Chapter 46 I am Nanfang, your husband's mistress

On the other side, Zhong Qiao rode his bicycle to the gate of the 721 Workers' University. After crossing a bridge and turning a corner, he arrived.

When Zhong Qiao arrived sweating profusely and asked to sign up, the person in charge of recording the students at the 721st Workers' University laughed.

"Are you kidding me?"

The man wore black-framed glasses, twirled a black pen in his hand, and impatiently tapped the paper. He looked like an intellectual, but there was a hint of proud contempt in his eyes, as if he was dissatisfied with the reckless female comrade in front of him for daring to tease him.

"Do you want to learn more about it first?"

"We are the July 21st Workers' University. Are you illiterate?"

He picked up the book, held it in front of Zhong Qiao, and pointed his finger at the university name written in black and white on the book. Because he shook it too hard, it made a noisy sound in the air.

"Come, repeat after me, '721 Workers' University. Workers' University, you know? What kind of worker are you?"

There were a few boys at the door, probably in their early twenties, who had been observing the movements here. They were secretly happy because a beautiful female comrade had come, but when they heard what the man said, they immediately started talking.

"He didn't have a quota at the factory, and he just came here saying he wanted to study. He might just be a bumpkin from the countryside."

"Exactly. I thought she was some cadre's daughter. I didn't expect she was just this."

"She's definitely going to be in trouble."

“.......”

Zhong Qiao was confused, but not angry.

In stark contrast to the man's attitude was another female comrade standing nearby. Seeing that Zhong Qiao looked clueless, she kindly gave her some scientific advice.

After some discussion, Zhong Qiao realized that it was not easy to enroll in the 721st Workers' University.

In 1976, ordinary people had to be recommended by their work unit to have a chance to enter the July 21 University.

It is not an open social education channel, but a politicized training program within the factory.

For unemployed vagrants and outsiders like Zhong Qiao, there is almost no chance at all.

Zhong Qiao secretly regretted it.

Although I knew that after the reform and opening up, the July 21st Workers' University was replaced by other social education, it was still 1976 and I was an unemployed vagrant, so naturally there would be no factory recommendation quota.

I didn't expect that after all the fuss, reading a book would be so difficult.

Zhong Qiao was speechless after this misunderstanding.

The female comrade who was kind enough to give her scientific advice had a high ponytail, revealing a smooth forehead.

She noticed Zhong Qiao's disappointment and comforted her, "Comrade, although you can't come to our school, you can still study at home."

"I know a bookstore right behind our school. They have a complete range of textbooks, they're cheap, and you can rent them. If you need anything, I can take you there."

The man with black-framed glasses sneered: "Fang Nan, you just can't change your habit of meddling in other people's affairs."

Fang Nan rolled his eyes at him. "It's better than some people showing off their power, like, oh, I've never been a cadre in my life."

The man's face turned black, but fortunately he did not have a seizure on the spot.

Zhong Qiao then looked up at the female comrade.

For some reason, ever since they first met, she always felt that this childish face looked vaguely familiar, but she just couldn't remember where.

She searched her mind for a long time, but to no avail. She could only smile faintly and say thank you.

The lesbian's sense of justice was overflowing. She smiled from ear to ear, put down the book, and patted her chest and promised: "I'll take you there."

The man who was ignored by the two men had a dark face, and a cold light flashed behind his glasses. Seeing that the two men seemed to be good friends and didn't know what was going on, he suddenly became furious.

"Fang Nan, how dare you hang out with this outsider? She doesn't even know that non-workers can't enroll, yet she dares to come here and embarrass herself. She's clearly challenging our school's authority and should be kicked out."

Zhong Qiao frowned.

This gay man seemed to have inexplicably disliked her from the very beginning. Even for a very small matter, he still mocked her harshly. Did he really think she was a soft persimmon that could be easily bullied?

Zhong Qiao was about to speak, but the female comrade next to her spoke first.

Lesbians are beautiful and sweet-talkers, but they can stab men in the heart.

"Qian Cheng, isn't it just a question? Can you lose a piece of meat or what? As a grown man, can't you have some sense? I can't even tell you what you're thinking. You just lost to your brother, and you're unhappy, so you want to take your anger out on someone."

Qian Cheng's secrets were exposed, and his face turned red and white: "Fang Nan, stop talking nonsense!"

"Don't talk about me." He gritted his teeth. "You are a woman who doesn't marry and have children. You are still studying at this age. If I were you, I would feel ashamed. What right do you have to tell me what to do?"

"Because I'm richer than you and better at reincarnation than you." Fang Nan said this sentence that could make him angry to death, turned around, pulled Zhong Qiao and left.

