Chapter 95 Three Updates in One

The group arrived at a state-owned hotel not far from Peking University. The seven of them shared two tables. They asked Dong Kai and Zhong Lihua what their roommates wanted to eat, and were busy paying for food and ordering dishes at the counter.

When the two returned to the table and sat down, the roommates, who were full of gossip, asked them how they knew each other, who pursued whom, and when they started dating.

Zhong Lihua has never been a shy person, and the same goes for Xiang Dongkai, they said everything openly.

Two months ago, when Zhong Lihua was leaving home on Sunday to go to school, she met Xiang Dongkai. At that time, the tire of her bicycle suddenly went flat and she stopped halfway. Xiang Dongkai came forward to help her enthusiastically. This was their first acquaintance.

Not long after, the two met again by chance at the Xinhua Bookstore, discussed studying together, and gradually became familiar with each other.

As for the confirmation of the relationship, Zhong Lihua mentioned this point and was rarely shy: "Of course he pursued me. He often wrote to me, one letter a week. He didn't say anything about pursuing me in the letter, but just talked to me about studying and college life. Occasionally, he gave me some small things, such as hairpins and hair ties. We communicated more and more, so we got together."

Lin Xiang listened silently, holding the teacup and drinking tea, only complaining in her heart, what a scumbag. On the one hand, he often wrote letters to Zhang Yafen, and on the other hand, he often wrote letters to Zhong Lihua. He is really busy enough.

Kong Zhenzhen also found out that Yafen seemed to be still sending money to Xiang Dongkai so that he could go to college and not have to live a life of poverty.

It turns out that he is deceiving me both financially and emotionally, and then showing his courtesy to Lihua.

The other roommates who didn't know the truth started to make a fuss and praised the two of them for being a perfect match and gave them face.

After the food was served, all kinds of gossip continued. Feng Qiuyue and Zhang Jing, two educated youth, hit it off with Xiang Dongkai right away: "We were all educated youth and then passed the exam to return to the city. It wasn't easy. Come on, come on, let's have some tea!"

Xiang Dongkai is eloquent and generous, so he naturally won the favor of his roommate, who clinked tea cups with them enthusiastically: "It was really not easy. The days of being an educated youth were tough, but it also tempered our mental outlook and willpower."

Zhong Lihua joined in: "So you are all great, working in the countryside and studying at the same time."

Lin Xiang ate a few mouthfuls of food and finally joined the conversation: "That's a coincidence. Sister Qiuyue and Sister Jing are educated youth, and so is Comrade Xiang. I wonder if the places where you went to the countryside are far apart? Aren't they the same place?"

After hearing this, Feng Qiuyue and Zhang Jing became excited. They told Xiang Dongkai where they were sent to work in the countryside and asked him, "Comrade Xiang, where did you go to work as an educated youth in the countryside?"

Xiang Dongkai's face froze, remembering that when they first met, his roommate mentioned that she had been with the army on Langhua Island. Although he calmly changed the subject at the time, he still felt a little guilty.

At this moment, he dared not mention the name of Langhua Island, and only said vaguely: "It's in a rural area in the south. I'm sure you have never heard of it."

Lin Xiang didn't comment and said calmly, "Oh."

Others were not clear about it, but Lin Xiang knew the inside story and could see that he was feeling guilty.

As the meal was coming to an end, Xiang Dongkai saw that Lin Xiang had hardly spoken, and gradually calmed down and chatted and laughed with the others. When talking about the educated youth, the three of them all had a resonant feeling. Feng Qiuyue said loudly: "It was really hard for us educated youth. We worked hard to pass the exam. Fortunately, my in-laws in the countryside are very good and support me. They don't worry that I will run away."

Over the past year or so, in addition to those who returned to the city after taking the college entrance examination, there were also many who returned to the city due to medical retirement or to take over their parents' jobs in the city. Especially under various policies, more and more educated youth could not hold back and were unwilling to stay in the countryside for the rest of their lives. Several protests broke out, which led to the relaxation of policies and the return of educated youth to the city on a large scale.

Gradually, the number of unemployed people in the city increased, and there were huge crowds of educated youth returning to the city queuing up at the gate of the street office every day waiting for job arrangements.

It was a long and arduous journey to return to the city, and life was not easy after returning to the city.

