Chapter 79 The weather suddenly turned cold, autumn...

The weather suddenly turned cold, and the autumn wind swept across the campus with a chill.

Cheng Xin opened her closet and rummaged through a pile of clothes, eventually pulling out a pair of indigo flared jeans and a short denim jacket in the same color.

"Wow, are these jeans? They look so nice!" Chen Yuan looked up and saw them, and couldn't help but praise them. Most of her own pants were corduroy or thick cloth pants, and she was envious when she saw Cheng Xin had several pairs of jeans.

Cheng Xin smiled and said, "Well, it's just right for when the temperature drops."

She soaked her jeans and jacket in a basin of water, intending to follow the method Geng Yunye told her and add some salt to solidify the color before wearing them.

The dormitory door was pushed open, and Hou Feifei walked in with a cheerful face, humming a popular song. She stayed at home on Saturdays and Sundays.

Hou Feifei wore a pair of dark blue bell-bottom pants with legs wide enough to be used as brooms, and the trouser legs dragged on the ground. The upper body was matched with a bright yellow long-sleeved shirt with irregular black and white polka dots printed on it. This outfit was definitely considered avant-garde and fashionable on the university campus.

"Hey, Chen Yuan, what do you think of my pants?"

Hou Feifei deliberately turned around in front of Chen Yuan, letting her wide trouser legs swing up, stirring up the dust on the ground. She glanced vaguely at Cheng Xin who was sorting out her vocabulary book.

"These are authentic bell-bottom jeans! I bought them from the Friendship Store. They are so expensive and hard to find now!" Her tone was full of boasting.

Chen Yuan was very supportive: "Yeah, it looks good. Floor-length flared pants are the most popular now, and your outfit is very fashionable!" She didn't mention that Cheng Xin also had jeans, and had several pairs in the closet.

Cheng Xin seemed not to hear the commotion here. She was concentrating on flipping through the thick Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, muttering to herself the difficult professional vocabulary in business English.

Seeing that Cheng Xin didn't even raise her eyelids, Hou Feifei's enthusiasm for showing off seemed to be poured with a basin of cold water. She suddenly felt bored and sat back in her seat with a pout.

Two days later, the temperature dropped even lower. Cheng Xin put on her jeans and short denim jacket, which had already been fixed.

She is tall to begin with, and the fitted flared pants make her legs look even straighter and longer. The short jacket is neatly tucked at her waist, making her look fresh and full of energy.

She came back from the cafeteria with her meal and Hou Feifei was there too.

Seeing Cheng Xin's long and straight legs outlined by jeans, and then looking down at her own wide flared trouser legs which were fashionable but somewhat sloppy, Hou Feifei inexplicably felt that she was shorter, like a clumsy dwarf.

While getting hot water, she couldn't help but mutter to Chen Yuan, "There's a smart girl in our dormitory! She saw that I looked good in bell-bottom pants, so she wore them too!"

Chen Yuan had just put down the thermos and was stunned for a moment when she heard this. Then she kindly explained, "Fei Fei, that's not the case. Cheng Xin's pants have been in her closet for a long time. I saw her taking them out to soak in water before the temperature dropped. She has several pairs of jeans."

Hou Feifei failed in her attempt to say bad things and could only turn her head away in disappointment, picking up the thermos and walking away without looking back, feeling extremely depressed and aggrieved.

Cheng Xin heard about the gossip behind Hou Feifei from Chen Yuan. She was not angry, but found it a little funny.

Hou Feifei's complicated thoughts and self-righteous defense seemed childish and unnecessary to her. She shook her head, ignored it, picked up her book and continued to focus on her studies.

Life went on as usual. On this day, Cheng Xin was preparing to go to the library. Chen Yuan came back from outside, and as soon as she entered the door, her eyes were glued to Cheng Xin as if attracted by a magnet, and her eyes instantly sparkled.

"Cheng Xin, you are so beautiful, with long and thin legs."

Cheng Xin saw Chen Yuan's love. She had no classes in the afternoon, so she opened her closet, rummaged through a pile of clothes, and took out a pair of indigo straight jeans that she had never worn.

She took the pants and walked over to Chen Yuan who was knitting on the bed.

"Yuanyuan, this is a straight-leg pair. I've never worn it before. I think the size should be suitable for you. Why don't you try it on? It's too much for me and it would be a waste to leave it alone."

