Although Tao Shengling was secretly delighted, she still kept a level head. “Son, this marriage you’re talking about—does the girl even know about it? Don’t tell me you’re the only one getting excited while the young lady doesn’t even fancy you.”
Even though Tao Shengling had confidence in her son, marriage was not something decided by one person alone. He could be over there grinning from ear to ear, but that didn’t mean the girl had to agree.
After all, everyone had their own ideal type!
Faced with his mother’s doubts, Lu Shi’an answered without hesitation, “Mom, Ranran knows. I only told you after she agreed. We’ve already learned about each other’s situations, and in this lifetime, I will marry no one but her.”
His words landed firmly and decisively, making it obvious just how determined he was.
Tao Shengling’s eyes widened in surprise. She never expected her son—who was usually about as emotionally expressive as a rock—to say something so heartfelt.
Now that she had a future daughter-in-law, suddenly her son didn’t seem nearly as precious anymore.
She nodded approvingly at his sincerity toward the girl before excitedly saying, “Then don’t bother coming home during your leave. Your father and I are doing just fine—it won’t hurt to see you a little less. Stay there and help Ranran with more work. Don’t tire out my future daughter-in-law. Alright, hang up now, I’m going to tell your father the good news.”
She quickly hung up the phone.
Lu Shi’an was also in an excellent mood, but then he suddenly remembered the pig thief who had threatened his wife earlier in the day. His expression immediately darkened.
That woman absolutely needed to learn a lesson.
His eyes turned cold as he said to Xiao Yanming—who had been secretly pressing his ear against the door to eavesdrop—“Xiao Yanming, come with me to the Public Security Bureau.”
Meanwhile, Wen Ranran had returned to the educated youth residence.
After running around all afternoon, she wanted to boil a pot of water and enjoy a proper bath. But she had never used a wood-burning stove before, and just getting the fire started took nearly half an hour.
By the time she finished bathing, dried her hair, and prepared to add more firewood so she could cook dinner for everyone, the other educated youths had already begun returning from work.
Zhu Pingjuan hurried back the fastest. The moment she saw Wen Ranran fresh from her bath—like a lotus emerging from clear water—her eyes lit up.
But then she remembered the gossip she had heard from the village women in the fields, and her expression quickly turned anxious.
“Ranran, when you went to the county today, did anything strange happen? If some hooligan tried bothering you, you have to tell us.”
There was a reason Zhu Pingjuan asked this.
Not long before work ended, she had returned from relieving herself and overheard some neighboring aunties gossiping with suggestive looks.
They were saying that the prettiest educated youth at the residence—Educated Youth Wen—had gone to the county to buy medicine and was brought back by a man riding a bicycle!
Village women spoke crudely, making it sound as if the two had already done something scandalous. Zhu Pingjuan couldn’t stand listening and argued with them, but she still couldn’t help worrying.
Wen Ranran was beautiful and aloof, rarely interacting with anyone besides Jiang Yue.
Ever since she first arrived in the countryside, the village’s young men had looked at her with shining eyes. If she went to the county, the possibility of being harassed by hooligans was very high!
Zhu Pingjuan had arrived in the countryside a year earlier than Wen Ranran and knew firsthand how grueling farm labor was. If a female educated youth couldn’t endure it anymore and wanted to find someone to marry, that was understandable.
After thinking about it, she tactfully advised, “Ranran, with your conditions, you have plenty of choices. Those city hooligans talk sweetly, but in reality they’re useless. If you’re looking for a partner, you absolutely must keep your eyes open.”
Wen Ranran listened in confusion for a while before finally understanding what Zhu Pingjuan meant.
Gossip traveled fast in the countryside, and those aunties’ eyes were sharper than surveillance cameras. Her sitting on Lu Shi’an’s bicycle seat while he rode her back had probably been seen by them.
Wen Ranran found it a little amusing. But she had never intended to hide her relationship with Lu Shi’an in the first place.
Not wanting Zhu Pingjuan to worry, she honestly explained, “Educated Youth Zhu, don’t worry. I’m not the kind of person who gets fooled by a man’s sweet talk so easily. But the aunties were right about one thing—I really am seeing someone. He’s the one who brought me back today. He’s a soldier, not some hooligan.”
Zhu Pingjuan was startled.
The educated youths all worked together every day—when had Educated Youth Wen gotten herself a boyfriend? None of them had even noticed!
But hearing that Wen Ranran’s boyfriend was a soldier, Zhu Pingjuan genuinely felt happy for her.
Being selected as a soldier meant being one in ten thousand chosen by the country—his character definitely had to be decent. Soldiers also earned salaries, far better than toiling in the fields!
Zhu Pingjuan sincerely felt relieved for Wen Ranran.
Outside the kitchen, however, the other educated youths who overheard the news were all stunned.
One tall, skinny male educated youth looked particularly dejected.
Even though he had always known there was no possibility between himself and Educated Youth Wen, hearing that she already had a boyfriend still made him feel disappointed.
Another male educated youth beside him, aware of his feelings, reached out and comfortingly patted his shoulder.
Very quickly, the news that Educated Youth Wen had found herself a boyfriend spread throughout Qingshui Brigade.
Wang Dafen, who loved gossiping about others more than anyone, sneered disdainfully. “I could tell from the very first day that Educated Youth Wen came down to the countryside that she wasn’t some proper, honest girl. Look how little time it took before she hooked herself a man.
“I saw that boyfriend of hers too—fat-headed, big-eared, with short legs. He even had to stand up while pedaling the bicycle!
“When Wen Ranran got off the back seat, the two of them were all touchy-feely. If you ask me, who knows? Maybe they’ve already rolled around in the haystacks together…”
Wang Dafen was speaking excitedly when something suddenly slammed hard into her stomach, making her stumble and nearly fall to the ground!
Instinctively, Wang Dafen turned to curse, but when she looked back, she saw Tian Jinbao—the brigade leader’s little grandson—glaring fiercely at her.
Tian Jinbao had just returned from Shitou’s house.
Even though he had inexplicably gotten beaten twice by his grandfather today, the candy Educated Youth Wen gave him was so sweet! Shitou and Shitou’s grandfather had both been delighted after tasting it, and Jinbao felt even happier.
He had been thinking about picking some wild fruit and flowers for Educated Youth Wen tomorrow when he overheard someone on the roadside badmouthing her.
Educated Youth Wen gave him candy—Educated Youth Wen was good. Wang Dafen spoke badly about Educated Youth Wen—Wang Dafen was bad!
So Tian Jinbao immediately stopped, lowered his head, and charged straight into Wang Dafen’s stomach, knocking her into loud cries of pain.
Pointing at Wang Dafen’s nose, he shouted, “I know you, old witch! Your son likes Educated Youth Wen, but she doesn’t like your toad-faced son! You hate her for not wanting to become your daughter-in-law, so you spread rumors about her behind her back. You’re shameless!”
The people nearby couldn’t help laughing, because everyone knew Tian Jinbao was telling the truth.
Wang Dafen had given birth to six daughters before finally getting the son she longed for, Wang Qisong. She spoiled him rotten from childhood. Unfortunately, Wang Qisong turned out disappointing—ugly, lazy, and lecherous.
Now that he had reached marriageable age, Wang Qisong looked down on every girl except Educated Youth Wen.
But really, with his own pathetic looks and his family’s miserable conditions, what right did he have to think Educated Youth Wen would ever fancy him?