University Side Story (Final Chapter)
This year's Spring Festival went by very quickly.
Wen Sheng lived with Wen Chunhua in the textile factory dormitory. On New Year's Eve, she went home for a New Year's Eve dinner, but she didn't say much and just sat quietly in the corner.
Wen Dazhi was having a drinking contest with his relatives, his face already flushed red, downing one cup after another. In high spirits, he slammed his chopsticks down and laughed loudly, "After the New Year, our family will have this much dowry money. You'll all be envious!"
As he spoke, he held up five fingers and waved them in the air.
The main room erupted in laughter. Someone teased, "Dazhi, you're going to strike it rich now!" Another chimed in, "Marrying off your daughter is a sure way to make a fortune!"
When Wen Sheng heard this, she immediately felt short of breath. She put down her chopsticks, silently got up, walked around the table filled with the smell of alcohol and laughter, and pushed open the creaking door.
She had tried to refute these views. When she was a freshman in high school, she couldn't help but chime in when relatives joked about "getting a bride price for a daughter's marriage," saying that girls should also study and have their own paths. The result was either ridicule or eye-rolls: "Sure enough, you've been educated; you talk differently from everyone else."
On another occasion, Wen Dazhi slammed his fist on the table and yelled in front of a room full of people: "Did I send you to school for nothing? You think you can control everything just because you studied for two years?"
Forget it. Arguments are pointless; she can't change their minds. Since words are powerless, she can only fulfill her wishes through action.
She went inside and saw Chunhua and her fiancé sitting together, chatting and laughing in hushed tones, and she was even carefully serving him food.
Wen Sheng stared blankly for a moment, then a slow smile curved her lips.
As long as Chunhua is happy.
On the third day of the Lunar New Year, Xu Jianing rode his bicycle to visit her, and she happened to see him while wandering around the village.
He brought two packs of cigarettes and a box of pastries, saying he was going to visit her parents and offer New Year's greetings, but she stopped him.
"No need, they're all not home, they've all gone to visit relatives."
This is a lie.
But she didn't want Xu Jianing to see what that house looked like now, didn't want him to see those indifferent faces, and didn't want him to discover that she didn't even have a place to stay in that house.
She lowered her eyes and forced a smile that looked worse than crying: "Xu Jianing, come with me for a walk around the village."
Xu Jianing looked at her, without asking any questions or exposing her, but simply parked his bicycle on the side of the road, put the cigarettes and snacks into the bicycle basket, and then walked over to her.
"Let's go, I'll go wherever you want," he said, taking her hand.
They sat down by the river without saying a word.
In winter, the river level is very low, revealing a dry riverbed.
Wen Sheng leaned on Xu Jianing's shoulder, staring blankly at the river, which was narrower than she remembered. The scenes of playing in the water, washing clothes, and catching fish here as a child now felt like a distant dream.
After what seemed like an eternity, she finally spoke: "Xu Jianing, my sister is getting married."
"Mm," Xu Jianing replied.
“I originally… I originally wanted to save money so she could continue her studies. But she didn’t want to; she said that path was too far for her,” Wen Sheng said, choking back tears.
“Your sister chose the path she believes is best, and that’s her freedom. We can’t assume that others have to follow us just because we’ve gone far. Just like back then, some people didn’t understand why you left the village,” Xu Jianing said earnestly.
Wen Sheng finally burst into tears, crying for her helplessness and for the home that couldn't even provide her with a place to stay.
Xu Jianing held her like this, gently patting her back with one hand and holding her hand with the other, enveloping her with his warmth.
After an unknown amount of time, her sobbing gradually stopped, leaving only occasional choked sobs.
"Are you feeling better?" Xu Jianing asked softly.
"Mmm," Wen Sheng replied in a hoarse voice, her eyes still swollen.
She looked up at him, her eyes glistening with tears, and suddenly said, "Xu Jianing, let's go back to the capital tomorrow."
This place is no longer home to her, and there's no point in staying any longer.
Xu Jianing nodded: "Then I'll pick you up tomorrow morning."
The two sat by the river for a while longer, until the sun began to set and it got dark, before slowly walking toward the village entrance.
The next morning, before dawn, Wen Sheng got up very early and went home with her luggage.
"father."
Wen Dazhi was smoking in the yard. When he heard the sound, he forgot to shake off the ash. He turned around and saw her standing at the door with her luggage.
"Er Ya?"
Wen Sheng walked in, put her luggage on the threshold, took out a bulging envelope from her pocket, and handed it over: "This is the money I earned from tutoring and translation work this semester. It's to pay back the tuition you gave me before."
Wen Dazhi stared at the bulging envelope, his brows furrowed, smoke billowing from his nose, and asked suspiciously, "Er Ya... is what you do a legitimate job?"
"What's 'tutor'? And what's 'translation'? Are you kidding me? Or are you going to get out of here...?"
He dared not utter the last word.
Seeing his wary look, Wen Sheng was completely heartbroken. She took a deep breath and calmly explained, "Tutoring is teaching children to read, while translation is helping others convert foreign languages into Chinese."
“This money is money I earned honestly. If you don’t believe me, just consider it a debt I owed you, which I’ve now paid back.”
After saying that, she didn't look at Wen Dazhi again, pushed the envelope into his hand, picked up her luggage and walked out the door.
"Er Ya," Wen Dazhi called out to her.
He took a drag of his cigarette, exhaled a puff of smoke mixed with cold air, and said slowly, "You're studying away from home, so there's not much we can do to help you. Take care of yourself."
He paused for a moment, seemingly hesitant, before finally saying, "Also... try to come back less often in the future. Travel expenses are high."
Wen Sheng turned around and took one last look at her home, which was exactly the same as she remembered. However, the place where she used to run and play could no longer hold her even a fraction of her.
"I see."
From that moment on, she was completely cut off from this place.
After Wen Sheng left, Ye Caifeng came out carrying a basin of washed clothes and happened to see the envelope in her hand.
"Er Ya just got back? Where is she?"
"Just left." Wen Dazhi stubbed out his cigarette.
Ye Caifeng put the basin of clothes aside, leaned over and glanced at it: "This girl has made quite a bit of money. Did you tell her that you won't be giving her any more money?"
Wen Dazhi said with a stern face, "I told you."
Ye Caifeng didn't notice his expression and clicked her tongue. "That's good. Now all the money in the family should go to Dongliang. After all, he is the pillar of our family."
"Go back inside," Wen Dazhi interrupted her impatiently, then picked up the envelope and glanced outside.
Wen Sheng was no longer visible on the dirt road outside.
*
When Wen Sheng reached the village entrance, it was already fully light. Xu Jianing was waiting for her ahead.
"Is the matter resolved?" he asked after taking her luggage.
"Yes. I gave my sister a bank card and will transfer money to her regularly so she can sponsor the girls in the village who are going to school. She has her choices, and I have my principles."
Xu Jianing tied the luggage to the back of the car, then reached out to straighten her scarf, and patted the seat cushion: "Let's go, let's go back to the capital."
Wen Sheng sat on the back seat, wrapped her arms around his waist, and the bicycle drove out of her childhood village. She did not look back.
There's nothing left to cherish in my memory.
Her future lies ahead.
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