Chapter 24 Spring Breeze in Guangzhou 01 My Beloved
Lin Tingyue ultimately couldn't stop Song Xue from changing her college application, but she also came to terms with it, realizing that she wasn't the original author and couldn't control anyone's life trajectory.
As the exam approached, the two checked into a guesthouse in the county town.
The room wasn't big, so the bed wasn't big either; two people lying down would fill the entire bed.
However, it was winter, a time when people like to huddle together for warmth, and Lin Tingyue nestled in Yu Xingzhou's arms like a cat, rubbing against him and touching him here and there.
The man took her warm, soft hand and placed it behind her waist. "Why are you so excited today?"
"The exam is the day after tomorrow, aren't you excited?"
Yu Xingzhou lowered his eyes and habitually pressed his forehead against hers. "I'm a little excited, and a little nervous."
"Don't worry, your grades will definitely be fine." Lin Tingyue genuinely believed this. They had worked so hard on practice questions for over a year, and as long as she could sit in the exam room, she was confident she would get into university.
"Yes, I believe you."
Lin Tingyue pushed the man's forehead hard and said, "It's about believing in yourself."
Yu Xingzhou responded softly, and the unease that had been lingering in his heart dissipated. As their breathing gradually became longer, the two fell asleep in each other's arms.
The next day, as soon as it was light, the two of them didn't stay in bed. They washed up, got dressed, and went out early.
The guesthouse they were staying at wasn't too far from the school, and the two of them specifically checked their departure time, intending to walk to the school where the exam was held to estimate the travel time.
In those days, there was no smart navigation, so they could only rely on their own memory to remember the nearby streets. The two walked around the streets near the school repeatedly to make sure they hadn't forgotten the route before heading back.
On the day of the exam, the couple arrived at the test center very early, but there were still many people waiting at the school gate, some even shivering from the cold while still looking at their books. The couple, on the other hand, traveled light, carrying only their identification documents, pens, and a thermos each.
When the time came, the school gates opened, and many people walked in one after another. The two of them were not in a hurry to squeeze into the surging crowd. They checked several times to make sure that neither of them had forgotten their documents before they parted ways to go to their respective examination rooms.
There were far more people taking the exam than Lin Tingyue had expected. Anyone without a criminal record could participate, and there were no age restrictions, so she didn't see anyone familiar in her exam room. This was the best arrangement for her; if some unlucky person had been in the same exam room as her, who knows what might have happened.
While thanking herself for her lucky charm, Lin Tingyue immersed herself in a sea of practice questions.
She was also fortunate that the college entrance exam was not difficult; for someone who had experienced the college entrance exam in later generations, the questions could be considered simple.
Thus, in everyone's eyes, she became the first person to hand in her exam paper.
After that, she was always the first to hand in her paper. The classroom was freezing, and she didn't want to sit there until the time was up. Yu Xingzhou, on the other hand, didn't come out any later, and he always came out smiling. It was obvious that he could answer all the questions.
On the third day, Lin Tingyue went in to take the exam, while Yu Xingzhou waited outside.
"Go back to the hotel and wait. It's cold outside." Lin Tingyue looked at the gray sky and felt that it was going to snow.
Yu Xingzhou shook his head, refusing to leave. "It's alright, I'll wait here. You'll definitely be out soon."
"Fine, just for what you said, I have to hand in my paper early."
The third day was the additional foreign language exam. Lin Tingyue was even more confident. She was beaming with pride when she came out of the exam room. Seeing that there were no people around, Lin Tingyue took a running start and jumped, flying towards Yu Xingzhou who was standing in the snow.
Yu Xingzhou caught her steadily, and heard his wife shout in a joyful tone, "Let's go home!"
Not long after the two returned home, the brigade leader came to their door. It turned out that the two had been away from home for the past few days and had missed a call from Yu Xingzhou's father.
The captain reassured you, "But don't worry, he said he's going to Beicheng. He'll call you again once he's settled in. I'll keep an eye on things for you."
"That's great, thank you for your help."
"It's no trouble at all, it's just a quick thing."
Seeing that the man beside her still had a furrowed brow, Lin Tingyue took his arm and said, "Don't worry, it might be a good thing."
