Zhao Minggang ultimately did not marry Wang Qiulan. When Aunt Luo heard that his family was willing to pay more for the bride price, she agreed to help them find a suitable girl.

The Wang family's plan failed, so they had no choice but to turn to Qiaozui Li for help again, asking him to find another family for Wang Qiulan. They were eager to get rid of this hot potato; with so many children in the family, having another freeloader was bound to cause them trouble. They even considered taking Wang Qiulan to another place to abandon her, but Wang Qiulan wasn't always insane. When she was lucid, she was like a normal person, knowing who she was and where her home was. It was impossible to simply abandon her like that; they had to find someone to take her in.

For the people of Moon Bay, it was a spring of hope; for the educated youth, it was a spring of turmoil. The movement was over, the Gang of Four had fallen, so shouldn't the problems of the educated youth who had been stationed in the countryside for ten years be resolved? But no corresponding policies came down from above. Those educated youth with connections returned to the city through recruitment, medical retirement, or hardship retirement, while those without connections were still anxiously waiting for news.

Song Shubai, who shares a room with Shen Xuyue, has been very anxious lately. After Liu Weiguo went back, Song Shubai moved into Shen Xuyue's room. He received a telegram from home that his mother was seriously ill and bedridden, with no one to take care of her, and asked him to go back and take care of her as soon as possible.

Song Shubai went to the educated youth production team to ask for leave, but was only granted a week's leave. He rushed back to see his mother, but returned even more uneasy. "It took four days to get there, and I only stayed at home for three days. My mother is still in the hospital and can't take care of herself at all. My father is over seventy years old and in poor health. He can't take care of her at all. I really want to stay at home and never come back."

Song Shubai is twenty-eight years old this year. He is the second oldest in his family. His older brother was sent down to Xinjiang, and his younger sister was sent to the countryside in Jinghong, Yunnan. They are thousands of miles away from home, and going back is out of the question. His parents are old, and someone like him could apply for a hardship-based retirement to go back and take care of his elderly parents. However, the number of sick leave and hardship-based retirement slots in each educated youth unit is limited. Before the New Year was even over, all the slots for that year had already been filled. After being away from home for so many years, who wouldn't want to go home?

Song Shubai was just an ordinary citizen with no connections, and he couldn't get a spot to return to the city for a long time, so he could only endure it. "My mother is paralyzed. She has given birth to several children, and when she needs someone to take care of her, none of them are by her side. What sins have we committed?" Even a grown man like him couldn't help but bury his face in his hands and cry silently when he was heartbroken.

Shen Xuyue looked at Song Shubai, sighed, and patted him on the shoulder. Every family has its own troubles. He'd been away for so many years without ever going back home; his family probably didn't even exist anymore. His parents were also homeless, often only receiving a letter every six months, and even then, the letters came from different places. He should be grateful that he'd stayed in this one place, so he could still get news from his family. He wondered if his parents would even recognize him if they saw him.

Song Shubai grabbed Shen Xuyue and said, "Little Shen, can you help me think of a way to get me another discharge quota? I'm worried my mother won't make it." Although most of the people in this educated youth settlement were a few years older than Shen Xuyue, they couldn't help but regard him as their backbone.

Shen Xuyue looked at him and said, "I'll go ask for you, but don't get your hopes up too high. There are no spots left for this year. And the instructor isn't someone you can easily talk to."

Song Shubai nodded: "Okay, thank you."

Shen Xuyue had never liked going to the educated youth production team. He was furious with the instructor who controlled the fate of the educated youth—their Party membership, promotions, military service, return to the city, and schooling. This man did everything according to his own whims; he could give the quotas to whomever he wanted. He felt this man was partly responsible for his inability to go to university, and many female educated youth who wanted to return to the city or be promoted had to make some sacrifices. Wu Jie had wanted to transfer to Moon Bay, but she probably didn't get her wish because she didn't agree to some request from this instructor.

Shen Xuyue ran to the commune and explained Song Shubai's situation to the instructor. The instructor, surnamed Wu, opened the lid of his enamel mug, took a sip of tea, and said slowly, "I know about Song Shubai from Moon Bay. But little Shen, you should know that I've already run out of spots here, so I can't help you."

