My era, 1979!

Chapter 115 Grasping the Future of Their Own Country Ahead of Time (6.2K views, requesting monthly votes)

"On the way?"

“I already mailed it from Xujiatun.”

Xu Chengjun sighed and rubbed his forehead in exasperation.

Sometimes, the more you try not to see someone, the more likely they are to appear in front of you.

How to do?
Cold!

Xu Xiaomei looked at him strangely. "Didn't you mail the letter from Hefei?"

Fortunately, the girl was quick-witted. Sensing the awkward atmosphere, she promptly shut her mouth!
I only read gossip~
I saw Xu Chengjun leading a girl with pigtails this way.

Su Manshu put her foot down to stop the bicycle, and the bicycle bell rang.

His eyes first glanced at the intimate appearance of Xu Chengjun and Xu Xiaomei, and his brows furrowed into small knots.

"Comrade Xu Chengjun!"

Her voice was crisp and clear, with a hint of grievance.

"Where's the letter you mentioned? I go to the mailroom every day to ask. Grandpa Zhang even jokes with me, saying, 'Is Su going crazy waiting for a love letter?'"

Xu Chengjun was completely baffled.

He had just been bragging to Xu Xiaomei, "I have a friend at Fudan University who is beautiful and kind-hearted."

Now that he'd been cornered, he unconsciously touched the back of his head and glanced to the side.

Even the sparrows on the sycamore tree feel familiar.

"It's because...letter communication is difficult in rural areas!"

He coughed, trying his best to appear serious.

"The commune post office in Xujiatun only delivers mail to the county once every two weeks. I specifically asked the team leader to keep an eye on it before I left. It's probably still on its way, squeezed together with fertilizer bags!"

Things were slower back then~
Carriages, horses, and mail are all slow.
Is that reasonable?
Su Manshu glanced at him sideways with her beautiful almond-shaped eyes, about to ask further questions, but her gaze fell on Xu Xiaomei.

The little girl was wearing a floral dress made of polyester fabric.

He was staring at her with wide, round eyes, his gaze full of curiosity.

He looks about three-tenths like Xu Chengjun.

It can be temporarily ruled out that Comrade Chengjun has found a new love.

"Who is this?"

Su Manshu raised an eyebrow and gently poked Xu Chengjun's arm with her finger.

"You didn't mention you were taking a little tail with you when you left."

"oh oh!"

“This is my sister, Xu Xiaomei.”

Xu Chengjun breathed a sigh of relief and quickly smoothed things over by pushing Xiaomei closer to him.

"I just came from my hometown and I'm going to help out at the Fudan University library while I'm also studying for the college entrance exam."

Xu Xiaomei then realized what was happening, stared at Su Manshu for two seconds, and suddenly her eyes lit up.

My brother had told her before, "There's a really beautiful woman in Shanghai," and it turns out this is her!

The girl blinked her beautiful big eyes.

He immediately greeted her, "Hello, sister-in-law! My brother told me on the way here that you're amazing, you even help him revise his thesis!"

In an instant, Su Manshu's face turned bright red, down to the tips of her ears.

Xu Chengjun laughed. "Who taught you that, Xiaomei?"

Season's assist leader?
Su Manshu tightened her grip on the canvas bag strap, her ears turning pink. She glared at Xu Chengjun, her eyes seeming to say, "What nonsense are you spouting to your sister?" But the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl upwards slightly.

Xu Chengjun was also dumbfounded.

He just told Xiaomei that he "knew a powerful older sister," without mentioning anything else!
Why does Comrade Xu Xiaomei keep adding scenes on her own?

He quickly tried to smooth things over: "The child doesn't know any better and just shouted nonsense!"

"Who shouted that?"

Xu Xiaomei blinked innocently, "Didn't you say you wanted to get along well with this older sister and take her back to Xujiatun to meet my parents? My brother has always said that the person he'll bring home to meet my parents is my sister-in-law!"

Xu Chengjun: "."

Where is your simple and honest nature, Xiaomei?
Not pretending anymore?
Is the demonstration starting?

Show more~
"Cough cough..."

Su Manshu's face turned even redder, as if she had applied a layer of rouge. She reached out and gently pinched Xu Xiaomei's face, her voice softening: "Don't listen to your brother's nonsense. I'm your brother's senior. Just call me Sister Manshu."

As she spoke, she rolled her eyes at Xu Chengjun, her gaze not showing anger, but rather a hint of coquettishness.

Xu Chengjun looked completely innocent.

