Ye Qingshui smiled and continued to explain: “My family situation is actually alright, it’s not as difficult as you all imagine.”
However, the several girls listening instead wore looks of “understanding.”
Why?
They felt that Ye Qingshui had strong self-esteem and was unwilling to accept help from her classmates. A person who can humble themselves to become a self-employed individual is likely to have been driven to a certain extent by life’s pressures. Otherwise, why would she abandon a comfortable life and insist on making things difficult for herself?
The few girls secretly made a note to try to mention such things less in the future and avoid bringing up her difficulties.
Student Ye might not even accept such help.
If Ye Qingshui knew what they were thinking, she would probably be even more dumbfounded.
The Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee had just ended not long ago 1The Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee was held in December 1978, marking the beginning of the Reform and Opening Up era in China, and people’s impression of doing business still lingered on “speculation and profiteering.” In the past, doing business could lead to jail time, labor reform, and being scorned with pointing fingers.
The following parts of the text will be scrambled to prevent theft from aggregators and unauthorized epub making. Please support our translators by reading on secondlifetranslations (dot) com. If you are currently on the site and and you are seeing this, please clear your cache.
Gzvbswtb vbl rszknu oyp dso srld, vbl rwczkn rlanlrvksd bye dsv clld alhlaple shladktbv.
Rq sdl nswze tlv cu, obs oswze nbsspl vs cl y plzq-lxrzsule kdekhkewyz? Ebyv kq vbl rszknu nbydtle sdl eyu?
Gzvbswtb y plzq-lxrzsule kdekhkewyz nswze lyad psxl byae-lyadle xsdlu cu pynakqknkdt vblka rakel, vbspl obs vawzu nsxxydele alprlnv olal vbl rwczkn plahydvp obs osajle kd pvyvl-sodle wdkvp yde ealo y pvyvl pyzyau.
Zl Ckdtpbwk’p rlaprlnvkhl oyp kdqzwldnle cu vbl zyvla tldlayvksd, yde pbl eked’v qllz ypbyxle sq clkdt plzq-lxrzsule yv yzz.
Gp qsa plvvkdt wr y pvyzz swvpkel vbl pnbssz tyvl, yblx… kv oyp kdelle dsv hlau lzltydv, cwv kv oypd’v kzzltyz sa ytykdpv ekpnkrzkdl, yde vbl altwzyvksd sd xsckzl pvyzzp oyp pvkzz qya qasx clkdt ldynvle. Ls sdl nswze pyu kv oyp oasdt.
Gqvla alnlkhkdt vbl vbknj dsvlp, Zl Ckdtpbwk vssj swv psxl rypvaklp pbl bye xyel yv bsxl vs pbyal okvb bla assxxyvlp, vbydjkdt vblx qsa vblka ldvbwpkypvkn blzr.
Zw Fbk iwknjzu oyhle bla bydep, “Ls dlle, ds dlle. Zsw lhld prlnkyzzu cswtbv vbkdtp qsa wp vs lyv. Zsw alyzzu esd’v byhl vs cl ps rszkvl.”
Vyd Nkfwyd yzps pyke, “Zsw byhl kv vswtb ldswtb yzalyeu, byhkdt vs aykpl vos jkep. Fyhl uswa xsdlu.”
Ye Qingshui thought for a moment and decided not to bother explaining to her roommates. “After the exams, come to my place for a visit. I’ll personally cook a meal for you to thank you for the notes.”
Pan Lijuan and the others wholeheartedly agreed to this.
“We’ve heard about Chenchen and Guangguang for a long time. Do they really look very similar?”
Ye Qingshui shook her head, “Some aspects are still quite different.”
“It’s amazing that you could give birth to twins, Qingshui. Although the burden is heavy, it must also be very sweet.”
Ye Qingshui admitted that while the twin brothers had caused her a lot of hardship, she never considered them a burden. Before they were born, it was a heavy burden, but after they were born and she watched them grow day by day, only sweetness remained in her heart.
Lately, as they grew older, their appetite increased, and the breast milk she had pumped and stored was no longer enough. No matter how busy Ye Qingshui was, she had to rush home at noon to feed them.
After distributing the pastries, Ye Qingshui went to the Physics Department office building.
She respectfully bowed to the year-level director, Teacher Mu, and said sincerely, “Teacher Mu, I realize my mistake, and I promise not to set up a stall again.”
The year-level director’s expression finally softened.
He said, “Ye Qingshui, I know you. Two years ago, you invented a Natural Electric Field Method Water Finder, and it’s now being used nationwide. You were less than eighteen back then.”
“I know you have some talent. Please don’t become arrogant. Study hard and strive to bring honor to the school four years from now.”
Ye Qingshui hadn’t expected a Peking University teacher to have noticed this matter, and she couldn’t help but curve her lips into a smile.
