The Sweetness of the Seventies
Chapter 619 - 588: Bullying, the Many Aspects of Life_1

Chapter 619: Chapter 588: Bullying, the Many Aspects of Life_1

As the departure from Taoyuan County neared, several incidents occurred in Qijia Village.

Lin Xiaoru actually returned from the commune and actively participated in the review, even monopolizing Huang Jingli’s study materials.

Fortunately, Huang Jingli was always diligent, so even though she gave up her study materials, the impact wasn’t significant.

Huang Jingli was afraid. She worried that her hard-earned review efforts would be exposed by Lin Xiaoru, and even if she passed the university entrance exam, she might not be able to attend.

Cui Ying frowned, disliking Lin Xiaoru intensely—she reeked of the dusty road, not a proper woman at all!

As for Huang Jingli, although Cui Ying didn’t like her, she didn’t hate her either.

Hearing Lin Xiaoru threaten Huang Jingli and seeing Huang Jingli not resisting, Cui Ying found it even more displeasing.

"You’ve already got the materials from her, why are you still bossing people around? Can’t you do your own work?" Cui Ying frowned and said, disliking the way Lin Xiaoru bullied others.

Lin Xiaoru, who had had her way both in Qijia Village and the county town, especially among men, was irked upon hearing Cui Ying’s words. She had only ever been thwarted a few times by He Tiantian.

Lin Xiaoru sized up Cui Ying, noting that although Cui Ying looked okay and had an imposing air, her clothes and manners were ordinary. Thinking Cui Ying was just a common person, Lin Xiaoru sneered, "Oh, you can’t stand it, huh? You could just let Huang Jingli not do it!"

After speaking, Lin Xiaoru squinted her eyes and looked at Huang Jingli threateningly, signaling her to be sensible.

Frightened, Huang Jingli lowered her head and said, "Cui Ying, thank you. Xiaoru and I are from the same place. If she doesn’t want to do it, I’ll help out a bit. It’s no trouble."

"You..." Cui Ying became even more angered upon hearing this, "If you don’t appreciate it, forget it. In the end, it’s you who will suffer and get tired, not anyone else."

Lin Xiaoru, hearing this, was even more pleased: "Did you hear that? In the future, when you do a good deed, you better look carefully. Don’t be a busybody like a dog catching mice."

"Heh, you’re vicious!" Cui Ying laughed, then turned and walked away.

Crossing her would have dire consequences.

When Cui Ying returned to her room, she drew a bad luck talisman. She couldn’t use it on Lin Xiaoru yet, but on the day of the exam, she planned to use it to make her fall asleep as soon as she entered the examination room.

Still thinking about college?

She can dream on!

As for Huang Jingli, Cui Ying couldn’t care less.

Huang Jingli, grateful for Cui Ying’s protection, found her privately later and said, "Cui Ying, thank you for standing up for me during the day. It’s only because I come from a landlord family that Lin Xiaoru threatens me. If I don’t follow her, she will expose me. All my hard study would be for naught."

Cui Ying was taken aback, now understanding why Huang Jingli, a rather clever girl, was being bullied by Lin Xiaoru and suffering in silence.

"Considering that, take care of yourself then," Cui Ying, seeing Huang Jingli’s predicament, wasn’t as angry as before. "By the way, I have some reference materials. If you want to see them, you can ask me."

Huang Jingli nodded and smiled, "Thank you, Cui Ying. Which university are you thinking of applying to?"

Cui Ying thought of the plan previously discussed with her senior brother. They had decided to follow He Tiantian and Huo Yingjie, so she aimed for a university in Nan City. This wasn’t a dishonorable matter, so Cui Ying wasn’t planning on keeping it from Huang Jingli.

"I and Brother Huashan are preparing for the university entrance exam in Nan City. What about you?" Cui Ying asked, as she wasn’t familiar with Huang Jingli before and didn’t know that Jingli’s hometown was also in a county under Nan City.

"I’m also planning to take the exam for universities in Nan City. If I do well, I’ll apply for Nan City University. If I do average, I’ll apply for Nan City Agricultural University and the Teacher’s College. I believe that with my effort, I will definitely get into a university and leave this place," Huang Jingli said firmly. Qijia Village isn’t bad, but Huang Jingli faintly felt that she couldn’t stay here all her life; she wanted to go back to the city.

Upon hearing this, Cui Ying laughed, "Then let’s work hard together."

"Yes, let’s strive together," Huang Jingli smiled. Although Lin Xiaoru bullied her in Qijia Village, she still had other friends. As long as she worked hard, she could always get through the tough times.

After that, Lin Xiaoru became even more overbearing and bullied Huang Jingli.

However, the more Huang Jingli was thwarted, the more determined she became. On the surface, she was submissive, but inside, she scorned Lin Xiaoru, looking down upon her for not taking her studies seriously. Xiaoru’s little cleverness wasn’t used for learning at all, but rather for figuring out how to torment others.

There were many simple questions that Lin Xiaoru couldn’t do, leaving her with no choice but to ask Huang Jingli to explain them.

The others at the village’s lodging were very diligent and serious, teaching students during the day and studying at night. Everyone saw what Lin Xiaoru was up to, but they didn’t intervene much. In the eyes of outsiders, Lin Xiaoru and Huang Jingli were in a situation where one was willing to strike and the other willing to be struck.

So why should others bother with what doesn’t concern them!

That was the situation at the lodging. Things were even more lively in Qi Shuli’s home.

Qi Shuli was still hesitant about letting Li Mingkai take the exam. He wasn’t like Qi Zhenzhen, who was completely charmed by Li Mingkai.

Looking at the things Li Mingkai did, Qi Shuli clearly saw that Li Mingkai’s mind was not on the countryside. If he got into a university, he would surely have even more schemes. Li Mingkai, an outsider and son-in-law who married into the Qi Family, could be ignored by him, but he couldn’t disregard his daughter and his twin grandchildren, a boy and a girl.

If Li Mingkai got into university and left, his daughter would become a deserted wife, and his grandchildren would become fatherless children, which was just too pitiable!

No, Qi Shuli began plotting; he couldn’t let Li Mingkai leave Qijia Village. It was quite good for him to quietly be a teacher in the village.

In this way, not only could he accompany his daughter and grandchildren, but he could also help his family to establish themselves.

Li Mingkai thought his schemes were unknown to others, but he didn’t realize that everything was seen by Qi Shuli, the old fox, who had already thought of ways to deal with him.

He Tiantian knew some of the situations of the sent-down youths in Qijia Village. Hearing about these youths’ efforts, she thought of that ruthless and cunning Liu Lingli, and then of Li Yuanyuan. Everyone’s fate had changed.

When everyone arrived, they were fifteen or sixteen, seventeen or eighteen-year-old youths, but now they had become youths in their twenties.

With age, their state of mind had also changed.

When they responded to the policy of going to the countryside, they were full of vigor and high-spirited.

After these years of hardship, everyone’s ideals and reality had clashed violently, shattering everyone’s concepts and making them see their actual circumstances more clearly.

Now, all they wanted to do was flee this place that had consumed their energy and burnt their youth—this foreign land!

He Tiantian’s mentality in her previous life was somewhat similar to theirs, but in the end, because of her weakness and the shamelessness of Jianguo’s family, she gave up on her dreams and life once again.

******

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