Beat Up the Male Lead
That teacher said, “Right now, everyone is still exploring things. My second sister used to work in a state-owned factory. Later, that factory went under, and with no other choice, she started a small clothing factory herself. The workers are provided with food and accommodation. The monthly pay is only fifteen yuan, but it should rise in the future.”
“I’ll go back and ask whether he agrees. Then I’ll have to trouble you tonight.”
“No problem.”
After all, Su Su, as one of the school’s highly educated teachers, had always been respected by everyone. Even the principal treated her very respectfully. Besides that, Su Su had a good appearance and was honest and polite, so she was quite liked by everyone. Even if some people had a bit of dissatisfaction toward her, the fact remained that she had that ability. She had designed the entire university’s English curriculum by herself without needing anyone’s help. Very few people could do that.
Su Su had originally wanted Lin Hai to follow Song Laosan and try making his way with him first. She hadn’t expected such an opportunity to appear. When she went back and told Lin Hai, he immediately agreed.
Fifteen yuan a month, with food and accommodation included, was already very good for him. If he saved carefully and didn’t spend recklessly, he could send ten yuan back home every time he got paid. Then he would very quickly save enough money to get a wife.
After hearing this, Su Su rolled her eyes at the sky. Her second younger brother’s ambition really only went this far. Saving a hundred yuan to get a wife, without thinking about anything else—he was also quite impressive in his own way.
“Actually, there’s no rush for you to get a wife. Since you’re going out, you must learn more things.”
“Mm, I’m pretty quick at learning things.”
Lin Hai immediately agreed. Then Su Su taught him how to speak with city people before sending him to stay at the neighbour’s house.
The next day, that teacher brought Lin Hai to his second sister’s factory. Su Su wanted to send him off, but he wouldn’t let her.
It seemed boys were indeed a little more capable than girls, at least in the sense that there was no need to worry too much. However, when he left, Su Su was afraid he didn’t have enough money on him, so she stuffed ten yuan into his hand.
After all, they had taken up the male teacher’s Sunday rest time. She hoped that if the two of them ate together, Lin Hai would use this money to pay. Lin Hai naturally understood. However, things went very smoothly for them. In less than two hours, everything was settled.
When Lin Hai came back, he was extremely happy. Men from the village who had returned from working outside all said that money was hard to earn outside. But as soon as Sister-in-law stepped in, she found him work. It was said that after working for two months and becoming skilled, his wages would rise, all the way to twenty yuan at once.
The poor child who hadn’t seen much of the world felt that twenty yuan a month was already a lot.
Su Su felt that it would be good for Lin Hai to toughen himself up outside. He was a capable young man. In the future, he definitely wouldn’t do badly.
However, as someone who had already mixed in society for a long time, she naturally gave him all kinds of reminders. She also had to buy him a set of bedding before he could live there. After asking about the dormitory situation, she bought him one quilt and a very thick mattress. After all, it was a wooden plank bed. If he caught cold from it, it could become a lifelong issue.
Lin Hai was so moved he almost cried. He insisted that once he saved money, he would pay Su Su back.
Su Su glared at him. “Are you really going to calculate even this little thing with me? Then in the future, if Sister-in-law asks you to do some work, do I have to pay you too?”
Lin Hai scratched his head and laughed foolishly. In the end, he still couldn’t argue with his sister-in-law.
After they prepared everything, they sent a telegram home. In one sentence, they explained that Lin Hai had stayed behind for work and that the family didn’t need to worry.
With all the busyness here, they completely forgot about Lin Donghe and had no idea what he had experienced.
That afternoon, before evening, he went to the school and called Qin Yueyue out. After giving her the thirty yuan she wanted, he warmly explained that he had already booked a room at the guesthouse and that they could stay there tonight.
For a young couple who had been separated for a long time, his meaning was already obvious enough. But unexpectedly, Qin Yueyue immediately became unhappy. She shook her head and refused. “I’m not going.”
“Why?” A man who had endured for almost two months wanted to enjoy intimacy, and he was looking for his own wife. Lin Donghe didn’t think there was anything wrong with that.
“I… I don’t want to do that with you. You also know I’m studying. What if I get pregnant again?” Seeing that there was no one around, Qin Yueyue said this pitifully.
