Chapter 72

Chapter 72

After helping Jin Xiuzhu tidy up her things at noon, He Yan went to school.

Most of the students had already arrived. Lin Zhaodi, sitting on the outside, was diligently copying papers with her head down when she saw him come in and looked up briefly.

He Yan entered from behind her, sat down, and secretly slipped some cookies and candies into her drawer.

Lin Zhaodi noticed and couldn't help but turn her head slightly to look at him, pursing her lips.

He Yan chuckled lightly, said nothing, and opened his homework to start writing.

Lin Zhaodi had no choice but to look away, feeling somewhat uneasy. She didn’t understand what He Yan meant. It seemed like he was nice to everyone, but somehow he was nicer to her.

This kindness felt ambiguous, making her feel increasingly uneasy.

Especially these past few days, going to He Yan’s house for meals every day, he cooked so many delicious dishes for her—dishes she had never tasted before. The amount of meat she ate exceeded the total she had consumed throughout her life. Today was no different; she saw his mother looking so elegant and young, and his sister was adorable. They bought many things back...

The gap between them was truly vast.

She couldn’t help but think that if He Yan hadn’t come here to study because of his father's work, they would probably never have met.

Just as Lin Zhaodi was lost in thought, a note suddenly appeared in front of her.

She knew it was from the person next to her, but still reached out to read it. The note read: "My mom wants us to get into a good university together."

Lin Zhaodi’s eyes widened, and her heart started pounding. Many thoughts raced through her mind, yet it felt like she wasn’t thinking about anything.

She didn’t understand what He Yan meant by this. Lin Zhaodi, who usually excelled in Chinese, found herself uncertain.

She stared at the note for a long time, then silently put it away.

Reflecting on those words, her mood gradually calmed. Perhaps... getting into a good university might give them a chance.

Thinking this, she shook her head lightly, dismissing all her thoughts, deciding that worrying now was pointless. What mattered most was studying hard and aiming for a good university.

In the following days, He Yan noticed that Lin Zhaodi worked even harder. She nearly wore out her homework papers, constantly erasing and rewriting, and even during breaks, she never stopped studying, often reading a book while eating.

Seeing this, He Yan also redoubled his efforts, not wanting to be the one who failed the exams.

When Fu Yanyan returned home that evening, she found her mother and sister had also come back.

She tried on the new clothes her mother bought, enjoyed snacks recommended by her sister, and wrote her homework in a very cheerful mood.

At bedtime, the sisters chatted endlessly, mostly with Liu Liu doing the talking. She recounted how Jin Xiuzhu took her to eat delicious food, visit the department store, and the black market, especially the black market, which was incredibly fun with all sorts of items.

To Liu Liu, everything was fun.

But actually, Fu Yanyan had experienced all these things before, especially the black market in the provincial capital. In her previous life, Jin Xiuzhu started her business there, selling noodles, clothes, shoes, and even stationery. Eventually, she found connections, befriended a restaurant boss, and later managed a KTV for his cousin. Finally, she opened her own restaurant, improving her life.

Fu Yanyan knew the black market well, having helped manage Jin Xiuzhu’s stall there when she was busy.

Liu Liu suddenly said, "Sister, did you know? Brother has a crush on a girl!"

"..."

Fu Yanyan, who had been reminiscing about her past, was momentarily stunned.

She slowly turned to ask, "Who told you?"

Liu Liu was delighted that her sister was paying attention and giggled, "Mom asked, and brother admitted it."

Fu Yanyan raised an eyebrow, "Do you even know what liking someone means?"

Liu Liu nodded confidently, "Of course! Like our Teacher Wang and Teacher Zhang. Teacher Zhang likes Teacher Wang, always bringing her hot water in the morning and buying her candy. But Teacher Wang doesn’t like Teacher Zhang; she likes Teacher Zhan. She smiles so happily whenever she talks to Teacher Zhan."

Fu Yanyan felt dizzy, "You seem to know a lot."

Liu Liu proudly said, "Of course! Brother likes that sister. Whenever he talks to her, he smiles really happily, but when he talks to us, he always looks upset."

Fu Yanyan laughed.

Her description was quite accurate. Indeed, He Yan always looked annoyed when talking to them, making him seem very punchable.

However, after laughing, she felt more reflective. She never imagined that in this life, coming here with her father, He Yan would meet a girl he liked.

She wondered what happened to the girl he liked in his previous life.

Meanwhile, Wei Ningqing and Yang Yingxiong, far away, received He Yan’s homework books one after another. They were deeply moved and grateful. Especially Yang Yingxiong, whose conditions in the county were inferior to those in the military unit. Previously, the teachers in the unit were highly educated military spouses, teaching at a high level. The local teachers couldn’t compare, leaving much for him to learn on his own.

He Yan’s homework and test papers were immensely helpful.

However, Yang Yingxiong noticed that the handwriting was clearly from two people. He recognized He Yan’s bold and open handwriting, which was comfortable to read. The other handwriting was merely neat.

He didn’t think much of it, assuming He Yan’s friend had helped copy it, feeling grateful and determined to repay the favor someday.

