School started soon, and life was as busy and fulfilling as before. Shen Xuyue came over to study with Zhao Mingyue and asked her, "Didn't you say last semester that you wanted to climb the wild Great Wall?"
Zhao Mingyue nodded: "Yes, this is what our teacher suggested. She said that this is the only way to see the original appearance of the Ming Great Wall."
"I'll go with you guys this weekend. See how many of your roommates are willing to go."
"Okay, I'll go back and ask."
As history students, we always hope to understand the situation at that time through field research. When Zhao Mingyue's roommates heard that they were going to climb the wild Great Wall, they were all very enthusiastic and no one was absent.
On the day they went, Zhao Mingyue discovered that not only Shen Xuyue, but also Shen Qixue, Wei Qin, and Song Xiaorui were there. Apparently, they hadn't been out for a long time and since they were all free, they went together.
When Song Xiaorui saw Zhao Mingyue, she took her hand very intimately: "Wei Qin has already agreed to let you make clothes for him. When can you take his measurements? The sooner the better, he will be going back soon."
Zhao Mingyue nodded: "Okay, no problem. I'll take care of it. What kind of style do you want?"
Song Xiaorui asked, "What style do you think looks better?"
"Both a suit and a Zhongshan suit are fine; it depends on his preference. By the way, Sister Xiaorui, why did you all go this time?"
Song Xiaorui glanced at Shen Qixue and smiled, "Of course, his real intention is not what it seems."
Zhao Mingyue laughed. Just as she had thought.
This time, there were seven women and three men traveling together, with only Shen Qixue being a single man. Zhao Mingyue originally wanted to invite Yu Youqing to come along, but Shen Xuyue said it was better not to, as the car probably wouldn't have enough room. That was probably the real reason behind it all.
However, it's true that there weren't enough seats in the vehicles. Two military jeeps, each with five people, were just the right number. These days, transportation isn't convenient; without a car, it's really difficult to go to the undeveloped Great Wall, and a round trip in a day is definitely impossible.
Zhao Mingyue didn't intend to play matchmaker. If Shen Qixue really wanted to get to know her classmates, then he could take the initiative to find out. In this kind of matter, she could only help by providing opportunities, not by doing anything. If it didn't work out, she would be pleasing neither side. Even if it did work out, if she encountered a mother-in-law like Shen's mother, she would probably be blamed by her.
Zhao Mingyue obediently climbed her mountain, enjoying the scenery, ignoring everything else. The mountain path was difficult, and everyone helped and pulled each other up to the half-collapsed Great Wall, where they sat down to rest at its base. General Shen Xuyue handed her an aluminum kettle: "Have some water, Mingyue."
Zhao Mingyue glanced at Shen Qixue, who was talking to Mao Jianlan, and asked Shen Xuyue, "Tell me honestly, is your purpose in coming here to provide opportunities for your brother?"
Shen Xuyue chuckled twice: "My brother has a pretty good impression of Xiao Mao. He's been on many blind dates, but none of them have been satisfactory. This holiday is almost over, so he wants to take this opportunity to get to know Xiao Mao better."
So that means she has a pretty good impression of Mao Jianlan. Zhao Mingyue looked over there and saw that the two of them seemed to be chatting happily and getting along well. After thinking for a moment, Zhao Mingyue still said, "But I don't think it's appropriate."
"Why do you think that?" Shen Xuyue asked.
Zhao Mingyue said, "You know Jianlan's family situation, and you know your mother's expectations of your brother. Jianlan's conditions are quite different. If they really get together, there will definitely be a lot of trouble in the future." Moreover, Mao Jianlan has such a strong personality and a strong sense of self-esteem. Can she tolerate Shen's mother's unreasonable dislike and nitpicking? She is not me. She is a real young woman in her early twenties. How strong can her mentality be?
Shen Xuyue nodded: "My mom is indeed a problem. But the premise is whether they get along or not. My mom has been a bit obsessed lately. She actually brought Wu Jie over to introduce her to my older brother."
Zhao Mingyue spat out the water in her mouth with a "pfft": "Isn't this a bit too desperate? Wu Jie is here too?"
Shen Xuyue nodded helplessly: "Here it comes. My brother doesn't agree."
