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Chapter 24 – Reading the Letter

“It’s not like that,” Lin Tingjun explained. “Why would you think so? Every academic field is about cultivating talent for the country. The revolutionary division of labor is just different—there’s no such thing as high or low, noble or humble.”

“Come on, let me go over this problem with you.”

Maybe it was because she’d returned to campus life again, but Xu Jingchu felt that this time, Lin Tingjun’s explanations were clear and easy to grasp. After he explained, he would even find similar questions, leaving her with extended problems to encourage deeper thinking and draw connections.

Lin Tingjun taught for an hour, but Xu Jingchu felt it was more effective than her studying on her own for three days. When he wasn’t around, she could carefully organize and review the notes from today and gain even more progress.

“Tingjun-ge, you’ve been talking so long—you must be thirsty. Let me bring you a glass of water.” Xu Jingchu fussed over her “teacher” attentively.

“Alright, thank you.” Lin Tingjun was still focused on the next problem, thinking about how to make it easy for Xu Jingchu to understand.

He had a habit of spinning his pen when he thought. It was an unconscious little action of his. But he wasn’t used to Xu Jingchu’s pen—he dropped it several times today.

Again and again, he had to stop and pick it up. Until… the pen disappeared completely, who knows where it rolled.

“Jingchu? Jingchu? Do you still have any pens in your room?” Lin Tingjun called downstairs several times. But Xu Jingchu, whether she didn’t hear or not, never answered.

With no choice, Lin Tingjun searched the desk for another pen. That was when Zhang Guifen’s letter appeared blatantly on the desk.

“Make sure to send money home as soon as possible…”

“Find a way to cook the rice until it’s done…”

“You must become a daughter-in-law of the Lin family…”

“Remember to help the family in the future…”

Lin Tingjun knew it was impolite to peek at someone else’s letter, but he hadn’t actually meant to. It was just one glance…

And that glance was enough. Xu Jingchu’s mother truly lived up to her reputation. Even worse than he’d imagined—shameless, harsh, and demanding.

Beside it was Xu Jingchu’s reply.

Don’t look, don’t look… he told himself. But if he was already being treated like a fat piece of meat, couldn’t that meat at least be aware of his own tragic fate in advance?

Besides… he reasoned with himself.

Don’t you want to know if Xu Jingchu’s thinking has changed? Or if she’s still planning to sacrifice herself to support her family, just like before? If she hasn’t changed, then maybe his parents and he could still do some work to change her thinking.

Lin Tingjun finally convinced himself. Look!

Heh. If he hadn’t looked, he wouldn’t have known. Now that he had, he realized he was nothing but a joke.

Well done, Xu Jingchu. You really are capable—fooling everyone around you. And Lin Tingjun, you must have studied yourself stupid, willingly being used by others, teaching her problems, and never realizing you were just a toy in her hands.

In her reply, Xu Jingchu wrote that she remembered everything her mother had instructed. She was working on building a good relationship with Lin Tingjun. Since he liked studying, she would also study hard, using problem discussions to get closer to him.

If by chance they got into the same university, she’d have even more assurance. She urged Zhang Guifen to be patient because she was playing the long game—casting a long line to catch a big fish.

And Lin Tingjun? He sneered—he was the “big fish.” Studying all day about how to explain problems, helping someone while being schemed against, even counting money for the person selling him out. Lin Tingjun, oh Lin Tingjun!

He hated scheming. One of the reasons he had resolutely chosen to continue in scientific research after the college entrance exam was precisely because he despised such intrigue.

Science was better—you gave it your sincerity, and it gave sincerity back. Results were black or white, never murky gray.

Lin Tingjun, normally calm as still water, could not hold it back today. He stood up, ready to leave Xu Jingchu’s room.

“Tingjun-ge, here’s some coffee. Auntie Zhang knows you like it, so she saved it. I learned how to brew it from her just for you. It’s my first time, so I took a little longer.” Xu Jingchu smiled apologetically.

“You can keep it for yourself. I can’t afford to drink it. Tell my parents and Tingyu that I’m going back to school.”

Lin Tingjun’s face was cold as he packed up his bag and left the Lin house without even a goodbye.

The change was too sudden. Xu Jingchu had just learned a new concept from her geography book—cold wave. Was this what they meant? Had a cold wave just swept through?

She set the coffee on the desk, where traces of Lin Tingjun’s scribbles and notes still remained. Why? Xu Jingchu couldn’t understand.

Until she realized…

So, had Lin Tingjun seen the letter? Did he think she had been using him? That was the only possible explanation. Xu Jingchu turned the matter over and over in her mind.

No, she couldn’t let him misunderstand. If he misunderstood, who would teach her anymore? She couldn’t lose her “god of wealth”—her source of knowledge. She had to keep him on her side.

When Lin Jianbo and Zhang Qiuyun returned and saw their son gone, they asked, “Jingchu, where did Tingjun go?”

Xu Jingchu didn’t dare directly voice her guess, nor could she let Lin Tingjun take the blame. She chose a gentler answer: “Something urgent came up at school. The school called the house, and Tingjun-ge had to go back immediately.”

“Oh, oh, it must be another emergency.” Zhang Qiuyun relaxed. Her son often hadn’t come home on weekends, claiming school matters kept him. She had thought it was an excuse, but maybe it really was true.

“How urgent could it be! That kid just doesn’t want to stay at home,” Lin Jianbo muttered, soft-hearted but sharp-tongued. Just last night, he had had a great time playing chess with his son—and best of all, his son had actually beaten him.

All day at work today, Lin Jianbo had been bragging to his colleagues about how good his son was at chess, proudly admitting he had been defeated.

His coworkers teased him, saying Old Lin had lost face, and taught him a few tricks. He’d been excited, looking forward to playing again with his son after dinner tonight. Who knew the boy would already be gone.

Xu Jingchu felt ashamed. After all, it was all because of her. No, she decided—she had to go to the university tomorrow when no one was home, to explain things to Lin Tingjun face to face.

For the sake of his relationship with his family—and for her own sake.

She knew exactly which university Lin Tingjun was in, and which bus route to take. Going empty-handed wasn’t proper for an apology. Xu Jingchu decided to make dumplings to bring him. After all, she still owed him a meal of dumplings from that day.

After Lin Jianbo and Zhang Qiuyun left, Xu Jingchu began her “dumpling plan.” To justify her actions, she also prepared extra wontons, saying they’d be for breakfast tomorrow.

When the dumplings were ready, she used the leftover meat filling to make some fried meatballs. The sizzling aroma filled the room—such delicacies were rare in those days.

She carefully packed everything layer by layer into a lunchbox, then changed into neat clothes, tied her hair into two ponytails again, and prepared to set off to find Lin Tingjun.

This was her first time in Beijing going anywhere beyond the department store, corner shop, or supply co-op. She couldn’t help feeling a little excited.

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