"Senior?"

"I'm not?"

Where is this going?

Just don't mention it in the letter.

What are you doing here?

"A lot of new students arrived in the Economics Department today, and the department is quite busy. Since I live on campus, I came to help out. I was just about to have lunch when I came to check on things, and who knew I'd run into someone as busy as you!"

That's a really harsh tone!

What grudge could there be?
"I really wrote the letter~ and I'm really on the road. This time I added three poems!"

"Shishi?"

Su Manshu recalled the three three-line poems she had written before leaving, and her pretty face burned like fire.

She glared at him, stepped forward, pulled Xu Chengjun away, and hooked her arm around Xu Xiaomei's.

His tone was extremely gentle.

"Come on, Xiaomei, let me take you to eat first!"

"After dinner, let's go to the department store to buy a notebook. Your brother said you need to study for the college entrance exam. I happen to know a store that makes really good draft paper, ten times better than your brother's rough paper."

"Hey!" Xu Xiaomei's eyes lit up, and she immediately followed Su Manshu. Before leaving, she turned back and made a face at Xu Chengjun.

He then beckoned to Xu Chengjun to follow.

"Brother, I'm going shopping with Sister Manshu!"

Su Manshu paused, but didn't turn around. Her ears turned even redder as she pulled Xu Xiaomei's hand and walked towards Nanjing Road. Her voice drifted over: "Xiaomei, don't be like your brother! He's so loose-lipped. If you don't understand anything during the college entrance exam, tell me. Don't let your brother lead you astray!"

Xu Chengjun didn't rush to move, but stood still, watching the two girls' backs.

Su Manshu's moon-white shirt and Xiaomei's Dacron floral skirt together looked like a sweet painting, making me want to touch my nose.

The wind swirled sycamore leaves onto his shoulders, carrying a hint of autumn chill.

The prayer letter should arrive as soon as possible.

Otherwise, if we get stuck again next time, we won't be so lucky to get away with it.

But then he suddenly remembered something—
If a letter is sent from Hefei, will the postmark also show Hefei?
Su Manshu pulled Xu Xiaomei to the street corner, secretly glancing back. Seeing Xu Chengjun still standing there grinning foolishly, she couldn't help but roll her eyes again. But she couldn't help but whisper to Xu Xiaomei, "Your brother just needs to be taught a lesson. If he dares to bully you in the future, tell me, and I'll teach him a lesson for you!"

Xu Xiaomei nodded with a sly look in her eyes, seemingly understanding but not quite, while pondering to herself.

My brother and Sister Manshu are just like the characters described in the book.

A smile hidden in her eyes, yet she's still being stubborn—is this what I mean by "the sour smell of love"?
-
half an hour.

Xu Chengjun decided to have lunch with them first, and then take Xu Xiaomei to complete the formalities in the afternoon.

As for himself, he still has plenty of time.

But seeing Su Manshu heading towards the school gate, they quickly called out to the two of them.

"Aren't we supposed to be eating? Why are you leaving the school gate?"

"Xiaomei finally came all this way, we definitely have to go out to eat!"

"Where?"

"Rongshun Restaurant! I heard they've recently introduced quite a few new dishes."

"Isn't this a bit far?"

"Isn't this a bit too extravagant, you rich woman!"

This is a restaurant that even Wang Zengqi thought was expensive.

The Rongshun Pavilion, built in 1979, is located at No. 242 Fuyou Road, HP District, in the heart of the City God Temple tourist area, adjacent to Yu Garden and Green Wave Corridor.

With the transportation methods of that era, a round trip would take about two hours.

"What?!"

Comrade Su looked coquettish.

"Definitely!"

"Xiaomei still has some procedures to complete this afternoon, but there will be plenty of opportunities later. Just grab something to eat on campus, Teacher Su!"

Xu Xiaomei looked up at the two of them and thought to herself: Do city people call each other "teacher" when they're dating?

"Is this Xiaomei's first time here?"

Su Manshu really hadn't thought about the paperwork; she was too busy seeing Xu Chengjun's surprise, anger, and embarrassment.
In the end, the three of them didn't go to the cafeteria but went to the Qingyunlou International Student Restaurant instead.

In 1979, Fudan University built Qingyun Building in the southeast corner of its Handan campus as a dormitory for international students. The ground floor had a simple restaurant that provided foreign teachers and students with a combination of Chinese and Western food, such as fried rice and borscht.

Although the facilities were not perfect at the time, they were much more novel than ordinary canteens in that era.

