Lin Wangshu and Lei Zhengde had more or less settled their relationship over a year ago. After that, Lei Zhengde brought her back to Beijing during a family visit. They went to the Lei residence and also paid a visit to the Lin family.
When Lei Zhengde came to the Lin home, he brought an enormous strip of pork with him. Everyone in the neighbourhood learned that Lin Wangshu had found herself such an excellent boyfriend. They were practically one step away from beating gongs and drums to celebrate.
The Lin family also believed that the marriage was as good as settled.
Who could have imagined that after the two of them returned to the city, the Lei family would suddenly disapprove? They claimed there had never been any such agreement and flatly denied the entire matter.
That left both the Lin family and Lin Wangshu roasting over the fire.
Social attitudes were conservative in those days. If a woman went to see a film with a man, in everyone’s eyes, that could practically be rounded up to an engagement.
Yet Lin Wangshu and Lei Zhengde had already gone this far, and somehow the marriage was not happening?
That was more or less the same as being dumped.
Once word spread, her reputation certainly would not look good.
However, the Lin family had some pride too. If the marriage was off, then it was off. Who would insist on clinging to them? At worst, Lin Wangshu could remain at home unmarried and live like a grand lady for the rest of her life.
Lei Zhengde’s mother looked down her nose at people, but Lei Zhengde was naturally unwilling to give Lin Wangshu up. He pleaded with his mother, and after a great deal of commotion, she finally agreed to let him marry her.
Of course, Lei Zhengde’s mother still had to put on airs.
After all, the two of them had been together for so long. What else could Lin Wangshu possibly do? Wasn’t she simply clinging to them and insisting on marrying into the Lei family?
There was no need to fuss over a bride price or anything of that sort. She might as well enter the family as soon as possible.
Even now, Lin Wangshu could still remember Lei Zhengde’s mother drinking early-spring tea without so much as glancing at her and saying indifferently,
“You’re already involved with our Zhengde. What else can be done? We’ll pick you up on a bicycle, bring you home, and that’ll be that.”
Those words had been slaps across Lin Wangshu’s face, one after another.
She had been young and ignorant at the time. She allowed herself to be trapped by the situation.
They had already dated and embraced. She truly had no other plans, and besides, Lei Zhengde kept pleading with her and clinging to her, swearing over and over that he loved her.
What she had not understood was that her life still contained countless other choices.
She had not known that there was a term in this world called a *sunk cost*.
Everything she had already invested was gone. It was spilled milk that could never be recovered. She should not have cried over it, much less allowed it to influence the decisions she made about her future.
She was profoundly grateful that she now possessed more than ten years of experience and understanding. She could use that knowledge to reclaim everything and erase the humiliation she was about to suffer.
And so, when Lei Zhengde said those words now, Lin Wangshu merely asked calmly,
“Zhengde, how exactly do you plan to persuade your mother?”
Lei Zhengde looked across from them. The girl seated opposite had gone to fetch hot water, so he lowered his voice.
“What else can I do? I’ll coax her a little, then find a way to get my grandfather involved. Don’t worry. I’ll definitely give you a proper explanation.”
Lin Wangshu said, “If it’s too much trouble, then forget it.”
At once, Lei Zhengde turned to look at her.
“Why would you say something like that?”
“Isn’t that what your family wants?”
Lei Zhengde took her hand.
“That’s what my family thinks. I already told you I’d find a way to persuade them. Don’t worry. I’ll definitely marry you and bring you into the family.”
Lin Wangshu looked at him seriously.
Across more than a decade of time, she examined the young Lei Zhengde who was making this promise.
At this moment, he truly was sincere.
He genuinely intended to marry her.
Lin Wangshu smiled and quietly slipped her hand out of his grasp.
“Stop acting so clingy.”
There was an intense side to Lei Zhengde’s personality. She had already suffered more than enough of his ability to pester someone relentlessly, and she did not intend to confront him directly just yet.
The present Lei Zhengde was only in his early twenties.
He was a young man deeply in love, and he had not truly made her his yet. How could he possibly bear to let her go?