Lin Xiang continued Feng Qiuyue's words and talked about her own experiences: "Some educated youth are heartless and abandon their partners or wives, husbands and children in the countryside. However, there are still many who miss their partners. For example, when I was with the army in Langhua Island, I met a young female comrade. Her partner returned to the city after the college entrance examination and moved to the capital. As a result, the man did not abandon her at all and often wrote back, saying that he would marry her after graduation and bring her to live in the capital."

With a clang.

As Lin Xiang spoke crisply, there was a sudden sound of a teacup hitting the table, and the tea spilled out, wetting the back of her hand.

"Dongkai, wipe it quickly." Zhong Lihua hurriedly took out a handkerchief and wiped the back of the person's hand that was wet by tea, and then wiped the table dry.

Several other roommates followed suit and asked, "Comrade Xiang, are you okay?"

Xiang Dongkai's face was a little stiff. When he looked at Lin Xiang, his eyes were filled with scrutiny, but this scrutiny did not last long. He looked away in an instant: "It's okay, it's okay. I just couldn't figure it out for a moment."

After the lively dinner, the five female comrades returned to the dormitory. The topic was still about their boyfriend Zhong Lihua, and Zhong Lihua, who was the center of the conversation, was saying goodbye to her boyfriend at the school gate.

Zhong Lihua, in a good mood, urged her partner: "Go back quickly, or you will be late for the bed check."

Xiang Dongkai held the bicycle and spoke after some hesitation: "Lihua, your other roommates are all pretty good, but classmate Lin Xiang seems to have some opinions about me."

Zhong Lihua was surprised: "No way, why do you think so?"

Xiang Dongkai said it differently: "She didn't say much at the dinner table. I guess she had some opinion about me. Maybe she didn't think much of me. You know, my family conditions are not very good."

Zhong Lihua advised him: "You think too much. Xiangxiang is a very good person and she wouldn't look down on anyone."

Zhong Lihua did not tell her roommate about this.

But she didn't expect that Xiang Dongkai would mention Lin Xiang two or three times in the following period of time, and his words were full of temptation: "Lihua, did Lin Xiang in your dormitory say anything to you about me?"

Zhong Lihua was puzzled: "What did you say about you?"

"She's saying bad things about me. I always feel that she looks down on me and is quite hostile to me. In fact, not only that, I also feel that she has something against you."

Xiang Dongkai was still restless after the dinner. He felt guilty whenever he thought of Lin Xiang's stay on Langhua Island. Although Langhua Island was so big and he didn't know her, it was possible that she had seen him...

That shouldn't be right. If Lin Xiang had met me, she would have brought it up during the dinner that day.

But she later said that she knew a young female comrade who had a boyfriend who was admitted to Capital University. This made him shudder. That... wasn't that the situation between him and Zhang Yafen?

Xiang Dongkai became suspicious after hearing what Lin Xiang said. He didn't know whether it was a coincidence or Lin Xiang really knew Zhang Yafen. Because of this, he didn't sleep well for a week, worried that Lin Xiang would instigate him in front of Zhong Lihua.

As for Zhang Yafen, he originally thought she was a good match when he was an educated youth, and she could also support him. If he couldn't return to the city, it would be fine to marry her. But now he was admitted to a university in the capital, and his future was bright, especially since he had hooked up with Zhong Lihua, a local in the capital. Zhong Lihua's family conditions were good. Her father was the director of a steel mill, and her mother had given up her job to her daughter. Now she was free at home, and her family had allocated housing. Anyone who was given the choice would definitely choose Zhong Lihua.

According to the plan, Xiang Dongkai planned to write to Zhang Yafen occasionally without telling her, and occasionally mentioned in the letters that he had to eat coarse food in the cafeteria every day. He could also get some financial support from Zhang Yafen along with the letters to cover his daily expenses. Anyway, Langhua Island was so far away from the capital, and no one would find out.

Once Zhong Lihua and I were settled and ready to get married after graduation, I would write a letter to break up with Zhang Yafen. Everything would be done without anyone knowing.

However, the appearance of Lin Xiang made him uneasy. Someone who might know Zhang Yafen and who ate, lived and went to school with Zhong Lihua all day long was simply a time bomb.

If Lin Xiangzhen said something in front of Zhong Lihua, wouldn't it have disrupted all her plans?

Xiang Dongkai decided to strike first.

Zhong Lihua was shocked when she heard this: "How could Xiangxiang have any opinion about me? Not to mention that she and you have only met once and she never said anything bad about you."

