Chapter 088
It's not time for dinner yet.
Chuxia and Lin Xiaohan planned to go for a walk in the park first.
Seeing a cart selling roasted sweet potatoes on the road, Lin Xiaohan stopped the car and bought a roasted sweet potato for Chuxia.
Chuxia didn't say anything when we bought roasted sweet potatoes from the stove.
When they arrived at the park and sat down by the river to eat roasted sweet potatoes, she smiled and said to Lin Xiaohan, "I'll keep the account for you."
Lin Xiaohan ignored her and asked, "What happened to Han Ting?"
Chu Xia ate roasted sweet potatoes and said to him, "The issue of educated youth returning to the city has been going on for a long time. I don't know about the others, but Han Ting, Chaozi, Guogai, and Su Yun, all four of them have returned. I'm not very clear about it at school, but my mom told me that after Han Ting returned and registered his household registration, he and Su Yun secretly got their marriage certificate without telling their parents."
Lin Xiaohan said in a slightly sarcastic tone: "These two people are really in love."
Chu Xia knew that he and Han Ting didn't like each other at all, so she ignored what Lin Xiaohan said and continued eating her roasted sweet potatoes, "As a result, Han Ting's parents, brother and sister-in-law were not happy with this marriage. But since they had obtained the marriage certificate, they had to get married, and today was their wedding day. Han Ting's mother drank a little and couldn't hold back, so she started making a scene at the dinner table, saying a lot of unpleasant things. If I were Su Yun, I wouldn't be able to sit still."
Lin Xiaohan looked at Chu Xia, "Are you not satisfied with Su Yun? Then what kind of woman does his family think Han Ting can marry?"
Chu Xia replied, "I am like this."
Lin Xiaohan: “…”
He stared at Chu Xia, holding his breath, without saying a word.
Chu Xia thought he didn't believe it, so she looked at him and said, "It's true. His parents and his elder brother and his wife have liked me since I was a child. They think I have a good temper, work hard, and am a down-to-earth person. Although they didn't say it, I can see that they just want me to be Han Ting's wife."
Lin Xiaohan withdrew his gaze and looked towards the lake.
He said aloud: "Laihama wants to eat swan meat."
Chu Xia lowered her head and took a bite of the hot sweet potato. "It's mainly because I foolishly liked Han Ting before, and I did a lot of things for him. I even followed him to the countryside to work as a sent-down youth. They probably thought that as long as Han Ting was willing, he should marry me, so that's why they felt so bad."
Lin Xiaohan looked at the lake in silence for a while, then looked at Chu Xia: "What was Han Ting's reaction when he saw you?"
Chu Xia thought for a moment, "He came to the table to toast and then he saw me. When he saw me, he was stunned for a long time. Then Su Yun touched him and he came back to his senses."
Lin Xiaohan sneered again, "I knew it."
Chu Xia spoke in a lower voice: "Could it be that he saw that I had become more beautiful, was amazed, and suddenly came to his senses, understood my previous feelings, and then regretted it?"
Lin Xiaohan: “Isn’t it?”
Chu Xia shook her head and said, "This is so realistic."
In the past, she treated him so well with all her heart, and would rather sacrifice herself to make him live a good life, but he could never see her feelings and always treated her as a sister.
After all, it was because she was not pretty enough and he had better-looking candidates.
What is more realistic and ironic is that
He and Su Yun had been through so many hardships in the countryside, and they had finally made it to today to return to the city and get married.
As a result, when I saw her for the first time today, I felt shaken.
Lin Xiaohan added: "Fortunately you are sober, otherwise he would divorce you sooner or later."
Hearing this, Chuxia subconsciously felt a chill in her heart.
But think about it, in the novel, even if she didn't become beautiful, Han Ting didn't feel any regret or pity towards her, and he still came back to find her in the end.
Although he did not marry Su Yun in the novel, there is actually no difference in essence.
By the way, in the novel he and Su Yun had a child, I wonder if they have one now.
Just thinking about it makes me feel uncomfortable all over.
Chu Xia shuddered and said, "Why don't I find a boyfriend right away."
Hearing this, Lin Xiaohan looked at Chu Xia and asked, "What did you say?"
