Gu Huaian became anxious. “I heard the female educated youths’ dormitory is leaking, and they’re going to stay temporarily with the villagers.”
The first thing Wang Xiangyun thought of was Yun Hua.
What would she do? Where would she go?
She immediately panicked.
“What about Comrade Yun? She’s so pretty. It would be dangerous for her to stay at someone else’s house. No, I have to get over there right away. Your sister’s old room is still empty. I’ll tell her to come stay with us.”
“Those aunties are all eyeing her. What if they get to her first?”
Wang Xiangyun hurriedly put on her shoes, grabbed her raincoat, and rushed outside.
“Mom, don’t rush. Be careful—the ground is slippery in the rain.”
Gu Huaian’s voice came intermittently from behind her.
Wang Xiangyun didn’t slow down, but she did become more careful with each step.
Once Wang Xiangyun had left, Gu Huaian breathed a sigh of relief.
Hopefully, it wasn’t too late.
Earlier, when his father had left the house, he had muttered something about the female educated youths’ dormitory leaking and mentioned that they needed to figure out a solution.
The moment Gu Huaian heard that Yun Hua might have to stay in a villager’s home, he became nervous.
He had thought Wang Xiangyun would attend the meeting too. Since she and Yun Hua seemed to have a good relationship, she would probably persuade Yun Hua to come stay with their family.
Who would have thought his mother hadn’t planned on going to the meeting at all?
His father really was something. He hadn’t even thought to call his mother along.
Wang Xiangyun was so focused on figuring out how to persuade Yun Hua to come stay at their house that she didn’t notice anything unusual about her son.
When she arrived at the meeting place, Wang Xiangyun saw that apart from the educated youths, each villager’s household had sent only one person.
She felt a little awkward.
She was worried that Yun Hua might already have made arrangements with another family. And her husband probably wouldn’t take the initiative to bring up the matter himself.
As soon as she entered, many people noticed her, but they quickly turned back to continue chatting with those around them.
Wang Xiangyun’s gaze swept around the room until she finally spotted Yun Hua standing in line in front of the village chief.
She was just about to walk over when someone suddenly stopped her.
“Auntie Xiangyun, hello.”
Wang Xiangyun saw that it was Liu Xuejiao and smiled as she nodded.
“Hello, Comrade Liu. Auntie has something to take care of right now. If it’s not urgent, wait until later.”
Wang Xiangyun looked anxiously toward Yun Hua.
By then, Yun Hua had already registered her application.
“Auntie Xiangyun, can I move into your house?”
Wang Xiangyun stopped in her tracks.
So that was what this was about.
“Comrade Liu, here’s the thing. My family has already made arrangements with Comrade Yun. I’m sorry, but you came a step too late.”
Liu Xuejiao panicked.
“But…”
Wang Xiangyun didn’t want to say anything more to her. She simply walked straight toward Yun Hua.
Watching Wang Xiangyun head directly toward Yun Hua, Liu Xuejiao clenched her fingers until her nails dug painfully into her palm. Only then did she manage to calm herself down.
Damn it.
She had been so close to moving into the village chief’s house.
With such close proximity to Gu Huaian, she would have had plenty of opportunities to win him over sooner or later.
In her previous life, she had been interested in Gu Huaian, but he hadn’t been moved at all, so she had eventually given up.
That was why she hadn’t gone to stay at the village chief’s house in her previous life.
And no educated youth had stayed there either.
But in this life, it was obvious that the village chief’s family liked Yun Hua.
Seeing Wang Xiangyun smiling as she chatted with Yun Hua, Liu Xuejiao was practically consumed by jealousy.
Her expression became extremely ugly.
After Wei Fang finished making arrangements with a villager, she returned to Liu Xuejiao.
“Comrade Liu, I’ve already arranged everything with a villager. What about you?”
Hearing Wei Fang call her, Liu Xuejiao quickly came back to her senses.
When she realized that no one had noticed her earlier loss of composure, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
“I’m still thinking about it.”
Liu Xuejiao immediately switched back to her gentle demeanor.
Wei Fang hurriedly advised her, “Don’t take too long. Pick a family soon, or all the better ones will be taken.”
