Chapter 44
"Yes, Auntie, you didn't expect that, did you? Oh, by the way, I remember your Zhang Qiang and I were high school classmates. Where is he working now?"
Sun Hongying dodged the question, saying, "Hey, I'm just doing small business with his friends, I don't make much money."
Another auntie standing nearby said, "Zhang Qiang failed the college entrance exam twice, unlike you. It's all fate, isn't it? Sister Sun used to always say Zhang Qiang's grades were better than yours, but look at him now..."
Wang Ruoping and Sun Hongying had always been at odds, and now that she had a chance to put Sun Hongying in a good position, she was overjoyed.
He He nodded, "Oh, I really didn't expect that. But Zhang Qiang's high school grades were nowhere near as good as mine. He's probably just talking nonsense. Okay, aunties, I'm in a hurry to go home. You guys chat."
Sun Hongying stood to the side, unsure whether to stay or leave, and could only stare helplessly at Wang Ruoping.
Wang Ruoping smiled and said, "Hey Xiao He, you go back first. Come and chat with us aunties when you have time. We are all very curious about what life is like in the countryside during the 'sent-down youth' period."
He He strode forward, saying, "I'll definitely chat with the aunties when I have time."
Within an hour of He He leaving, the whole compound was abuzz with the news that the He family's daughter who had gone to the countryside years ago had returned, and had even gone back in glory after being admitted to university. She hadn't gotten tanned or ugly in the countryside; on the contrary, she had grown even more beautiful.
That's how it is in the same compound. There weren't many forms of entertainment in those days. After meals, people loved to sit together and chat. If something interesting happened in someone's family, it would spread throughout the entire compound in no time.
He He climbed the stairs. The He family lived on the fourth floor. She hadn't climbed such a high building in a long time. If she hadn't often done farm work in the countryside, she would have been out of breath long ago.
She took out her key from her pocket, unlocked the door without knocking, and went inside. The furnishings hadn't changed much.
He He looked around. The living room was empty, and the bedroom door was locked. She guessed that He Zhongguo and the others were probably still taking a nap. It was almost evening and time to make dinner, yet they were still sleeping.
Just as she was about to open her old door, she saw the door open from the inside.
A young boy frowned at her and asked, "Who are you? Why are you pulling on my door?"
He He glanced at them coldly, her face displeased. Was this how He Zhongguo and Wang Fangrong welcomed her?! They'd given her room to He Shengli?!
"Who am I? You don't recognize me after four years? I'm your second sister." He He pressed, "He Shengli, what are you doing in my room? Who gave you permission to stay in my room?"
He Shengli was startled by He He's imposing manner. He was used to being domineering at home and bullying others, but before He He came to the countryside, he was most afraid of He He, the devil.
The rest of the family said that beating him was just for show, not to mention the eldest sister, who didn't even dare to scold him. So, without the second sister, she was the king of the mountain at home.
But my second sister is different. She has a sharp tongue and will scold him if he does anything that displeases her. She also hits him with real force and will strike without hesitation.
When his second sister was home, he was often beaten by her, and He Shengli was most afraid of this second sister.
He Shengli mustered his courage and looked up to take a closer look at He He. In just a few years, his second sister had become even more beautiful.
My parents said my second sister is back, but they didn't mention that she looks different from before she went to the countryside. Besides, didn't my mother say that my second sister wasn't going to live at home? She was going to live with her maternal grandparents.
Even if she comes back, he'll still live in her room. Her second sister has a small villa and looks down on their little house.
Now that his second sister looks so unhappy, can he really be allowed to stay? He Shengli, no longer as fierce as before, looked timidly at He He, "Second sister, why are you back?"
He He: "What, you don't welcome me home? Didn't your parents keep asking me to come home a while ago?! You're not happy that I'm back?"
He Shengli made way for He He: "No way, how could that be? But your parents let me stay in your room now, and it seems like you have nowhere to sleep now that you're back."
He He swept the room clean. All her things were gone. The curtains she had hung herself and the posters she had put up were all gone. Now they all belonged to He Shengli. The room, which had been clean and bright at the beginning, had become a messy and dirty place, and it was filled with a foul smell.
He He's face was flushed with anger as she demanded, "Where are my things?"
