Chapter 26 Who's Jealous?

Chapter Twenty-Six: Who's Jealous?

In the department store filled with dazzling array of goods, Ling Jianwei accompanied her to buy some things, such as medicated oil to prevent chapped skin, gloves, earmuffs, some food... and two decks of cards.

Li Yue said, "These are all for my cousin and Gu Yanmei. They're leaving tomorrow, and I want to go to the train station to see them off."

Ling Jianwei said that she had thought of everything quite thoroughly, even preparing playing cards.

“After such a long train ride, playing cards can be used to pass the time. When we get to the Great Northern Wilderness, we can play them during our rest time,” Li Yue explained. “Conditions there are very harsh, and it’s so cold now. I’m afraid even the rooms we stay in won’t have proper heating.”

Ling Jianwei looked at her and suddenly felt gratified: "So you knew the conditions there were harsh, yet you didn't care at all and went there wholeheartedly."

Li Yue retorted, "Of course I know it's tough..."

"Then why are you rejecting me?"

Li Yue looked at him dejectedly, and finally said, "I haven't thought it through, it's too sudden."

Ling Jianwei frowned. Is that all?

He didn't continue the discussion on this issue, but instead said, "Don't just focus on buying things for your cousin. When you come with me to the army base, won't you be getting some luggage?"

Li Yue said, "It's not too late to make the purchases once everything is finalized."

"You really think it's not too late?" His eyes crinkled with laughter. "Don't you want to have a proper wedding?"

"A wedding?" Li Yue was stunned.

"Haven't you thought about it?"

After a moment of contemplation, Li Yue mustered her courage and said, "I'd like to keep it simple."

She didn't seem to have any expectations for the wedding, especially in this era of limited resources. After experiencing her childhood friend's wedding, she even found the whole banquet rather boring. However, Ling Jianwei probably did have expectations, otherwise she wouldn't have mentioned the wedding gift money to Shao Jiashu...

Just as I was wondering how to explain, Ling Jianwei said, "That's true, I'm afraid I don't have time either."

"Are you going back to camp?" she asked.

"The regiment granted me a few days of special leave, saying that my marriage application had been reviewed and sent a letter to them asking me to review it. Once it is approved, I will have to rush back to the unit, as there are many things to do at the end of the year."

"Oh, it is quite rushed." Li Yue breathed a sigh of relief. "If it passes, then we won't have a wedding yet, since it's just a formality anyway."

He looked at her and realized that she really didn't want a big wedding. The reason was unclear. Maybe it was because her parents weren't there, so it wouldn't be meaningful. Or maybe she didn't have high expectations for the marriage and came back to him because going to the Great Northern Wilderness was really too hard.

The perceptive man wasn't fixated on the wedding, nor did he like formalities. However, since she was someone he had gone through several trials to win over, he wanted to announce to the world how beautiful and stunning his wife was.

However, winning her heart is more important right now.

"Will you come directly to the military base with me, or stay in Beijing for the New Year and then go?" he asked calmly.

Li Yue said, "I want to go there as soon as possible."

He finally smiled and said, "That's good. I'll take you there then."

The next day, a large truck arrived outside the family compound to pick up the educated youth who had been sent to the countryside and take them to the train station. A ceremony was held in the compound, and each educated youth was given a big red flower pinned to their chest.

My cousin's uncle and aunt helped put my cousin's luggage into the car. Due to space limitations, only the educated youth could sit in the car, and the family members who came to see her off had to go to the train station on their own.

Standing outside the courtyard, Li Yue watched this bustling scene, but felt somewhat down.

Someone walked over and called out, "Li Yue."

Senior student Song Zhicheng pushed his bicycle up to her and asked, "Are you really going to the countryside?"

But upon closer inspection, Song Zhicheng noticed that Li Yue wasn't wearing a red flower, which puzzled him.

Before Li Yue could answer, a familiar voice rang out: "She doesn't need to go to the countryside; she's with me in the army."

Song Zhicheng: "?"

My gaze swept over the area, and there it was again—the deputy battalion commander.

Ling Jianwei raised an eyebrow at him: "You're free today to see me off?"

Song Zhicheng couldn't manage a smile; his face remained serious. He didn't reply but instead continued to ask Li Yue, "What's going on?"

My cousin joined in at this moment, grinning, and said, "My sister is with Deputy Battalion Commander Ling. She doesn't have to go to the countryside; once she passes the political review, she can go to the army to join him."

Song Zhicheng's facial expression twitched slightly as he continued to stare at Li Yue: "Is this true?"

Faced with this awkward situation, Li Yue was at a loss and could only truthfully say, "I still don't know if I'll pass the political review."

Song Zhicheng glanced at Ling Jianwei again. The other man smiled, and although he didn't say anything, everyone could tell from his confident expression.

They wouldn't go to the countryside; they would accompany the army.

At this point, it seemed as if the dust had settled.

Song Zhicheng gritted his teeth, nodded, and said to Li Yue, "It's good that I don't have to go to the countryside, I don't have to suffer..."

Sensing something amiss in her words, Li Yue called out uneasily, "Senior Brother Song."

Someone was shouting through a loudspeaker: "Those going to the countryside, get on the bus quickly!"

My cousin happily climbed onto the big truck.

Li Yue had no choice but to say, "We need to go to the train station too."

Song Zhicheng's expression relaxed: "Okay, I'm going to work at the hospital now. I'll contact you again."

"Okay, goodbye, senior brother."

Song Zhicheng rode away on his bicycle, and Li Yue watched his retreating figure, sighing involuntarily.

He seemed to have suffered a blow.

well.

The large truck, filled with educated youth, started and headed towards the train station. People on and off the truck waved goodbye. Ling Jianwei stood beside Li Yue, his eyes deep, and said in a deep voice, "Let's go to the train station."