Yu Xingzhou nodded without speaking, and Lin Tingyue knew he didn't believe anything good could happen. But she could understand; in an era without mobile communication, where people were still communicating by letter, if someone suddenly moved to a different place for no apparent reason, they would naturally think the worst.
A sudden idea struck Lin Tingyue, and she said, "Let's go, let's go to the county town now."
What are you going to the county town for?
"Take a look at the recent newspapers; you might find the information you're looking for."
Lin Tingyue sighed as she looked at the document, "I really didn't expect it to be so fast... Once we get the admission notice, let's go back to Beicheng to reunite."
Yu Xingzhou, his eyes red and choked with sobs, could only nod repeatedly.
Lin Tingyue then called home, asking her second brother to help her find out which hospital Yu Xingzhou's father was currently in.
"Wouldn't that be too much trouble for Second Brother? Dad will probably call again," Yu Xingzhou said.
"It's okay, I guess my parents also want to meet my in-laws first."
The two held hands, trudging through the thick snow, their steps arduous yet their expressions bright.
The following days were filled with waiting. In January of the new year, the postman delivered a reply from the Chuncheng Daily, saying that the article had passed the review, but due to the time-sensitive nature of mail, the aforementioned publication date had already passed. A few days later, the editor-in-chief called again, saying that the response had been very good and asking if Yu Xingzhou could continue to submit articles. So the two of them selected a few more and sent them over.
By the end of the month, the admission notices had finally arrived in the village, and Donghe Village was bustling with activity for several days because it had the most students admitted to university.
From the moment they received their acceptance letters, the two began packing up their home. They took everything they could and left it with the Lin family in Beicheng, while hiding anything they couldn't take.
They had already discussed it beforehand. If they were both accepted, they would go to Beicheng to live until the start of the semester, which would shorten the journey from Beicheng to Yangcheng.
Because they decided not to return after going to Beicheng, Yu Xingzhou's elementary school teaching job had to be transferred to someone else.
Yu Xingzhou went directly to the educated youth settlement, and when he got there, he found that Song Xue was also asking if there was any need for primary school work.
Song Xue asked him, "Teacher Yu, you're not here to transfer jobs too, are you?"
"Yes, did you transfer it out?"
"Of course, not everyone got into university." The last part was said in a deliberately lowered voice. Song Xue also told him a few names, all of whom were educated youth who were interested in taking over the job of primary school teachers.
"Okay, thank you."
After thanking him, Yu Xingzhou went to find those people one by one. During this time, Xu Xingyi suddenly came out of the house and asked which university he and Lin Tingyue had applied to.
"Yangcheng? Going to school in such a far place?" Xu Xingyi thought Lin Tingyue would apply to Beicheng like him, but then he seemed to realize something, and his expression showed a hint of disdain, "Could it be that you're afraid you won't get into a school in Beicheng?"
Yu Xingzhou smiled dismissively as well, “Back then, when we took the exam to apply for elementary school teachers, our scores were the same, and Tingyue’s score was even higher than ours. If you could get into a university in Beicheng, there’s no way we couldn’t get in.”
"Oh ho, looks like getting into university has made you a bit more temperamental?"
Seeing that things were not going well, the people around them immediately separated the two of them.
"Teacher Yu, shall you take me to a new job first?" It was Feng Xinli who took over his job, and he said this while pulling the man away from the educated youth settlement.
Song Xue was originally watching the commotion outside the courtyard, but when she saw them leaving, she immediately ran away, heading towards the Yu family's house. When Lin Tingyue opened the door, she thought it was Yu Xingzhou returning.
Lin Tingyue looked at Song Xue and asked her, "What's wrong? Your mouth is practically stretched to the sky."
“I was watching a play at the educated youth settlement just now, and I noticed that your man has really changed a lot. He used to be a quiet guy, but now he can even argue with Xu Xingyi.”
"How did they argue? Tell me quickly."
Lin Tingyue had never seen Yu Xingzhou argue before, so she immediately became interested and watched Song Xue play two roles with rapt attention, laughing heartily as well.
"Actually, I really didn't expect him to pass the exam..." Song Xue originally wanted to return the job to Xu Xingyi, but Xu Xingyi also passed the exam and even got into a university in Beicheng.
Lin Tingyue smiled and said, "He did graduate from a proper high school, he might just be bad at teaching."
