Chapter 48
He He was very impatient. "You should apologize. Stop bothering me unless it's absolutely necessary. I get annoyed just seeing you."
She continued to warn He Shuying, "Especially you, He Shuying, if you continue to play these shady games, I won't be so lenient with you next time."
He He interrupted her, "I don't have time to listen to what you're saying. How old are you? Stop pretending to be pitiful. You're not sixteen or seventeen anymore."
Hearing the argument, the surrounding classmates had already perked up their ears to listen to the commotion, and their whispers clearly indicated that they were talking about them. He He didn't want to be stared at like a fool, so she pulled Fang Ya'er away.
He Shuying and Ye Minglang ruined what should have been a welcoming party; nothing good ever comes of running into them.
He He was unhappy, but Fang Ya'er was overjoyed. She gave He He a thumbs up and said, "Sister He, you are really amazing. I never knew you were so good at talking. You left those two speechless."
"Hey, what's your relationship with those two? They seem really sleazy."
He He said, "My sister and a neighbor, didn't you just hear me talk about them?"
Fang Ya'er chuckled: "I was so focused on listening to you scold them that I didn't pay attention to what your relationship was. But if she's your sister, why would she treat you like that? It seems like she did it on purpose. And that guy hasn't even entered your family yet, but he thinks he's something. He even dares to lecture you. Who does he think he is?"
Fang Ya'er stood up for her, which touched He He, but when she thought about what had just happened, she felt disgusted. She shrugged and said, "Because she's not my biological sister. She was adopted and we grew up together. I don't know what her motives are."
She then explained the ins and outs of her family relationships to Fang Ya'er, leaving Fang Ya'er completely bewildered.
Fang Ya'er: A complicated family relationship.
Fang Ya'er comforted He He, saying, "It's okay, let's not take them seriously."
After He He left, He Shuying and Ye Minglang also left the welcome party venue like thieves.
He Shuying had just calmed Ye Minglang down when she said, "Minglang, you really have to believe me. I don't come home often, and I really didn't know they hadn't reserved a bed for her. I thought she was angry with us for not coming home. You know I can't make decisions at home, and Dad and Mom won't explain these rules to me, I..."
Ye Minglang comforted He Shuying: "I know Shuying. This is not your fault. There is no such thing as a family feud that lasts overnight. Xiaohe has always been petty, and she is also at fault."
"I really didn't expect Xiaohe to stop treating me as a friend. She treats me like a stranger. It's just a trip to the countryside, how could she have changed so much? Or maybe she never considered me a friend at all." Ye Minglang sighed.
Hearing Ye Minglang say this, He Shuying felt a surge of pride: Good sister, you're the one who pushed Ye Minglang to my side.
As long as He He continues to dislike Ye Minglang, Ye Minglang will keep looking at him. Ye Minglang comes from a good family and has a good job. He He is really missing out on such a talented young man. Fortunately, she seized the opportunity.
He Shuying looked at the handsome Ye Minglang with admiration.
She took Ye Minglang's hand and said, "Minglang, you only need me. Xiaohe doesn't deserve this. I will always stand by your side."
A smile appeared in Ye Minglang's eyes. "Yes, I know you're good to me. I came back this time to discuss our marriage with Uncle He and Aunt Wang. We've been talking for two years, and it's time to settle things."
He Shuying is fine. He should let go of his past obsession with He He. No matter how much he likes He He, she won't even glance at him. He should cherish the person in front of him more.
Ye Minglang looked at He Shuying tenderly.
He Shuying looked back at him, her face slightly turned to the side, her smile perfectly controlled.
In the dim light of the night, Ye Minglang vaguely thought the person standing next to him was He He. He shook his head, and He Shuying's face gradually became clear.
He pinched the bridge of his nose, raised his eyebrows, and regretted mistaking the person for someone else.
He Shuying thought he was not feeling well. "What's wrong, Minglang? Are you not feeling well? It's all my fault for dragging you to our school so late at night. I wanted you to see Xiaohe who has returned to the city."