Chu Xia turned to look at Lin Xiaohan, "Oh, I said I should find a boyfriend, so that I can put an end to all their fantasies. Otherwise, they will think that I still like Han Ting and that I am single because of Han Ting."
Lin Xiaohan: "Do you have someone you like again?"
Chu Xia shook her head, "Not yet."
I've been so busy with studies this year that I don't have time to think about love matters. Besides, the school doesn't allow dating at school. If you're caught, you'll be expelled.
She had worked so hard to get into university, so of course she wouldn't take the risk.
So she relaxed her tone and said, "I just said that casually. I won't just find a boyfriend because of him. I won't be so confused about love affairs anymore."
Lin Xiaohan breathed a sigh of relief.
He added, “Then let me help you.”
Chuxia was stunned while eating sweet potatoes.
She looked at Lin Xiaohan and blinked a few times, then swallowed the sweet potato in her mouth and said, "You're pretending to be my boyfriend?"
Lin Xiaohan said, "Can you find a real boyfriend in a short time? Besides, dating is not allowed in school. Wouldn't it be troublesome for you to find a real boyfriend?"
Chu Xia had just said it casually, but now that Lin Xiaohan said it so seriously, she felt that it might be possible.
So she looked at Lin Xiaohan, blinked again and asked, "Are you willing?"
Lin Xiaohan: "I've already said it before, I'm always willing to help you. Why can't I help you with this little favor? Or do you have someone better than me?"
Chuxia looked him up and down.
If it was an impostor, she really couldn't find a better candidate than him.
Whether in terms of appearance, academic qualifications, or family conditions, he is the best among the boys of the same age she knows.
And for now, the relationship is the best.
Chuxia bit into the sweet potato and thought again.
If Lin Xiaohan were to pretend to be her boyfriend, given Lin Xiaohan's current condition, it should be possible for the Han family and Han Ting to stop having those inappropriate thoughts about her.
Moreover, when she was in the countryside before, she lied to Han Ting and said that she liked Lin Xiaohan.
However, if we do this, another problem will arise.
She brought Lin Xiaohan home, and the people in the yard knew about it, and the people in the alley certainly knew about it as well. Then in everyone's eyes, Lin Xiaohan was her boyfriend.
If we don’t get married in the future, how will it end?
I just thought of this in early summer.
Suddenly, Lin Xiaohan said, "Let's talk about the future later. Let's deal with the current situation first."
Chu Xia: “…”
He knows what she is thinking?
But after thinking about it for a while, she no longer had any concerns.
Because it will take her another three years to graduate from college.
After graduating in three years, and then working for another two years, I don’t know when the end will be.
Moreover, after entering the 1980s, the speed of social development will far exceed our current imagination.
After everyone has money, they try to move out and live in buildings. As long as they have the conditions, no one wants to live in this old bungalow. By then, there will be no neighbors left.
No one would care who she married.
So Chu Xia nodded and said, "Okay!"
Ying Wan added: "I will record all the favors you have done me in my account book. In short, you can rest assured. Be friends with me. I guarantee that you will only make money and never lose money!"
Lin Xiaohan: “…”
***
Chuxia sat by the river and ate roasted sweet potatoes, then strolled in the park with Lin Xiaohan.
When the time was almost up, the two rode their bikes to the western restaurant.
Go to the restaurant, find a seat and order food.
When we were halfway through ordering, we heard someone call out, "Chu Xia?"
Chuxia looked up and saw Tong Rui and her friends.
Chu Xia also smiled and greeted Tong Rui, "What a coincidence, we meet here again."
Tong Rui also thought it was quite a coincidence.
She continued with a smile, "I went to the factory to visit you before, but your colleague said you were admitted to university and left. I thought you must be very busy, so I didn't dare to visit you at school."
Chuxia remembered that when she went to the factory to find her for the first time, she did say when she left that she would come and play with her again when she had time. She thought she was just being polite, so she didn't really take it to heart.
Chu Xia hurriedly said: "I forgot to tell you at that time."
Tong Rui smiled and said, "It's okay."
It was a rare opportunity for us to meet here again, so she suggested: "How about we share a table?"
After making the proposal, Tong Rui immediately realized that she had ignored the person opposite Chu Xia.
