Life is gradually returning to track. He Xiaoyun attends university from Monday to Friday. She stays at home with the child on weekends and cooks for the family. She goes to the market to stock up on groceries for the week. There will be some weekend literary activities on occasion.
One weekend in April, the class organized an outing.
Because it was the first group outing since the beginning of school, He Xiaoyun couldn't refuse, so she sent Wei Yuanhang to Xu Lanxiang and promised to buy him a kite when she returned.
About twenty people in the class were there, and they went to the People's Park together.
Many people are enjoying the flowers in the park in late spring. They (the group) are a group of young people who are vibrant and youthful, and they draw a lot of attention.
Liu Yangyang jumped around with a bag in her hand, taking food from the bag and sharing it with He Xiaoyun, like a child who had come out to play with her parents.
"Did you know? Li Lingling talked about a boy." She(LY) suddenly leaned in and said in a low voice, looking in the other direction.
He Xiaoyun followed her gaze and saw Li Lingling walking side by side with a boy, looking intimate.
He Xiaoyun didn't live on campus and didn't have much contact with her classmates, so she wasn't informed of much gossip. In her(HX) impression, Li Lingling had been in and out of Wu Jing all the time.
She looked through the crowd for Wu Jing but noticed a boy standing next to her. The boy was attentive and kept turning his head to speak with her, but Wu Jing appeared uninterested and unenthusiastic.
He Xiaoyun suddenly realize that all of the students in the class were falling in love.
"Our monitor has been chasing Wu Jing for a long time," Liu Yangyang said, gossiping again. "Wu Jing publicly stated that she didn't intend to talk about the subject before that."
"You know quite a lot." He Xiaoyun said with a smile.
"That's for sure," Liu Yangyang said proudly, "You don't listen to gossip and only read sage books." I'm definitely not better than you at reading but in other things? Not necessarily. "
He Xiaoyun secretly chuckled. If Liu Yangyang had been born in her time and worked as a gossip reporter, she would have had no financial worries.
---
The weather is becoming increasingly hot. Wei Jianwei had previously taken his family vacation in April of the lunar calendar.
He sat at the table and wrote a letter, telling his family about this. He Xiaoyun walked out of the kitchen with a plate and stuffed a sophora japonica dumpling into his mouth.
It is the flowering period of Sophora japonica. There are a lot of Sophora japonica trees on both sides of the main road in the family area. He Xiaoyun and Xu Lanxiang picked a large basket and came back. During this time, Sophora japonica dumplings, Sophora japonica buns, Sophora japonica cakes, and Sophora japonica rice can be made.
He Xiaoyun asked Wei Jianwei, "Have you finished writing?" She ate a dumpling as well. She thought it was a little bland after tasting it, so she went to the kitchen to pour a dish of vinegar.
Wei Jianwei nodded, "Almost."
"I can let the little kid write a little later," Xiaoyun said as she read the letter he(WJ) had written. "After reading books for more than half a year, he has learned a few words somehow, let him write to his grandparents."
However, his(WY) writing is so big that they might have to prepare a few pieces of paper.
He Xiaoyun wrote a letter to her younger brother in addition to Wei Jianwei's letter. After reading this half-year, He Xiaojun will take the college entrance examination. She can only write him more letters because she's not at home. His review materials, which she used last year, have already been sent out.
Thinking that her brother was several years younger than her, but he might go to university only a year later than her, He Xiaoyun felt so old yet so young.
---
After Liu Yangyang's reminder that day, He Xiaoyun walked on the campus again and found that among the students coming and going, there were indeed many couples, the kind of young men and women who fell in love with pink bubbles all over their bodies. The atmosphere makes her, a married young woman, feel bashful.
And because of the imbalance between men and women, almost every girl has a suitor. He Xiaoyun wondered why no boys were dangling in front of her. Is it possible that everyone knows that she has been married so soon?
If Liu Yangyang knows what she's thinking, she will definitely shout: You know nothing about your own fame!
In the entire Chinese department, who doesn't know that their department flower(He Xiaoyun) was not only very beautiful but also ranks third in the capital in the college entrance examination? She was the so-called beauty and talent combo.
Even in other departments, people often come to see her beauty. If not that she's married and already has a child, with her conditions, they're afraid that suitors would have already lined up from the teaching building to the university gate.