Lin Donghe felt his face flush hot. It was from anger.
“When we were at home before, didn’t we do it and you didn’t get pregnant? As long as I put it… outside, it’ll be fine. Besides, I took some… protective covers from the village clinic. They say those prevent pregnancy.” He had taken quite a few. To avoid others discovering them, he had even sewn them into the inside of his clothes.
However, Qin Yueyue’s face turned pale. She bit her lower lip and said, “That still won’t do. I… attend the study group every night. If they find out I didn’t return to the dormitory overnight, who knows what rumours they’ll spread? Can’t you just endure it? It’s only a little over a year before we can be together.”
At that instant, Lin Donghe felt his vision go dark. He had clearly come here carrying enormous joy, yet was he going to leave disappointed?
He clenched his fists. “We haven’t seen each other for a very long time. Even if we don’t do anything, can’t you stay outside with me for one night and talk privately?”
“Comrade Lin Donghe, right now I’m carrying out my study duties. In the future, I will devote myself to work. My attitude toward study must be serious…”
“Stop talking. I know you’ve always looked down on me because I can’t give you the city life you want. I can’t give you dignity. I can’t give you everything you want, right?”
“No, it isn’t that. We simply don’t have any common topics. Every time we meet now, we argue over this boring matter. Why can’t you move past these things and look toward the country’s future?”
After hearing this, Lin Donghe’s whole heart turned cold. He took a step back. “So this is a boring matter? You, a student at school, actually say this is a boring matter? Then why can Su Su and Lin Chuan live properly and have children? Why can’t I? I only want to live a good life with you. Why is that so difficult? Come with me to the guesthouse.”
“Don’t be like this. It won’t be good if people see. I don’t want to have children with you. We have nothing. If we have a child, what will we use to raise it? I only want to study properly and then build my own career.” All university students thought this way. She didn’t feel she was wrong.
“We are husband and wife.”
“We haven’t registered our marriage. We only held a banquet. We’re a fake married couple.”
This sentence was the most hurtful. Lin Donghe looked at Qin Yueyue as if he no longer recognised her, then turned and ran away.
He sat by the roadside like a lost soul. Looking at the bustling city with people coming and going, he didn’t feel that there was anything attractive about this place, nor that it was better than his hometown in any way. But Qin Yueyue liked it.
He painfully held his head, feeling that he was truly too much of a failure.
At the same time, his heart also went cold.
Suddenly, he lifted his head and abruptly saw a car rushing toward a group of people who looked like nearby university students. Everyone else dodged, except for one young man who had lowered his head to pick something up and didn’t move in time.
Lin Donghe hurriedly stood up and leapt over. His original intention was to push the person away, then simply die himself.
After all, the other party was a university student with a bright future.
Unexpectedly, the moment he pushed him, that young man actually stood up. Lin Donghe also reacted and fell backward. Then the two of them hugged each other and rolled to the roadside.
At the same time, the car stopped. In the end, no one was injured.
That young man was precisely Guan Zhendong. He immediately stood up and glanced at his saviour. “Are you alright? Thank you so much… thank you.” When he suddenly looked at him carefully, he thought of a photograph his grandfather kept on the table. He really looked far too similar.
Lin Donghe also stood up. Only his hand had been scraped a little. Other than that, he wasn’t injured.
“I’m fine.” He turned and was about to leave, but Guan Zhendong suddenly grabbed him and insisted on treating him to food and drink. After all, the man was his life-saving benefactor.
Su Su didn’t know that the plot from the book had already appeared. She was still looking through clothes for Lin Hai. Although the bedding had been delivered, Lin Hai couldn’t stay there yet. He would have to wait until tomorrow.
Tonight, he still had to stay at the neighbour teacher’s house. At the same time, she had to prepare a pillow, clothes, and daily necessities for him. Men were always careless, especially Lin Hai, who didn’t even have a set of toothbrush and washing things. So Su Su could only prepare them for him.
Fortunately, today was Sunday, so most of what needed to be prepared had already been done. Another thing was to find a few of Lin Chuan’s old clothes for Lin Hai to wear, so that he wouldn’t look too shabby.