Although that's what she said, Lin Tingyue felt that the main factor was probably the protagonist's halo.
"Sigh, I was planning to go to Guangzhou with you guys, but I didn't expect you wouldn't be coming back."
"You can take a train to the north of the city first, and we'll show you around there for a few days before we go to Guangzhou together."
"That's fine! I've never been to the northern part of the city before. I've always wanted to visit the Forbidden City."
Looking at the excited girl in front of her, Lin Tingyue suddenly had a premonition that perhaps she would be able to meet her biological parents ahead of schedule.
After that, the couple went through all the necessary procedures for enrollment. The most important thing for them was the letter of introduction, since they would be staying in Beicheng for a month before school started.
In addition, Lin Tingyue also withdrew the money she had previously saved. In those days, remittances took a long time, so it was better to wait until she arrived in Guangzhou and deposit the money in a local bank.
With everything prepared, two train tickets to the north of the city purchased, and the house entrusted to the neighbors for look after, I packed my bags and set off.
When they returned to Beicheng, their feelings were completely different.
"Why did you bring so much stuff?" Lin Jinwen looked at their large bags and was a little worried that the car wouldn't be able to hold it all.
Lin Tingyue thought for a moment and said, "Why don't you take your luggage and go back first, and Xingzhou and I will go see his father first."
"Okay, will you be back for dinner tonight?"
"Come back and eat."
After parting ways with Lin Jinwen, the two boarded a bus to the hospital where Yu's father was.
Yu Xingzhou had not seen his father for many years. In his memory, his father was tall and gentle, but ten years had passed, and in such a harsh place, he dared not imagine what his father had become.
Seeing the man's slightly furrowed brows, Lin Tingyue knew he was feeling unwell, so she held his hand tightly the whole way.
Fortunately, the weather was sunny today. After getting off the bus, the two first bought a bag of apples nearby, as is their habit when visiting patients, before entering the hospital.
Upon arriving at the inpatient building, Yu Xingzhou asked at the nurses' station, "Hello, comrade, I'd like to ask which ward Yu Muchuan is in?"
The nurse, who had been feeling a bit sleepy, immediately perked up upon seeing the handsome man and beautiful woman in front of her. "Who are you?"
"He is my father."
The nurse pointed in a specific direction, "It's the one at the end of the road."
"Thanks."
After thanking them, the two quickly walked to the ward at the end of the corridor. Through the glass window in the door, they could see a middle-aged man with gray hair wearing glasses and reading a newspaper.
Yu Xingzhou's eyes reddened after just one glance, and he hesitated to push the door open, his hand resting on the doorknob.
Lin Tingyue placed her hand on the back of his hand and whispered, "Shall we go in first?"
The man nodded silently, and as the door was pushed open, the people resting on the hospital beds all looked at them.
Yu Muchuan was still somewhat dazed when he saw the person who came. As he grew older, Yu Xingzhou looked more and more like his wife, and memories of the past flashed through his mind.
"Dad, how are you feeling?" Lin Tingyue asked, seeing that Yu Xingzhou was choking up again and unable to speak. She took the initiative to greet him.
"It's alright, I had surgery a while ago." Yu Muchuan looked at Lin Tingyue, who was bright and elegant, and was happy for his son. "I had only heard your voice on the phone before, and I was wondering what you looked like... I didn't expect Zhiheng to be so lucky. He's lucky to have married into such a family."
"In terms of looks, Xingzhou has a slight edge, but what you just mentioned about Zhiheng is..."
Yu Xingzhou: "It is my courtesy name."
Yu Muchuan looked flustered for a moment, and explained, "Yes, this name was given to him by his maternal grandfather. He was used to calling him that in the past and couldn't change it right away."
“No need to change it, the characters sound nice, and no one says you can’t use characters.” Lin Tingyue pulled Yu Xingzhou to sit on the edge of the bed, while she found a stool to sit on and peel an apple. “It’s almost noon, what do you usually eat for lunch?”
"I have to thank your brother for this. He later hired a housekeeper who would bring meals to us every day."
Lin Tingyue couldn't help but feel grateful and admire her second brother for his thoughtfulness. "Then we'll deliver it from now on."