He Shuying felt a sense of doubt. Had she not tilted her face upwards just now? Didn't she look like He He? Why did Ye Minglang show such an expression? She had clearly practiced in front of the mirror many times and knew that this angle best resembled He He.
Ye Minglang forced a smile: "How could I blame you? You meant well. Okay, let's not talk about her anymore. What's the point of always mentioning other women to your future husband?"
"Okay, I won't mention her anymore, but I... I'm a little worried that you still like her." He Shuying's words contained a hint of shyness and jealousy.
Ye Minglang panicked for a moment, but quickly smiled and said, "Jealous? That was before. Now, I only need you."
He Shuying lowered her head, pretending to blush and be shy.
In a corner where Ye Minglang couldn't see, He Shuying frowned. If only he had really let go, but she knew for sure that wasn't the case. Otherwise, she wouldn't have had such an excited and happy expression on her face when she heard He He come back.
Although Ye Minglang tried to conceal it, his subconscious expression revealed just how happy he was to know that He He had returned.
She didn't want Ye Minglang to mistake her for He He, but she had no choice; Ye Minglang had never let go of He He.
He Shuying touched her face. Fortunately, she still had this face, the face that could keep Ye Minglang in check.
Thinking about how she and He He looked alike, He Shuying recalled the scene of her parents arguing that day.
After He He left that day, He Shengli was still playing outside. After she and her classmates came back from shopping, she heard her parents arguing inside the house.
They probably knew no one was home, and they didn't expect her to suddenly come back after saying she wouldn't be home for dinner.
They didn't hide from anyone at all and argued loudly inside the house. The argument was about how He's father was biased, giving away eighty yuan at once and then giving He He forty yuan a month for living expenses.
Hearing this, He Shuying was only slightly jealous. After all, she was not her father's biological daughter, and had no relation to her mother at all. She was content as long as her mother treated her better than He He.
He He received half as much living expenses as He Shuying, which He Shuying thought was quite normal.
But what her mother said next left her stunned and speechless.
My mother said: You're just biased! Why are you still thinking about that Cheng Fenghua who died young? Is her daughter better than mine? What does Shuying have that makes her inferior to He He? Why are you treating her differently?
At the time, He Shuying hadn't reacted yet, but the old stories her mother revealed next shocked and made things clearer for her.
Wang Fangrong almost roared, saying that He Zhongguo had wronged her. Back then, she had gone through a lot of trouble to give birth to He Shuying in the countryside, but He Zhongguo, who was serving in the army, married the daughter of his superior without saying a word.
Wang Fangrong tearfully recounted that in the countryside back then, marriages weren't registered, which allowed He Zhongguo to get a great deal. With his handsome looks, he managed to marry Cheng Fenghua in the city without telling his family back home that he had a wife and daughter.
He Zhongguo's hometown is a remote rural village in another city. The letter made it sound nice, saying that he was forced to marry Cheng Fenghua by coercion and enticement, and asked Wang Fangrong to be more understanding. He said he would send money to Wang Fangrong and her daughter every month and would ask his parents to treat her well.
Wang Fangrong was foolish back then, and she believed He Zhongguo's words, thinking that he would divorce Cheng Fenghua after he got promoted. Who knew that Cheng Fenghua's daughter, He He, would be born before she knew it.
When He Zhongguo's parents learned that he had married the daughter of a leader, and they disliked Wang Fangrong for giving birth to a girl, they treated her poorly and even tried to kick her out of the house.
Unable to bear it any longer, Wang Fangrong left He Shuying behind and ran back to her own home. She was lucky and good-looking, and was noticed by a soldier who was visiting his family. The man did not mind that she had been married and had children, and married her.
But her good days didn't last long. Her soldier husband was killed by artillery fire on the battlefield, and she became a martyr's family member. She returned to her own home. Wang Fangrong said that the thing she regretted most in her life was not being able to leave any children for the soldier who treated her so well.