Liu Xuejiao nodded and, feeling extremely unwilling, walked over to the auntie who had invited her earlier.
As soon as Yun Hua finished registering, she saw Wang Xiangyun walking toward her.
“Auntie Xiangyun, you’re here too?”
Wang Xiangyun approached Yun Hua and leaned down to whisper into her ear.
“Just agree to move into my house for now. Don’t say anything else yet.”
Yun Hua obediently nodded.
Wang Xiangyun smiled.
“Good girl.”
Once the village chief had finished recording everyone’s information, he asked whether the female educated youths’ accommodation had been settled.
Only after confirming that all of them had found somewhere to stay did the village chief nod.
Then he noticed his wife had come.
His expression froze for a moment.
Why had she come?
Wasn’t one person from each household enough?
Oh, well.
If she wanted to come, let her.
It wasn’t until his wife told Yun Hua, “I’ll have my son come help you move your luggage later,” that the village chief was completely dumbfounded.
What did she mean?
Why had he not heard anything about this?
But when he saw Wang Xiangyun and Yun Hua smiling happily at each other, looking as though they were getting along perfectly, he decided to let it go.
As long as his wife was happy.
Li Jing soon came over to Yun Hua.
“Comrade Yun, you’ve registered? I really hope you get selected. Being a teacher is much easier than earning work points. You look like a very intelligent person.”
Yun Hua nodded with a smile.
“You’re absolutely right. I’m naturally suited to studying. I’m very smart.”
The two of them burst out laughing.
In her previous life, Yun Hua had spent years competing against countless top students, overcoming one challenge after another.
She had studied all the way to a doctorate in medicine, and she had even skipped grades along the way.
That’s why she had been able to enter a top-tier hospital and earn the recognition of its director.
There was a reason for it all.
If she couldn’t even compete successfully for a position as an elementary school teacher, wouldn’t all those top students she’d beaten in her previous life laugh at her?
Of course, they would never know about it now.
Yun Hua’s eyes dimmed for a moment.
But when she saw Li Jing’s smiling face, her mood brightened again.
The heavy rain had come quickly, but it didn’t leave nearly as fast.
The villagers didn’t resume work that afternoon.
By the time the rain stopped, it was already getting dark, so the village chief had no choice but to announce that they would resume work the next day.
“Comrade Li, which family are you moving to?”
Yun Hua asked with concern.
Li Jing quietly told her, “Sister Cuihua’s family. Don’t let her seem a little fierce fool you. She’s actually soft-hearted despite her sharp tongue.”
Yun Hua nodded.
From what she had seen so far, Auntie Cuihua really was the kind of person who looked cold on the outside but was warm-hearted underneath.
And she wasn’t the unreasonable type, either.
“It’s just that Auntie Cuihua has a son, so I’m a little worried that things might be inconvenient. But I don’t have much of a choice. Having a room to myself is already pretty good.”
When Yun Hua thought about the village chief’s son, she couldn’t help pouting.
“The village chief has a son too.”
After saying that, the two of them looked at each other in silence.
“Well, I guess we’re in pretty much the same situation. As long as the aunties are nice, that’s what matters.”
Li Jing quickly managed to comfort herself.
She even had enough energy left to reassure Yun Hua.
“Still, it’s not quite the same. Auntie Cuihua’s son seems pretty easygoing. The village chief’s son looks a little scary. He’s such a big guy. If I ever got into a fight with him, I’d be afraid he’d beat me to death.”
Yun Hua joked, “Where did that come from? The village chief’s son isn’t that violent. Besides, I think he’s pretty handsome. The two of you actually look quite well-matched.”
“But you’re going back to the city sooner or later, so don’t actually fall for him.”
Gu Huaian’s image flashed through Yun Hua’s mind.
Well, he really was handsome—rugged and striking.
And he had a great physique, tall and solidly built.
She had even stared at him absentmindedly once.
Yun Hua shook her head and said firmly, “Don’t worry! I’ll definitely never get together with him.”
Her goal was to return to the city and reunite with her parents.
Little did she know that Li Jing would tease her about those words countless times in the future.