He would certainly think of every possible way to marry her.
In her previous life, she had lowered her head, behaved obediently, and done everything she could to win over the Lei family.
She would not do that this time.
All she needed to do was humiliate them a little, and the marriage would certainly fall apart.
When Lei Zhengde saw her smile, he assumed she had merely been joking. He leaned closer and whispered,
“Wangshu, don’t worry. After we get back, you should go home first. In a few days, I’ll hurry my mother along and have her come to propose the marriage.”
“Your mother might not agree.”
“Then we’ll beg her together. What else can we do? My mother dotes on me. If I make enough of a fuss, what choice will they have?”
Hearing this, Lin Wangshu frowned, her face filled with disgust.
“You can beg if you want. You go and beg. I’m not doing it! I don’t have time to grovel and play games with your family!”
Lei Zhengde assumed she was merely throwing one of her little tantrums.
She did indeed have something of a temper, and that was precisely what he liked about her.
He hurriedly coaxed her.
“All right, all right, I understand. I’ll beg them. Even if I have to kneel there and plead, I won’t let you suffer the slightest grievance. Just don’t be angry with me!”
Lin Wangshu laughed coldly to herself and could not be bothered to respond.
…
By then, the train had already entered Beijing.
Many people in the carriage craned their necks to peer out of the windows. A great number of them had clearly not returned in many years, and some were so overwhelmed that they became visibly emotional.
Lin Wangshu also turned to look outside.
On either side of the railway lay barren fields and low, crowded residential courtyards. Large slogans painted in white lime still remained on the walls. She could even see green and grey clothes hanging from iron washing lines outside people’s homes.
Lin Wangshu felt a surge of familiarity.
It was the familiarity that belonged to this city—the crowded buildings pressed tightly together and the everyday necessities of life squeezed into tiny spaces.
As the train entered the city, it slowed even further, clunking steadily along the tracks.
Someone in the carriage began to cry. Another person even shouted,
“Beijing, I’m back!”
What surged through Lin Wangshu’s heart was entirely different from what everyone else was feeling.
She had returned.
She had returned to Beijing, but she had also returned to her youth.
For everyone else, this was merely a return across distance.
For her, time and space had merged. The years themselves had flowed backwards.
Amid everyone’s anticipation, the train finally stopped.
People hoisted their luggage onto their shoulders and rushed desperately towards the doors.
In truth, there was no harm in getting off a little later, but who among them was not impatient?
Some people already had family members waiting outside. They had apparently managed to learn the arrival time in advance.
Lei Zhengde and Lin Wangshu had brought a great deal of luggage.
Lin Wangshu had no intention of using even the slightest bit of strength, so she left all of it to Lei Zhengde.
Lei Zhengde huffed and puffed as he carried the bags out. He looked around, but when he failed to see anyone from his family, he muttered,
“Why didn’t anyone come to meet us? I told them we were arriving!”
Lin Wangshu was somewhat disappointed too.
She did not want to keep dragging things out with Lei Zhengde.
Even by the time he was thirty, had found himself a mistress, and fathered a child with her, he had only ever possessed one method: shamelessly clinging to Lin Wangshu, coaxing and teasing her as though she were a three-year-old who could be pacified with a few words.
If that did not work, he cried and embraced her.
And if even that failed, he dropped to his knees and begged for forgiveness.
What was she supposed to do with a man like that?
He was like sticky toffee. Even if she tried to avoid him, she could not shake him off.
That was why she desperately wanted to meet the Lei family.
She wanted them to see that she had poor manners and an unsuitable family background. She would make a few cutting remarks, and with how particular Lei Zhengde’s mother was, the woman would undoubtedly become so furious that she would never allow Lin Wangshu through their door in this lifetime.
As for Lei Zhengde, his family could keep him under control.
As long as he stopped coming out to cling to and annoy her, she would be satisfied.
She had no desire to waste her time repeatedly arguing with this family.
After all, the reinstatement of the university entrance examination was only a little over half a year away. She needed to pick up her textbooks and begin studying as soon as possible.