However, most of Lin Chuan’s clothes were in the army. She only managed to find two or three pieces, and one had worn through at the elbow. Su Su wasn’t familiar with sewing and mending, but fortunately, Lin Hai knew how to do it himself.
Su Su found needle and thread for him and let him sew it himself. “You’re working in a clothing factory. If there’s a chance, make yourself a good outfit to wear. Didn’t I give you money?”
“Sister-in-law, anything is fine for me to wear.”
“That won’t do. You’re a working person now. You must look proper. Besides, if a young man doesn’t dress a bit better, what girl will take a liking to you?”
This sentence hit Lin Hai’s thoughts directly. He nodded. “Sister-in-law, what you said makes sense. My brother’s military uniform is nice. Sister-in-law, back then, were you attracted to him because of that outfit?”
“Am I that shallow? Just… just a little. I thought he looked quite good in a military uniform.” After spending a long time with Lin Hai, Su Su was no longer bashful. She could joke with ease. Besides, a large part of it wasn’t really a joke.
As they were talking, someone knocked on the door. Su Su went to open it and saw Guan Zhendong supporting an obviously drunk Lin Donghe at the doorway.
“Teacher Su, hello. So you’re Brother Lin’s relative.”
“Mm. What happened to him?”
Su Su was just about to help, but Lin Hai had already rushed over and helped him inside first. Lin Donghe was still muttering, “I’m telling you all, women are no good. Their hearts are black…”
Cough…
Had he been provoked by Qin Yueyue?
Lin Hai helped him into the room and sat him on a chair to the side. Su Su immediately smiled at Guan Zhendong and said, “Thank you for bringing him back.”
“Oh, oh. Brother Lin saved me. Is there anything else you need help with?” He was a little curious about what kind of relatives the two of them were and also wanted to inquire about Lin Donghe’s background. But since he had only brought someone here, it wasn’t appropriate for him to stand here too long. Besides, this was the X East University family residential area.
As a student, he was timid and afraid of running into teachers, so after explaining, he said, “Then I’ll come see him again tomorrow.” After saying that, he ran off.
Su Su closed the door and felt that some plotlines really did happen without anyone noticing. It was just that, in the book, Lin Donghe hadn’t been this drunk and hadn’t talked nonsense.
Lin Hai poured a cup of water and shoved it into Lin Donghe’s hand. “Why did you drink so much? If you cause trouble for my sister-in-law, I’ll have my brother come back and beat you.”
“…” A younger brother relying on his elder brother’s power. Why didn’t he fight him himself?
As expected of the Lin family’s upbringing, the younger brothers always listened to the elder brother. If they dared talk back, they would definitely be beaten.
Lin Donghe had probably truly been provoked. He actually covered his face and began crying. “She said that because we didn’t register our marriage, we don’t count as husband and wife. Father and Mother wanted me to have a child with her earlier, but she would rather die than have my child. What exactly did I do wrong? Why did I let her abort that child? Otherwise, now we…”
“Lin Donghe.” Su Su couldn’t bear to watch anymore. What kind of thing was it for a grown man to cry like this?
“What? You two had a child before?” Lin Hai didn’t know about this matter. Then he said, “Back then, you shouldn’t have gotten together with her. That woman’s ambition is huge. She didn’t even look at my eldest brother, who gets an allowance every month. How could she look at you?”
Smack. Lin Hai was hit on the back of the head.
He touched it and looked at his sister-in-law, then was glared at by her.
“This matter can’t all be blamed on Qin Yueyue. Lin Donghe, you were also at fault. A grown man who couldn’t resist temptation and now can’t pick things up or put them down—where is your ambition?”
“I don’t want ambition. I just want to be with her.”
Lin Donghe raised his head and said this seriously.
But then, with a loud smack, he was slapped across the face.
Both Lin Donghe and Lin Hai were stunned. For a long while, neither of them came back to their senses.
“Lin Donghe, if you don’t respect and love yourself like this, do you think others will respect you?” Wake up. You’re the male lead!
Lin Donghe was truly slapped awake. He looked at Su Su, then thought about her words and couldn’t help frowning. “You’re right. I… I just feel like I don’t have any ability.”
