Chapter 35

At the county middle school.

At the exact moment the noon bell rang,

The entire Junior 3, Class 2 grew restless.

The end-of-class bell was also the lunch bell.

All were sixteen or seventeen years old, and few could eat to full every meal. After half a day’s digestion, hunger was especially intense.

The teacher on the podium knew the students well and didn’t make things difficult. After quickly assigning homework, the teacher cheerfully dismissed the class.

In an instant, chairs and desks clattered.

Xu Wanchun was hungry too. She put her books into the drawer and was about to rush with her deskmate Zhao Mei toward the cafeteria.

But just after stepping out the classroom back door holding her lunchbox, she ran into a friend from the neighboring class, Fang Xiaoyan. Her eyes lit up immediately, “Xiaoyan, want to go eat together?”

Fang Xiaoyan sported a neat, boyish haircut and had the tall stature typical of Northerners, so without a close look, one might mistake her for a good-looking boy.

Hearing the invitation, she strode over, slung an arm over Xu Wanchun’s shoulder, “I actually came looking for you. The stuff you asked for a few days ago has been found. Want me to give it to you after school?”

Xu Wanchun’s eyes lit up even more, “Thank you so much, Xiaoyan!”

Actually, the two became friends because Fang Xiaoyan liked beautiful boys and girls, purely appreciating looks — what people nowadays would call a “face fan.”

When she first saw the gentle and sweet Xu Wanchun, she immediately liked her and vowed to be good friends.

Xu Wanchun wasn’t shy either. Over time, they really hit it off.

The things Xiaoyan referred to were exam papers from past graduations, which she got for Xu Wanchun because her aunt was a teacher at the workers’ and peasants’ rapid literacy school.

Xiaoyan was casual about it: “It’s nothing big. If you want to thank me, just help me with math. My mom said if I fail the next math exam again, she’ll break my legs.”

“Hahaha, no problem!” Xu Wanchun readily agreed.

Zhao Mei, who hadn’t said much, shyly asked, “Wanchun, can I listen in too?”

“Sure!”

The three chatted as they hurried, soon rushing into the crowded cafeteria.

They glanced at the blackboard showing the menu and quickly joined the shortest line.

Fang Xiaoyan whispered disdainfully, “Did you see what’s on the board? Again, radish stewed with cabbage and cornmeal porridge.”

Zhao Mei patted the glass jar in her pocket and quietly said, “My mom made salted soybeans for me this week. Let’s eat them together later.”

Xu Wanchun patted her patched cotton jacket, “I brought some too — salted fish chunks.”

“Ah? You both brought food? Then I’ll bring some for you tomorrow.” Fang Xiaoyan was a day student, living only minutes from school on foot.

Friends sharing food was normal; Xu Wanchun and Zhao Mei didn’t refuse.

The line was long, but the students serving meals were quick. Even with constant grumbles of “No one can get food for others!” the three had their food within minutes.

Sure enough, they got a bowl of thin corn porridge, two millet buns, and a small plate of salted cabbage stewed with radish.

Fang Xiaoyan’s parents both worked for the government and were well-off, so she bought some thick porridge separately.

After finding a seat, she planned to share her thick porridge.

Seeing this, both Xu Wanchun and Zhao Mei covered their bowls.

Fang Xiaoyan pouted, “What? I can eat your food, but you can’t eat mine?”

Zhao Mei shook her head silently.

Xu Wanchun took a bite of her dry millet bun and swallowed before urging, “Not like that. Mei Mei and I don’t eat much; this is enough. You should eat too — someone’s already looking.”

At those words, Fang Xiaoyan looked up instinctively, and sure enough, a few classmates opposite were casting envious glances at her porridge.

While eating, Xu Wanchun quietly reminded, “It was hard to say before because of the crowd. Next time, don’t buy food alone.”

Fang Xiaoyan paused her sipping, her eyes scanning the extra patch on her friend’s clothes, then snorted, “I thought something had happened at your home.”

Knowing that Xiaoyan had caught on, Xu Wanchun didn’t elaborate but instead pushed the jar of canned fish toward them: “Eat some fish.”

Not catching the implied meaning between the two, Zhao Mei hurriedly pushed out her own jar: “Also… eat mine.”

After quickly finishing lunch, the three girls carried their bowls and chopsticks to the large basket beside the students on duty, then linked arms and prepared to return to the classroom.

But just as they stepped out of the kitchen door, Xiaoyan suddenly pulled Wanchun toward the next room.

Before Wanchun could ask why, she heard her friend’s voice from above: “Wanchun, looks like there’s a letter for you.”

Wanchun was momentarily stunned and instinctively glanced toward the parcel and mail storage area beside the cafeteria.

Sure enough, on the bottom row of the blackboard at the door, her name was clearly written.

But who would send a letter to the school?

After all, whether it was from Grandma Yu or the publishing house, to avoid unnecessary prying eyes, Wanchun had always kept her home address on file.