At the same time, Jin Xiuzhu received a letter from Wang Ling. The letter mentioned that Yan Xing had been accepted into s city’s university, Bai Jingzhi’s alma mater.

Jin Xiuzhu was delighted to hear this news.

However, the letter also mentioned Qian Yufeng’s family. Wang Ling wrote that Wu Laotai had passed away a few days ago. She mentioned it because she knew Jin Xiuzhu and Qian Yufeng were close friends, though Qian Yufeng had asked her not to say anything.

Wang Ling explained that Wu Laotai caught a chill, fell ill, and hit her head on the corner of a table while getting water at night. As no one else was in the room, no one knew until the next morning when Qian Yufeng and her husband called for her and found her unresponsive.

Wu Erzhu, being filial, spent money to arrange a grand funeral, burying her on a nearby mountain.

On the day of the burial, Wang Ling also went. There were quite a few people there, all colleagues of Wu Erzhu and Qian Yufeng. However, what was disheartening was that no one from Wu Erzhu's hometown came. Wang Ling knew the situation with Qian Yufeng's family as well. Out of concern, she asked about the people from their hometown. Qian Yufeng then whispered to her that not a single person came. After discovering that her mother-in-law had passed away, she immediately called her eldest brother's family. They said they would come but, two days later, claimed they couldn't buy train tickets.

Such an excuse might fool others, but it couldn't fool Qian Yufeng. She was close to Wang Ling, who frequently traveled by train and often bought tickets on the same day. It wasn't even during the New Year season; how could they not get tickets? They simply didn't want to come.

They were most eager when money was involved, but now that someone was gone, they showed no reaction at all—too cold-hearted.

Perhaps seeing the coldness of his eldest brother's family, Wu Erzhu privately promised to let Qian Yufeng manage all his future wages, so she could save for their children.

Logically, Qian Yufeng should have been happy, but she told Wang Ling that she couldn't feel any joy. It took so many years to see the truth, giving away so much money that should have been for her two children. Even her mother-in-law, who was generally good, treated the eldest brother's family so well, yet they didn't even come to take a look after she died. She didn't find it satisfying; instead, she felt hurt. Wasn't it just because they didn't want to spend money or effort?

Wang Ling sympathized with Qian Yufeng. Anyone in this situation would feel terrible.

The letter also mentioned a lot about the Textile Factory's recent conditions and matters among military spouses. For example, the couple Wen Jun had been transferred suddenly, and the details were unclear. Someone new had taken their place.

After reading the letter, Jin Xiuzhu felt many emotions. Though she was used to life and death, hearing that Grandma Wu had passed away still made her sad. After all, they had been neighbors and had a decent relationship.

Thinking about this, Jin Xiuzhu wrote a letter to Qian Yufeng, and then sent letters to Wang Ling and Bai Jingzhi. The letter to Bai Jingzhi was to inform her about Yan Xing going to her alma mater and to visit if possible. Wang Ling must have written the letter with this intention too.

During dinner, Jin Xiuzhu told her children about the letter from Wang Ling. When the three children heard that Grandma Wu had passed away, they all stopped eating.

Liu Liu didn't have strong feelings about it. She was born in the residential building and was closest to Fang Min's family next door. Her memory of Grandma Wu was faint. But He Yan and Fu Yanyan were both stunned.

In their memories, Grandma Wu was a healthy old woman. Before coming here, they had visited Auntie Qian and seen Grandma Wu, who spoke clearly and walked briskly. They never expected her to pass away suddenly.

Especially for He Yan, before his mother married his father, he practically lived at Auntie Qian's house, where Grandma Wu took good care of him. Thinking about Grandma Wu's sudden passing, he felt a pang of sadness.

He couldn't help asking Jin Xiuzhu, "Mom, should we go back?"

Jin Xiuzhu understood her son's emotional nature but said, "Going back now or later doesn't make much difference. Your grandma wouldn't mind. Focus on your studies, and we'll go back together after the college entrance exam, okay?"

He Yan understood his mother's concern and nodded.

Jin Xiuzhu added, "I've already written to Auntie Qian and sent a fifty-yuan red envelope."

Fifty yuan was a significant amount here. Usually, red envelopes contained five or six yuan, which was already quite respectable.

He Yan nodded and couldn't help saying, "Uncle Wu Xiaojun's family is too heartless."

Jin Xiuzhu remained calm, "That's human nature. Even brothers settle accounts clearly, let alone those separated by a womb."

He Yan puffed out his cheeks and turned to Fu Yanyan, "We won't settle accounts like that. I definitely won't treat you that way."

Fu Yanyan replied, "Thank you."

Liu Liu chimed in, "I don't want to settle accounts with my sister either. Everything I have is for my sister."

Fu Yanyan's expression softened.

He Yan couldn't resist asking, "What about me?"

Liu Liu's eyes shifted uncertainly, and she said ambiguously, "Probably the same."

He Yan was speechless. "You can't even pretend. You're such a biased little girl."

Liu Liu huffed.

This made Jin Xiuzhu and Fu Yanyan laugh.

In May, Zhu Ying came with her daughter and two grandsons for Ji Ling and Bai Jingzhi's wedding.