Shen Xuyue said, "There are always exceptions to everything. Can we make an exception for this case? His mother is already paralyzed in bed, and his brothers and sisters are all working in the frontier. The situation is very special."

“Of course we can make special arrangements, but I don’t have that authority. You can submit a report to your superiors to apply,” Instructor Wu said.

Shen Xuyue suppressed his anger. Song Shubai had already submitted his application for resignation due to financial difficulties for three consecutive years, so it should have been his turn by now. However, other people's situations were more "special," so they were given priority. "If I submit a report to the higher authorities, how long does the process take?"

Instructor Wu said, "It could take one or two months at the fastest, or six months or a year at the slowest. You know, even higher-level leaders need to conduct investigations and research. Special cases can't be approved casually. Otherwise, if everyone gets special treatment, wouldn't things be in chaos?"

Shen Xuyue thought to himself, "By the time the approval comes, it will be too late." He said, "Then there's no other way?"

Instructor Wu interlaced his fingers, pouted, and remained silent. His lips were as thick as a pig's snout, making Shen Xuyue want to punch him. He could only clench his fists and try to suppress his anger. After a while, the man chuckled and said, "I have no other choice."

Shen Xuyue gritted his teeth and turned around, preparing to leave, when Instructor Wu suddenly said, "Oh, there's something else. Here's a transfer order for you."

Shen Xuyue turned to look at him with a puzzled expression. Where did his transfer order come from? Instructor Wu stood up, pretended to rummage through a pile of folders on the bookshelf for a while, then bent down and searched through the drawers for quite a while before finally finding it: "This transfer order has been with me for a long time. I've been busy and it got delayed. I only saw it yesterday when I was organizing the files. I'm sorry for the delay. Luckily, it hasn't expired."

Shen Xuyue took the envelope and saw that it had already been opened. It contained a transfer order from a certain unit, instructing Shen Xuyue to bring his personnel file and a letter of introduction to report for duty before May 1st. Looking at the postmark, it had arrived in early April; it was already late April 20th. If he delayed any longer, the transfer order would expire. Shen Xuyue was furious at this belated order; he felt like killing someone. These petty people were getting their way—they were utterly arrogant and unbelievable.

The greasy-faced guy grinned smugly: "Thank goodness you came, I would have forgotten about you. Congratulations, you can finally go back to the city."

Shen Xuyue spat out a single word through gritted teeth: "Thank you!" and then turned and left.

Once outside, Shen Xuyue reopened the door and looked at the address again, wondering how he had been hired and who had helped him. He stared at the address; it wasn't his hometown, and he wasn't very familiar with it. After thinking for a long time, it seemed to be the place where Wu Jie's father had resumed his work. Suddenly, it dawned on him—this must have been Wu Jie's doing.

Holding the transfer order, Shen Xuyue felt no joy, his heart filled with hesitation. Should he go or not? He wanted to return to the city, but not to a completely unfamiliar place; he wanted to go home. Moreover, he didn't want to accept Wu Jie's favors. Especially after realizing his feelings for Zhao Mingyue, he couldn't accept any other woman's kindness.

Back in his dorm, Shen Xuyue lay down on his bed, caught in a deep dilemma. When Song Shubai returned from outside and saw Shen Xuyue's state, he knew that his plan was definitely ruined. He sighed and said, "Never mind, Xiao Shen, thank you for your trouble."

Shen Xuyue looked at Song Shubai and said, "I'm sorry, I can't help you."

Song Shubai went to get some water and saw an envelope on the table. He picked it up and looked at it, his face lighting up with surprise: "A transfer order?"

Shen Xuyue sat up: "Yes, but it's mine."

The smile on Song Shubai's face faded: "Then congratulations."

Shen Xuyue showed no joy on his face: "There's nothing to congratulate you on. To be honest, I don't plan to go."

Song Shubai's face showed a hint of urgency: "Why?"

Shen Xuyue said, "I'm not familiar with this place, and I don't know who helped set it up. I don't want to owe anyone a favor."

"Are you really not going?" Song Shubai asked.

Shen Xuyue looked at Song Shubai and nodded: "I don't plan to go."

Song Shubai said, "Then could you give me this spot, Xiao Shen? I would be grateful to you for the rest of my life."

