Chapter 018
Chu Xia didn't speak to Lin Xiaohan again.
She sat obediently on the cart, paying attention to the road conditions at all times.
Just now, I was not familiar with the road and did not pay attention to the road conditions, and I almost fell on the slope.
When the sun was halfway up in the east sky, the two men drove the donkey cart to the county town.
After arriving in the county town, the first thing to do is to ask for directions to the Education Bureau, get a letter of introduction to explain the purpose of the visit, and then, under the guidance of the person in charge, pay the tuition and application forms to complete the admission procedures.
After all the formalities are completed, you can collect textbooks as needed.
Of course, the Education Bureau does not collect all tuition and miscellaneous fees. After collecting the fees, they will distribute funds for other expenses to the school based on regulations and the specific circumstances of the school.
So Chuxia and Lin Xiaohan used the distributed funds to purchase some teaching supplies such as chalk, blackboard eraser, ink, etc. that were needed for daily teaching.
Originally, the two wanted to buy some sports equipment, but they didn't have enough money, so they gave up.
After finishing the school work, it was already noon.
After putting the textbooks, chalk box, blackboard eraser and other items neatly on the cart, Chuxia just breathed a sigh of relief when her stomach suddenly growled quite loudly.
When Lin Xiaohan heard the voice, he subconsciously looked at her.
Meeting Lin Xiaohan's gaze, Chu Xia smiled to hide her embarrassment and said, "I'm so hungry."
"Then let's find a place to eat." Lin Xiaohan directly led the donkey cart forward.
They got up early in the morning, had breakfast early, and had been busy traveling and working for most of the day. He was already very hungry, but his stomach didn't growl.
When Chuxia heard him say "eat", she instantly felt even hungrier.
Lin Xiaohan was leading the donkey, so she naturally didn't sit on the donkey cart. She just followed him and walked on the street with him, turning her head to look at the shop signs on the street one by one.
Seeing the sign of "People's Hotel", Chu Xia raised her finger and said, "That."
Lin Xiaohan naturally saw it as well, and then he led the donkey cart to the vicinity of the restaurant, tied it up, and went into the restaurant to eat.
The restaurant has both staple dishes and stir-fried dishes.
You need food coupons to eat staple foods, but you don’t need them to eat stir-fried dishes.
Chu Xia and Lin Xiaohan looked at the menu on the wall. A bowl of plain noodles was 9 cents, and a bowl of three-fresh noodles was 35 cents. After hesitating for a moment, they both ordered a bowl of three-fresh noodles and did not order any stir-fried dishes.
Because I was very hungry and would soon be able to eat white flour, the time waiting for the noodles was very enduring.
In order to divert some attention, Chu Xia took the initiative to find a topic to chat with Lin Xiaohan and asked him: "After dinner, I plan to go to the post office to mail a letter home. Do you want to send a letter home?"
This topic is the most talked about topic among the educated youth who went to the countryside.
Everyone has left their hometown and has the same homesickness and longing for family, so it is natural that they can talk to each other.
But Lin Xiaohan replied without any emotion: "No."
Chu Xia stared at him for a moment, then asked, "You've been in the countryside for a month, don't you miss your family?"
Lin Xiaohan still had that expression and tone: “I don’t want to.”
Chu Xia stared at him for a moment, then lowered her voice and gossiped, "Why not?"
Lin Xiaohan looked at her and ended the topic: "No."
Chu Xia: “…”
No way, she is not interested in knowing.
Although she said she was not interested, she still looked at Lin Xiaohan and unconsciously searched for relevant content in the novel in her mind.
When she was in school before, she only had Han Ting in her heart and eyes. She never paid attention to Lin Xiaohan, who was in the same class as them, and naturally knew nothing about his family situation.
But there is a brief background introduction about him in the novel, and it seems to make sense.
As said in the novel.
Lin Xiaohan's family is very good. His father is the director of a food factory.
But Lin Xiaohan's mother died when he was very young.
His father found him a stepmother, who gave birth to a younger brother for him.
Because he had a weird and mean personality and was not liked by others, his father was strict and harsh to him since he was a child, while he was very caring and loving to his younger brother.
He was a guy who was disliked by people around him wherever he went. Even his biological father treated him like this, so naturally, his stepmother had no close relationship with him and they only maintained a superficial harmony.