Yu Muchuan waved his hand and said, "If you live far away, don't bother. I'll be discharged in a few days."
"Is the old house still there?" Yu Xingzhou asked.
"Yes, but I haven't had time to pack yet. I was admitted to the hospital as soon as I arrived in Beicheng. I have the key here, why don't you go and take a look?"
"Okay, let's go take a look today and buy and furnish whatever we need as soon as possible." Lin Tingyue thought that the house had been empty for so many years, and it was probably vandalized when they left. There must be a lot of furniture inside that needs to be replaced.
After placing the peeled apple in Yu's father's hand, she excused herself to go to the restroom, leaving the father and son alone to catch up.
Lin Tingyue first went to the nurses' station to inquire about the patient's condition. She learned that Yu's father had injured his leg last year, but fortunately, he was brought to Beicheng before long, and the surgery was successful. The rest was just a matter of waiting for him to recover. Then she asked about the specific precautions and dietary restrictions, and noted them down to tell the father and son when she got back later.
Afterwards, she wandered around the hospital for a while, and when she figured it was about time, she headed back. Sure enough, she saw that lonely figure in the corridor.
Yu Xingzhou was sitting on a rest chair outside the ward. She walked over and patted the man's arm. "I saw a pretty good restaurant nearby. Shall we go eat first? We can also pack a few dishes to take back for Dad to try."
"No need, let's go look at the house after we finish eating."
Lin Tingyue was also curious about what their house was like, and nodded, saying, "Okay, let's take advantage of this time to get it ready so that Dad can move in when he's discharged from the hospital."
Yu Xingzhou seemed to have thought of something, and after a moment he nodded and got up.
Lunch was also eaten in silence. Lin Tingyue wasn't good at comforting people, so she mostly just held his hand tightly in silence.
The man beside her remained expressionless and whispered a reminder: "We'll be at the station soon."
Lin Tingyue simply didn't press the matter, waiting for the answer to be revealed to her personally.
A few minutes later, the two finally got out of the car. Yu Xingzhou led her to the gate of a courtyard house, then took out his key and unlocked the rusty lock.
The courtyard had been uninhabited for a long time, overgrown with weeds and dusty. Lin Tingyue only glanced at the interior before standing in the courtyard, only to find a curious neighbor passing by, standing at the gate and peering inside.
The man looked quite old, but he was in good spirits. Lin Tingyue wasn't sure how to address him, so she nudged the man next to her with her elbow.
Yu Xingzhou smiled slightly and called out, "Grandpa Wei."
"Is that Xingzhou? This old man almost didn't recognize him." The white-haired old man, addressed as Grandpa Wei, patted Yu Xingzhou on the shoulder with a smile, then pointed at Lin Tingyue and asked, "This is..."
Yu Xingzhou looked at her with tenderness and affection, "He is my lover."
"Good, good, you two are such a perfect match... How are your parents doing now?"
“My father came back a while ago and is still in the hospital. We’ll bring him to live with us once he’s discharged…”
Lin Tingyue listened quietly to their reminiscing, but her thoughts had already drifted far away.
At first, she thought Yu Xingzhou had sold off his old items to make money to start a business, but now it seems that his family was originally quite wealthy.
After seeing the neighbors off, Yu Xingzhou explained, "This house actually belongs to my mother. After they returned to China, they have been living here with me ever since."
"Has your mother contacted you all these years?"
Yu Xingzhou shook his head, "The situation was too urgent at the time, so my grandfather and uncles only took my mother with them."
"It's okay, we can just place a missing person notice in the newspaper."
Yu Xingzhou didn't say whether he agreed or disagreed. After a moment of silence, he looked at her with a slightly pleading expression and asked, "After this place is cleaned up, shall we stay here too?"
"Sure, there are plenty of spacious rooms here."
However, due to time constraints, the two took the bus back to the compound early today.
Qin Hua was also there for dinner, and the family naturally started talking about their upcoming wedding banquet, making the dinner table quite lively.
Qin Hua whispered in Lin Tingyue's ear, "Actually, I'm not interested in this wedding banquet, but we can't have a destination wedding now."
"When you no longer need a letter of introduction to go out, you two can go and get a replacement."
Qin Hua pouted, "Then I'll be old."
"As long as your heart isn't old, that's enough."
