So beautiful.

The postman didn’t dare stare too long. Following his professional ethics, he offered sincere advice:

“Unless it’s extremely urgent, you could write letters. The post office delivers those to rural areas too.”

Xia Xiaolan accepted the ‘telegram letter.’ The postman thought whoever sent it was a fool with money to waste, and while she was beautiful, she was extravagant. Who would send her such a telegram? Only Zhou Cheng could be so ostentatious. Without time to read it, Xia Xiaolan brought up the matter of the introduction letter.

When Chen Wangda heard she was going to Yang City, his expression grew serious:

“A young woman traveling far from home faces all sorts of situations. You must stay alert.”

“Don’t worry, Grandpa Chen, I’ll take good care of myself.”

Xia Xiaolan was obedient in her attitude. Though Chen Wangda disapproved, Xia Xiaolan wasn’t his descendant, so he could only advise, not decide for her. Being close to the Chen family made getting an introduction letter easy, but her receiving the telegram letter caused more stir than her travel plans.

At least the Chen family knew now.

Chen’s wife worriedly said to her husband:

“Social relationships are quite complicated. Our son is honest and straightforward – can he handle this girl?”

All mothers-in-law think similarly – finding an ordinary daughter-in-law seems beneath their son, but finding a capable one makes them uneasy. Old Chen didn’t have such complicated thoughts: “Liu Yong’s wife already said in the village that they’d only consider matches after their niece gets into university.”

Chen’s wife glared at her husband.

She had originally thought that once Xia Xiaolan entered university, she would be worthy of Chen Qing.

Now seeing that Xia Xiaolan seemed to have other social connections, competition made her value increase.

“Who do you think sent her that telegram? Even wealthy people shouldn’t be so wasteful!”

Though Chen’s wife stayed at home, her thoughts flew to the Liu household, desperately wanting to snatch and read Xia Xiaolan’s telegram.

“Dear Xiaolan, it’s me. Since our last parting, though I’ve wanted to visit you in Anqing, I’ve been tied up with matters in Beijing. I miss you deeply and wonder if you feel the same. By the time you see this letter, I’ll be en route from Beijing to Anqing County, expecting to arrive in three days. I’ll stay at the guesthouse again, hoping to see you… Yours, missing you, Zhou Cheng.”

Zhou Cheng’s telegram letter contained over a thousand characters.

Besides arranging to meet Xia Xiaolan, the rest was ‘sweet talk’ about how he missed her and envisioned their future. Xia Xiaolan found it sickeningly sweet but not entirely dislikeable. She had thought their meeting was a chance and he’d gone quiet after leaving Anqing. She hadn’t expected such a grand return – Zhou Cheng was clever; if he was arriving in three days, a one-line telegram would suffice. Making such a show with a ‘telegram letter’ – how could Seven Wells Village not gossip?!

Staking his claim.

These four words popped into Xia Xiaolan’s mind.

What happened to be friends first?

Zhou Cheng’s words and actions didn’t match.

Xia Xiaolan found it amusing and novel.

Another reason she didn’t mind this showy telegram was that Seven Wells Village’s gossip was welcome – after all, they didn’t know Zhou Cheng. Various speculations would reach the Chen family’s ears. Xia Xiaolan had no romantic feelings for Chen Qing, and the Chen family had helped her mother and her greatly. She didn’t want their relationship to crack.

Her aunt was right – she needed this ‘semi-fictional’ suitor to ward off unwanted attention.

Xia Xiaolan put away the letter and returned home with the introduction letter.

The telegram wasn’t the most important thing. Without the introduction letter, even buying a train ticket would be difficult, let alone managing food, accommodation, and travel to another place. People didn’t have ID cards then; introduction letters were the only proof of identity, containing basic information and travel destination.

Xia Xiaolan was registered in Seven Wells Village, Anqing County, Fengxian City, Yunan Province, and her travel purpose was “visiting relatives”… Seven Wells Village didn’t even have a township enterprise, so she could hardly say she was going to wholesale clothes or purchase supplies for the village.

“Aunt, I got the introduction letter.”

Li Fengmei could read and carefully examined it before tucking it into Xia Xiaolan’s chest:

“You stubborn girl!”

When Li Fengmei asked when she’d buy train tickets, Xia Xiaolan hesitated: “In a couple of days.”

Only Xia Xiaolan and Uncle Liu Yong knew the details of Zhou Cheng and Kang Wei’s rescue. Li Fengmei and Liu Fen didn’t know the specifics. The favor of giving her a ride when she sprained her ankle could be repaid with pickled radish and pork dumplings, but being saved from thugs wasn’t something a meal of dumplings could settle.

Xia Xiaolan had no plans to let Zhou Cheng formally visit, so she hadn’t explained the details to Li Fengmei.

On the day Zhou Cheng was expected to arrive, Xia Xiaolan took the packed food her family prepared and headed to the county town, planning to meet Zhou Cheng before going to Shangdu station to buy tickets. Everyone typically brought their own food when traveling – army-green water bottles, boiled eggs, baked bread with pickles, and braised ribs.

Train dining was expensive and unpalatable. Platform vendors were cheap but hygiene was questionable. Xia Xiaolan felt safer bringing her food. Not knowing how long she’d be delayed, she first visited the school after reaching the county town.

Li Fengmei and Liu Fen both offered to see her off at the train, but Xia Xiaolan declined.

This was her second visit to the school since passing the transfer exam to No.1 Middle School and getting permission to study at home. Previously, when Xia Zhangzheng’s couple and Xia Hongxia were still in Dahe Village, “Zhang’s Snack Shop” was run by Zhang Fuman and Jiang Lianxiang. The couple was too busy trying to profit from the shop to track Xia Xiaolan’s movements.

The Xia family knew nothing of her visits to No.1 Middle School.

But this time, Xia Hongxia spotted her!

Helping at the snack shop, Xia Hongxia’s eyes were glued to the school entrance, viewing every male student likely to enter the university as a potential target. She was the first to spot Xia Xiaolan at the school gate.

“What’s she doing here?”

Watching people pass the shop, Xia Hongxia’s eyes showed both confusion and jealousy.

The Xia family assumed that after Liu Fen’s divorce from Xia Dajun, the mother and daughter must be living in poverty. In Xia Hongxia’s imagination, the detestable Xia Xiaolan, if not eating chaff, must be living a hard life dependent on others. With endless farm work and a ruined reputation, she should be worse off than when living with the Xia family… So why did Xia Xiaolan before her eyes wear clean, neat clothes, look healthy and spirited, and confidently approach No.1 Middle School?!

How could such a place welcome someone with such a scandalous reputation?

Projecting her thoughts, Xia Hongxia assumed Xia Xiaolan had seduced a prospective university student at No.1 Middle School. Shameless! Failed to seduce Sister Ziyu’s partner, so found a new target?

The school’s security was strict.

Xia Hongxia had been caught several times trying to sneak in. The guards knew she worked at the snack shop and didn’t let outsiders enter campus.

But Xia Xiaolan? The school guards didn’t stop her at all!

Why could she freely enter No.1 Middle School?!

Xia Hongxia felt a fire burning inside, jealousy making her whole body uncomfortable.

“Aunt, I’m going out for a bit!”