Black Gold 1983

The afternoon sun shone warmly on the main road of the mining area's residential compound, where the poplar trees on both sides were just sprouting tender buds, and even the wind became gentle.

Renye rode his old-fashioned bicycle, occasionally ringing the bell and humming off-key tunes, looking relaxed and carefree.

Tian Sui'er sat comfortably in the back seat, gently holding the hem of his shirt at his waist with both hands. She didn't mention the bowl of vermicelli soup in the cafeteria, Wang Hongxia, or the words Xu Dongsheng had said after chasing after her.

Those things are like a dried soup stain on a cotton-padded jacket; they'll be washed away sooner or later, and they're not worth bringing up to talk about. She just sat there with her eyebrows curved, looking exceptionally comforting.

The two rode forward at a leisurely pace, like any ordinary young couple in the mining area.

Just then, a few aunties from the family compound walked by, chatting idly. Wang Xiuqin was among them, carrying a vegetable basket. Her eyes swept over the two of them twice.

Tian Sui'er neither dodged nor lowered her head, but sat there openly and naturally. Ren Ye, on the other hand, whistled at her, making Wang Xiuqin so embarrassed that she cursed, "Shameless!"

Renye then cursed, "You bitch."

The two exchanged a friendly greeting.

After riding for a while, Tian Sui'er, sitting on the back seat, looked at Ren Ye's forehead, which was soaked with sweat, and finally couldn't help but ask softly, "Are you hot? Why are you covered in sweat?"

Renye turned his head, a casual smile playing on his lips. He didn't mention that he had gone back to find her, but instead deliberately dragged out his words, teasingly saying, "I just heard someone on the loudspeaker saying they were hiding a relationship with another gay man, so I wanted to come and ask as soon as possible who that gay man is?"

Tian Sui'er's cheeks flushed instantly, a surge of embarrassment and anger washing over her. She pinched his waist hard, her voice tinged with grievance as she said, "Are you looking for trouble? You know how upset I am right now, and you're still making fun of me?"

Renye groaned as he was pinched, glancing sideways at the back seat. Seeing her flushed cheeks and a hint of grievance in her eyes, his tone immediately softened: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I won't tease you anymore. It's all that bastard Renye's fault, making Comrade Sui'er suffer today. I'll teach him a lesson for you later!"

Tian Sui'er, who was still holding back her grievances, burst out laughing at his glib self-deprecating humor. She muttered under her breath, annoyed, "You're so unserious."

But for some reason, even though I was amused, a mix of bitterness and grievance welled up inside me, and as I laughed, my eyes welled up with tears.

More and more tears welled up in her eyes, sliding down her cheeks, one drop after another.

She bit her lip, trying desperately to stifle her sobs, but the pent-up grievances she had been holding back for so long were simply too much to bear—

Forced into an engagement with Xu Dongsheng, being scolded for being immoral, forced to apologize publicly, having soup thrown at her in public, and with no one understanding her desire to go to university, she finally couldn't hold back anymore. Her sobs gradually turned into quiet whimpers, and she finally broke down completely, leaning on Renye's back and wailing loudly.

Renye didn't say anything or offer any further comfort. He simply slowed down the car, letting her cry on his back, letting her cry out all her grievances, and making his back her most reassuring support.

Occasionally, a few passersby would see the girl sobbing on the back of the bicycle, her shoulders shaking, and they couldn't help but stop and point at her from a distance.

Renye paid no attention to those stares and slowly rode forward. About ten minutes later, the crying from the back seat suddenly stopped.

Renye was wondering what was going on when he felt a slight movement behind him, followed by Tian Sui'er's muffled, nasal voice: "Um... I'm a little hungry."

Renye was stunned for a moment, and before he could react, he heard her add, her tone a little aggrieved and embarrassed: "I hadn't finished my bowl of vermicelli soup in the cafeteria when I came out."

Upon hearing this, Renye froze instantly, and the car beneath his feet came to a stop.

He slowly turned his head and looked at Tian Sui'er in the back seat, whose eyes were red but who was earnestly saying "I'm hungry." His previous expression of heartache instantly vanished, and he burst out laughing: "Tian Sui'er, how come I never realized you were so cute before?"

Tian Sui'er was a little embarrassed by his laughter. She raised her hand to wipe away the tears on her face and glared at him: "My dad said, food is essential for life. You'll get hungry if you skip a meal. No matter what happens, you still have to eat..."

Renye shook his head helplessly upon hearing this, picked up his old bicycle again, and slowly rode forward, his tone indulgent and accommodating: "Okay, okay, I'll go back and make it for you now."

"You can cook?"

"Of course! And it's really good, a hundred times better than the rice noodle soup in the cafeteria!"

"Nonsense! My favorite is braised cabbage with glass noodles."

"..."

The two chatted casually as the car slowly turned a corner at the alley entrance and steadily drove into the quiet mining area's residential compound.

But as soon as they entered the family compound, Renye's expression suddenly became interesting, and Tian Suier also suppressed her smile.

Not far away at the alley entrance, Ren Shouyi, Li Yue'e, Tian Mancang, and Sui'er's mother hurried along, their faces still bearing the tense atmosphere of trying to make peace. They had just finished arguing and were trying to settle things amicably.

Most likely, they had just heard Tian Sui'er's public apology on the radio and were rushing to the publicity department in a hurry.

But before he could even leave the residential compound, he bumped right into two people riding a bicycle.

The four of them stopped abruptly, their eyes all falling on the two of them. Tian Sui'er, sitting in the back seat, felt a tightness in her heart and subconsciously shrank behind Ren Ye. She was so small that she almost timidly hid herself.

Sui'er's mother was the first to react, rushing forward, her voice still trembling with tears: "Sui'er! What's wrong with you? How could you be so foolish! Why did you have to apologize in public on the radio? Do you know that once this gets out, your reputation will be completely ruined! Why didn't you think about yourself?!"

Tian Mancang quickly stepped forward, first glaring at Ren Ye with a stern face, then turning his gaze to Tian Sui'er in the back seat, his tone both angry and anxious: "I've already told you, you don't need to get involved in the Third Team's affairs! Why are you so stubborn, girl!"

Li Yue'e, who was standing to the side, could no longer hold back. She rushed over and slapped Ren Ye, saying, "Look what you've done! You've created this mess, look what you've done to Sui'er!"

Seeing that Li Yue'e was about to make a move, Tian Sui'er quickly stepped forward to block Ren Ye: "Aunt Yue'e, please don't blame him. This whole thing was my own idea from beginning to end, it has nothing to do with him."

Tian Mancang snorted coldly, his tone full of frustration and dissatisfaction: "What kind of time is this to still be speaking up for him! If he hadn't interfered back then, would all this have happened?"

Tian Sui'er bit her lip and retorted, "But I don't like Xu Dongsheng at all. Do you really think I'll be happy if I marry him?"

She looked at Sui'er's mother and Tian Mancang, her voice tinged with grievance, yet every word was earnest: "What's the use of a good family background if there's no love in the marriage? Rather than endure a lifetime of misery, I'd rather be gossiped about than marry someone I don't love!"