The bus was packed with family members who had come to see her off. Ling Jianwei stood next to Li Yue, looking down at her clean face, and her eyes narrowed slightly.

Anyone with eyes could tell from her expression just now that she was also sad.

He didn't want to dwell on how much she liked that senior, or whether she still couldn't let go of him.

But when I noticed she was upset, something called possessiveness was churning inside me.

The man gripped the barre with one hand and couldn't resist squeezing her hand with the other, holding it quite tightly. Li Yue felt her hand hurt and numb, and frowned as she looked at Ling Jianwei.

His expression was incredibly cold, his jaw tightened, making her feel as if she had done something wrong, like trying to cheat on someone and getting caught red-handed.

Li Yue frowned and glared at him. She had no idea that Song Zhicheng would pass by and even stop.

Admittedly, she had never had any romantic feelings for this senior, but he did care about her quite a bit. Just now, when Ling Jianwei said she would take her with her to the army, she could clearly see the disappointment and sadness in his eyes.

Feelings are a complicated thing... When Li Yue saw him leave, she was indeed not very happy, but this was based on empathizing with his emotions.

Now, Deputy Battalion Commander Ling is almost breaking her fingers by gripping them. She struggles a little, but he grips them even tighter.

"It hurts," Li Yue finally complained.

He then relaxed, shrugged slightly, and uttered, "Stand firm."

She was already standing very steadily, hmph.

Finally arriving at the train station, Li Yue, Ling Jianwei, and her uncle and aunt went onto the platform of that train and found her cousin and Gu Yanmei.

After the train doors opened, the attendants maintained order as passengers boarded. My cousin was still very excited and wanted to join the queue, seemingly oblivious to how difficult the days ahead might be.

Her uncle and aunt were worried and kept repeating some precautions to her, to which her cousin impatiently replied that she knew. Everyone around was saying goodbye, and Gu Yanmei was very reluctant to part, hugging her mother and crying incessantly. Later, she hugged Li Yue again, but Li Yue felt that comforting her was like talking without understanding the situation, so she simply didn't say anything, just hugged her and patted her back, promising to write to her.

Amidst the noise and embraces, my cousin boarded the car carrying her large suitcase. My aunt, outside, shoved some smaller pieces of luggage through the window, tearfully reminding her again to take care of herself, not to catch a cold, and to remember to write home…

Seeing this scene, Li Yue felt a pang of sorrow in her heart. Ling Jianwei stood to the side and put his arm around her shoulder.

As the train whistle sounded, it slowly began to move. Countless hands reached out from the windows to wave goodbye, and countless family members ran alongside the train on the platform, their cries and shouts deafening.

This was at the end of December 1968, when the vigorous movement of sending educated youth to the countryside reached its peak, and it wasn't until ten years later that a large-scale return to the cities occurred.

...

The crowd of people seeing her off gradually dispersed. Auntie's eyes were red from crying, but her daughter had already gone far away, and she still had to go back to work at the factory, so she and Uncle left first.

Ling Jianwei and Li Yue stood there for a while. Ling Jianwei looked at the surging crowd in front of her and said that it wouldn't be too late to leave when the crowd thinned out.

Li Yue nodded, but suddenly heard someone call out, "Jian Wei."

She looked up and froze for a moment.

At that moment, Xie Hongping was smiling at Ling Jianwei, but when she noticed Li Yue, her smile vanished instantly, clearly not expecting that Ling Jianwei had come with her.

The three of them stood there frozen in place.

Finally, Ling Jianwei spoke up: "What a coincidence."

"Yes, the neighborhood committee arranged for a send-off," Xie Hongping said. "You're here to see them off too?"

Ling Jianwei had no idea that the two had already met, and generously introduced them: "This is my girlfriend, Li Yue. I came with her."

He then said to Li Yue, "This is Xie Hongping, she used to live in our compound."

What could Li Yue say at this moment? She could only keep smiling and pretend to be all the way through.

Unexpectedly, Xie Hongping spoke up first: "Actually, we know each other. I even encouraged her to go to the countryside before. What, she became your girlfriend so quickly and doesn't need to go to the countryside anymore?"

Ling Jianwei felt that his conscience was clear and there was no need to hide anything. He glanced at the girl who was staring blankly beside him and said with a triumphant air, "I've been pursuing her for quite a while, and she finally agreed."

Xie Hongping seemed to be forcing herself to be magnanimous, biting her lip and nodding rhythmically: "Yes, I wish you happiness."

Hearing this blessing, Li Yue felt it wasn't entirely sincere, but she didn't want to admit defeat, so she smiled slightly and said, "Thank you."

Ling Jianwei was incredibly perceptive; she immediately sensed that there was more to their relationship than met the eye.

Fortunately, Xie Hongping needed to meet up with her colleagues, so they soon parted ways.

As soon as she left, Li Yue stood on the platform and hummed.

Ling Jianwei chuckled softly, looking down at her quietly: "Did you already know that the person I met at the teahouse that day was her?"

Li Yue glanced at him, then turned her face away, not wanting to pay him any attention.

He suppressed a laugh, ignoring the people around them, and pinched her chin to turn her face around: "I have nothing to do with her, we only met once, and we haven't been in contact since. I didn't run into her when I intercepted your application to go to the countryside."

Li Yue scoffed, "I don't care whether you've been in contact or not."

"So, can I assume that your current whining and moodiness," he grinned, his eyes gleaming, as he leaned closer to her and asked in a low voice, "is because you're jealous?"

Li Yue was utterly indignant: "Who's jealous?"

Seeing her strong reaction, the handsome man's brows and eyes relaxed even more: "Alright, alright, you're not jealous. Shall we go to your great-grandfather's house?"

"No, I want to go home."

"Okay, I'll take you home."

...