“Still smiling! If you don’t rank in the top three in the final exams, you’ll stay in the lab this winter break to work, and you won’t need to go home for the New Year.”
Ye Qingshui agreed.
She wiped some sweat after walking out of the office. She packed her school bag, said goodbye to her roommates, and headed home.
The two babies, Chenchen and Guangguang, were lying in their respective small beds. Chenchen was sucking on his foot, and Guangguang was asleep. Mother Ye was reading a book while pushing the baby carriage.
Seeing such a peaceful scene, Ye Qingshui’s heart was incredibly warm.
She picked up her eldest son, kissed him a couple of times, played with him for a while, and prepared to take him back to the room to nurse.
“Chenyang drank a lot of milk today; save some for Qiguang,” Mother Ye chased after her, saying.
Mother Ye felt that the names given by Old Xie were very cultured: the older brother was called Xie Chenyang, and the younger was Xie Qiguang, sounding like names for scholars. She loved calling them that.
Ye Qingshui pointed at the chubby baby in her arms and smiled at him, “You’re easier to raise; you take after me.”
The eldest just ate happily and was easygoing, enjoying everything. The younger one was as delicate as a girl, quiet and not fond of fuss. He was also very particular when eating.
If Ye Qingshui ate something a little unusual, the younger one’s nose was so sensitive that he wouldn’t drink the milk. Ye Qingshui often felt that her younger son was too picky, just like his father.
“It’s okay, I can feed him more.”
After feeding one, Ye Qingshui woke up her younger son. She cuddled his soft body and played with him for a while before he was willing to drink milk.
Xie Tingyu returned sometime, watching for a long time.
He gazed at the scene of his wife coaxing their son to drink milk, feeling a bit of envy for a moment. His chest felt a little strange, warm in his heart but also a little sour.
His wife had never been this patient and gentle with him.
No, that wasn’t right… Xie Tingyu thought carefully. His wife had been gentle with him before.
When they first met, the look in her eyes seemed to carry light, blazing like fire.
Xie Tingyu picked up Chenchen and said to Ye Qingshui, “Shuier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed the time. I’ll be accompanying the leader to visit the US in early February.”
Ye Qingshui, who was nursing, suddenly looked up, “So soon? How long will you be gone?”
Ye Qingshui was psychologically prepared for Xie Tingyu to accompany the leader on a visit to the US. This event was recorded in history, and she hadn’t expected her husband to be a part of it.
This was good news, and Ye Qingshui was very happy, but the excitement didn’t last long…
She remembered that February was exactly when the Lunar New Year fell. With him not being around for the New Year, the smile on Ye Qingshui’s face gradually faded.
Xie Tingyu said with a smile, “It’s not certain yet; we’ll see the arrangements then.”
“Is there anything you want me to bring back for you? I plan to buy some milk powder for Chenchen and Guangguang.”
Foreign goods were fashionable and highly sought after in China. Friendship stores had a large quantity of imported products. However, Friendship stores used to be closed to Chinese citizens, and although this restriction was lifted after the Reform and Opening Up, buying imported goods still required Foreign Exchange Certificates, which ordinary people did not possess, and the control was strict. It was still incredibly difficult to buy imported goods.
Xie Tingyu thought of his wife being busy with her studies and working hard every day, rushing back from school. Since he finally had a chance to go abroad this time, buying milk powder for his sons had already been put into Xie Tingyu’s plan.
Ye Qingshui’s eyes lit up when she heard this. “Brother Yu, please help me inquire about the cost of a complete automated production line equipment for making sausages.”
Under Xie Tingyu’s astonished gaze, Ye Qingshui coughed, her face red.
“I’m not buying it now, but I need to buy a set later when I save enough money. If you have time this trip, please help me ask at this factory.”
Currently, the sausage factories in China used outdated equipment that the Soviet Union had phased out in the 1940s and 1950s. The most advanced technology was in Germany, but the American-made equipment was also of good quality.
She put her son aside, picked up a pen, and quickly wrote down a string of English.
Xie Tingyu took it, “Okay.”
*
After Chenguang stopped providing free sausages to the supply and marketing cooperatives, the cooperatives were stunned. The customers who lined up daily were also in an uproar.
Mother Ye ran excitedly to her daughter, “Shuier, Shuier!”
“Our factory has orders!”
As the new boss, Mother Ye had just taken office and immediately received an order from the supply and marketing cooperative. Although it was only a few dozen catties, which was a drop in the bucket compared to the daily production, the fact that Chenguang could receive an order already made Mother Ye overjoyed.
Ye Qingshui patted her mother’s back; she was sweating even in the middle of winter.
She poured her a glass of water, “Slow down, don’t rush.”
Xie Tingyu also leaned over to take a look.