"What are you two whispering about?" Lin Jinwen also leaned over, wanting to hear a word.
Qin Hua raised her chin and said, "It's a secret, I won't tell you."
Yu Xingzhou, who was standing to the side, kept a close eye on his wife. He had overheard most of what the two had been saying in hushed tones and silently memorized the words "travel wedding".
The two were going to clean the courtyard house the next day, and Qin Hua went along, ostensibly to get some exercise.
Not wanting to keep quiet, Qin Hua asked Lin Tingyue curiously while sweeping the floor, "Speaking of which, are you going to study at a university in Guangzhou to make money?"
Lin Tingyue glanced back at the man who was still cleaning in another room before replying with relief, "Sort of. After all, the reform and opening up is coming soon, and there's a special economic zone. It's a good match for my major."
"I really envy you guys. I don't have that business acumen, and I'm not very good with numbers either."
Lin Tingyue thought for a moment and said, "Then you can do something that's sure to make money, something that we know will definitely go up in price, like buying a courtyard house. Once it's renovated, you can live in it, and later you can add some features to it and run a business, like a restaurant, a guesthouse, or an exhibition. Even if you don't buy a courtyard house, when the real estate market takes off, you can buy a few more properties and just collect rent to make a living."
"Hiss... How could I forget that? I was a renter in my past life!" Qin Hua's words brought back some unpleasant memories of the past, so she gritted her teeth and said, "Buy it, we have to buy it."
In fact, Lin Jinwen had already applied for a house, as their current home was becoming increasingly cramped. Lin Jinwen and You Susu brought home a pair of twins this year; they're still small enough to sleep in cribs now, but they won't be able to in a few years. Meanwhile, Qin Hua was admitted to the university she had always dreamed of, but she didn't want to live on campus all the time. Her family was considering renting or buying a house near the university so she could commute.
Lin Tingyue also plans to buy a house after arriving in Guangzhou. If she can't find a suitable one, she will rent one first, so she won't have to go home for the summer vacation and can stay in Guangzhou to do some business.
The next few days were spent renovating and buying some furniture, and finally, Yu's father was able to move in before the Spring Festival.
However, everyone still gathered at the Lin family home for the New Year's Eve dinner. After dinner, the two fathers-in-law went to the study to discuss matters, while Lin Tingyue and Yu Xingzhou, who had not participated in cooking, went to the kitchen to wash the dishes.
"Hurry up and wash, we're going to set off fireworks later," Qin Hua urged.
Lin Tingyue said helplessly, "I understand, Miss Qin."
As soon as Qin Hua left, Yu Xingzhou took the bowl from his wife's hand, saying, "You go with them first, I can wash it myself."
Don't give me that. You know perfectly well I won't abandon you.
Yu Xingzhou's lowered eyes trembled, then a smile appeared on his face.
Of course he knew.
The new year began amidst a dazzling array of colorful fireworks, and this year was different from previous years. Yu Muchuan's return made the entire Spring Festival quite lively. Whether by choice or by force, relatives and friends who had lost contact with each other came to pay their respects.
Lin Tingyue also had to wear a fake smile to deal with wave after wave of guests.
However, these occasions where maintaining a dignified image is required are not over yet.
Half a month later, the Lin family held a wedding banquet. Many people came to drink the wedding wine that day. Lin Tingyue felt a headache coming on when she saw the scene. Yu Xingzhou next to her also seemed a little restrained. The two exchanged a knowing glance and decided to leave as soon as possible.
Just then, a light snow began to fall outside. The two walked slowly hand in hand, and Lin Tingyue would occasionally reach out to catch a snowflake, which would quickly melt into water due to her body heat.
Upon seeing this, Yu Xingzhou grabbed her other hand as well, saying, "Don't catch a cold."
"I'm not that weak." Lin Tingyue released their hands that had been clasped together, then raised their other hand and spun around. "Can you dance?"
"Won't……"
"I don't know either, I just watched others skip it." Lin Tingyue grabbed the man's hand and placed it behind her back, while she put her arm around his shoulder.
"Wouldn't that be inappropriate?"
"What's there to be afraid of? We're all having lunch at home right now. Besides, even if someone sees us, it won't matter. Everyone in the compound knows we're a married couple; we're not doing anything indecent."
