"What good stuff?" Cheng Yaoyao was extremely curious. He didn't even have the appetite to eat his dumplings. He kicked Xie San several times with his toes and was anxious to see.
Xie Zhao ate the dumpling in a few bites, choking and causing veins on his forehead to pop out. Grandma Xie hurriedly gave him some loofah soup and sighed, "Why are you so hungry? Is the food at the driving school really bad?"
Xie Zhao had to explain a few things, telling Grandma Xie that the food at the machinery factory was good and that he had received some dry food from home, so he was not starving.
When Xie Zhao finally got out, Cheng Yaoyao had been squatting in front of the two large bags for a long time, studying them: "What on earth are they? I'm so anxious!"
Xie Zhao pulled her up: "Don't squat after eating, or you'll have a stomachache."
Xie Zhao untied the bags. One bag contained luggage and food, and the other contained a few mangoes and a paper bag.
"It's Aunt Busy!" Cheng Yaoyao said happily.
"...No." Xie Zhao took out the mango and revealed the book underneath.
Cheng Yaoyao was surprised and said, "It's a book..."
"Shh." Xie Zhao signaled Cheng Yaoyao to be quiet, glanced in the direction of the kitchen, picked up the book and went into her room with Cheng Yaoyao.
Cheng Yaoyao's room was very cool, with a faint fragrance and sunshine all over the room. The pink soft quilt was piled up on the bed, and a white lace nightgown was thrown on it, which was still the same as when Cheng Yaoyao got up. Xie Zhao took a look, and Cheng Yaoyao quickly shook the quilt to cover the nightgown, and explained with a blushing face: "I didn't fold the quilt because I was in a hurry to get up today."
Xie Zhao regained his composure, coughed, and placed the books on the table. These books were old and yellowed, some were textbooks, and some had their covers torn off, giving off a unique smell of old books.
Cheng Yaoyao picked up a book and opened it. The pages were crispy. It was a high school textbook. He opened another one. It was a novel. "Where did you get this from?"
Xie Zhao looked at her and said, "Let's see if it works."
Cheng Yaoyao held a book in her hand and began to read while half leaning against the table. She wore the pink blouse she wore today, her long black hair draped over her shoulders, her waist swaying gracefully. She placed a porcelain bowl of jasmine flowers on the table, the snow-white jasmine flowers were soaked in water, half-opened and half-closed, exuding fragrance, which also stained her black hair with a faint fragrance.
The sunlight filtered through the high carved skylight, reflecting Cheng Yaoyao, old books, and jasmine flowers, like a picture of a lady, which was out of place in this old, dilapidated house. Every time Xie Zhao looked at her, he felt more and more strongly that Cheng Yaoyao did not belong here.
Cheng Yaoyao happened to raise his head at this moment and met Xie Zhao's overly hot gaze: "You haven't told me yet, where did you find these books?"
"Take it to the recycling bin." Xie Zhao found a piece of cloth and wiped each book clean to avoid getting Cheng Yaoyao's hands dirty.
Cheng Yaoyao groaned: "How can these novels be found in the recycling bin? Xie Zhao, you are lying to me!"
"No!" Xie Zhao paused and told the truth, "Some of them were found on the black market."
No wonder. Cheng Yaoyao opened a novel and found a library card inside, with the seal of the County Library. It must be that the library was unattended and some people stole the book and sold it to Xie Zhao along with other books as junk.
Cheng Yaoyao took out the library card and tore it up. Together with Xie Zhao, he picked out the books with the library's stamp and disposed of all the prohibited items. The books were roughly sorted into two piles, one for novels and the other for various textbooks, covering a wide range of subjects from elementary school to high school.
Later on, it was Xie Zhao who was in charge of organizing the work, while Cheng Yaoyao sat beside him, holding a novel and reading without even raising his head.
Xie Zhao suddenly said, "Grandma can't see these novels."
"Why?" Cheng Yaoyao asked curiously, "I will hide the book and won't take it out."
Xie Zhao tore up the two banned books and said, "When our house was searched, they found the novels my father brought back from his overseas study, and that's why they took my father away. Grandma couldn't bear to see this."
"Ah?" Cheng Yaoyao cried out, threw the novels in his hand to the ground and said, "Why didn't you tell me earlier? I don't want these novels anymore, just keep the textbooks."
Cheng Yaoyao is extremely cute when she is coquettish, and she is very considerate when she is caring. Xie Zhao's lips curled slightly, and he picked up the novel: "It's okay, just hide it in the room and don't take it out."
Cheng Yaoyao hesitated for a moment, but she couldn't bear to part with those novels. In those days, there was neither a radio nor a computer, and she was almost bored to death at home. She tilted her head and thought for a moment: "Then I should choose a few books to keep?"
Cheng Yaoyao picked up the pile of novels and carefully read through them one by one. The bookseller obviously didn't know what he was selling, as all kinds of Ming and Qing novels, foreign classics, Soviet novels, and even fairy tales were mixed together.
