Sitting on the back seat of her father’s bicycle, Nan Mo looked at this gray toned era.
Gray city, gray streets, gray clothing.
Only the red slogans on the walls and the spirited crowds in the streets made it feel like a living world.
“Xiao Mo, I’ll drop you off at school in a moment. After you pick up your graduation certificate, come home early so your mom can take you to the department store this afternoon. And also…”
“Dad, I know.”
Of course she knew what he was thinking. He simply did not want her walking around alone, afraid the youth office staff might see her.
Someone with a loose tongue had reported to them that the daughter of the steel factory director met the criteria to be sent down to the countryside and demanded that Nan Zhengting set an example by volunteering his daughter.
What a joke. His precious daughter was not going anywhere. After so many years as factory director, how could he not see through those people’s schemes?
He had worked diligently all these years to give his wife and children a good life. They wanted him to take the lead and send his daughter to suffer. Impossible.
Looking at her father’s broad, upright back and thinking of her mother waiting at home, Nan Mo felt an indescribable sense of security.
Yet she also worried he would forbid her from going to the countryside and that the original plot would still unfold.
She would never marry Wu Mingkang, but her parents might arrange blind dates to stop her from being sent down.
She longed for marriage and love, but she did not want to marry hastily for such reasons.
Collecting a graduation certificate was quick. Once she got it, she could leave.
Holding it now, she was thinking about what excuse she could use to convince her parents to let her go to the countryside and failed to notice a bicycle speeding toward her from the roadside.
“Watch out…”
A hand grabbed her arm, trying to pull her into its owner’s embrace.
Ever since arriving in this era, Nan Mo had constantly reminded herself to be careful around men and women, because even the smallest misstep could ruin a girl’s reputation.
She quickly dodged, slipping her arm free before looking up at the person.
“Comrade, I…” The man’s face flushed instantly, clearly embarrassed by his impulsiveness.
Seeing him stammer, she did not waste time. “Hello, comrade. Thank you for just now.” With that, she turned to leave.
But he suddenly called out, “Comrade, hello. My name is Wu Mingkang. Are you also a student from Shanghai No. 1 High School?”
Hearing that name, Nan Mo paused and examined him.
Noticing her looking, Wu Mingkang instinctively straightened his back.
He wore a military green shirt his mother had bought so he could look more presentable while job hunting.
It was the only decent piece of clothing he owned. He wore it by day and washed it at night. He had been searching for work for several days with no results.
Jobs nowadays were scarce. Even temporary labor positions required connections.
That morning, discouraged after another fruitless search, he had seen Nan Mo walking out of the school.
She was so striking that she caught his eye immediately.
Meanwhile, Nan Mo had already finished evaluating him. About 175 centimeters tall, wind mussed hair, thin frame, a faded shirt.
Not a single feature matched her taste.
As for resembling Qin Yue, perhaps if she looked closely. But she had no intention of looking closely, so she saw no resemblance at all.
“Hello, Comrade Wu. I’m a student from No. 1 High School. Do you need something?”
“N… no.” He had wanted to strike up a conversation, but her cool expression left him speechless.
Nan Mo nodded, thanked him again, and walked away without looking back.
She had considered seeking revenge on the Wu family, but clearly now was not the time.
Even though she knew they were likely the people who had ruined her previous life, she was someone who looked forward. She had people she wanted to protect and could not waste time or energy on them.
At least not now.
Wu Mingkang watched her retreating figure, lost in thought. An idea formed in his mind.
If he could not find a job, he could avoid being sent to the countryside by getting married.
He wondered if that girl already had someone. Even if not her, someone else would do.
Of course, she would be best. Thinking this, he hurried home to ask his sister, who also attended No. 1 High School.
…
Nan Mo, unaware of his thoughts, simply marveled at how powerful the original plot was. She had not expected to run into him so early.
“Mom, I’m back.”
“You’re back? Hurry and wash your hands. Time to eat. This afternoon Mom will take you to the department store to pick out a dress.”
Her mother spoke while setting dishes on the table.
“I already have dresses. I won’t go.” After washing her hands, Nan Mo secretly added two drops of spirit spring water into the soup while her mother was not looking.
Hearing her refuse, her mother said, “A comrade of your father’s has a son who just returned to Shanghai. He’s been serving in the army and just retired. The organization arranged a job for him at the Public Security Bureau. We want you to meet him.”
She studied her daughter’s expression and saw she was not strongly opposed.
Leaning closer, she said mysteriously, “Your father saw his photo. He said he looks very spirited. Twenty two years old, tall and sturdy.”
“Spirited?” Nan Mo smiled. “If Dad described him like that, he’s probably not very good looking.”
Her mother knew her daughter valued appearances. “We’ll just go take a look. Whether it works out or not doesn’t matter. Think of it as meeting a friend.”
“I don’t want to go. I don’t want to marry just to avoid being sent down. Blind dates with that kind of purpose easily lead to wrong decisions.
“Mom, marriage is important. If you choose the wrong person, you’ll spend your whole life in misery.
“I want someone who truly loves me, like you and Dad do.”
Seeing her mother thinking, she pressed on.
“Dad always says going to the countryside is hard. Of course I know that.
“He always uses Uncle Zhang’s daughter Xiaojun as a warning example, but he never thinks about how she lived at home.
“When she went down, her family didn’t give her a single cent. Her stepmother even made her scrimp and send things back every year.
“With that kind of life, she’d be miserable anywhere, not just in the countryside.
“You love me so much. If I go, you’ll definitely prepare enough money and coupons for me.
“When I get there, I can work when I feel like it and buy grain when I don’t.” She even looked pleased with herself.
“Wait, how did we end up talking about you going to the countryside?” Her mother shot her a mock reproachful glance.
She tapped her daughter’s forehead, then gently rubbed it instead, afraid she might hurt her. “Did you already decide you want to go?”
Resting her head on her mother’s shoulder, Nan Mo said affectionately, “I’m serious. Dad just doesn’t know how to be flexible. Things are so tense now, and he keeps trying to go against people.
“If you ask me, he should volunteer to sign me up. Maybe they’ll even assign me somewhere good for being cooperative.
“When things calm down, he can transfer me back. Wouldn’t that be perfect?”
Her mother felt it made sense, yet something still seemed off.
Nan Mo added fuel, “Mom, do you not want me anymore? Is that why you want to marry me off so early?” She looked at her pitifully.
Her mother had been pampered growing up and had been cherished all her married life. She was gentle by nature, but not foolish.
She lightly smacked Nan Mo’s back. “You little rascal. Trying that on me?
“No matter what you say, it’s useless. This depends on your father.”
She turned and went back to her room before her daughter could persuade her further.
“Then are we still going to the department store?” Nan Mo called after her.
“Yes!”