Shuangling: Braving the Rapids

It was almost midnight, and only a few boiled peanuts remained. Even the chrysanthemum tea was all gone. The three of them tacitly agreed that it was time to call it a night.

As he was leaving, Cheng Dong, who had sobered up, suddenly grabbed Yue Chuan and asked with great concern:

"Chuan'er, how much is your high school tuition?"

Before Yue Chuan could reply, Ai Min chimed in, glancing at Cheng Dong and saying with a smile, "Dongzi, Xiao Chuan is still my nephew, so you don't need to worry about his tuition, hehehe..."

"That won't do!" Cheng Dong waved his hand and said, "Uncle Shuangling's money all went to Aunt's medical treatment, and you need to save your salary for getting married, so I'll have to pay for the tuition!"

"Xiao Chuan got into a top school, and the principal gave me a bonus. You should save your money for buying more goods!" Ai Min teased.

"You're kidding me..."

"You're the one..."

The two of them talked back and forth, completely ignoring the main character. Yue Chuan felt a mix of emotions and stood there for a long time before finally managing to interject!

"I...can I share my thoughts..." Yue Chuan scratched his hands, then continued, "I heard that No. 1 High School provides subsidies for impoverished students. I'll apply for it with the school. What I mean is...you don't need to worry about my tuition."

Hearing this, Aimin replied earnestly, "Xiao Chuan'er, don't feel burdened. We are your uncle and your brother, so it's only natural for us to give you money."

"Yes, Uncle Aimin is right. When we were kids, we often ate and drank at Uncle Shuangling's place. It's no big deal for us to help your family out when you're in trouble," Chengdong quickly added.

Yue Chuan was deeply moved by their words of comfort. After thinking for a moment, he finally spoke his mind, "There are still more than two months until the start of school. I want to use this time to work and earn money. If you really want to help me, could you help me find a summer job?"

"What?" The two of them exclaimed in unison—who would have thought that Xiao Chuan'er, with his thin arms and legs, would have such a strong will?

"Xiao Chuan'er, I don't think working is suitable for you. After all, you're still a minor, and you probably won't earn any money." Ai Min poured cold water on his enthusiasm, and then gave Cheng Dong a wink.

Cheng Dong understood and began to persuade him, "Chuan'er, working is not as easy as you think. Take me for example, I run my own shop and I don't even have a proper place to sleep. I just crouch on a wooden bed. What I mean is, money is a small matter. The key is not to ruin your health."

Yue Chuan knew they were doing it for his own good, but his family's situation was what it was. He didn't want to be indebted to them, and he didn't want his father to sell grain to support his studies. But if he didn't take this step, how would he solve the problem of tuition and food expenses?

After much thought, the only option left is to work during the summer vacation.

Seeing Yue Chuan looking dejected, Cheng Dong patted him on the shoulder and said, "If you really want to make money, I have an idea!"

"I know you're full of tricks, stop keeping me in suspense and just tell me!" Aimin Chongcheng Dong rolled his eyes.

"Xiao Chuan'er's maternal grandparents' house grows walnut trees, right? In previous years, around this time, we would always run to Dingzhai in the back mountains to pick walnuts. Those are all high-quality mountain products with thin shells and fragrant kernels! If we take them to the county town to sell, we're sure to make money!" Cheng Dong said, rubbing his hands together.

"That's right, that's a really good idea! But..." At this point, Aimin changed the subject, looking at his nephew and asking, "Xiao Chuan'er, your grandmother has been gone for many years, hasn't she? Are those walnut trees by the gate still there?"

After starting work, Aimin never went to Dingzhai again. The two villages are separated by Shuangling Mountain, so he really didn't know much about the situation there.

"Yes! There are still five trees!" Yue Chuan answered readily, but then he lowered his head again after a moment's thought. "It's not difficult to transport the walnuts back to the village from the back mountain, since I'm just sitting around doing nothing anyway. But hauling the walnuts to the county town to sell, that's really..."

