"Grandpa and Grandma are quite lonely at home, so they'll be coming here to stay often from now on. You two, please don't find us a nuisance."

Shen Yongjun led his granddaughter and grandson-in-law forward.

“I’ve also prepared a room for your parents, so they don’t have to travel back and forth when they come to see their grandson.”

The three main rooms have all been arranged for Shen Yongjun.

"Changfeng and I would love for our grandparents to come and stay permanently, so we wouldn't find it troublesome."

"This bedroom is so well-arranged, Grandpa has really put in a lot of effort."

Ruan Qiushui looked around the bedroom; the elderly couple had really thought of everything.

"Grandma won't have to worry about it?"

After helping Gu Changshu and Gu Xiaoxiao put away their luggage, Liu Sanmei came over and joked.

"Grandma, thank you for your trouble."

Ruan Qiushui quickly stepped forward, took Liu Sanmei's hand, and shook it coquettishly.

"Alright, alright, I'll go to the kitchen to see if Aunt Zhang has finished cooking. Eat and then go to sleep."

Liu Sanmei tapped Ruan Qiushui's nose, smiled, and left.

…

February 22, 1978, the day after the Lantern Festival.

Urged by her mother, Ruan Qiushui finished washing up, took her admission notice and other documents, and went to Peking University to register.

When Ruan Qiushui arrived at Peking University on her bicycle, she saw many students carrying large and small bags walking inside.

"Oh dear, my lunchbox, my pickled vegetables."

Ruan Qiushui was parking her bicycle when she turned around and saw a little girl not far away wearing faded, patched clothes. The patched cloth used as a bundle at her feet had a big hole in it, and everything inside had fallen out.

"Oh dear, what kind of filth is this? It's gotten my new leather shoes all dirty."

A stylishly dressed woman was walking forward with a military green shoulder bag when she was suddenly blocked by scattered pickled vegetables.

The small earthenware jar that held the pickled vegetables fell and shattered, spilling a lot of the pickled vegetables onto her leather shoes.

"Yes, I'm sorry."

Hao Sanmei nervously clutched the patch on the hem of her clothes and quickly went forward to rummage through her bundle for a handkerchief, wanting to help her wipe it off.

This girl looks like she's from a wealthy and powerful family; she's someone I absolutely can't afford to offend.

"Hey, what are you doing? You're wiping my shoes with such a dirty rag. It'll just make them even dirtier."

Zhou Nian took two steps back in disgust, looked at the disgusting pickled vegetables on her feet, and stomped her feet.

This thing looks pitch black and smells awful; I wonder if it's poisonous.

Looking at the eyes of the people around her, Zhou Nian felt that she had made a big joke.

"What should we do then? How about you take your shoes off and I'll wash them for you?"

Hao Sanmei was at a loss.

The gorgeous and exquisite anniversary dress made Hao Sanmei, who was dark-skinned and short, feel extremely inferior.

Hao Sanmei had only ever seen such exquisite little leather shoes on the train to Beijing.

The person said that these are only sold in department stores, and a pair costs thirty or forty yuan.

What if she doesn't clean it up and makes her pay compensation?

The money her family borrowed from all their relatives and friends in the village to pay for her travel expenses and tuition.

Even the money for food afterwards is still up in the air.

"Wash it? Where are you going to wash it? Do you expect me to stand here barefoot, making a fool of myself, waiting for you?"

Looking at Hao Sanmei, who looked so poor, Zhou Nian pinched his nose as if he were looking at a bedbug.

The thought of studying at the same university as people of this caliber in the future really lowered her standards.

"So what do you want to do?"

Seeing Zhou Nian's disdainful look, Hao Sanmei felt even more inferior, and her head almost touched the ground.

"What should we do? We need to pay compensation quickly."

"I just bought these little leather shoes last night, and this is the first time I'm wearing them today."

"It cost thirty-five yuan when I bought it. I don't need any more from you, just give me thirty yuan."

Zhou Nian could tell from Hao Sanmei's appearance that she was poor, but she didn't need the money; she just wanted to ridicule and mock her.

Let her understand that the poor will always only deserve to be trampled under her feet.

"Thirty dollars? I don't have that much money on me at all."

Even if you sold her, you wouldn't get thirty yuan.

Hao Sanmei burst into tears instantly, not knowing what to do.

"No money? Then use your valuables as collateral."

On the anniversary, he originally planned to humiliate Hao Sanmei by making her lick his shoes clean.

But seeing the students gathered around him, he gave up on the plan.

Before she left, her grandfather had given her a lecture, telling her not to cause trouble and to keep a low profile.

Let's give Grandpa some face on the first day of school.

"Miss, you can just wipe your shoes clean. Why should someone have to pay you thirty yuan?"

Some comrades who felt indignant stepped forward and stood beside Hao Sanmei to uphold justice.

"What's it to you? Get out of here."

Zhou Nian glanced sideways at the woman who had stepped forward, thinking, "Another idiot from out of town."

"Let's go, we're going to be late for registration."

Then another man ran over and pulled the woman who had stepped forward away.

"I have nothing of value on me."

Aside from her patched clothes, the most valuable thing she had was that jar of pickled vegetables.

"No? Ha! Then take off your clothes, pants, and shoes, and I'll consider it compensation for the thirty yuan."

Zhou Nian crossed his arms and looked at her with a mocking expression.

This village girl embarrassed herself at the school gate; she has to pay double.

No, that won't do.

Hao Sanmei clutched her collar tightly and shook her head repeatedly.

If she really took off her clothes, how could she face anyone?

"Stop talking nonsense. Either give me the money, or take off all your clothes. Don't worry, I'll let you keep your underwear."

Look how kind she is; she didn't even have the heart to let this village girl run naked.

"Me, me."

Hao Sanmei was completely led by the nose by Zhou Nian and had no ability to resist at all.

"I'll pay for it."

Just as Ruan Qiushui was about to step forward to help, another woman stood up, took out thirty-five yuan, and handed it to Zhou Nian.

"Wang Xinyue, what do you mean? Are you deliberately trying to go against me?"

Upon closer inspection on the anniversary, she realized it was Wang Xinyue, her longtime nemesis.

The Zhou family and the Wang family were rivals, and the two women had never gotten along since childhood.

Living in the same military compound, they saw each other all the time and often got into fights over trivial matters.

He must have seen me making things difficult for this village girl and deliberately helped her.

"What? Can't I stand up for what's right? Here's the money, take it and get lost."

"By the way, take off your shoes. I spent thirty-five yuan on them, and I didn't shortchange you a single cent."

Wang Xinyue raised her chin, looking at the furious Zhou Nian with extreme smugness.

"Wang Xinyue, we'll see."

"And you, you country bumpkin, you'll get what's coming to you later."

Anniversary 2010 was not going to walk barefoot for thirty-five yuan. He pushed away Wang Xinyue's hand that was handing him the money and stormed into the school.