Xie Zhaoze separated the textbooks into elementary, junior high and high school categories, picked up a junior high textbook and flipped through it, trying to decipher the title with some difficulty, his lips moving silently as he read the obscure question.
Xie Zhao was reading attentively when suddenly a book flew towards him with the sound of wind. Xie Zhao raised his hand to catch it, but was met with Cheng Yaoyao's blushing face.
"Xie Zhao, you are shameless!" Cheng Yaoyao's eyes trembled, his cheeks were red, and he said angrily: "You...what kind of crappy book did you get!"
When Xie Zhao opened it, he was faced with an illustration of a man and a woman making love on a swing. It was depicted in great detail. When he turned the next page, the illustration was even more bold and hot. The posture was so bold that Xie Zhao was stunned.
Xie Zhao had never seen such a thing before. His face immediately turned red, but he stared at it and couldn't look away. He spoke incoherently: "This... I don't know..."
"You're still staring! Shame on you! I'm going to tell grandma!"
Cheng Yaoyao jumped up in anger and ran out. Xie Zhao grabbed her in a hurry and said, "Wait!"
With a "swish", Cheng Yaoyao's pink blouse tore open at the neckline, revealing half of her creamy shoulders and collarbone, as well as her snow-white lace shoulder straps.
The air in the room was stagnant for a moment, and a faint sweet and warm fragrance rose. Xie Zhao's eyes turned red in an instant, and the red line under his narrow eyes frightened Cheng Yaoyao's heart.
Grandma's voice came from the yard: "Zhao Ge'er, help me fetch some water. Where is he? Yaoyao? Zhao Ge'er?"
"You!" Cheng Yaoyao came to his senses, stomped his feet and was about to yell.
Xie Zhao covered her mouth with his hand, and the soft touch of his palm made him feel hot again. He looked at Cheng Yaoyao with tears in his eyes and begged for mercy in a low voice: "Sister, don't scream."
Cheng Yaoyao's breath was full of Xie Zhao's scent. She immediately weakened her waist and struggled desperately in Xie Zhao's arms. Xie Zhao misunderstood and tightened his arms, and urgently explained in her ear: "I really don't know about that book. Don't be angry."
Cheng Yaoyao struggled for a while, then suddenly stopped moving, staring at him in horror, with a drop of water hanging from her eyelashes. Her eyelashes were so thick and long that they could hold a drop of water. Xie Zhao was distracted for a moment, and then froze.
Xie Zhao pressed his hand on the soft and elastic piece of flesh. His mind went blank and he pressed it again subconsciously. Cheng Yaoyao trembled all over and stared at him with shame and anger, and stepped hard on the back of Xie Zhao's foot.
Xie Zhao suddenly loosened his hand, but Cheng Yaoyao did not dodge immediately. Instead, he leaned in his arms and trembled as if he was angry. His cheeks and neck turned pink, and he looked like he had been bullied.
Xie Zhao half-carried her to the bed, tucked her shirt in place, and almost knelt down before her: "Sister, I wasn't..."
What? The palm of his hand seemed to still retain the smooth touch, making his heart flutter. Xie Zhao's words got stuck in his throat, and he was slapped in the face.
Cheng Yaoyao recovered from his stress and slapped him again. The slap was soft and flirtatious, like a swipe across the cheek. Xie Zhao's Adam's apple moved, and he stared at Cheng Yaoyao with his lips pursed, not dodging or avoiding, but rather provoking him.
Cheng Yaoyao was so angry that he jumped up and threw a book at Xie Zhao: "Get out!"
Just as Xie Zhao was about to explain, he was slapped hard from the back. There was a whoosh, like a thunderbolt, and it was different from the slap that seemed to be flirting with Cheng Yaoyao. This slap was genuine, Xie Zhao's brows knitted, and Cheng Yaoyao shrank back in fear.
Grandma Xie held a feather duster in her hand and was furious: "What are you doing, you beast?"
Xie Zhao's face flushed red, and he looked at Cheng Yaoyao in a speechless manner: "I..."
"Ouch!" Cheng Yaoyao covered his face with his hands, turned over and fell on the bed, his shoulders trembling.
Grandma Xie was even more furious. She grabbed Xie Zhao's ears and pulled him out: "How can you be worthy of the ancestors of the Xie family for doing such an immoral thing? Get out of here!"
Grandma Xie's little strength was not enough to shake Xie Zhao. Xie Zhao was afraid that Grandma Xie would fall, so she dragged him out and hit him with a feather duster. Xie Zhao hid and walked around the hall with Grandma Xie: "Grandma, you misunderstood, I didn't bully my sister!"
Grandma Xie raised her feather duster and said, "Come here, I saw everything. What can you say? Did I teach you to behave immorally since you were a child?!"
Xie Fei screamed in fear and rushed into the room to ask Cheng Yaoyao for help, but she saw Cheng Yaoyao lying on the bed trembling all over. She rushed over and said, "Sister, what's wrong with you? Did you fight with your brother? Don't cry!"