Zhao Mingyue felt that Wu Jie was almost as bad as Wang Qiulan. Wasn't she madly in love with Shen Xuyue? How come she came along when he was supposed to be on a blind date with his older brother? If it really worked out, Zhao Mingyue would have to repeat her life's fate again. She would probably have to reconsider her relationship with Shen Xuyue.
Zhao Mingyue said, "Luckily your brother didn't agree. If he had, what would have become of us?"
Shen Xuyue smiled and said to Zhao Mingyue, "I feel really lucky now, I don't have to be forced to go on blind dates by my mom."
“Poor brother.” Zhao Mingyue shook her head.
"Yes, it's pitiful for the eldest brother."
After returning from the Great Wall, Zhao Mingyue didn't inquire whether Mao Jianlan and Shen Qixue had developed any further. If Mao Jianlan wanted to talk about it, she was happy to be a listener; if not, she would pretend not to know.
However, Qian Sisheng once asked Zhao Mingyue about Shen Qixue when they were chatting: "Was the one who went to climb the Great Wall with us last time Shen Xuyue's older brother?"
Zhao Mingyue nodded: "Yes, he's Shen Xuyue's older brother. Doesn't he look alike? I think he does look somewhat like him."
Qian Sisheng nodded: "He does look somewhat like him. Is he in the military? I seem to remember him mentioning that he was in the navy, isn't he?"
"Yes, I'm an officer in the South China Sea Fleet. Fourth Sister, is there something you need?" Zhao Mingyue looked at her.
Qian Sisheng laughed and said, "It's the Navy, right? That's great. I have a cousin who is preparing to join the army and wants to learn about the different units. I have relatives in the Marine Corps, but I don't know much about the Navy and Air Force. I want to find someone inside to learn about them."
Zhao Mingyue nodded in sudden realization: "Do you need me to ask for you? Oh, by the way, he has already returned to his unit."
Qian Sisheng said, "Could you help me find out his contact address? I'll give it to my cousin so he can ask him himself."
Zhao Mingyue readily agreed, "Okay."
That day, Zhao Mingyue went to the cafeteria to get her food and saw Yu Youqing eating with a girl. She peeked over and discovered it was Bian Hongyu; the two were chatting and laughing. Zhao Mingyue frowned. How did Youqing become so familiar with Bian Hongyu? It was strange. After getting her food, she picked up her bowl and went over to him, saying, "Youqing."
Yu Youqing turned around, saw her, and smiled broadly: "Mingyue, you've come to eat too, let's eat together."
Bian Hongyu stood up: "I've finished eating, I'm leaving now."
Zhao Mingyue didn't have a good impression of Bian Hongyu. She sat down and asked, "Why are you having dinner with her?"
Yu Youqing said, "What's wrong? She's from our hometown too. We just happened to run into each other, so we ate together. You've been very busy lately; I haven't seen you come to eat at Xue Er lately."
Zhao Mingyue said, "I've been spending a lot of time in Xueyi recently. The department's publicity department asked me to be a publicity officer, and sometimes I have to help with bulletin boards, so I haven't been eating here."
Yu Youqing nodded: "Oh."
Zhao Mingyue thought for a moment and then said, "Youqing, keep your distance from Bian Hongyu. Don't get too close to her. I don't think she's very naive; she's not from our world." Yu Youqing is too naive, and Bian Hongyu is too worldly. Don't let her corrupt Yu Youqing.
Yu Youqing nodded: "Okay, then I'll have less contact with her."
Zhao Mingyue asked with a smile, "Are there many girls in your class?"
Yu Youqing said, "There are three girls in my class."
"That's really few." Zhao Mingyue chuckled twice. There were only a dozen or so girls in a class in their history department, and even fewer in the physics department. The current situation at the school is that there are more men than women, and many male students who want to date can't find a partner.
Yu Youqing said, "Bian Hongyu just mentioned that our hometown association has an event this week, going to Beihai Park. Are you going?"
Zhao Mingyue looked up at the still desolate scene outside. It wasn't even April yet, spring hadn't arrived, and the weather was still cold: "Are we going boating in Beihai at this time?"
Yu Youqing said, "I don't know, maybe."
