Struggle Life in the 1970s

After exiting the school gate and turning left is the bustling town center, but it was getting dark, and the streets that were bustling during the day were now empty, with only some garbage on the ground showing the presence of vendors. Most of the shops were preparing to close, and a few were still, with bright lights visible from afar. There were no street lights installed in this town yet, so Zhou Wenlong could only rely on the light from the shops to look around carefully.

He looked panicked and kept walking. Ever since he heard Chen An's words, his heart had been beating wildly, fearing that something had really happened to Chu Ye.

He asked himself, he was very kind to Chu Ye. Chu Ye was in a bad mood these days and he was the one who comforted her. Although he said a few nonsense in school some time ago, he was not wrong. The security guard said that Chu Ye went out with a man in the morning and did not come back by bus until the evening. Who knew what happened during this period? He was just guessing. Anyway, he had the mouth on his face and he could say whatever he wanted.

Besides, the innocent are innocent. If Chu Ye behaved uprightly, he would not be afraid of these rumors.

But on the other hand, he was just talking nonsense. Who would have thought that Chu Ye would be so sad and unable to get over it? If something really happened, he would be very sad.

Thinking of this, he looked far away eagerly again. He didn't know if it was because of bad luck, but he didn't meet many people along the way. Now he was walking on a small dirt road with waist-high weeds on both sides. There was no one around him. As night fell, small insects were chirping in the deep grass.

After standing in this kind of place for a long time, the anxious feeling I had when looking for someone gradually subsided, and a sense of uneasiness gradually rose in my heart.

Zhou Wenlong could see the road ahead clearly under the hazy moonlight, but it was also a vast pile of weeds. He stood there hesitantly.

He remembered that he had come here with a few boys some time ago, and knew that there was a small river at the end of this road. The water in the river was clear, and the deepest part was only up to a person's waist. If Chu Ye wanted to commit suicide after leaving school, this would undoubtedly be a good choice.

He stood there and could hear the gurgling sound in the distance, but the uneasiness in his heart became more and more widespread. Reason told him that he should go to the river to take a look. If the person was really there, it would be a good deed.

He swallowed his saliva. Although he wanted to save people, there was still such a long way ahead, and there were still dark and dense grass on both sides. He was struggling in his heart. Even if he went over now, if the person was still alive, everyone would be happy. If the person had jumped into the river and died, wouldn't he see a dead body directly? Even if the person was still breathing, what if Chu Ye struggled in the water and dragged him in?
He stood there thinking for a moment, then turned around and ran back. Chen An must have called out to other people, so he would go back and reunite with the main force first. Then, several people would search together, and there would be strength in numbers. Thinking of this, he ran back to the town.

At this time in the town, the few shops that were originally open were all closed. Only the state-owned restaurant had its door slightly open, and the light that came out was very eye-catching on the empty street.

"It's so late and still open? Last time, the door was closed when it was getting dark." Zhou Wenlong muttered as he walked back. The last time he wanted to go out for some meat after eating in the school cafeteria, he got to the restaurant and found that the door was locked tightly.

He couldn't help but curse out loud, and straightened his sleeves which were a little messy when he ran just now, "Why am I the only one on the street? Where did Chen An go to call everyone?"

In his heart, he blamed Chen An for being unreliable, and felt a little hungry. He walked to the only lighted place on the street belatedly, intending to go in and buy something to eat. Before he stepped onto the stairs, he looked up and saw a figure sitting at the glass door. Wasn't that Chu Ye, whom he had been looking for so hard?

I was immediately furious, not caring about my hunger, I rushed over and asked in a stern voice, "Teacher Chu! So you were hiding here, do you know how much effort I put into finding you!"

After he finished speaking, Chu Ye looked up slowly. Her eyes were a little intoxicated and her cheeks were slightly red. Zhou Wenlong wanted to continue to accuse her but suddenly his words were stuck. He looked down and saw three plates of appetizers on the table, a plate of peanuts, a plate of smashed cucumbers, and a plate of pork head.

There was a small wine cup in front of Chu Ye and two bottles of white wine on the table, one of which was almost half empty.

Zhou Wenlong swallowed hard and noticed that Chu Ye was wearing a white dress today. Under the light, there seemed to be flowing light on the dress, which was particularly eye-catching in the evening.

There were only two of them in the store. There were faint noises coming from the room behind the counter. Zhou Wenlong guessed that it might be the waiter busying himself inside.

He looked around again, and Chu Ye in front of him blinked, as if he finally recognized who he was, and grinned, "It's you, Teacher Zhou, come and sit down!"

Now that Zhou Wenlong had found the person, he was no longer so anxious. He looked around and sat down opposite him.

Chu Ye pushed the full bottle of white wine in front of him and said, "Drink! We won't go home until we are drunk tonight."

Zhou Wenlong was frightened and obviously at a loss about what to do with Chu Ye like this. The three dishes in front of him were barely touched. His stomach began to growl. He hesitated for a moment, took out a pair of chopsticks from the chopstick holder on the table, picked up a piece of pork head and put it into his mouth.

He closed his eyes contentedly. Chu Ye's drunken voice on the other side sounded very helpless. "What do you think I should do, Teacher Zhou? There are constant rumors in the school. I am really too tired."

She raised her eyes and saw Zhou Wenlong only caring about putting meat into his mouth. She frowned and said, "Teacher Zhou, why are you just eating and not drinking? Come on! Clink glasses!"

She held the small wine glass in her hand and stretched it to the middle of the table, looking as if she would not stop until she drank.