Shen Xuyue looked at Song Shubai: "If it works, of course I can give it to you."

Song Shubai said, "Then I'll try to find a way to change the name on this transfer order to mine. I might have to trouble you to come with me on the trip to show that you're willing to give it to me, okay?"

Shen Xuyue nodded: "Okay. But isn't this place a bit far from your home?"

Uncle Song waved his hand: "It's alright, it's just in the next city, only a few hours' drive away, much closer than where I am here. Thank you, Xiao Shen." Everyone's in a hurry to get back to the city now, who cares which city they go back to?

Song Shubai spent some time and effort to change the transfer order's quota to his own. This wasn't uncommon; as long as the employer didn't pursue it, it wasn't a big problem, especially since the person himself had agreed. Song Shubai was also in a hurry because the deadline was approaching, and he hadn't thought things through thoroughly. He quickly got things done, packed his bags, and rushed to his new workplace. As for how Wu Jie was disappointed and how she blamed Song Shubai later, that's another story.

When Zhao Mingyue heard about this, she took the opportunity to ask Shen Xuyue, "Didn't you say that spot was yours? Why did you give it to someone else? Don't you want to go back to the city?" Rural conditions are so harsh, who wouldn't want to go back to the city? He had the opportunity, but he just gave it up.

Shen Xuyue asked her, "Do you want me to go back?"

Zhao Mingyue looked up at him and said, "You'll have to go back sooner or later."

Shen Xuyue shook his head: "I don't know if I can go back, or when I can go back. But if I do go back to the city, I will definitely find a way to let you go to the city too."

Zhao Mingyue smiled at him: "That's enough." She could get into the city by herself without his help.

Shen Xuyue looked at Zhao Mingyue and thought to himself, "I must not let down this woman in front of me."

Zhao Mingyue said, "Don't be so noble in the future."

Shen Xuyue laughed: "Okay. Actually, I don't really want to owe anyone favors, which is why I didn't want to go. It just so happens that Lao Song's mother is seriously ill and he needs to go back urgently, so I gave him the opportunity."

In August, Shen Xuyue received a letter from his father. He was quite surprised and felt a little uneasy. Just last month, he had received a letter from his father. Why was he writing again so soon? He opened the letter anxiously. Fortunately, it wasn't bad news; it was actually good news. His father wrote that a friend who worked in the education system had written to him, saying that the possibility of restoring the college entrance examination had been mentioned at the science and education work symposium currently being held in Beijing. The college entrance examination would be restored no later than next year, but the recruitment method and target group had not yet been determined. Educated youth sent to the countryside were very likely to be among the recruitment targets. He told Shen Xuyue to spend more time reading books and newspapers.

Shen Xuyue held the letter and chewed it over several times before he understood his father's deeper meaning. This was probably a reminder to prepare himself, as he might still have the opportunity to take the college entrance examination.

Shen Xuyue couldn't contain his excitement. If he could really get into university, it would mean he could return to the city on his own merits, which was absolutely wonderful. Moreover, from his father's letter, he could see that he was free to contact his friends, which meant that the supervision over him had been relaxed a lot. Perhaps in the near future, he would be able to return to work.

Shen Xuyue thought that the most urgent thing now was to find the complete set of high school textbooks. If he really had to take the college entrance exam, it was always good to review them in advance. Thinking of borrowing textbooks, he suddenly remembered Zhao Mingyue. It was last year when Zhao Mingyue asked him to borrow high school textbooks. Could it be that she had foreseen all of this?

Shen Xuyue was surprised for a long time when he thought about this, but he quickly dismissed the idea. It couldn't be such a coincidence. Zhao Mingyue was probably just more ambitious and studious, which was why she was thinking about studying. But it was a good coincidence. He could give her a heads-up in advance so that she could also prepare well. Maybe they could both take the college entrance examination. If they both went to university, wouldn't it be easier for them to be together in the future?

Although they haven't publicly declared their relationship, they haven't completely hidden it either. Discerning people have already noticed the signs. Moreover, when people joke about them, Zhao Mingyue hasn't denied it, and Shen Xuyue has tacitly agreed, which is tantamount to a semi-public relationship. While most people don't think highly of them, feeling they're mismatched and believing Zhao Mingyue's standards are indeed too high—looking down on the People's Liberation Army soldiers and wanting to marry a city man—no one dares to say anything openly. They're just waiting to see how things develop, and naturally, many more are waiting to see them fail.