He is destined to never receive any sincerity or true love in his life.
No one is willing to give it to him, whether it is family, friendship or love.
Of course, he doesn't need it.
He shut all emotions away.
All he wanted in his heart was success, to put everyone under his feet.
Chu Xia was lost in thought when she heard Lin Xiaohan ask, "Am I prettier than Han Ting?"
Chu Xia came back to her senses, but didn't react much, and subconsciously wondered: "Ah?"
Lin Xiaohan asked again in a rude tone: "What are you thinking about staring at me for so long?"
Chuxia understood what he meant.
She said half-seriously, "I'm wondering if you're lacking love."
Lin Xiaohan blurted out: "Why? You want to love me?"
These were clearly words meant to displease Chu Xia, but as soon as the words came out, Chu Xia was suddenly stunned, and Lin Xiaohan himself was also stunned. The two looked at each other. The atmosphere was weird, dry, irritating and awkward.
Just then someone in the store shouted, "Two bowls of three-fresh noodles are ready."
Chu Xia came to her senses and stood up quickly, saying as she walked: "Noodles... noodles are ready..."
After bringing the noodles back, she picked up the chopsticks and started eating without speaking to Lin Xiaohan again.
After they both finished their noodles in silence, the awkwardness was over.
***
After eating the hot and fragrant three-fresh noodles, you will feel full and comfortable.
After leaving the People's Hotel, Chu Xia and Lin Xiaohan did not immediately go to do anything else.
At noon, many staff members also needed to rest, so they drove the donkey cart to a deserted place, fed the donkeys food and water, and let the donkeys replenish their energy.
The reed hay and water for the donkey were all placed on the cart by Liang Youtian in advance.
After the donkey had eaten its fill, it lay down to rest in the sun. Chuxia and Lin Xiaohan also took a rest.
Lin Xiaohan had been driving the donkey cart for half a day and had made great contributions, so when he took a break, he just lay down on the cart, with his head resting on the new textbooks, and made himself comfortable.
He was tall and strong, and there was no space left in the cart when he lay down.
Chuxia didn't bother with him and just sat down next to the cart, playing with a piece of reed hay in her hand.
After playing for a while, she glanced to the side and inadvertently saw Lin Xiaohan's face.
Thinking of how he had just asked her in the restaurant whether he was prettier than Han Ting, she unconsciously lingered her gaze on him and looked at him carefully for a while.
She had never paid much attention to his appearance before, and her impression of him was that he was arrogant and domineering.
At this moment he was lying quietly with his eyes closed, and he looked really good.
So looking at and thinking.
Chu Xia muttered unconsciously: "She is indeed prettier than Han Ting..."
Lin Xiaohan was lying awake when he suddenly heard Chu Xia say this. It sounded completely heartfelt, with absolute affirmation and praise. The corners of his mouth unconsciously curled up.
The result is still not lifted.
Suddenly, I heard Chuxia say with great regret: "What a pity, he just has a mouth..."
Lin Xiaohan: “…”
***
Lin Xiaohan didn't sleep long. He lay down for two quarters of an hour and then got up.
He got up from the cart and said to Chu Xia, "I'm going to go buy something first. You sleep here and watch the cart. I'll come back after I finish shopping and watch the cart. Then you can go buy something."
It is indeed inconvenient to go shopping in shops and bookstores by pulling a donkey cart. Moreover, whether it is the donkey, the cart, or the textbooks and chalk on the cart, they all have to be watched to prevent them from being stolen.
Chu Xia nodded and said, "Okay, then you go first."
Lin Xiaohan got up and left, and Chuxia lay down on the cart again.
Looking up at the blue sky and white clouds, basking in the warm spring sun, she blinked her eyes slowly, feeling that this day full of rural atmosphere was quite good.
When I return to the city, I won’t live here anymore.
Looking back, I will definitely miss it.
Chuxia was lying on the cart, blinking her eyes slower and slower, until they finally closed and never opened again.
Because she got up early and was so tired, and then was exposed to the sun, she slept even more deeply than at night.
I didn't know how long I slept in a daze, and suddenly I felt myself shaking.
The shaking feeling was not very obvious at first, but later it felt like the whole world was collapsing.
