Struggle Life in the 1970s

Upon hearing this, Chu Ye also lowered her head with a red face. She glanced over and saw that Mu Jiajun still had a face full of shame and embarrassment. Her heart started beating uncontrollably again.

Neither of them moved their chopsticks. A breeze blew by, and time seemed to have passed for a long lifetime, yet it seemed to have passed for only a second. Then, Mu Jiajun's calm voice came to their ears, "Hurry up and try this, it's delicious."

Chu Ye hummed softly.

The cold noodles in the bowl are milky white and clear, served with bean sprouts and cucumber shreds, with seasoning poured on top and garnished with a little red chili oil, which really looks appetizing.

Chu Ye took the lead, stirring it evenly and then picking it up and putting it into her mouth. Instantly, her mouth was filled with the spicy, fresh and slightly cool taste. She widened her eyes and nodded in agreement to the person opposite her. Mu Jiajun was relieved and the embarrassment just now was swept away. He immediately smiled and started to pick up his chopsticks.

After eating, Chu Ye was about to ask the price, but was stopped by Mu Jiajun again. He took out the exact amount from his pocket and put it in the proprietress's hand.

"Hey, you're done eating. Bye." The proprietress still had a friendly look on her face and greeted us with a smile.

After they had their fill, they walked slowly back to school. Chu Ye was still wondering why Mu Jiajun had clearly asked her to treat them, but he ended up paying for it himself. She was puzzled and hesitated whether to ask him about it, but before she could say anything, Mu Jiajun kept talking.

"Would you like some peanut candy?" Chu Ye looked up and saw an old man's stall on the right, which was selling peanut candy. Mu Jiajun next to her was very excited, as if he could book the stall if she said the word "buy".

"No, I don't want to eat." Chu Ye replied.

"Oh."

Chu Ye considered his words in his mind and was about to ask.

"Then do you want some fruit?" This time it was the left side. Mu Jiajun looked at the stall selling apples and oranges, and then looked at Chu Ye expectantly.

"I just ate a lot, so I don't want to eat any fruit." Chu Ye shook his head and waved his hands.

"Oh."

Chu Ye took a deep breath, opened his mouth, and the words came to the tip of his tongue.

"Then do you drink orange soda?" Mu Jiajun pointed at the small blackboard hanging outside the entrance of the state-owned restaurant, on which was written in large chalk words "Specially supplied iced soda".

Chu Ye swallowed her words back and looked at Mu Jiajun without saying a word. Her eyes fell on his face, carefully watching all his reactions.

Mu Jiajun felt a little uneasy as he didn't get a reply from Chu Ye this time. He glanced over and found that Chu Ye was staring at him. A look of embarrassment and helplessness flashed across his face.

For a moment, the air seemed a little quiet. Chu Ye was still staring at him. The embarrassment on his face slowly turned into uneasiness, and then a trace of panic spread in his heart. He lowered his head uncomfortably, his eyes looking around randomly.

"What's wrong? Why are you always looking at me?"

"Didn't you say you were hungry and asked me to treat you to a meal? Why did you end up paying?" Chu Ye asked.

It turned out that it was because of this. Mu Jiajun breathed a sigh of relief, and his originally panicked heart calmed down.

"How can you let a girl pay when you're dining together? That's impolite." He said it as a matter of course.

The two talked as they walked. Now they were almost at the school gate and there were fewer vendors around.

"Then why did the proprietress just now say that you have been here for many days in a row?" Chu Ye continued to ask.

In fact, she had already guessed something in her heart, but she didn't ask at the dinner table because she was hesitating whether to break the window paper. However, she has never liked to hide things in her heart. She will do something if there is anything to do, and she also wants to confirm any confusion.

Besides, she was not a person who knew nothing. Although she had a unhappy life after marriage in her previous life, she had been moved by the elegant appearance pretended by Zhao Xuesong, so she knew that she had developed different feelings for Mu Jiajun.

Maybe it was the night when he sent her home every day during tutoring; maybe it was the time when he suddenly showed up and helped her at the beginning or end of school; maybe it was the time when they wrote to each other over the past two years and shared interesting stories in life.

Perhaps, it was because his eyes, which were often curved with smiles, were too touching.

She has made up her mind, and now she wants to break through that layer of window paper.

"That's because, because..." He thought about it for a long time, but no excuse that could give him an inspiration flashed through his mind.

Chu Ye looked at the tips of his ears which turned red again and his eyelashes curved like a pair of crescent moons.

"Because I'm coming here in a few days, but you don't know the specific date, so you come to see me every day?" Chu Ye speculated, and it was a little funny. Although this town is close to his school, it takes a long time to get there by car. How can he come here every day?
The blush on the tips of Mu Jiajun's ears spread to his cheeks. Fortunately, the two of them had arrived at the school gate. The security guard might have gone out to get food and was not there at the moment, otherwise he would have wanted to dig a hole in the ground and crawl into it immediately.

Mu Jiajun hesitated, opened and closed his lips several times and then pursed his lips in silence. Finally, after some inner struggle, he seemed to have made up his mind and said "hmm" softly.

Chu Ye's eyebrows curved further. The answers to some questions were gradually confirmed. A long-lost sweetness welled up in her heart. "Why did you do this?"

This seemed to have touched Mu Jiajun's embarrassment. His face flushed, his fingers moved wildly, his eyes dodged several times, and he kept saying "I" for a long time. "If you don't say it, I'll leave." Chu Ye turned around.