He Zhongguo and Wang Fangrong, who were in the master bedroom, heard the noise and put on their clothes before coming out. They were somewhat surprised to see He He return.
He Zhongguo: "Why didn't Xiaohua tell me she was coming back beforehand?"
When Wang Fangrong saw He He standing in her son's room, she guessed what had just happened. However, He Shengli was already living in the room, and she absolutely could not give it up and let Shengli and Shuying squeeze into the same room again.
Shuying's room was small. Before Hehe went to the countryside, Shuying and Shengli squeezed into one room, and she felt sorry for them.
Wang Fangrong: "That's right. You didn't even tell me you were coming back so I could have gone to buy some meat. It's not easy for you to come back, so we can't be careless."
He He ignored Wang Fangrong and asked, "So, how did my room become He Shengli's?"
He Shengli stood aside, not daring to speak, and took the opportunity to slip away.
He Zhongguo: "Well, I was thinking that since you've gone to the countryside, the house is just sitting empty. Shuying and Shengli are both grown up, and the house is too small after being divided in two, so I let Shengli move into your house."
He He's expression was displeased: "Then where are my things?"
Fortunately, she had guessed that her room would be occupied before she went to the countryside, so she moved all the important things to her grandparents' house one trip after another, leaving only some unimportant things in the room.
He Zhongguo glanced at Wang Fangrong: "Your aunt has kept all your things safe and sound, making sure they're not left lying around."
Wang Fangrong repeatedly said, "I've packed everything in boxes, I'll get it for you right away."
He He raised an eyebrow and looked at He Zhongguo: "So, this is why I was allowed to come back, but my room has been taken over?"
They never expected her to come back.
He Zhongguo: "You and Shuying have both been admitted to university. You don't usually live at home; you live in the dormitory. What your father is thinking is that if you want to come home during the holidays, you can stay in the old Shengli room. I'll have your aunt tidy it up for you."
He He laughed and said, "I think there's no need to trouble you. I'll live with my grandparents from now on. But Dad, you know that my grandparents are getting old, and my uncles don't have the responsibility to raise me. Dad, you'll have to give me more money for my living expenses during college."
He Zhongguo didn't refute, "It's only right for Dad to give you living expenses, but you also need to come home. Shengli's old house wasn't small, so you can stay there when you come back."
Changing the subject, He Zhongguo added, "But the wall that was used for making tea has been torn down. Dad will find someone to make it again in a few days, so you'll have your own room when you come home for holidays."
He He really didn't expect He Zhongguo to be so shameless, letting her come home to stay, but not even preparing a room for her.
If she really wanted her to come home, she should have made He Shengli move out the very first day she knew she was back in the city, and restored her room to its original state, instead of doing this now, like she's forcing her way home, chasing after him for every place he can stand.
Fortunately, she no longer cared and had no intention of going back to live at the He family's house. This house was no longer her home.
He He looked at He Zhongguo and Wang Fangrong's hypocritical act and said, "There's no need for that. I'm quite comfortable living at my grandparents' house. I even have my own room. Dad, please remember to prepare my living expenses at the beginning of each month. I'll come back to collect them."
“Since I’m living and eating at my grandparents’ house, Dad, you have to give me 35 yuan a month for living expenses. It’s not good for me to just eat and drink for free at my grandparents’ house all the time. My uncle’s family also lives there, and they usually pay for the cooking and grocery shopping.”
Wang Fangrong's eyes widened. Thirty-five yuan! He He wants to eat food made of gold? A worker who has just entered society doesn't even earn as much as she's asking for in a month. Her monthly salary is only forty-five yuan, while He Zhongguo is a cadre and earns one hundred and twenty yuan a month. He He wants thirty-five yuan all by herself?!
Back in the countryside, twenty yuan a month was enough for her. Now that she's back in the city, she can't afford that much. The university cafeteria has subsidies, and a decent meal only costs a few cents.
Shuying only has 25 yuan a month for living expenses, so why does Hehe dare to ask for so much?
Wang Fangrong tugged at He Zhongguo, hoping he would refuse He He's unreasonable demand and, ideally, scold He He. She was really taking advantage of her kindness; what did a young girl like her need so much money for a month?