Just as the thought "Is there an earthquake?" crossed her mind, she suddenly heard someone say twice in her ear: "Sister, your donkey ran away!"
It’s groggy in early summer.
The information slowly glides through the ear canal to the brain.
donkey? Run away?
What?
The donkey ran away?
Chuxia woke up suddenly and sat up from the cart.
Her face was full of confusion. When she opened her eyes, she saw Lin Xiaohan standing beside the cart looking at her.
Lin Xiaohan said: "If you don't wake up, the sun will soon set."
Chuxia turned around and looked at the tree where the donkey was tied. The donkey was still tied there.
There was no earthquake, the donkey did not run away, and the sun above my head did not set. Chuxia subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.
She stood up from the cart unsteadily and said to Lin Xiaohan in a daze, "Sorry, I was sleepy. I'll be back soon. I'll be back as soon as I finish shopping."
Lin Xiaohan put the things he bought on the cart.
He turned around and watched Chu Xia take two steps, then shouted at her back: "Hey, you're walking the wrong way!"
Chuxia was stunned and looked back in confusion.
Then she said "Oh" and walked in the opposite direction in a daze.
Lin Xiaohan: “…”
***
I had slept too deeply just now, and it took Chuxia four or five minutes for me to slowly wake up.
After waking up, the fatigue in my body was gone and my spirit was fully restored.
She ran to the post office with her schoolbag on her back, bought an envelope and stamps, put her letter into the envelope, sealed it, wrote the address on it, put a stamp on it, and threw it into the mailbox.
After sending the letter, she went to the state-owned store, stood in front of the counter, looked around, and bought two packs of toilet paper, a bar of soap, a tube of toothpaste and a bottle of vanishing cream.
I don’t know when I can come to the county town next time. Some things cannot be bought in the commune, and these daily consumables are used every day, so I’ll take this opportunity to buy some.
Things like salt, soy sauce and vinegar could be bought at the rural supply and marketing cooperatives, so she didn't go there to buy them.
She didn't buy any snacks. She hadn't finished the malted milk and honey she brought from home in the countryside, and she also had a can of braised beef.
I just had a bowl of three-fresh noodles at noon, which satisfied my craving.
The main thing is that the money she has is not enough for her to spend however she wants.
Although the money she brought from the countryside was not bad, she had spent a lot of it on Han Ting before, and now she had bought these not-cheap daily necessities, so there was not much left.
Chuxia took the remaining money and went to Xinhua Bookstore again.
She strolled around the bookstore, but didn't buy any novels or other books for entertainment or to kill time. Instead, she bought several learning materials and exercise question banks for middle school math, physics, and chemistry.
After buying the things, Chuxia trotted back to where the donkey cart was parked.
He ran to the donkey cart and stopped, put the two packs of toilet paper in his hand on the cart, and said to Lin Xiaohan while panting: "Let's go, we're done, let's go home quickly."
Before Chuxia came back, Lin Xiaohan was sitting on a cart and flipping through elementary school textbooks. Seeing Chuxia coming back, he put down the book in his hand, stood up, led the donkey over and harnessed it to the cart, then got on and sat down.
Chuxia followed him into the car.
After sitting down to catch her breath and watching the donkey cart move, she turned to Lin Xiaohan and said, "Well, I don't have much money on me right now. Can I give you half of the candy when I get paid?"
There were sixty students signing up for school, so Lin Xiaohan naturally gave out sixty pieces of candy.
He only had sixty candies on him, which was about two kilograms, or three yuan. If he split it in half, Chuxia would give him one yuan and fifty cents.
These candies were meant to complete their enrollment work.
Lin Xiaohan did not show any sympathy and replied indifferently, "Okay."
Chuxia breathed a sigh of relief, and her rapid breathing, which had just been caused by jogging, slowed down.
There was nothing more to say to Lin Xiaohan, so she reached into her schoolbag, took out the book she had just bought at the Xinhua Bookstore and started flipping through it.
The contents of these materials and exercises are a little difficult for early summer.
But she was not completely in the dark. After all, they had just graduated from high school a few years ago, and she had listened to the lectures and studied hard when she was in school.
She bought these materials so that she could study for the college entrance examination when it was resumed.