The restaurant gradually developed into a formal reception venue after the 80s.

Go into the restaurant.

You can smell an aroma that is a mixture of butter and soy sauce.

This small building from the Republican era, covered in ivy, was originally the office of an old professor. It was converted into a canteen for foreign teachers, students and those about to go abroad at the beginning of the year. The faded slogan "Unity and Tension" still remains on the wooden door frame, but the inside is a completely different story.

The tables in the restaurant are made of dark brown solid wood, much more refined than the cement tables in ordinary student cafeterias, and the tables near the window are covered with off-white checkered tablecloths.

Waiters in navy blue and khaki uniforms moved about carrying trays with stacks of white porcelain plates on them.

The plate either contains lightly fried tomato pork chops or plain noodles sprinkled with scallions, and occasionally a small dish of buttered bread.

"Let's find a seat first,"

Su Manshu walked familiarly to the square table by the window. "The borscht here is made in the Russian style, but there's less beetroot. However, it's more flavorful than the potato soup in the cafeteria."

She turned to the waiter and called out in a crisp voice, "Comrade, three bowls of borscht, two servings of Yangzhou fried rice, and a plate of cucumber salad!"

The waitress was a girl in a blue overalls, clutching a tin wallet in her hand, and scratching on the order form with her head down: "Fried rice requires grain coupons. Fine grain coupons are two cents a serving, coarse grain coupons are also acceptable, but they'll cost an extra five cents."

Su Manshu reached into her wallet even faster than Xu Chengjun, pulling out two grain coupons and a few coins and handing them over.

Xu Xiaomei leaned closer to take a look and noticed that the ticket was printed with "SH Municipal Grain Bureau 1979".

"Sister Manshu, your grain coupons are still new! I have to save up my fine grain coupons for a long time."

"At home,"

Su Manshu smiled and pinched her cheek, but glanced at Xu Chengjun out of the corner of her eye.

"Your brother probably can't even remember where he keeps his food ration coupons."

Finally, he added, "And so it is with faith!"

Xu Chengjun: "."

He has no right to speak today.

Just as Xu Chengjun was about to say something, a foreign language conversation mixed with Chinese suddenly came from the next table.

Xu Xiaomei immediately forgot about the food coupons and looked in the direction of the sound.

Two foreigners sat at the table. One had dark skin and wore a plaid shirt with the cuffs rolled up to his elbows, revealing a light scar on his forearm.

The other was a blonde girl, wrapped in a gray-green trench coat, holding a copy of "Introduction to Chinese" in her hand.

"Is that an international student?"

Xu Xiaomei asked softly, her eyes full of curiosity; this was the first time she had seen foreigners so closely. "The one on the left looks Japanese,"

Su Manshu lowered her voice, "This year, the school has received a few Japanese students for short-term training. The one on the right should be American; I saw him in the archives last month."

In 1979, among the international students at Fudan University and other universities across the country, students from Western countries, especially Western European countries, accounted for the vast majority. Although students from Africa, Japan, and other regions had appeared, they had not yet reached a significant scale. This was largely due to diplomatic and economic factors.

This is quite different from the situation after 2000 when Nigers were everywhere.

No sooner had he said that than the Japanese student suddenly turned and smiled at them, shouting in fairly good Chinese, "Nihao!"

Xu Xiaomei was so frightened that she quickly pulled her head back and buried her face in the table, trying not to laugh.

Xu Chengjun smiled and said to the Japanese man, "Pleased to meet you."

His accent was very standard, and the American girl next to him looked at Xu Chengjun in surprise.

This was the first time she had heard a Chinese student with such standard pronunciation.

Su Manshu also looked at Xu Chengjun with surprise, her eyes sparkling.

"Nice to meet u! And I love how clear your pronunciation is—easy to follow."

(Hello, your pronunciation is very standard.)
"You too."

(The same to you.)
The American girl looked completely bewildered.

Me too?
I'm an American!

Xu Chengjun didn't bother with her.

Does praising me mean I have to respond to you?
Free?
He comes from the 21st century and looks down on white people in Europe and America.

But that doesn't mean they should be treated differently.

I really can't stand the smell of cologne on you.
Unless there's something in it for him, he has no need to make special contact with these people.

Su Manshu was very satisfied with Xu Chengjun's performance.

"Human virtue" is perfect.

And charming~
She couldn't help but smile, her lips curving into a beautiful smile. She ladled a spoonful of borscht into Xu Xiaomei's bowl and said, "Drink it quickly, it'll turn sour when it gets cold."