To everyone's surprise, He Zhongguo agreed immediately. "Is thirty-five yuan enough? Do you want me to give you an extra five yuan to your aunt for household expenses, so that your uncle's family won't think that I can't even support a daughter? Let's do it this way. I'll give you forty yuan a month, and you can give five yuan to your uncle every month. If you stay here too long, people will start gossiping."
He He felt satisfied seeing Wang Fangrong's unwilling look. It was good to get an extra five yuan. She had let He Zhongguo misunderstand her uncle's family, and she had wronged her uncle. However, her uncle's family would forgive her for the five yuan.
When Wang Fangrong saw He Zhongguo about to give her money, she pulled him aside and said, "Shuying only earns twenty-five yuan a month. If you give Xiao He forty yuan, what will she think of us? Shuying has enough to live on twenty-five yuan. How could Xiao He not have enough?"
He He: "After all, I'm not like He Shuying. I don't live at home. She comes back during winter and summer vacations, and on weekdays and weekends. When she comes back to eat, we save money. If we save seven or eight days a month, we can save a lot of money."
"If only I could go home and stay there, then Dad wouldn't have to give me any more money. But I'd have to give up my room for my younger brother. There's no place for me to stay at home anyway."
Wang Fangrong was rendered speechless by He He's words. That's what she said, but it wouldn't cost forty yuan.
He Zhongguo had already made his decision, so there was no reason for him to take it back. If he did, where would his authority be?
"Alright, I'll go get the money. Don't say anything more. This is what a father should do." After saying that, He Zhongguo ignored Wang Fangrong and went back into the house to get the money for He He.
He counted out eight ten-yuan bills and handed the eighty yuan to He He. He then said earnestly, "I'll give you eighty yuan first, plus this month's living expenses. If you don't have enough, come home and tell me. Study hard, and get a good job after graduation. Your mother in heaven will be pleased."
With the money in hand, He He put on the most genuine smile she had since entering the house. "Of course I will, Mom will be happy. Since there's no food prepared for me at home, I'll go back to my grandparents' house first. I'll come to see you another day."
He Zhongguo was still a little reluctant to leave and said, "Have a meal before you go. I'll have your aunt go buy groceries."
"No need to trouble you, Grandpa and Grandma should be preparing my meal." He He packed up her things that she had left at the He family home. The things weren't valuable, just clothes and books.
She didn't take any clothes; they were ill-fitting and worn out. She took all the books with her.
She had seen many books since she was a child, and she took them all and filled a large bag.
When He He came downstairs carrying her books, the aunties who had just been talking about her immediately surrounded her and asked her questions when they saw her come down so quickly with big bags and small bags on her back.
"Xiao He, why did you come down so quickly? Aren't you going home?"
"Yeah, why are you carrying so many bags and going back to your grandparents' house?"
"Your dad won't even invite you to stay for dinner?"
As the aunties got caught up in the excitement, they completely forgot how much they disliked He He before she went to the countryside.
He He feigned innocence: "There's nothing I can do. Shengli is now living in the room I used to live in. Even if I wanted to go home, there's no bed for me to sleep in. I'd better go back to my grandparents' house."
These days, there are many families with large members who don't have enough room to live in. There are also many families where other children take up rooms after their children go to the countryside.
Especially in recent years, with a large number of educated youth returning home, there have been many cases of brothers and sisters fighting over a room when they have nowhere to live. People have seen this so often that they have become accustomed to it.
"Hey, what a mess this is. Your aunt won't even prepare a room for you so you can make do for one night."
Not long after He He's mother passed away, He Zhongguo married a new woman. People in the compound gossiped about it a lot; they thought it was a shameful thing to do.
They all looked down on He Zhongguo, even Wang Fangrong looked down on him. They got married so quickly, who knows if the two of them had already been having an affair.
Sun Hongying looked at He He. If she were a member of the He family, she would never let her daughter, who had been admitted to university, go to live with her maternal grandparents. Once her daughter went there, it would be like water spilled on the ground; it was uncertain whether they would still be close in the future.
Getting into university is such an honor, it means a bright future. I don't know what the He family was thinking, abandoning their own daughter and keeping the adopted daughter they found in the countryside.
However, the He family has really good feng shui, with two college students coming from the same family. Even if He Shuying only got into a junior college, that's still pretty good.