Zhou Wenlong originally planned to eat a few more bites of food and take Chu Ye back to school after filling his stomach. But now seeing her unwilling to give in, he felt a bit of a headache. He was not a person who could drink.

However, Chu Ye opposite had a flushed face and a dazed look in her eyes. Her white dress outlined her beautiful figure. He swallowed, hesitated for a while, walked to the counter and took a small wine glass, opened the bottle of white wine beside it, filled it to seven-tenths, then clinked the glasses together, gritted his teeth and drank it all in one gulp.

"Good job! I didn't expect Teacher Zhou to be a good drinker." Chu Ye filled his own wine cup. After Zhou Wenlong's face turned red and he stuffed several pieces of cucumber into his mouth, he spoke slowly, "How did I get involved in this kind of thing? I really don't know what to do. I can't stay in this school anymore."

"Ah, why do you get so upset when someone says a few words to you? You should know that a person who is innocent is innocent and a person who is upright is not afraid of his own shadow." He specially asked his relatives to transfer to this school for Chu Ye. If Chu Ye left, what's the point of him staying here. "But then again, what they said is not wrong. You do have a boyfriend, eh."

After saying this, Chu Ye's expression paused, and then he lay on the table and sobbed quietly.

Zhou Wenlong was at a loss as to whether to pick up the chopsticks or put them down. "What's going on?"

After a long while, Chu Ye raised her head, her eyes were red, but there were no tears on her face. However, Zhou Wenlong did not notice this at this time. Seeing that Chu Ye had stopped sobbing, he put a few peanuts into his mouth and said, "But your boyfriend is the same. He didn't come to see you even though you are like this. He is quite unreliable."

"Why are these peanuts so salty?" he muttered quietly. There was no water on the table. He picked up the wine cup and took a sip.

"I'm afraid it won't work for the two of us." Chu Ye looked depressed.

"See, I told you this guy is unreliable." Zhou Wenlong raised his eyebrows, with a faint expectation in his heart, "Teacher Chu, this female comrade should still observe more when looking for a partner, but it is normal for young people to take some detours. If they correct themselves in time, they can be forgiven. They should also keep their eyes open and check the people around them."

He deliberately straightened his back and sat upright. Then he saw Chu Ye's face full of emotion. She raised her glass and said sincerely, "Teacher Zhou, I know what is right after listening to you. Come, I'll toast you."

Zhou Wenlong felt very happy after hearing this, and raised his glass and drank it all.

Chu Ye picked up the wine bottle next to him and filled it up for himself, then put it aside, picked up the wine bottle next to Zhou Wenlong and filled it up for him.

Zhou Wenlong was concentrating on looking at Chu Ye and didn't pay attention to these details.

After pouring the wine, Chu Ye pushed the peanuts towards him again, "Teacher Zhou, continue eating."

Zhou Wenlong obediently picked up a dozen peanuts, then felt the peanuts were too salty, so he drank two glasses of white wine.

Slowly, the alcohol's erosion crept into his brain. He shook his head, trying to stay awake, but it was only for a moment before the sleepiness crept back. He wanted to say that they should go back, but he heard the person on the other side continue to lament, "Teacher Zhou, you're the only one who doesn't believe the rumors in school. You're the only one who believes from the beginning to the end that I'm not that kind of person."

Chu Ye's eyes were full of trust, which made Zhou Wenlong feel elated. He spoke with a bit of a lisp, "Of course, I believe Teacher Chu is not that kind of person. Of course, you made a mistake before and dated someone yourself, which was indeed wrong, but fortunately you came to your senses and turned back."

"Let me tell you, you young girls like to look for those educated youth... those pretty boys or something like that. They are all unreliable. They are just novelties for a while. As a person... you still have to be down-to-earth. Look at me. I came to this school for you... That's called dedication!"

Chu Ye nodded with emotion, toasted him again, and then urged him to eat peanuts, "Alas, I realized it too late."

"It's not too late. Although you... have some flaws, but... it also lets you... know... who is good to you. You must know it in your heart." Zhou Wenlong was a little drunk and spoke incoherently.

He could hardly open his eyes, they were half-closed, and his head began to fall towards the table.

Chu Ye lowered his voice, very soft and gentle, as if a spring breeze was sent into his ears, "Alas, it's useless to say so much now. I don't know who spread the rumor. I'm so angry that I want to leave school."

"No!" Zhou Wenlong was startled, but he couldn't resist the power of alcohol and lay on the table again, muttering, "Don't go, don't go... I believe you, I know who... spread it."

"Then tell me, who spread those words?" Chu Ye's tone was as soft as a ball of snow-white cotton. Zhou Wenlong felt drowsy after hearing it. His mouth was no longer under the control of his brain. He subconsciously replied, "Hehe...it was me."

"Tell me again, who spread those rumors about me in school?"

The voice beside his ear was so gentle. Zhou Wenlong's unconscious brain vaguely remembered that it was Chu Ye's voice. She had never spoken to him in this tone before. It sounded like she was lying on the clouds. He felt itchy in his heart. He smiled foolishly, "Hehe, it was me... I, I said that at... school."

"Bang, bang!" Zhou Wenlong's cloud bed was shattered by the thunder. He opened his eyes hazily, and Chu Ye was still in front of him. She had stood up at some point and was looking down at him. The coldness in her eyes was like a sharp sword.

A bad premonition climbed up from his spine to his head, making him a little more sober. He heard footsteps behind him, and turned his head to see Chen An and the dean standing at the counter, looking at him coldly.

Ruined.

This was the only thought left in Zhou Wenlong's mind.

(End of this chapter)