Because she had worked as an administrator at Peking University, she had a fair amount of knowledge and experience. She was also extremely fluent in English.
However, when it came to the present university entrance examination, she was not at all confident.
She vaguely remembered that English scores did not count towards the total in this year’s examination. That meant everything would depend on mathematics and Chinese.
She did not think Chinese would be a problem.
But mathematics?
She had no idea.
What exactly did high school students study?
She could not remember at all.
Then another thought occurred to her.
This was 1977. The university entrance examination was about to be reinstated.
If she could successfully enter university, spend several years properly enjoying student life, and graduate just as the reform and opening-up era began, she would be emerging at the best possible time.
With her knowledge of what the future held, there was a great deal she could accomplish.
The thought filled her with excitement.
At last, the crowd emerged from the railway station.
Lei Zhengde looked at the imposing Beijing Railway Station and could not help exclaiming,
“We’re finally back. Now *this* is a proper big city!”
Lin Wangshu glanced at it.
At this time, Beijing Railway Station was still relatively new. Compared with the surrounding buildings, it did indeed appear impressive.
However, she had grown accustomed to high-rise buildings in her previous life, so it no longer stirred much emotion in her.
She said to Lei Zhengde,
“Let’s go home first. The tram stop is over there. We can take one.”
Lei Zhengde was about to agree when he suddenly noticed a Red Flag sedan nearby, its horn honking repeatedly and drawing everyone’s attention.
Someone inside the car was waving at him through the window.
He immediately became excited.
“Mum! Mum! Sis! We’re over here! Over here!”
Two women quickly got out of the car.
One was Lei Zhengde’s mother, Shen Mingfang. The other was his older sister, Lei Zhenghui.
Shen Mingfang wore a red-and-blue checked shirt beneath a charcoal-grey corduroy jacket with a broad pointed collar. Her short hair had been permed into curls, and she wore leather shoes.
Lei Zhenghui was even more fashionable.
Her hair was styled in a fashionable Ke Xiang bob, with wispy bangs and lightly permed curls. She wore a fitted white blouse beneath a bright yellow knitted cardigan, along with a pair of high heels.
When Lei Zhengde first saw how his mother and sister were dressed, he could hardly believe his eyes.
Yunnan had been desolate. Everyone there wore dull blue clothing or green military uniforms. They had hardly seen any other styles at all, and the women usually wore their hair in two thick braids.
Now that he was back in Beijing and had seen his mother and sister, his eyes had truly been opened.
When he had left, hadn’t everyone also loved wearing green military uniforms?
How had they all become so fashionable?
In comparison, he and Lin Wangshu looked hopelessly rustic—like a pair of country bumpkins.
Shen Mingfang hurried towards them excitedly and seized her son’s hands.
She examined him from head to toe, then burst into tears.
“You’re finally back! You’re finally home! Look at you—why did you have to do this? You’ve suffered so much outside all these years!”
Meanwhile, Lei Zhenghui had already reached for the luggage at Lei Zhengde’s feet.
“Why is there so much? Does all of this belong to you?”
Naturally, once she asked that question, she noticed Lin Wangshu standing beside him.
At first glance, Lin Wangshu looked thoroughly rustic.
She was still wearing the green military uniform she had put on before boarding the train at the Yunnan farm. Since Beijing was somewhat warm, she had left the jacket open, revealing a white blouse patterned with tiny flowers.
Two braids hung over her shoulders.
She looked extremely old-fashioned.
A military uniform like this might have been highly sought-after several years earlier, but it was no longer fashionable now.
Lei Zhenghui studied Lin Wangshu, then smiled and asked,
“And you are?”
Lin Wangshu looked at Lei Zhenghui’s smile.
She knew it far too well.
It was a smile containing an appraising gaze—polite and courteous on the surface, yet utterly distant.
This was exactly what Lei Zhenghui was like.
Lin Wangshu had visited the Lei residence before. Although the two of them had not been formally introduced, Lei Zhenghui was now pretending not to recognise her.