“It will get better.” Su Su felt that everything in the story truly began when Lin Donghe was found by the Guan family. At that time, he would soar into the sky. So thinking about these things now was still too early.
It was just that the female lead’s behaviour made her somewhat gloomy. She remembered that in the book, Qin Yueyue had always maintained a good relationship with Lin Donghe. Could it be that whoever she married, she blamed that person? In the book, she blamed Lin Chuan. Now, she blamed Lin Donghe.
They were like burdens to her. Su Su simply didn’t understand what was wrong with being married. Did it obstruct her position in the hearts of other male classmates?
Thinking of her so-called study group, apart from a few female classmates who had submitted to her saintly-mother aura, everyone else in it was male classmates—and male classmates with ulterior motives at that. However, not one of them came from a good family background, and not one was worthy of the female lead.
Only then did Lin Donghe stop showing his most embarrassing side. He ran to the bathroom to wash his face, then prepared to return to the guesthouse. He decided to leave early tomorrow morning. After all, the village still needed him to direct work. As for Qin Yueyue’s side, he wanted to calm down first. He couldn’t keep shamelessly going to find her. He had self-respect too.
In any case, to her, the two of them were already not husband and wife.
“That classmate who brought you here today… won’t you wait for him to come see you?” To recognise each other as brothers or something.
“No. I only pushed him a little. I didn’t really help much.” After Lin Donghe finished speaking, he didn’t stay long at Su Su’s place either. It was truly too embarrassing. He was afraid Lin Chuan would scold him if he found out after coming back.
After Lin Donghe left, Lin Hai lightly snorted. “Useless. Is it worth it for a woman?”
“Second Brother, aren’t you also desperately saving money for a woman?” Su Su said somewhat speechlessly.
“How can that be the same? That’s my wife.” Lin Hai said this without hesitation.
In this regard, Lin Chuan and Lin Hai were exactly alike, while Lin Donghe was different from them. Although Lin Donghe was devoted, he always seemed to lack a manly side.
As for the Lin brothers, they were shameless and thick-skinned, always very easily creating a large-scale double-standard scene.
Look at that. His wife was different. How was she different? Wasn’t she still a woman?
“Sister-in-law is different too.” Lin Hai was still quite afraid of offending his sister-in-law, because he was afraid of his brother. Especially now that Sister-in-law was pregnant with his little niece, he was afraid of making her angry, so he had to coax her.
Pfft. Su Su was amused by him.
After everything was almost prepared, Lin Hai went to stay at the neighbour teacher’s house. The next day, he carried his packed bedding and went to the factory himself.
Su Su was still a little worried. She truly treated Lin Hai like her own younger brother. Fortunately, this boy wasn’t heartless. Very soon, he called her and said that at the factory, he could not only move goods but also learn many things. He already knew how to use the sewing machine now. After a while, he would be able to make little dresses for his niece.
Listening to this, the corners of Su Su’s mouth twitched. What kind of little dress could a grown man make? She didn’t hold any hope at all.
But one Sunday, Lin Hai came over with a bag full of small clothes. Grinning, he took them out for Su Su to see. “I’ve only just learned to make these. They were all made from leftover fabric scraps. Sister-in-law, do you think they’re okay?”
There was a pink baby one-piece dress, a separate little skirt-trousers and top, and also some little socks and the like. The materials were all quite carefully chosen, soft fabrics, and they seemed to have already been washed.
Damn. How could a grown man be so meticulous?
“Lin Hai, why aren’t you a girl?” He had done all the work that a younger sister-in-law would usually do.
“Our family just doesn’t have any girls, so I’ve known how to do everything since I was young. It’s not like I could let my eldest brother do it. He’s fine at beating people, but he definitely couldn’t produce these. But I learned these from the aunties at the factory. Their hands are very skilful. When they heard I was making clothes for my little niece, they were all very enthusiastic. When I have time, I’ll go back and piece together a little quilt and some small diaper pads for her.”
After saying that, he saw his sister-in-law looking at him with admiration. Then she said, “Lin Hai, when your eldest brother comes back, I’ll have him give you pocket money.” He wouldn’t accept money from her, but such a treasure of a younger brother definitely had to be held onto.
“No, no need. Then I’ll go back first.”
“Eat lunch here before you leave.”