If we count from this time, according to the specific time mentioned in the novel, there are still two years before the college entrance examination is resumed.
If she had neglected her studies in the past two years, it would have been much more difficult for her to get into university.
But if you study hard for the past two years and are prepared, you won't panic when you receive the notice.
Chu Xia was looking through the materials and thinking about her next plan when she suddenly heard Lin Xiaohan ask beside her: "Why are you buying middle school materials? We only teach elementary school."
Chu Xia looked at him when she heard that, "I also need to study."
Lin Xiaohan sneered and glanced at Chu Xia, "I didn't expect you to be so studious?"
Chuxia ignored his expression and tone when he spoke to her.
Without any modesty, he said: "Of course, learning is a lifelong pursuit."
Lin Xiaohan sneered again, withdrew his gaze, drove the donkey cart without saying anything else.
But after walking for a while, he suddenly asked again: "Do you know any gossip?"
Chu Xia looked at her book and didn't think much about what he said. She casually replied, "What gossip?"
Lin Xiaohan drove the donkey cart and said, "The college entrance examination has been resumed. What other gossips can there be?"
Chuxia was suddenly stunned while looking at the book.
She looked at Lin Xiaohan and thought to herself – does he have to be so sensitive? She only mentioned it casually once, and everyone thought she was talking in her sleep, so why did he take it to heart?
Chu Xia certainly didn't act weird. She looked at Lin Xiaohan and discussed with him in a normal tone: "The college entrance examination has been suspended for nearly ten years. Now our country is seriously lacking in talent in many areas. I think it's only a matter of time before the college entrance examination is resumed. What do you think?"
Lin Xiaohan had answered this question a long time ago, and he also thought it was possible.
He looked at Chu Xia and said, "I just want to know if you have any inside information."
Chu Xia shrugged and said, "No, I just guessed it myself."
Lin Xiaohan retracted his gaze and looked forward, "You bought a book to study just based on speculation?"
Chu Xia: "What's the big deal? I love studying, and studying is not a bad thing. Studying makes people progress. If you learn math, physics and chemistry well, you won't be afraid to travel around the world."
It’s nonsense to say that she loves studying. She has never loved anything in particular except Han Ting.
She studied hard in school just because she was honest and law-abiding.
This time, Lin Xiaohan didn't laugh at her in a sarcastic way, nor did he say anything.
Chuxia didn't continue reading while swaying in the car, but put the book away and went to see the scenery.
After looking at it for a while, she turned to look at Lin Xiaohan and spoke to him: "Why don't you also bring it with you to review. If the college entrance examination is really resumed one day, you don't have to panic. I can lend you my books."
"No need." Lin Xiaohan decisively rejected her kindness.
If you don't need it, then don't use it. Chuxia curled her lips secretly and turned to look at the scenery again.
Actually he didn't need to, because in the novel he was successfully admitted to university.
Chuxia herself did not sign up for the college entrance examination in the novel, so she didn’t know whether she could pass, so she had to prepare and review in advance.
In the novel, after she gave the opportunity to return to the city for recruitment to Su Yun, Su Yun returned to the city early, while she continued to accompany Han Ting in the countryside.
The college entrance examination was resumed soon after.
Someone like Han Ting, who didn't study at all in school, naturally had no idea about the college entrance examination. So in order to continue to accompany Han Ting in the countryside, she did not sign up for the college entrance examination.
It’s really stupid when you think about it.
***
It wasn't too late when Chuxia and Lin Xiaohan drove their donkey cart back to the countryside.
When we returned to the brigade in Tanxi, it had just gotten dark.
They first went to the school and locked up all the textbooks and teaching aids in the office. Then they went to the yard of the brigade headquarters, untied the donkey from the cart, tied it back under the donkey shed, and fed it grass and water.
After feeding the donkey and leaving the brigade headquarters, the work for the day was over.
Although most of the way to the county town and back was done by donkey, I was still very tired after a day of hard work. Now Chuxia just wanted to eat, wash up, climb into bed and sleep.
She and Lin Xiaohan returned to the educated youth center, which was dark and empty.
At this point in time, Han Ting and the others should have already had dinner, but it is unknown where they went.
Of course Chu Xia and Lin Xiaohan didn’t care.
They went to their respective dormitories to put down their schoolbags, and then went to the kitchen to cook.