Of course, everyone knows about her husband too, the upright and handsome officer who always wears a military uniform. Liu Yangyang had overheard other girls and boys discussing his appearance and aura, as well as his military rank.
With such an excellent lover, even if someone loves her(HX), he(suitor) must look into the mirror and see if he's qualified enough to compete with her husband.
"Why are you in a daze?" Wei Jianwei poked her cheek.
Xiaoyun grabbed his finger and made a bite motion. Wei Jianwei was not only unafraid, but he also had a look on his face as if he was expecting her to bite him.
So Xiaoyun threw his finger away in disgust, "Thirty years of old meat, I'll have a toothache."
Wei Jianwei smiled, squeezed her fingertips, and agreed: "I'm not as tender as you, one bite one mark."
He Xiaoyun always felt that there was something wrong with the man's words. She slapped his hand away, walked to the window, and told Wei Yuanhang, who was downstairs playing, to come home for dinner.
Those tall and luxuriant locust trees bloomed with large clusters of white flowers hanging from their branches behind the school cafeteria during the scented locust tree season, the breeze sent a sweet fragrance, and the petals fell like rain. He Xiaoyun will digest her lunch by taking a walk under the trees, bathing in the rain of locust blossoms, and feeling like an artist.
He Xiaoyun walked alone today because Liu Yangyang had something to do, so she turned to the back door of the cafeteria, only to find someone under a locust tree. The individual was very familiar. It was Wu Jing, who was in their class. A strange man stood in front of her. She(HX) has no idea what they're arguing about, but the atmosphere is tense.
He Xiaoyun didn't want to gossip and was about to leave when the man suddenly turned and left. Wu Jing stared at his back, and when he was gone, she slowly squatted down and buried her face in her knees.
He Xiaoyun hesitated for a moment, asking her if she was alright or just leave? Wu Jing suddenly raised her head and met her(HX) gaze.
Being far away, He Xiaoyun didn't know if she(WJ) was crying.
At this time, if she(HX) left without saying anything, it would make her look like a thief being caught in the act. He Xiaoayun simply walked over and asked, "Are you okay?"
Wu Jing shook her head lightly, her eyes were a little red but she didn't shed any tears. He Xiaoyun squatted down, picked up a few locust flowers from the ground, and played with them in her palms, while Wu Jing squatted there as if she didn't intend to stand up. "If the cafeteria takes these flowers, making Sophora japonica cakes must be very popular," she(HX) said, without mentioning the scene she had just witnessed.
Wu Jing looked up at the dense tree canopy. After a long time, she said in a slightly hoarse voice: "There was also a locust tree not far behind the place where I used to live."
It was her former residence, not her home, according to Wu Jing's remarks. Did something happen there when she got into university? He Xiaoyun wondered.
Wu Jing interrupted her with, "It's my husband's home, and the person who left right now is my husband."
He Xiaoyun was taken aback by her simple tone.
She now understands Liu Yangyang's reaction to finding out she was married.
Wu Jing looks like a goddess of art, quiet and cold with a hint of alienation, and the one who left just now, even though He Xiaoyun only looked at his back, she can sense his ruggedness and fierceness. They are completely opposite individuals. It's not that one is unworthy of the other, but they don't appear to be compatible. What brought them together?
Wu Jing paused for a long time after saying that. He Xiaoyun assumed she would stop speaking, but she (WJ) took another deep breath and continued to tell her story.
Three years ago, Wu Jing graduated from high school and went to the south to join a few educated youths assigned there. It was a beautiful place with green mountains and green waters and beautiful scenery. Her anxiety was soothed and she had some expectations for her future there.
But this kind of expectation only lasted for two days. When she finished her work and returned to the farmer's house where she was assigned on the third night, the family's honest son broke into her room. However, the old couple who had previously been kind and honest, as well as the neighbors who were only separated by a wall, did not appear.
She tried her best to break free and ran outside with disheveled hair. The doors of all the houses in the village were closed, and there seemed to be a pair of eyes staring at her behind the blackholed windows.
Some people were chasing after her, and she had nowhere to go. Since was no way to ask for help, instead of being caught...
She ran to the only deep well in the village...