One step, two steps, three steps.

"My feelings for you go beyond those of comrades!"

Chu Ye turned around and saw Mu Jiajun staring at her eyes in the sunlight, his gray-blue eyes filled with tension and uneasiness.

"I don't understand. Please explain it more carefully." Chu Ye shook his head gently, with a smile in his eyes becoming even brighter.

After Mu Jiajun said those words just now, it was as if he had opened the gate valve in his heart. Even if the floodgate switch was opened for just a moment, the rushing river water would not be able to stop.

Once you have said the first sentence, the rest will be much easier.

"Chu Ye, I like you." At this important moment, he put away the usual undying smile in his eyes, and instead became much more serious.

"Okay, I promise you." Chu Ye replied.

"What?" Mu Jiajun was stunned and asked subconsciously. After a moment, ecstasy flashed in his eyes.

"Are you serious?"

Chu Ye smiled but said nothing.

"No, no, this is too hasty. You wait here, I'll be there soon." Mu Jiajun muttered to himself, left a word and ran back.

Chu Ye was full of confusion. Although she didn't understand why the man ran away during such a romantic moment, out of trust in Mu Jiajun's character, she still waited patiently with a good temper.

After a while, Mu Jiajun's running figure appeared on the road in the distance. When he arrived in front of Chu Ye, he took out a bunch of flowers from behind his right hand with a smile on his face, "Chu Ye, I like you. Are you willing to be my partner?"

The person in front of her had beads of sweat on his forehead and nose, and he was breathing slightly while speaking. The bouquet in his hand came from nowhere, and it didn't look very fresh. The rose petals inside were a little black, but Chu Ye had to admit that this was the best bouquet she had ever received in her life.

"Yes." She nodded, then took the bouquet. Her fingertips touched Mu Jiajun's, and an electric current instantly ran through their hearts. It was as if an invisible Cupid appeared in the air, holding a pink bow and arrow, connecting the two hearts together.

Mu Jiajun's eyes flashed with ecstasy, and he danced with joy without any intellectual reserve. He couldn't wait to give Chu Ye a hug, but was afraid that it would be too abrupt, so in the end he could only look at Chu Ye and smile foolishly.

"Where did you buy these flowers?" There were roses, lilies, etc., obviously not picked from the roadside, but Mu Jiajun came back with flowers not long after running out. It was obvious that the place where he bought the flowers was very nearby. The two of them passed by there when they were having dinner just now, and Chu Ye did not see anyone selling flowers.

"I bought this from the state-owned restaurant. When we came back, I saw it on the counter, so I bought it." He was only busy buying flowers, and only now did he notice that the flowers were not very fresh. He said apologetically, "Today is an emergency, so let's make do with this. I'll bring you fresh ones next time."

"No need, this is good enough." Chu Ye did not dislike it. She was even moved that Mu Jiajun still insisted on giving her a bouquet of flowers at this time as the beginning of a relationship.

But Mu Jiajun refused. He insisted on bringing her something better next time. Chu Ye finally gave in and decided to go with him.

The old man at the gate had already finished his meal and returned to continue guarding the school gate. The two waited at the gate for a while, and then a bus back arrived. After sending Mu Jiajun on the bus, Chu Ye took the flowers and returned to the dormitory.

The girl who shared a dormitory with Chu Ye was named Su Xiaoying. She was in the next class at school and her academic performance was also top notch. She had a pretty appearance and a scholarly air.

Seeing that Chu Ye came back with flowers, she didn't ask too many questions. Instead, she tried her best to help Chu Ye when he was making the bed and packing his luggage, so Chu Ye had a good impression of her.

Chu Ye found an unused bottle, filled it with water, and put the flowers in it. Soon, the whole dormitory was filled with pleasant floral scents, and everyone's mood improved a lot.

These trainee teachers have not yet started work as they are still waiting for arrangements from the school. They have been eating in the school cafeteria these two days. Probably because the school leaders have instructed them to do so, they can just go there directly when it is time for lunch.

Three days later, after fully familiarizing themselves with the campus and the schedules of teachers and students, the school leaders held a welcome ceremony for them.

The school leaders briefly introduced the basic situation of the school and arranged for them to get acquainted with the school's senior teachers. They also arranged for each person to be in charge of which subject for which grade in the future. Chu Ye was to be in charge of the English subject for the third grade.

This is not an easy task, the school leaders earnestly advised. With the resumption of the college entrance examination, the importance of foreign languages ​​has been mentioned again, but this new idea has not spread to a small town like theirs. This year, their school plans to let students start learning English from the third grade, which makes many parents dissatisfied. After the leaders' persuasion, the parents are finally willing to let the teachers lead their children to study for a period of time.

The school leaders knew that this was an arduous task. Although the old teachers had more teaching experience, they were afraid that they would be unable to teach English to the children. On the contrary, it was better for these newly graduated students, as they had received systematic education and had some knowledge of foreign languages. Not to mention, the school leaders had seen Chu Ye's transcripts during his school years, and he was still at an outstanding level in English.

“Teacher Chu, you don’t have to feel too psychologically burdened. They just need to learn basic English. More importantly, it’s about cultivating their interest. You can teach them for a while first. If they can’t adapt, I will make adjustments for you.” The school leader said earnestly.

Chu Ye took on the task and devoted himself to lesson preparation. However, within a few days, an unexpected person appeared in the school.

The person who came was Zhou Wenlong, the one who threatened Chu Ye to be his girlfriend.

(End of this chapter)