Chen Yuan opened her eyes wide in surprise: "Give... give it to me? This is too embarrassing!" She said embarrassed, but the love and desire in her eyes could not be hidden, and she was reluctant to let go of her hand that was touching his pants.

"Take it. You're welcome." Seeing that she liked it, Cheng Xin stuffed the pants into her hands and said, "Try it on to see if it fits."

Chen Yuan hugged the jeans, jumped up with joy, and gave Cheng Xin a big hug: "Cheng Xin, you are so nice! Thank you!"

She let go of Cheng Xin, her face full of excitement: "I will take care of your duties from now on. I will get you boiled water and bring you meals!" She wanted to take on all the responsibilities at once.

Cheng Xin was amused by her: "Oh, no need to be like that, it's just a pair of pants."

"No, no! I have to!" Chen Yuan held the new pants and began to imagine herself wearing them.

In the evening, Cheng Xin sat at her desk and wrote a letter to Geng Yunye. After writing her daily greetings and her study status, she mentioned at the end of the letter that she wanted to give a pair of jeans to her roommate with whom she had a good relationship.

A few days later, Geng Yunye's reply arrived. His handwriting was clear and powerful: "Got it. Just arrange your things yourself. The jeans production line of the village garment factory has been debugged and can now produce more than a thousand pairs a day, with many styles. The supply has also been negotiated with the Shanghai department store. We have as many as you want, no need to save."

Chen Yuan couldn't wait to put on her pants after they dried. Except that the trouser legs were a bit long, the waistline fit her well.

As soon as Hou Feifei entered the room, she saw Chen Yuan admiring herself in front of the mirror in her brand new jeans. The style was much smarter than her own bell-bottom pants, and she immediately felt a little uncomfortable.

Bell-bottom trousers are obviously popular, but Cheng Xin and Chen Yuan look so good in straight-leg trousers, making me look short and fat.

Chen Yuan is not tall and weighs less than 80 kilograms. The straight-leg pants look like wide-leg floor-length pants on her, but they make her legs look long and thin.

She couldn't help but ask sourly: "Chen Yuan, where did you buy these new pants? They don't look cheap. I had to ask someone for help to get this pair for me." Chen Yuan, a native of northern Jiangsu, was the only one in the dormitory. Her family conditions were the worst. She ate salted duck eggs with steamed buns and porridge every day.

Chen Yuan was so happy that she didn't think much about it. She told the truth: "I didn't buy it. Cheng Xin gave it to me!"

"What? She gave it to you?" Hou Feifei's voice suddenly rose a notch, her face full of disbelief, "A pair of pants worth over a hundred yuan is just given to you as a gift?!"

"Is she the God of Wealth? She's so generous." Even though she said that, she couldn't suppress the envy in her heart. She felt bad when she bought it for herself, but Cheng Xin could give it away so easily.

Chen Yuan picked up Cheng Xin's kettle and went to get her some hot water. After she left, she poked her head back in and said, "Cheng Xin is a very nice person, Feifei. You are just prejudiced against us outsiders."

Hou Feifei's expression became even uglier: "Prejudice? Humph! What do you outsiders know!"

She thought angrily: People from other places are the most cunning, and they only want to stay in Shanghai. Especially those single young women, they are trying their best to find a partner with local hukou so that they can get their hukou. She has heard a lot of stories in the alleys, where the sons of well-off families were entangled by girls from other places and finally had to get married.

Her brother is a Shanghai resident, a young talent with three highs and five highs, and a doctor in the city hospital. He is the pride of their family and has a bright future. Many local girls are eyeing him, so she, as a younger sister, has to keep a close eye on her brother.

She absolutely could not get involved with the country folk. What if, because she and Cheng Xin were in the same dormitory, she had the opportunity to get close to her brother, and even had some thoughts about becoming her sister-in-law?

When she thought of this possibility, Hou Feifei felt sick all over. If she really had a country girl sister-in-law, how could her family hold their heads up in front of relatives and friends? Wouldn't her brother's bright future be hindered? She didn't play with country people just to prevent this kind of trouble. She didn't want to give Cheng Xin and Chen Yuan any chance to get close to her family!

A few days later, the weather became clear and cool in autumn.

Cheng Xin put the washed underwear on the clothesline and hung them on the wire extending outside the dormitory window to dry.

The sun was shining brightly, and there was a gentle breeze. She had just hung up her underwear when Guan Shengnan came to the balcony with a book to get some fresh air.