Remembering the rescue she and Shen Xuyue had done last year, Zhao Mingyue said, "Let's go take a look. Don't go boating, be careful of capsizing. Last year, my roommates and I went boating around this time and a family of four fell into the water. I was the one who rescued them. It was freezing cold."
Yu Youqing stared at her wide-eyed: "This kind of world water?"
"There's nothing we can do, we've run into this situation, saving lives is the priority." Zhao Mingyue shrugged helplessly.
Yu Youqing said, "So you're not going this time?"
Zhao Mingyue said, "I made plans with Shen Xuyue, but I have other things to do, so I can't go. Since you've never been before, why don't you come and have some fun? Have a good time."
Yu Youqing was slightly disappointed when she heard that she was going on a date with Shen Xuyue, but she nodded and said, "Okay."
When Zhao Mingyue returned to her dormitory, she found Gao Dongfang and Mao Jianlan huddled together looking at something. Zhao Mingyue asked, "What are you looking at?"
Mao Jianlan blushed slightly and said, "The photos that Brother Shen took when we went to the wild Great Wall last time have been sent to us now."
"Really? Let me see." Zhao Mingyue leaned closer to look at the photos. So Shen Qixue really was in contact with Mao Jianlan. The photos were mostly group pictures, taken by Shen Xuyue and Shen Qixue. Zhao Mingyue had been wondering why the photos hadn't been developed yet, but it turned out Shen Qixue had taken them and then found an opportunity to send them to Mao Jianlan.
Gao Dongfang held up a photo and said, "This photo of Gladiolus is great. Who took it for you?"
Zhao Mingyue looked at the photo and saw that it was of Mao Jianlan squatting on the Great Wall picking flowers. She held a flower in one hand, her face turned towards the camera, and she smiled very brightly. The photographer was also very skilled: "Yes, it's really beautiful. The photographer is very good."
Mao Jianlan blushed and said, "Brother Shen took the picture."
When Qian Sisheng returned and saw everyone looking at the photos, she joined in. Upon hearing that the photos were sent by Shen Qixue to Mao Jianlan, she paused for a moment, then laughed: "So Fifth Brother and Shen Qixue were corresponding?"
Mao Jianlan blushed and said, "Not often, just occasionally."
"Oh." Qian Sisheng smiled, put down the photo, and went to read a book.
Zhao Mingyue didn't notice Qian Sisheng's expression. She just sighed slightly. If they really became a couple, she hoped that Mao Jianlan could withstand the barrage of questions from Shen's mother.
Zhao Mingyue couldn't control or participate in other people's lives; she could only observe. Her own life still had to go on. The weather was gradually warming up, and people were starting to wear spring clothes again. Looking at the bright spring clothes, Zhao Mingyue thought about how much money she made from her shop last year. She thought there should still be a market this year. If she could open a clothing factory and mass-produce clothes, she wouldn't have to work so hard, and she would earn even more money. But right now, it was all just wishful thinking. She was still a student and had no capital; she needed to accumulate initial investment first. This summer, she planned to train Mao Jianlan so she could work with her in making clothes. She would be in charge of cutting, and Mao Jianlan would handle the sewing. This way, efficiency would be increased by at least half.
On Labor Day, Song Xiaorui got married. Before their wedding, Zhao Mingyue made two outfits for Song Xiaorui and Wei Qin. Wei Qin only had a Zhongshan suit made, while Song Xiaorui had a cheongsam made.
Their wedding was held in Beijing. It was simple in some ways, but also quite grand in others. There was no large banquet, but there were a lot of guests, mostly relatives and friends of Wei Qin and Song Xiaorui's parents. Wei Qin's parents had just been exonerated this year and came back just in time for their son's wedding.
This was their first happy occasion after the Cultural Revolution, and everyone took this opportunity to celebrate their new life together, so it was quite a grand occasion. Wei Qin wore a silver-gray stand-up collar Zhongshan suit, while Song Xiaorui wore a bright red short-sleeved cheongsam with a dark floral pattern. Fortunately, a cold front came during the May Day holiday, so the two of them looked quite comfortable in their clothes.
The bride and groom's attire was perfectly tailored. Wei Qin, being very tall, looked exceptionally dashing in his Zhongshan suit. Song Xiaorui, tall and slender with a shapely figure, looked stunning in her cheongsam, her curves accentuated by her exquisite beauty. The couple's attire was so different from what one usually sees at weddings that it attracted almost everyone's attention.