Perhaps to provoke He Zhongguo, Wang Fangrong recounted the whole affair, saying that her biggest regret was that after He He's mother passed away, she approached He Zhongguo again and asked him to marry her.
They pressed He Zhongguo to tell him if he was willing to marry her because he valued her status as a martyr's relative and believed that marrying her would help his career.
The argument was still going on inside. Even when He Shuying, who was in a daze, accidentally knocked over a chair and made a noise, no one inside heard it.
She stumbled and left home again.
That day, He Shuying squatted in a secluded corner of the courtyard, silently processing everything. She then understood why her father's eyes often held guilt when he looked at her, and why she and He He looked somewhat alike. They were, after all, half-sisters.
But she was also dissatisfied. He He was able to become her father's daughter openly and legitimately, while she only had the status of an adopted daughter. Just like her mother argued, she was even treated unfairly in matters such as living expenses.
He Shuying didn't know why she hadn't confronted them earlier, but instead ran downstairs and hid here pretending she hadn't heard anything.
After calming down and thinking it over, she realized that what He Zhongguo and Wang Fangrong had done was despicable, especially her father's actions, which were even more unethical. He had deceived two women, and if the rest of the compound or He He's maternal grandfather's family found out, her father would be finished, and the entire He family, except for He He, would be doomed.
She was glad she had run away instead of staying at home. If her father had known she had overheard this, would his tolerance towards her, born out of guilt, have gradually disappeared over the years?
She herself understood that sometimes, in certain matters, her father treated her better than He He. For example, when she took it upon herself to send He He to the countryside to work, her father only said it and did not blame her much.
Perhaps in his eyes, it didn't matter whether she or He He went to the countryside, but it did matter to her; she didn't want to suffer in the countryside at all.
He Shuying's heart pounded, and she made up her mind to pretend she knew nothing about it.
She lingered outside for a long time. When she returned home, He Zhongguo and Wang Fangrong looked normal and resumed their usual affectionate behavior, making it impossible to tell that the two had just had a fight.
Seeing them like this, He Shuying felt even more certain that her decision was correct. She pretended not to know anything and that her mother would fight for the rest for her, just like she had argued for her today.
He Shuying looked at Ye Minglang carefully. She didn't care whether Ye Minglang liked her or whether he still cared about He He.
All she wanted was for Ye Minglang to marry her so she could become the wife of Ye Minglang, the deputy company commander.
Of all the people she knew and could come into contact with, only Ye Minglang had a bright future and was capable of making a name for himself. He had already become a deputy company commander at a young age, and he was expected to rise even higher in the future.
She needs to hold onto Ye Minglang tightly and not let him get away.
He Shuying didn't go back to the dormitory. She didn't have classes tomorrow, so she didn't have to stay in the dormitory. Ye Minglang was going back to the government compound, and she was going to go home with him. This trip would be a good opportunity to nurture their relationship.
He Shuying followed Ye Minglang back to the government compound. At this time, there were not many entertainment activities in the evening, and not every household had a television. Even though the government compound was full of cadres, only a few households had televisions.
So after dinner, until after 10 p.m., the cement square downstairs in the tenement building was bustling with activity. There were aunties and grandmas chatting, uncles and grandpas playing chess, and children running around.
There were streetlights downstairs in the tenement building, and the aunties could see He Shuying and Ye Minglang returning to the compound from afar.
He Shuying and Ye Minglang were good-looking and a perfect match. Not to mention, one of them was admitted to a junior college and the other became the deputy company commander through his own abilities. They were the famous golden couple in the compound and role models that the aunts often asked their children to learn from.
So as soon as he saw the two of them return, he grabbed them and started praising them.
"Oh my, it's Shuying and Minglang back! You two look so well-matched standing together. I heard from your mom that you went on a mission, Minglang. How come you're back so soon?"
