Ye Wenshu sat blankly on the kang, her mind a complete blank.
Is it possible to think about it this way?
She had only felt like the sky was falling, but she never thought there was such a difference between fiancés and married couples.
"I was just saying, don't take it to heart." Liu Mengyao changed the subject, deliberately softening her tone, but adding fuel to the fire. "But I don't think the stories in novels are necessarily fake. Art comes from life, after all. Maybe there really is such love that breaks through obstacles, which is why someone can write about it."
As she spoke, she picked up her handkerchief and gently wiped away the tears on Ye Wenshu's face. "Alright, don't think too much about it. Get some rest, or you won't have the energy to work tomorrow."
Ye Wenshu's eyes suddenly lit up, and she grabbed Liu Mengyao's hand, her voice filled with the excitement of finding a kindred spirit, "Mengyao, you also believe that the love in novels is real, right?"
"Of course." Liu Mengyao nodded with a smile, but inwardly she was sneering.
Of course it's fake!
Those are just stories to fool young girls; only a bookworm like Ye Wenshu, who only knows how to read books, would believe them.
But that's fine too; the dumber someone is, the easier they are to take advantage of.
Ye Wenshu gripped her hand even tighter. "You're right! All great love stories have to go through twists and turns; the protagonists have to overcome obstacles to be together. Mengyao, thank you. If it weren't for you, I don't know what I would have done!"
"Why are you thanking me?" Liu Mengyao subtly withdrew her hand, secretly rubbing her wrist, which was aching from being gripped so tightly, behind her back. "I was just chatting casually, and it was based on a novel, so don't take it seriously. It's getting late, I'm going to sleep, you should get some rest too."
After she finished speaking, she turned around, climbed back into her bed, crawled under the covers, and closed her eyes.
Ye Wenshu has been laid out as a pawn in the game.
As long as it makes Xu Xinghe suffer, she doesn't mind giving her a few more pointers.
She disliked being looked down upon, especially by a woman who was prettier, younger, and from a better background than her!
Not long after, the other female educated youths who had gone out to wash up also returned, carrying empty washbasins. "This awful weather, even washing your face makes your hands freeze. It's a good thing we didn't wash inside, otherwise the water would have frozen on the floor tomorrow."
Ye Wenshu lay on the kang (a heated brick bed), staring at the dark beams, her mind filled with Liu Mengyao's words.
Even without a marriage certificate, there's still a chance... Xu Xinghe is an obstacle... Love stories in novels always involve trials and tribulations...
These thoughts took root in her heart like seeds, rekindling an unwarranted expectation in her originally despairing heart.
After a night of wind and snow, the sky finally cleared up.
Xu Xinghe got up early, washed her face briefly with warm water, and then followed Jiang Linchuan, Lian Xiao, and the others to help Hongqi Village sweep snow.
The snow had blocked the road at the village entrance, and the villagers were too busy to manage, so they were able to lend a hand.
The village chief's wife seemed like a completely different person; all her previous sharp tongue was gone, replaced by excessive enthusiasm. "Commander Jiang, don't rush off! The military and the neighboring village are clearing the road together, and it'll probably be open to traffic by noon. Why don't you have breakfast at my house before you get back to work? It'll be warmer there!"
Jiang Linchuan glanced at the sky. Although the snow had stopped, the snow on the road was still quite thick. He nodded in agreement, "Then I'll trouble you."
He turned to his adjutant and instructed him to give the cloth bag that Ye Wenshu had left behind yesterday to a familiar aunt in the village and ask her to deliver it to the educated youth settlement.
If possible, avoid contact with Ye Wenshu to prevent further trouble.
Breakfast was hot corn porridge with pickled vegetables and steamed buns. After eating and warming themselves up, they took brooms and went to shovel snow.
We were busy until noon, and the main road was finally open to traffic.
They bid farewell to the villagers and slowly drove towards the military headquarters.
Back in the familiar courtyard, Xu Xinghe collapsed onto the kang (a heated brick bed).
The room she stayed in yesterday was rarely occupied, and the bedding was damp. She tossed and turned and couldn't sleep well, managing only three or four hours of rest. Then she worked half a day in the morning, and her whole body ached.
She had just turned over when she caught sight of a familiar figure standing outside the window. She quickly sat up. "Ci Shu? What are you doing here?"
Zhang Cishu stood at the gate of the courtyard and said, "Last time you helped me warm my house, so this time I'd like to cook a meal to treat you. You were busy all day in Hongqi Village yesterday, so it's good to have a good meal today to replenish your energy."
These are words that Zhang Cishu carefully considered, imitating Xu Xinghe's tone and speaking style.
Xu Xinghe smiled, her eyes narrowing, and looked him up and down. "You seem a bit more cheerful after going out for a while? Okay, I'll go find Lin Chuan now! But Lian Xiao..."
She was in a dilemma. It wouldn't be good to leave Lian Xiao alone, but if she took him along, he always got along with Jiang Linchuan and Zhang Cishu, and they might end up arguing again.
"Let him come."
It's quite interesting to observe these two people.
Although Jiang Linchuan is a man who rarely shows his emotions, he always reveals a little bit of his true feelings when he is with Lian Xiao.
This is also a form of popularity.
“Okay, I’m glad you don’t mind.” Xu Xinghe explained, “Actually, Lian Xiao isn’t a bad person. He’s just not familiar with you at first. Once you get to know each other, you might become friends.”
When she mentioned the word "friend," she felt inexplicably guilty and quickly stopped herself, not wanting to give Zhang Cishu any unwarranted expectations, lest she disappoint him in the end.
"I believe you." Zhang Cishu turned around, her tone very soft. "Then you can come over tomorrow at noon."
At 11 a.m. the next day, Xu Xinghe and his two companions arrived at Zhang Cishu's courtyard on time.
As soon as I opened the door, the aroma of food wafted out.
There were four dishes and a soup on the table, including fish and meat, and they looked exquisite.
Zhang Cishu couldn't cook, so he specially asked the cafeteria chef to make the meal for him.
She immediately clapped her hands in praise, "Wow, this is such a feast! It looks delicious, thank you for spending so much!"
"It's nothing, please sit down." Zhang Cishu handed each person a pair of chopsticks.
The four sat down around the table. Zhang Cishu sat alone opposite him, seemingly unconcerned. He first served Xu Xinghe a bowl of soup, saying, "Have some soup to warm your stomach. Did you catch a chill yesterday?"
Lian Xiao crossed his arms, his face instantly darkening.
From the moment he entered, Zhang Cishu's gaze never left Xu Xinghe, ignoring him and Jiang Linchuan. What did that mean?
It wasn't enough that they took over his original courtyard; now they want to take Xu Xinghe away too?
Jiang Linchuan is Xu Xinghe's fiancé, so he has the right to come first. Zhang Cishu is someone who came later, so why should he come over?
Zhang Cishu picked up his chopsticks, about to take a piece of fish, when Lian Xiao, quick as a flash, snatched the fish away before he could and stuffed it into his mouth. "Hmm, this fish is pretty good, even fresher than the cafeteria's!"
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