"Why don't I have any?"

"Don't grown men have hands?!"

Forget it, I'll just love what I love about it!
It's just a woman's little trick to please me~
The meal was finished quickly.

finally.

Xu Chengjun did get to know this Japanese man and this American man.

He wasn't curious about foreigners.
But foreigners couldn't resist his curiosity.

It's hard not to be curious about a Chinese person who is stylishly dressed, speaks fluent English, exudes confidence, and shows no interest in them.

The Japanese name is Fujii Shozo.

I applied through the non-governmental channel of the China-Japan Friendship Association to study at Fudan University for a short period, focusing on Lu Xun studies.

Hearing that Xu Chengjun was a writer and a Chinese literature major, they became even more enthusiastic.

Every now and then, he would say "Nanda Tie", "Songna Kotuo", or "Bikuli Xita".

This accent made Xu Chengjun feel that the man was somewhat like an incompetent husband in a Japanese movie.

The American girl's name is Alice.

Exchange students come to Fudan University for short-term language learning.

Blonde hair and blue eyes, a budget version of Rachel.

The two of them enthusiastically told Xu Chengjun their address.

Xu Chengjun accepted it warmly.

I casually threw it in the trash can when I left the house.

Su Manshu: "Aren't you curious about foreigners?"

Xu Chengjun: "What's the point of being curious?"

You've been staring at that little card that says "Alice's Dorm" the whole time!
Su Manshu nodded in satisfaction: "Aren't you curious about the outside world? Aren't you curious about developed Western countries?"

At least she still had a desire to understand the advanced capitalist world that the professors talked about.

When Su Manshu asked this question, Xu Chengjun was picking his teeth with a toothpick.

My gaze swept over the groups of students gathered in twos and threes at the entrance of the cafeteria.

The rough texture of the toothpick gave him a sense of being in another world.

Instead of answering directly, he smiled first, lowering his voice even more than when he spoke with the international student, with a hint of nonchalance from someone who had been through it all.

"You find the outside world fascinating because we haven't seen much of it yet. Just like thirty years ago, people thought watching a radio was a rare thing, but in another twenty or thirty years, when every household has a television, who will still be glued to the radio?"

He looked up at Su Manshu, his eyes lacking the aspirations of a young person in 1979, but instead displaying a clear and calm demeanor.

"Western countries are developed, but that's a path they've walked for over a hundred years. What we lack now isn't 'curiosity,' but the confidence to walk steadily on that path. Look at the trench coat Alice was wearing and the hardcover book Fujii was holding. In a few decades, when Chinese students go out into the world, they might not be any worse off than them."

Speaking of this, he recalled the prospect of the overseas study market in 2025.

The entire internet is making fun of the QS and Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

The university ranked one place above Yale is New South Wales.
New South Wales is four places higher than Princeton.
If you can't get into the University of Hong Kong, you can study at Tsinghua or Peking University!
I applied to both Steam and the Group of Eight universities in Australia at the same time, and received an offer from the Group of Eight first.
Chinese students going to prestigious universities in Europe and America is no longer a "rare occurrence," and domestic recruitment places more emphasis on those ranked in the top 92 rather than those ranked in the top few hundred in QS rankings.

Back then, who would shrink back just because they were meeting a foreign student?
Who would still think that "the moon is rounder in foreign countries"?
It's not that there aren't any, but they can't cause any significant trouble.

"As for curiosity..."

Xu Chengjun threw the toothpick into the trash can.

"When our own factories can produce decent cars and our own universities can attract students from all over the world, then when we look at the outside world, we will be able to 'look' with confidence, instead of the 'curiosity' we have now through a fog. Right now, instead of watching how others live, we should focus on studying hard and doing what we can do well. That's more practical than anything else."

As he said this, Su Manshu was staring at him blankly.

The sunlight streaming through the cafeteria window fell directly on his face.

He showed no admiration for foreign countries, nor any anxiety about the future; he only possessed a certainty that came from having already foreseen the outcome.

Just as knowing that China will stand at a higher position decades later, being "not curious" at this moment is simply taking control of one's own country's future in advance.

This man is so mysterious!
However, Su Manshu actually had many questions in her mind.

Furthermore, how will China overcome the growth trap of developing countries?

Su Manshu studied economics.

Western economics.

She had a question on her mind: Can China really develop to the same level as other countries?

The theory she learned told her that it was highly unlikely.

This is also a common perception among many people in this era.

