CHAPTER 295: CHAPTER 287: ZHONG YUYING RETURNS HOME IN GLORY

Yuequan Village grandly threw a banquet, presenting six opera performances, hiring troupes from the city whose standards were naturally much higher than those local amateur ones; just looking at their postures was a visual treat even without hearing them sing.

Not only the villagers from Yuequan, but also from neighboring villages came after hearing the news, packing around the old camphor tree to watch the opera. In their conversations, there was much envy for Yuequan Village, leaving the villagers proud and in high spirits.

Both Hu Weiwen from Inner Mongolia and his brother Hu Weichao passed the university entrance exams, as did Sisi’s best friend Liu Qiqi, who all scored quite well. Liu Qiqi’s family had hoped she could stay and attend university in Shanghai so they could be more at ease.

However, when Liu Qiqi learned that Sisi had applied for the Fine Arts program at Tsinghua University, she immediately insisted on going to Beijing for her studies and for the first time in her life stood up against her elders. Naturally, the ending was Liu Qiqi’s victory, as it usually is with children’s struggles against their parents, the parents are the first to give in!

Of course, Liu Qiqi’s parents didn’t completely back down. They insisted that she apply to the English department at Beijing Foreign Studies University, adamantly opposing her choice of an impractical arts program. In their view, studying foreign languages was such a good choice — high salary and prestigious!

"In our hospital, the doctors and nurses who spoke foreign languages could earn several more silver coins a month than someone like me who couldn’t speak them; I would earn several silver coins less. Speaking a foreign language is of utmost importance!" This was Zhou Yali’s constant mutter in front of Liu Qiqi every day.

So, Liu Qiqi had no choice but to settle for Beijing Foreign Studies University, and fortunately, she had planned to learn foreign languages from the start, even taking the optional English exam during her college entrance exams. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to apply for a foreign language program!

While it was a minor regret to not be in the same university as Sisi, Liu Qiqi was still very happy to be in the same city as her dear friend.

Tian Shouhua chose the law program at Renmin University, a choice that surprised Sisi, as she did not expect him to consider studying law in this lifetime. However, with Tian Shouhua’s calm and incisive character, studying law did seem quite suitable.

Mo Xiaomi naturally followed her husband and went to Beijing Normal University, while Zhong Anping surprised Sisi even more when he chose Xiehe Medical College, also in Beijing. It seemed that in this life, Zhong Anping might not go into business anymore!

Hu Weiwen and Hu Weichao also went to Beijing for their university studies. Hu Weiwen went to Beijing Foreign Studies University like Liu Qiqi, but he chose French, while Hu Weichao went to the same school as Tian Shouhua, studying journalism.

Ah, one by one, they all became the elites of society! Thinking about her future network including professionals in various fields made Sisi excited: for illness, there was Zhong Anping, for legal issues, Brother Shouhua, for schooling matters, Sister Xiaomi, and for media relations, Hu Weichao... Tsk tsk, in China, where connections and relationships are everything, her future life couldn’t be too wonderful!

The other students from Yuequan Village also went to various other cities. Tian Ping’an and Gao Qiamei both went to Shanghai, while Zhong Xianming went to Xi’an Jiao Tong University, studying civil engineering, also a very promising major.

The university admission notices were sent out one after another. Sisi too received her admission notice from Tsinghua University, asking her to report for enrollment by March 18, 1978. Others were scheduled to enroll around the same time.

The families of village students selected for university began preparing — making two new sets of clothes and two pairs of shoes for the children heading to the big cities. If they didn’t dress impressively, they would be looked down on by others.

Time flew by, and 1977 passed in joy. Tian Xinhua and He Chengsi returned from Beijing for the New Year, while Tian Aiguo was absent as per usual. With Sisi’s influence bridging the gap with Tian Xinhua, Tian Aiguo quickly integrated into upper circles, no longer being ostracized as before. As such, his work was progressing smoother than ever. According to Xu Qianwen’s loudspeaker broadcast, Aiguo might very well get another promotion next year.

This year, there was an unexpected returnee — Zhong Yuying, who had run away from home three years ago, came back with her husband.

Zhong Yuying was all dressed up and looked strikingly beautiful — a wavy bob, air bangs that were still in fashion, a dark red wool coat, and black leather high heels. Stylish and impressive, she was completely different from the pitiable girl of the past.

Indeed, Zhong Yuying still ended up marrying Huang Debiao, although she had not yet turned 18 at the time. She proposed that Huang Debiao wait for a year to marry her. Reluctantly agreeing, because he adored Yuying’s beauty, as none of the girls from his hometown were as beautiful as Yuying.

The girls back home could marry immediately, but none were as good-looking as Yuying. So, biting his lip, Huang Debiao agreed, but he wasn’t easy either. He proposed an engagement first; although they wouldn’t hold a ceremony, they still had to distribute wedding candies and let everyone in the neighborhood know they were a couple.

During that buffer year, Yuying still did not find her Prince Charming and reluctantly married the short "Pumpkin" Huang Debiao when she turned 18.

Zhong Yuying was reluctant to bring Huang Debiao to her parents’ home for the New Year; she felt her husband was not presentable at all. But he insisted they go, saying it was good manners. To avoid accusing him of lacking propriety, Yuying ended up bringing her new son-in-law home for the New Year.

Upon seeing Zhong Yuying, Zhong Liangcai was about to grab a stick and beat someone, but when he saw the two "Big Red Hawks" and the good liquor in Huang Debiao’s hands, Zhong Liangcai immediately welcomed them with a smile and amiably ushered the couple into the home.

Zhong Shoufu, Yuying’s brother, got married last year to a girl from a rich peasant family in a neighboring village, quite a match in status. He remained the same, arrogant but useless. Thankfully, his wife was decent, hardworking, and managed the house and farm well, making life for the family bearable.

The Zhong family’s calm left some Yuequan villagers longing for a drama; they were initially keen on watching how Zhong Liangcai would discipline his second daughter. Unexpectedly, there wasn’t even a fart, which was disappointing — if it were them, they would have never let such a rebellious and unfilial daughter through the door.

However, the Zhong family did not disappoint the villagers of Yuequan in the end. The next day after Yuying returned, which was the Pre-New Year Festival, news reached Zhong Hongying and she hurried back.

Since getting married, Zhong Hongying had changed significantly. Originally, she was a timid, submissive girl, but after marriage, she became a transformed person. While not quite a shrew, she became much bolder, even daring to point at Zhong Liangcai and his wife and scolding them as heartless, despicable villains.