Sun Hongying racked her brains, thinking that the He family really raised children well. The more this adopted daughter grew up, the more she looked like He Zhongguo and Wang Fangrong. The saying that the kindness of raising children is not as great as the kindness of giving birth is really true.
The He family is truly blessed.
He He didn't say much, but after explaining that He Shengli had taken her room and that He Zhongwang and Wang Fangrong hadn't left her a room, she left.
She was looking forward to the news spreading throughout the entire compound.
After returning to the Cheng family, He He originally intended to give five yuan to her aunt for household expenses, but thinking that her uncle's family would definitely say that she was being distant, she did not give it to them and planned to buy more daily necessities for the family another day.
With a large sum of money in hand, she invited Chen Jingbai and Chen Jingyi to go shopping at a department store the next day. Chen Jingyi's little shadow, Cheng Surin, somehow got the news and also came along happily.
After shopping for an afternoon, He He bought some things for her family, carrying large and small bags, with Chen Jingbai and Cheng Surin acting as her bag carriers.
When they arrived at the dessert shop, He He waved her hand and said she would treat them to dessert.
The four of them found an empty seat and sat down. After ordering, they didn't have to wait long for the sweet soup to arrive. He He also ordered two pastries: one was mung bean cake and the other was almond cookies.
He He ate to her heart's content.
Chen Jingbai: "School starts the day after tomorrow. Do you want me to come over and help you move your things?" He said this to He He.
Rongcheng University and Rongcheng Normal University are close to each other, and they even have the same registration day for the start of the semester.
He He stuffed her mouth full; she always ate like this, stuffing another bite in before she had even finished chewing it, not satisfied until her mouth was completely full.
She mumbled and shook her head: "No need, my uncle's family will take me there."
Many people wanted to send her there; besides her uncle's family, her other uncles' families also wanted to send her there.
However, in the end, it was her youngest uncle, who was more mobile and could help her carry her luggage, who went instead. In addition, her cousins and Cheng Fang also went.
Chen Jingbai said, "Then I'll come find you after I've put down my luggage and packed up."
He He still refused: "No need, the dorm assignments will only be done after we register. You don't even know my dorm, so you won't be able to find me."
Cheng Surin had no such concerns at all. "Jing Yi, I'll go help you move your luggage. I can report for duty a day later."
The school gave them two days to register. Cheng Surin wanted to see Chen Jingyi off and also to show himself in front of her classmates so that the male students wouldn't have any designs on her. He had a brilliant plan.
To his surprise, Chen Jingyi also refused him, saying, "Xiao Bai will help me. Your school is far away, and it would be too much trouble for you to come. You can just go to your school to register."
Chen Jingbai couldn't help but laugh out loud. Just now, Cheng Sulin was looking at him provocatively, but now she's ended up in the same situation as him.
Seeing that He He wasn't going to eat anymore, Chen Jingbai handed her a tissue. "I went to the area near our school a few days ago and saw a stir-fry place near the entrance of the Normal University that was very popular. I went over and tried it, and it was quite delicious. We'll meet at the entrance of your school at noon on the day of registration, so let's go try that stir-fry place together. In the afternoon, I'll show you around our school."
In the past few months, many privately-owned snack shops have sprung up on the streets. Their food is just as good as that of state-run restaurants, but their service is much better.
He He was a little excited. Stir-fry! It must taste great. And she really wanted to visit Rongda's campus. After all, Rongda is the most famous university in Rongcheng. She wanted to visit Rongda when they were in high school, but unfortunately the campus was closed back then and she couldn't get in at all.
However, she had already arranged with her uncle's family to take them for a walk around the university campus after lunch in the cafeteria that day, so she was a little conflicted.
Seeing that He He hesitated for a long time, Chen Jingbai asked, "What's wrong? Do you have something to do after you register?"
“Yes, I’m going to show my uncle and his family around the university campus,” He He blurted out.
"However, we can go the day after we register. After all, the next day is also a registration day, and classes haven't started yet. Is that okay? Let's go the next day."
He He looked delighted; her suggestion was really good.
Chen Jingbai had no reason to refuse: "Okay, then let's go on the day you mentioned. I'll check out our school for you first so I can show you around."
He He: "Okay!"
Cheng Surin complained, "Hey, you two, don't forget about me and Jing Yi, I'm going too."
At Cheng Surin's insistence, the duo became a group of four.
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