Yu Xingzhou smiled helplessly and followed the woman's steps, but neither of them was very skilled and they occasionally stepped on each other's feet.
"Or maybe we should just forget it. Your new shoes are covered in footprints from my footsteps."
Yu Xingzhou took out a handkerchief to wipe her shoes, but Lin Tingyue stopped him, saying, "Practice now, you might need it later."
"We'll talk about it later, we don't need it now anyway."
Lin Tingyue then belatedly realized that this man was gradually becoming disobedient.
However, Yu Xingzhou, who became increasingly opinionated, finally reaped the rewards of his efforts a few months later.
Even though it was already late autumn, Lin Tingyue was still wearing a dress in the huge gymnasium, while Yu Xingzhou was wearing a short-sleeved white shirt.
The two slowly twirled around in the dance floor, but the man was actually very nervous, afraid that he would step on the wrong spot.
These days, it's popular for universities to hold social gatherings and ballroom dancing. The couple, who are among the most attractive in their respective departments, were forced to come and support the event.
"Let's go down when it's time to change dance partners," Yu Xingzhou said, his hand even clenching slightly as he spoke.
"Well, I'm a bit tired too. I'm really not used to wearing these high heels." She originally wanted to wear flats, but her roommates disagreed, so she bought a pair during the day. However, she only wore them for a short while that night and found them unbearably painful.
After the song ended, the two left the dance floor and sat down in the rest area outside. The person who organized the social event didn't say anything, because almost everyone in their department knew that the two were husband and wife. Yu Xingzhou was also known as a henpecked husband, so getting another man to dance with Lin Tingyue would be harder than climbing to heaven.
Min Xue, who had already been reunited with her biological parents, was also on the dance floor. With the support of her parents, her monthly allowance was enough for both of them, so she didn't skimp on her clothes or appearance. In addition, she was also very beautiful, making her a goddess-like figure in the male-dominated mathematics department.
"I feel this kind of occasion is quite suitable for Xiaoxue." Lin Tingyue turned slightly to him and smiled.
Yu Xingzhou hesitated for a long time before saying, "If it weren't for me, you would be suitable too."
Lin Tingyue paused for a moment, then burst into laughter, but still coaxed him, "Then I still want you. Among all the boys here, you're not even worth a hair's breadth."
Upon hearing this, the man's lips curled up slightly. He sat quietly with his wife for a while longer before getting up and leaving together.
Since the next day was the weekend, the two went straight back to their rented apartment nearby.
Lin Tingyue had just stepped inside when she heard the door lock. Before she could even take off the high heels that had been causing her so much pain, the man swept her up in his arms.
Yu Xingzhou was unusually anxious tonight, and wouldn't even let her take off her dress first, leaving her imprisoned by the window.
After what seemed like an eternity, the woman finally pleaded in a trembling voice, "No... I can't stand anymore..."
Even so, Yu Xingzhou couldn't bear to part with her and carried her back to the bedside.
She was so exhausted that she couldn't speak, and tears welled up in her eyes.
By the end, her dress was crumpled beyond recognition.
Since it was still early, the two fooled around in the bathroom one more time, until they were so tired they couldn't move.
Before going to bed, Yu Xingzhou suddenly said, "Tomorrow I have to go with Jianye and the others to find a house in a nearby village, so I won't be back for lunch."
"Okay, you guys should finalize the venue as soon as possible. I'll also hurry up and print out the trademark tomorrow so we don't miss the end-of-year delivery deadline." The trademark Lin Tingyue mentioned was for the sunflower seeds that Yu Xingzhou and his roommates made together. The name was Lin Tingyue's idea, "Miaowa Sunflower Seeds," and the overall design was done by Qin Hua. Actually, she wanted to register the trademark, but she hadn't figured out how to do it yet, so she could only make the brand logo first to prevent others from impersonating their sunflower seeds and selling them.
At first, she didn't expect Yu Xingzhou to go into the business of roasting sunflower seeds. It was all thanks to Yu Xingzhou having a roommate who knew how to roast sunflower seeds, and the taste was really good. So she suggested that they could sell sunflower seeds and popcorn at places like movie theaters or train stations. However, later she found that sunflower seeds sold better than popcorn, so Yu Xingzhou gave up popcorn and only sold roasted sunflower seeds.