Lin Wangshu smiled too.
“I’m a friend of Zhengde’s. We happened to return together.”
When Lei Zhengde heard this, he immediately corrected her.
“She’s the girl I’m seeing. Her name is Wangshu. I brought her home before, but you weren’t there, Sis, so you didn’t meet her. Now you finally have!”
At his words, Shen Mingfang also looked over.
She took one glance at Lin Wangshu and immediately disliked what she saw.
Although Lin Wangshu was dressed like a country girl, she was beautiful.
She had willow-shaped brows, almond-shaped eyes, and a lovely face. Although she was dusty from the journey and bore traces of her years in the countryside, anyone could see that she was young and had naturally fine skin.
If she were properly cared for, she would undoubtedly become a great beauty.
The problem was that she was *too* beautiful.
The first time Lei Zhengde had brought her home, Shen Mingfang had disliked her on sight.
However, her son had been deeply infatuated at the time, and he was still accumulating years of service in Yunnan. Shen Mingfang had therefore kept silent.
Now that he had returned, it was time to discuss matters properly.
In her opinion, the most important qualities in a daughter-in-law were dignity, propriety, and virtue. She needed to be capable both in public and in the kitchen.
Naturally, it would be best if the two families were well matched in status. Even if the woman’s family was not quite equal to theirs, it still needed to be respectable enough that the marriage would not cause embarrassment.
Her son could not possibly marry some beautiful little temptress.
If he did, what would that make him?
A foolish sucker waiting to be taken advantage of?
And so, Shen Mingfang smiled without the slightest warmth.
“His girlfriend? What was her name again? Look at my memory. I’d completely forgotten about that.”
Lei Zhengde stamped his foot, beginning to lose his temper.
“Mum, how could you forget? Her name is Lin Wangshu. Her family lives in Baizhifang.”
Hearing this, Lei Zhenghui said in surprise,
“Baizhifang? Isn’t that practically Fengtai? That’s the outskirts, isn’t it?”
Lei Zhengde quickly said,
“It isn’t Fengtai. It’s in Xuanwu, just close to the Fengtai border.”
Shen Mingfang smiled.
“You can’t blame your sister for not knowing. When would we normally travel somewhere so far away? Xuanwu, Fengtai—who can tell the difference? Our world is small. We only move around Dongcheng and Xicheng. At most, we make the occasional trip to Haidian, and even that is troublesome enough for us.”
There was a familiar saying:
*The rich live in Dongcheng, the noble in Xicheng, the poor in Chongwen, and the disreputable in Xuanwu.*
At least those districts were still important enough to be named.
As for somewhere like Fengtai, everyone naturally considered it countryside.
Hearing this, Lin Wangshu smiled.
“My family does live on the edge of Xuanwu, right beside Fengtai. When I was little, trains passed close to our home, and the surrounding area was all wasteland. Ever since I was young, our neighbours have said they hoped their daughters would marry into Dongcheng or Xicheng and live comfortable lives. Then the daughters could bring plenty of good things back to their maiden families and let everyone share in the benefits.”
The remark was obviously highly inappropriate.
Shen Mingfang’s expression immediately darkened.
Just as expected—this girl was looking for a foolish rich family to exploit!
Disdain also appeared on Lei Zhenghui’s face, and her lips curled slightly.
Only Lei Zhengde frantically raised his eyebrows and made faces at Lin Wangshu, trying to warn her.
Lin Wangshu did not even look at him.
She continued,
“But I’ve never wanted to marry into Dongcheng or Xicheng. I haven’t liked those places since I was a child. I’ve heard that quite a few people there may look respectable on the outside, but in reality, they’re nothing more than snobs who look down on everyone else. Who would want them?”
After she finished speaking, Lei Zhengde stared blankly at her, unable to react for a moment.
Shen Mingfang was completely dumbfounded.
What—what kind of way was that to speak?
Lei Zhenghui, on the other hand, looked Lin Wangshu up and down with amusement.
She had never seen anyone so ridiculously affected.
Who did this girl think she was?
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