Lin Yuan quietly flipped through the pages one by one. It started in the second grade, probably when the teacher asked them to write a diary. She would occasionally write a diary entry.

As he slowly turned the pages, it was as if he had accompanied Zhao Huanhuan throughout her growth.

When Lin Yuan saw that the last record was dated after 1966, she looked at that year and gave a bitter smile.

In 1966, Huanhuan graduated from elementary school, and for him, it was a year of dramatic change in his life.

Zhao Huanhuan looked up and saw his wry smile. She leaned over to take a look, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "What's wrong? What did you see?"

Lin Yuan closed the diary, put it back in its place, slowly leaned back in her chair, looked at her, and said softly, "When I saw the year 1966, I truly realized that there is indeed an age difference between us."

Zhao Huanhuan thought for a moment, "Oh, right, in 1966, you should have graduated from junior high school and joined the army, right?"

"Wait a minute, that's not right. We're five years apart, so shouldn't you have graduated from junior high in '64?" Zhao Huanhuan suddenly remembered this and asked Lin Yuan, "Did you drop out of school?"

Lin Yuan gave a soft "hmm," met her gaze, smiled helplessly, and said, "I've always been a good student since elementary school. After graduating five years ago, I was admitted to junior high school with the highest score. I've never repeated a grade. My teachers and relatives all praised me, saying that I might become the youngest college student in the village. I was young and naive back then, and I became arrogant when I heard others' praise."

"As a result, I didn't get into my ideal high school, Shanglin No. 1 High School, in my third year of junior high. I couldn't accept it, so I dropped out of school in a fit of anger. I stayed home for a year, doing farm work with my family, punishing myself by working hard every day."

“In the autumn of 1965, my parents pleaded with the school again and sent me back to repeat my third year of junior high. In 1966, I graduated from junior high again. This time, I was admitted to Shanglin No. 1 Middle School. However, before I received the admission notice, I received a policy announcement that starting that year, several high schools in the city would no longer enroll students.”

At this point, Lin Yuan smiled bitterly. Perhaps this was fate; he wasn't destined to go to high school or university. If he had settled for No. 2 High School two years ago, he might already be a university graduate.

Who could have known that the policy would suddenly change, and suddenly high schools would stop admitting students, because I heard that the college entrance examination would no longer be held that year.

For two whole months, Lin Yuan lived in a daze, unable to even cry.

As Zhao Huanhuan silently watched him smile and recount those past events, she could still sense his heartache and pain.

Lin Yuan saw the pity in her eyes, smiled, reached out and took her hand, looking down at her delicate white hands, hands that hadn't suffered much hardship.

During the year he took a break from school, he made himself work non-stop, even to the point that his hands were blistered. His parents' eyes reddened when they saw this, but he didn't feel any pain. He just felt that he was so stupid. Why did he think that he could get into Shanglin No.1 Middle School without working hard?

After a long silence, Lin Yuan continued:

"Fortunately, in September, word came from the commune that the army would be recruiting new soldiers in our commune that year. My parents were afraid that I would fail, so they went back and persuaded me to sign up for the physical examination and see if I could be selected to join the army and get some training."

“I saw that they were worried about my hair, which had turned quite gray, so they agreed. As a result, I passed the test quickly and was notified to participate in intensive training. Before we went to the army, we had to undergo a week of closed training at the commune. Only those who could keep up physically could go. Because of my good physical condition from that year's labor training, I was selected without any surprises.”

"That's how I joined the army. After studying, training, and going on missions with my comrades, I gradually felt that I had found another way of life that I should live. I didn't go home for three years after joining the army. I was always training in the army. Maybe it was those three years that made me grow up completely!"

After saying that, he looked up at Zhao Huanhuan, smiled, let go of her hand, and said softly, "Didn't you expect that I would have such a falling experience?"

Holding her hand, he suddenly felt a surge of strength, enabling him to confront his past failures and that bleak period of his life for the first time.

So when he told her about that past event, he was smiling, and there was no sadness in his heart.

Zhao Huanhuan nodded and smiled: "Yes, when I met you, you seemed like a very sunny and confident person. I really didn't expect you to have gone through such a period of time."

"Compared to you, my life these past nineteen years has been relatively smooth. The only downside was probably encountering such a fussy boss last year when I was working at the cotton mill!" Zhao Huanhuan said with a smile.

"A picky leader?" Lin Yuan asked in a low voice, puzzled.

Zhao Huanhuan handed over the diary in her hand. She had just flipped to this one and glanced at it.

Lin Yuan took it and looked at it carefully.

The date is 1971, which means she wrote it last year.

Sure enough, the font was the same as hers.

Zhao Huanhuan stood up. "You keep an eye on it first. I'll go check the kitchen. If I get tired, I'll lie down and rest for a while. There are no secrets in my diary. You can read it as you like."

She had read it. The original owner's diary consisted of records of events and descriptions of feelings at the time. There were no locked days, nor was there anything he couldn't see.

"Okay!" Lin Yuan replied, then lowered her head and began to read intently.

Reading her diaries from childhood to adulthood is the fastest way to understand her.

Zhao Huanhuan went to the kitchen. Zhao's parents turned around to look at her. Seeing that Lin Yuan didn't follow her out, they pulled her to a corner and asked together, "Zhao Huanhuan, what's wrong with you? We were still thinking about how to get you back, and you've already found someone else after only a month?"

Zhao Huanhuan gave her parents a fawning smile, "Hehe, didn't I just happen to meet a good man? If I don't grab him quickly, what if someone else snatches him away?"

Zhang Jinhua glanced at Zhao Fugui and said, "See? I knew it would be like this. Your daughter has so many ideas!"

Zhao Huanhuan looked at Zhao Fugui and chuckled, "Dad, how's Lin Yuan? Are you and Mom satisfied? He's still in the army and will be leaving at the end of the month."

Zhao Fugui nodded seriously, "He seems like a decent guy. I'll have another drink with him tomorrow at noon to see how he behaves after drinking. If he's alright after drinking, then it's up to you."

Zhao Huanhuan was taken aback. "Oh, we have to try drinking alcohol too?"

Upon hearing his daughter's words, Comrade Zhao Fugui's eyes widened immediately. "What are you saying? You're already feeling sorry for her? It wasn't easy for our family to raise a daughter like this. She's not even twenty yet, and he's already taking her away. Can't I even test him a little?"

"Yes, hehe, yes, Dad, then good luck. What if you get drunk and have to go to work tomorrow afternoon?" Zhao Huanhuan asked with a smile.

Zhao Fugui put his hands on his hips and said, "Are you kidding me? Your dad can't get drunk!"