Cheng Yaoyao raised his head after a long while, his face looked like he was both crying and laughing: "I...Puchi..."
She buried her face in the quilt again, leaving Xie Fei confused: "Grandma is beating my brother! Sister, go out and persuade her!"
Cheng Yaoyao laughed so hard that his whole body softened. He wiped away the tears from his eyes and said to Xie Fei, "I don't want to persuade him. He deserves it!"
Despite this, Cheng Yaoyao still stopped Grandma Xie. It took her a long time to convince Grandma Xie that they were just joking. Xie Zhao accidentally tore Cheng Yaoyao's clothes, which made Cheng Yaoyao angry.
Grandma Xie was skeptical: "Why did he go to your room for no reason? Don't make excuses for him. A woman can swallow any loss, but not this kind of loss!"
After saying this, he glared at Xie Zhao fiercely.
Xie Zhao was chopping wood in the yard, with a red scar on his face. He didn't even raise his eyes, and his expressionless face was full of frustration.
Cheng Yaoyao raised three fingers and said, "Really? Why should I make excuses for him? Am I the kind of person who would accept being insulted? He brought me some college entrance examination review materials and helped me move into the house."
"College entrance examination?" Grandma Xie caught the word sharply, "Hasn't the college entrance examination been cancelled? What news did you hear?"
An old rural lady actually knows so much about the college entrance examination. Cheng Yaoyao didn't notice this and just said, "My father wrote to me and said that according to inside information, the college entrance examination will most likely be resumed in the next two years."
Grandma Xie asked, "Yaoyao, are you going to take the college entrance examination?"
Also ready to...leave here?
Cheng Yaoyao nodded without hesitation and said with a smile: "I plan to review, and Xie Zhao will review with me too!"
Xie Zhao suddenly raised his head, his eyes somewhat surprised.
"College entrance exam... College entrance exam, great. No matter what the situation is, studying is the best way out!" Grandma Xie nodded excitedly, thinking about something, "The college entrance exam will not recover so quickly, you have at least two years."
Xie Fei stared with innocent eyes and suddenly asked, "But given our family background... can we take the college entrance examination?"
These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over her head, cooling down Grandma Xie's feverish head and extinguishing the slight warmth that had just begun to burn in Xie Zhao's heart.
He pursed his lips and said, "I'm not a student."
Grandma Xie said angrily, "Nonsense! Your father personally taught you when you were a child, so you have a good foundation for reading. Your father and your teacher have praised you for having a photographic memory. If it weren't for..."
Grandma Xie threw away the feather duster and pulled Cheng Yaoyao, saying, "Yaoyao, tell grandma about the college entrance examination in detail. How much do you know?"
Cheng Yaoyao actually knew a lot about the first college entrance examination - her grandfather was a candidate in that year's college entrance examination. At the age of 28, her grandfather was admitted to university, becoming the most prestigious college student of that era, and he has always been very proud of it.
When he was a child, my grandfather would talk to Cheng Yaoyao every night over dinner while drinking a little wine. He was in the countryside at that time, how he studied nervously, and how he guessed the test questions... Everything is still vivid in his mind. Cheng Yaoyao even remembers that the review materials my grandfather said had guessed most of the test points.
Cheng Yaoyao couldn't tell her any of this, so she could only vaguely tell Grandma Xie: "My father has a friend who works in the Education Bureau, and it is said that the country is planning to reinstate the college entrance examination. And no matter your family background, you can take the exam."
Cheng's words were like a ray of light that illuminated the dark road ahead for the Xie family. She described the future so well that the Xie family, who were used to hardship, did not dare to believe it.
Xie Zhao said expressionlessly, "If I go to school, what will happen to my family?"
Grandma Xie said angrily, "If you can get into college, I can close my eyes even if I die. Why are you still worrying about this? I need to think about this carefully. Yaoyao, you should keep the books in the room and don't let this news spread, so as not to bring trouble to yourself."
"Okay." Cheng Yaoyao nodded obediently.
Grandma Xie didn't even eat dinner, and went back to her room with her hands behind her back. Whenever she encountered something important, she would think about it alone in her room and then come up with a plan.
Cheng Yaoyao and Xie Fei put away all the books in the room. Xie Fei looked at the textbooks with envy. Like Xie Zhao, she had never been to school and her grandmother and brother taught her to read.
Cheng Yaoyao handed her a few elementary school textbooks and a fairy tale book that would not cause trouble: "If you don't understand anything, come and ask me."
"Yeah!" Xie Fei ran out happily holding the book.
Cheng Yaoyao looked around the room curiously but couldn't find the erotic book. He guessed that Xie Zhao had taken it away when his grandmother wasn't paying attention.
Dinner was a pot of mung bean soup with mixed noodle dumplings, a little sugar added, sweet and cool, with pickled cucumber and pickled basil leaves, appetizing and refreshing. Xie Zhao held the bowl and ate alone on the steps of the courtyard, as if he was arguing with someone.
Cheng Yaoyao narrowed his eyes, picked up the bowl and walked over.
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