"The mission is over, and the team has given us leave, so I came back to see my parents." Ye Minglang then looked at He Shuying, "and also to see Shuying."
"Wow, you two are so lovey-dovey! When will I get to drink your wedding wine? You've been dating for years, haven't you?"
He Shuying didn't speak; she waited for Ye Minglang to speak.
Ye Minglang did not disappoint her. "I came back this time to take my parents to the He family to discuss my marriage with Shuying. The aunts should make time to come and drink our wedding wine."
"Definitely, definitely. We've watched you and Shuying grow up. We'll definitely go to your wedding banquet. If you need any help, just tell your auntie. She'll be available."
"Look, Shuying is blushing, haha."
After the teasing, the aunties brought up the fact that He He had nowhere to stay when she returned home. Before He He left that day, she had told them about it, but the couple in He's family were very stubborn and they couldn't get any answers no matter how they asked.
He Shuying was different. The young girl was shy and would tell them everything if they asked. They had finally run into He Shuying at home today, and they couldn't satisfy their curiosity without asking her properly.
He Shuying stammered and couldn't explain clearly, then looked at Ye Minglang with pleading eyes.
When Ye Minglang saw He Shuying's soft, watery eyes, he immediately softened. "Aunties, please don't ask Shuying. Shuying is in college and lives in the dormitory. She doesn't come home often. How would she know these things?"
"However, I can roughly guess some of it. Everyone knows that our compound is small, not to mention that there are five people in Shuying's family, and there are not enough rooms. Xiaohe's room was occupied by Shengli after she went to the countryside. When Xiaohe came back and saw that the room was occupied by Shengli, she said that the family had not left a room for her to sleep in."
"But there's nothing we can do about it. Xiaohe has gone to the countryside, and no one lives in her room. It's just empty anyway, so it's better to let Shengli move in first. After all, Shengli and Shuying are both crammed into Shuying's old room. Even if we build a new wall to separate them, it's still too small for two adults to live in, with no room to even turn around."
"But after Shuying marries me, she will definitely live in my house. The room she leaves vacant will be for Xiaohe. Even if she gets married in the future, that room will still be left to her. Our Ye family is also in the government compound, and we live close by. Shuying won't compete with her for the room. Every family is short of housing, so there's nothing we can do about it."
When Ye Minglang put it this way, everyone felt that it made a lot of sense, nodded in agreement, and looked at He Shuying and Ye Minglang with new respect.
He Shuying, though outwardly calm, was seething with anger. Who gave Ye Minglang the right to act on his own? Who said she wasn't fighting for that house?
However, seeing the praise on her aunts' faces, He Shuying felt relieved. Oh well, Ye Minglang is an only son anyway. If she marries him, the entire Ye family will be hers. Maybe if Ye Minglang gets promoted, she can even accompany him to the army. Thinking of this, He Shuying was much more satisfied.
Moreover, after hearing what Ye Minglang said, she could gain the approval of her aunts. Even after she got married, she would still live in the government compound, seeing each other all the time. The better her image was in the aunts' eyes, the more she could thrive in the compound.
The He family and the Ye family lived in the same tenement building, one floor above the other. The He family lived one floor above the other. He Shuying and Ye Minglang parted ways on the Ye family's floor. Before parting, the two secretly hugged each other when no one was around.
The next day, Ye Minglang, accompanied by his parents and gifts, went to the He family to propose marriage. Both families had watched him grow up and approved of the marriage.
The Ye family, in particular, were genuinely happy to know that Ye Minglang had finally settled down and stopped chasing after He He like he did when he was a child.
The two daughters of the He family have very different reputations. He He has a bad reputation, while He Shuying has a good one. Although He Shuying is only an adopted daughter, the He family still loves her. It is much better for He Shuying to marry into the Ye family than for He He, who even scolds her elders and has no respect for them.
He He was unaware that Ye's parents were plotting against her, and she was having a happy time at the Normal University.
Being praised by teachers in class and having great things to see in clubs, life couldn't be more comfortable.