Mother Ye was beaming and spoke non-stop, “Xiao Ying didn’t deliver sausages a few days ago, and today the purchasing agent from the supply and marketing cooperative came to Xiao Ying’s house, asking her to provide ten catties of sausages daily. Look, this is a one-year order.”
Ye Qingshui went through the terms one by one. She was surprised that the cooperative was willing to take food products from a private small factory.
If they were willing to take it, she was naturally brave enough to approve it! Chenguang’s permits were all in order, and the production hygiene had passed inspection. Why wouldn’t she sign?
Ye Qingshui quickly signed her name.
She told her mother, “In a while, Zhang Jie and I will go and find a shop to rent. We’ll open our own shop and just sell our sausages.”
Mother Ye let out an “Ay,” her courage also growing now. Mother Ye said, “You go back to school and study hard. You don’t need to worry; Mother will go look for it herself.”
Xie Tingyu, who was listening nearby, raised an eyebrow. When his mother-in-law first arrived in the city, he had to accompany her even to buy farm tools. Could she manage to rent a shop by herself this time?
He expressed some concern.
Xie Tingyu said, “I’ll ask Grandma to take Mom.”
Ye Qingshui had already considered where to open the shop, and her first thought was Xidan. Although Xidan didn’t have many customers right now, it gradually became a bustling commercial street after the 1980s, complete with shopping, dining, and commercial office buildings.
“That’s a good idea. Let Grandma Xie take you to look at shops in Xidan; no one will dare to trick you.”
Mother Ye was also afraid of being deceived, so she readily nodded.
Mother Ye and Grandma Xie became acquainted over a vegetable patch. The two of them also took care of the twin babies together. It could be said that the time this older woman and younger woman spent together during this period was longer than the time Xie Tingyu and his wife spent together.
Mother Ye had many awkward moments and made many mistakes when she moved from the countryside to the city. Grandma Xie was not a stingy person; as long as Mother Ye was willing to learn, Grandma Xie was willing to teach her.
In this way, Mother Ye, accompanied by Grandma Xie, settled on a shop for Chenguang. It was a storefront of about thirty square meters. Although it wasn’t large, it was enough for selling sausages, and the monthly rent was two hundred yuan.
Xie Tingyu looked at the note his wife had signed and made her a cup of tea, “Shuier, you’ve been working hard lately.”
With a wife who was always thinking about making money, Xie Tingyu felt quite a bit of pressure.
Xie Tingyu had no choice but to offer his labor and sacrifice his rest time to help his wife catch up on knowledge. “Shuier, let me help you catch up on your major courses before I leave for the US.”
Ye Qingshui still remembered Teacher Mu’s requirement, and her recently relaxed nerves suddenly tightened. She quickly pulled out her books and began reviewing with her husband.
Xie Tingyu had ranked first in the Mathematics Department exams for the entire previous year. As his wife, Ye Qingshui felt she couldn’t fall too far behind and embarrass him.
…
On Monday, Ye Qingshui returned to school to actively prepare for her exams. Ye Qingshui had no problem with the theoretical part of her cultural exams, but her practical operation was a bit rusty.
She immersed herself in the laboratory for a whole half month.
First-year physics majors generally had zero foundation in lab work; they had never dealt with such things before university.
But Ye Qingshui was different. She had taken apart radios with Zhou Cunren and personally soldered circuit boards. She had even participated when Xie Tingyu made a biogas lamp.
After familiarizing herself for a while, Ye Qingshui quickly got the hang of it.
Even the circuit experiment that gave Pan Lijuan a headache was done quickly and well by Ye Qingshui, and her experimental data was excellent.
The courses hadn’t finished in January. When Ye Qingshui returned to the classroom, the looks cast upon her were quite varied. The other two local girls in dormitory 309 were also day students. When they saw Ye Qingshui, they cast a glance and acted as if they didn’t know her.
The other two girls in dormitory 309 were named Wei Jing and Cui Xiwen.
Wei Jing stopped at the right moment and said, “Ye Qingshui, if you have difficulties, you can tell everyone. We can all chip in to help you get through this.”
After Wei Jing finished speaking, Cui Xiwen scoffed.
Ye Qingshui was about to speak when a surprised voice suddenly rang out.
“Pinghuai, look, that’s your Lilac Girl.”
Zhou Pinghuai immediately tried to cover his buddy’s mouth, but it was too late. The final review class was a joint session for the Finance and Physics departments, and Zhou Pinghuai also had the chance to see his long-lost “Lilac Girl.”
Thanks for visiting. If you like this story, then I’m shamelessly asking you to visit NovelUpdates and give a 5⭐ review. (人❛ᴗ❛)♪тнайк чоц♪(❛ᴗ❛*人)
You can also check out my other translations Here
Second Life Translations' Comment Policy
1. Be kind and respectful. Comments with curses will be put under moderation.
2. No links to other websites or asking for links.
3. No spoilers!