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Hu Ruoyun stayed at Mao Na's house for a night, and the next morning, he couldn't wait to go home to "share the good news." Mao Na wanted to go with him, but after her last visit ended with her staying out all night, it had made Zhang Xiuzhen very angry. She had scolded her privately, and now Mao Na didn't know how to explain it to her mother.
Knowing her daughter well, Zhang Xiuzhen sighed inwardly as she looked at her growing daughter. "School will start in just a few days. Once it begins, you’ll both be in Jiangcheng. At that point, I won’t have to worry about you as much. Why do you need to go with him now?"
Seeing her daughter looking down and not saying anything, Zhang Xiuzhen thought about how once school started, the two would be in the same city every day. She realized she wouldn’t be able to control things anymore... So why make her unhappy now? She relented and said, "Go ahead then; I can’t really stop you anyway!"
Her daughter perked up and whispered in her ear, "Don’t worry, I’ll still be living with his sister!"
Hu Ruoyun pedaled hard on his bike while Mao Na sat behind him, holding tightly around his waist, giving him endless motivation. However, it was nearly eighty miles of road, and they rode for the whole morning before finally reaching the market in Laogu Township.
At Cross Street, they bought a dozen baked pancakes, a piece of pork, and two pounds of fried fish. Mao Na insisted on paying and leaned close to his ear, saying, "I can’t come here empty-handed!"
Hu Ruoyun replied, "If you came empty-handed, my parents would be happy too!"
He continued, "You don’t know how lost and confused I felt before yesterday! In the second part of 'Ordinary World,' when I saw Sun Shaoping and Tian Xiaoxia clarify their relationship, I was happy for them but also worried about their future. One is a reporter for a provincial newspaper and the other is a coal miner; I have no doubt about their sincere feelings for each other, but I really can’t imagine how they would live together! Then in the third part, I found out that Tian Xiaoxia died! I even think your mom is right; if I end up farming at home while you work in the city, can we really make it together in the future?"
Mao Na tightened her grip around his waist even more from the back seat. "Don’t say such depressing things! You promised me ‘If I don’t leave you, you won’t abandon me.’ No matter what happens, you can’t shake me off!"
She pressed her face against his back. "In this life, you might not become particularly great or successful, but I believe you will never settle for mediocrity either!"
Then she playfully scratched his waist with her small hand. "Once we get to Jiangcheng, you have to come see me every week."
The love between them was so sweet.
When they arrived home, they were surprised to find a crowd gathered inside. Second Aunt and Grandma were busy in the kitchen while Aunt-in-law and two other aunts chatted with Grandma. Grandfather, Uncle, Second Uncle, and two other uncles were sitting together smoking and drinking tea. Xiao Hu and Xiao Feng led a group of cousins running around playing in the front and back yards.
It turned out that Village Chief Zhao Manyin had announced Hu Ruoyun’s acceptance into university over the loudspeaker, making it widely known throughout the village. For Hu Ruoyun's father and Second Uncle, this truly changed the family’s fortunes! The era of “borrowing one pound while returning another” was over; all the pent-up frustration from half a lifetime was suddenly released.
Just last night, Brother had been shelling peanuts while drinking and managed to finish an entire bottle of Zhang Gong liquor. Second Aunt and Grandfather lived relatively close to Hu Family Village and quickly heard about this joyous event. Although Aunt was further away from Hu Family Village, Annan County's Eight Middle School was right in Gaoqiao Town; news of who had passed the entrance exams had already spread like wildfire throughout the school.
To verify the authenticity of the news, my aunt even made special trips to ask Er Niu and Si Bao about it. Consequently, the entire family gathered together to celebrate this momentous occasion.
When Hu Ruoyun entered with Mao Na, the familiar Aunt-in-law quickly approached and took Mao Na's hand to introduce her to Second Aunt and Third Aunt. However, Third Aunt already knew Mao Na, exclaiming, "Oh my! I thought it was someone else! Aren't you the daughter of the mayor from the town where you work at the Post Office? I heard your father is now the Vice County Head!"