Of course, not everyone's gaze was one of envy and admiration. Some people glanced at Song Xiaorui and quickly looked away, thinking she was far too conspicuous—her breasts, her buttocks, as if she wanted everyone to know. It's understandable; many people have been deeply influenced by clothes that are so loose they completely conceal a woman's curves, to the point that even their standards of beauty have become somewhat politicized. They see something truly beautiful and, ironically, perceive it as ugly.
However, truly beautiful things are obvious to everyone, and many people are secretly inquiring about where Song Xiaorui and Wei Qin's clothes were made. Marriage is a once-in-a-lifetime event, so they should dress in a unique way.
Zhao Mingyue looked at her masterpiece with satisfaction and said to Shen Xuyue, "How is it? Isn't Sister Xiaorui's dress beautiful?"
Shen Xuyue said with satisfaction, "When we get married, you should also make a cheongsam like this."
Zhao Mingyue smiled and nodded: "Okay."
Someone over there had already found out that Zhao Mingyue was here: "Hello, I'm Xiaorui's cousin. I heard that you made my cousin's dress? I'm getting married this fall and would like to have a dress made just like it. Could you help me?"
Zhao Mingyue looked at the other person and said, "Oh, I'm in school and don't have time during the week, but I can during the summer vacation. You can talk to Sister Xiaorui then, she knows where to find me."
The other person nodded: "Okay, thank you."
Shen Xuyue said, "Are you planning to do it for them for free?"
“Of course I didn’t do it for nothing, I don’t even know them,” Zhao Mingyue said with a smile.
Shen Xuyue glanced at his mother with some concern, and Zhao Mingyue noticed: "Won't your mother be unhappy?" The Shen family is a prominent family, and it would indeed be difficult to accept if he became a self-employed individual, according to conventional thinking.
Shen Xuyue said helplessly, "She's always like this; she's unhappy far more often than she's happy."
Zhao Mingyue initially wanted to ask Shen Xuyue for his opinion on her going into business, but after thinking about it, she decided against it. These are ideas that change gradually, and if she were to bring it up now, Shen Xuyue probably wouldn't accept it. However, she believed he would eventually accept it, since he himself had abandoned politics for business in his previous life.
After attending Song Xiaorui's wedding, Shen Xuyue took Zhao Mingyue back to school. The two sat in the back of the bus. Zhao Mingyue looked out the window and suddenly seemed to see a familiar face. She was a little unsure, so she turned around and looked again. It was indeed a familiar face. It was Li Chunmei sitting on the back of Wang Xingkai's bicycle. The two were chatting and laughing as they walked in the same direction.
Shen Xuyue noticed that she kept turning her head to look out the window, so he asked, "What's wrong?"
"I think I saw my classmate." Zhao Mingyue was still a little incredulous. How could Li Chunmei and Wang Xingkai be together, and they looked quite intimate?
Which student?
"Our roommate Li Chunmei, the third oldest in our dorm, was with another male classmate. What a surprise!"
Shen Xuyue said, "It's nothing. It's normal for male and female classmates to have feelings for each other and start dating."
Zhao Mingyue said, "The key is that the third sister and that male classmate didn't get along at all. They would fight each other whenever they got together. I never expected them to be so good friends now."
Shen Xuyue said, "They probably developed feelings for each other through their constant bickering."
"Maybe so, that's really interesting," Zhao Mingyue laughed.
Zhao Mingyue didn't think it was wrong for Wang Xingkai to have expressed feelings for her and then turn around and pursue Li Chunmei. After all, Li Chunmei knew Wang Xingkai's background, so there was no deception involved in their relationship. She was just surprised that two people who clearly disliked each other would end up together; wasn't that a strange thing about the world?
She didn't know much about Wang Xingkai, so she couldn't comment. Li Chunmei probably knew more about him than she did. It's a good thing that Li Chunmei finally emerged from the shadow of heartbreak.
Most of her roommates have found their own places. Mao Jianlan receives a letter from Zhanjiang almost every two weeks. Although she doesn't say anything, it's clear that she gets along very well with Shen Qixue.