So she quickly smiled and said, "Is it inconvenient today? I'll find you when I have time."
Chu Xia looked at Lin Xiaohan to ask for his opinion, thinking that if he didn't want to, then forget it.
But Lin Xiaohan didn't spoil the fun this time, he nodded and said, "Okay."
Chu Xia didn't hesitate and decisively shared a table for four with Tong Rui and the others.
After sitting down at the table for four, she and Tong Rui introduced their friends to each other, and they got to know each other.
The four of them ordered food and chatted while eating.
The occasion and mood were right now, so everyone talked about their situations.
Tong Rui and her friend were also admitted to university last year, and they are studying in medical school.
Tong Rui knew that Chu Xia went to Peking University, but after hearing what Chu Xia said herself, she still praised her and Lin Xiaohan and said, "You are really amazing. We didn't dare to apply to such a good school."
Chu Xia smiled and said, "I am just a blind cat that caught a dead mouse."
Tong Rui smiled and asked her back: "Do you think getting into Peking University is a lucky gamble?"
Chu Xia laughed, "I am indeed a little modest."
No one mentioned anything unhappy; they all talked and laughed while finishing their meal.
Chuxia stood up to pay, but after walking a few steps she came back.
She signaled with her eyes, called Lin Xiaohan aside, and said to him very awkwardly: "I was in a hurry when I came out, and forgot to bring money. It was not intentional..."
She had originally agreed to treat him to a meal, so now she really wanted to knock his head.
Lin Xiaohan said nothing. He asked Chuxia to go back and sit down while he went to pay for the meal.
After paying the bill, we came back and sat down and chatted for a while, and the meal was almost finished.
Tong Rui wanted to pay, but found that she had already paid, so she said, "We can only get together next time."
It was getting late, so the four of them walked out of the restaurant and prepared to go home.
Tong Rui and Chu Xia followed behind, leaving a short distance between them. Tong Rui smiled and asked Chu Xia in a low voice: "I remember it was him last year, who were you..."
Chu Xia hurriedly explained: "Just friends."
Tong Rui smiled again and didn't ask any more questions.
Just at this moment, Chu Xia had the opportunity to ask Tong Rui again: "Have you thought clearly about Han Ting's matter?"
Tong Rui took a deep breath and nodded, "Well, I've thought it all through. Thank you for what you said to me. It really made me sober up a lot. It can be said that it was an epiphany."
Chu Xia smiled at her, "Thank you for treating me as a friend."
After all, the relationship between them, if you really talk about it, is quite awkward.
Tong Rui said: "Because I can see that you really want to help me."
Chu Xia: "I don't want to see you torture yourself in that relationship for the rest of your life. We should all have our own happy life."
Tong Rui smiled, "Yeah."
Although it was unknown how long it took her to get over the relationship with Han Ting, Chu Xia could see that Tong Rui had really let it go completely at this moment.
Han Ting’s affairs were no longer important to her, so Chu Xia did not tell her that Han Ting was getting married today. After saying these few words, they went their separate ways and went home.
On the way back, Lin Xiaohan rode the bike again.
Sitting in the back seat of a car in early summer, feeling the cool breeze makes me feel good.
She stretched her head and said to Lin Xiaohan: "Tong Rui has also come to her senses and is no longer acting stupidly."
Lin Xiaohan replied: "Oh, that's good."
In fact, he didn't care. He was more concerned about something else. He turned around and said, "Then it's settled. I'll go to your house on the first afternoon of the New Year to wish you a happy new year."
Chu Xia Ying: "Okay, I'll wait for you at the entrance of the alley."
Then the two discussed some details.
In fact, there is no need to be too deliberate. After all, visiting someone’s home alone to wish them a happy new year is already very different.
When they reached the entrance of the alley, Lin Xiaohan stopped the car, listened to Chuxia say goodbye, and watched her enter the alley.
Chuxia pushed her bicycle back to Yard No. 8.
After parking the car in the yard, she walked towards the inner courtyard humming a song in a relaxed mood.
At this time, lights were on in the houses on three sides, but the yard was very quiet, and there was no noise even in the east room of the Han family.
