delight.

She curved her brows, her eyes crescent moons. “Then, Little Ji classmate, let’s study together. If we don’t keep learning, our brains will get rusty, so we must work hard.”

He smiled and nodded. “Okay.”

She was so impressed by his memory that she casually asked, “But, Little Ji classmate, your memory is incredible. After so long, you still remember it all?”

He nodded. “I’ve always had a good memory, so I still remember.”

Back when he was in school, Ji Chen Zhou already knew the importance of learning. He often read and worked hard to absorb knowledge.

In his class, he was usually in the top three.

But after the exams were abolished, once he graduated high school, he could only get a job in the commune. Later, when that was gone, he returned to Qinggang Brigade.

They chatted as they tidied the kitchen. Once everything was in order, they left Grandpa Zhong’s house.

It was getting late. As usual, Ji Chen Zhou escorted her back to the educated youth compound before heading home himself.

On the way back, they continued their conversation.

He Xianqiu smiled. “That’s wonderful, Little Ji classmate.”

Seeing her praise him, Ji Chen Zhou’s eyes held a gentle smile.

But thinking about how he was good at math but knew nothing about English—he’d never studied it, since the commune’s high school didn’t teach it—he pressed his lips together and lowered his gaze.

“I won’t be able to teach you English. I’ve never learned it,” he said softly.

He Xianqiu could see his disappointment. She gently reassured him, “I know English. I can teach you. We’ll help each other.”

He hadn’t expected that she was good at English and could teach him. That made him happy, and he smiled and nodded. “Okay.”

So the two agreed: every afternoon, they would study together—she would teach him English, and he would teach her math.

But where could they do it? They couldn’t possibly go to Grandpa Zhong’s house.

That would disturb the old man, and if anything happened, Grandpa Zhong could get implicated.

Even though they were only studying, his status as a “black element” meant if someone overthought it, they’d accuse him of incitement or counterrevolution.

So He Xianqiu was a bit troubled about where they could study. They definitely couldn’t go to the educated youth compound—Ji Chen Zhou wasn’t one of them, and just stepping in would start rumors spreading all over Qinggang Brigade.

But Ji Chen Zhou told her she didn’t need to worry—there was somewhere they could go.

She looked at him curiously. “Where?”

He lowered his voice. “My grandfather had an old house. We can go there. But it’s overgrown with weeds now. We’ll have to clean it up.”

She nodded. “When you clean it up, call me over to help.”

He agreed. “Okay.”

They talked as they walked. Soon, they reached the compound. She said goodbye and skipped inside.

Ji Chen Zhou watched her lively figure and smiled gently. When she disappeared, confirming she’d gone back safely, he turned to head home.

Meanwhile, after returning to the compound, He Xianqiu looked at the basket she was still holding and muttered under her breath—oh no, she’d forgotten to give Ji Chen Zhou the preserved fruits and chocolate.

The other educated youths greeted her casually, already used to her always going out.

But Zhao Yaling had been watching her carefully, wondering where she kept going, hoping to catch some dirt she could use against her.

So Zhao Yaling walked up close and sniffed the rich scent of grilled meat. She swallowed her saliva. Had He Xianqiu been secretly roasting food somewhere?

He Xianqiu frowned at how close she was and stepped back a few paces.

But Zhao Yaling wasn’t going to let her go. “Xianqiu, why do you smell like grilled meat? It smells amazing.”

The others immediately turned to look, their eyes full of curiosity.

He Xianqiu felt speechless. She’d thought Zhao Yaling had stopped her little tricks lately and might have calmed down—but clearly, a dog couldn’t stop eating shit.

Yang Shuhua came over too. Last time, when He Xianqiu shared food, she hadn’t gotten any, and she’d been resentful. Now she could find fault, so she sneered, “Look at her, eating out by herself without thinking of us here in the compound. So selfish.”

The rest of them, hearing that, felt inclined to agree and said nothing to defend her.

He Xianqiu was exasperated. What did she owe these people? Why should she think of them?

But this was also her mistake—she hadn’t realized the smell was so strong. She hadn’t expected Zhao Yaling to come sniffing her up close.