"Really?" Xiang Dongkai was half-believing and half-doubting. He was still worried and hoped that Zhong Lihua and Lin Xiang would be alienated. It would be best if they stopped communicating with each other and turned against each other. "Didn't you notice that Lin Xiang's family conditions were not good and she was a little jealous of you. Your family is in the capital, your parents have decent jobs and a house, and now you have found a college student in the capital as your partner. She might feel unbalanced. I felt something was wrong during the dinner that day. She seemed..."

"Dongkai, how can you think like that! Xiangxiang is not that kind of person. She is very capable. She is good at studying and always ranks among the top students in the final exams. She looks good too. She used to work in a food factory and her husband is a group leader. Why are you jealous of me?" Zhong Lihua was shocked when she heard what her partner said. First, she was confused about her roommate and second, she couldn't believe that such a polite person like Dongkai would say that. "I feel uncomfortable when you say that about my roommate."

Xiang Dongkai saw that Zhong Lihua was overreacting, so he quickly pulled her hand, smiled, and coaxed her: "It's my fault. I shouldn't have said that about your roommate. Blame me, blame me."

Lin Xiang was packing her things in the dormitory when she heard Zhong Lihua complaining after she came back from outside.

Zhong Lihua was very straightforward and said whatever she wanted to say. She couldn't help but mutter, "I really don't know how Dong Kai could think that way and say that."

Lin Xiang was curious: "Lihua, what did your partner say?"

"He said you..." Zhong Lihua was caught in the middle, feeling torn, but she also knew that if she really told others what Dong Kai had guessed about Lin Xiang, it would cause Lin Xiang to be disgusted, so she immediately swallowed her words back, "Nothing, he just said some nonsense suddenly, and we had a few words."

Lin Xiang understood. She guessed that Xiang Dongkai was saying bad things about her in front of Lihua. She could guess what this man was thinking and that he wanted to distance herself from Lihua first to prevent her from telling the truth.

She thought about it carefully and realized that this matter was indeed difficult to handle. If she spoke up for the matter, it might cause resentment, especially since Yafen was not in the capital at all. She couldn't even let Lihua and Yafen communicate face to face, and it was possible that neither of them would believe her.

Instead, Xiang Dongkai couldn't resist the temptation. He panicked after revealing a few words and actually started to provoke and reveal his true colors.

When Lin Xiang went to the post office to pick up the package of coconut candy, she happened to have sent an envelope to Yafen. After all, she was thousands of miles away, so she could only briefly explain the situation to her and see her reaction.

The letter was also tactful, saying only that her roommate's partner was also in the university where Xiang Dongkai was studying, and was also a educated youth who returned to the city after taking the college entrance examination. What a coincidence. Normally, Yafen would have a high probability of being impressed by this incident and would have mentioned it in her letter to Xiang Dongkai.

After all, at this time you can't just point your finger at others and say that your partner is fooling around and having an affair with other lesbians, saying that they are all deceiving you.

Everyone has self-esteem and face, plus they naturally have trust and filters in their partners, so they need to take things slow.

After sending the letter, Lin Xiang took the coconut candy sent by the 119 Second Factory back to the dormitory and distributed it to her roommates: "Try it, the coconut candy produced by the factory where I work is especially fragrant."

Coconut candy is different from other fruit candies. It has a unique rich coconut aroma that melts quietly in your mouth, leaving a rich fragrance.

It was the first time for several roommates to eat coconut candy, and they couldn't help but be pleasantly surprised: "Wow, I've never heard of this coconut candy before, and it tastes so good."

"The taste is really different from orange candy and milk candy! Delicious!"

Everyone was sucking on the coconut candy and couldn't stop.

A bag of coconut candy weighs about one pound and contains more than thirty pieces. Lin Xiang gave some to classmates with whom she had a good relationship, and took the remaining ten or so pieces home.

I opened the wrapper and fed one to my mother-in-law, then to my husband. The little one on the ground looked at it anxiously, "Mom, I want to eat, I want to eat."

He Hongyuan was caught off guard when his wife fed him a piece of candy. He subconsciously opened his mouth and took a bite. The rich aroma instantly filled his mouth: "Is this the new coconut candy produced in your factory?"

"Mm! Isn't it delicious?"

He Guifang and He Hongyuan nodded in agreement: "It's delicious. The taste is really different."