There was a big red double happiness pattern pasted on the door of the east room, making it seem more deserted than usual.
Chuxia walked through the yard into the north room, said hello to Tang Haikuan and Wu Xuemei, washed up and went back to the room.
Sitting down at the desk, she turned on the desk lamp and took out a leather-covered notebook from the drawer. Beihai Park was printed on the red cover.
She took out another pen from the pen holder.
Open the notebook, turn to the latest page, and write down how much money Lin Xiaohan spent today.
As she wrote it down, she muttered to herself - he was really generous today, treating her to such an expensive meal.
***
East House Han Family.
The night that should have been the busiest was the quietest.
Even Han Mengyuan and Han Feipeng, who usually played around, didn't make any noise.
Because there are many people in the family and the house is so small.
In order to make room and decorate the new house for Han Ting's wedding, Han Lei's family of four now sleeps in the north room with two curtains in the middle.
The elderly couple Han Qingtian and Wang Cuiying made their beds and slept in the middle room.
Everyone else in the house has gone to bed.
No matter whether you are asleep or not, no one talks anyway.
In the room facing south, Han Ting and Su Yun had not yet gone to bed.
Su Yun had already removed her makeup from the day and was leaning against the head of the bed with Han Ting, each lost in thought with their own thoughts.
Han Ting just heard Chu Xia coming back and humming a song as she passed through the yard.
What he was thinking about at this moment, besides the scenes of Chuxia following behind him and being nice to him, was also the words that Wang Cuiying said to him while hitting him that day.
"She went to the countryside for you! She might have gone to college for you! She was willing to go with you even though it was so hard. She has done so much for you since she was a child. Everyone in the hospital can see it, but you are blind and can't see it! You will regret it! You will regret it!"
"Do you regret it?"
Su Yun suddenly spoke, bringing Han Ting's thoughts back to reality.
Han Ting took a deep breath and asked, "What are you talking about?"
Su Yun blinked twice and said, "Chu Xia has become so beautiful now, and she is a college student. She used to be so devoted to you, but you turned a blind eye to it. You also broke up with her because I pissed her off. Do you regret it now?"
Han Ting took another breath and said, "That's not the case. Don't think about it."
Su Yun looked at him, "Am I just imagining things? When you saw her at the dinner table, don't you know how long you stared at her?"
Han Ting said: "I just saw that she had changed so much suddenly, and I was a little slow to react."
Su Yun thought of Chu Xia's current appearance and her fingers unconsciously clenched together.
Before meeting Chu Xia today, she had long forgotten what Chu Xia looked like, and she never took her seriously, nor had she ever thought about it.
But the moment she saw Chu Xia at the dinner table today and then saw Han Ting's reaction, she felt like her whole world had collapsed.
She didn't know why Chu Xia had become so beautiful and dazzling, but she knew that today, when she should have been shining the most, Chu Xia had stolen all her limelight and glory.
Compared with early summer now, she is simply useless.
She even lost confidence in winning Han Ting's heart.
Of course, she suddenly became confused - why did she want to catch Han Ting? Why was she in such a hurry to marry him? Why was she in such a hurry to enter the Han family?
She had always thought that if she could return to the city and marry Han Ting, she would have finally made it.
After marrying Han Ting, a happy and sweet married life awaits her.
But now, all her imaginations were shattered.
What lies before her at this moment is another bloody reality.
Because she was eager to marry Han Ting, and the Han family had a more suitable candidate for Han Ting's wife, the Han family disliked her from the bottom of their hearts, looked down on her, and did not give her any face.
Today is her wedding day, and she doesn't even get the minimum respect in this family.
There is no respect and no good living conditions.
The love between her and Han Ting that had overcome all difficulties seemed like a joke the moment Chuxia appeared.
She suddenly realized that she had plunged into a pit of fire in her fantasy.
Is she going to quarrel with Han Ting again without caring about anything?
In this situation, what purpose would it have if she continued to make a scene and let people continue to laugh at her, other than making Han Ting annoyed and disgusted with her?
He is the only person she can rely on in the Han family now.
She didn't want to quarrel or make a fuss, but she couldn't swallow the anger in her heart.
