Chapter 22: First Update

For a college student in this era, one hundred yuan—let alone thirty—was a massive sum of money. Some students lived on less than thirty yuan a month for all their expenses, constantly scrimping and saving, eating only rice in the cafeteria accompanied by a bit of pickled chili or mustard greens they brought from home. Such situations were extremely common during the first month or two of the school year.

Zheng Yukang’s family background was average. The only reason he could afford to go out to eat stir-fried dishes with Zhang Huiping and two others today was that his grades from the previous academic year were good. At the start of this semester, one good thing after another had happened: he was about to be awarded a scholarship, was set to join the Party, and had even secured a girlfriend with a city household registration and a family-owned home. He was truly riding high.

His older sister subsidized him, and his fiancée, Lin Xuexia, often came to bring him food. In particular, the dishes Lin Xuexia brought were delicious and went well with rice, saving him a significant amount on living expenses and allowing him to eat better than other students while still having money left over. Thinking that Lin Xuexia would likely be coming to bring him food again in the next couple of days, spending a little money on a stir-fried meal outside didn't seem like much of an extravagance.

But before he could even leave campus, he ran into Lin Xuexia. Had she lost her mind? Earning tens or hundreds a day? Hundreds of thousands to buy her recipe? It was absurd that she even dared to say it.

Zheng Yukang didn't believe a word Lin Xuexia said; he suspected she might be delusional. She had always been such a shy and submissive woman; he couldn't believe she was suddenly spouting such tall tales. In the village, there had been women who had "changed drastically," which usually meant they had been triggered into "going crazy."

To avoid making a scene and losing face, Zheng Yukang quickly said, "Xuexia, what nonsense are you spouting? What tens or hundreds? Huiping, don't listen to her bragging. Country folk just love to boast and talk big."

"I told you before, back home there's a trend of exaggeration; they love to brag and blow everything out of proportion by ten or a hundred times. You can't believe them. Uncle Cai from Xuexia's village loves to brag the most—he only received an eight-hundred-yuan dowry for his daughter, but he went around telling everyone his son-in-law gave him eighty thousand!"

With Zheng Yukang saying this, the surrounding students also recalled similar tales of exaggeration and concluded that Lin Xuexia was likely bluffing. Hundreds of thousands for her recipe? That was a claim that reached the heavens.

Zhang Huiping giggled, looking at Lin Xuexia with a seemingly innocent expression. "Sister Xuexia, you’re being a bit aggressive, aren't you? Did I accidentally offend you earlier? I just thought your braised dishes were delicious and wanted to learn the recipe; I didn't mean anything else by it. Please don't misunderstand."

Zheng Yukang chimed in, "Exactly, cousin. They’re just ordinary braised dishes. If you don't want to teach her, then don't, but there's no need to brag and talk nonsense."

Ma Yuhong chimed in with a sneer, "It’s just some cheap junk made by a country girl. How much could it possibly be worth? Do you really think you’re a restaurant chef? That someone would pay you hundreds or thousands?"

Seeing her words becoming increasingly mean-spirited, Li Sun, standing nearby, frowned. "Ma Yuhong, don't be so nasty."

Ma Yuhong just scoffed.

"Zheng Yukang." Lin Xuexia’s demeanor remained unshaken by their words. She looked directly at Zheng Yukang, a gaze that sent a chill down his spine. Her eyes were as dark and cold as winter stars, devoid of any warmth, and completely lacking the admiration she once held for him. That look, so different from the gentle, watery eyes he was used to, terrified him. What had happened to Lin Xuexia? How had she become so imposing?

Zheng Yukang’s throat was dry, and he struggled to find his voice. "Cousin, please don't cause a scene at school. Let's go to a restaurant outside and talk it over while we eat."

As he spoke like a "peacemaker," the passersby who had stopped to watch the commotion realized the show was over and began to turn away. Just as Lin Xuexia and Zheng Yukang were talking, several students had gathered to see what the argument was about. Seeing the crowd dispersing, Zheng Yukang felt a surge of relief. Once they were off-campus, no matter how much Lin Xuexia threw a tantrum, he could coax her in private. Compared to Zhang Huiping, Lin Xuexia’s innate submissiveness and adoration for intellectuals better satisfied his hidden chauvinism. The cold, distant look Lin Xuexia had given him earlier had made him feel strangely hollow.