Su Su had already thought about it. As long as Lin Hai came over on Sundays, she would improve his food. There were many people at the factory, so they definitely didn’t eat anything good at each meal.
Besides, he was a half-grown boy. Being able to eat his fill was already good enough.
Just as Su Su thought, everything at Lin Hai’s factory was good except that the food portions were small. Also, there were few men, and he was the only young one. Everyone’s portion was fixed, so he couldn’t quite eat his fill. Fortunately, every week, he could take some cake from Sister-in-law’s place. Otherwise, he really would be so hungry he couldn’t endure it. As for Sundays, they were his happiest day. Not only could he eat something good, he could also eat until full.
“Sister-in-law, why do you have so much cake?”
“I… get hungry at night.”
“Oh, I heard those aunties say that pregnant women like to get hungry. Then you really should prepare some.”
“Yes.” Su Su was startled. The cake in her box could reappear repeatedly, so she had always been able to take it out. Thinking that she also had to give Lin Hai some today, she went into the room and opened the box, only to find that the cake was gone. In the place where it had originally been, there were now some old-style large breads.
Recently, city snacks were no longer as scarce as they had been in the countryside. This kind of old-style large bread was currently popular. It was fluffy and soft, with a slightly sweet-and-sour taste, and was very popular with young people.
“…” So the things in her backpack also kept up with the times?
She subconsciously looked at the clothing styles and found that there really were some small changes. Even the previous tight trousers had turned into stirrup pants.
Heavens, this was far too magical. She felt that she didn’t need to buy clothes anymore. There would always be fashionable clothes to wear, and she wouldn’t even need to spend money.
However, she didn’t look closely. She took the bread out and handed it to Lin Hai. “Take this and try it.”
“Big bread. I’ve seen lots of children eating it.” Lin Hai also recognised it. But he was very frugal and had never been willing to buy it. Unexpectedly, Sister-in-law directly gave him more than ten pieces.
“Yes. Recently, everyone likes eating this. Don’t save too much. I still have more.”
“Alright, I know.”
Lin Hai couldn’t come empty-handed and do nothing, so he began helping Su Su with some men’s work. After eating, he left.
He had just left when someone knocked on the door. Su Su wiped her hands while opening the door. “Did you forget to take…”
When she looked, standing in front of the door was a woman in her forties and a young man. That young man was precisely Guan Zhendong.
Su Su seemed to understand what was going on, but she still pretended not to know anything. “Do you two need something?”
Guan Zhendong immediately introduced, “Teacher Su, this is my mother. She came to ask you something.”
“Oh, hello.” Her student’s parent. Su Su immediately stepped aside to let them in and then poured water.
Recently, although her little belly hadn’t started showing yet, her waist was a little sore. So after bending over and standing up, she pressed a hand against her lower back.
Guan Zhendong immediately said, “Ah, Teacher Su, you should sit too.” Seeing that she had been wiping her hands just now, she was probably doing chores.
Su Su sat down and looked at Guan Zhendong’s mother, who was also the male lead’s mother. She looked somewhat stern. After all, she had once worked in an army art troupe and had only retired later because she had been injured.
Actually, when reading the book, Su Su had quite a good impression of this couple. After all, they were heroes. During the chaos of war, because they had to immediately throw themselves into battle, they had no choice but to hand their new-born child to fellow villagers to raise. But because they had been in a hurry, they hadn’t even asked clearly for the villagers’ names before leaving.
Afterwards, although they had searched for a long time, the Lin family had fled famine and left their original place, so they never found them.
All these years, they had carried guilt toward that son. So after learning a little bit of news, they immediately came to ask about it.
“Hello. I didn’t expect you to become a university teacher at such a young age. My name is Hong Mei. I’m Guan Zhendong’s mother.” Hong Mei extended her hand. She rarely admired someone, but this beautiful young woman in front of her really gave her a very favourable impression.
Young, polite, and knowing how to behave appropriately.
Most importantly, according to her son, she was also a rare high-level intellectual. Looking at her now, she did indeed have a certain level of cultivation.
“Hello. Your son studies very well. He is a good student who takes his studies seriously.” They were all parents. Nothing made parents happier than praise for their child.
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