Chapter 59 Time Flies By

Chapter Fifty-Nine: Fleeting Years

In 1975, Li Yue spent the entire year either taking care of the child or watching Ling Jianwei take care of the child. Ling Jianwei liked to hold him high in the air, making the child giggle.

Ling Shuo is growing cuter and cuter, with fair skin and bright, dark eyes. He's also a long-limbed fellow, and he loves playing in the water when we put him in the tub for a bath, sometimes making the floor all wet.

Ling Jianwei said quietly, "You brat, your mom wasn't this playful when I was helping her take a bath."

Li Yue couldn't stand him anymore: "Can you please stop saying these things in front of the children?"

Ling Jian smiled and said, "What does he know?"

Li Yue said seriously, "The child just can't talk, but he's not stupid."

After the family of three moved out, the elderly couple were the most unaccustomed to it. So, they would come over from time to time, complaining about how inconvenient it was for them here, and suggesting that they take the child to stay with them for a while longer.

With the child gone, Li Yue could finally take a breather, practice her sketching, or go out to eat or go shopping with Ling Jianwei.

But the man clearly preferred the bed.

One day, with the child not around and the weather getting hotter and hotter, the two of them were both covered in sweat that night. Li Yue asked him, "How old are you today?"

The man's tone was extremely indifferent: "28."

"Nonsense, I'm already 25."

"Oh, you're not 21?"

Li Yue pinched his cheek: "Ling Jianwei, a glib-tongued man."

“The main thing is that you haven’t changed at 21.” He looked at her with his usual affectionate gaze, took her hand, and played with her fingers. “Back then, we were still in a small mountain village, just the two of us.”

Li Yue said, "Actually, that period was quite happy."

"We're each other's only family." He hugged her tightly.

After exchanging a few words, he asked, "Did your master and the others manage to fire porcelain?"

"No, I have been in communication with my master and uncle. It is impossible to fire porcelain that is exactly the same as Song porcelain. They themselves believe so. However, the technology is constantly improving and becoming more stable."

Ling Jianwei patted her head: "You've given up on restoring the Ru porcelain too?"

"I haven't given up. I believe that the new era has its own technology, and porcelain making is no exception. Maybe one day I'll develop even better porcelain? When my child is older, I'll still pursue a career in that field."

Seeing that she still held onto her ideals, the man nodded with satisfaction: "As long as you have an idea, you can definitely succeed."

A second later, he looked at her and smiled: "Do you know what I'm thinking?"

"What?"

"Drink water."

Li Yue was speechless: "It's just water, I didn't stop you from drinking it."

He got up, carried her to the living room, fed her a large glass of water, and told her to drink more water since she was sweating.

Li Yue sensed something was wrong.

Sure enough, an hour later...

The bed sheet was soaked, and Li Yue was almost exhausted.

The scoundrel tidied up, changed the sheets, and said without changing his expression, "Wash the sheets tomorrow, just say the baby wet the bed."

Li Yue was so angry she wanted to hit someone: "The child isn't with you, you sent him to your parents' house!"

"What do you mean 'my parents' house'? It's our parents' house."

Li Yue: "Hmph!"

Humph, all you want.

To be fair, this man, even though he's in his early thirties, is no different from how he was back then.

If there's any difference, it's probably that his technique is more skillful. For example, when they kiss, the red marks left are perfectly covered by his collar.

...

June, the height of summer, has arrived in the blink of an eye.

The night before the child's first birthday, Ling Jianwei put the child to sleep. Li Yue looked at the baby's adorable sleeping face and asked, "It's the child's birthday tomorrow. Should we go to Grandpa's house to celebrate together?"

He said, "Of course."

Li Yue pondered again: "I always feel that for a first birthday, we should do some special rituals."

He didn't take it seriously: "Go ahead and grab it. There aren't any abacuses or anything here, but the old folks have them."

Li Yue thought for a moment and said, "I'll arrange something else."

The next morning, Li Yue laid out several kinds of pens on the bed and had Ling Shuo, who had just woken up and finished drinking his milk from the bottle, do a "first birthday celebration" (a traditional Chinese custom where a baby chooses which pen to use for a traditional Chinese divination).

Ling Jianwei asked, puzzled, "They're all pens? What does that mean?"

Li Yue explained, "If you grab a watercolor pen, it means you'll inherit my interests and go on to study art. If you grab a tactical pen, it means you'll follow my lead and join the army."

