(312)
Ye Wenyu was incredibly grateful. She turned around, the bright light blinding her; she couldn't see the license plate or the driver of the car opposite, only that it was black, large, either an SUV or a campervan, boxy and cool-looking. Nevertheless, like a Japanese person, she bowed deeply to the driver. It had just saved her life, like a hero descending from the sky, sparing her from robbery and rape. Filled with gratitude, she bowed again before entering the school gate. About a hundred meters inside, she curiously turned back to look for the large vehicle, but it had vanished.
Over the next month, the weather grew colder and colder. Ye Wenyu was busy working and studying. Although she was afraid of working until late at night and then returning to school alone, poor people don't care about danger, so she could only go with a glimmer of hope.
Whenever she feared bad luck and encountering bad people, that big truck would always appear with its lights on.
This situation continued until the end of the semester, when Ye Wenyu received a first-class scholarship and breathed a sigh of relief.
Winter break arrived, and with less than a month until the online loan repayment deadline, it was a time of relaxation for other students. For Ye Wenyu, however, it meant working even harder. She took on several jobs, working tirelessly, commuting between her workplace and school every day. Sometimes she came home late, but whenever she passed through that alley and found herself alone, filled with fear, that large truck would always appear at just the right moment, its bright headlights illuminating her path. It would then slowly follow her, escorting her all the way to the school gate. This continued for a month and was still ongoing. Its presence brought Ye Wenyu a sense of peace; she was no longer so afraid or lonely, as if she had finally found a companion on her life's journey.
As things progressed, whenever she was about to reach that alley, she would look up, breathe out hot air, rub her hands which were frozen like carrots, and nervously look around, hoping that the big truck would appear on time. Then, as if the truck could guess her thoughts, it would always appear on time and escort her all the way to school.
The two of them seemed to have reached a tacit understanding.
As Ye Wenyu approached the university gate, whenever she tried to muster the courage to thank the car owner, the car would always disappear before she could act. After more than a month, she only recognized that the large vehicle was a Mercedes SUV, which cost about six million yuan.
This was the first time Ye Wenyu had ever met such a kind and wealthy person. In the dead of winter, with snow falling, the thought of that large truck filled Ye Wenyu's heart with warmth.
She thought that having lost Cai Wenchuan, her warm little sun, at this moment, this big truck that silently escorted her in the darkness had become the only warmth in her heart.
Time passed day by day, and soon many shops hung up big red lanterns, and many New Year's markets opened. The streets of S City were all red, and another new Lunar New Year's end had arrived.
Ye Wenyu finally received her wages from her job during the Lunar New Year. With the money she had saved up, she raised 50,000 yuan and paid off her online loans. A huge weight was lifted off her shoulders, and she felt much lighter and less tired.
She smiled and thought that next, she would repay Lin Tingfeng for the hospital fees he had paid for her. He might have completely forgotten about it, but she would definitely pay him back.
After paying off her online loans, her mother, Zhang Susu, called to ask about her situation. Ye Wenyu was touched; her mother still loved her, even though she herself was going through a very difficult time. She answered gently, only reporting the good news and not the bad. She told her mother about her final exam results, how she had earned a first-class scholarship through her own efforts, how she had paid off her stepfather's hospital bills, and how she had received a poverty subsidy from the school, waiving her tuition and living expenses for her second year. In short, in Ye Wenyu's words, she seemed to be the most carefree, happiest, and most capable young girl in the world. She was very sensible and didn't tell her mother that to pay off the loans, she sometimes worked five jobs in five different places a day. She was so tired that her bones felt like they were falling apart. She suffered so much that her palms were calloused, her feet ached like they were being pricked with needles, her legs felt like cotton, she swayed as she walked, saw stars, and felt dizzy. All day long, all her joints ached as if they had been beaten. She didn't tell her mother that during her most tiring days, the sweat from her body completely soaked her cotton-padded coat.
Ye Wenyu thought to herself, what's the point of saying all this? Everything is in the past. Her mother has a new family, and her stepfather is a good person. Everything has been difficult, so why should she make them worry anymore?
Sure enough, after hearing Ye Wenyu's description, Zhang Susu breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "Xiaoyu, it's almost Chinese New Year. Why don't you come to Mom's new house for the New Year? Although the house is a bit small and there's not enough room, you can sleep with me and let your dad and your two younger brothers sleep there."
A warm feeling washed over Ye Wenyu; her mother still loved her! But at the same time, she also knew that her mother was having difficulty making things easier for her.
Zhang Susu continued to extend her loving invitation. Ye Wenyu thought that if she didn't go in person, the old woman would definitely feel bad. Therefore, she agreed and went to her mother's new home.
The next day, I took some time to go, and following the location my mother sent, I took several buses to reach her new home. It was my first time visiting my mother's new home.
The house was smaller and older than she had imagined; it was a truly dilapidated old house. Despite the warm hospitality of her mother and stepfather, Ye Wenyu only stayed for half an hour before making an excuse to leave. Her mother's new home was much smaller than she had described, resembling a matchbox, making it difficult to even turn around. Her two younger brothers shared a room, which was only the size of someone else's bathroom, less than ten square meters. Two small wire beds were stacked together. There was absolutely no way her stepfather would sleep with his two sons, so Ye Wenyu very tactfully said that a classmate had invited her to dinner at school and hurriedly left.
The streets were filled with joy, and people were buying New Year's goods everywhere in preparation for the holiday. She slowly walked to the street and breathed a sigh of relief. Her mother had really had a hard life. To be precise, poverty had made her poor. The life of a poor person was a constant battle with daily life. As she walked back to school, she thought to herself, it seems that this year, she will be spending the New Year alone at school, just like last year.
However, thinking that she was staying in the dormitory and not causing her mother any trouble, she felt rather happy and comfortable.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com