Guan Shengnan's eyes accidentally glanced at the underwear that Cheng Xin had just hung up. It was not the common white cotton or floral, but a light flesh-pink thin style, with a circle of delicate lace of the same color on the edge, thin shoulder straps, and the matching underwear was also made of the same material and lace. The style was simple and indescribably beautiful.

Guan Shengnan's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but point and ask, "Cheng Xin, your underwear is very nice, where did you buy it?"

Cheng Xin didn't expect her to ask this, and felt a little embarrassed, but she still told her the truth: "Oh, this was bought by a relative of mine. I don't know exactly where it was bought, but it seems to be hard to find. If you like it, I'll write to you next time. But I don't think it's cheap."

Guan Shengnan waved her hand and said in a very normal tone: "The price is not a problem. What matters most is that the style is nice and comfortable to wear. If you can find the place, please let me know. Thank you." Her family is well-off and she doesn't care about the price.

Their conversation was overheard by Hou Feifei who had just walked in. Hou Feifei was also itching to try it, as she had long been eyeing Cheng Xin's underwear, but had always been too embarrassed to ask.

After Guan Shengnan walked away, she pretended to casually move to Cheng Xin's side and asked, "Hey, can I really buy the underwear you just told Shengnan about? How much does it cost?"

Cheng Xin remembered the price Geng Yunye had mentioned. It was said that this style was sold exclusively for foreign trade. She answered honestly, "My relative said that a set would cost about thirty-five yuan."

"How much?!" Hou Feifei almost screamed, but she realized she had lost control and lowered her voice, her face flushed. "Thirty...thirty-five dollars?! You're stealing money!"

How much does she spend on living expenses per month? The thought that had just come to her mind was instantly shattered by the astronomical figure. She walked away embarrassedly and never mentioned buying underwear again.

A few days after the temperature dropped, Chen Yuan mysteriously handed Cheng Xin a package wrapped in English newspaper with an expectant and shy smile on her face.

"Cheng Xin, this is for you, thank you for the jeans!"

Cheng Xin opened the newspaper in confusion, and inside was a neatly folded beige sweater.

"Oh! Did you knit it yourself?" The sweater has fine and even stitches, and the front is woven with light brown wool into a geometric jacquard pattern. It is unique without being too fancy, and is almost the same as the fine products hanging in department store windows.

Cheng Xin picked up the sweater in surprise: "Yuanyuan, thank you. This sweater is so well made! It's better than the one I bought!"

"Hehe," Chen Yuan felt a little embarrassed by the compliment, "I have loved knitting since I was a child, and practice makes perfect. As long as you like it, go ahead and try it on to see if it fits you!"

Cheng Xin put the sweater on over her shirt on the spot, and it was just the right size.

"It fits perfectly! Yuanyuan, you are amazing! I like it very much!"

Cheng Xin admired sincerely and looked at herself again and again in the small mirror behind the dormitory door.

When Chen Yuan saw Cheng Xin wearing the sweater she had carefully knitted, she was happier than if she were wearing it herself: "I'm relieved that you like it."

Cheng Xin put on her new sweater and sat back at her desk, spreading out a thick English book and notebook, and immersed herself in them.

Chen Yuan was sorting her things aside, and her eyes were unconsciously attracted to Cheng Xin.

After spending more time together, she felt one thing more and more clearly: Cheng Xin was the hardest-working and most diligent student she had ever seen.

Although Cheng Xin's family was not short of money, she put all her energy into studying. Her life was extremely simple: classroom, dormitory, library. Apart from the necessary eating and sleeping, Cheng Xin spent all her spare time reading, doing exercises, and memorizing words.

Chen Yuan had never seen her go shopping, watch movies or chat about gossip like other classmates. She had no entertainment activities at all.

Looking at Cheng Xin's focused profile as she studied at her desk, Chen Yuan put down what she was holding and asked curiously and distressedly, "Cheng Xin, don't you feel tired from studying so hard? Why don't you go out for a walk and get some fresh air?"

Cheng Xin raised her head from the thick English original book, with a peaceful look filled with knowledge on her face, and smiled: "No, I feel very fulfilled. I feel at ease when I can learn new things." She really likes this kind of days when she can absorb knowledge without distraction.

Chen Yuan saw the light in her eyes and the satisfaction from the bottom of her heart, and she was both impressed and touched. This pure love for learning and strong self-discipline made her want to study immediately.