Ling Jianwei: "Where's the calligraphy brush?"

"To be a writer or calligrapher, to work in the humanities."

"pencil?"

"Doing scientific and engineering research requires drawing all sorts of diagrams."

"ballpoint pen?"

"A mixed type, like doing odd jobs at work."

Ling Jianwei smiled speechlessly, while the child sat on the bed and grabbed a high-end gold fountain pen.

Ling Jianwei looked at her: "What's this?"

Li Yue said, "Doing business, running a company."

Sure enough... this kid will most likely be in the business of making money in the future.

Ling Jianwei said thoughtfully, "No one in our family has a knack for business."

Li Yue: "It's alright, my family has one. He's the grandson of a capitalist."

Ling Jianwei suddenly realized: "I almost forgot, my wife is a capitalist's daughter."

Suddenly, a subtle smile appeared on his face: "What are your orders, Miss? I will certainly serve you well tonight."

Li Yue rolled up the thin blanket: "Tomorrow, leave the child with the grandparents, and you can take care of him then."

He hooked his arm around her still slender waist, his lips close to her ear, his voice seductive: "Yes, Miss."

-

After the child turned one year old, he gradually learned to walk and talk, and Ling Jianwei would occasionally take him to her workplace. The little guy got used to it quite well and didn't fuss at all.

Occasionally, they would take the child out to play, and when walking, he would keep rushing forward.

They kept going until 1976.

Time flies so fast, even Li Yue couldn't help but sigh at how quickly these days had passed.

Two rows of tall, neat trees line the main road of the compound. They sprout and grow leaves in spring, become lush and verdant in summer, and turn yellow and fall in autumn. In the blink of an eye, another year has passed.

A lot happened this year; an era finally came to an end, and a new era began.

Towards the end of the year, Ling Jianwei's father became very busy, taking charge of various tasks, holding meetings, and resolving all sorts of old issues.

In the summer of 1977, the old man was so busy that his heart condition worsened again, and he was hospitalized once more.

Ling Jianwei advised him to stop working temporarily, but the old man disagreed, saying that he still had a lot of work to do and that the best way for this old man to end his life was to stay at his post.

When the old man gets stubborn, there's no way to reason with him. Ling Jianwei had no choice but to have her mother accompany the old man to work, carrying medicine and water with her at all times.

Adults grow old, while children grow up day by day.

Ling Shuo is about to turn three years old. Before that, he had already spent several months in daycare. Next, Li Yue plans to send him to kindergarten in September.

Meanwhile, rumors of the possible reinstatement of the college entrance examination have been vaguely revealed.

Li Yue was finally able to talk about this topic. She told Ling Jianwei, "If they really do recruit students, I want to go to the Academy of Fine Arts. Teacher Xie also thinks that it will help me improve my skills in all aspects if I receive systematic training."

He always had that nonchalant expression: "Go ahead, isn't it a good thing?"

Looking at him, Li Yue suddenly realized that she knew what was going to happen and was moving forward step by step according to plan, while she had to pretend to be unaware, while this man knew nothing, thought it was all a coincidence, and trusted her completely.

He turned around and asked, "What's wrong? Afraid you won't pass the exam?"

“No…” Li Yue smiled, “If the child really gets accepted, we’ll send him to his parents’ house and have a nanny pick him up and drop him off at school.”

He nodded: "That works too, it saves me some trouble."

Soon after, he inquired about it and was told that the matter was still under discussion and the earliest the college entrance examination could be reinstated was next year.

Li Yue had already begun reviewing some academic subjects. Although she knew that the first batch of college entrance exams were very easy, she still dared not take it lightly and was also practicing sketching.

In September, Ling Jianwei suggested, "Why don't we just send him to the kindergarten near his parents' place? Everything there is better than here."

“Okay, let’s move there too. Dad is very busy right now and can’t be without Mom. I can’t just leave him with the nanny.”

The family of three finally moved back to her parents' house. Li Yue noticed that the little guy clearly preferred his grandparents' house more, since it was spacious and had a small yard.

Ling Jianwei also noticed this and said, "This kid will eventually abandon his parents. Well, he shouldn't bother us anymore."

Li Yue turned her former dormitory into an art studio. She went there with Ling Jianwei in the morning. She vaguely remembered that when the first batch of art students registered, they had to submit their usual works, either sketches or watercolors. She had to prepare them in advance.

