Struggle Life in the 1970s

The footsteps were getting closer and closer. Chu Ye stood behind the tree, staring at the figure approaching. The white mist dissipated, and a white face of mixed blood appeared. Chu Ye looked at the person in surprise and asked, "Mu Jiajun?"

After hearing the voice, the man raised his eyes to meet the little face hiding behind the tree, and then a smile broke out on his originally expressionless face. He quickened his pace and walked closer. Chu Ye calmly put the things in his hand back and then walked out.

Mu Jiajun stopped one step away, his eyes dropped to the red on Chu Ye's neck. Chu Ye followed his gaze and lowered her head in embarrassment, because she was wearing the scarf that Mu Jiajun gave her years ago. The scarf was light and soft, and very comfortable to wear, so she got used to wrapping it around her neck when she went out. However, at this moment, she remembered the scene when Mu Jiajun gave her the scarf, and the word "cousin" seemed to linger in her ears again.

For some reason, she felt a little guilty, and then she clenched the corner of her clothes awkwardly and said nothing.

Mu Jiajun didn't know about her mental activities. He just thought that red was a good match for Chu Ye, making her look petite and cute, and he thought that this gift was very appropriate. However, he knew that it was impolite to stare at girls all the time, so the next second, he looked away and lowered his head to take out a beautifully wrapped box from his handbag.

"This is the New Year's gift I brought you. It's chocolate. Take it to school and eat it." As he said that, he handed it over.

Chu Ye did not answer. She knew that she owed him a lot. In the past year, Mu Jiajun had been giving her extra lessons and sending her gifts. Although he always made the excuse that he was repaying her for saving his life, she knew in her heart that any favor must be repaid one day. Besides, Mu Jiajun had done enough and she could not accept this for nothing.

So she waved her hand and refused, "I can't have this, you keep it for yourself."

"No, that won't work. I brought this specially from home for you. This was bought by my brother from abroad. It's delicious." Mu Jiajun didn't listen. Seeing that Chu Ye didn't take it, he stretched his hand forward again.

His eyes were determined, as if he would keep holding it up unless Chu Ye took it.

Chu Ye sighed in her heart, touched by Mu Jiajun's sincerity and enthusiasm, but she still decided to tell the truth, "You don't have to give me these things. It was just a matter of convenience for me to save you at that time. Even if I have to repay the favor, you have already repaid it when you tutored me. You don't have to be so nice to me now."

Chu Ye looked embarrassed, "The things you gave me are too expensive. I can't afford to pay them back."

"I didn't want you to return it to me in the first place." Although Mu Jiajun said this, he was also keenly aware that Chu Ye was troubled by the gift he gave her, so he obediently put the chocolate away.

He looked at Chu Ye with a burning gaze. Chu Ye felt a little embarrassed being stared at. She looked around randomly but saw some water droplets formed from white mist on the collar of Mu Jiajun's neck.

Guessing that he also came from his residence early in the morning, her brain slowly recalled a question: Mu Jiajun got up so early and came to the village entrance, is he also going to the town?

So she asked, but she didn't expect to get such an answer: he was not going to town, he just came to see her off.

Mu Jiajun said it casually, as if he was just saying that today was a good day. However, to Chu Ye's ears, it was like a firework exploding, with sparks falling down and confusing her mind.

Her mouth subconsciously asked, "Why?"

"Why? Just give it to me if you want to. Besides, I'm not doing this to you just because you saved my life. You're my role model." Mu Jiajun looked back, and his eyes, which had seemed gloomy because of Chu Ye's rejection, brightened up again. He had a smile on his lips, and looked quite youthful.

"Me? I shouldn't be as good as you in studying, right?" The fireworks in his head dissipated, Chu Ye came to his senses again and replied in confusion.

"It's not important. Do you remember one summer night when I sent you home? I asked you why you wanted to study hard. You said you wanted to study to get out of the mountains and change your fate of getting married early."

Chu Ye nodded in confusion. This was indeed what she said. Even if she was asked now, she still thought so.

Mu Jiajun looked at her with his eyes curved and a smile on his face. "Before that, I had a very boring life. I tutored you just to find something to do. But until I heard what you said, I realized that what I have may be something that others have to work hard to get. This realization makes me feel very ashamed."

"That was also the night I told you I wanted to study translation and you said you wished my dream would come true."

"You know what? I didn't know I had such thoughts in my heart before. I learned all of this from you. You showed me that a person can work hard to change the future, so you are my role model."

Mu Jiajun's eyes sparkled. Chu Ye fell silent after hearing that. She was about to speak, and the word "you" came out of her mouth, but her attention was attracted by the ox cart coming on the road.