"Cousin, let's go—"

Before Zheng Yukang could finish his sentence, Lin Xuexia splashed the bottle of milk she was holding right onto his face. It drenched him completely, soaking his glasses and forcing him to take them off. "What are you doing?" he shouted in anger.

The onlookers gasped; the show wasn't over after all.

Lin Xuexia shouted, "Zheng Yukang, all the books you've read have gone to waste! You wolf-hearted, dog-lunged wretch! Do you think I don't know what you’ve been doing behind my back? You and Zhang Huiping are nothing but a pair of shameless scoundrels!"

Zheng Yukang’s expression turned to panic, Zhang Huiping’s face went deathly pale, and Ma Yuhong, like everyone else, widened her eyes in shock.

"You told others I was your cousin? I have no relation to you whatsoever! Go back and ask your father, ask your mother, if I am not your betrothed fiancée!"

"I come to school to find you, and you have the nerve to tell your classmates I’m your cousin?"

"And that’s not all! You eat the food I bring you, yet behind my back, you’re playing around with her—two-timing, shameless degenerate!"

Zheng Yukang felt as if he had been struck by a club. His face drained of all color, and his heart was filled with terror. With Lin Xuexia making such a scene, everyone in his class would know. How would they look at him from now on?

Lin Xuexia turned to Zhang Huiping and called her out by name. "Zhang Huiping, you knew perfectly well I was his fiancée, yet you still pursued him. Because your family owns a shop and you know my braised dishes sell well, you wanted to steal my craft to make money for your family. A very clever plan, indeed."

"Did you think your little secret trysts went unheard? Your shameless behavior has long been known by those with a conscience, who came to tell me."

Zheng Yukang could barely stand. Someone had overheard him and Zhang Huiping! Others knew! It turned out people had known for a long time!

Zhang Huiping was equally stunned. She couldn't wrap her head around it. Only moments ago, she had been plotting to wrap Lin Xuexia around her finger with Zheng Yukang. How could Lin Xuexia know everything? Who told her?!

"Goodness, even in this day and age, such things happen? Calling a fiancée a 'country cousin'?"

"How shameless. Eating the food she brings, yet having the nerve to carry on with someone else. If you have the guts, don't eat it!"

"That woman is so calculating. She knew she was his fiancée, yet she smiled so smugly just now, acting all innocent like, 'I just wanted to learn your craft, why are you so aggressive?' It makes me sick. I feel like throwing up my lunch."

As the students around them understood the situation, their tongues were sharper than ever. Zheng Yukang wished he could crawl into a hole. At this moment, he hated Lin Xuexia—this foolish woman who had nothing but beauty—to his core.

Did she really come to school to cause a scene? Wasn't she afraid he’d refuse to marry her in the end? Did Lin Xuexia think that by ruining his reputation, he’d be forced to stay with her? What a fool! A complete idiot!

"What is all this?! What are you all making a scene about here?!" A middle-aged man in light yellow trousers and a blue t-shirt walked over. He was a bit plump, sporting a "general's belly" typical of middle-aged men, looking as if he had a watermelon tucked under his shirt, walking with some difficulty.

"Teacher Ye..."

Someone from the side said, "Teacher Ye, Zheng Yukang is acting like a hooligan here at school. He has a country fiancée, yet he’s messing around with someone else."

Ye Zongyi looked at Zheng Yukang. He was one of his favorite students—he had praised him publicly several times and even intended for him to be his graduate student. How could such a scandal happen? He frowned. "What era is this? What 'country fiancée'? A child bride? That is feudal dross!"

"Exactly! That is feudal dross!" Zheng Yukang grabbed onto this lifeline. Regardless of anything else, he didn't want to be accused of hooliganism. "Lin Xuexia, I was forced into this! I never wanted to marry you; it was all my family forcing me. Stop pestering me!"

Lin Xuexia scoffed. "Pestering you? I’m afraid you're the one who will be pestering me. From today on, our engagement is canceled. I find the sight of you disgusting."

"I used to think that because you were an intellectual, you read many books and had high moral character. Instead, you are all wolf-hearted, dog-lunged creatures. Even teachers wear a dog's face, passing judgment without asking about the truth, shouting 'feudal dross' at every turn."

"Zheng Yukang, pay me back!" Lin Xuexia looked at him with disdain. "How much of my food have you eaten over these past two years? You have the nerve to ask me for money, hint for me to buy you shoes, and have the audacity to ask for my braised food recipes for your mistress here at school. You two have been playing games, teaming up to lie to me and manipulate me."