Before Yue Chuan could finish speaking, Ai Min chuckled, "Don't worry, your brother Cheng Dong has a car. As soon as the walnuts arrive at our house, he can help you transport them to the city. Besides, the road from the back mountain to our village is all mountain roads, and you can't carry too many by yourself at once. So, I'll go find Geda first thing this morning and have him help you with the work!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Cheng Dong quickly added, "Don't worry! I'll find you a crowded place to set up a stall. If you can't sell them, I'll buy them all. These things don't spoil; I can just take them to my shop to sell!"

Aimin and Chengdong are both a few years older than Yuechuan. Having eaten for a few more years, they are indeed different, especially Chengdong. Don't let his carefree and unserious demeanor fool you; he actually has a wealth of social experience. He has even figured out where to set up his stall. He is indeed a master at making money!

With the strong support of these two, what else could Yue Chuan say but be deeply moved?

Because Cheng Dongjia lived in Laojiapo, a neighboring village, Aimin and Yuechuan didn't specifically see him off. After the event ended, Yuechuan went straight home, which was already late at night.

Yue Chuan lay down on the bed, but his stomach was churning. It seemed that the side effects of the chilled beer were already showing.

Feeling unwell, Yue Chuan began to toss and turn frequently, and the bed made creaking noises. However, this was not due to the bed board being flimsy—using a granary as a bed meant the structure was inherently unstable.

Indeed, under Yue Chuan's mattress was a rectangular granary, filled with freshly husked wheat. He could even smell the wheat grains mixed with the earth.

To be honest, the smell was not pleasant. It was not only pungent, but it also reminded Yue Chuan of the wheat harvest: under the scorching sun, the whole family would be huddled in the wheat field, sweating profusely, their necks and armpits covered in wheat awns. Oh my god, that feeling was truly unbearable!

Is there any job more troublesome than farming? Yue Chuan thought no. He studied hard to learn to read and write, mostly because he didn't want to follow the old path of his ancestors, toiling in the fields.

Thinking this way isn't exactly outrageous. Nowadays, everyone knows that growing grain doesn't make money; otherwise, so many people wouldn't go to the south to work.

Yue Chuan clearly remembers that in the first year his mother fell ill, his father sold all the wheat in the granary just to raise enough money for her medicine. You have to understand, that grain was grown with the sweat and toil of the whole family. They followed along from planting to harvesting, and only then did he truly understand what "living beyond one's means" meant—these four words were absurd and laughable, and they encompassed all the bitterness in his heart.

So far, Yue Chuan doesn't understand what "scissors difference" means, nor does he understand the country's macro vision for industrial development. But one thing he is very clear about is that he must go all out and devote all his energy to studying and taking exams. This is the only way for him to change his current situation.

With this mindset, Yue Chuan valued grades more than life itself. He studied desperately and carried a burden that was not his age. By doing so, he might be able to excel academically, but could he truly experience the joy and sense of accomplishment that comes with acquiring knowledge?

The answer is obviously no.

Yue Chuan was unhappy most of the time. Not getting first place made him unhappy, his grades slipped, and anything that exceeded his expectations made him unhappy. Fortunately, he had a benefactor who not only helped him through his troubles but also guided him onto the right path.

It is truly a blessing to encounter such a benefactor in one's life!

The room was so stuffy that Yue Chuan felt extremely uncomfortable. He rolled out of bed, rushed out of the courtyard, and then squatted down, sticking his fingers down his throat and vomiting up a lot of undigested food and wine.

He drank water, rinsed his mouth, and leaned against the wall for a while before he could recover. He no longer planned to go inside to sleep. With a straw mat and blanket tucked under his arm, he climbed the ladder to the roof.

The moonlight was bright and the cool breeze was gentle. Yue Chuan felt relaxed and lay flat on his back with his elbows under his head.

Wow! The Milky Way stretches across the heavens, all within sight.

The beautiful scenery was secondary; the main thing was that the tuition fees were finally covered, which naturally made me incredibly happy. My eyelids grew heavier, and a smile crept onto my lips. Let me have a sweet dream, on such a beautiful night…