This was another big revelation! Up until now, Hu Ruoyun had only mentioned that Mao Na's parents "both have jobs," but never specified where they worked or their positions. Third Aunt's words stunned everyone; it seemed that the Lao Hu Family had truly climbed to a higher branch!
That night, Hu Qihua and Zhao Meirong lay in bed feeling both joy and worry, unable to sleep for half the night. They were happy that Mao Na was beautiful and sensible, but worried about how to speak to their future in-laws given that her father was a Vice County Head. What would they say as simple farmers?
Moreover, they wondered if their son would face any grievances after marrying her, just like in the play "The Golden Branch." For an ordinary farmer, a daughter from the family of a Vice County Head was almost like marrying a princess.
The joyous event of the Hu Family caught the attention of many, who envied them. When news spread that "the Hu Family's daughter-in-law's father is a Vice County Head," someone remarked that the often envious and competitive Woodzi Woman had been sulking for two days without eating much...
Why bother with such feelings?
By late August, school was about to start. In Hu Ruoyun's memory of the "foreseen future," when he reported to the Practical Talent Class at Jiangbei University, he wore a pair of sneakers and carried his belongings wrapped in a coarse cloth sheet. He took a long-distance bus alone to Jiangcheng, got off at the bus station, and took bus number 4 to the East Gate of Jiangbei University.
In his dormitory, there were six people, and only his quilt lacked a cover. He didn't even have a travel bag; as the weather turned cold, he had only one pair of shoes and no change of coat...
When winter truly arrived, while other boys bought leather shoes and winter clothes, he received an old winter coat worn by his uncle and bought a pair of canvas shoes for a few dollars to replace his sneakers while cleaning them.
His parents, who had never left the countryside, could not imagine what life in the city would be like. The monthly living expenses of 100 to 120 yuan were already considerable for his rural family.
Because his residence was far from school, he usually didn't go to the cafeteria for breakfast. Instead, he bought two steamed buns for fifty cents at a nearby breakfast shop and paired them with a bowl of Hu Spicy Soup. For lunch at school, he would have six mao noodles with one bun or two liang of rice with eight mao's worth of vermicelli and bean sprouts (as far as he remembered, this was the cheapest meal among the five cafeterias at Jiangbei University).
Now, however, he would be going to study in the provincial capital with his beloved girl who loved him back. Moreover, he had been admitted through regular enrollment; with his current savings, he wouldn't face the same hardships as before.
Just days before school started, Brother Biao came over with Jiang Qiuying. She had been accepted into Jinan Normal University, attending the same school as Tong Caiying, but not in the same department.
Although Brother Biao ultimately did not pass his exams, he remained carefree and unbothered. He planned to attend a culinary school in Ji Nan, confidently proclaiming, "Once I learn my skills, I'll open the best restaurant in our town of Annan!"
Mao Na also gathered together with Hu Ruoyun, along with Li Shengnan and Ouyang Xiaxue.
With her belly prominently round, Ouyang Xiaxue could only sit half-reclined while being served by either Zhang Qiang or her mother. Meanwhile, Li Shengnan, stroking her belly with envy, looked at Yao Wei, saying, "We're getting married next lunar year; you need to work hard towards that!"
With a shy smile, Yao Wei replied, "Let's work hard together!"
Zhang Qiang had a few drinks alone with Hu Ruoyun. "I went to Jiangcheng and sorted out my Deputy Position and job transfer. I have to thank you!"
Hu Ruoyun waved her hand. "That's the result of your hard work and dedication."
Zhang Qiang leaned in and whispered, "Vice County Head Mao is about to be 'officially appointed.'"
Hu Ruoyun raised her glass. "As the tide rises, so do the boats. Congratulations in advance!"
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