"What's next?" He Xiaoyun asked while holding her breath.
Wu Jing paused and softly said, "Someone was drawing water by the well, and he caught me."
The man saved her.
Although they are classmates, He Xiaoyun and Wu Jing are not usually close. Those things had most likely been buried in Wu Jing's heart for far too long, and she had no one to speak with. She would only tell He Xiaoyun about it because she happened to be there today.
Then Wu Jing learned that this seemingly beautiful village was home to a group of backward and barbaric villains. They divided the educated youths from the city separately and assigned them to farmers' families to live. In fact, the villagers have a tacit agreement to tie the educated youths with children to the place.
For the educated youths who went to the countryside, they had no way out, as there was no way to return to the city. If they run away, they will be treated as a deserter. They will be subjected to harsh criticism as well as labor reforms. Almost no one has been able to get away from this mountain for many years.
Wu Jing wrote a letter to the outside world, but there was no response to all the letters. She finally realized her situation and agreed to marry the man who rescued her.
Despite this, she didn't want to stay, so she didn't bear any children so that there would be no burden. The only luck was that the other person didn't force her. Later, the college entrance examination resumed and the other party sent her out of the village.
When Wu Jing left, she saw another female educated youth who came with her, with a big belly and a child in her hands.
Wu Jing didn't dare to look back then.
"He came to me, and I told him that I would never go back. He asked me if we were to separate, and I said yes..." Wu Jing's lips trembled, trying to show a smile.
"I used him and abandoned him. I'm really broken."
Although she escaped there, she(WJ) felt that she had been contaminated by the silt.
He Xiaoyun's heart is heavy and she doesn't know what to say.
"...It's not your fault."
Wu Jing looked more ugly laughing than crying.
He Xiaoyun knew that her comfort was feeble, but she understood Wu Jing's approach, and if it were her, she wouldn't choose to return to that nightmare place either.
Due to policy reasons, rural people in this era aren't allowed to move freely. That is to say, if Wu Jing doesn't want to go back, the man can't settle in the city to accompany her, so even if the two people don't want to be separated, they can't stay together.
Although He Xiaoyun knew that the policy would change soon and that a turning point is coming, she couldn't tell her(WJ).
He Xiaoyun had no choice but to console her: "The bad things should be left in the past, and you should look forward. The future will definitely get better, just like what happened a year ago, did you ever think we'll be here at the university, sitting under the locust tree and chatting?"
Wu Jing knew that she was right. Compared with other people, she was extremely lucky and had at least met a good person. She raised her eyes to the direction that the person had left, and whispered: "Thank you for being willing to listen to me."
"What's wrong with that?" He Xiaoyun said. Looking at Wu Jing's slightly pale profile, she couldn't help but say again, "At the moment, what we should do is not to leave any regrets for the future."
Wu Jing was shaken.
Back home, He, Xiaoyun wasn't particularly emotional but Wu Jing's words reminded her of the place where she was born(previous life). Although she also fled in the end, the scars remained in her heart.
Wei Jianwei was cutting vegetables in the kitchen. He Xiaoyun walked over, wrapped her hand in his waist, and buried her face on his wide back.
He Xiaoyun felt that she was so miserable in her last life. She must have accumulated all the luck she could there and spent it on meeting this person.
She couldn't imagine what would happen if she hadn't been here in Qingshuihe, but in the place that Wu Jing said.
Wei Jianwei heard of her coming back, observing her not talking, he asked: "Are you tired?"
He Xiaoyun dully replied.
Knowing that she was in a bad mood, Wei Jianwei put aside his work, turned around, and hugged her, "What's the matter?"
As Jianwei spoke, he lowered his head and touched her forehead, trying to see if she was unwell.
He Xiaoyun softly said: "It's nothing, I just wanted to hug you."
Wei Jianwei smiled, holding her waist and hips to lift her up like a child.
He Xiaoyun leaned her face on his shoulder.
In her impression, no one had ever hugged her like this. When she was a child, the elders in her family disliked her for being a girl. Let alone hugs, even giving her a good face was rare. Later, when she was working in society, there was no one to hug her like this when she was exhausted.
He Xiaoyun never felt that she lacked love, but now, she thought that even if Wei Jianwei did nothing, she would still fall in love with him just by him holding her like this.