The two people under the tree turned their heads at the same time. The sky was bright at this time. Although it was a gloomy day, the fog in the mountains had long dissipated, so Jianwen's face soon appeared before their eyes.

Here, Jianwen, who came in a bullock cart, looked at the two of them in surprise. It was natural for Chu Ye to be here, but the other person? "Mu Zhiqing, do you want to take the car to the town too?" Jianwen asked.

Mu Jiajun smiled and shook his head in reply, then he took Chu Ye's luggage from the ground, put it on the ox cart, turned his head and said to Chu Ye, "Hurry up and get on, go to school early."

Chu Ye hadn't recovered yet, her mind was filled with Mu Jiajun proudly saying: You are my role model.

She never thought that she was good enough to become a flag on the road for others to advance, nor did she think that she would become a dazzling existence in the eyes of others.

She was so ordinary. In her previous life, she went on blind dates, fell in love, got married, and had children according to the routine. Even though she was lucky enough to be reborn, she didn't do anything remarkable. She just determined to study hard. However, she didn't expect that on the way to realizing her wish, her efforts would be seen by others and would also affect others.

At this moment, she firmly realized that she had really changed the fate of her previous life. Not only because what happened in this life was different, but more because of the change in her state of mind. As she persisted little by little, her heart gradually became stronger.

She sat in the car. Jianwen in front of her said hello to Mu Jiajun and was about to leave. At this time, Mu Jiajun put the chocolate in his hand on Chu Ye's luggage. Chu Ye was about to return it to him, but when she looked up and met his gray-blue smiling eyes, her hand paused and she heard Mu Jiajun say, "Rangyang, can you write me a letter once in a while after you go to school? I want to know how you are doing in school?"

The car moved slowly forward. If she didn't want the box of chocolates, she could only throw it away, but this was obviously not polite. Mu Jiajun stood there looking at her, as if waiting for her answer.

As if possessed by some mysterious force, she nodded slightly, and her Adam's apple uttered a low "Hmm" that only she could hear.

The ox cart was driving on the mountain road. After a few turns, the village could no longer be seen. There were few people in the forest in the morning. Occasionally, a bird would land on the treetops, causing a stir.

"Xiao Ye, is that educated youth interested in you?" Brother Jianwen's teasing voice pierced his ears along with the sound of wheel. Obviously, Mu Jiajun's actions and words just now aroused his suspicion.

"How could that be? He always wants to repay me because I once saved him." Chu Ye explained quickly.

"I don't think so. The way he looks at you is very warm. Besides, you see he came to the village entrance to see you off early in the morning. Who would be so stupid without some sincerity?" Jianwen said with certainty, not listening to Chu Ye's excuses at all.

He is an experienced person. When he was pursuing Nianci, he was the same as this boy! Men understand men best. His eyes can see through everything!
Chu Ye behind him didn't say anything. Jianwen thought she was shy. He recalled what he had just said and felt that it was indeed a bit sudden. He explained, "Oh, it's my fault. It's not good to say these things suddenly. Don't be offended. The main thing is that I always see him protecting you these few times. I think he is a good person."

"Well, he is a nice person and has helped me a lot during this period." Chu Ye replied.

No matter how slow she was, she knew how good Mu Jiajun was to her, and she herself was not someone who knew nothing.

It was just that she was busy with her studies before, and she didn't dare to think about anything else. Moreover, she kept reminding herself that Mu Jiajun's kindness to her was due to his upbringing and had nothing to do with love between men and women.

But whenever she thought of the scene when he gave her a red scarf years ago, and the word "cousin" he said in the wind and snow, her heart was like ripples on a lake, and she couldn't calm down for a long time.

Plus his actions this morning, his words, if it was just because she saved his life, it was indeed a little too intimate.

Remembering that she had finally promised him that she would write to him, she calmed down and thought, after all, she only promised to send him a letter occasionally, so it should be normal for him to forget to write, right?

It's normal.

She didn't send any letters, but that didn't stop Mu Jiajun from writing to her once every ten days or half a month, and he always sent her some snacks in the letter. As a result, her roommates asked her if she was in love. Chu Ye could only say that her cousin was worried about her, so he showed more concern.

Facing the regretful gazes of her roommates, in this passing winter, she received a letter from Sister Deng at school. When she happily opened it, she found a knitted light yellow sweater and the news that Sister Deng had returned to her hometown to work, ending her life as an educated youth.

In the letter, Sister Deng expressed her apologies in a sincere tone. She had not expected to leave so suddenly. She had originally thought about going back to say goodbye before leaving, but now she had just joined the unit and it was difficult to ask for leave. Even some of the things she left in the educated youth compound had to be packed and mailed back by others.

(End of this chapter)