Lin Xuexia’s contemptuous gaze swept over Zheng Yukang. The other students standing nearby, hearing these words, suddenly felt deeply ashamed. It was clear to anyone with eyes that Zheng Yukang was in the wrong.

The young woman had come all the way here, and yet a teacher had stepped in to humiliate her with talk of "feudal dross" just to cover up Zheng Yukang’s actions. As medical students, they all spoke of "saving lives and healing the wounded," yet they had let so many people bully an outsider, and not one of them had spoken up for her.

Finally, someone in the crowd couldn't hold back any longer and shouted, "Zheng Yukang, how do you have the face to join the Party? How do you have the face to accept that scholarship!"

"I’m going to report you!"

One stone stirred up a thousand waves, and the crowd was instantly incensed.

"The school should expel him!"

"A modern Chen Shimei!"

"Teacher Ye isn't any better! He abandoned his wife and children back in the day. They are birds of a feather, maggots ruining our school's reputation!"

Zheng Yukang’s entire body went cold. He slumped to the ground, staring straight ahead. He knew he was finished—everything was finished.

At this point, the usually sharp-tongued Ma Yuhong dared not say another word and quickly lowered her head to leave. Zhang Huiping, covering her face, also wanted to run; she regretted ever getting involved with Zheng Yukang. It was all over. With such a scene, what kind of reputation would she have left? Everyone now knew that she had knowingly pursued a man with a fiancée, and not just that, but had hypocritically conspired to cheat Lin Xuexia, eating and drinking at the expense of his fiancée and stealing her recipes...

Lin Xuexia glanced at the slumped Zheng Yukang, feeling a sense of immense satisfaction. She had finally vented her anger.

She hadn't been certain she could get the school to expel Zheng Yukang, but ending the engagement and destroying his reputation was enough. He had done the same to her in her past life. One good turn deserved another.

Lin Xuexia didn't want to entangle herself with such filth any longer. She looked toward the school gate, where someone was still standing, waiting for her.

She walked toward where Fu Wei was. Fu Wei watched her steadily, watching the woman walking toward him.

Back in the car, Lin Xuexia had instructed him repeatedly not to get involved, that she would handle it herself. Fu Wei had been worried, but he had kept his word. He was afraid that if he stepped in, people might throw mud at Lin Xuexia, which was something he couldn't bear.

He had held his breath, waiting to see how things would unfold. He watched Lin Xuexia speak to the crowd with neither pride nor servility, saw the crowd’s indignation, and saw Zheng Yukang collapse to the ground. Hearing the sounds of the commotion, he felt a profound sense of relief.

It was autumn now. The days were still hot, but the evenings grew cool early. As the sun set, casting long, golden shadows, Lin Xuexia walked toward him in the fading light.

She was dressed simply in a blue shirt, black trousers, and black cloth shoes—an incredibly plain style. Her long, black hair was pinned back, and the evening breeze played with the loose strands at her temples, making her lovely face appear as gentle as the sunset clouds.

The female students around her were all dressed better and more stylishly, yet not one of them could outshine her.

"Fu Wei." She walked to his side and called his name with a smile.

Fu Wei felt his heart flutter at her smile.

As Lin Xuexia sat on the back of Fu Wei’s bicycle, someone came running after them. She turned her head to see it was Li Sun, whom she had met earlier.

Li Sun looked curiously at Fu Wei. "...Who is this?"

"He saved me," Lin Xuexia said calmly. "I was almost bullied by some thugs, and he saved me."

Li Sun was jolted, a sudden flash of realization hitting him. He said in disbelief, "Are you the factory worker from the electronics plant?"

He had sisters working in the south, and he had heard a rumor lately about a migrant worker whose university-student fiancé had looked down on her for being "countrified" and then nearly...

"Yes, the worker who was fired was me."

Li Sun stared at her, stunned. He felt a lingering fear, and he understood why Lin Xuexia’s temperament had changed so abruptly. Looking at it this way, Zheng Yukang was truly not a human being.

He muttered, "Xuexia, I wish you happiness."

Lin Xuexia thanked him. She sat on the back of the bike, holding onto Fu Wei’s waist, and Fu Wei pedaled away, carrying her into the distance.

Li Sun suddenly felt a sense of profound loss.