However, at this time, business should be done discreetly. In addition, there is a limit to the number of people that can be hired. Yu Xingzhou wanted to give up the sales part himself. They would only be responsible for production and let other people who wanted to make money come to them for wholesale. Moreover, it was the time when educated youth were returning to their hometowns, and there were many idle young people in the city who could not find jobs.
Lin Tingyue was amazed by his business acumen. When she asked him, she learned that his mother came from a merchant family, a large family that had been passed down for generations. She was no longer surprised and even felt somewhat at ease lying down.
Because they needed to sell New Year's goods, the two decided not to go home for the New Year this year, and took the opportunity to make a fortune.
When she returned to school, Min Xue was incredibly envious upon learning of this. Before, she had only focused on studying and hanging out with handsome men and beautiful women, never thinking about making money. Now that she knew roughly how much they earned selling melon seeds, she clamored for Lin Tingyue to help her make a fortune as well.
Lin Tingyue really didn't want to discourage her, but she still asked her, "Can you do it by yourself?"
Min Xue thought for a moment and said, "I can call my dad over. My parents gave me a lot of money before, and they send me money every month. I can also rent a place for my dad here."
“Alright, if Uncle Song is here to help you, I think you could start a Chinese-style hamburger fast food business. You could start by selling retail along the street, for example, near primary and secondary schools, setting up a stall during their school hours. If it works well, you could consider renting a storefront and hiring one or two helpers…”
Min Xue was overwhelmed and quickly pulled her arm, "Stop, stop, stop! You're talking too fast, I haven't even remembered it yet!"
"It's okay. I'll help you in the early stages and even invest some money in you. Once you're familiar with it, I won't interfere anymore. Just give me a share of the profits each year."
"Okay, okay, I'll go call my dad first!"
Lin Tingyue shook her head as she watched the people who came and went in a hurry, then took out a piece of paper and began to write a plan.
Although she always wanted to relax, there were always all sorts of people and things keeping her busy. Not only did she have to worry about making money, but she also occasionally had tasks assigned to her by the school.
Her foreign language department has four majors: English, French, German, and Japanese. Lin Tingyue chose English because she had good English grades in her previous life. She was the best student in her class in terms of both grades and spoken English, so the teacher would arrange for her to be a translator, which would allow her to practice her spoken English and get paid.
Since the reform and opening up, more and more foreigners have been visiting China, many of whom are here to invest. This time, she was accompanied by a family of four, including the elderly couple and their son and daughter. The older brother, Ethan, was about the same age as Lin Tingyue and was keen on learning Chinese, so he started chatting with her on the way.
"We almost couldn't book a hotel; there are just too many tourists coming to China."
"That's really a stroke of luck amidst misfortune, but even if we really can't get a reservation, the teacher and I will definitely find a way to help you."
"Thank you, Lin. You are so kind and beautiful. I wish you could come to the United States to study."
Lin Tingyue's mind was still on the issue of fully booked accommodations, so she casually asked, "Why go to the United States to study?"
"That way I can pursue you."
"Going abroad to study is fine, but pursuing me is probably not an option."
"Why?"
Lin Tingyue rummaged through her handbag and pulled out her wallet, which contained a color photo of her and Yu Xingzhou taken at school last year. She tapped Yu Xingzhou's face and said, "This is my husband."
"What? You...you're already married?" Ethan was very surprised. When he looked at the photo again, he couldn't help but exclaim, "You two look very well-matched, and for some reason, your expressions are also very similar."
Ethan's words hit the nail on the head, and her smile became even more genuine. "That's how it is when you live together for a long time."
Afterwards, Lin Tingyue spent the whole day with them, and it was almost dark when they finally boarded the bus back to school. After getting off the bus, she hurriedly went to borrow a phone.
Lin Tingyue waited a moment, then a familiar, deep, husky voice came through the receiver, "Who is this?"
"It's me, Lin Tingyue."
As soon as she finished speaking, a series of clanging and clattering sounds came from the other side.
"Are you alright?" she asked with concern.
"...It's nothing, I just dozed off and am still a little groggy."
"Alright, I'll get straight to the point. There are business opportunities in Guangzhou. Do you want to come and make money with me?"
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