Chapter 10

“What’s wrong, Jingyao? Did that no-good write this? How can someone be so shameless—he’s even sent you the new Marriage Law, yet still won’t leave you alone...”

“No, it’s a letter from my younger brother.”

Lu Jingyao quickly folded the letter, afraid her two overly “enthusiastic” roommates might see its contents.

“That’s not right—your expression doesn’t match. If this were from your brother, you wouldn’t look so troubled.”

“Don’t be shy—speak up if you’re having trouble. We’ll help you solve it together.”

“Exactly, Jingyao. Our thoughts must clash with old, vile customs—but that’s precisely our duty.”

“We have the responsibility to enlighten those ignorant people, to guide them toward openness and progress...”

The two roommates chattered on and on, soon leaving Lu Jingyao utterly bewildered; she now wondered if accepting their “concern” had been a mistake.

After arriving in Jingcheng to attend university, Li Ye had written to Lu Jingyao once a week for months, successfully igniting the gossip flames among her enthusiastic dorm mates.

They were all older women who had been sent to the countryside, with plenty of experience in verbal sparring—Lu Jingyao, still inexperienced, was no match for them.

After repeated rounds of “care and concern,” they finally extracted the whole story of her connection with Li Ye.

Lu Jingyao was torn: she wanted to break free from her past chains, yet feared her family back in Qingshui County might face retaliation from the Li family.

When her father had said, “If Li Ye gets into university next year, I won’t oppose you two,” Lu Jingyao had clearly sensed her father’s fear and surrender.

After hearing Lu Jingyao’s confession, her roommates immediately erupted in collective outrage.

In this age of renewal, how could a favored female university student still endure the moral shackles of the wicked old society?

Criticize—must criticize.

Even if that Li Ye had agreed to break off the engagement, his family’s attitude was too vile—it must be severely condemned.

The classmates offered advice: a break-up letter, return of the dowry, legal texts—a coordinated assault, determined to shatter the country bumpkin’s daydream once and for all.

Now it seemed Lu Jingyao’s plan had succeeded: Li Ye publicly reclaimed his 26 Phoenix bicycle, effectively severing ties with her in public.

But this outcome was not what Lu Jingyao had hoped for!

She had hoped Li Ye would “understand” her, support “noble, pure freedom,” and quietly resolve the conflict between the Lu and Li families, dissolving this tangled, ambiguous grudge.

Based on her knowledge of Li Ye, she believed he would recognize his own fault, show the responsibility of a true man, and convince his family to let it go.

Only Li Ye could resolve this peacefully, quietly.

But according to her brother’s letter, Li Ye now seemed utterly unfamiliar.

In the words of her two roommates, this toad was just too clueless!

Thinking of it, the tall, slender, strikingly handsome toad crept unbidden into Lu Jingyao’s heart.

Lu Jingyao shook her head vigorously, forcing herself back to reason.

She didn’t want to be entangled with Li Ye anymore; she didn’t want to endure that suffocating feeling of being pitied.

“Jingyao, what’s wrong? Don’t bottle up your feelings... Let me see your brother’s letter—I’ll help you figure it out...”

Lu Jingyao’s actions acted like fuel, causing the roommates’ gossip to swell and burn, itching and sizzling with unbearable curiosity.

Lu Jingyao was irritated, yet didn’t want to reject her roommates’ goodwill—when suddenly, Liu Muhan from the top bunk spoke up.

“Xu Xue, Ma Li, this is Lu Jingyao’s private matter—aren’t you being a bit too intrusive?”

“What kind of thing is that?”

Xu Xue immediately said: “You city kids have no idea how cunning country folk can be.”

“Ask Ma Li—how many sent-down youth were tricked into losing their virtue, then stuck in the countryside for the rest of their lives...”

“.........”

Liu Muhan glanced at Xu Xue and Ma Li, then pulled her blanket back over her head.

Though she shared a dorm with Lu Jingyao and the others, differences in lifestyle had created an invisible barrier.

She rarely spoke to her roommates; this time, she’d only spoken up because she couldn’t bear to watch—whether Lu Jingyao listened was up to her.

Lu Jingyao seemed to realize something, and said to Xu Xue and Ma Li: “It’s nothing—my younger brother wants to take the college entrance exam early next year. He just wrote to ask my opinion.”

He Xue sounded skeptical: “Isn’t your brother only in first year of high school? You’re letting him take the exam next year?”

Lu Jingyao smiled: “He’s a good student—he just wants to try it out. Even if he fails, he’ll gain experience, right?”

“That makes sense.”

He Xue and Ma Li finally let it go, chattering excitedly about other news.

Soon after, He Xue whispered mysteriously: “Jingyao, did you know? Qian Shun seems interested in you. If you think he’s decent, I can set you two up?”

Lu Jingyao froze, quickly replying: “No, He-jie—I’m not thinking about anything outside my studies right now.”

He Xue sighed: “What a pity. Qian Shun has both family background and talent...”

Lu Jingyao lowered her head silently, wishing she could cover her ears.

That Qian Shun was so much like Li Ye.

Both came from wealthy families, spent money freely, both carried that same unacknowledged sense of superiority—both... gone...

Aside from those two similarities, they had nothing in common.

Li Ye was 1.8 meters tall; Qian Shun was 1.6.

Li Ye had a face of stunning beauty; Qian Shun had a massive, bulbous nose.

Li Ye’s bright eyes held pure admiration; Qian Shun’s glances made Lu Jingyao feel physically ill.

In terms of appearance alone, Li Ye could score a perfect ten in Lu Jingyao’s eyes; Qian Shun... words failed.

If Li Ye was a toad, Qian Shun was a buzzing fly.

That afternoon, Lu Jingyao finally found a moment alone and spread out her letter paper to reply home.

In the letter, she urged her brother to be self-reliant, not to chase vanity—if he had no bicycle, walk. If his grades were good, books held golden houses.

But as she neared the end, she hesitated.

She knew her family’s situation well: her brother Lu Zixue had grown accustomed to Li Ye’s “bribes” and might not adapt quickly to a simple life.

Given her mother’s habit of spoiling her precious son, she might actually buy Lu Zixue a bicycle herself.

And Li Ye’s sudden demand for the bicycle back would make neighbors gossip about the Lu family, stirring up fresh turmoil in a household that had just calmed down.

After long thought, Lu Jingyao wrote a second letter.

【Li Ye, long time no see. Your behavior has made you feel strange to me—where has the kind, generous, responsible man gone?】

【You returned the bike to my brother... he’s still young, he can’t bear gossip... don’t worry, I’ll repay you the full cost of the bicycle, with interest.】