"Cheng Xin, you are such a good student. Can you take me with you in your after-school review? I can't keep up with you in many areas."

"Of course." Cheng Xin agreed readily. So the two of them formed a study partner and agreed to go to the library together.

Cheng Xin is very satisfied with her current routine. However, whenever she puts down her books, when it is late at night or on weekends when she is alone in the dormitory, she feels empty inside and misses the man who is so silent but takes care of her everywhere.

Although he would come to see her once a month without fail, bringing her all kinds of food and daily necessities, as well as several packs of sanitary napkins, she just couldn't help missing him. She missed his deep voice when he spoke, the warmth of his palms when he rubbed her hair, and his tall back when he left.

This weekend, Geng Yunye came again. In addition to the usual large and small bags of snacks and daily necessities, he also took out a separate packaging bag and handed it to Cheng Xin.

"What is this?" Cheng Xin opened it curiously.

Inside were five neatly stacked sets of underwear. Each set was sealed with a transparent plastic film, with neat heat-sealed lines on the edges, leaving no gaps or openings. A small printed label was attached to the seal, clearly printed with the factory name, size, and a small gold-stamped rose pattern, making it look particularly exquisite.

The two sets are cotton autumn clothes and autumn trousers in soft light apricot and light gray colors. The styles are simple and elegant, and the necklines and cuffs are designed to be much more delicate and beautiful than the common autumn clothes and autumn trousers on the market.

The material of the autumn johns also has a drapey feel, and can even be worn directly under a skirt as leggings without being bulky at all.

The other three sets are Cheng Xin's spring and summer underwear sets with delicate lace edges and plain colors.

"These two thick sets are for wearing when the weather gets cold." Geng Yunye pointed at the long underwear and said concisely, "As for the other three sets, you can decide how to deal with them. You can keep them or sell them or give them away." He knew that she was thoughtful and might be embarrassed to change into too many new underwear, or she might want to earn some pocket money.

"Oh, okay." Cheng Xin's face felt a little hot, and she quickly put the things away.

When she returned to the dormitory the next day, Cheng Xin first put the two sets of autumn clothes and long trousers into her closet, and then took out the other three lace suits.

Guan Shengnan happened to be reading in the dormitory.

Cheng Xin took it and asked her, "Shengnan, didn't you ask about this kind of underwear last time? My relatives helped me bring a few sets, do you want them?"

Guan Shengnan put down the book, picked up a set and looked at it carefully. It was exactly the simple lace style she liked, with good material and workmanship.

She nodded with satisfaction: "Yes, of course, or thirty-five dollars a set?"

"Yeah." Cheng Xin nodded.

"Okay, I'll take them all." Guan Shengnan was very straightforward. He took out his wallet and counted out 105 yuan to give to Cheng Xin.

Cheng Xin didn't expect her to take all the money, so she was a little surprised, but she still took the money: "Okay, thank you."

She sold all three sets of underwear to Guan Shengnan and didn't keep any for herself. Two sets were enough for her to change.

Guan Shengnan took the new underwear and put it away in a good mood.

Cheng Xin put the money away. She could use it to buy some extracurricular books, and use the rest to treat Brother Yunye to a good meal in a restaurant.

Hou Feifei was the last person in the dormitory to find out that Guan Shengnan bought three sets of underwear at once, spending more than a hundred yuan.

The news made her feel like a cat scratching her heart.

While Guan Shengnan was in the dormitory, she went over to try to find out about Guan Shengnan's family situation: "Shengnan, I heard that you bought three sets of underwear? What does your family do? You are willing to spend so much money."

Guan Shengnan was applying Friendship Cream in front of a small mirror. Hearing this, he didn't even raise his eyelids. He said in a light tone: "It's okay. My family is an ordinary worker and I have saved some money." He lightly blocked Hou Feifei and obviously didn't want to talk more.

Hou Feifei hit a snag and felt a little embarrassed, but her desire to show off her superiority came back.

Chen Yuan sat opposite Cheng Xin to study. Hou Feifei rolled her eyes, cleared her throat, and raised her voice: "Ah, if you want to talk about good conditions, you have to be from a Shanghai-based family. For example, my brother is a standard 'three highs and five big members'!"

Chen Yuan was indeed attracted by the new words. She asked curiously, "Three highs and five big officials? What does that mean, Feifei?"

Hou Feifei is just waiting for people to ask!