Whenever He He takes a literature history course, it's always a moment for her to shine. Whether it's ancient literature or modern and contemporary literary works, He He can say a thing or two about them. When the teacher asks questions, she speaks eloquently and raises her hand to speak, providing reasoned and well-founded analysis.
She speaks actively, answers well, and has broad knowledge; all the teachers like her in class.
Many people who get into the Chinese Literature Department of the Normal University don't choose it because they really like the major. Most people choose the school and major based on the range of schools they can get into. Before being admitted, many people had never even heard of the Chinese Literature Department, let alone read those literary works.
However, many students knew about the Chinese Literature Department and genuinely loved it, which is why they chose it. These students knew quite a few literary works, but none as much as He He.
Many years ago, until the reform and opening up, many literary works were banned. People didn't dare to read them, and they didn't have the money to buy books. Therefore, when teachers mentioned books in class and asked questions, many students were clueless.
Unlike He He, she reads a lot of books, from childhood to adulthood, and loves to collect books everywhere. She has read all the revolutionary works and all the books available on the market.
She read a lot of books while she was in the Forward Brigade, and she even had access to books that were not available in the provincial capital. As a result, her literary literacy was much higher than that of her classmates.
However, when it came to language classes and theoretical introduction classes, that was when He He started to get a headache. They were boring and obscure, and He He kept dozing off.
The students tried their best to keep up with the teacher and actively participated in the discussion, while He He nodded her chin up and down, her eyes glazed over and she seemed drowsy.
After finishing a modern Chinese class and explaining the grammar, the teacher mercifully let the students leave just as the bell rang. He He was the first to rush out of the classroom.
The sunset was beautiful in the late afternoon, and He He had made plans to go to the movies with Chen Jingbai that evening. There was a new movie showing at the provincial capital cinema that He He wanted to see, and today happened to be a free day for the busy Chen Jingbai.
-----------------------
Author's Note: This is a follow-up to yesterday's chapter, and today's is also a short one. It should be posted around 6 PM today. Everyone, please come and support it! [heart eyes]
By the way, I'd like to recommend my pre-order item. If you're interested, please add it to your favorites!
[I'll be starting this story in January, so please add it to your favorites, my little angels!]
Shen Yunzhu dreamed that she was the first wife of the male protagonist in a period novel who was about to be divorced.
Startled awake, she looked at Zhou Weiquan, who was fast asleep beside her but whose hand was firmly around her waist, and recalled the blind date where he had offered her help in her time of need.
The young man in military uniform, with a cold and stern look in his eyes, said to her, "If you find someone you love in the future, we can get a divorce."
In the book, Zhou Weiquan's sweetheart actually appears. The usually aloof Zhou Weiquan smiles only at her, and in dangerous moments, he chooses her as his partner.
After struggling for a while, Shen Yunzhu didn't want to wait any longer. She packed her bags, took what she was entitled to, and took the initiative to file for divorce.
But before she could even step out of the room, Shen Yunzhu was dragged back.
＊
Zhou Weiquan found himself out of control.
He speaks coldly to his wife but shows great care and concern for other women.
Between his wife and other women, he watched helplessly as he walked towards another woman.
With bloodshot eyes, Zhou Weiquan slashed himself repeatedly in a fit of rage to gain a brief moment of clarity. After tending to his wounds, he pulled his beloved wife back into his arms, comforting her again and again and begging her not to leave.
＊
People in the military compound thought Shen Yunzhu and Zhou Weiquan were getting a divorce. One was delicate and sweet, the other was tall and aloof; they seemed like an ill-matched couple. Now, they were arguing over another woman, making their lives even more chaotic and unbearable.
Who knew what would happen later...
Reading reminder:
1. The male protagonist is pure in both body and mind; very pure, extremely pure.
2. The male and female leads have children, a brother and sister.
3. The difference in body size between men and women is 30, and the age difference is 3.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com