While talking, Lin Xiang peeled out a candy and fed it to the girl: "You can only eat one today, understand?"

"I know." Little Coconut happily sucked the fragrant candy. He squinted his eyes and jumped up and down with his hands open. "Coconut candy is delicious."

He Hongyuan teased his girlfriend: "Little Coconuts can't eat coconut candy. Have you ever heard of "Why are you so anxious to fight with me?"

Little Coconut said innocently: "No."

He Hongyuan: "..."

Early on Sunday morning, Little Coconut pestered his mother to eat coconut candy: "Mom, I've eaten coconut candy now, so I won't eat it today."

Lin Xiang was very skeptical of the girl's promise. This girl was not a person who kept her word.

After feeding the child a piece of candy, Lin Xiang took her and her mother-in-law out to buy groceries.

When passing by the street office, He Guifang looked at the long line of people and couldn't help but sigh: "I heard that they are all educated youth who have returned to the city, waiting to be assigned jobs every day."

Lin Xiang understood the pain of that time. There were many people but too few jobs. The problem was temporarily solved by sending urban youth to the countryside for construction. Now that educated youth were returning to the city on a large scale, how could they be settled?

There are many unemployed people, and everyone wants to find a way out. Either they can develop themselves by taking advantage of the spring breeze of reform and opening up, or they can completely degenerate into idle second-rate people, and even many public security cases will arise.

This era has become the era with the greatest opportunities and also the most chaos.

After returning to school, Lin Xiang also heard classmates talk about the employment problems of the educated youth after they returned to the city in large numbers, and they all sighed: "Fortunately, we are guaranteed jobs after graduation, and we all have stable jobs."

College students at this time have no idea what opportunities will be before them in the next twenty years.

Being assigned a job after graduation and having a stable job is the happiest thing you can think of.

Lin Xiang soon received a reply from Zhang Yafen, who responded enthusiastically to Lin Xiang's topic, talked about her current work and life, and finally mentioned Lin Xiang's roommate who went to the same school as Xiang.

"Sister Xiangxiang, when I wrote to Dongkai, I mentioned that someone I knew was admitted to Peking University. It turned out that her roommate was also in the School of Science and Engineering. He must have been very surprised. He didn't expect to have such a fate."

Lin Xiang knew that Xiang Dongkai would be scared to death when he received Yafen's reply.

......

Zhong Lihua felt that something was wrong with the person recently. Originally, he would say bad things about Lin Xiang, which was unpleasant. After much effort, he finally stopped talking like that. However, in the past few days, he has been distracted and dazed, and no one knows what he is thinking.

Even when the two of them took a break from their busy schedules to meet and have a meal, Xiang Dongkai kept asking, "Lihua, did you hear anything?"

Zhong Lihua looked puzzled: "What did you hear?"

Xiang Dongkai received a reply from Zhang Yafen the day before yesterday. The two pages were filled with her rambling words, but the last sentence surprised him.

Old acquaintance from Langhua Island, Kyoto University, roommate, partner, university of science and technology?

The combination of these keywords made Xiang Dongkai break out in a cold sweat.

Could it be that Lin Xiangzhen and Zhang Yafen know each other?

It can't be such a coincidence.

For several days, Xiang Dongkai had been having nightmares, worrying that the truth would be revealed, that Zhong Lihua would turn against him, and that he would lose the chance to become the son-in-law of the director of Capital Steel Plant. On Thursday, he rode his bicycle to Beijing University to have dinner with Zhong Lihua and test her at the same time.

"Did Lin Xiang say anything bad about me? Did she say anything? Lihua, don't believe her!"

Zhong Lihua put down her chopsticks, feeling confused: "Dongkai, what's wrong with you? Why do you keep targeting Xiangxiang? She never mentioned you at all."

"She didn't mention me? Not in the past few days?" Xiang Dongkai was almost going crazy. He lived in fear every day that Lin Xiang seemed to know Zhang Yafen. He felt that she would expose him at any time. This matter disturbed him day and night, and his mind was full of it.

"Of course not. It's you who keeps suspecting that she is targeting you. How could you be such a person?" The Xiang Dongkai that Zhong Lihua knew was definitely not like this.

"I'm sorry, Lihua...I...have the final exam soon and I'm under too much pressure." Xiang Dongkai apologized sincerely and coaxed Zhong Lihua for a while before he got her forgiveness.

