Chapter 39: Late-Night Chat in the Dorm
Late at night, in the quiet of the female educated youth dormitory!
Lying side by side on the earthen bed, the girls were all awake.
Suddenly, Zhang Xinyao sat up and said, “Xiao Xue, have you noticed? Li Yi seems to have changed!”
“Has he?”
“Yeah, quite a bit. He used to be so cocky and had no manners at all. But look at him now—he greets everyone he sees, and…”
“And what?” Tang Xue asked immediately.
“And he seems really into you now!”
“Really?”
“Haha, Xue, don’t tell me you haven’t noticed a thing. Never mind how much he spent on the betrothal gifts—don’t you have any idea how many things Li Yi has sent you lately?” Zhang Xinyao said with a smile.
How could Tang Xue not feel it? On the contrary, she was a very sensitive girl. She could remember even the smallest kindness from others for a long time, let alone Li Yi expressing his inner feelings to her so directly—how could she not feel a thing!
It was just that Tang Xue didn’t know how to respond to Li Yi; her feelings were incredibly complicated!
Seeing Tang Xue’s sudden silence, Zhang Xinyao sighed and said, “Xiao Xue, you aren’t still thinking about that Tan Cheng, are you?”
Zhang Xinyao knew that Tang Xue had always had a special place in her heart for Tan Cheng, the older brother she’d grown up with since childhood, and she knew Tang Xue had been waiting for him all these years. But Zhang Xinyao really didn’t have the slightest bit of affection for Tan Cheng.
“No… it’s not that…”
“Xiao Xue, we’ve been friends for three or four years now—don’t you think I know what’s on your mind?”
Then Zhang Xinyao added, “I don’t mean to criticize you, but that childhood friend of yours, Tan Cheng, might not be the right match for you. Think about it—in all these years since you went to the countryside, has he ever come to see you even once?”
“We’ve written letters…”
“Hmph, you’ve been writing to each other, but I heard he only replied to one of your letters!”
“Well…”
“Xiao Xue, I know you grew up together, and he did look out for you back then! But from my perspective, he either sees you as a little sister or doesn’t like you at all!”
“You… how do you know all this?”
“Because you can’t hide your feelings for someone!”
“What?”
“Take Li Yi, for example. He knows living conditions at our educated youth commune are rough, so he brings you treats every now and then. He also knows girls like to look pretty, so he buys you face cream, flowery dresses, and sandals. Though these things may seem ordinary, they show he truly cares about you!”
Hearing Zhang Xinyao’s words, Tang Xue fell silent once more.
Thinking about Li Yi’s behavior lately, she could sense that his responsibility toward her wasn’t merely out of obligation, but that he genuinely wanted to marry her.
“Xinyao, you’re right. He has changed a lot, and he’s been really good to me, so I’ve decided to give him a chance!”
“What kind of chance?”
“The chance to court me!” Tang Xue said earnestly.
“What? Girl, you’re about to get married, and you’re letting him court you? What are you thinking?” Zhang Xinyao said, looking utterly surprised.
“We haven’t even had the wedding banquet yet. Besides, when I said I’d marry him before, it was just because I had no other choice—I never actually planned on building a life with him!”
“So what about now? Are you planning to build a life with him?”
“Yes. As long as he proves himself to me, I’ll be happy to settle down with him. I wouldn’t regret it even if I spent the rest of my life as a village wife!” Tang Xue said earnestly.
Zhang Xinyao smiled and said, “Xue, I’m really happy to hear you think that way. It’s not easy for us women to find someone who’s truly sincere with us. I hope you’ll cherish Li Yi!”
“I’m worried he’ll just be all talk and no action!” Tang Xue said with a hint of concern.
“I don’t think so. If he didn’t like you, he wouldn’t be going to all this trouble!”
Then Zhang Xinyao added, “Xiao Xue, you must know about Li Yi taking the village children out to gather wild produce and sell mushrooms, right?”
“I know—Na Jie told me about it!”
“Do you know how much Li Yi pays those kids each day?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t ask. Why?”
“I was paired up with Gou Sheng’s mom today. She told me Gou Sheng has been picking mushrooms with Li Yi for five days now, and he’s bringing home two yuan a day!”
“Two yuan? That much?”
Although Tang Xue had heard from Li Na that Li Yi had been making good money lately, she hadn’t asked exactly how much.
After all, she hadn’t officially joined the family yet, and asking about such things might give the impression that she was in a hurry to take charge.
“Gou Shen’s mom said that’s not even the most. Apparently, for the older kids—Dongzi, Shitou, and Qiangzi—Li Yi gives them five yuan a day!”
As she spoke, Zhang Xinyao couldn’t hide the envy in her voice.
After all, even working themselves to the bone every day, they could only earn 8 to 10 work points—each point worth just 3 or 4 cents, adding up to only a few dimes a day.
An income of five yuan a day was simply too tempting for them!
“Then I’ll have him take you along to earn money too!” Tang Xue said.
“Xiao Xue, I didn’t say that because I want to make money with Li Yi, but to remind you that Li Yi isn’t the same person he used to be.”
Zhang Xinyao continued, “Everyone in the village now says Li Yi is capable. I heard from Gou Sheng’s mom that even the Li family—who live the best life in the village—have quietly hinted they want to form an alliance with the Li Yi family.”
“If you keep thinking about just getting by like you used to, I’m afraid you’ll lose Li Yi one day. By then, if you regret it, there’ll be nowhere to cry!”
Tang Xue was clearly startled by Zhang Xinyao’s words and hurriedly asked, “Xinyao, the girl from the Old Li family you’re talking about—is she that young girl named Li Meiqin?”
“Yes, you’ve met her too. Not only is she pretty, but I hear she’s only 17 this year and has even studied in the city—she’s no worse off than us educated youth!”
“Well… Xinyao… what should I do?”
Tang Xue had just been preparing to give Li Yi a chance, but hearing this news now left her feeling a bit at a loss.
“Don’t worry. It’s clear Li Yi still has feelings for you. As long as you give him a little encouragement—and since you’re already engaged—no one can take him away from you!” Zhang Xinyao said.
“Hmm, if he dares to change his mind, I’ll have Sister Na beat him up!” Tang Xue said, raising her little fist.
“Hahaha, right! I’ve heard Li Yi is pretty scared of his third older sister!”
“That’s for sure. I’ve seen Sister Na beat Li Yi before—she’d just whack him with a fire poker right across the body, and he didn’t even dare fight back. It was so pitiful!” Tang Xue said with a laugh.
“Then you’d better cling to your older sister-in-law’s leg. If Li Yi ever dares to bully you in the future, have Sister Na beat him up!”
“Okay!”
…….