She quickly thought of an excuse. “A kid gave me a roasted bird. Just one little bird. There wasn’t enough to share with everyone. Besides, I traded for it with sugar.”

Her meaning was clear—this was something she got herself. Whether to share it or not was her decision.

Anyway, in these times, when meat was so scarce, who would give it away to others?

Though she didn’t care much about a few pieces of meat, it was hers to decide.

But knowing she still had to live here, she added, “If there’d been a lot, of course I would have brought some back to share. But it was only a tiny bird, smaller than my hand—barely enough for one.”

Hearing this, some of the others looked embarrassed. Her words made them feel shameless for coveting a little roasted bird.

Luckily, they hadn’t spoken up—Yang Shuhua had been the loudest. So everyone started scolding her instead:

“Yang, that’s not right. If it were me, I wouldn’t have shared either.”

“Exactly. Meat is so expensive these days. It was only fair she ate it herself.”

Yang Shuhua had been smug a moment before, but now, seeing everyone turn on her, she felt annoyed.

She yelled, “Stop pretending. You were all complaining just now. Now you’re acting all righteous!”

The others, exposed, looked embarrassed and forced awkward smiles.

He Xianqiu didn’t care—she just watched the show with a faint smile.

They were laughable, she thought. Where did they get the nerve to feel entitled to her things?

It wasn’t her duty to share. And as for “friendship,” she felt none toward them.

Still, not everyone here was so brainless—people like Song Wenzhong, He Qiye, and Zhang Zhijuan were at least sensible.

But the real instigator was Zhao Yaling, who’d set Yang Shuhua up as her mouthpiece. He Xianqiu wouldn’t let her get away with it.

She smiled innocently. “It wasn’t anything at all, but Zhao here just had to stir things up and make everyone unhappy.”

Everyone thought she was right—if Zhao hadn’t spoken, none of this would’ve happened.

They all shot Zhao Yaling annoyed looks.

Zhao hadn’t expected everyone to turn on her. She trembled with anger but didn’t dare show it.

She looked pathetically at Chen Changping, ready to burst into tears. “Changping, I didn’t…”

Chen Changping’s heart ached for her and immediately glared at He Xianqiu. “Yaling didn’t say much. You shouldn’t all gang up on her.”

Then he glared again at He Xianqiu. “How could you turn out like this? Yaling has always been so good to you.”

He Xianqiu snorted. “What kind of ‘good’? She took my money, my food, my things—then made others think I bullied her. That kind of ‘good’?”

Zhao Yaling froze, unable to speak, and only looked at Chen Changping with red eyes. “Changping, I didn’t…”

He gently nodded to comfort her and turned to He Xianqiu. “You’re unreasonable. You always bully Yaling.”

She rolled her eyes, not bothering to argue with these two hypocrites.

“Fine. Since you say that—then give back what you took. I remember giving you watches and money.”

Hearing that there were watches, everyone gasped in shock. Watches cost over a hundred yuan and required a special coupon.

Their gazes instantly changed.

Zhao and Chen felt their skin crawl under the scrutiny.

After a moment, they crept back to the dorm to get the watches.

He Xianqiu took them, her expression faintly disdainful. She didn’t want to wear anything that had touched them—but she wouldn’t let them keep them either.

But they hadn’t returned the money. She raised her brows coolly. “You still owe me quite a bit—hundreds of yuan.”

Everyone around them sucked in a breath. Hundreds!

They began whispering.

“How rich she is!”

“How shameless of those two, taking so much from her and still treating her like that.”

Chen Changping felt humiliated by all the talk.

Zhao Yaling sensed his embarrassment and looked up at him pitifully.

He softened again.

But the money—they would never give back.

They stammered, “We don’t have it now… we’ll pay you later.”

He Xianqiu saw through them—she knew they’d never pay. She didn’t waste another word, took the watches, and left.

At least she’d gotten those back—so in the end, she’d still come out ahead.

Those two were thick-skinned as ever.

The others all looked on in disgust, but no matter what, the two refused to give the money.

Still, getting the watches made He Xianqiu quite happy.

She definitely wouldn’t wear them, though—she’d sell them immediately.

After all, they were still almost like new. Judging by how carefully the shameless pair had cherished them, she could get a good price.