The two agreed to meet on Sunday, went to the bookstore to read and review, and then had dinner together. Only then did Zhong Lihua return to the dormitory.

But this time when she returned to the dormitory, Zhong Lihua was really embarrassed to see Lin Xiang. Her boyfriend had said bad things about her roommate many times, and she was so embarrassed that she couldn't say anything.

"Lihua, are you free now? I have something to tell you." Lin Xiang knew that Lihua had just gone out to eat with Xiang Dongkai. Calculating the time, Xiang Dongkai must have received Yafen's letter. She also went to find Zhong Lihua with Yafen's letter.

Zhong Lihua rarely saw Lin Xiang look so serious, so she followed him to the corridor.

The capital was covered in ice and snow at the end of December. The howling north wind blew up the vast expanse of white snow, which flew everywhere.

After reading the letter Lin Xiang sent him, he heard her talk about Langhua Island thousands of miles away, and recalled Xiang Dongkai's abnormal behavior during this period.

Zhong Lihua felt a chill in her heart.

Lin Xiang knew that this was a bit cruel to those who were in love, but it was better to suffer a short pain than a long one: "Lihua, if you don't believe me, you can try him. I can also arrange for you to talk to Yafen and check your information. But Yafen is in Langhua Island, so there is no way for you to meet."

......

On Sunday, Zhong Lihua and Xiang Dongkai met at the Xinhua Bookstore. While reading, Zhong Lihua secretly looked at him and found that he was a little absent-minded. In fact, his eyes were not on the book at all, and he looked anxious.

After reading for a long time, the two went to the state-owned hotel for lunch. Zhong Lihua took out a letter from her bag and said, "Oh, I forgot to give Xiangxiang's letter to her."

Xiang Dongkai looked over curiously and caught a glimpse of the words "Sender: Zhang Yafen" on the envelope. His pupils dilated instantly and his body tensed up.

"Ah... who sent it to her? Why is it with you?"

"It seems to be from her friend on the island when she was with the army. Her name is Zhang Yafen." Zhong Lihua held the envelope and looked at it, then casually put it on the table. "I went to the post office to pick up the letter on Saturday afternoon and picked it up for her. But I forgot to give it to her when I got back to the dormitory, and I accidentally put it in my bag instead."

Xiang Dongkai's breath was held in his throat at first, but when he heard that Lin Xiang didn't get the letter, he breathed a sigh of relief. As he sat down, he kept looking at the letter unconsciously.

According to his analysis, Lin Xiang probably didn't know that Zhang Yafen's partner was him, otherwise she wouldn't have mentioned it in the letter and called it a coincidence.

"I'm going to go out and buy some egg cakes to eat while I read in the afternoon." Zhong Lihua stood up and asked Xiang Dongkai to wait for her in the store.

"Okay." Xiang Dongkai was cheered up. "The ground is slippery. Walk slowly."

As soon as Zhong Lihua left, Xiang Dongkai turned around and watched her disappear from his sight, then quickly picked up the tea and poured it into the envelope...

How can I read the letter after it has been soaked in water? The handwriting is blurred and I can't tell you anything.

He put down his teacup and sat back down, finally breathing a sigh of relief. Five days ago, he had written to Zhang Yafen to tell her about their separation and to completely sever their relationship. As long as this matter was done, there would be no future troubles, and he could be with Zhong Lihua happily.

However, there seemed to be scorching gazes all around, and Xiang Dongkai had a bad feeling. He turned around abruptly and saw that Zhong Lihua had come back and was looking at him seriously.

"Lihua... didn't you go to buy egg cake? How come you're back so soon?"

Zhong Lihua curled her lips, with a hint of disappointment and sadness: "We have known each other for so long, and you have never asked me to go shopping. You sat here by yourself. Today is quite abnormal."

"I am..."

"You were hoping I'd leave just to destroy Zhang Yafen's letter, right?" Zhong Lihua's face turned cold, and her words were even colder than the cold wind outside. "Xiang Dongkai, how many targets do you have? One on Langhua Island and one in the capital?"

Xiang Dongkai's heart skipped a beat, then fell rapidly, his face suddenly turned pale: "Lihua, no, I'm not with Zhang Yafen, yes, she is pestering me, I don't like her at all!"