Zhao Mingyue's family was very worried. Shen Xuyue was a good person with excellent qualities, but he was ultimately from a different world than them. Those educated youth were like celestial beings who descended from the sky and then vanished in an instant. They feared that Shen Xuyue might also suddenly disappear one day, leaving Zhao Mingyue heartbroken and potentially damaging her reputation. In those days, breakups were not normal and could cause significant damage to a woman's reputation.

Every time Shen Xuyue sought Zhao Mingyue's help, it was through Zhao Mingxiu. She had become their go-to matchmaker, always acting as a go-between. Zhao Mingxiu didn't understand at first, but she gradually came to understand. She felt quite proud to be able to inform her cousin and the brigade secretary. Secretary Shen was handsome and capable; it would be wonderful if he could be her brother-in-law.

Shen Xuyue found Zhao Mingyue. The weather was hot, so they arranged to meet under a large tree by the river. A breeze blew from the water, making it incredibly cool and comfortable—a small comfort in the sweltering summer. Zhao Mingyue found Shen Xuyue lying on the grass under the tree: "You were looking for me?" She was always a little embarrassed to call him by his name directly.

Shen Xuyue threw the grass out of his mouth, looked up at her, and saw that Zhao Mingyue had just come from the sun. It was hot, and she had walked quickly, her cheeks were flushed, and her sweaty bangs clung to her forehead, making her look delicate and lovely. Shen Xuyue smiled, revealing eight white teeth: "You're here? You must be so hot. It's cool here, sit down and enjoy the breeze for a while." He patted the grass beside him as he spoke.

Zhao Mingyue sat down beside him, gazing at the river. The afternoon sun danced on the water, making it shimmer like silver scales. Cicadas chirped urgently in the trees, creating a scene of "cicadas' noise making the forest seem even quieter." For a moment, the two of them remained silent, enjoying the comfort of the cool breeze.

Shen Xuyue continued to lie back, looking at Zhao Mingyue, who was sitting hunched over, from his side and behind. She was wearing a light yellow short-sleeved shirt, looking very bright and beautiful. Her slender back was bent, and her spine was slightly protruding, with a beautiful shape that made one want to reach out and touch it. But Shen Xuyue only thought about it for a moment. After a while, he finally spoke: "Mingyue, I received a letter from my father today. He told me that the college entrance examination may be reinstated."

"Really?" Zhao Mingyue looked at Shen Xuyue in surprise. Her surprise was genuine. She only knew that the notice about the college entrance examination would be issued in October. She didn't expect that Shen Xuyue would hear the news in August. It would be a lie to say that she wasn't surprised.

Shen Xuyue nodded: "Yes, the target students haven't been decided yet. It might be a very broad pool of applicants, so we can all register for the exam. How's the book you asked me to borrow for you last time coming along?"

Zhao Mingyue said, "It's alright, I've already read them all once."

"So fast? You've finished reading them all?" Shen Xuyue was a little surprised. Everyone had to go to work during the day, so time was very tight. She had read so many textbooks. This was too fast.

Zhao Mingyue said, "I mainly need to spend more time on math, and I'll just look at the others." She has an excellent memory; she can remember most of the history and politics she reads, and then she can review them again later.

"The books I gave you last time didn't seem to include physics and chemistry, did they?" Shen Xuyue asked.

Zhao Mingyue turned to look at him and nodded: "Yes."

Shen Xuyue thought for a moment: "It shouldn't matter much. The college entrance examination used to be divided into arts and sciences. If the college entrance examination is reinstated, I estimate that the old method of dividing subjects will continue to be used." As he said this, Shen Xuyue sat up and looked at her solemnly, "Mingyue, you need to start preparing well from now on. Our fate may depend on this."

Looking at his earnest expression, Zhao Mingyue wanted to say that the road ahead would become wider and wider, and that even without going to university, they would still have a future. However, she didn't say anything, but simply nodded and said, "Okay, I will definitely study hard."