But looking at Xu Chengjun's appearance, he didn't seem to be unaware of these things.

Why is he so confident?
He was really too curious about this man.
In the afternoon, accompanied by Su Manshu, Xu Chengjun and the other two arrived at the library.

The library was packed.

Some students were engrossed in studying their textbooks, some were taking notes attentively, and others were immersed in classic works.

When they encounter problems they don't understand, they will whisper to the classmates next to them or ask the teachers sitting nearby for help.

Although the reading room was crowded, everyone consciously kept quiet, with only the occasional sound of turning pages and the scratching of pens on paper.

Xu Xiaomei lowered her voice: "Brother, is everyone taking this so seriously?"

"I've never been to university, how would I know? Ask your sister Manshu."

Xu Chengjun only knew that college students in his previous life would reserve seats to play King of Glory, but he really didn't know about 1979.

"Those who can get into Fudan University are all outstanding students from various regions, and they will cherish such an opportunity."

Su Manshu said with a smile.

"Your sister Manshu is just so outstanding~"

Su Manshu: "?"

The library office is located on the first floor of the former St. John's University chapel annex.

When the three knocked on the door and entered, Director Liu was working on documents with his head down.

"Are you Manshu?"

"Hello Aunt Wang, I'm here to accompany my friend's sister to complete her onboarding process," Su Manshu greeted her familiarly.

"My friend's sister?"

Xu Chengjun, who was admiring how useful Su Manshu was, quickly chimed in, "Director Liu, hello. I am a student of Mr. Zhu Dongrun. My senior brother Zhang mentioned earlier..."

"Are you Comrade Cheng Jun?" Liu Yumei asked, her expression a mixture of surprise and realization.

"Professor Zhang has been telling me that his teacher took on a last disciple, whom he has never had the chance to meet. It is fate that we can meet today. Please have a seat."

"Thank you, Director. Let me introduce you to my younger sister, Xu Xiaomei. I hope you will take good care of her in the future."

"That's only right," Liu Yumei said with a polite smile.

"Putting everything else aside, just considering your status as a future great writer, you have to take good care of me."

Xu Xiaomei peeked out from beside Xu Chengjun, her little head peeking out, and said sweetly, "Thank you, Director Liu~ I will do my best in my work, don't worry~"

"This girl is quite the talker~"

Along the way, Xu Chengjun realized that Xu Xiaomei had a way of pleasing elders.

That's promising!
Inside the office, the group chatted briefly. Liu Yumei, acting as an elder, inquired about Xu Chengjun's studies, glancing meaningfully between him and Su Manshu. She then briefly described Xu Xiaomei's job duties, which were largely consistent with what Zhang Peiheng had said.

I'll just wait until Monday the day after tomorrow to come to work.

That evening, Su Manshu accompanied Xu Xiaomei to the dormitory to tidy up the bedding.

The light yellow "national bed sheet," quilt, pillow, and other bedding items printed with peonies were brought from home.

I also bought an enamel basin, towels, toothbrush, toothpaste, tooth mug, and thermos with the words "Double Happiness" printed on it.

The thermos was bought by Su Manshu, who said she had to give Xiaomei a thermos no matter what.

Xu Chengjun was helpless, while Xiaomei was overjoyed.

In her opinion, what's wrong with accepting a thermos?
Sister Manshu will be my sister-in-law sooner or later~
In the staff dormitory.

"Sister Manshu, how did you and my brother meet? Tell me about it."

"You're so young, yet you're always gossiping, aren't you!"

Su Manshu helped Xu Xiaomei make the bed, laughing and scolding her.

“Your brother had his interview. We met in the Chinese department’s archives and got to know each other by exchanging greetings.”

Wow, how romantic!

"What's so romantic about that!"

"Sister Manshu, do you like my brother?" Xu Xiaomei asked with a mischievous grin.

"You brat, you've gotten too friendly with me, haven't you!"

Su Manshu pretended to hit her, but Xu Xiaomei didn't dodge. She just stared at Su Manshu with her big eyes, which made Su Manshu blush.

Anyway, my brother said she likes you!

"Ah?"

"What did he say?"

"Tell me about it, Xiaomei~"
-
At that moment, Xu Chengjun was in the library, writing furiously.

At least one article per month.

His recent letters to Su Manshu gave him new inspiration.

Why is time and space only on a single line?
Why can't a letter sent at the end of August arrive by mid-August?

Can't 2024 communicate with 1979?
This time he's going to write a novella.

It is a bond that transcends time and space.

(End of this chapter)