Zhong Lihua seemed to have just seen through this person, and slapped him directly: "You are quite good at confessing without being asked. You are dating someone, and now Comrade Zhang Yafen writes to you and even gives you part of her salary as living expenses. How dare you say this about her? Are you still a human being!"

——

That evening.

In the post office, Lin Xiang explained the whole story to Zhang Yafen on the phone: "Xiang Dongkai was in a hurry to write to you to break up because he was worried about being exposed. He lied to both sides, not only you, but also my roommate."

The phone receiver was turned over and Zhong Lihua took it. Through the phone line, she confirmed with Zhang Yafen, who was thousands of miles away, that Xiang Dongkai had cheated on both sides: "Comrade Zhang Yafen, I have already scolded him and slapped him. It's a pity that you are not in the capital, otherwise you should have slapped him too!"

Zhang Yafen on the other end of the phone was crying, but she was also fierce: "If the train ticket was not too expensive and the round trip time was too long, I would definitely go over and slap him twice!"

Zhong Lihua comforted Zhang Yafen, a stranger, over the phone: "This stinky man is not worth your tears, Comrade Zhang Yafen, adjust your mood and stop thinking too much. Also, remember to return the money you gave him, don't let him get away with it."

After hanging up the phone, Zhong Lihua looked at Lin Xiang with a sad face: "Why do I meet such a person when I'm dating?"

In the white snow, Lin Xiang and Zhong Lihua walked on the soft snow back to school: "Lihua, you are really brave, and what you said just now to comfort Yafen was so nice."

"Actually, I wanted to cry too, but Comrade Yafen cried so hard that I felt embarrassed to cry." Zhong Lihua pouted, her eyes sore.

Lin Xiang took her arm and patted her gently: "There are always beautiful women in the world. At most, you can cry once. You won't meet such a scumbag again in the future."

Zhong Lihua's nose felt sore and tears really rolled down her eyes. She leaned on Lin Xiang's shoulder and sobbed.

More than an hour later, Zhong Lihua returned to the dormitory and announced in front of everyone: "I don't have a partner anymore. We're broken up."

The roommate was shocked: "How did you split it?"

Zhong Lihua took off her cotton padded jacket, lay on the bed, covered her face with the quilt, and uttered in a muffled voice: "I have now seen that man's character is not good. But don't ask me about the details. Just treat him as dead."

Lin Xiang promised to keep Zhong Lihua secret, and naturally advised: "Let's not ask any more questions, let Lihua get some sleep."

"Oh oh." Several roommates also noticed Lihua's red and swollen eyes. Although they didn't know what happened, they cursed Xiang Dongkai in their hearts. This guy must have done something bad!

Because of the emotional blow, Zhong Lihua devoted herself to preparing for the final exam. She dragged Lin Xiang to the library every day, turning her grief and anger into motivation for review. In the end, she improved by more than ten places compared to the previous semester.

"My parents will definitely praise me when they see me, saying that I work hard!" Zhong Lihua was very happy.

Everyone in the dormitory was packing their luggage, preparing for the winter vacation. Lin Xiang packed two cotton jackets and smiled, "Are you going to tell your parents about this?"

Zhong Lihua nodded: "Of course I have to say it, my dad will definitely make the decision for me!"

Zhong Lihua's father naturally could not let off the man who deceived his daughter lightly. As the director of a steel rolling mill, Zhong's father personally used his connections to inquire about the Polytechnic University and then wrote a letter of denial to the department head Xiang Dongkai.

Lin Xiang also heard about it later that Xiang Dongkai was given a serious warning for improper relationships between men and women, and became famous in the school for a while.

Once your reputation is ruined, you won’t be able to cheat anyone anymore.

At the end of January, Lin Xiang, who returned home for the winter vacation, prepared New Year's goods with her family.

Even He Hongyuan, who had classes and training every day, rarely took a few days off.

It was bitterly cold in the capital in January, with the wind blowing on faces like a cold knife. He Hongyuan and Lin Xiang got up early in the morning to queue up at the supply and marketing cooperative to buy New Year's goods. In their hands were the New Year's goods receipts issued by the street office to the people this year, and they queued up to buy them.

"The wind is too strong." Lin Xiang hid behind He Hongyuan, letting the man block the wind. "Fortunately, Linlin didn't follow us out, otherwise she would have been frozen to tears."

The couple got up at 4:30 in the morning and were about to go out, but somehow they alarmed the young lady. The child, who was not awake at all, insisted on going out with her parents to buy New Year's goods.