The meal was ready, and Chuxia still took her bowl and sat at the table with Lin Xiaohan to eat.
Lin Xiaohan raised his eyes and glanced at Chu Xia. It was obvious that he still minded her behavior, but he didn't say anything.
Lin Xiaohan had a dull and lazy expression on his face, and looked like he didn't want to bother with anyone anymore, so Chu Xia didn't bother herself by trying to find topics to chat with him. She ate her steamed bun and her pickled cucumber in silence.
While I was eating, I suddenly heard a noisy sound coming from outside.
The sounds of laughter and playfulness came from far away and reached outside the kitchen curtain.
The door curtain was opened from the outside, and the sound came in more clearly. Han Ting and the others were back.
They opened the door curtain and saw Chu Xia and Lin Xiaohan. After a moment of hesitation, they pretended not to see them and went into the kitchen to do what they were supposed to do and say what they were supposed to say.
Han Ting and his team came back from the brigade mill.
There are many of them, and they don't know how to be frugal when cooking and eating. The flour they ground last time has already been eaten up.
So after dinner, I went to the mill to grind new flour, and came back to steam new buns.
They were occupying two other tables.
The girls were kneading dough and making steamed buns, while the boys were sitting beside them, resting and chatting.
When they get excited, in addition to laughing and scolding each other, they sometimes get up and fight, which is lively and interesting.
Chu Xia and Lin Xiaohan were naturally still isolated from such an atmosphere.
After they finished their meal, they put away their dishes and went back to the dormitory.
As soon as they left, the atmosphere in the kitchen became more relaxed and there was more topic to talk about.
Gu Yuzhu held a steamed bun in her hand and asked Li Qiao beside her: "What did Tang Chuxia eat just now?"
It seemed like none of the ten of them were paying attention to Chu Xia and Lin Xiaohan just now.
As soon as Gu Yuzhu asked this question, she found that ten people were paying attention to it.
Before Li Qiao could answer, the boy Hu Yang replied: "Pickled cucumbers."
Chen Sisi echoed, "Yeah, I smell it, it's pickled cucumbers."
Gu Yuzhu muttered again: "Where do they get so many pickles to eat? I see Tang Chuxia has changed several things."
Although they can now steam buns themselves and have no shortage of steamed buns to eat, they still have to eat dry buns every day and watch Chuxia and Lin Xiaohan eat pickles. It is also quite painful for them to keep changing the pickles for Chuxia.
Li Qiao then responded, "Maybe it was given by a fellow villager's family."
Gu Yuzhu held her breath, "Why give it to them?"
Li Qiao: "They get along well with the country folks."
If you continue to say this, it will become a bad thing.
Knowing that Han Ting didn't like to hear them say bad things about Chu Xia, no one continued the conversation.
Chen Sisi brought the topic back to the topic: "Why don't we ask our fellow villagers?"
Before anyone else spoke, Han Ting took the initiative to speak up and said, "Let me ask."
The others were also used to relying on Han Ting, so naturally they had no objections and all listened to him.
Of course it’s very late now, so it’s not a good idea to go and ask others.
I'll wait until tomorrow and ask someone when it's more convenient.
After Han Ting said this, he felt stuffy in the room, so he got up and went out.
He walked into the yard, turned around and looked at the girls' dormitory in the west room, then continued to walk out of the yard.
Find a place to sit outside.
I ran out of cigarettes and had no more to smoke, so I could only look up at the stars in the sky.
After watching for a while, Su Yun came over again.
Su Yun sat down next to him and watched the stars with him for a while, then looked at him and said, "I heard that the brigade will hold an opening ceremony tomorrow."
Han Ting lowered his gaze to Su Yun, "You don't blame me in your heart, do you?"
Su Yun shook her head, looked melancholy and smiled bitterly, "It's my own fault that I'm not destined to be a teacher. Why should I blame you?"
Han Ting reached out and squeezed her hand. "Don't think too much. As long as I, Han Ting, am here, I won't let you suffer or be wronged. It doesn't matter whether you are a teacher or not."
Su Yun felt secure in Han Ting's palm.
She pursed her lips, the dark clouds in her eyes dissipated, and she smiled at Han Ting and nodded: "Yeah."
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