Who would send it to the school… Wait, actually, there was one person.

After signing and stamping her fingerprint, Wanchun finally got a letter from her senior brother.

Though she hadn’t opened it yet, she could already guess how frantic he would be upon receiving a letter from her “shimu” (master’s wife).

“Whose letter is it? You look so happy.” Fang Xiaoyan peeked at the envelope and saw it was sent from Shanghai.

Wanchun snapped back to reality, tucked the letter into her pocket, put on her gloves, and smiled, “It’s from one of my brothers. He’s studying at a university in Shanghai.”

“Wow!” Both Xiaoyan and Zhao Mei exclaimed in amazement — a university student!

Seeing this, Wanchun took the opportunity to hype them up: “Don’t just envy him. Once we get into university, we’ll be the ones everyone envies. Come on, come on, aren’t we supposed to be tutoring math? I’ll tutor you both for a whole month!”

Though a month of tutoring sounded intimidating, thinking about getting into university and becoming the envy of others, Xiaoyan and Zhao Mei exchanged looks and shouted in unison: “Marching toward university!!!”

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As prospective middle school exam candidates,

Every second was extremely precious.

After the evening bell rang, most students spent just ten minutes finishing dinner and bathroom breaks, then rushed back.

Wanchun was one of them. Even though she was always top of the grade, she never dared to slack off.

Usually, she only reviewed for about an hour before dark and then returned to the dorm.

But tonight, it was already past eight, and she was still writing furiously because she had a new task: based on past exam papers Xiaoyan provided, she was making practice questions for her mother.

Though this “question sea” method was a bit crazy, it was really effective.

So Wanchun decided that when she went home in two days, she’d bring at least a hundred questions to show her mother just how tricky people could be.

While imagining this and writing, she was about to finish the 23rd question when the classroom lights suddenly flickered.

Wanchun looked up instinctively, wondering if there’d be a power outage, then heard someone shout, “Class leader, the voltage’s low, you light the lamp.”

At that, a boy in the front row pulled out matches and lit the only kerosene lamp.

At the same time, the ceiling bulb went out completely.

Someone complained, “Class leader, turn the wick up a bit. It’s too dim.”

But the class leader refused: “I told you, a bigger wick wastes oil. The students in the back should move forward.”

Though some in the back frowned, they didn’t argue and moved their stools forward to share desks.

Wanchun had always been popular, sitting in the second row. She had good grades, looked nice, and had a pleasant personality, so most classmates, boys and girls alike, liked her.

Right now, several girls were trying to join her desk, and boys felt shy.

In the end, whoever was fastest got the seat.

But Wanchun didn’t stay long. The kerosene lamp light was too poor for her eyesight.

A bit obsessive, she managed to get 30 questions done, packed up her books, and prepared to return to the dorm.

Just then, a note was slipped to her.

She looked down and saw it read: “During dinner, someone slipped a letter into your desk. Remember to secretly throw it away.”

Probably another love letter, Wanchun rummaged through her desk and finally found it.

She didn’t take it out but tucked it inside her Chinese textbook.

Then she silently mouthed “Thanks” to the girl beside her.

The girl just smiled and shook her head.

Seeing this, Wanchun said nothing more and left the classroom with her books.

It wasn’t that they were paranoid — something similar had happened before.

The girl who was the object of the confession ended up unlucky, and after the matter blew up, both she and the boy were criticized together.

Since entering middle school, Wanchun had received many love letters but always dealt with them privately.

That letter ended up just like the rest.

Of course, afraid she was overthinking things, once she got back to the dormitory, Xu Wanchun still pulled out the letter to check:

“Oh~ beautiful classmate Xu Wanchun, you are as dazzling as the rising sun…”

Okay, okay, enough. Any more of this and it would be an insult to both her eyes and her soul.

Wanchun quickly burned the letter and then finally opened the one from her senior brother.

There were too many people and too many eyes in class during the day, so she had waited until now to read it.

As expected, it was just as she had guessed. As she read, a grin formed on her face.

Though her senior’s wording was restrained, she could still clearly read the subtext… he probably thought their elders had gone completely mad.

But when she reached the line, “Junior sister, I’m counting on you,” Wanchun couldn’t smile anymore.

This guy—he had the same idea as she did?

Still… after receiving his help all these years, she really didn’t have the heart to turn him down.

Just as she was thinking of how to persuade their elders to drop the idea, her eyes caught the last two lines:

“Junior sister, I’ve submitted my application to the school. As soon as I graduate in June, I’ll be heading to Xinjiang for rural support. I’ve already written to my parents, please help comfort them. Your senior brother thanks you deeply.”

Going to Xinjiang? For how long?

Those words echoed in Xu Wanchun’s mind, and she unknowingly clenched the letter tightly in her hand.

How heartbroken would their master and mistress be?

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