It was only after Lin Xiang had managed to coax little Coconut back to sleep that things finally calmed down.

He Hongyuan opened his military coat, pulled his wife to him, and held her in his arms: "I should have known not to let you out. I can do it alone."

Lin Xiang was surrounded by the man's warm chest and the thickness of his military coat, which instantly dispelled the severe coldness. She also had the strength to retort: ​​"How can I leave you alone? I also want to come and see."

Although it’s cold, it’s still exciting to get some fresh New Year’s goods.

Hairtail, pork, flour, cakes and candies...all kinds of New Year goods, which are only available in larger quantities during the Chinese New Year, were bought home.

The family was busy pasting Spring Festival couplets and hanging firecrackers, and at the end of January 1979, they welcomed the lively and bustling New Year.

I sent New Year gifts to old acquaintances before the New Year, including Zhou Shenghuai, Feng Li's family, Director Zhao's family, Kong Zhenzhen, Ma Defa, Yang Gong and Qiu Hongxia.

The New Year gifts Lin Xiang gave Bao were mostly local specialties from the capital.

Similarly, I also received New Year gifts, including various dried seafood, canned seafood sauce, coconut candy, and even two boxes of coconut juice.

However, the weather in the north is too cold, and the coconut juice has already frozen into ice when it arrives. Little Coconut is dumbfounded. He holds the cold glass bottle and shrinks his hand with a smile: "Mom, how can I drink it?"

“Wait until it melts before drinking.” Lin Xiang laughed. The coconut juice had frozen in the time it took to sit on the train.

It must be said that eating popsicles in the middle of winter has a unique flavor. Similarly, drinking a sip of cool coconut juice is also very delicious and really cools you down.

At the beginning of the new year, the ice and snow gradually melted, and tender green branches emerged. Lin Xiang welcomed her sophomore year in March.

At the beginning of the semester, the Department of Economics and Trade of Beijing University had an opportunity for students to be volunteers. The counselor announced: "We are all students of the Department of Economics and Trade. You should pay more attention to various policies and guidelines. Similarly, you should also pay attention to various conferences. This year, Beijing will hold the first national commodity exhibition. This conference, formerly known as the National Sugar and Wine Conference, was previously open to factories that sold candy, liquor, and beer. Oh, except for one year, I went to a place that sells coconut wine, which was a special case. But this year is different. It has been upgraded to a national commodity fair. Factories of various products can sign up. At the same time, it still caters to the reform and opening-up policy at the end of last year. There will be hundreds of factories participating, which is of great significance. Our department has volunteer quotas. Students who want to participate as volunteers can sign up with the class leader. They will be provided with two meals and two yuan a day for hard work. "

Lin Xiang listened silently, but her eyes lit up. After class, she went to the post office to make a phone call, and she and Zhao Jianjun on the other end of the phone said in unison:

"Director, have you heard about the National Commodity Fair?"

"Xiao Lin, the Food and Drinks Convention has turned into a national trade fair!"

Zhao Jianjun had just heard the news and was rubbing his hands in anticipation: "It's still held in the capital. I've just signed up, so I'm definitely going to come! Let's see if we can sell our products to the capital this time! I've brought seafood sauce, coconut juice, and coconut candy. Xiao Huang and Xiao Tang from Factory 1 are also coming. What... you can also go as a volunteer, oh, that's great! You're worthy of being from Peking University, you're quick to get information and have many opportunities."

Lin Xiang actively signed up as a volunteer for the National Commodity Fair and will participate in the event held in the capital with 25 other students from the Department of Economics and Trade of Kyoto University.

At the end of March, the delegates from 119 Factory 1 and Factory 2 were ready to go and sent a large delegation.

Before leaving, Kong Zhenzhen called Lin Xiang and made an appointment to meet and have a good chat when the time comes.

Lin Xiang learned that even Qiu Hongxia, the elder sister of Guazi who was the workshop manager, had come: "Sister Hongxia has also signed up?"

Kong Zhenzhen was excited: "Sister Hongxia said, help us 119 strengthen our reputation, expand sales in the north, and beat someone up by the way."

Lin Xiang: "..."

Xiang Dongkai, you are lucky, you are relying on the fact that no one will come after you because you are thousands of miles away, right? Ding. Ding, someone is coming to beat you up.