If Ling Jianwei has time at noon, she will go back to check on her.

But often, while looking at them, you can't help but carry them to bed.

Li Yue protested, but it was to no avail. The man said, "You can't relax over there, it's better here, at least no one will bother you."

On a Sunday at the end of September, Ling Jianwei went out to meet some elders. When she came back, she said that the college entrance examination might be held earlier than expected. The leaders felt that waiting until next summer would be too late, as there was a talent shortage.

Li Yue replied, "If the college entrance exam is in winter and we start school next spring, that would be quite special."

He nodded: "Special circumstances require special treatment. Everything is in need of rebuilding now, so don't be surprised by any new policies. Just do your job well and adapt to any changes."

Li Yue looked at him with a grin: "Ling Jianwei, haven't I told you that you're becoming more and more composed and mature?"

The man came over, lifted her up, and carried her on his back.

His voice was hoarse and tinged with desire: "If you want me, just say so. It's not like I won't give it to you."

Li Yue: "Aren't you afraid someone will come upstairs?"

"They're all on the first floor, and the auntie is also on the first floor taking care of the child."

"The door wasn't closed either."

The two looked towards the door and were surprised to find a tiny little boy standing there.

Xiao Lingshuo practically ran in: "Daddy, I want a hug too!"

Li Yue wrapped herself around his waist, looked down and suppressed a laugh, and said, "Daddy can only hug Mommy."

The child protested, hugging Ling Jianwei's leg and looking up at them, throwing a little tantrum: "I want to be hugged too!"

Ling Jianwei: "Climb up yourself."

The little boy grabbed his dad's pants and shook them hard, humming and whimpering, even putting his legs up and trying to climb up.

"Oh my god, he's really going to climb up here." Li Yue couldn't help but laugh.

Helpless, Ling Jianwei switched to holding Li Yue with one hand, then squatted down and picked up Ling Shuo, who finally stopped whimpering.

Li Yue hooked her arm around his neck: "Can your back still hold?"

"Why not doubt it?" He raised an eyebrow. "Don't believe me? Try it tonight."

Li Yue sensed danger.

...

With the implementation of the college entrance examination policy, Li Yue successfully submitted her artwork to register and then immersed herself in practice and review.

There were many people in the compound who were also studying for exams. Li Yue even made a few friends in the compound library, some of whom were also studying art.

People would occasionally gather together to chat about their experiences. Some had been sent to the countryside as educated youth, some were working as laborers, and some had already gotten married and had children. No matter what they had been through, everyone was in high spirits and full of hope for the future.

Li Yue was greatly encouraged. In the past few years, she had been focused on her husband and children, which had worn down her willpower. Sometimes she couldn't help but wonder if she would still have the energy to do what she wanted to do when she graduated from university and was already over thirty. But now, seeing everyone so full of fighting spirit, she felt that she couldn't be too sluggish either.

Ling Jianwei fully supported her decision to take the college entrance exam, but occasionally when he saw her walking and chatting with her friends, with no trace of him, he couldn't help but make a few sarcastic remarks.

That night he added, "Just a reminder, you're a married person. Don't let some people misunderstand or have any ulterior motives."

Li Yue pinched his cheeks: "I know, everyone in the compound knows that my lover is you. I also have a three-year-old child who is causing a huge disturbance in the compound's kindergarten and is practically trying to become the leader."

This man is truly capable of being jealous and possessive.

Today, while walking with him, she ran into a male fellow student preparing for the college entrance exam. They chatted for a bit, and he mentioned that he had compiled some classical poems he had learned and would share them with everyone tomorrow. Li Yue politely complimented him a few times.

Ling Jianwei was very polite at the time, saying that the other party was well prepared, but now he's doing this again. Li Yue looked at him and said with a smile, "Jealous pot."

He turned around nonchalantly and said, "Trying to coax me."

Li Yue: "..."

Despite the increasingly cold weather, everyone's enthusiasm for hard work remains undiminished.

One day in December 1977, amidst the biting north wind, Li Yue and other college entrance examination candidates participated in the first college entrance examination after its restoration.

After the last professional exam, Li Yue walked out of the exam hall carrying her art supplies. Outside the school gate, a mature and handsome man was waiting for her in the cold wind, holding a cute child.

Li Yue looked up and saw the man looking over as well. Their gazes met through the countless examinees in the cold wind.

As for their child, he held a cookie in his hand and bit into it until it formed a crescent shape.