Only Qian Sisheng remained single. Judging from her appearance, she didn't seem enthusiastic about it, spending her days in the library with Tang Weihua, carrying all sorts of hefty history books back to their dorm. Zhao Mingyue's reading materials were mostly recommended to her by Qian Sisheng after he had read them. Academically, Zhao Mingyue wasn't the most outstanding student; after all, everyone else was working so hard, and her foundation was limited. Besides, she didn't seem to intend to delve deeper into academic pursuits.
During the summer vacation, Zhao Mingyue first took some time to go back to her hometown. She wanted to find a way to promote the reform of the village's tea gardens and subcontract the tea gardens to individual households. Of course, this matter could be left until the Spring Festival, but such things are naturally better done as soon as possible.
Zhao Mingyue also called Shen Xuyue back. Shen Xuyue had contributed greatly to the tea garden renovation and was quite respected in the village. If he were to offer suggestions, the chances of them being adopted would be much greater than if she offered them herself.
After listening to Zhao Mingyue's plan, Shen Xuyue asked, "You mean, you want to subcontract all the tea gardens to individual households?"
“Yes, some places have already contracted out farmland to individual households. I think our village should try it too, so that everyone won’t go hungry,” Zhao Mingyue said. “We can start by contracting out the tea gardens, and by the end of the year, we can contract out the village’s farmland, one step at a time. Let everyone try it out and see if their harvest is better than the harvest from the communal system.”
Shen Xuyue looked at Zhao Mingyue and said affectionately, "You really are a country person. Even though you've come all the way to Beijing, you're still thinking about the people back home."
Zhao Mingyue said, "There's nothing I can do. My father and brothers are all there. I want everyone to get rid of poverty as soon as possible, live a life with enough to eat and wear, and achieve a moderately prosperous life."
Shen Xuyue nodded: "It should have been done a long time ago."
Yu Youqing, who had been listening to their conversation, asked with some surprise, "What are you two talking about?"
Zhao Mingyue smiled and said, "It's nothing, I just want to improve the current situation in our hometown."
Yu Youqing stared at Zhao Mingyue, his mouth slightly agape. He had never considered these things before, nor had he ever thought of changing everyone's lives on his own. It was simply not something he should be concerned with. But Zhao Mingyue, this woman, wanted to improve everyone's lives with her own efforts. Yu Youqing's perspective was greatly shaken. Could an ordinary person really change everyone's lives?
Shen Xuyue said, "Let's have Youqing help us persuade everyone. We'll also call Minglang over, and the four of us can discuss it and find a suitable opportunity to persuade the village officials. I think that way, we might be more persuasive."
Yu Youqing asked blankly, "Me too?"
Shen Xuyue looked at Yu Youqing, who was completely dumbfounded, and said with a smile, "Come on, let me analyze this situation for you, and then you can cooperate with us."
Shen Xuyue and Zhao Mingyue opened up a whole new world for Yu Youqing. Only then did he realize that he had always been living passively, accepting whatever lifestyle others gave him and trying his best to adapt. He never thought that one day he would have the opportunity to actively change his own and others' lifestyles.
Back home, Zhao Mingyue told her third brother about her plans, and Zhao Minglang readily agreed. The four young people worked hard on this project. In fact, for the past two years, the tea garden's harvest had been distributed according to labor; whoever picked more earned more. If the harvest were distributed to each household, they could pick their own tea and process it themselves. Those who didn't know how to process tea could sell their tea leaves to those who did. The tea garden would then become their own, and they would definitely take better care of it.
The young people persuaded the village officials, and they convened a meeting of the villagers. Upon hearing their story, everyone was in an uproar. When the team initially collected the land from each household, everyone was very enthusiastic about the communal meals, eating their fill. But later, there was nothing left; it was a classic case of not knowing where their next meal would come from, and the more they ate, the hungrier they became. Everyone began to miss the days when the land was in their own hands, when their families had a plan and at least they wouldn't go hungry.
Now, when the topic of redistributing the tea gardens comes up, everyone is excited and eager to get started, ready to make a big splash. Zhao Mingyue thought the reform would encounter some obstacles, but things went very smoothly, and everyone accepted the idea very easily, probably because the tea garden distribution model of "more work, more pay" had laid a good foundation.
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