She immediately perked up, held her head high, and explained loudly: "The three highs are tall, well-educated, and high salary! The five big members are looking like an actor, earning like a seaman, having a body like an athlete, being a party member, and having an attitude like a waiter. My brother meets all the requirements!"

Her face was full of pride, and she glanced in the direction of Cheng Xin intentionally or unintentionally.

Then, Hou Feifei changed the subject and said with a condescending sense of superiority, "My brother has very high standards. In the future, he will definitely look for a local girl who is of the same social status as him. She knows him well and has the same living habits as him."

She glanced at Chen Yuan and Cheng Xin and said, "Don't even think about it if you're from other places. It's hopeless! You won't be able to get past my parents."

These words were apparently directed at Chen Yuan who asked the question, but the look and tone were clearly directed at Cheng Xin who had remained silent.

The air in the dormitory suddenly became a little stagnant.

Even though Chen Yuan was slow to react, she could hear the targeting in Hou Feifei's words. She put the book heavily on the table and raised her voice: "Hou Feifei, what do you mean by that? Who cares about your brother? The locals are so great. A family of several people squeeze into a pigeon-cage-like pavilion. If they walk at home, they will be punished. It's just a poor household registration. Why are you so proud? I don't even look down on them!"

She was from northern Jiangsu and had a straightforward personality. She became furious when she was ridiculed in front of others.

Guan Shengnan, who had been silent the whole time, closed the small mirror in his hand and said impatiently, "Hou Feifei, you think too much. No one has time to think about your brother."

Cheng Xin frowned slightly when Hou Feifei raised her voice to brag about her brother. But she didn't even raise her head. She was concentrating on translating a short story from a foreign journal and preparing to submit it to a publishing house. She blocked out the noise in the dormitory.

Hou Feifei was rendered speechless by Chen Yuan and Guan Shengnan, and choked by Cheng Xin's attitude. Her face turned red and white. She wanted to refute but couldn't find the words. In the end, she could only glare at Chen Yuan and slammed the door and left angrily.

The dormitory became quiet.

Cheng Xin put down her pen and asked in confusion: "Yuanyuan, what does hanging ham mean?"

Chen Yuan's anger was diluted by her question, and she chuckled: "It means that the floors of those old alleys are as thin as paper. If you walk with a little force, you will step on a hole, and your legs will fall down and get stuck in the middle of the floor. When people downstairs look up, they will see a human leg hanging from the ceiling, which is called hanging ham."

Guan Shengnan added calmly: "There are many houses like this in Shanghai."

Cheng Xin suddenly realized, and thinking about that scene, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

She looked at Chen Yuan, who was still angry about the conflict, and comforted her in a calm tone: "Okay, Yuanyuan, don't be angry. People like her are essentially looking for an audience. The more we argue with her, the more important she thinks she is, and the more she likes to brag."

She already knew Hou Feifei's logic: "The best way to deal with her is to ignore her. If no one responds and no one listens, she will calm down on her own."

After listening to Cheng Xin's thorough analysis, Chen Yuan thought about Hou Feifei's frustrated look after being ignored just now, and her anger subsided. She felt that Cheng Xin was right: "That's right. Arguing with her makes us look like she is the same as us. You are really smart!"

Just as Hou Feifei rushed out of the corner of the dormitory building, a bicycle speeding down the slope was unable to dodge and both the person and the bicycle collided heavily.

Hou Feifei screamed and held her leg, unable to move. She was sent to the hospital for examination and found that her left tibia was fractured and she had to be hospitalized and put in a plaster cast to recuperate.

The news reached the school, and the counselor found Cheng Xin: "Hou Feifei had an accident and was hospitalized with a broken bone. You are her roommates, so go visit her on behalf of the class and see if there is anything you can help with."

On the weekend, the three of them found Hou Feifei's ward with canned fruit bought with class funds.

The three of them put down the gifts, said a few polite words like "take good care of your injuries" and "get well soon" and prepared to leave. The whole process was so fast that Hou Feifei didn't even have time to react.

Seeing them put down their things and leave without even a word of concern, Hou Feifei lay on the hospital bed, feeling overwhelmed by the grievance. The pain in her legs was secondary, she only felt her nose sour and her eyes were uncontrollably red.

She felt isolated by her roommates, like a poor creature abandoned in a corner. Cheng Xin's indifferent expression made her feel irritated and uncomfortable.