So she pulled the quilt and lay down, saying calmly: "Even if you regret it now, it's too late. We are already married. She broke up with you and ignored you when she was in the countryside, and it is even more impossible for her to care about you now. Even if she liked you and treated you well in the past, that was in the past. Some people, if you don't cherish them when you should, you will never have them again if you miss them."
“…”
Han Ting took a deep breath.
He had nothing more to say, so he reached out to turn on the light, pulled up the quilt and lay down.
Su Yun couldn't stop talking, and continued in a casual tone: "Do you think she is still in contact with Lin Xiaohan after she came back? When she was in the countryside, she always followed Lin Xiaohan. Lin Xiaohan disliked her at first, but later he treated her very well. He was with her on everything and supported her... After she came back, the two of them should still be in contact, but I don't know if they are together..."
Han Ting couldn't help but take a breath again.
He finally couldn't help but speak: "Can we not talk about it?"
Su Yun turned to look at him, "Don't you want to listen? Don't you want to listen to Chu Xia? Or don't you want to listen to Lin Xiaohan? Or don't you want to hear that Chu Xia and Lin Xiaohan are together?"
Han Ting: "I don't want to listen."
Su Yun smiled, "Yes, when we were in the countryside, you were very unhappy to see the two of them together. Now you see it, it must be even more unpleasant. You said Chu Xia said she liked Lin Xiaohan at that time. Did she really like him, or was she playing hard to get to you just to stimulate you?"
Han Ting lay there with his eyes closed, not saying a word, trying to breathe evenly.
Su Yun looked at him and continued, "Do you think that she was trying to provoke you in the beginning, and that she wanted to play hard to get with you, but as she did so, she really fell in love with Lin Xiaohan? If that's the case, then you can be considered the matchmaker between the two of them."
“…”
Han Ting finally couldn't help but speak again: "Are you deliberately provoking me now?"
Su Yun smiled again, "Of course not. You're meeting Chu Xia today. She's changed so much, and she's your sister who grew up with you. It's normal for you to have a chat with her."
Han Ting opened his eyes and looked at Su Yun, his voice became deeper and he said, "I'll tell you again, I don't regret anything. You know how bad things were between her and me in the countryside. I don't want to mention her, let alone that person named Lin. Do you understand?"
Under the pressure of Han Ting's tone, Su Yun could no longer laugh.
She pursed her lips and said nothing more. Han Ting took a breath, turned sideways, turned his back to her, closed his eyes and went to sleep.
***
The incident that happened in the Han family during Han Ting’s wedding spread throughout the alley in just one day.
And after the next day, it was the end of the year - New Year's Eve.
Every family in the alley is busy preparing for the New Year, so naturally they are not so concerned about other people's affairs.
But while steaming buns and cleaning, we chatted a few words.
On New Year's Eve, no one mentions those unlucky things. Everyone happily cleans the house, puts up Spring Festival couplets, prepares the New Year's Eve dinner, and gets ready to welcome the new year.
In Courtyard No. 8.
During last year's Chinese New Year, the Jiang family had the worst atmosphere at home.
During this year's Spring Festival, the Han family became the one with the worst atmosphere.
Of course, no matter whose family has a bad atmosphere, it will not affect the atmosphere in Chuxia's home.
The three of them still celebrated the New Year happily and prosperously.
Because she had agreed with Lin Xiaohan to come to her house to pay New Year's greetings on the afternoon of New Year's Day, Chuxia didn't ask him to come over at twelve o'clock on New Year's Eve.
After the New Year's Eve, on the morning of the first day of the new year, just like last year, Chuxia got up, put on the new clothes she bought before the New Year, tied her hair up, put on the New Year's velvet flower, and first wished Tang Haikuan and Wu Xuemei a happy new year. After breakfast, we visit each neighbor’s home to wish them a happy new year.
She is not married and still thinks of herself as a child.
Han Mengyuan and Han Feipeng followed her, and the three of them, big, medium and small, spent half a day in the alley paying New Year's greetings to people, and received a lot of peanuts, melon seeds and candies.
After lunch, she did not go to pay New Year's greetings, but went to wait at the entrance of the alley.
After pacing at the entrance of the alley for about ten minutes, her fake boyfriend appeared in her sight.
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