Zhong Qiao hesitated a little: "You and he are classmates, right? Is it really okay to say that? I don't want to cause any rift between you two because of me."

When these words came out, even Zhong Qiao himself was stunned.

Something seems wrong.

"You don't have to worry about him. He is just like that. When he encounters a small thing that can bully others, he can't wait to show off his power in front of others. Even if you are not there, someone else will suffer the same way." Fang Nan curled his lips.

"Has he always been like this?" Zhong Qiao asked.

"Not really." Fang Nan was very familiar and spoke out loud. "His mother favored his brother and gave him a housing quota at the factory. He was furious, and you just walked into his trap."

When Fang Nan smiles, her eyes are shaped like foxes, but they are not charming. On the contrary, they are pure and innocent from the inside out, untainted by the world.

"Don't think I'm too enthusiastic. I'm not like that to everyone. Since you're here, I figured I could find an excuse to get some fresh air so I don't have to squeeze in with people like him."

Zhong Qiao was speechless for a moment.

In fact, she could see that there seemed to be a conflict between the two. From their communication, the man seemed to be very repulsed by this lesbian named Fang Nan, but he had to bow his head because of Fang Nan's family background.

I didn't expect there was such a relationship.

However, this is also good. Regardless of whether he has selfish motives or not, he can still suppress this local tyrant, and it will not affect her interests.

Fang Nan took her to a secluded place behind the school.

There is a very small bookstore deep in the alley. If no one pays attention to it, it will probably blend into the moss on the wall.

When Zhong Qiao walked in, he found that what Fang Nan said was indeed true.

The owner is an old man wearing reading glasses, with gray hair. He is full of energy and is drinking tea and appreciating flowers.

There are so many books in the shop that they seem to be overflowing, overflowing to the door, but there is order in the chaos, and they are stacked very loosely.

Zhong Qiao took a few casual glances and found that there were quite a few rare books and teaching materials. Although they were a bit worn out, it was not difficult to tell that they were purchased from other people.

It is not easy to have such comprehensive teaching materials.

Fang Nan greeted the old man with a smile; the two looked very familiar.

The old man glanced at Zhong Qiao, and seemed to be stunned for a moment, not knowing whether it was an illusion. Then, he acted as if nothing had happened, and was too lazy to even pay attention to them. He lay down on the bamboo chair covered with a blanket to rest.

"That's Mr. Fang." Fang Nan smiled. "He used to be a university teacher, quite an accomplished man. After he retired, he opened this bookstore."

Zhong Qiao nodded and couldn't help but pay more attention to Old Man Fang.

"Here, you will definitely need this." Fang Nan took out some dusty books and textbooks.

Zhong Qiao lowered her eyes and glanced at the necessary textbooks and teaching materials for college. She had already learned some of the content, but had forgotten it.

She does need it.

"Thank you." Zhong Qiao thanked her softly, without being polite, and took it directly.

Fang Nan smiled and said, "You heard it too. My name is Fang Nan. I don't know yours yet."

Zhong Qiao paused holding the book, a little hesitant.

After all, she had only known this girl named Fang Nan for less than ten minutes, but Fang Nan was extremely enthusiastic towards her, so she had to be on guard.

But I saw Fang Nan's expectant look.

Zhong Qiao's mouth is faster than his brain.

"Zhong Qiao."

"Qiao?" Fang Nan's eyes lit up. "Is that the Qiao from the story of the two Qiao sisters being locked up in the Bronze Sparrow Spring, the one in which Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao are locked up?"

Zhong Qiao hummed.

Fang Nan's face was full of envy: "That's great, it's better than my name. Even if my nickname is Qiao Qiao, it's still nice. Unlike me, my dad asked a master to give me a crappy name, and he also said that my nickname can ward off disasters. What is it called..."

She fell into deep thought, as if she had forgotten this nickname for too long.

Zhong Qiao left her lost in thought while he dragged a bench over to find a place to block the wind and carefully flipped through the book in his hand.

This book is too old, and some pages are torn. Fortunately, every page is complete, and some have been thoughtfully excerpted and highlighted by the previous owner.

Zhong Qiao watched very seriously.

"south."

Until behind me, I heard a girl's surprised cry.

"I remember the South."

Zhong Qiao's eyelashes trembled slightly, and he raised his eyes in surprise. The book in his hand quietly slipped to the ground, and the yellowed pages were blown away by the wind, like a dead leaf butterfly struggling desperately in the snow.

In an instant, her mind flashed back to her past life: the face that came out in the rain at night, and when she opened the door, she saw a disheveled and haggard yet beautiful face.

Beautiful, fragile, strong and young.

"Hello, my name is Nanfang."

"Your husband's—"

"mistress."